text:
Analysts tend to start each year optimistically. 2010, 2011 and 2012 all saw an upbeat start to the year for global stock markets. 2013 is hailed by many equity strategists as the start of the long-anticipated "great rotation", with investors moving into stocks out of bonds, ending the reign of the bond bull market in recent years.
But it's European stocks that are being seen as particularly investable.
BlackRock has seen a marked increase in flows towards European equities.
"These flows initially came from cash and U.S. equities but also more recently from some investors switching out of bonds. The latter is very significant as it is the first time we have seen this for many years," Nigel Bolton, head of the European Equity Team at BlackRock wrote in the firm's "Barometer for 2013".
The U.S. fiscal cliff and debt ceiling uncertainties have shifted the focus of investors' worries from the euro zone to the U.S., and highlighted the valuation discount of European equities relative to their U.S. peers.
According to BlackRock, European stocks are trading at a 25 percent discount to the U.S. equity market. That's close to the highest historic discount, which typically stands at 8 percent on average, BlackRock said.
The turning point for European stocks was the summer of 2012, when investors' portfolios had a record underweight position in Europe equities, and the European Central Bank (ECB) finally announced it would do everything it could to keep the euro zone together. The ECB's intervention triggered a rally in European stocks in the second half of 2012.
But, according to Nigel Bolton, "we are only mid-way through a bull market."
BlackRock says, on a price-to-earnings basis, European stocks are still around 15 percent below their historic long-term average, and it sees encouraging signs such as the setting up of the euro zone's permanent bailout fund, called the European Stability Mechanism.
"The European Stability Mechanism is now de facto funded, given ECB support, ensuring that any country in need of it will be bailed out. Reforms in Italy and Spain are continuing apace," Bolton said.
But risks remain and the key questions for 2013 are whether a pro-reform government will be elected in Italy, whether Germany will keep its pro-euro zone stance in the election campaign, and whether Spain will need a formal bail out.
These milestones could provide some volatility, but if there is no slippage in political actions, BlackRock's analysts see returns of 15 percent on European stocks in 2013.
"The European equity market offers an earnings yield of 9 percent and a dividend yield of 4 percent - significantly more attractive than the lower yields investors currently achieve on cash or on low-risk sovereign bonds."


text:
Thu, 18 October 2007
John Perkins spills the "The Secret History of the American Empire". Dr. Mark Moyar is the guy who wasn't qualified to teach history at the University of Iowa...he's in the wrong party. Plus, Senator Harkin earmarks $500,000 for LaRaza. Oh, good.
Direct download: mickelson-2007-10-18.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 8:41am CDT

subset: commoncrawl


text:
People who watch the evening newscasts regularly often note that the shows follow the lead of the New York Times in selecting news stories. If a story is on the front page of the Newspaper of Record, it's probably going to wind up on the newscasts.
But not always.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch both released reports on civilian deaths from US drone strikes in Pakistan and Yemen.
The reports made the front page of the New York Times (10/21/13). As the Times reported:
At least 19 civilians in the surrounding area of North Waziristan had been killed in just two of the drone attacks since January 2012–a time when the Obama administration has held that strikes have been increasingly accurate and free of mistakes.
Last October, it says, American missiles killed a 68-year-old woman named Mamana Bibi as she picked vegetables in a field close to her grandchildren. In July 2012, 18 laborers, including a 14-year-old boy, were killed near the Afghan border.
The new investigations were also reported by the Washington Post (10/21/13), which told readers that the groups
say they have freshly documented dozens of civilian deaths in US drone strikes in Pakistan and Yemen, contradicting assertions by the Obama administration that such casualties are rare.
The Human Rights Watch investigation of several strikes in Yemen "concluded that at least 57 of the 82 people killed were civilians, including a pregnant woman and three children who perished in a September 2012 attack."
But the reports were absent from the network evening newscasts. With millions of viewers every night, these are still the news outlets with perhaps the widest reach in the country.
The broadcasts covered some newsworthy issues, of course–the new jobs report, and some additional details about a recent school shooting in Nevada.
But they also covered stories of seemingly less importance than the civilians killed in secretive US bombing campaigns. NBC Nightly News, for instance, reported that it would be slightly colder along the East Coast than it's been. They had long reports about police forces using defibrillators and small family farms that operate as tourist attractions. NBC also reported on construction at the Capitol building in Washington and on some new products unveiled by Apple.
CBS Evening News had a long report about tensions within the Republican party, and an excerpt from a Charlie Rose interview with Warren Buffett. They also told viewers about the new iPad–but also about other tablet computers, too. And that construction project at the Capitol was covered.
ABC World News led with gas prices falling. They also did reports about unsafe dog treats, those new Apple products, a study of sibling rivalries, a possible UFO sighting in Iceland and popular baby names, and closed with a rather long report about a class that helps prepare dogs to fly in airplanes.
There were some major outlets that did evidently think the reports were newsworthy. CNN's The Lead With Jake Tapper (10/21/13) interviewed Amnesty International researcher Mustafa Qadri, who also appeared on the PBS NewsHour in a debate with a retired US general.
But on the nightly newscasts this was the kind of news that evidently wasn't news–at least not as newsworthy as a new iPad or a school that helps prepare pets for air travel.


text:
Missing Dorchester boy found safe
Leland Corning found after walking into convenience store
A 12-year-old boy with Asperger's syndrome who was reported missing Tuesday morning was found safe after he walked into a convenience store later that evening.
Leland Corning had last been seen at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday on Glenway Street in Dorchester.
Police said Corning walked into a convenience store where customers recognized him and contacted police. The boy has since contacted his mother and was being taken to Boston Medical Center for evaluation.
Police performed an active search for Corning on Tuesday evening. Officers searched inside the Franklin Park Zoo on the chance that Corning might have entered that area, police said.
A State Police helicopter equipped with a thermal imaging unit was on its way to Dorchester to assist in the search on Tuesday evening.
Police said they were concerned for the child's safety as the cold weather worsened.


text:
On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. led a march of thousands to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., and delivered one of the most famous speeches of all time.
The most famous parts of the speech, the lines that gave it its name, were actually taken from speeches King had given before, and did not plan to do so at the march to the National Mall. But responding to a cry from the gospel singer Mahalia Jackson in the audience, calling "Tell them about the dream, Martin," he began to improvise.
Thus, the most recognized and beloved call for freedom and equality in the United States.
Scroll down for a video and transcript of the speech
From the Archives: More than 200,000 rally for civil rights WASHINGTON, Aug. 28, 1963 (UPI) -- An intensely emotional but orderly throng of more than 200,000 demonstrators-their leaders shouting "the time is now"-Wednesday staged America's biggest civil rights rally beneath the brooding figure of Abraham Lincoln.
The demonstrators, converging on the capital from across the country-from tiny hamlets and big cities-opened the mammoth "jobs and freedom" rally with a festive picnic like air and concluded it in an impassioned mood of almost religious fervor.
Massed on the Lincoln memorial grounds after marching from the Washington monument, they heard their leaders lay down 10 civil rights demands ranging from equal access to jobs to total school desegregation now.
And the theme was "Now." Speaker after speaker declared that the Negro had waited too long for civil rights-and then came the Rev. Martin Luther King, jr., perhaps the most eloquent of the white and Negro civil rights leaders.
"The time is now," he shouted, ticking off Negro demands. Again and again he declared: "The time is now."
The huge crowd that stretched for nearly a mile along Washington's historic mall shortly before had been put in a revival mood by singer Mahalia Jackson with two hand clapping songs: "I've Been Duped and I've Been Scorned" and "I'm Going to My Lord When I Get Home."
Leaders of the march, who conferred late in the day with President Kennedy, were jubilant over the huge turnout and over what Washington police Chief Robert V. Murray called the "very orderly" assemblage.
"Great, simply great," exclaimed Dr. King.
Said Theodore M. Wells, leader of an integrated group from Belleville, N.J.: "It was beautiful. I didn't see a cross look on anyone's face. I didn't hear a profane word."
There was agreement from several members of congress, who when they appeared before the throng were greeted with shouts of "pass the (civil rights) bill, pass the bill." Senator Keating (Rep., N.Y.) called the march "an amazing demonstration."
The marchers streamed into the capital in the early morning hours on trains, more than 1,500 buses, nine chartered planes, and by car and by foot.
They came from hundreds of cities and hamlets in masses that represented nearly every condition of humanity from elderly white clergymen to young descendants of slaves-convinced, they said, that this was the high point of the long rights battle.
Even before the close of the ceremonies they started heeding the advice of their leaders and, weary from the strains of the day, headed toward Washington's Union station and its bus terminals for the trip home.
As the rally broke up, police reported that 1,355 had required treatment at first aid stations, none with serious injuries. Many fell over tent poles and down steps. Uncounted were the hundreds who fainted in the closely packed crowd and were revived on the spot.
Three arrests were reported, none involving demonstrators.
These isolated incidents were completely overshadowed by the sheer size and enthusiasm of the march from the Washington monument to the Lincoln memorial, and the emotional demonstration before the Lincoln shrine.
After raising his estimates throughout the day as more and more marchers appeared, Chief Murray finally settled on a figure of "over 200,000." The mass of humanity appeared countless.
Even so, veteran observers of civil rights demonstrations agreed that the Washington march had to go down as perhaps the best organized and disciplined demonstration in the history of the movement.
So disciplined was the crowd that when one of the number fell victim to fainting he or she was simply lifted above the heads of the throng and passed hand by hand over people's heads back to first aid station. All this without interrupting a single speech.
The emotional peak of the day came with Dr. King's speech at the close of the demonstration introduced as "the moral leader of our nation today," he took note that just "five score years ago" Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
Dr. King called the Lincoln document "a beacon light of hope" and then looked back to the constitution and declaration of independence with their promises of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" for all Americans.
Terming those pledges a "promissory note," he said the demonstrators had descended on Washington to "cash" the check.
"It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned," he declared to the shouts of the multitude before him. "Instead of honoring this sacred obligation America has given the Negro people a bad check-a check which has come back marked 'insufficient funds.'
But he declared that the Negro refuses "to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt" and is determined to "cash a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice."
This also was the theme of a key slogan: "We march to redress old grievances and to help resolve an American crisis."
The symbolic "march for jobs and freedom" actually covered only eight-tenths of a mile between the Washington monument gathering grounds and the Lincoln memorial-where some of the crowd sat along the famed reflecting pool and dangled their feet in the water.
Along the way some chanted freedom songs but most strode in silence.
"Like a church picnic," said Deputy Police Chief Howard Covell as some of his men found so little to do they opened box lunches and began munching on sandwiches while demonstrators walked by. There was equal order once the crowd massed at the memorial.
During the early morning hours nearly all traffic within Washington moved toward the center of the city where the Washington monument spears the sky. Here they gathered...first in a festive mood, then in more solemn manner.
At 11:15 a.m., after entertainment by such personalities as actor Marlon Brando and singer Harry Belafonte, the march toward Abraham Lincoln's shrine got under way spontaneously when a group surrounding a drum and bugle corps suddenly headed for the memorial grounds.
"They're individualists," explained Negro leader Roy Wilkins. "They were ready to march and they marched."
Down tree lined Constitution and Independence avenues the marchers tramped, occasionally breaking into the rhythmic chant of "freedom, freedom, freedom" and sometimes singing freedom songs. One favorite was the "Battle Hymn of the Republic."
The line of march down Constitution av. Carried them past the gleaming white Pan American building, the National Academy of Sciences on one side and dingy "temporary" World War II navy buildings on the other.
Finally, nearly three hours later, they had massed on the memorial grounds.
The formal ceremonies got under way with the national anthem. Then came speaker after speaker laying before the assemblage the Negro's demand for "freedom and jobs."
Dr. King said they had a "very fruitful" session with Senate Democratic Leader Mansfield of Montana.
One of the nation's top religious leaders, the Rev. Dr. Eugene Carson Blake, executive head of the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A., appealed to Americans to abide by the spirit of God.
"We have achieved neither a nonsegregated church nor a nonsegregated society," he said. "And this is partly because the churches of America have failed to put their own houses in order.
"We come in the fear of God that moved Thomas Jefferson to say, 'Indeed, I tremble for my country, when I reflect that God is just.'"
Full text of the speech: I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.
Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.
But 100 years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.
In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men -- yes, black men as well as white men -- would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check that has come back marked "insufficient funds."
But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and security of justice. We have also come to his hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.
It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. 1963 is not an end but a beginning. Those who hoped that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.
But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.
As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating "for whites only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no we are not satisfied and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.
I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.
Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.
Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. I say to you today my friends -- so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.
This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
This will be the day, this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning "My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my father's died, land of the Pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring!"
And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.
Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.
But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi -- from every mountainside.
Let freedom ring. And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring -- when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children -- black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics -- will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"


text:
Core Data Services, creating Associations (Joins)
You will learn
- How to join many views together
Make sure that the basic view from the previous tutorials of this series is available
Let's consider the coding of the view
ZXSHI_AIRLINE again. We will enhance that code by inserting new annotations:
The following is an annotation to make the view usable for BW by inserting the line below after line 6.
@Analytics.dataExtraction.enabled: true
Here is the new line, completed.
Here you can enable the Joins by inserting the line below after line 7.
@ObjectModel.representativeKey: 'Airline'
Here is the new line, completed.
Since we do not use any filter, we will delete line 2 (
@AbapCatalog.compiler.compareFilter: true) from the code.
Here is the code after the deletion.
Here you will enhance the code to make it capable for joins. To achieve this the following line will be inserted after line 8 in the code.
...as select from scarr association [0..1] to ZXSH_I_AirlineText
Here is the new line, completed.
To display the Carrier name, insert the alias
Further enhancement is necessary (in projection capacity) to make the view joinable. To achieve this, extend the above alias insertion with
on $projection.Airline = _Text.Airline.
If you hover the icon on the line 10 the following message will be displayed:
Association _Text is not used
The alias
_Text must be declared (see number 2 in the screen shot below) and the comma (number 1 in the screen shot) at the end of line 17 must not be omitted. Next, save and activate the code.
You can now preview the content of the view
ZXSHI_AIRLINE. On the left panel, select and right-click on the view
ZXSHI_AIRLINE, select Open Data Preview and then press Enter.
Below is the data preview.
As you may have noticed, the Airline Name is not visible on the preview screen.
Now change line 18 of the code as follows:
Here you see the change added.
Save the change, activate it and preview the view's content again.
In the preview screen you will see now a new column labeled with
AirlineNamedisplaying the Carrer name.
To handle the next exercise of this series , we will modify the line 18 again by removing the extension
AirlineName from
_Text.AirlineName to have
_Text. We will now have to save and activate our change.
You can copy this content from here and paste it to the code editor of your ABAP perspective as well, instead of enhancing the generated code and typing on your own:
@AbapCatalog.sqlViewName: 'ZXSHIAIRLINE'
@AccessControl.authorizationCheck: #NOT_REQUIRED
@EndUserText.label: 'Airline'
@VDM.viewType: #BASIC
@Analytics.dataCategory: #DIMENSION
@Analytics.dataExtraction.enabled: true
@ObjectModel.representativeKey: 'Airline'
define view ZxshI_Airline
as select from scarr
association [0..1] to ZXSH_I_AirlineText as _Text
on $projection.Airline = _Text.Airline
key scarr.carrid as Airline,
@Semantics.currencyCode: true
scarr.currcode as AirlineLocalCurrency,
@Semantics.url: true
scarr.url as AirlineURL,
Although SAP offers trial editions for free you will still have to cover the costs for running these trial editions on AWS. This tutorial is part of the S/4HANA Core Data Services. More information is available here:


text:
2013 Dec Highlights
Once a month, we highlight departments and programs from across the
college that have great things happening motivated by a desire to
improve student learning.
December 2013
". . . a revised course included modified SLO's that reflect contemporary culture and the changed student demographic. We included an emphasis on the historical creation and growth of feminism and contrasting it to more recent, or "3rd Wave Feminism." Elisabeth Arruda, Chair of Women's Studies
On December 5th, faculty across the campus will celebrate the work and service of Elisabeth Arruda. She will be stepping down as Chair of Women's Studies. Professor Arruda's commitment to student success is clearly evident in the assessment work she piloted. Improvements based on SLO work are highlighted below:
The Women's Studies Department has made many changes based upon SLO and PSLO assessments. For the Sexual Health Educator Certificate, peer educators developed a new presentation for the HIV/STI prevention class (Health 67) that demonstrated how healthy relationships free of abuse can enhance negotiation skills for safer sex.
For the AA in Women's Studies faculty developed a survey to assess the PSLO in our Introduction to Women's Studies course, as all students in the major must complete it in order to earn the degree. In Project SURVIVE and Expect Respect SF adjustments were made in the cycle of violence activity and led peer educators to a plan for a more robust adjustment to the same segment in the Expect Respect SF high school presentations.
In the WOMN 10 Women and Film course, a revised course included modified SLO's that reflect contemporary culture and the changed student demographic. We included an emphasis on the historical creation and growth of feminism and contrasting it to more recent, or "3rd Wave Feminism." Now the class is more 'in sync' with student life experiences and encourages the development of their unique critical 'voice' when interpreting films from a feminist approach that 'makes sense,' to them. An additioanl significant change in evaluating student progress is the inclusion of student journals, to be collected three times, strategically scheduled to let students know how well , or not, they are engaging with the readings and films. The first 'collection' will be returned to students approximately two weeks before mid-term, to increase student success.
In our WOMN 20 Her/His/Ourstories, we are planning to include a new quiz on vocabulary to demonstrate students' ability to code switch their storytelling knowledge to academic research concepts.
For WOMN 25: Introduction to Women's Studies,we updated the pre and post SLO surveys for the class to include information about how many students had taken previous courses in Women's Studies, which courses, and about the major. We included a new question about service-learning for our traditional face to face section for the post-survey. We updated assignment handout with minor edits for clarity on assignments and grading structure. In the online course, deleted forum discussion questions that seemed to not be assessing SLO's well and added new forum discussion questions better tied to SLO's.
Finally, in our WOMN 54 The Politics of Sexual Violence and WOMN 55 Ending Sexual Violence: Peer Education course we are closing the loop on these two courses and updating the outlines and revising the student learning outcomes based on prior revision assessments.
"In all of these cases, SLO's and PSLO's were compared - and in the case of NVC and SDSU, many of their SLO's and PSLO's have been based on ours at CCSF."
Ardel Thomas, Chair, LGBT Department
LGBT Studies, a pioneer in Queer Studies, offers one of the only LGBT AA degrees in the country. In 2011, the curriculum committee approved the major and its ambitious PSLOs. Ardel Thomas, Chair of LGBT Studies, shares how her well-developed program outcomes were quickly modeled throughout the state and form important partnerships with other college communities:
In Fall 2011, I was contacted by Greg Miraglia, a dean at Napa Valley College who works in the Criminal Justice Program teaching the police academy cadets. He is also the liaison for the LGBT community outreach at Napa Valley College and does the sensitivity trainings for the police program there. NVC was interested to offer a certificate program in LGBT Studies and he had been following CCSF's progress toward an A.A. degree in LGBT Studies. Since NVC is small - 8,000 students - they knew they needed to partner with a larger program that would offer their students more expansive classes for the certificate. With a couple of core LGBT courses offered at NVC and an open policy with us at CCSF, they would be able to have the certificate approved by their curriculum committee.
I gladly agreed to work with NVC because it is incredibly important
for our program to network with other programs. In December 2011, I
attended the curriculum committee meeting as the spokesperson for
CCSF and LGBT Studies. With my documentation and promise that LGBT
Studies at CCSF would embrace an articulation agreement, the
curriculum committee agreed to move forward (although some were
skeptical) with an LGBT Certificate housed through the Early
Childhood Development Program.
Once NVC and CCSF had an articulation agreement, Greg and I immediately went to Don Romesberg, the head of Gender Studies at Sonoma State to discuss articulation agreements between all three programs. That was put into place in 2012. Shortly after that, Greg and I also met with Esther Rothblum, the chair of the newly established LGBT B.A. degree at San Diego State. CCSF's LGBT Department also now has an articulation agreement with San Diego State. In all of these cases, SLO's and PSLO's were compared - and in the case of NVC and SDSU, many of their SLO's and PSLO's have been based on ours at CCSF.
For the future, LGBT Studies at CCSF has been asked to help model courses at Lake Tahoe Community College. In Spring 2014, Greg Miraglia and I are going to be teaching LTCC's first ever Introduction to LGBT Studies. As we move forward with plans for this new course, we are working within LTCC's SLO structure, but will be using the CCSF LGBT Studies model for that class.
"Current discussion among LALS faculty and chair is looking to see if the post survey can be incorporated directly into regular examinations to reduce workload and paper."-- Mark Piper, CCSF LALS Instructor,
LALS in Academic Year 2012-2013 had 1,044 students enrolled in courses, 853 individual students, the rest taking multiple LALS courses. The core LALS program has 14 sections and 8 different class offerings, along with 13 courses that are housed in Social Studies, Music, Labor Studies, Art and Anthropology departments. In ratings across the college, LALS has a rating of productivity rating of 22.29 with a 73.2 percent surplus, making LALS the seventh most productive department of the college.
For Spring 2013, LALS has 100 percent compliance in reporting with 62.5 percent of LALS courses closing the loop with Stage 5 assessment. LALS courses used multiple choice pre and post survey tests to conduct assessments. The consensus was that this method was easiest for LALS faculty to incorporate, tabulate and examine SLO assessment.
Current discussion among LALS faculty and chair is looking to see if the post survey can be incorporated directly into regular examinations to reduce workload and paper. This is the method used by faculty member Piper. Piper also changed from a scantron format to answers marked directly on an examination. This was in response to comments from students that they often make mistakes on scantrons due to confusion in marking the correct answer due to the small type and tight spacing on the scantron. Piper thinks that this may indicate students with unidentified visual impairment such as seen with diabetes.
Future plans for LALS SLO assessment include recovering other demographic information from students such as income, ethnic identification and gender. Student Achievement Gap demographics clearly identify Latino students as particularly vulnerable in terms of college level mathematics and English. Such information would be invaluable in the revision of course materials to empower these students.
". . .Continuing Student Counseling Department had to reinvent itself. Not only was the department committed to complying with the ACCJC recommendations, CSCD realized that this was an opportunity to improve services through the Student Learning Outcomes process." -- Kathleen Mitchell, Counselor
The challenge that faced Continuing Student Counseling was to report Student Learning Outcomes in a way that displayed a united purpose with many paths to that purpose. Some counseling programs have external mandated deadlines and services. Others collaborate with employers and community organizations; still others have deadlines established by State universities and colleges.
Two significant events occurring within a few months of each other formed the direction the Continuing Student Counseling Department took. In May 2012, four counseling services: Career, International, Transfer, and Veteran's Counseling merged with the Continuing Student Counseling Department. Additionally, in July of that same year, the ACCJC released its Show Cause status for CCSF and the recommendations for the College to maintain accreditation.
In response to these crucial events, Continuing Student Counseling Department had to reinvent itself. Not only was the department committed to complying with the ACCJC recommendations, CSCD realized that this was an opportunity to improve services through the Student Learning Outcomes process.
To respond to the ACCJC recommendation and to integrate disparate but related services that had merged into one department, in August 2012, CSCD appointed a member of the department to serve as the SLO coordinator. The SLO coordinator organized the department into two main components: Counseling Programs and Courses. Included in Counseling Programs are: Academic, Career, Instructional Liaison, International, Transfer, University Intern Training and Development, and Veteran's. Career courses include Lern 60, Creating Career Options, among others, and the special topical course Lern 52B, Academic and Progress Probation.
A lead counselor was appointed in each counseling program and course to manage the SLO process. The lead counselor's duties included forming and convening meetings with counseling faculty to discuss the SLO process, constructing multiple measures to gather data about the program or course, assessing and displaying the data, discussing changes and improvements to programs with colleagues, creating timelines to implement changes, and documenting and reporting the SLO progress for the program or course.
A CSCD counseling service or course reached Proficiency level when data have been gathered from multiple measures, assessed, discussed among faculty, and thoughtful and deliberate changes to services were made based on those data assessments. Moreover, to reach Continuous Quality Improvement, not only were data assessed and changes and improvements made, but the process, referred to as "closing the loop," became standard practice for all services and courses offered within the department.


text:
As women, we want to fully live up to our God-given potential. But we fall victim to the messages the world whispers in our ears: "You need to buy all of this stuff in order to feel complete." "You'd be a lot happier if you had a different husband." "If you're not super mom and you can't do it all, you aren't good enough."
The reality is, what the world tells us isn't true. If we listened to these messages, our lives would become harried, empty, and phony. Instead we need to listen to the messages that God gives us in his Word. A great place to start is Proverbs 31. The woman described in this passage seems like the ideal woman, and she is. But even more, she is real. She is authentic and true, with a heart for God, a heart for her family, and a heart for her community.How do you become that woman? It's a journey, and it happens by the choices you make every day.
The NIV Real-Life Devotional Bible for Women will help you become the woman you want to be. With insightful daily devotions from Lysa TerKeurst and the women at Proverbs 31 Ministries, this Bible helps you maintain life's balance in spite of today's hectic pace. The 365 daily devotions inspire you to live authentically as a woman of God.
You spilled coffee on your shirt before walking out the door. Ran late to your appointment. Snapped at your children, then regretted it all day. And spent an hour at the grocery store with no dinner on the table to show for your efforts.
A typical day has come and gone.
Life is full of obligations, emotions, and relationships. Some are life-giving, yet sometimes the weight and responsibility of everyday life is heavy to bear. As wives, mothers, friends, and daughters, we need to know we're not alone. We long for someone who understands---someone to help us find perspective.
When our days are long, and our nights are restless, it's easy to think we should be able to handle things on our own. Or that no one struggles like we do. And that's when we need a friend … to encourage us, to understand us, and help us become the woman God wants us to be.
You'll find that friend on the pages of the NIV Real-Life Devotional Bible for Women. Filled with insightful daily devotions written by Lysa TerKeurst and the women at Proverbs 31 Ministries, the devotions in this Bible will meet you right where you are, in the good days and in the hard days, in the car pool line or the doctor's office. With God's truth as the foundation, this Bible will help you maintain a peace-filled place of balance in spite of your life's hectic pace.
Lysa TerKeurst is a New York Times bestselling author and national speaker who helps everyday women live an adventure of faith. She is the president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, author of 15 books, and encourages over half a million women worldwide through the ministry's daily online devotional. Her remarkable life story has captured audiences across America, including appearances on Oprah and Good Morning America. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and five children.
All Bibles guarantees all products to be free from defects in material or workmanship for 30 days.
Most manufacturers and publishers offer limited warranties on their products from one year to life.
For more information, see our returns policy.
All products sold on this site are guaranteed to be free of defects in materials and workmanship unless otherwise noted. All Bibles will replace or repair any defective item
within 30 days, and most Publishers and Manufacturers offer extended warranties on their products--some of which are guaranteed for life!
This website uses high-encryption technology, is independently audited by Trustwave to ensure compliance with credit card industry regulations and standards,
and is also verified secure by Godaddy.


text:
Difference between revisions of "Basilio (Grillo Miceli) of Ravenna and L'Aquila"
m (cat.)
|Line 7:
|Line 7:
Revision as of 13:59, February 25, 2012
Metropolitan Basilio (Grillo Miceli) is an Italian Orthodox bishop who claims the title of Metropolitan of Ravenna, L'Aquila and Italy.
Metr. Basilio was born on July 18, 1937 in Vittoria (near Ragusa, Sicily). In 1981 he was ordained a priest in the Russian Orthodox Church. In 1995 he became bishop of Ostia under the Old Calendarist Holy Synod of Milan. In 1996 he became Archbishop of Ostia.
In 2008 he joined the Orthodox Church in Italy, as vicar of Metropolitan Antonio and Archbishop of Florence. After Metropolitan Antonio's death, the Bulgarian Alternatve Synod refused to recognize him as Primate and in 2010 Mgr Basilio founded a new "Italian Autonomous Orthodox Church".


text:
Free Ancestry Family Tree Software--Download Now!
The Hanover Associators (or Volunteers) originated at a
meeting on June 4, 1774, of the
inhabitants of Hanover, Lancaster County, PA. (Now Dauphin County) A Resolution adopted at the meeting
stated: "That in the event of Great Britain attempting to force unjust laws upon us
by the strength of arms, our cause we leave to Heaven and our rifles." The flag of
the Hanover Riflemen was adopted at the same time.
Ancestor Search:
Enter as much information as you know about your ancestor and
click search:
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania Genealogy Transcription
Project. The 1st transcription project will be
the Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania,
containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, and Many of the
Early Scotch-Irish and German Settlers. 1896.
new database has been added, the Eaves database compiled by Elsie Mae
Klinger Eaves. It contains over 13,000 people and 2100 unique surnames
related to Dauphin County and Central PA families. It's at
Check out the Lingle-Runkel database at
It contains over 120 different surnames, like Lingel, Runkel, Gerberich,
Shuey, Walmer, Seaman and others from East and West Hanover Townships in
Dauphin County.
The Engle history and family records of Dauphin and Lancaster Counties
Commemorative biographical encyclopedia of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Contributions to the history of Dauphin County [Pa.]
Centenary memorial of the erection of the county of Dauphin and the founding of the city of Harrisburg
Centennial, the settlement, formation and program of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania from 1785 to 1876
History of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical memoirs
Records of the Hill Lutheran Church in Derry Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Industrial and commercial resources of the city of Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pa.
History of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, biographical and genealogical
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania Church Records
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, 1800-55: Hoffman Reformed Church
This site has received the
This site is a member of WebRing.
To browse visit
Border Counties
Social Security Death Index
Dauphin County
Genealogy Resource Center


text:
Lynndie England, seen in notorious Abu Ghraib torture pictures smiling and holding a leash on a prisoner, says her infamy is keeping her from earning a living.
The former U.S. Army Reserve private gave up on the job search after sending out hundreds of resumes. She had one promising lead at a restaurant, but she told The Associated Press that other employees threatened to quit if she were hired. Now, she's supporting her 4-year-old son with welfare and help from her parents.
"Normal moms have jobs. They get up, they take their kids to school, they go to work, they come home, they cook, they clean, they do all that," she says. "I'm home all day."
England was 21 when she posed for pics while holding one naked prisoner by a leash, and pointing at the genitals of another--all the while flashing an unforgettable smile.
Despite spending 18 months in jail for conspiracy, mistreating detainees and committing an indecent act, she still feels like she's being punished by an unforgiving public.
"They think that I was like this evil torturer. ... I wasn't," she said. "People don't realize I was just in a photo for a split second in time."
To fight off the stares and whispers in public, she stays mostly at home and tries to conceal her identity with baseball caps, sunglasses and hair dye. She said she's considered changing her name, but "It's my face that's always recognized, and I can't really change that."
She hopes her biography due out this month show the world a different side of her and help her move on with her life.


text:
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (AP) — Strong Mandate, ridden by Jose Ortiz, moved to the lead at mid-stretch and drew away to an eight-length victory in the $300,000 Hopeful Stakes for two-year-olds Monday at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, who celebrated his 78th birthday with the victory worth $180,000 to owners Robert Baker and William Mack, Strong Mandate ran seven furlongs over a muddy track in 1:23.55 and paid $18.60, $9.50 and $8.40. Runner-up Casiquapo paid $25.40 and $10.40. Lunarwarfare, third of 10, paid $5.40 to show.
"I thought he'd run huge, I really did," Lukas said. "I was a little concerned about the surface, you always are. He had a really good prep race and he hadn't done anything [wrong] since then. I thought we'd get a good one, but you never expect to waltz home like that, though, ever."
The Labor Day card concluded the 150th season of racing at Saratoga.
Among the highlights of the 40-day meet were Cross Traffic's victory in the Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney Invitational Handicap, Princess of Sylmar's Grade 1 triumphs in the TVG Coaching Club American Oaks and Alabama; reigning Horse of the Year Wise Dan's win in the Grade 2 Fourstardave Handicap; Alpha's return to the Spa winner's circle in the Grade 1, $750,000 Woodward, and Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas's two Grade 1 victories, in the $1 million Travers with Will Take Charge on August 24 and iwith Strong Mandate on Monday.


text:
From MeritBadgeDotOrg
< User:Swim4lyfe
Revision as of 01:02, September 15, 2008 by Milominderbinder2 (Talk | contribs)
Currently working on:
- International Scouter Award
- Silver World Award
- Venturing Leadership Award
- Cubmaster Award
- Cub Scouter Award
- Pack Trainer Award
- Den Leader Award - Tigers
- Den Leader Award - Wolves, Bears
- Den Leader Award - Webelos
- Scouter Award of Merit
- Scouter's Key Award
- Scout Leader's Training Award
- Sea Badge
Completed Userboxes
Venturing Userbox:
Arrow of Light Userbox:
Varsity Scout Userbox:
|Image:Varsity scout strip.png
|This user was a Varsity Scout.
Quartermaster Award Userbox:
James E. West Fellowship Award Userbox:
Medal of Merit Userbox:
Medal of Heroism Userbox:
Medal of Honor Userbox:
William T. Hornaday Award Userbox:
Youth Religious Emblem Userbox:
Adult Religious Emblem Userbox:
Community Organization Award Userbox:
|This user earned the Community Organization Award.
District Award of Merit:
George Meany Award:
Distinguished Commissioner Award:
Order of the Arrow Distinguished Service Award:
Silver Antelope Award:
Silver Beaver Award:
Silver Buffalo Award:
Whitney Young Jr. Service Award
William D. Boyce New Unit Organizer Award
¡Scouting ... Vale La Pena! Service Award
Asian American Award


text:
Nice Train Station Car Hire
06000 Nice
Start a Reservation
Nearby Locations
Nice Côte d'Azur Airport (NCE)
Enterprise Rent A CarAEROPORT DE NICE COTE D AZUR 6000 Nice, U FR +33 4 93 21 82 75
8 Place De La Gare 06400 Cannes, U FR +33 6 99 99 66 30
Key Facts & Policies
Rental conditions apply to all additional drivers. A fee of 10.00 EUR per day, with a 10 day maximum (100.00 EUR) excluding VAT, applies.
To rent a vehicle, the renters must be age 21 or over for categories Mini and Economy, 24 and over for Compacts, Intermediates, Standards, 4x4, SUV, Monospaces, 30 for Premiums and luxe vehicles, and 23 for the cargo vans. All drivers under the age of 25 will be subject to an additional daily charge. Drivers must have held a licence for a minimum of one year.
Cross border travel is not permitted into Albania, Belarus, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine. Cross border travel is permitted into Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom at no extra cost. Cross border travel is permitted into France Corsica, Sardinia Islands, Balearic Islands, providing the car is returned to the European mainland. Cars taken to Channel Islands cannot benefit from any breakdown or accident assistance. Cars taken to Corsica must be brought back to the Continent. Please be advised that the following areas in Germany: Berlin, Cologne and Hannover will require an Emissions Sticker stating the emission of the vehicle intended to enter these areas. Without this sticker, the driver of the vehicle will be fined up to EUR 40.00 even if the car is registered abroad. Should the car not have the Emissions Sticker, then this can be purchased at most garages. Please be advised that due to a change in law in Germany, it is mandatory for all vehicles crossing the border into Germany to have winter tyres fitted during the snow and icy conditions. Customers will be fined on the spot if they are stopped by police and found to not have the appropriate winter tyres. PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT FOR ANY RENTALS COLLECTED IN FRANCE, VEHICLES ARE TO BE RETURNED TO THE FRENCH SIDE OF THE GENEVA BORDER TO AVOID ANY One-Way DROP CHARGE. SO FOR ANY VEHICLES PICKED UP ON THE FRENCH SIDE OF THE GENEVA BORDER AND LEFT ON THE SWISS SIDE OF THE GENEVA BORDER THIS WOULD INCCUR A One-Way FEE -DROP CHARGE- OF 120 EUR.
Damage Waiver reduces the liability you are responsible for in the event of damage to and or theft of the vehicle.
If Damage Waiver is included in your reservation, the excess amounts applicable are 1000EUR for all vehicles with the exception of Premium Vehicles, SUV, MPV and Vans where the excess is 1500EUR. If Damage Waiver is not included in your reservation, it is available to purchase and the excess amount is zero on all vehicles. Customers who can provide independent and verified provision to cover damage and theft to the vehicle may be able to decline Damage Waiver - you may wish to determine if your personal coverage is adequate to cover damage, theft, loss of revenue, administration fees, diminishment of value, and any towing, storage or impound fees. If you decline Damage Waiver you will be required to pay these charges and then seek compensation yourself from your carrier. Damage Waiver is not insurance.
If you wish to discuss or dispute any matters concerning damage to your rental vehicle then please contact the Branch from where you rented your vehicle or contact our Damage Recovery Unit using the contact information below: email@example.com, 00 33 (0) 144386015.
Excess Protection is an optional product available only if Damage Waiver is included in your rate that reduces any applicable Damage Waiver excess (see Damage Waiver terms) to Zero. Excess Protection is not insurance and before purchasing you may wish to check if your personal coverage is adequate to cover damage, theft, loss of revenue, administration fees, diminishment of value and any towing, storage of impound fees. If you decline Excess Protection then you are required to pay any applicable Damage Waiver excess and seek compensation from your carrier
You will be required to return the vehicle with a level of fuel equal to the amount provided at the start of your rental as indicated on your rental agreement. If the vehicle is returned with less fuel you will be required to pay for the fuel needed to return the fuel level to that displayed on your rental agreement plus a refuelling charge of 15 Euro. Optional fuel policies are available at participating locations.
Customers must present a full and valid driving licence which has been held for a minimum of one year. License must be in Roman alphabet. An international driving licence is valid only if presented with the domestic driving licence. The customer must also provide either an identity card or a passport, return train or flight tickets and a local landline telephone number, this cannot be a mobile number. Due to an increased theft risk, a proof of home address will be required from all domestic renters (French residents only) at time of rental. As proof of address France accept a EDF/GDF bill or France Telecom bill (or a bill from any other landline provider).
Payment is only accepted from an Amex, Mastercard, Visa or major Debit card held in the name of the renter. In addition to the cost of the rental a deposit of 250,00EUR must be paid or if you are renting a small van of less than 12m3 the deposit is 500,00 EUR or for Premium vehicles and cars larger than 12m3 then the deposit is 1000,00 EUR.
If you are not able to present the card used for the prepayment of the rental when you collect the vehicle then an additional 200 Euro deposit is required
National offers Roadside Assistance Protection. Roadside Assistance Protection allows National customers to waive all financial responsibility for the following - tyre (excluding the rim) and glass repair or replacement costs, except when part of a larger repair, replacement keys costs and all recovery and call charges imposed by our chosen roadside assistance providers as result of a fault caused by renter error. Roadside Assistance Protection does not exempt you from these charges if there is any breach of our rental agreement. Roadside Assistance Protection is an optional product; before purchasing you may wish to check if your personal coverage is adequate. If you decline RAP then you will be required to pay any applicable charges and see compensation from your carrier. RAP is not insurance.
Renters must present a valid driving license held for a minimum of one year. The license must be in Roman alphabet. An international driving license is valid only if presented with the domestic driving license. Renters must also provide either an identity card or a passport, return train or flight tickets and a local landline telephone number, this cannot be a mobile number. Proof of home address will be required from all french residents at time of rental. As proof of address France accept an edf, gdf bill or fr telecom bill or any other landline provider.


text:
Spy Hunter Movie Gains Momentum With New Writer
Momentum is growing for the long in development Spy Hunter film, as Deadline reports that unknown writer Carter Blanchard will pen the screenplay. Although he has no feature films under his best, Blanchard did sell his spec script Glimmer to DreamWorks.
Based on the popular Midway video game, Spy Hunter had been a pet project for Dwayne Johnson, but the action star has since left it. The film is being directed by Ruben Fleischer, a filmmaker who wowed Hollywood with his surprise hit Zombieland. His last two films, 30 Minutes or Less and Gangster Squad, did not light the cinematic world on fire, as both were box office disappointments.
Don't expect Spy Hunter to linger in development hell for much longer, as Warner Bros., the studio behind Gangster Squad, is known for fast tracking projects with directors they trust (Guy Ritchie, Christopher Nolan, Zack Snyder, to name a few). Is Ruben Fleischer climbing towards the top of the studio's directing food chain? If Mr. Fleischer, and not Dwayne Johnson, resurrects Spy Hunter from the dead, that would be a huge feat indeed.


text:
Featured ListingView Listing
Free Shipping
The DrumSeeker line from Humes & Berg offers ultimate protection for your drums. A rigid insert in the top and bottom of these bags adds to the protection of the soft, faux sheepskin lining and thick foam padding. Oversized zippers and a durable outer nylon shell make the DrumSeeker line one of the most protective drum bags available. Offered in sizes for just about any snare, tom or bass drum, and cymbal and hardware bags. DrumSeeker bags are designed and manufactured by Humes & Berg, one of the world's largest manufacturer of quality gig bags and cases.


text:
W.H. to GOP: We're not moving
If Wednesday's phone call between Speaker John Boehner and President Barack Obama seemed like a hopeful sign in the fiscal cliff standoff, think again.
On Thursday, with the House out of session, White House congressional liaison Rob Nabors trekked to Capitol Hill and delivered a firm message: We aren't moving.
Story Continued Below
( Also on POLITICO: The big business of the fiscal cliff)
In a meeting with leadership staff, Nabors reiterated the administration's hard line that tax rates on top earners must go up, according to Republican sources with knowledge of the meeting. The White House is also insisting that Congress give it power to raise the debt limit on its own.
Furthermore, in a development that could signal a step closer to the fiscal cliff, Nabors said the White House's offer stands on mandatory spending on entitlement programs, the sources said.
But another source familiar with the discussion offered a conflicting take, saying Nabors repeated that Obama isn't wedded to every detail of his plan. Nabors also conveyed that, once Republicans move on rates, "they can get a deal very quickly," the source said.
( PHOTOS: Fiscal cliff's key players)
Michael Steel, a spokesman for Boehner, said, "We do not discuss private conversations."
The administration has delivered this message publicly, but saying it to Republicans in private as well doesn't bode well for the talks. With tax increases and spending cuts to the Pentagon and other domestic programs set to take effect in January, the two sides couldn't be further apart.
And Boehner and his leadership team aren't actively devising a Plan B to avert the fiscal cliff if talks with Obama and Senate Democrats break down, sources involved in the negotiations say.
( Also on POLITICO: Merkley: 'Private' fiscal cliff talks OK)
House Republican leadership staffers have privately discussed — but mostly dismissed — the idea of passing two tax bills: one to extend all rates, even for families making above $250,000 annually; and a second to extend just middle-class income rates, along with a patch to the Medicare reimbursement rate and alternative minimum tax. Both would pass the House, the thinking goes, but only the Democrat-favored one helping the bottom 98 percent of earners would make it through the Senate.
The discussion has not extended to Boehner, Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), according to these sources.
Republican aides see the dual-tax bill proposal as a loser for GOP lawmakers committed to extending all the Bush tax rates, which are set to expire at year's end. Pursuing the plan — absent major concessions from Obama on entitlement reform — would be akin to waving a white flag on the central issue of the lame-duck session, they argue.
"We've had two years of failed mechanisms and cliff-like dates. We don't need another effort to kick the can down the road without accomplishing even the slightest of entitlement reforms," one GOP aide said. "If folks aren't willing to do the hard work now — immediately after an election and farthest from the next election — then we've got no hope of ever resolving this constant uncertainty. Frankly, we're better confronting the cliff and going over than contemplating this proposal."
Besides, Republicans say it's far too early to even consider such a move. It's a discussion for Dec. 26, not Dec. 6, one aide said.
And at least at this point, Republicans aren't convinced that more than 25 of their members would join Democrats to vote to extend the Bush rates for middle-class families without doing the same for upper-income earners.
"I find it extremely hard to believe that we would go down that road because it would be a de facto delinking of rates," another Republican leadership aide said. "I don't think our guys would feel that gives them much [political] cover at all.


text:
DALLAS (AP) - A widow to one of four military veterans killed when their parade float was struck by a train at a West Texas railroad crossing has filed a wrongful death suit.
Catherine Stouffer, the wife of 37-year-old Gary Stouffer Jr., seeks unspecified damages in the suit filed Thursday in Dallas.
It's the second lawsuit filed since a train traveling 62 mph in November struck a flatbed truck that was part of a Midland parade honoring wounded vets and their wives.
Among the suit's assertions is that Union Pacific was negligent for failing to maintain a safe crossing.
Raquel Espinoza, a Union Pacific spokeswoman, expressed sympathy to the family but said in a statement that investigators confirmed the crossing signals worked properly at the time.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.


text:
In this area, you will find a selection of books and talks published by Unity of Man
The website kirpalsingh-teachings.org offers a vast selection of Sant Kirpal Singh's books and talks. Sant Kirpal Singh has inspired hundred thousands of readers all over the world. His books bear a testimony of the spiritual heritage of the East as well as the West, closing apparent gaps in simple terms. For the modern man interested in questions around the meaning of life, in the comparative study of religions and in the inner 'anatomy' of human beings, these are an incomparable source of insight.
Due to the expanding size of Sant Kirpal Singh's audio collection, the mp3 recordings are stored on a separate website: audio.sant-kirpal-singh.org. You will find here audio files of satsangs and public lectures held in English, Hindi and Punjabi; sorted by date and free for download.


text:
WINDERMERE, Fla. (Stockpickr) -- Trading stocks that trigger major breakouts can lead to massive profits. Once a stock trends to a new high, or takes out a prior overhead resistance point, then it's free to find new buyers and momentum players that can ultimately push the stock significantly higher.>>Trade 5 Hated Names to Beat the Market Breakout candidates are something that I tweet about on a daily basis. I frequently tweet out high-probability setups, breakout plays and stocks that are acting technically bullish. These are the stocks that often go on to make monster moves to the upside. What's great about breakout trading is that you focus on trend, price and volume. You don't have to concern yourself with anything else. The charts do all the talking. Trading breakouts is not a new game on Wall Street. This strategy has been mastered by legendary traders such as William O'Neal, Stan Weinstein and Nicolas Darvas. These pros know that once a stock starts to break out above past resistance levels, and hold above those breakout prices, then it can easily trend significantly higher. >>5 Trades to Take After the "Obama Crash" With that in mind, here's a look at five stocks that are setting up to break out and trade higher from current levels.
Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.


text:
What is the real difference between Aerobic and Anaerobic bacteria? Bill – Mount Orab, OH
Know Their Role
What's the first thing that comes to mind when you hear that you have bacteria in your pond? You probably think that your pond is dirty, or it may cause disease or get you sick. The truth is while some bacteria are associated with negative effects, bacteria are present in any functioning ecosystem diligently working behind the scenes to maintain a healthy and balanced environment. If you properly maintain your pond you will create an environment that promotes the presence of beneficial bacteria.
There are two different types of bacteria to focus on; aerobic and anaerobic. Your anaerobic bacteria are those that exist in areas of your pond that lack oxygen. These bacteria work slowly to digest organic debris and release a smelly gas as a byproduct. Aerobic bacteria thrive in oxygen rich environments and digest debris at an accelerated rate in comparison to their anaerobic counterparts that results in the expulsion of an odorless gas. In a self contained pond with little to no aeration you would expect to find aerobic bacteria near the surface where there is a higher level of dissolved oxygen and a lot more anaerobic bacteria at the bottom of the pond where there is a very low amount, if any, oxygen. Due to the fact that these anaerobic bacteria are slow to digest debris, any leaves, plants, and fish waste that gather at the bottom faster than they can be decomposed, hence the accumulation of muck.
To help break down organic debris at a rapid rate and keep your pond clean and healthy you will want to ensure that your pond is populated with aerobic bacteria throughout. To do this you want to circulate the contents you your pond while infusing oxygen into the water column. If your pond is 6 feet or shallower this can be accomplished with a Fountain. Ponds deeper than 6 feet will see better results with a Bottom Plate Aeration System. With these units in place you now have an oxygen rich playground just waiting to be filled with beneficial (aerobic) bacteria. PondClear™ and MuckAway™ are perfect types of bacteria products you can implement into your pond. PondClear™ is in a water soluble packet that will release at the surface of the pond and travel throughout to find and digest any organic debris before they have a chance to settle to the bottom. MuckAway™ is a pellet that will sink directly to the bottom of the pond to help speed up the decomposition of any debris that have accumulated over time. The fact that you can directly place MuckAway™ pellets in specific areas that need a little extra attention makes them the perfect solution for treating sections of lake front property and beach areas.
Aerating your pond provides the perfect environment for "good" bacteria and will keep the "bad" bacteria at bay. Cleaning out or preventing mass amounts of organic debris from your pond will help keep your bacteria ahead of schedule and keep the pond cleaner for your recreational use. If you take care of your bacteria they will take care of your pond… and you.
Pond Talk: What do you do to encourage the "good" bacteria growth in your pond?
Filed under: Aeration, Muck, MuckAway, Pond & Lake, Pond Clear, Water Quality | Tagged: Aeration, aeration system, airmax aeration, muck, muckaway, Pond Clear, Water Quality |


text:
Move over, Nole! When is Andy Murray making his way to Hollywood? The quiet and often awkward is plain brilliant in a hilarious new video from HEAD, in which the world's no. 4 promotes his racket-maker with a Facebook-friendly spot. In the vid, Murray's at home, on court, in bed and in the shower (authentically in the buff, as far as we can tell). The schtick? HEAD is pushing fans to their Facebook page, asking them to write personalized comments to Murray. Murray will choose his faves to slap on his HEAD bag for the Championships, a move that we sort of dig. Oh look there's Andy walking onto Centre Court — wait! I WROTE THAT. You know, it could happen to you. But first, you must "Like" HEAD (and watch the vid).
To catch more of Andy's (pretty awesome) acting, check out the vid after the jump.
Below, Andy is great in a "Comic Relief" video for Red Nose Day, a non-profit in Britain that raises money via such funny vids and other events. Click the image to watch on YouTube.
(Screen grab via YouTube)
Tags: Comic Relief, Red Nose Day


text:
Child Development Milestones for 2 Year Olds - Education
The following are the child development milestones for a 2 Year Old focusing on Education development. Our Child-Experts use these milestones for a 2 Year Old as a guideline for selecting all our educational toys, books and games. We have created the Head-to-Toe system - consisting of the seven developmental skills that every toy, book and game will help develop. From Imagination at the top of their heads to the locomotion skills at the tips of their toes. And every point in between.
Below are the Education skills to a 2 Year Old child, the associated Education developmental milestones and links to the age-appropriate educational toys.
Please keep in mind that all children develop at different speeds. If your child is not able to do all of these functions, do not be alarmed. These developmental milestones are a guideline. If you believe that your child is behind in learning and developing these skills please consult your pediatrician.
- Begins to recognize letters of the alphabet
- Points out details in books
- Matches shapes
- Recognizes familiar people in photos
- Demonstrates awareness of routine


text:
The Falcons and 49ers continue to play Arena Football.
The Niners took the opening kick of the second half and drove the ball 82 yards in seven plays to cut the Atlanta lead to three. The drive ended with a five-yard run by Frank Gore.
The Falcons now lead 24-21, with more than 10 minutes left in the third quarter.
After a slow start, 49ers quarterback has completed 11 of 12 passes, spreading the ball around to guys other than Michael Crabtree.
The Falcons now have a chance to push the lead back to 10.


text:
Bo Schembechler, the late Michigan football coach, seldom met his match for hubris.
Start with Woody Hayes. You might also stop there unless you know the story of what occurred between Bo and Jim Harbaugh.
When Harbaugh was 12.
Schembechler played racquetball with one of his assistants, Jack Harbaugh, in the athletic facilities at Michigan, where Jack's son, Jim, pretty much had the run of the place.
One day, Bo and Jack returned to the locker room after a game to shower and found Jim with his feet up on Schembechler's desk and his chair tilted back.
"Jimmy," Bo said, "you got your feet on my desk?"
"Yeah, Bo," Jim replied, "I do."
Jack Harbaugh has since told various versions of that story, but it always ends the same way, with Jim's legs still up on Bo's desk and the chair tilted back.
Now, Schembechler was maybe a bit more even tempered than Lord Voldemort. He could reduce 21-year-old, 300-pound offensive tackles to tears with a look. In this case, Bo turned to his assistant and said, "Jack, there's something about this kid I really like."
You know one of the differences between Harbaugh and Texans coach Gary Kubiak?
I can't see Kubiak with his feet up on his own desk.
High expectations
Kubiak and Harbaugh have some things in common. Kubiak turned 51 on Wednesday; Harbaugh turns 50 next year. Both played big-time college football, Kubiak at Texas A&M and Harbaugh for Schembechler at Michigan. Both are NFL head coaches, Harbaugh starting his second season with the San Francisco 49ers.
Something else they have in common is the high expectations for their teams this season. If the fans are right, the Texans and 49ers not only will see each other Saturday night at Reliant Stadium in a preseason game but also in February in the Super Bowl.
But the approaches the teams are taking to get to New Orleans are as different as, well, Kubiak and Harbaugh.
"Jim definitely has an outsized personality,'' said Oliver Luck, the former Houstonian whose son Andrew played for Harbaugh at Stanford. "He took some pretty soft Stanford kids and convinced them they could be as physical and blue-collar and lunch-pail as kids in West Virginia or Pittsburgh.
"He told them they were going to play smash-mouth football, and they did.
"Gary is more cerebral.''
I'm not sure how many strings Kubiak gets to pull. But there is no question his calm, patient, "cerebral" demeanor is reflective of Texans management, including owner Bob McNair. Or else Kubiak wouldn't recently have had his contract extended.
Harbaugh is 49ers management, or at least a large part of it, or else there wouldn't be so much drama that he occasionally registers on the Richter scale.
"He's crazy," 49ers defensive tackle Ricky Jean-Francois said last season in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. "Plus, he's comfortable with the way he is. OK, we got us a ball coach."
They got a ball coach who, while on the Stanford sideline, went for two late in the fourth quarter of a 52-21 victory over USC.
They got a ball coach who exuberantly slapped Detroit coach Jim Schwartz on the back instead of graciously shaking his hand at midfield after the 49ers beat the Lions last season.
Schwartz almost started a brawl by angrily chasing Harbaugh toward the locker room and took the brunt of the blame. But if you dig into the story, you'll find Harbaugh was seething because Schwartz laughed at him earlier in the game when he made a mistake with his challenge flag.
If you laugh at Harbaugh, don't turn your back on him.
Crazy? The Texans must be thinking the same thing about the 49ers.
Different strategies
The Texans were one Joe Flacco pass short of the AFC Championship Game last season and responded with a productive, though maybe not sensational, offseason. They added players through the draft and monitored the health of quarterback Matt Schaub, wide receiver Andre Johnson and running back Arian Foster.
The 49ers were two Kyle Williams' fumbles short of the Super Bowl last season. They responded by adding wide receivers Randy Moss and Mario Manningham for a position that included Michael Crabtree. They also added running backs Brandon Jacobs and LaMichael James as insurance for an aging Frank Gore.
The Texans were as close to taking a look at Moss as they were at Charlie Sheen. The 49ers not only looked at Moss, Harbaugh worked him out. He completed 47 of 48 passes to Moss and is upset about the one he underthrew.
That's the former quarterback who engineered one of the great success stories last season by reviving Alex Smith's career. Harbaugh was so happy with Smith that he had Peyton Manning work out for him in North Carolina.
Maybe that was just a ploy to motivate Smith to re-sign with the 49ers.
Either way, it had everyone talking.
The Texans didn't even whisper Manning's name.
So which team has the best GPS directions (formerly known as a road map) to New Orleans?
Maybe neither. Maybe both. Maybe one and not the other.
One thing I am sure about is that Harbaugh and Kubiak are the right coaches for their respective teams, despite their different styles, and it's impossible to get anyone who knows either to say a negative word about him.
In a competitive world where coaches sleep on their office couches, Harbaugh spent last Saturday night, less than 24 hours before the 49ers opened the preseason, at his high school reunion. I could see Kubiak doing that.


text:
Children can select a book to read aloud to Jami, who has been certified as a therapy pet partner. Reading aloud improves literacy skills, and animals are ideal reading companions because they create a relaxed, comfortable, and safe environment. Space is limited and available first-come, first-served.
Nov 7 @ 3:30 PM, Nov 21 @ 3:30 PM
Free computer access is available at all the libraries.
The North Hills Community Library has:
International Language Collections at the North Hills Community Library include:
Special Interest/Noteworthy Collections at the North Hills Community Library include:
| Child Care / Preschools
Community Board
Community Organizations & Services
Fire Department
Local Hospitals
Local Newspapers
| Parks and Playgrounds
Police Department
Post Office
Private / Parochial Schools
Public Elementary Schools
Public Intermediate / Junior High Schools
| Senior Centers
Elected Officials
Special Services
|Child Care / Preschools
Samuel Field YM + YMHA
58-20 Little Neck Parkway
Queens NY , 11362
phone: (718) 225-6750
Marathon Childhood Center
245-37 60th Avenue
Little Neck NY , 11362
Nursery School of Community Church - Little Neck
46-16 Little Neck Parkaway
Little Neck NY , 11362
TASC @ MS67/Queens Child Guidance Center
51-60 Marathon Parkway
Little Neck NY , 11362
phone: (718) 423-8179
fax: (718) 423-8281
Community Church of Little Neck UPK (Nursery School)
46-16 Little Neck Pkway
Little Neck NY , 11362
phone: (718)229-9389
ABC Early Learning Center
5425 Little Neck Pkwy
Little Neck NY , 11362
phone: (718) 225-8044
|Community Board
Community Board #11
46-21 Little Neck Parkaway
fax: (718) 225-4515
|Community Organizations & Services
Alley Pond Environment Center
228-06 Northern Boulevard
Douglaston NY , 11363
phone: (718)224-9450
Douglaston Little Neck Historical Society
328 Manor Road
Douglaston NY , 11363
Knights of Pythias
North Shore Lodge #824
Douglaston NY , 11362
phone: (718) 225-4166
Little Neck-Douglaston Community Ambulance Corps, Inc.
42-18 Marathon Parkway
Little Neck NY , 11363
phone: (718) 229-0400
Little Neck/Douglaston Lions Club
P.O. Box 630330
Little Neck NY , 11363-0330
phone: (718) 229-0173
Samuel Field Y
58-20 Little Neck Parkway
Little Neck NY , 11362
phone: (718)225-6750
|Fire Department
Engine 326, Ladder 160
64-04 Springfield Blvd.
Bayside NY , 11364
|Local Hospitals
Long Island Jewish Medical Center
270-05 76th Avenue,
New Hyde Park NY , 11040
phone: (718) or (516) 470-7000
|Local Newspapers
|Parks and Playgrounds
Douglaston Park
244 St, 242 St, 61 Ave., Commonwealth Blvd., 72 Av
JHS 67 Playground (Louis Pasteur)
52 Ave. bet 248 St. and Marathon Parkway
Queens NY , 11362
PS 187 Playground (251st)
W/S 251 St. bet 61 & 63 Avenues
Little Neck NY , 11362
|Police Department
111th Precinct
45-06 215 Street
Bayside NY , 11361
phone: (718) 279-5200
|Post Office
Horace Harding Post Office
5601 Marathon Pkwy
Little Neck NY , 11362-9993
phone: (800) 275-8777
fax: (718) 321-5975
|Private / Parochial Schools
St. Anastasia (PK-8)
45-11 245th Street
Little Neck NY , 11362
phone: (718) 631-3153
Yeshivat Ohr Haim (K-6)
5427 Little Neck Parkway
Little Neck NY , 11362
phone: (718) 658-7066
|Public Elementary Schools
PS 221 North Hills School (PK - 5)
57-40 Marathon Parkway
Little Neck NY , 11362
phone: (718) 423-8825
PS 94 David Porter School (K-5)
41-77 Little Neck Parkway
Little Neck NY , 11362
phone: (718)423-8491
|Public Intermediate / Junior High Schools
MS 67 Louis Pasteur Middle School (6-9)
51-60 Marathon Parkway
Little Neck NY , 11362
phone: (718)423-8138
|Senior Centers
Community Education Resource Center
51-60 Marathon Parkway
Little Neck NY , 11362
|Elected Officials
|NYC Council
Hon. Barry Grodenchik
District Office Address 73-03 Bell Boulevard, Suite 1N
Oakland Gardens NY , 11364
phone: (718) 468-0137
fax: (718) 468-0178
Manhattan Office 250 Broadway, Suite 1744
New York NY , 10007
phone: (212) 788-7075
fax: (212) 608-6382
|NYS Assembly
Hon. Edward C. Braunstein
District Office 213-33 39th Avenue, Suite 238
Bayside NY, 11361
phone: (718) 357-3588
fax: (718) 357-5947
Albany Office LOB, Room 842
Albany NY , 12248
phone: (518) 455-5425
fax: (518) 455-4648
|Boro President
Hon. Melinda Katz
Hon. Bill de Blasio
|US Congress
Hon. Thomas Souzzi
District Office 250-02 Northern Boulevard
Little Neck NY, 11362
phone: (718) 631-0400
Legislative Office 214 Cannon HOB
DC Washington , 20515
phone: (202) 225-3335
fax: (202) 225-4669
|NYS Senate
Hon. John Liu
District Office38-50 Bell Boulevard, Suite C
Bayside NY, 11361
phone: 718-765-6675
Albany OfficeRoom 802, Legislative Office Building
Albany NY, 12247
phone: 518-455-2210
fax: 518-426-6736
The area known as North Hills, situated in Little Neck, New York, is roughly rectangular in shape. It is bounded westerly by the Long Island Expressway, southerly by the Douglaston Parkway, northerly by Nassau County and easterly, by the Grand Central Parkway service road. A part of North Hills also extends into Nassau County.
The early settlers of what is now the North Hills section of Little Neck were Matinecock Native Americans, who later sold the land to Thomas Foster in 1676. In the early 18th century, residents began calling the area Little Neck, as a "little neck" of land from the Douglaston Manor estate extended in the Little Neck Bay. During the American Revolution, the area became a stronghold for Loyalists.
Farming was the main economic activity. Goods were taken to market in Brooklyn by wagon. Improvements in transportation came in 1886, with the extension of the Long Island Railroad from Flushing. The area boasted a trolley service from 1910 to 1920.
By 1900, there were 200 telephones in town. Gossip was the order of the day; residents were able to eavesdrop on their neighbors' calls, given the party line technology of the time.
In 1929, Little Neck became incorporated in order to enact its own zoning laws. Many estates were converted into housing developments and gated communities in the 1970s. Between 1970 and 1990, the area underwent a 25% population increase, from only 295 to 3453 residents respectively. The Westmoreland Civic Association has been very active in curtailing urban sprawl.
Library service to the North Hills area began when a traveling station was opened in a real estate office in Douglaston in 1914 and in Little Neck, in 1915, at Public School 42.
The two libraries were combined and relocated to Douglaston in 1935.
The residents of the North Hills area, however, longed for their own library. Their dreams were realized on February 3, 1964. The branch was renovated and reopened on June 22, 1987. The redesigned building is unique among the branches, as it features a 6000 square foot circular, domed edifice capped in the center by a crown celebrating the mythological Celtic warrior, Queen Medb. For their unique use of space and color, the architects won The Percent for the Arts and the Queens Chamber of Commerce Annual Building awards.
The Encyclopedia of New York City edited by Kenneth Jackson
The Encyclopedia of New York State, edited by Peter Eisenstadt
The Chronicle of Little Neck and Douglaston, by Lester Riley, 1936


text:
About: Encog is a Machine Learning framework for Java, C#, Javascript and C/C++ that supports SVM's, Genetic Programming, Bayesian Networks, Hidden Markov Models and other algorithms.Changes:
Changes for Encog 3.2:
Issue #53: Fix Out Of Range Bug In BasicMLSequenceSet. Issue #52: Unhandled exception in Encog.Util.File.ResourceLoader.CreateStream (ResourceLoader.cs) Issue #50: Concurrency bugs in PruneIncremental Issue #48: Unit Tests Failing - TestHessian Issue #46: Couple of small fixes - Temporal DataSet and SCG training Issue #45: Fixed EndMinutesStrategy to correctly evaluate ShouldStop after the specified number of minutes have elapsed. Issue #44: Encog.ML.Data.Basic.BasicMLDataPairCentroid.Add() & .Remove() Issue #43: Unit Tests Failing - Matrix not full rank Issue #42: Nuget - NuSpec Issue #36: Load Examples easier


text:
Allardyce gives backing to Sherwood
Sam Allardyce believes Tottenham head coach Tim Sherwood has shown he can handle the pressure of managing at the highest level.
Sherwood takes his side to face Allardyce's West Ham at Upton Park on Saturday looking to avoid a third defeat of the season at the hands of the Hammers.
The 45-year-old replaced Andre Villas-Boas at White Hart Lane in December but has constantly had his position undermined as other names are linked with the job.
Allardyce has also come under pressure recently as a number of West Ham fans have started calling for his head after a run of four straight defeats.
But the former Bolton and Blackburn boss knows that no-one can predict what will happen within the sport and feels Sherwood has done well during his short tenure.
"In our field you never know what's going to happen," he said.
"You're never comfortable, wherever you are, and in Tim's position I think he's proven that he can handle the job and he's proven that he's learned as he's gone on.
"You're bound to slip up when you're doing it for the first time, I still slip up after 20-odd years. We all make mistakes, but you learn from them and I think he's learned very quickly.
"I think Tottenham have done very, very well under him and what they decide at the end of the day is up to the owners and board at Tottenham."
Tottenham head coach Tim Sherwood has found this week's speculation surrounding Frank de Boer a "strange situation" and warned anyone looking to shunt him out of the hotseat that they have a "tough act to follow".
Life at the White Hart Lane helm has rarely been straightforward for Sherwood and this week was no different, with comments from the Ajax boss fuelling speculation over his future.
De Boer said he was open to speaking with Tottenham about taking over as manager and the Barclays Premier League club felt the need to release a statement denying rumours they had contacted the Dutch giants about their manager.
Sherwood joked on Wednesday that "somewhere along the line someone is telling porkies" and admitted he was no closer to getting to the bottom of it two days on.
"No, I haven't - it was a strange situation, wasn't it?" he said ahead of Spurs' trip to West Ham.
"When a club's coming out and saying they've been spoken to, and the manager, and then the club that I'm associated with is denying it. That's where we are with it. No, I'm no further forward."
Sherwood has had to deal with such scrutiny and speculation since succeeding Andre Villas-Boas, during which time numerous managers have been linked to his job.
"What am I going to do? I'm not going to roll up and die, I'm just going to get on with my job, which is to try and prepare my team to win football matches and whatever will be will be," he said.
"I've just got to carry on with my business, show my personal pride and professionalism and make sure that those lads are prepared to win for the team and for the fans and for this great club.
"It's not only me, I've got two coaches with me, Les Ferdinand and Chris Ramsey, who have given a lot of time to this club over the years. I think possibly 30 years between us.
"It's a lot of time, a lot of effort and the club's been good to us in that time as well. What will happen at the end of the season, who knows?
"But one thing we can assure the club is that we've always been honest with them and we'll always give 100 per cent maximum to achieve what we need to achieve, whether that's in the development phase or now within the first team."
Sherwood will sit down with chairman Daniel Levy at the end of the campaign to discuss his future, although it appears a matter of when, not if, the 18-month deal he signed in December is ripped up.
The statistics certainly show that, with Sherwood boasting a better win percentage than any other Spurs boss in the Premier League era.
He was the only top-flight manager to go through April unbeaten and is looking to continue that fine form at West Ham on Saturday, when Spurs will be without two England internationals.
On Thursday Andros Townsend underwent surgery on an ankle injury sustained at Stoke last weekend, which has ruled the winger out for the rest of the campaign and the World Cup.
There are fears right-back Kyle Walker could also miss out on the squad for Brazil, with England manager Roy Hodgson concerned over the progress he is making on a pelvic injury.
Source: PA


text:
You are Here:
About NRCS
NRCS Leadership
/ NRCS Leadership
Loading Tree...
About NRCS
The Chief provides overall leadership for the activities of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to help people conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment.
The Chief of Staff provides support to the Chief and coordinates the Legislative Affairs and Public Affairs Divisions.
The Civil Rights Division enforces federal statutes prohibiting discrimination and ensures employees, applicants and customers receive equal opportunity and are treated fairly and with respect.
The Associate Chief is responsible for NRCS conservation activities and programs.
The NRCS organization in its Northeast, Southeast, Central, and West regions is headed by a Regional Conservationist. Regional Conservationists are management representatives of the Chief and are responsible for providing overall direction of NRCS programs and activities consistent with the Chief's guidance; acting as representatives of the Chief at meetings; and supervising the State Conservationists and the Directors of the Pacific Basin and Caribbean Areas.
NRCS Home | USDA.gov | Site Map | Civil Rights | FOIA | Plain Writing | Accessibility Statement
Policy and Links| Non-Discrimination Statement | Information Quality | USA.gov | WhiteHouse.gov


text: Apple HomePod review with measurements 2018-02-12 21:04:06 The HomePod is an interesting speaker for tech nerds, it has all this tech inside that tries to compensate for room and position. Go see the video at The Verge review for some snazzy animations. What I'm wondering, as probably others, is how much of this is hype.One guy at r/audiophile did some measurements and came away impressed. I'm not saying that it's gonna replace big speakers, but if it's good enough, it's not such a bad price, especially considering the Google Home Max is more expensive and is going a slightly different route, with stereo linking (for which you'll pay another $400 and which makes the price even more ridiculous) and less of an emphasis on complicated room correction algorithms (though it still tries to do it). I don't know what's up with Google, but in their zeal to compete with Apple, in the past couple of years they ended somehow out-Apple-ing Apple with the value/price and that includes their phones. If someone told me I could buy either of these for a dollar, I'd likely choose the Home Max though, because the HomePod is too restrictive on what sources you can use.I'm not endorsing either of these reviews, only thought some may be interested, and would like to discuss.I would probably think about buying one on a sale, if only it had Bluetooth, or at least an input so I could connect a Chromecast Audio to it. Maybe version 2, as many things Apple version 1 is the one lacking in features. Last Edit: 2018-02-12 21:10:28 by andy o


text:
Prop. 37 deserves support from voters
This is regarding the recent editorial against Proposition 37.
Yes, it is "weird scientific stuff." In nature, fish don't crossbreed with plants, for example; Monsanto handles that.
The FDA has rubber-stamped its approval of GMOs for our food supply for decades, ignoring its own scientists and never conducting the rigorous testing mandated in its own laws. This makes GMO products illegal as well as risky.
There is no labeling in Vermont because Monsanto threatened to sue the state if it passed.
The feds haven't promoted labeling because former Monsanto officials have positions of power in the FDA and USDA.
A recent two-year study revealed alarming possibilities of risk from GMOs. Monsanto has ruthlessly discredited scientists whose testing showed negative aspects of GMOs; only positive, short-term studies (too brief to show significant results) have been published.
It's an imperfect bill, yes, but a huge step in the right direction. The paper should reconsider its position and support Proposition 37.
Wendy Caesar
Shame on Scouts for revoking membership
Shame on the Boy Scouts of America for revoking the membership of a boy after 12 years of Scouting.
His only crime was to be born gay and not believe in a supernatural being called God.
The Girl Scouts of America do not discriminate against gays and atheists, then why should the Boy Scouts discriminate? Atheists are just as moral as religionists, if not more so.
It's time for the BSA to get its act together.
As the leader of the Fremont Atheist Forum, we will discuss this issue and others from 10 to 11:45 a.m., Oct. 20, in the Fremont Main Library, Fukaya Room.
David M. Mandell
Leader, Fremont Atheist Forum
Oakland is haven for the corrupt among us
Cowards by definition follow the path of least resistance. Anarchists are cowards who act out in devious, malevolent, evil ways for no apparent reason other than to destroy other people's lives and livelihoods in a random and cruel manner.
Who the heck in their right mind wants to operate a business in Oakland under these circumstances and with the appalling specter of violence and mayhem looming every day?
Under the auspices of the present municipal government, Oakland taxpayers and business owners are confronted with a reality so unappealing and an environment so daunting that one wonders how much longer before the place simply implodes.
We are very, very highly taxed in Oakland. We have the worst services imaginable. The fools who run the town have absolutely no idea what they are doing. The proof of this assertion is made manifest daily.
Oakland, my town, is a paradise for charlatans, fools, thugs, anarchists and thieves. The appalling ineptitude and cowardice of our municipal government is a danger to us all.
Jonathan C. Breault
Article misguided about local business
I believe the recently published article, "The food stamp cash-in: East Bay businesses capitalize on EBT," showed a commendable concern for the health needs of persons who benefit from Alameda County's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP), but was very misguided in reference to my family business, Dorsey's Locker.
We cook with fresh, healthy ingredients and do not cook with salt so as to be sensitive to the ever-present issue of hypertension in our community.
We offer a wide range of foods that are baked, grilled, fried and roasted, and fall into the category of restaurants that offer a balanced menu with delicious, fresh and affordable options.
It is most important to realize that healthy eating is a personal choice that begins with "self." We are happy that the SNAP program has given its recipients the option of being able to eat our delicious, healthy and affordable food that has been the choice of so many throughout the years.
We welcome EBT recipients to our 70-year-old Oakland culinary tradition.
Donald Dorsey
President/CEO Dorsey & Associates Oakland
election day LETTERS
Our deadline for receiving Election Day-related letters is Oct. 26. The last day Election Day-related letters will be published is Nov. 2.


text:
My father retired to Florida after 40 successful years as an advisor. During a recent visit, I ordered a fruity lunchtime cocktail complete with mini-umbrella. I asked if he'd like one as well.
"No, thanks," he replied. "If you start drinking on the beach during the week at lunchtime, you're headed for trouble."
I was impressed with his sense and self-discipline, and regretted my own order—almost. I was on vacation, after all.
I thought of this as I read Olivia Mellan's cover story. The image of a retired couple sitting on a beach with drink in hand as the waves gently lap against the shore is nice, but how realistic is it? For someone with a work ethic like my father's, inactivity leads to boredom, even in retirement. Boredom too often leads to unhealthy habits and, occasionally, dark places. Combined with a "merry prankster" attitude about drug use that marks many baby boomers to this day, statistics about depression and addiction experienced by the cohort are scary, but hardly surprising.
The Associated Press, referencing the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), reports that between 1992 and 2008, treatment admissions for those 50 and older more than doubled in the United States.
"All told, 231,200 people aged 50 and over sought treatment for substance abuse in 2008, up from 102,700 in 1992," according to the AP.
Baby boomers are a larger generation, so naturally it follows that the number of members who experience addiction and depression issues would grow as well.
If only. This growth outpaces overall population gains among older demographics.
"Between 2000 and 2008, substance abuse treatment admissions among those 50 and older increased by 70% while the overall 50-plus population grew by 21%."
And it's projected to get worse. SAMHSA reports that in 1999, only 8.8% of persons 50 or older were classified as high risk in their regression models. However, among those aged 29 to 49 at the time, the group projected to be aged 50 to 70 in 2020, 49.9% were in the high risk group.
Recognizing signs of addiction and depression will increasingly become a part of the "counselor hat" any good advisor wears. It won't ever make the list of services you offer, but early and effective intervention are keys to finding a successful and affordable quality of life in retirement, which most certainly is on your list of services offered.
Mellan's piece and the wealth of information available at SAMHSA's website (www.samhsa.gov) are great places to start.