text:
Dear mamas!
My baby boy and I just came back from his 4 months check up_He is 18 weeks and 1day today_ and he has dropped on the 6 percentile on the growth chart. The doctor seems worried and gave me the "start him on rice cereals" speech.
A little bit of history. He was born 7lb 14 oz. and today he was 12lb 6oz. He started dropping on the chart since his 6 weeks appointment.
6 weeks_ 10lb 0 oz.
8 weeks_ 10lb 8 oz.
12 weeks_ 11lb 0 oz.
18 weeks_ 12lb 6 oz.
Also his head circumference dropped to 18% . Is this normal?
His wet diapers are good and he is an alert and happy baby. He nurses every 2- 2.5hrs and even at night does not go longer than 4hrs without nursing. He has never been a "big baby", he is very "tall" though_ 25in today.The pediatrician says I should start him on rice cereal to "see how it goes." I'm not sure (I KNOW) I should not. She even told me that "he might spit up" at first and when I told her that it is because he has not lost the thrust reflex yet, she said I could wait until 5 months. I was planning to introduce solids at 6 months_ or when he is ready_ and follow the baby led weaning method. Now I am confused. I guess I just need some reassurance mamas. Maybe I just have a lean baby and there is nothing to worry about?
Thank you!!!


text:
On 12/29/11 a member was suspended from our group for the first time. Many of you may be confused about the line he crossed. The last thing we need is unarticulated anxiety that inhibits members from contributing, because they're unsure what Matt Rugar did wrong.
Groups need a safe emotional environment. When a member shares a painful personal experience, doubts, fears, or other personal vulnerabilities, he/she is giving all of us a precious gift. When another member uses that information to insult, ridicule, or attack the giving member, it's not just a betrayal of trust toward the individual. It's an attack on the group itself. If such betrayal goes unanswered, security shatters in the group. Members are reduced to superficialities, with no possibility for mutual validation. It sends a painful message, "nobody is safe here."
Matt Rugar didn't just attack Joan, when he said this, he betrayed the trust of the entire group.
Joan is still whinning about some thing that happened 4 decades ago and attacks who ever does not join her in her pity party. She goes from group to group to be martyerd.
So how does one give negative feedback without betraying trust and making others feel unsafe?
1. Qualify your criticism as your opinion or perception.
Example: (where X is an offending sexist remark)
Instead of saying "You're sexist." say,
"That sounds sexist to me."
"When he said X, I heard a sexist remark."
"To my ears that smacks of sexism." or
"I perceive X as sexist."
By qualifying what we say as our judgment, we show respect for the person. We imply that he/she could do better. We present the behavior as a mistake. We imply that we too make mistakes, from time to time, that we are equal adults. This is called making the person/behavior distinction.
When we label an offender, we imply that this bad behavior is a defining trait, that he/she is not capable of doing better, and that he/she is therefore inferior.
2. Avoid "Mind Reading", i.e. claiming to know the intent of others. Nobody knows what goes on inside the head of other people. In the example above, Matt claimed to know what goes on in Joan's head. Here again, this is easily avoided by qualifying what you say as your interpretation, your reaction, your judgment. You can say you "feel as if", or "get the impression that."
Views: 1862
Ruth, I agree with your description of what happened and your decision. By the way, I have found a site where I can rant and my rants are mild, but at least it is rant-friendly.
I like knowing this is a place where ideas can be discussed, debated, and with civility. I feel welcome here. With respect, Joan
Thanks for all your wisdom ... and you cute smilies.
Let's have a safe and fun place to hang out and be with people of like mind, without the mind games. Keep the mind games where they belong - in the theistic memes!
The best advice is still; if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.
So glad to see the mods patrolling and keeping the board safe for everyone.
Victoria, I hate to admit this, but I have written some pretty dumb things here and others don't let me get away with it. By challenging, nudging, teasing, teaching, and offering good examples, I am learning to think more clearly, write with more skill, and participate as an equal. These people are real gifts to me and I am sure you will find them true treasures.
Sometimes there are challenges and yet we thrive.
Just a note. When I looked for the offending discussions to close them (but not to delete them), I found Steven had removed all of the discussions he'd started here. Anyone who takes the initiative to start a discussion gets the option to eliminate his or her discussion. He apparently exercised that option. It was his right, but now every reply everyone else made has also been sent to the garbage bin. Oh well. We'll be fine.
I added this to the group description:
Nobody here is into mind games. A discussion started with a loaded guilt-throwing question will be deleted.
Do you think this is clear enough? I didn't want to get too technical. Suggestions for better wording are welcome.
Wonderfully put, Ruth. I am going to paraphrase this and explain it to my supervisor. Maybe he will learn something about the way he talks to me.
I hope everything works out for you Liz.
Good luck, Liz E!
© 2018 Atheist Nexus. All rights reserved. Admin: The Nexus Group. Powered by

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Study: Prefrontal Cortex In Jazz Musicians Winds Down When Improvising
Scientists funded by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) have found that, when jazz musicians are engaged in the highly creative and spontaneous activity known as improvisation, a large region of the brain involved in monitoring one's performance is shut down, while a small region involved in organizing self-initiated thoughts and behaviors is highly activated.
The researchers propose that this and several related patterns are likely to be key indicators of a brain that is engaged in highly creative thought.
During the study, six highly trained jazz musicians played the keyboard under two scenarios while in the functional MRI scanner. Functional MRI (fMRI) is an imaging tool that measures the amount of blood traveling to various regions of the brain as a means of assessing the amount of neural activity in those areas.
Read more about this at the AllViolin.com website:


text:
|View Poll Results: Penguin Drum - Episode 22 Rating
|Perfect 10
|9 out of 10 : Excellent
|8 out of 10 : Very Good
|7 out of 10 : Good
|6 out of 10 : Average
|5 out of 10 : Below Average
|4 out of 10 : Poor
|3 out of 10 : Bad
|2 out of 10 : Very Bad
|1 out of 10 : Painful
|Voters: 56. You may not vote on this poll
|Thread Tools
|2011-12-09, 07:50
|Link #24
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Edinburgh
Age: 36
Why Masako? Why! ;_;
Looking forward how the series will pan out. Are two episodes enough to create a satisfying ending? Only time will tell.
As for Mario he seem to have a roll to play in the whole story, but I really hope he will not just turn up at the last moment and save the world, in 5min screen time.
|2011-12-09, 13:51
|Link #27
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Florida
Not to be Negative or anything, BUT What if we Get a "LOST" ending here. If no one get what i mean it a reference to that ABC show "Lost" that ran for 10 yrs and even at the end they left out more then THOUSANDS of question Unanswered!! NOW I'm scare it going to do that with Penguin Drum! that we get the ending but have soooo many question left Unanswered
What are your thoughts people?
|2011-12-09, 14:40
|Link #28
Senior Member
To defend Shouma a bit, I'm not sure what can realistically be expected of him given the circumstances.
I mean, we're talking nothing less than serious urban warfare here, with Kanba now the notorious leader of the terrorist side of that. Episode 21 made it clear that Shouma is no physical match for Kanba, let alone for Kanba and his entire organization. And Shouma has already tried reasoning with Kanba, and that didn't work.
For all the speculations that Shouma would be the main main protagonist in the end, maybe that's not going to be the case after all. The current situation simply seems beyond him to me.
That might change. Shouma could rush off to where Kanba is, and try one more time to talk him out of his madness, and that might actually work this time. But barring that, or Shouma getting his hands on some sort of magical plot device, it's hard to see what Shouma can reasonably be expected to do here.
Now, as for Kanba, I more or less agree with these two posts...
Nonetheless, my appreciation for Kanba the character doesn't mean I want his coldly destructive and murderous actions to be downplayed and easily forgiven. It's fine if his family, and perhaps even Ringo, forgive him a bit for this (I can imagine a scene where Shouma, possibly accompanied by Ringo, visit him in prison, and he makes up with his brother there), but that's it. Any character redemption beyond that would seem out of place to me now, and might leave a bitter taste in my mouth for the reasons that Guardian Enzo mentioned.
In any event, Episode 22 was another excellent one. It wasn't quite as awesome to me as Episode 21 was, but it was still very very good. The character drama in this anime is truly top-notch, and the action scenes are often amusingly surreal yet also appropriately dramatic and intense.
There's probably no anime currently airing that I'm more eager to see the conclusion of than this one. Mawaru Penguin Drum has truly been an exciting and memorable viewing experience.
|2011-12-09, 15:38
|Link #30
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
|2011-12-09, 16:24
|Link #31
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
BTW, has anyone mentioned that apart from Double H Ringo AND Shouma have their own scarves as well? I guess it was Ringo now, not Himari, who knitted them.
And I have very strong Momoka vibes for her right now, poor girl...
Last edited by mysh; 2011-12-17 at 10:05.
|2011-12-09, 16:46
|Link #32
fullblown technicolour
Join Date: Apr 2006
omg kanba
i don't feel his actions are character assasination in the least--i think he's a great vechile in understanding WHY people become terrorists and kill others. all along, kanba's resolution to save his sister and protect his family made him a sympathetic, tragic character in the beginning and it's now made him a (still tragic) villain. not to say that i'm not a kanba fan cause i am.
and in no way is that justifying his actions, but it makes you understand why disturbed people do the things that they do.
that said, sanetoshi is the true deplorable character here, mainly because I DON'T understand why he's doing this. he used kanba in the worst way possible--he gave him increasingly despicable ways to save his sister, always stating that "there's one way you can save her".
i really do feel like that this episode made some strong parallels between himari and masako. they both are giving up their lives to save their brother--i just felt like masako's was just so much more tragic, considering how she's been trying to save mario too. i've grown to love masako since her flashback episode and she's just frigging amazing.
shouma on the other hand...I GET IT, i get that he's emotionally distraught and has crippling guilt, but i wanted his big shining moment to happen earlier in the series, not two episodes away from the finale. it makes it less believable.
oh tabuki and yuri
and it's so funny how things change, but seeing bits of ringo in my weekly mawaru is like some sunlight in a dark cave or something lol. she's just so funny and sane now.
finally shoma in the same box as the penguins? hmm.
amazing episode!
|2011-12-09, 20:11
|Link #33
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
I love Shouma but yeah I am definitely disappointed how long it took for them to do anything with him in the present storyline. It doesn't help that the last chapter of the 2nd novel made me think things would change for Shouma sooner (maybe they will in the novels).
As for Kanba it's really hard for me to be sympathetic for him at this point. I am actually hoping there is more to it then saving his sister because sorry killing all those people just to save one girl from a natural death, no matter how much you love her is not sympathetic in the least in my view. I do love his Trench coat and his Penguin though.
And I did love the scene of Himari praying to die like she should to save Kanba. I love that she accepts her death, I just wish Kanba could as well.
Masako was just awesome and I pray she is not dead. Although I did love when Kanba finally acknowledged her, I still don't think Kanba deserved dedication like that.
I am glad that it looks like Yuri & Tabuki will get a happy ending (as long as Tabuki survives). I am certainly hoping for that.
Finally although Ringo didn't do much in this episode I still love her dearly. Man Shouma wake up and see what a wonderful girl you have supporting you.
Anyways Shouma in the cage...I don't even know where to begin speculating but I am dying to know what that is all about.
Looks like next week will be another confrontation between the brothers, and I am hoping for more development for Shouma.
edit Also I love how No. 1 was reading Faust...that was just perfect!
|2011-12-09, 20:47
|Link #35
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
On another note I am getting really tired of seeing people say if they use the diary as a fate transfer it will be a Deus ex machina (and I've been seeing it everywhere)
Now I am not saying this is how the series will end or even my preferred end but it's not a deus ex machina because
1) We have known what the diary could do for awhile so it does not come out of nowhere. There is nothing contrived about it.
2) Use of the diary requires some type of payment/sacrifice, so even if it is used something will be lost. Hence it's not really a magical fix everything.
I mean personally I hope Ikuhara will go with a less predictable route or perhaps he could use this route in a unpredictable way. However, the very fact that we know about this route means it's been set up and it's not a deus ex machina (that term is way overused).
Last edited by Kirarakim; 2011-12-09 at 21:01.
|2011-12-09, 21:08
|Link #36
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
|2011-12-09, 21:23
|Link #37
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
I never said it would be a "good ending". It just not a deus ex machina so yes they are wrong. The term is being used incorrectly.
However, I do think it is important to realize that when using the diary something is lost. Yes it is a magical solution (and I personally don't like those either) but it's not a magical solution where "everything" is fixed. It's a magical solution where things are fixed but something has to be lost in the process.
My main problem with that ending is it's way to predictable and seeing as how Ikuhara in a commentary laughed gleefully that he changed the Utena ending because he thought people would figure it out; well I just can't see him going that route.
And I mean come on through this entire series Ikuhara has been trying to fool the audience (and largely succeeding). Probably the one thing Penguindrum has been predictable about is its unpredictability.
Last edited by Kirarakim; 2011-12-09 at 21:35.
|2011-12-09, 21:57
|Link #38
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
I personally wouldn't use the term "deus ex machina" myself but I don't think its usage in this context is necessarily wrong.
|2011-12-09, 22:06
|Link #39
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
A deus ex machina is a contrived plot device that comes out of nowhere to save the characters from a hopeless situation. I just can't see how the diary (which has been clearly set up beforehand) is a deus ex machina.
I am sorry that this is turning a bit off topic, I just had to get that off my chest. I don't care if people complain about that possible ending, I just wish they wouldn't use that term.
|2011-12-09, 22:22
|Link #40
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
|Thread Tools


text:
A 7-year-old girl is safe and sound after a man attempted to kidnap her earlier this week in the toy aisle of a Walmart in Georgia. Brittney Baxter was looking at toys when a man started talking to her and then grabbed her, covering her mouth. She kicked him and screamed until he let her go, which you can see on this surveillance footage. Her mother was just a few aisles away and couldn't believe what had happened. Luckily, no one was injured. The creep who did this, Thomas Andrew Woods, was already on probation for the 2004 killing of his uncle and is now in custody. He is being charged with attempted kidnapping. Major props to Brittney for having the presence of mind to protect herself in what must have been a terrifying situation.
Suspect in attempted Wal-Mart kidnapping killed uncle in 2004 [AJC via Consumerist]


text:
Skip to Main Navigation. Each navigation link will open a list of sub navigation links.
Wyoming Technology Business Center
1938 Harney
Laramie, WY 82072
Phone: 307-766-6395
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
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Attendees at an e2e event are typically a mix of local entrepreneurs and business service providers who have come to learn from a successful entrepreneur. Our programs begin at 5:30pm with a 45 minute lively networking session followed by a 45 minute speaker presentation. There is also a brief question and answer period following each presentation.
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• e2e is focused on finding successful entrepreneurs to share their personal experiences rather than a promotional opportunity for a product, service, or company. All speakers must be approved by WTBC in advance.
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Free, GP-endorsed Menopause Symptoms Tracker helps women monitor their symptoms
Friday, 08 December 2017
A free Menopause Symptoms Tracker™ to help women identify and monitor menopause symptoms over time has been launched by beingEve.net . The online symptoms tracker allows women to identify symptoms, their severity and frequency; monitor their progression over a 90-day period and pinpoint those......
One more cup of coffee before I go?
Thursday, 23 November 2017
It seems like drinking three or four cups of coffee a day may have health benefits. Is this just another study into coffee consumption? They seem to be frequent with conflicting conclusions. This latest study was by the University of Southampton and the University of Edinburgh and while it ......
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text:
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text:
Wall Street to Investors: Time to Cash In Some Chips
Some Pros Grow Cautious as Bull Market Turns Five
Like the old song goes: "You've got to ... know when to walk away...."
Even as investors are celebrating the bull market's five-year anniversary—the Dow Jones Industrial Average has risen 149% since its March 9, 2009, financial-crisis bottom—there's a growing sense among some Wall Street pros that it's time to slow down.
While the market could keep rising for the foreseeable future, cashing in some chips by selling select shares and being cautious about new investments likely is a wise move, some analysts and investors say.
Last week, the Dow rose 1.48%, while the S&P 500 stock index rose 1.38%.
The Dow, which set an all-time record on Dec. 31, has had a mixed first quarter. After a selloff in January, it has clawed back and is now off just 1.65%. The S&P, meanwhile, is down just 0.62% from its all-time high set on March 7 of this year (and up 176% from its 2009 low).
But at these levels, stocks no longer are cheap. The S&P 500 now trades at about 16.5 times its earnings over the past 12 months and about 15.4 times expected earnings over the next 12 months. That compares with a 10-year average price/earnings ratio of 14.7 based on the past 12 months' earnings, and 13.9 based on expected earnings over the next 12 months. A year ago, the figures were 14.3 and 13.5, respectively.
In other words, stocks have entered expensive territory. The market's P/E ratio is about the same as when stocks peaked in October 2007.
The market isn't cheap based on other valuation metrics, either. The S&P's gains since it reached lows in early 2009 nearly match the 180% gains of the average performance of bull markets going back to 1921, and are above the 115% median gains of bull markets in that period, suggesting there may not be huge additional gains ahead.
If the current bull market matches the average of bull markets past, it would have about five weeks left to run.
"Sentiment has moved into a danger zone," says Doug Ramsey, chief investment officer at Leuthold Group. The investment firm's weekly sampling of 30 investor-psychology measures finds sentiment has moved to a three-year optimistic extreme. The last time it found a comparable reading the market dropped almost 20%.
Douglas Kass of Seabreeze Partners Management says he's concerned about "speculative excesses," such as a revived market for initial public offerings and soaring biotech and tech stocks. Indeed, shares of electric-car maker Tesla are up 553% over the past year and now trade at more than 100 times their expected earnings over the next year.
There are other reasons for concern. China's economy is showing signs of weakening to its slowest pace in a decade. A highly indebted real-estate developer recently collapsed amid a slowdown in the country's once-raging property sector.
Meanwhile, the price of copper—often seen as such an accurate barometer of global economic strength that it's gained the nickname "Dr. Copper"—has been falling. Copper is down about 13% this year to its lowest levels in about four years. Other raw materials, like iron ore, aluminum, lead and zinc, also have fallen. China is the biggest consumer of many of these materials.
At the same time, U.S. mortgage rates are rising. Thirty-year rates are at about 4%, up from just over 3% a year ago, as investors exit bonds in anticipation of reduced bond-buying by the Federal Reserve.
Consumers face other challenges, including rising food prices, partly due to drought conditions in parts of the country. Consumers usually get a boost around this time in a recovery, as wages begin to rise. But there's little sign of a sustained wage rebound. "Pricing power is almost completely absent from core sectors, and downward pricing pressure prevails in many such sectors," says Daniel Alpert, founder of Westwood Capital. "That would tend to be adverse to earnings and the high market multiples we have seen lately."
"The reason that so many are on the fence about this is that earnings per share can be, and are being, highly engineered via share buybacks," says Mr. Alpert. Earnings per share can rise if shares are purchased by companies, reducing the number of shares outstanding. "And as long as companies have high levels of cash with which to effectuate such buybacks, the pain of top-line pressure may be blunted for a time. But this environment is not a sustainable one or evidencing a healthy real economy," he says.
It's likely too soon to dump shares en masse. When bull markets reach the five-year mark, they've historically climbed another 26%, according to S&P Capital IQ, as long as they survive another year.
Some see evidence the economy is gaining traction, which could help. Veteran investor Jeremy Grantham argues that the market is as much as 65% overpriced but likely will continue going up until it reaches a real danger zone.
Indeed, until the Federal Reserve begins raising interest rates, the market could maintain its strength. And some bearish investors, such as Mr. Kass, were skeptical last year as well, a stance that proved folly as the S&P 500 climbed 30%.
Still, at current levels for stocks, investors don't have the same margin of safety they once had. That's what some well-respected investors, such as hedge-fund manager Seth Klarman, who runs Boston-based Baupost Group, have warned about in recent weeks.
So what should investors do? Rather than sell all their shares, better to start building a stash of cash to exploit the next downturn, analyst say. It also makes sense to look for expensive stocks to sell.
Blaze Tankersley, senior managing director at Baycrest Partners, says investors should be cautious if they can't use a 20% downturn in the market as a buying opportunity and even more cautious if they hold more-speculative shares.
Tobias Levkovich, chief U.S. equity strategist at Citigroup , says weakness in consumer stocks will continue, noting recent revisions in analysts' earnings estimates. Retail and media stocks are especially unappealing, says Citigroup. Mr. Levkovich says consumer stocks are be an area investors should consider trimming.
Corrections & Amplifications
Investors are celebrating the bull market's five-year anniversary. A headline on an earlier version of this article said the bear market had turned five. Separately, Seth Klarman runs Baupost Group. An earlier version said it was Baupost Capital.
Write to Gregory Zuckerman at firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
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text:
- MFLS Forums
Forums : MFLS Central Forum Thread : Week 29 Matches [R]
from Weirder Bremen
on Mon 9/14 8:49 ET
Reply to This Message
Week 29 Matches
Wednesday, Sep 16
NYC - TOR 7:30 pm ET
NER - RNY 7:30 pm ET
SJE - MON 10:30 pm ET
Friday, Sep 18
SKC - DAL 7 pm ET
Saturday, Sep 19
TOR - COL 2 pm ET
VAN - SEA 7 pm ET
NYC - SJE 7 pm ET
DCU - CMB 7 pm ET
MON - NER 8 pm ET
CHI - ORL 8:30 pm ET
RSL - LAG 9:30 pm ET
Sunday, Sep 20
POR - RNY 5 pm ET
PHI - HOU 7 pm ET
NYC, TOR, NER, RNY, and MON all have two games
this week. No idle teams. DC has a CCL match
NER-RNY on Wed looks like a pretty good game,
as does VAN-SEA on Sat.
Mondogoal is saying that Blake might start for
Philly on Sunday.
Comments? Share your thoughts below.
from Stormin Union
on Mon 9/14 12:52 ET
Reply to This Message
I think Blake will do well this week, he is a solid goalie who can
make some acrobatic saves. It's not his fault that Jamaica had
trouble vs Nicaragua, his defense was embarrassing and
made him look bad (he was livid with his defense in the first
game). But McCarthy is the man for the USOC final, there is
no way we would be in the final if it wasn't for him. Silvestre is
also solid, so we have a good three goalie rotation which is
unusual but it works. The bad start to the season and the
M'Bohli debacle might keep us out the playoffs but at least
things are improving in philly and we are on the verge of
winning our first trophy. The USOC trophy will be at PPL Park
on the 30th and it will be staying there.
from Arrows SC
on Mon 9/14 19:58 ET
Reply to This Message
Red Bulls have two tough games. Playing lots of Bulls could mean trouble.
If Toronto gets some serious points this week they could be in the clear for their first playoff spot. I expect they know that.
LA players will be a tough call.
from Weirder Bremen
on Tue 9/15 22:52 ET
Reply to This Message
Lots of Montreal players won't play Wed:
from Weirder Bremen
on Tue 9/15 22:55 ET
Reply to This Message
"With a stretch of four games in 10 days set to
begin against the Earthquakes, head coach Mauro
Biello opted to send Drogba, Ignacio Piatti,
Justin Mapp, Marco Donadel, Laurent Ciman and
goalkeeper Evan Bush home for extra rest. A team
spokesman confirmed Tuesday that those players
would not be available."
from The Laws of Lalas
on Tue 9/15 23:50 ET
Reply to This Message
i can't believe they may not update the disciplinary report until after the fantasy week kicks off again. something so simple for them to do, yet it is not a priority to them apparently. from Stormin Union
on Wed 9/16 7:22 ET
Reply to This Message
Good to hear about Montreal, they have the advantage in the
standings with games in hand but they are not out of the
woods yet with Philly and Orlando still having a chance to
overtake them. As part of the USOC finals ticket package I
bought reduced price tickets to the Union's final match vs
Orlando, man that would be awesome if that game was to
decide who gets the last playoff spot.
from Mohawks
on Wed 9/16 10:54 ET
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Anyone going to the NE game tonight? I'm in the area for work
and planning to go.
from Mohawks
on Wed 9/16 17:59 ET
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Looks like I'm a loner for the game tonight then! from Weirder Bremen
on Wed 9/16 18:09 ET
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Let us know what you're wearing and where you're
sitting. Maybe we can spot you.
from Mohawks
on Wed 9/16 18:30 ET
Reply to This Message
Are you here? Wearing a USMNT Don't tread on me shirt and
sitting in section 137 until I get up and move to a better spot
from Mohawks
on Wed 9/16 19:21 ET
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This stadium is embarrassingly empty with not long before
kickoff. Maybe 4,000 people?
from Plattsburgh United
on Wed 9/16 23:09 ET
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Watching Montreal right now, I swear the Nba fined San
Antonio for doing the same , this is a reserve team!!!
from FC Byrd Turgler
on Wed 9/16 23:15 ET
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Well, they do have 6 games in the next 3 weeks. from Plattsburgh United
on Wed 9/16 23:19 ET
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Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes will be among the first to see local flood protection measures included in the redrawing of flood maps.
Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes will be among the first to see local levees included in the redrawing of flood maps, officials said Friday.
Inclusion of levees and other flood-protection systems could save homeowners in low-lying areas thousands of dollars as FEMA continues its overhaul of the National Flood Insurance Program and flood maps used to determine flood insurance rates.
Local officials have been aware that the Federal Emergency Management Agency was working on a procedure for including local levees in the maps. But until Friday, officials were unclear how that would be done to accurately reflect flooding risk.
FEMA's previous mapping process ignored levees not certified by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Local officials opposed the action, saying it would exaggerate the risk of flooding and cause flood insurance costs to skyrocket for many home and business owners.
"It is a great time for us to be included when we have the Levee District doing the great work they are doing. At the same time, we will be able to show them the great work we have done so far," said Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet.
On Friday, FEMA said Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. Tammany, St. Charles and Plaquemines parishes, along with 20 out-of-state communities, will be mapped through a pilot program testing FEMA's Levee Analysis and Mapping Procedures, known as LAMP.
Local flood protection officials said they will spend the weekend reviewing the 90-page document detailing FEMA's specifications for including local levees and were excited to see Terrebonne and Lafourche will be part of the process.
"We have been working on this for two years to get them to recognize particularly the south Lafourche levee," said Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph. "We think this opens the door with the pilot program."
Including the levees in the maps is important, but it's also important that the information accurately reflects flooding risk, said North Lafourche Levee District Executive Director Dwayne Bourgeois.
Bourgeois noted the National Academy of Sciences and local officials have criticized previous versions of LAMP.
Local flood protection officials said they hope FEMA's policy is flexible enough for community feedback.
"Computer models don't know if they make sense or not," said Windell Curole, South Lafourche Levee District director. "We know the lay of the land. We have experience. If something doesn't make sense out of the computer model, we can show them factually."
"We've begged FEMA to (let us) be involved so we can make sure it is accurate," Curole said. "It sounds like once we start implementing, there will be some flexibility to make it accurate. We are encouraged."
FEMA representatives couldn't be reached for comment Friday.
Local officials also have the option of appealing preliminary FEMA maps within 90 days of being issued. Lafourche and Terrebonne have already done so.
Claudet said he is eager to see if there will be any ongoing option to update the maps since Terrebonne will have millions of dollars in levee construction through the coming years.
Exactly what pace the mapping process will take is unclear, but FEMA documents say the test program will be in fiscal year 2013, which ends Sept. 30.
It's also unclear how the new procedure will be included in communities that have already accepted or are reviewing their preliminary flood maps.
"These communities have made significant investments to protect themselves but currently aren't getting any credit from FEMA. For too long, FEMA has failed to recognize the reality on the ground along the coast. The new guidelines for these parishes are an important opportunity to improve FEMA's understanding of coastal Louisiana's unique topography and conditions," Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., said in a statement praising the pilot program.
The move comes as the congressional delegation is taking action to delay negative effects of flood insurance reform and decrying the release of preliminary maps for Jefferson, St. Bernard and Orleans parishes this week.
"Earlier this year, FEMA caused panic in many parishes in south Louisiana by predicting future flood insurance rates based on incomplete and inaccurate maps, and now they are repeating that same irresponsible mistake with the release of these maps," said Sen. David Vitter, R-La., publicizing a letter to FEMA officials that demands the maps be rescinded.
The delegation has introduced a number of measures aimed at delaying reforms to the National Flood Insurance Program. and more are on the way, Landrieu's office confirmed.
Though levees will be included, local officials stressed that isn't a complete solution to the potential harms reforms could have. Provisions ending grandfathered insurance costs and denial of certain subsidies for policyholders in at-risk areas threaten to send annual rates as high as $30,000 and greatly diminish property values in some areas.
Terrebonne Parish is scheduled to hold a public meeting to discuss the reforms at 6 p.m. July 23 in the Main Library, 151 Library Drive, Houma.


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Find out the extent of man's exploitation of penguins in the past, including boiling for oil and egg collection in History. The current Falkland penguin populations and their importance in global terms are described in Status. The current pressures faced by Falkland penguins, such as commercial fishing, pollution, disease and climate change are in Threats.
The Falkland Islands hold spectacular colonies of seabirds, and are globally important for their penguin populations. This is recognised internationally through designation of 22 Important Bird Areas, all of which are coastal or island sites containing breeding colonies of these attractive birds.
How you can help: By Adopting a Penguin or by making a donation you can directly support Falklands Conservation and our efforts to protect the penguins of the Falkland Islands. Sales from the Penguin Arts & Crafts Book in our shop go towards supporting our field work. Visit our shop


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Time Warner Cable launched its TV application for Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360 devices Tuesday, after already having introduced apps for smartphones, tablets and Roku's set-top boxes.
Xbox Live Gold members can access up to 300 channels through the app, dubbed TWC TV, depending on the subscriptions of Time Warner Cable customers. Available live channels include AMC, BBC World News, Bravo, Cartoon Network, CNN, Comedy Central, Food Network and HGTV.
Customers can use Kinect voice and gesture controls to pick shows, movies and music. The app includes a TV guide and the ability to filter search content by shows, channels and genres. Users can also see what their Xbox Live friends are watching and access genre-based radio stations.
PHOTOS: Biggest tech flops of 2013 – so far
This comes in response to increasing demands from customers for more flexibility in how they can watch television programming, the company said.
"They want more ways to be able to watch TV on more devices, and we can do that," said Mike Angus, Time Warner Cable's senior vice president and general manager of video.
Meanwhile, Xbox 360, which counts 76 million consoles sold to date, has evolved from a multiplayer online gaming device to a major content delivery system.
ON LOCATION: Where the cameras roll
"We've now gone into an entire different stratosphere of how we enhance the experience for our users," said Blair Westlake, corporate vice president of Microsoft's media and entertainment group.
The companies announced in June that they were going to launch TWC TV.
This adds to the suite of ways people can watch live TV programming on Xbox. There are already Xbox apps from Comcast's Xfinity and Verizon FiOS.
Microsoft said it is working with Time Warner Cable to offer on-demand programming in the next six months.
Eddie 'Piolin' Sotelo alleges extortion, sues former workers
MTV VMAs' viewership soars 66% over last year to 10.1 million
Famed tattoo artist Mark Mahoney is going strong on the Sunset Strip
Follow on Twitter: @rfaughnder
ON LOCATION: People and places behind what's onscreen PHOTOS: Biggest box office flops of 2013 PHOTOS: Celebrity production companies
ON LOCATION: People and places behind what's onscreen
PHOTOS: Biggest box office flops of 2013
PHOTOS: Celebrity production companies


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The look and the price are retro, but what's under the hood?
"It's not what you pay for, it's what you get."
That clever slogan and several like it helped propel the Commodore 64 to more than 20 million sales after it appeared in 1982. And now, the Commodore 64, which was discontinued in 1994, is being relaunched at, amazingly, the same price as it was back then. That's right, you can now buy your very own modern C64 for $595.
I actually learned about the C64 relaunch around the beginning of the month, but held off on writing about it because I didn't want people to think it was an April Fool's joke. I assure you, it's not.
The original C64 was probably one of the most consumer-friendly PCs ever created. They were even sold in department stores. You could walk into a Sears or a Montgomery Ward (back when you could actually walk into a Montgomery Ward) and pick up fishing tackle, a new outfit, and a Commodore 64 computer.
I have to admit that I never owned one. My parents went down with me to the local computer showroom and bought an IBM PC, which we got for a good price by playing two dealers against each other. It was not unlike purchasing a car today. And after shelling out thousands of dollars, we became the proud owners of the most powerful personal computer in the world at the time. I was the king nerd of the neighborhood.
So it was with some displeasure that I found out what the C64 could do after my good friend Guy's family bought one.
At first I looked down on the little device, its tan cover and funny button arrangement. But the more I played with it, the more I came to respect it.
The big shift for me was when we both purchased the Cinemaware game "Defender of the Crown." It looked so much better, had more features and generally was a better experience on the C64. That can probably be chalked up to the fact that the C64 was pretty much a specifically designed entertainment system and the IBM PC was a multipurpose system that could do anything. But still, I was impressed. I remember sitting around with Guy reviewing the game on both platforms and exclaiming with shock, "The campfire moves on the C64!"
The new Commodore 64 is not identical to the original. In fact, inside the carefully rendered brown shell is an Intel Atom processor, plenty of memory (much more than 64k) and an Nvidia graphics chip. There is even an HDMI port so you can hook it up to a modern big screen, and options for Blu-ray and Wi-Fi.
You can even install Windows on it if you want, though I suspect that might somehow shatter the space-time continuum, or at the very least rip a tiny hole in the fabric that makes up reality.
A Commodore OS and a game pack are in the works, though the original units will ship with Linix Ubuntu. The company making the new C64 says it will ship the Commodore OS for free to anyone who buys a system now and wants to run it "authentically" later on.
Will the new C64 catch on? I suspect it will. Of those 20 million original owners, some have to feel the same level of nostalgia I do, perhaps much more. And the price is good, too. Even if you only plan to use it as your Blu-ray player, I can't think of anything more geek chic as the centerpiece for a mancave.
So what do you think? Will the new C64 make it to your Christmas wish list, or is dead technology gone for a reason?
About the Author
John Breeden II is a freelance technology writer for GCN.
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Will the blue ray disk drive look like the old 1541? I still have my old C64 packed away along with the 1541 drive, and even the old cassette drive. I even have a program that converted the old C64 to have 80 columns so that I could remote into the schools computer through the 300 baud modem.
Not only do I still have my original Commodore 64, I also still have my Commodore 128, with dual external disc drives yet !! Also, tucked away neatly in boxes are all of the original floppy disks. Question.....will the new Commodaore 64 OS run the original games on from my original floppys ?? Answer anyone ?
I was a professional COBOL programmer and i bought a C64 and a C64Plus to learn Basic and graphics. The games were the best. It was revolutionary compared to the IBM PCs. I was programming IBM 370s so it gave me a new world along with mainframes. I think i gave it away a few years back but i loved that computer.
Seems a little bit like droppin a supertuned V-TEC into a '52 BelAir ... why?
Wow! The C-64 was my 2nd computer, I started out with the Commodor Vic-20 taking my first 2 computer courses on it (Basic). I loved my C-64 and played a log of great games that never transisioned to the PC, sadly. I'd sur enjoy playing StarFleet II again on a C-64 - as long as it played faster and I had a larger screen. Nice to see others enjoyed the C-64 as well.
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constructaid necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 229 diseños de 63 diseñadores freelance.
Design a logo for a major tool manufacturer that will be seen by the entire walls and ceilings industry and admired by contractors world-wide. Sur-Pro (pronounced Sure Pro), has rebranded and is now looking for an amazing logo that captures market attention and resonates among professional contractors.
Sur-Pro + Tagline "Be Sure."
Look at DeWalt (http://www.dewalt.com), Black & Decker (http://www.blackanddecker.com), and Stanley Tools (http://www.stanleytools.com) to see other big brand tool manufacturers. The competition!
Here is a link that shows the current Sur-Pro logo among other leading tool brands:
The Logo:
Typeface/WordMark: Clean, simple, strong and bold. Something tight that can easily beapplied to a multitude of media - tools, packaging, product brochures, box,web, etc.
Icon/Logo Mark: A simple icon that isn't literal to the tools, butrather expresses the branding in an esoteric manner. Sur-Pro's brand messagingis about Quality, Value, Innovation and Service, so a logo that had 4 points,stripes, lines, or other elements that could build into the Sur-Pro brand storywould be great.
Be Sure.
Colors:Black, Yellow and Gray preferred. Black, Green, and Gray as a secondaryoption. I'm also open to other strong 3-color pallets that help the brandbuild a recognizable color association.
Read this to get an idea of the company brand messaging:
BrandStory / About Sur-Pro
Innovation versus imitation isthe touchstone at the heart of everything we do at Sur-Pro. Our obsession quality has driven us to be inconstant pursuit of a better tool and ultimately a better experience for ourcustomers. Sur-Pro is on a quest todeliver the quality, value and service walls and ceilings professionals demandin order to succeed in a competitive market. Our focus on manufacturing professional grade tools and equipment thatour performs the competition has gained us the respect of the professionaltradesman.
From our own empirically basedresearch, to the comments and feedback we receive from our customers, Sur-Prois on a continuous quest to bring added value to the market place. Quality professionals can be sure of. If Innovation is the driving force behindthe creation of quality products, customer service is the foundation thatsupports them. Our team is dedicated toexceeding the expectations of the customer and creating and unmatchedexperience.
We stand behind our products andservices and offer the industries best warranties and customer support. Our devoted team of engineers, customerservice representative, and product experts work in parallel to insure thehighest level of customer satisfaction. Understanding what our customers need and how to deliver solutions thatmeet them where they are at, and take them to the next level is what we do.
Quality,innovative tools that improve performance, efficiency, and profitability isSur-Pro's "sweet- spot". We don't copy,or imitate other brands. We lead andoffer improvements that add value, and ease for the customer. When you are a professional you have to getthe job done right. You have to be sure.
The finallogo needs to be vector art (Illustrator/EPS preferred). The colors need to be translated in RGB, CMYKand PMS.
- Strong Typface Logo, and a simple esoteric logo mark to compliment
- 2 versions of 3-color max color schemes: (1) Yellow, Black and Gray/White and (1) Green, Black and Gray/White).
- Designed in vector artwork (Adobe Illustrator preferred)
- Provide colors formats in CMYK, RGB, HEX, and PMS
- No cheesy clipart - no tool icons, or construction workers
- No crazy typefaces - this should be classic design with long lasting brand power
- No low-res photoshop files
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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European Commission
Olli REHN
Vice-President of the European Commission and member of the Commission responsible for Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Euro
Spring Forecast: slowly recovering from a protracted recession
Press Conference on the Spring Economic Forecast
3 May 2013
Good morning,
Let me start with a remark on forecasting and policy-making. Following the reform of EU economic governance, the Commission's economic forecasts have increasingly become as analytical and operational instruments for economic and fiscal policy-making.
Accordingly, based on the fiscal data of last year, validated by Eurostat in April, the spring forecast is the basis for our assessment of the Stability and Convergence Programmes, which we have received from the Member States. Together with the assessment of the structural reforms that Member States are presenting and planning in their National Reform Programmes, the Commission will conclude the present third European Semester of economic policy coordination on our behalf by putting forward a comprehensive set of country-specific recommendations on 29 May.
Today, I will first present the projected economic outlook, and then focus on its implications for economic and fiscal policy in Europe.
External demand is projected to support the gradual recovery of the EU economy. The gradual improvement of the global economic outlook began in the first quarter of this year.
Among the major advanced economies, the underlying economic dynamics in the US are expected to remain intact despite the fiscal tightening because of the so-called sequester.
The emerging economies are expected to continue on a robust growth path. However, differences across regions have recently increased, with a robust economic expansion in Asia and more moderate growth in Latin America and Russia.
The recession in the EU deepened at the end of last year, with GDP contracting by some ½% in the last quarter of last year, compared to the previous quarter. For 2012 as a whole, economic activity decreased by 0.3% in the EU and by 0.6% in the euro area.
We expect the EU economy to stabilise in the first half of this year. GDP growth is projected to turn positive in the second half of this year, and to gain momentum next year, in 2014. In the near term, increasing external demand is set to be the main growth driver, since domestic demand is still constrained in the aftermath of the deep financial crisis.
Annual GDP this year is now forecast to contract by 0.1% in the EU and by 0.4% in the euro area. For 2014, we expect growth of 1.4% in the EU and 1.2% in the euro area.
Inflation continues to decline and it fell below 2% in the first quarter of this year, on the back of falling energy prices. In the euro area, inflation fell to 1.2% this April compared to April last year, which was an unexpectedly large decline after the cut-off date of our forecast. In any event, inflation risks remain firmly contained during the forecast period.
For labour markets, we do not unfortunately yet see a trend reversal this year, as the labour market usually follow economic activity only with a lag. Unemployment is forecast at 11.1% in the EU and at 12.2% in the euro area this year.
At the same time, disparities across member states remain large. In Spain and Greece unemployment rates are at an unbearably high level of 27% this year, and expected to fall slightly next. At the same time, unemployment in Austria is 4.7% and in Germany 5.4%.
With the economic recovery gaining ground, we expect a reversal of the trend and a modest rise in employment in 2014
Financial-market conditions have continued to improve since the second half of last year, and for some countries, like Ireland, even earlier. EU sovereign yield spreads have remained by and large unchanged since the start of the year.
That is good news, but at the same time the improvements in financial markets are not yet felt in the real economy through increased lending to the private sector. In fact, credit to non-financial corporations has continued to contract over the past few months, while credit to households has grown at a very low rate.
The most recent ECB bank lending survey shows that there has been less net tightening in lending conditions recently. This suggests that the ECB's interventions have had a stabilising effect. But growth in lending continues to suffer from the geographical divergence in financing conditions of companies across Member States in Europe, which reflects financial fragmentation.
In parallel to the cross-country divergence in bank lending rates, the spreads between interest rates on small compared to larger loans to enterprises have also increased since end-2011. The largest divergence between SMEs and larger corporations can be observed in Spain and Italy. This is particularly worrisome, since small and medium-sized enterprises usually do not have alternative access to capital markets and we would need SMEs to grow and create jobs in Europe and they need lending for that.
Public debt will continue to grow over the forecast period, although at a slower pace, reaching 96% of GDP in the euro area EU and almost 91% of GDP in the EU in 2014. This is in fact an increase of close to 30 percentage points since before the financial crisis.
In some countries, this increase in public debt reflects less than prudent fiscal policy in the years before the crisis. In other countries, it reflects an unsustainable build-up of private debt, which led to financial and banking crises. In both cases, the re-pricing of risk and the increased costs of debt service has increased the pressures to reduce debt.
Europe is moving on with the necessary fiscal consolidation, starting from a deficit of above 6% of GDP in 2010. We expect the headline deficit to fall to 3.4% in the EU and 2.9% in the euro area in this year.
In the euro area, this reflects a fiscal consolidation effort of about 1½% of GDP last year. On the basis of 2013 national budgets, we expect consolidation measures of about ¾% of GDP in the EU and the euro area, which means that this year in relative terms, half the amount of fiscal consolidation than last year (form 1½ to ¾ % of GDP). The decisions on which these budgets are based were made in 2012, in line with the Commission's recommendations of last spring a year ago.
Why is this slowing down of fiscal consolidation possible? It has been made made possible by three factors:
• first, the increased credibility of fiscal policy which the euro area member states have achieved since 2011;
• which, second, has reduced macro-financial risks and enabled the ECB to take further decisive action to stabilise the markets;
• and third, the reform of EU economic governance, which now provides an effective medium-term framework for a gradual fiscal adjustment and the advancement of structural reforms.
Against this backdrop, I can share with you a few observations on some Member States as regards bringing their public finances on a sustainable path and meeting their commitments under the Excessive Deficit Procedure, or EDP.
Let me begin with those countries for which an abrogation, or exit, from the EDP is probable and/or possible.
Latvia and Romania have both reduced their deficits below 3% in 2012 and they stay below the reference value also during the forecast period. Both countries therefore seem to be firmly on track for a sustainable correction of their excessive deficit, and thus for an exit from the EDP.
Lithuania's 2012 deficit is close to the 3% reference value. Since its debt remains below 60% of GDP, it would be eligible for the rule that takes into account the net cost of a systemic pension reform. Therefore Lithuania could be a candidate for abrogation.
Italy reduced its deficit from 3.8% to 3.0% of GDP in 2012. For this year, the deficit is forecast to stay below 3% of GDP, which facilitates exiting the EDP, subject to the continued commitment to sound public finances. The consolidation in structural terms amounted to about 3% of GDP between 2011 and 2013, which brings Italy close to its medium-term objective of a balanced budget. Balancing the budget in structural terms is important in view of Italy's very high level of public debt.
The abrogation from the EDP will require that the deficit stays below 3% of GDP this year and beyond, taking into account measures that the new government intends to take. In parallel, a broad-based structural reform agenda is essential to reverse the deep-rooted and long decline in Italy's competitiveness and thus boost its export performance.
I have been in contact with Minister Saccomanni and I look forward to receiving the concrete details in the updated Stability Programme ,expected in the next weeks.
Hungary has kept the deficit well below 3% of GDP in 2012, but would exceed the 3% threshold slightly again in 2013 and 2014. By taking new measures the government can ensure that the deficit will remain clearly below 3% of GDP this year and next.
Overall, out of the 20 countries currently in EDP, we could thus have three evident candidates, Latvia, Romania and Lithuania, for abrogation or exit from the EDP. Moreover, two member states, Italy and Hungary, can do it, provided that they stay the course of fiscal sustainability.
Let me now turn to member states that may require and qualify for an extension of the deadline for correcting their excessive deficit.
As I implied already, given the fragility of the expected recovery, we recommend a fiscal stance that is appropriate for the economic recovery at national and European level. This means a consistent but gradual consolidation in a number of countries, based on the gained credibility and progressive stabilisation. It should reflect national fiscal space and growth prospects and ensure a composition of adjustment that is supportive of growth.
In France, the recovery is now expected to be delayed, which evidently has repercussions on public finances as well.
We now project the deficit at 3.9% of GDP this year and at 4.2% next year. This is clearly higher than in the Stability programme of France, because their growth forecast is, in our view, overly optimistic.
Therefore, in order to bring the deficit below 3% next year 2014, as envisaged by the French authorities, significantly larger and front-loaded effort of fiscal consolidation would be required than is currently planned.
Considering the economic situation, it may be reasonable to extend the deadline by two years and to correct the excessive deficit at the latest by 2015 in France. In any case, it is essential that France fully implements the envisaged measures and soon specifies further actions to meet the objectives in fiscal policy.
Underlying our growth forecast is the persistent deterioration of French competitiveness. Therefore a credible medium-term fiscal strategy needs to be complemented with substantial structural reforms in the labour market, pension system and opening up markets. That is key to unlock the growth potential that France so badly needs and to unlock improving employment that France so badly needs.
In Spain, the aftermath of the credit boom is weighing heavily on the economy and employment, and on the Spanish people. With the view of the worse economic outlook and thanks to the credible medium-term fiscal strategy, we have advised the Spanish government to extend the timeline to correct the excessive deficit by two years, from 2014 to 2016.
An extension of the deadline by two years would still imply a significant but realistic consolidation effort. Moreover, given the size and urgency of the adjustment challenge, I welcome Spain's determination to firmly embed the budgetary strategy in profound structural reforms to enable a return to sustainable growth and improving employment.
In Slovenia, bringing the deficit below 3% of GDP now seems out of reach, as measures to support the banking system strain public finances.
Extending the deadline for the correction of Slovenia's excessive deficit can be considered, but will have to be embedded in a broad based reform strategy, addressing the country's imbalances.
For the Netherlands, the deficit is also forecast to exceed 3% of GDP this year, related to the nationalisation of a bank-insurance company and to a macroeconomic situation that is worse than expected. This would allow a revised recommendation to bring the deficit below 3% next year.
In Poland, the 2012 deficit was 3.9% of GDP, which is obviously too high to be eligible for the special rule regarding the net cost of a systemic pension reform. It seems that the recommended fiscal effort was made, but the deficit will still remain around 4% of GDP over the forecast period. This will necessitate a revised recommendation under the EDP.
I regret I have to be quite long, but that is part and parcel of the reformed economic governance and I can be somewhat briefer at the end of May when I present the country specific recommendations. Before taking your questions, let me conclude. While the short-term outlook is still weak, the rebalancing of the European economy is proceeding and underway. The current account imbalances are being reduced in the euro area and its current account is moving into surplus which helps rebalancing. It is important that the rebalancing continues in all member states: deficit countries will need to boost their competitiveness, while surplus countries will need to remove structural obstacles to the growth of their domestic demand.
In view of the protracted recession and high unemployment in many parts of Europe, we must really do whatever it takes to overcome the unemployment crisis. Each EU institution will need to work within its own mandate, each Member State both on its own challenges and jointly together as a Union on our common challenges.
The EU's policy mix is focused on sustainable growth and job creation. Monetary policy is accommodative and will remain so, as we heard yesterday in Bratislava. In fiscal policy, consistent consolidation is continued, even though with a slower pace in the current economic context, while ensuring the medium-term sustainability of public finances.
Next, we must resolve the current liquidity trap, or the financing trap of households and enterprises, especially in southern Europe, in order to let credit flow and facilitate economic growth by using possible ways and means at the disposal of the EU institutions, including the European Investment Bank. We are working on this with our partners and I trust operational measures can be agreed soon. In parallel, rapid progress on the banking union is necessary to reinforce confidence.
Structural reforms need to be pursued ever more intensively, and active labour market policies are likewise crucial, especially in combatting youth unemployment.
Thank you for your attention.
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- Brazilian Grand Prix - Qualifying
No penalty after Grosjean/de la Rosa clash
- Race:
- Brazilian Grand Prix
- Drivers:
- Romain Grosjean
- |
- Pedro de la Rosa
The stewards at the Brazilian Grand Prix have decided to take no further action after investigating a collision between Romain Grosjean and Pedro de la Rosa during qualifying.
The incident happened during Q1 as Grosjean closed on de la Rosa along the pit straight. The Lotus driver lost his front wing against the rear of the HRT at high speed near the pit lane entry. Although the FIA believed neither was to blame, it said the collision could have resulted in a "very serious outcome".
"The driver of car 22 [de la Rosa] felt that he was following his normal line, was aware that car 10 [Grosjean] was behind him and was aware of the speed delta," the stewards report said. "The driver of car 10 believed he had been seen by the driver of car 22 and that car 22 was moving aside to the right to allow him through.
"Accordingly, the stewards consider this a driving incident due to the nature of the track but have advised the drivers, and the drivers agree, that this could have resulted in a very serious incident."
Grosjean had to pit for a new front wing and failed to make the cut for Q2 as a result. He said it was a disaster for his race chances.
"I left him doing his flying lap in front of me ... not a big deal and then I overtook him on the straight and going up the left on the inside of the straight he didn't see me and there was no space between the wall and his car.
"It's a disaster for tomorrow, we had a very good car and I don't know what to say. Let's see tomorrow, the weather may be strange."


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Modularized interface to gnuplot that allows complex graphics and fine control of their components. It is designed for non-interactive use, e.g. scripts for plotting statistics.
The hierarchy of objects is as follows:
Graph2D: A curve like a sine curve. Attributes of a graph are line type, thickness, color.
Graph3D: A surface.
Plot: An overlay of many curves. It is parametrized by the graph type (2D or 3D) in order to make sure, that only graphs of one type are overlayed and only according attributes can be accessed. You cannot generate plots or graphs alone, you can only generate plots containing graphs using the functions in Graphics.Gnuplot.Plot.TwoDimensional and Graphics.Gnuplot.Plot.ThreeDimensional. You can combine plots using the
Monoidtype class.
Frame: Add options to a plot such as border, legend, title, label attributes. See Graphics.Gnuplot.Frame and Graphics.Gnuplot.Frame.OptionSet.
MultiPlot: Arrange several frames in a matrix layout. See Graphics.Gnuplot.MultiPlot.
Although the Haskell wrapper shall save you from the burden
of learning gnuplot script syntax,
it happens frequently that people ask,
how to express a certain gnuplot script using this package.
Thus let's annotate the gnuplot script generated by
in order to show, what belongs to where:
# the terminal selection is part of the 'plot' command of this module set terminal x11 # multiplot initialization belongs to MultiPlot - of course set multiplot layout 3, 5 # hiding the names of the temporary files is a FrameOption unset key set xrange [-1.0:1.0] # this plot contains only one graph, # but several graphs could be given separated by commas plot "curve0.csv" using 1:2 with lines plot "curve1.csv" using 1:2 with lines plot "curve2.csv" using 1:2 with lines plot "curve3.csv" using 1:2 with lines plot "curve4.csv" using 1:2 with lines plot "curve5.csv" using 1:2 with lines plot "curve6.csv" using 1:2 with lines set xrange [-2.5:2.5] set yrange [-2.5:2.5] # this is a plot build from a Graph3D splot "curve7.csv" using 1:2:3 with pm3d set xrange [-1.0:1.0] set yrange [*:*] plot "curve8.csv" using 1:2 with lines plot "curve9.csv" using 1:2 with lines plot "curve10.csv" using 1:2 with lines plot "curve11.csv" using 1:2 with lines plot "curve12.csv" using 1:2 with lines plot "curve13.csv" using 1:2 with lines plot "curve14.csv" using 1:2 with lines unset multiplot