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No. 88,681
Article 11, Section 1(b) of the Kansas Constitution and K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 79-201a Second are analyzed and applied.
Appeal from the Board of Tax Appeals. Opinion filed April 11, 2003. Affirmed.
S. Lucky Defries and Jeffrey A. Wietharn, of Coffman, DeFries & Nothern, A Professional Association, of Topeka, and Benjamin Byrd, of Polaroid Corporation, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, for the appellant.
Joe Shepack, county attorney, of Ellsworth, Michael A. Montoya, of Michael A. Montoya, P.A., of Salina, and Keyta D. Kelly, county counselor, of Leavenworth, for the appellees.
Before RULON, C.J., PIERRON and MARQUARDT, JJ.
PIERRON, J.: Polaroid ID Systems, Inc., (Polaroid) appeals the decision of the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals (BOTA) that equipment provided by Polariod to state and/or county governments for making driver's licenses and state identification cards was not exempt from ad valorem taxation. We affirm.
The facts are stipulated by the parties. In 1993, NBS Imaging Systems (NBS) and the Kansas Department of Revenue entered into an agreement entitled "Digitized Drivers' License System Contract." NBS provided computer workstations and capture stations to Kansas counties to produce Kansas state driver's licenses and state identification cards. Taxes on the business machinery and equipment were paid on this property through 1999. Polariod acquired NBS in 1997 and assumed the position of NBS in this contract. The contract was renewed in 1997, extending the agreement through June 30, 2003.
The equipment, including capture station, die cutter, and encoder, is operated solely by state and city employees and used only to produce Kansas state driver's licenses and state identification cards. Out of 105 Kansas counties, 104 use the equipment. Polariod is compensated under the contract on a fee-per-picture basis. Polariod retains title and is the owner of the equipment both during and at the expiration of the contract. Neither the State nor the participating counties has any ownership of the property, and there is no option at the end of the contract to purchase the property.
Polariod appealed to BOTA from the assessment and levy of taxes for the various counties for the year 2000 and forward and sought a refund of taxes paid for years 1997, 1998, and 1999.
The Board found the subject property was not used exclusively for a governmental or proprietary function and, therefore, was not entitled to tax exemption. The Board stated:
"The Board finds that the applicant's use of the property is not an exclusive use, but a simultaneous use. There is a simultaneous use in that the State of Kansas gains an advantage by using the equipment and Polariod gains an advantage by collecting the profits from the licenses and identification cards produced. Farmer's Co-op v. Kansas Bd. of Tax Appeals, 236 Kan. 632, 638, 694 P.2d 462 (1985). The legislature never intended for exemption statutes to be used so that a non-tax exempt entity, because it rents to a tax exempt entity for a substantial rental, to escape property taxes. In re Board of Johnson County Comm'rs, 225 Kan. 517, 521, 522, 592 P.2d 875 (1979) (citations omitted). As such, there is no need to further analyze additional requirements or restrictions found in K.S.A. 79-201a Second, and amendments thereto."
In an appeal from an order of BOTA, the Act for Judicial Review and Civil Enforcement of Agency Actions (KJRA), K.S.A. 77-601, et seq., controls an appellate court's scope of review. See K.S.A. 74-2426(c) (noting that BOTA's decisions are subject to review in accordance with the KJRA).
Within the KJRA, K.S.A. 77-621(a)(1) provides that unless "this act or another statute provides otherwise . . . [t]he burden of proving the invalidity of agency action is on the party asserting invalidity." K.S.A. 77-621(c)(4) specifies that this court may grant relief from an order of BOTA if we determine that the agency has erroneously interpreted or applied the law.
BOTA is considered the paramount, lawfully constituted taxing authority in Kansas. Wirt v. Esrey, 233 Kan. 300, 314, 662 P.2d 1238 (1983). "The party challenging the validity of BOTA's order bears the burden of proving the order's invalidity. K.S.A. 77-621(a)(1)." In re Tax Appeal of the Boeing Co., 261 Kan. 508, Syl. ¶ 4, 930 P.2d 1366 (1997).
BOTA's decision involved the legal interpretation of Article 11, Section 1(b) of the Kansas Constitution and K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 79-201a Second. Article 11, Section 1(b) provides the following exemptions:
"(2) All property used exclusively for state, county, municipal, literary, educational, scientific, religious, benevolent and charitable purposes, farm machinery and equipment, merchants' and manufacturers' inventories, other than public utility inventories included in subclass (3) of class 2, livestock, and all household goods and personal effects not used for the production of income, shall be exempted from property taxation."
K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 79-201a Second provides exemptions from all property and ad valorem taxes for:
"All property used exclusively by the state or any municipality or political subdivision of the state. All property owned, being acquired pursuant to a lease-purchase agreement or operated by the state or any municipality or political subdivision of the state, including property which is vacant or lying dormant, which is used or is to be used for any governmental or proprietary function and for which bonds may be issued or taxes levied to finance the same, shall be considered to be used exclusively by the state, municipality or political subdivision for the purposes of this section . . . . All property leased, other than property being acquired pursuant to a lease-purchase agreement, to the state or any municipality or political subdivision of the state by any private entity shall not be considered to be used exclusively by the state or any municipality or political subdivision of the state for the purposes of this section except that the provisions of this sentence shall not apply to any such property subject to lease on the effective date of this act until the term of such lease expires but property taxes levied upon any such property prior to tax year 1989, shall not be abated or refunded." (Emphasis added.)
Polaroid's arguments that the agreement at issue is not a lease are unpersuasive. Polaroid argues the agreement was not a lease because it was entitled "Drivers License System Contract." Polaroid also states it was compensated under the contract not based on the property itself, but on each license or card processed. On the other hand, the counties cite Black's Law Dictionary, 889 (6th ed. 1990) where "lease" is defined as an "[a]greement under which owner gives up possession and use of his property for valuable consideration and for definite term and at end of term owner has absolute right to retake, control and use property."
The driver's license system contract in this case clearly falls within the definition of a lease. Polaroid gave up possession and use of its equipment. In exchange, it received valuable consideration in a fee-per-use payment system. Neither the State nor the counties had ownership interest in the property and Polaroid had an absolute right to retake, control, and use the property at the end of the contract period. It is undisputed that there is no option to purchase. BOTA did not err in finding the agreement constituted a lease.
As leased property to the State, the statutory language of K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 79-201a Second prohibits Polaroid from exempting the equipment. "When a statute is plain and unambiguous, the court must give effect to the intention of the legislature as expressed, rather than determine what the law should or should not be." State ex rel. Stovall v. Meneley, 271 Kan. 355, 378, 22 P.3d 124 (2001). The intent of K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 79-201a Second is clear. Property leased, but not leased-to-own, to the state "shall not be considered to be used exclusively by the state." This language in K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 79-201a Second appears to be a codification of the "simultaneous use" rule established by the courts and supports BOTA's conclusion that "[t]he legislature never intended for exemption statutes to be used so that a non-tax exempt entity, because it rents to a tax exempt entity for a substantial rental, to escape property taxes."
The most helpful case for resolving the conflict at issue is In re Board of Johnson County Comm'rs, 225 Kan. 517, 592 P.2d 875 (1979) wherein the court held that property owned by a nontax-exempt entity and leased for profit to a tax-exempt entity pursuant to K.S.A. 79-201b First (Weeks 1977), was not being used exclusively for the statutory purpose and did not qualify for tax exemption. The statute provided:
"The following described property, to the extent herein specified, shall be and is hereby exempt from all property or ad valorem taxes levied under the laws of the state of Kansas:
"First: All real property, and tangible personal property, actually and regularly used exclusively for hospital purposes by a hospital as the same is defined by K.S.A.1977 Supp. 65-425, and amendments thereto, or a psychiatric hospital as the same is defined by K.S.A.1977 Supp. 59-2902, and amendments thereto, which hospital or psychiatric hospital is operated by a corporation organized not for profit. . . ." (Emphasis added.)
As in the present case, the parties desiring the exemption in In re Board of Johnson County Comm'rs contended that "used exclusively" meant only the physical use of the property and that the intangible benefits of ownership, including rental of the property for profit, did not constitute using the property. Further, because the exemption benefits would flow through to the nonprofit corporation which was responsible for the taxes under the parties' lease agreement, it was argued that granting the exemption would be consistent with the intent of the Kansas Constitution and statutes.
The court in In re Board of Johnson County Comm'rs relied upon the well-established definition of the term "used exclusively" as quoted in Seventh Day Adventist v. Board of County Commissioners, 211 Kan. 683, Syl. ¶ 2, 508 P.2d 911 (1973): "The phrase 'used exclusively' in the constitution and statute means that the use made of the property sought to be exempted from taxation, must be only, solely and purely for the purposes stated, and without participation in any other use." Applying that definition, the court held:
"To say that an investor who owns valuable property, real or personal, and leases it for profit is not using his property ignores the obvious fact that the owner-lessor is exercising his right to use the property just as surely as if he were utilizing it in a physical sense for his own objectives. . . . The renting by the lessor and the physical use by the lessee constitute simultaneous uses of the property and when an owner leases his property to another, the lessee cannot be said to be the only one using the property. The owner is using it as he sees fit to reap a profit from his investment just as surely as if he physically operated the property.
"We hold that property owned by a non-tax-exempt entity and leased for profit to a qualifying tax-exempt entity, is not being used exclusively for tax-exempt purposes and is subject to ad valorem and property taxes." 225 Kan. at 522-23.
The holding in In re Board of Johnson County Comm'rs was applied to deny exemptions in two other cases of note. In Board of Wyandotte County Comm'rs v. Kansas Ave. Properties, 246 Kan. 161, 176-77, 786 P.2d 1141 (1990), the court held that Article 11, § 13 of the Kansas Constitution, which provides an ad valorem tax exemption to property used for economic development purposes, did not apply to property rented or leased for profit even though the property was being used by the renter or lessee solely for one or more of the economic development purposes contained in the amendment.
As relied upon by BOTA in the present case, Farmers Co-op v. Kansas Bd. of Tax Appeals, 236 Kan. 632, 694 P.2d 462 (1985), applied exemptions within the farming provisions of K.S.A. 1983 Supp. 79-201i and K.S.A. 79-201j. The court held that farm machinery and equipment owned by taxpayers who provided custom combining services to farmers and fertilizer equipment owned by a farm cooperative which was rented to farmers was subject to ad valorem and property taxation. It is noteworthy that the legislature cured any perceived injustice in the Farmers Co-op case by amending K.S.A. 79-201j to exempt property used for "performing of farm or ranch work for hire." See In re Tax Appeal of Lietz Construction Co., 273 Kan. ___ , 47 P.3d 1275 (2002).
Polariod considers the simultaneous use concept established in In re Board of Johnson County Comm'rs to be "highly theoretical and not intuitive." Polaroid cites several cases in support of this position. Topeka Cemetery Ass'n v. Schnellbacher, 218 Kan. 39, 42, 542 P.2d 278 (1975); League of Kansas Municipalities v. Board of Shawnee County Comm'rs, 24 Kan. App. 2d 294, 302, 944 P.2d 172 (1997); Salina Airport Authority v. Board of Tax Appeals, 13 Kan. App. 2d 80, 761 P.2d 1261, rev. denied 244 Kan. 738 (1988). However, none of these cases concern the factual situation in the present case of a nonexempt entity claiming an exemption for property leased to an exempt entity.
In Salina Airport Authority, the Authority rented hangars to nonaviation businesses to generate revenue and then requested an exemption for the real estate where the hangars were located. The court held the mere fact that the Authority received rental income did not constitute "use" within the meaning of K.S.A. 1987 Supp. 79-201a Second and the Authority was not entitled to an exemption. 13 Kan. App. 2d at 85.
In League of Kansas Municipalities, the court stated the constitutional exemption from taxation depended solely upon the exclusive use made of the property and not on the ownership or the character of the owner. The court found that property owned by an instrumentality of a government entity (the League of Kansas Municipalities) was exempted as long as such property was actually being used exclusively for governmental purposes. 24 Kan. App. 2d 294, Syl. ¶ ¶ 7, 8.
In Topeka Cemetery Ass'n, the court held unconstitutional as violating the principles of uniform taxation a statute that exempted tracts or lots located within cemetery property only if the tract or lot was purchased by individual owners for present or future use as a grave site. 218 Kan. 39, Syl. ¶ 5. The statute did not exempt the cemetery property owned by the cemetery corporation that had yet to be sold for grave sites.
In construing an exemption to taxation, well-recognized rules of construction apply.
"'Taxation is the rule, and exemption from taxation the exception under the Kansas Constitution and statutes. [Citation omitted.] Constitutional and statutory provisions exempting property from taxation are to be strictly construed against the one claiming exemption. [Citation omitted.] Where the language of a statute, in particular, is relied upon as creating an exemption from taxation, it must be strictly construed against the party claiming the exemption. . . . [Citation omitted.] Strict construction, however, does not warrant unreasonable construction. [Citation omitted.]' " Board of Sedgwick County Comm'rs v. Action Rent to Own, Inc., 266 Kan. 293, 301, 969 P.2d 844 (1998) (citing In re Tax Exemption Application of City of Wichita, 255 Kan. 838, 842, 877 P.2d 437 [1994] ).
Pursuant to K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 79-201a, Polaroid is not entitled to exempt the property in question since by definition it is not "used exclusively" by the state for any government or proprietary function. Within the simultaneous use rule, Polaroid is not entitled to exempt the property since there is a simultaneous use in that the State gains an advantage by using the equipment and Polaroid gains an advantage by collecting the profits from the licenses and identification cards produced. See In re Board of Johnson County Comm'rs, 225 Kan. at 522-23.
Polaroid argues that even if the property is not owned or being acquired by a lease-purchase agreement, it is still entitled to exemption because K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 79-201a Second also applies to property that is "operated by the state" and is used for government function and bonds may be issued to finance same. Polaroid's argument fails to acknowledge that the legislature specifically stated that property leased to the state is not exempt property. When there is a conflict between general and specific statutes, "the more specific statute prevails unless it appears that the legislature intended to make the general statute controlling." In re J.A., 30 Kan. App. 2d ___, Syl. ¶ 2, 42 P.3d 215 (2002).
Polaroid raises the applicability of the "or operated" language within the context that the legislature is presumed to not enact legislation that has no effect. Polaroid states it is hard pressed to imagine a situation where the "or operated" language applies if it is not applicable in the present case. While it is not our duty to conjure up hypothetical applications for the "or operated" language in K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 79-201a Second, we again find the legislature has specifically stated that property leased to the state is not entitled to exemption.
Alternatively, Polaroid argues that even if the restrictive language of K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 79-201a Second applies, it only applies to the statute and not to the constitutional right to exemption in Article 11, Section 1(b) of the Kansas Constitution. In K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 79-201a Second, the legislature defined "used exclusively" to not include property leased to the state. This definition of "used exclusively" would apply equally to the facts of this case applied under the Kansas Constitution exemption provisions. See Seventh Day Adventist, 211 Kan. 683, Syl. ¶ 2 ("used exclusively" applies the same in the constitution and the statutes). The constitutionality of K.S.A. 2002 Supp. 79-201a Second has not been challenged.
The appellee for several counties also challenges Polaroid's standing to seek a refund of taxes paid in 1997, 1998, and 1999. The issue of standing was not raised before BOTA and was not part of BOTA's decision. Issues raised for the first time on appeal are not properly before the appellate courts. See Dalmasso v. Dalmasso, 269 Kan. 752, 765, 9 P.3d 551 (2000).


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Shop at home, stop pumping your tax dollars into other Counties.....
Kevin Hillman was the twice overwhelming winner to be the Prosecuting Attorney for Pulaski County. He has asked for this section to be available here for you the voters. Remember he can't answer questions about crimes commited in the cities as he represents the County. Treat him with the same respect you would expect for yourself..
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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Putting off a decision on military strikes on Syria allows President Barack Obama to shift his attention back to a weighty domestic agenda for the fall that includes budget fights, immigration and selecting a new chairman of the Federal Reserve.
Obama and his aides have immersed themselves for a week and a half in an intensive effort to win support in Congress for U.S. military action in Syria after a suspected chemical weapons attack last month killed more than 1,400 people.
But the effort, which included meetings by Obama on Capitol Hill on Tuesday followed by his televised speech to Americans, seemed headed for an embarrassing defeat, with large numbers of both Democrats and Republicans expressing opposition.
The push for a vote on Syria - which has now been delayed - had threatened to crowd out the busy legislative agenda for the final three months of 2013 and drain Obama's political clout, making it harder for him to press his priorities.
But analysts said a proposal floated by Russia, which the Obama administration is now exploring, to place Syria's weapons under international control may allow Obama to emerge from a difficult dilemma with minimal political damage.
"He dodges a tough political situation this way," said John Pitney, professor of politics at Claremont McKenna College in California.
Pitney said the delay in the Syria vote removes a big burden for Obama, given that Americans, who overwhelmingly opposed military intervention in Syria, will now be able to shift their attention to other matters.
He said Obama could suffer some weakening of his leverage with Congress. The administration's "full court press" to try to persuade lawmakers to approve military force on Syria was heavily criticized and did not yield much success.
"He probably has suffered some damage in Congress because there are probably many people on (Capitol Hill) who have increasing doubts about the basic competence of the administration and that's a disadvantage in any kind of negotiation," Pitney said.
Among Obama's most immediate challenges are two looming budget fights. By September 30, Congress and the president must agree on legislation to keep federal agencies funded or face a government shutdown.
Two weeks later, Congress must raise the limit on the country's ability to borrow or risk a possible debt default that could cause chaos in financial markets.
On the first budget showdown, Obama may be at a strategic advantage because of divisions among opposition Republicans about whether to use the spending bill to provoke a fight over Obama's signature health care law, known as Obamacare.
House Republican leaders are trying to rally the party around a temporary spending measure that would keep the government funded until December 15 but are facing resistance within their own caucus from some conservatives who want to cut off funding for Obamacare, even if it means a government shutdown.
The debt limit fight could end up going down to the wire and unnerving financial markets. Republicans want to use that standoff to extract concessions from the Democratic president, such as spending cuts and a delay in the health law. But Obama has said he has no intention of negotiating over the borrowing limit.
Another challenge for Obama will be reviving momentum for immigration reform. Sweeping legislation that would grant a path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants has passed the Democratic-led Senate but has been stalled in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.
Over the past week and half, lobbyists and other supporters of immigration reform have become worried that the Syria issue could doom the legislation in the House by limiting the amount of time lawmakers have to consider it.
But lobbyists are not ready to give up and have continued meeting with lawmakers to press the issue.
Some activists believe Obama could create pressure on Republicans to act by making greater use of the bully pulpit. The White House has sought to strike a balance between calling for action and giving Congress space to consider the issue.
Another pressing domestic matter will be picking a candidate to succeed Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, whose term expires in January. Obama has been leaning toward Lawrence Summers, a former top White House aide and Treasury secretary, who is controversial within his own Democratic Party.
Any candidate for Fed chairman will require confirmation by the U.S. Senate.
On issues like the budget battles in which Obama will go toe-to-toe with Republicans, the Syria push will have little fallout for Obama, predicted Matt Bennett, senior vice president at Third Way, a center-left think tank.
Republicans showed a huge resistance to Obama's agenda well before the administration's effort to win congressional backing on Syria began to falter, Bennett noted. He said the time focused on Syria over the last week and half did nothing to change that dynamic.
"I certainly don't think the situation he's in today is markedly different from the one he faced a few weeks ago," Bennett said.
Editing by Doina Chiacu


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Sharon1117 necesitaba un nuevo diseño de página web y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 356 diseños de 51 diseñadores freelance.
Sharon Cunningham founded her company in 1998 by launching her first Bridal Collection after working for many years in the Fashion Industry with great names like Ben De Lisi, Catherine Walker and Gieves & Hawkes on Saville Row
In 2000 she opened her first shop in London's fashionable Marylebone to house her Couture Bridal & Eveningwear Collection. The Collections were made in house by her own very dedicated team of cutters, seamstresses and pattern cutters. Her success is due to her own passion and attention to detail for her craft, her eye for cut and her genuine desire to create amazing gowns for each client to result in a one that fits and truly flatter the female form to perfection for that special event.
Technically, Sharon is one of the few designers who successfully is able to conceal her secret internal bustiers within her gowns to give the silhouettes that she has become famous for.
Her gowns have graced some of the Uk's most famous brides and clients on the red carpet. Her fans have included Cheryl Cole, Rachel Hunter, Elizabeth Hurley Shazney Lewis, Delta Goodram, and Grainne Seoige just to name a few.
in 2007 Sharon took some time out to spend with her two children but still makes couture gowns from her private studio in London's Hampstead.
the brand is targeted at the very top end of the market selling the whole couture experience to wealthy and successfull women and celebrity clients. Clients see the designer herself for the ultimate couture experience for the last 13 years and competes with some of the best name in the industry to include ver Wang, Vivienne Westwood, Bruce Oldfield, Monique Lhuillier etc. Her clients want a special experience and gowns that are made in the most beautifull fabrics. attention to detail and the cut and fit of gowns is what has made sharon s gowns stand apart from others. They are made by hand in her own studios by her own dedicated team of seamstresses and cutters. she personally fits gowns to each client individually using traditional couture techniques of bespoke toilles and hand finishing. Her clients get to choose from the most beautifull french and italian laces, silk duchesse satins, organzas and silk zibelines. Sharon is renowned for her internal structure and cu of her gowns that define and sculpt the female form for the ultimate silhouette. The client that sharon sees adores this attention to detail and that gowns are not mass produced in a factory in china for their special event. They value her commitment to them and the freedom to choose something special and unique. quality of design and impeccable service are the key to her success.
I am looking to re design my site to reflect how I work now. i do not have a retail shop anymore in central London but I still see couture clients from my beautiful home in London's Hampstead. I can also visit clients at home. everything is bespoke to order so the site should be all about this. From Sketch to finished gown. But it should reflect my extensive experience and skill in the area. I want to maintain and very sleek new look but reflect how i work now. It should not look in any shape or form dressmaker looking. It should reflect the bespoke element and individuality of what I do.
The site needs to look very modern, clean and contemporary. It should have a designer high end feel to it. Less is more. I am not going to put up tonnes of images but use the ones I have effectivly.
I am thinking more muted colours possibly graduated taupe, pale grey, white....totally would like to see some creative input though as looking for something new and fresh.
Like the idea of incorporating my hand sketch that I would do for a client into a real life image of a gown????
Home page.
About sharon
Design service and how it works.
Collection- photos etc
Homepage should be strong and clean. If I like the concept you will need to submit the rest of the pages to conclude the design of the site.
The LOGO should be done White type over background. Does NOT have to be boxed in Black.
Please only use Sharon Cunningham Images.
see below
Should have links to headings and every page should have name logo and contact details on it. similar to what is on the site already but maybe a little less. I want to keep it clean and modern.
Home page.
About sharon
Design service and how it works.
Collection- photos etc
I want make it more contemporary and fresh. I don't want to do dark navy anymore. will attach some files to give idea. if possible would like to play with colours of blue images to see if they can be edited to be used in black and white or play with col background??? save me doing a whole new shoot. Eva could be used as the leading image on the site.
These are feels of what I love.


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Our Service Designed for YOU
Owning a car should not be complicated. It should be as easy and enjoyable as possible. So we have created a unique service that includes everything you need to get the most out of life with your car.
Regular servicing is hugely important in keeping your car on the road. And prevention is better than cure, especially when prevention can save you thousands of pounds if something goes wrong.


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Jeep Polar Edition Wrangler
Jeep Wrangler special editions are revealed like clockwork.
For the Frankfurt motor show, the company has the Wrangler Polar Edition. This special edition features 18-inch gloss black rims, a body-color hardtop and a selection of Mopar accessories. Two engines will be offered, a 2.8-liter diesel that makes 200 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque mated to an automatic transmission, or 302 lb-ft when the manual is specified. The other, familiar option is the 3.6-liter gas V6 that delivers 284 hp and 256 lb-ft of torque.


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Oil Filters & Metering Oil Pump
Oil Filters
We recommend the use of the stock Mazda oil filters for all applications other than serious race cars. The only undesirable feature of the factory oil filter is the internal pressure bypass. If the engine is cold and the RPM is high, the pressure differential might exceed 14 psi., causing the filter to bypass some contaminants that the bearings likely can't handle. To avoid this, always warm up the engine gradually and fully before running at high RPM.
Remote Mount Oil Filters
For serious racing applications, remote, non-bypass filters perform better than stock filters/mounts. We recommend installing a remote, double oil filter assembly on the return line from the oil cooler.
The remote filter mounts we offer allow installation of temperature and pressure senders away from the engine block, thereby simplifying engine installation and removal. Use of the FRAM HP-2 model non-bypass filters will provide both excellent filter capacity and elimination of the bypass. One other filter possibility is the FRAM HP-6. It is larger in diameter the HP-2, but only one filter is necessary, thus making it easier to mount. The only limitation to this filter is that it has an internal pressure bypass set for 22 psi. However, this is high enough that bypass is unlikely to occur in reasonable use.
Rotaries can also be run with a dry sump oil system; that is, an oil system that pumps the oil out of the bottom of the engine into an external tank, then picks it up from the tank and supplies it to the engine. The primary reason for doing this is to gain clearance under the engine, or to allow the engine to be lowered (the pan is commonly replaced with a flat plate). If the tank is well designed, this system also aids oil cooling by removing the air from the oil before cooling.
Metering Oil Pump
The metering oil pump is a useful but misunderstood component of a rotary engine. It rarely gives any trouble, although people commonly try to blame the metering oil pump for high oil consumption. In fact, if the pump fails, it usually simply stops operating. The only likely exception would be if the linkage from the carburetor, or injection throttle body, becomes hung up in the "full throttle" position in 1988 and earlier models.
This condition is quite easy to diagnose. If the problem is not in the linkage, the rotor oil seals are the most likely source of trouble. As a general note, later model rotaries commonly get 2,000+ miles per quart of oil. If oil consumption exceeds one quart in 700 miles, the engine probably needs an overhaul. The factory recommended setting for the metered oil volume has generally been getting lower and lower.
Metering Oil Pump Rates
The metering oil pump found on all 1989-95 RX-7s is an electronic unit that cannot be externally adjusted to change oil flow delivery; however, if you require additional oil flow, you can completely remove this electronic unit and fabricate a cover plate with an adjustment screw mounted in it to allow manual adjustment of the oil flow. This cover plate replaces the electronic control.
The metering rates for stock engines vary, so consult an appropriate shop manual for your car's specifications. In normally aspirated racing vehicles we use either a setting of 5cc/5minutes (total flow - 2,000 RPM, warm engine, arm in the "full throttle" position) on the metering oil pump or premix 3.5 oz of good quality synthetic oil (preferably 2-stroke motorcycle "oil injection" oil) to 5 gallons of fuel. The requirement for turbo engines in racing is high enough that use of a metering oil pump is impractical. Therefore, we premix up to 22 oz of oil to 5 gallons of fuel in a 600 HP 2-rotor. If you are not pressing your engine this hard, you can use proportionally less oil.
RX-8 - Race Tips
While undertaking development work on the RX-8 Renesis engine for SCCA T2/T3 use, we decided to introduce extra oil into the fuel to monitor the effect. To our surprise, this additional oil increased power! Further dyno testing found that by adding 10 oz. of Royal Purple 2-Stroke Oil to 6 gallons of fuel, we gained an average of 1.7 HP from 2000-9000 RPM, along with an increase in peak power of 4 HP. We validated this increase by changing back to a "non-oiled" fuel - and the power returned to the previous level. Later, we tried the same test with another brand of synthetic oil with nearly the same results.
For racing applications, the addition of a high quality synthetic oil increases power and most certainly decreases wear. The only negatives are the cost of the oil and an increase in the tendency to foul the spark plugs. (Note: We have not performed these tests on non-RX-8 engines yet, these results are unknown.)
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== What These Guidelines (Will) Cover ==
== What These Guidelines (Will) Cover ==
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This document is a place to collect all the "do"s, "don't"s and "how to"s for interface elements in Plasma, particularly applets and plasmoids.
The following are acceptable known entries for plasmoids and applets. If your applet does not fall within one of the following categories, leave the category field empty (it will be automatically categories under "Miscellaneous" for the time being) and contact the Plasma development team to have a suitable category added to the list (at which point you may then use that category).
Since your plugins and packages will co-exist with everyone else's, it is a good idea to use a naming scheme that eliminates possibility of accidental name collisions.
In the examples below where it referse to [name], consider including an element unique to your project or organization in it. For instance, if your packages accompany an application, consider including the name of the application. Using an organizational or domain name are also possibilities.
For example, if your plasmoid was called "SuperWidget", the [name] might be:
Plasma uses a "general to specific" naming system for .desktop files. Following this practice makes it easy to find entries in the file system and keeps things nicely ordered.
In the list below, [name] would most commonly be the plugin name as found in the file. Files autogenerated by ScriptEngines may include additional namespacing information in the file name.


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In light of current world events, the Office of Global & Off-campus Education's mission of educating students to be informed, perceptive, reflective world citizens has become even more important. The health and safety of students while they are participating in off-campus study programs have also become the focus of increased attention and concern. We are deeply committed to ensuring that your student has a rewarding off-campus experience. As global education becomes an increasingly vital part of university-level education, we will do everything we can to make your student's experience off-campus safe and profoundly beneficial. Preparations have been made by the Office of Global & Off-campus Education and members of the Bucknell University community to monitor the safety of our students.
Bucknell Approved Programs
For students attending off-campus programs, the Office of Global & Off-campus Education continues to work with a carefully selected group of experienced program providers. These providers have on-site personnel that are trained in emergency protocols. We have 24-hour contact information for both their US-based and overseas staff. In addition the Office of Global & Off-campus Education coordinates with the Crisis Management Team at Bucknell University that monitors the health and safety aspects of programs and countries on an ongoing basis.
Health & Safety Resources
The Office of Global & Off-campus Education has taken steps to educate students about health and safety abroad through pre-departure orientation discussions and reference materials. The orientation materials include: Department of State Publications (www.travel.state.gov/), such as, A Safe Trip Abroad, Consular Information Sheets and Travel Warnings, as found on the Department of State website. The Department of State Travel Warnings are an important source of information when assessing the health conditions, safety, and locations of our programs. We also encourage you to browse the Centers for Disease Control website for up-to-date health information at: http://www.cdc.gov/.
Students participating in Bucknell in London, Bucknell en France, Bucknell en Espana, and all Bucknell "in" programs are automatically enrolled in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). All students participating in a "non Bucknell in program" are required to register with the STEP program. We also urge parents to discuss this with their students and register the student with the U.S. Department of State, Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) if the student has not already registered. The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service provided by the U.S. Government to U.S. citizens who are traveling to, or living in, a foreign country. STEP allows you to enter information about your upcoming trip abroad so that the Department of State can better assist you in an emergency. STEP also allows Americans residing abroad to get routine information from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Register for STEP
Program Guidelines
Students have been asked to adhere to their program guidelines both on-site and when traveling independently. These guidelines include recommendations for appropriate behavior, dress and safe local and off-site travel. For travel off-site, each on-site program director normally requests an itinerary and contact information from the students. While students are often displeased by this request, it is a system through which we can be aware of their location, should we need to contact them on short notice.
Contact Information
During Pre-Departure Orientation Sessions students received an Emergency Contact Card to list relevant contacts in the event of an emergency. The Emergency Contact Card should be carried by the student at all times while they are abroad. The Office of Global & Off-campus Education hopes that this information will help students take responsibility for their own safety and well-being.
If at any time you have concerns or questions, please contact the Office of Global & Off-campus Education at 570.577.3796. In the event of an emergency, the Office of Global & Off-campus Education may also be reached after hours through the Department of Public Safety at 570.577.3333.


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Billy Wilder, original name Samuel Wilder, (born June 22, 1906, Sucha, Austria [now in Poland]—died March 27, 2002, Beverly Hills, California, U.S.), Austrian-born American motion-picture scenarist, director, and producer known for films that humorously treat subjects of controversy and offer biting indictments of hypocrisy in American life. His work often focused on subjects that had previously been considered unacceptable screen material, including alcoholism (The Lost Weekend, 1945), prisoner-of-war camps (Stalag 17, 1953), and prostitution (Irma La Douce, 1963). A number of his films, such as Sunset Boulevard (1950) and The Apartment (1960), weighed the emptiness of modern life.
Early life and work
Wilder (who was named Samuel but called Billy because of his mother's affinity for William ["Buffalo Bill"] Cody) was raised in Vienna and attended the University of Vienna as a prelaw student. After a year he dropped out to work as a sports reporter for a Vienna newspaper. A major paper in Berlin hired him away in 1926 to cover the crime beat, experience that would serve him well in his subsequent career. Wilder earned his first screenwriting credit working on Edgar Ulmer and Robert Siodmak's Menschen am Sonntag (People on Sunday; 1930).
More scripts for a variety of German and French films followed over the next four years, but when the Nazis took power in 1933, Wilder, like so many other Jews in the arts, fled. In Paris he codirected Mauvaise Graine (1934) with Alexander Esway before continuing on to the United States, after a brief period in Mexico.
During Wilder's first years in Hollywood, when he spoke little English, he roomed with expatriate German actor Peter Lorre and accumulated credits on modest scripts such as Music in the Air (1934) and The Lottery Lover (1935) by collaborating with writers who could translate his contributions. In 1937 Paramount assigned him to work with former New Yorker theatre critic Charles Brackett. After first collaborating on Ernst Lubitsch's Bluebeard's Eighth Wife (1938), they wrote such romantic-comedy gems as Mitchell Leisen's Midnight (1939), Lubitsch's Ninotchka (1939), and Howard Hawks's Ball of Fire (1941). Arguably Wilder's most personal work during this period was Leisen's Hold Back the Dawn (1941), a compelling drama about a suave European refugee (played by Charles Boyer) stranded in Mexico who uses his wiles to entice an American schoolteacher (Olivia de Havilland) into marriage so that he can gain entry into the United States.
Films of the 1940s
In 1942 Wilder and Brackett entered a new arrangement: Wilder directed, Brackett produced, and both wrote their subsequent projects, beginning with The Major and the Minor (1942), a clever farce in which a woman (Ginger Rogers) who masquerades as a 12-year-old to avoid paying full fare on a train becomes involved with an army officer (Ray Milland) who cannot quite figure why he is so attracted to a young girl.
Wilder and Brackett's next project, Five Graves to Cairo (1943), was a suspenseful tale of wartime espionage. It was followed by Double Indemnity (1944), one of the most searing of the early films noir and, in the eyes of many historians, the apotheosis of the genre. James M. Cain's 1936 novella, on which the film is based, had been deemed too controversial for Hollywood's Production Code at the time of its publication, but by 1944 standards had relaxed enough to allow depictions of the decidedly adult scenario it offered, and the adaptation by Wilder and novelist Raymond Chandler was masterful. The genial Fred MacMurray, cast against type, played a jaded insurance salesman who conspires with the sexy wife of a prospective client (Barbara Stanwyck) to insure her husband, kill him, collect the money, and spend it together. The film—told in flashback with a voiceover—was nominated for an Academy Award, and Stanwyck received a nomination for best actress for her portrayal of the film's icy, calculating femme fatale. Moreover, Wilder garnered the first of his seven Academy Award nominations for best director and another nomination for his and Chandler's screenplay.
Wilder had arrived. He managed to equal the success of Double Indemnity with The Lost Weekend (1945), a stark, harrowing portrait of one man's battle with alcoholism. Milland gave a career-defining performance as an aspiring writer whose weekend drinking binge nearly costs him his life. Both critics and audiences embraced this powerful cautionary tale, which won the Academy Award as best picture, while Milland won for best actor, Wilder won as best director, and Wilder and Brackett won for their screenplay.
Although Wilder was arguably the hottest director in Hollywood, he put his film career on hiatus for three years to join the army, serving as a colonel in the Psychological Warfare Division in occupied Berlin. His first movie after his military service was The Emperor Waltz (1948), a slight musical set in Austria that starred Bing Crosby and Joan Fontaine. Much more substantial was A Foreign Affair (1948), a cynical romantic comedy set in occupied Berlin that illuminated the workings of the post-World War II U.S. armed services with a candour that was unique for its day. Jean Arthur starred as a prim congresswoman on a fact-finding mission, and John Lund was the calculating army captain who tries to protect his well-paid mistress (Marlene Dietrich, in one of her last significant screen roles).
Films of the 1950s
Before splitting, apparently without rancour, Brackett and Wilder collaborated on one more film, which may have been their best. Sunset Boulevard (1950) was the caustic tale of an out-of-work screenwriter (William Holden) who agrees to move in with former silent-film star Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), an eccentric recluse who wants him to write her comeback vehicle. The story is narrated by the writer's corpse, which is seen floating facedown in a swimming pool in the film's indelible opening scene. Wilder and Brackett's storytelling prowess is on full display in what many critics consider to be the ultimate Hollywood story. Holden gave the first important performance of his career as the kept writer who despises himself for his willingness to sell out even as he pities his self-deluded benefactress. Also notable is director Erich von Stroheim's portrayal of Norma's butler, ex-husband, and former director. (Von Stroheim actually directed Swanson in the uncompleted silent Queen Kelly, a segment of which is shown in Sunset Boulevard.) Swanson's deliberately over-the-top performance as the tragic Norma earned her an Academy Award nomination as best actress. Wilder and the film were also nominated for Academy Awards; the screenplay by Wilder, Brackett, and D.M. Marshman, Jr., won.
Ace in the Hole (originally titled The Big Carnival; 1951) was Wilder's first endeavour as both producer and director, and it would prove to be his first box-office failure. This acerbic drama, a corrosive account of a tabloid reporter (Kirk Douglas) who amorally manipulates a mining tragedy in New Mexico to artificially extend its run on the front pages, was viewed by some critics as heavy-handed. Nevertheless, its screenplay (by Wilder, Lesser Samuels, and Walter Newman) was nominated for an Academy Award.
Stalag 17 (1953) was far more successful on every front. It was based on a Broadway play about the dynamics of a German prisoner-of-war camp during World War II that had been written by two former internees and starred Holden as a clever but reviled bunkhouse entrepreneur who is accused of having leaked information to the camp commandant (Otto Preminger). The black humour and suspense are adroitly handled by Wilder, who again was nominated for an Academy Award, but the focus is firmly on Holden, who delivered an Academy Award-winning performance (best actor).
Samuel Taylor's play Sabrina Fair provided the source material for the May-December romantic comedy Sabrina (1954), a box-office hit that left some critics disappointed by its lack of Wilder's characteristic acerbic bite. Holden and Humphrey Bogart portrayed a pair of wealthy brothers with inimical lifestyles who both fall for their chauffeur's daughter (Audrey Hepburn) when she returns from a Continental makeover. Wilder, Hepburn, and the screenplay were all nominated for Academy Awards.
The screenplay for The Seven Year Itch (1955) was a collaboration between Wilder and George Axelrod, the author of the play on which the film was based. Tom Ewell, reprising the role he had played onstage, starred as a middle-aged Manhattan book-publishing executive whose wife and son are away for the summer, leaving him free to fantasize about his seductive new upstairs neighbour (Marilyn Monroe at the peak of her popularity as a sex symbol). Wilder's next project, The Spirit of St. Louis (1957), would be the only biographical film that he would ever make. James Stewart played famed aviator Charles Lindbergh, whose 1927 New York-to-Paris solo flight is the centrepiece around which Wilder constructed a first-rate story.
With Love in the Afternoon (1957), Wilder began working with a new writing partner, I.A.L. Diamond, though this first collaboration between them is generally held to be one of their lesser efforts. This homage to Lubitsch's sophisticated comedies, based on the novel Ariane by Claude Anet, featured an aging Gary Cooper as an American playboy living in Paris who becomes infatuated with a young cellist (Hepburn) and unwittingly hires her private-eye father (Maurice Chevalier) to investigate her.
Wilder's third film of the year, Witness for the Prosecution (1957), was a brilliantly structured courtroom drama based on a long-running play by Agatha Christie. Tyrone Power played a murder suspect who persuades an ailing but able barrister (Charles Laughton) to defend him. The defendant's loyal but inscrutable wife (Dietrich, in a film-stealing performance) is his only alibi, and the plot turns on her flip-flopping testimony. Laughton (best actor), Elsa Lanchester (best supporting actress), Wilder (best director), and the film itself were all nominated for Academy Awards.
Wilder's next film, Some Like It Hot (1959), not only was one of the decade's most accomplished comedies but came to be regarded as among the best comedies in the history of American film. This riotous sex farce (written with Diamond) starred Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis as Chicago musicians on the run from Prohibition-era gangsters after accidentally witnessing the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. Joe (Curtis) and Jerry (Lemmon) don women's clothes to join an all-woman band bound for a performance in Florida. The rest of the film alternates between Joe's efforts to woo the band's luscious but vulnerable singer (Monroe) while disguised as a yachtsman and Jerry's gradual surrender to his feminine side. Some Like It Hot was a box-office smash, the biggest hit of Monroe's career, and earned Lemmon an Academy Award nomination for best actor, Wilder yet another nomination for best director, and Wilder and Diamond a nomination for best screenplay.
Films of the 1960s
Just as daring in its way was The Apartment (1960), in which Lemmon played a milquetoast business executive who, hoping for a promotion, lets his tyrannical boss (MacMurray, cast against type, again with splendid results) use his apartment to conduct an extramarital affair with neurotic elevator operator (Shirley MacLaine) and then comes to her rescue (falling in love with her in the process) when she tries to commit suicide. Bold for its time, this moralistic tale won the Academy Award for best picture. Wilder also won the awards for best director and best screenplay (with Diamond).
One, Two, Three (1961) was a frenetic Cold War farce that was shot on location in Germany (as the Berlin Wall was being constructed) and starred James Cagney as a Coca-Cola executive in West Berlin whose job is on the line when his boss's visiting daughter (Pamela Tiffin) falls for and marries a bohemian East German communist (Horst Buchholz). One, Two, Three was not a hit with contemporary audiences (though appreciation of it grew as the Cold War faded into history), but Wilder's next film, Irma La Douce (1963), was. The nonmusical adaptation of a French (and later Broadway) musical by Alexandre Breffort and Marguerite Monnot starred MacLaine and Lemmon as, respectively, a philosophical Parisian prostitute and the self-righteous constable who tries to shut down her operation. MacLaine received an Academy Award nomination as best actress for her performance.
The provocative Kiss Me, Stupid (1964) was reviled by contemporary critics, condemned by the Legion of Decency, and failed at the box-office. Although film historians have had a more mixed response, Kiss Me, Stupid is generally thought to represent the nadir of Wilder's career. Ray Walston played a small-town songwriter whose attempt to sell his songs to an egotistical pop singer (Dean Martin) includes offering up the favours of a prostitute (Kim Novak) whom he presents as his wife.
Wilder and Diamond bounced back with one of their tartest comedies, The Fortune Cookie (1966). Lemmon played a television cameraman who is accidentally trampled by a running back while covering a gridiron football game. Although the cameraman's injuries are minor, he allows his brother-in-law (Walter Matthau), an ambulance-chasing lawyer referred to by his peers as Whiplash Willie, to talk him into suing the Cleveland Browns for a million dollars. Matthau won a best supporting actor Academy Award, and the screenplay was nominated for an Academy Award.
Last films
After being absent from the screen for the next four years, Wilder returned in 1970 with The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (coscripted with Diamond), a generally underrated revisionist take on the fictional detective. Avanti! (1972) followed and starred Lemmon as a millionaire who travels to Italy to bury his father only to fall in love with the daughter (Juliet Mills) of his father's mistress. Like The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, it did not fare well commercially, though, arguably, this was a function not of any deficiency in the work itself but rather of Wilder's being out of step with the times. Contemporary critics were inclined to find fault with the gentle patiently paced romantic comedy, but later critics hailed it as an underappreciated gem.
Audiences did turn out to see Lemmon and Matthau paired in The Front Page (1974), but few critics thought Wilder's remake of the Ben Hecht–Charles MacArthur play was the equal of Lewis Milestone's 1931 original or Howard Hawks's version, His Girl Friday (1940). More interesting but little seen was the German-financed Fedora (1978), in which Holden played a producer who tries to coax a Greta Garbo-like actress (Martha Keller) out of retirement. Matthau and Lemmon were teamed by Wilder one last time in his final film, Buddy Buddy (1981), adapted by Wilder and Diamond from the French farce L'Emmerdeur (A Pain in the A—; 1973).
Wilder has often been characterized as the cynical purveyor of savage humour, but it is probably more accurate to see his cinematic art as a mixture of cynicism and romanticism. Richard Griffith, the curator of the Museum of Modern Art's Film Library, wrote of Wilder, "Whether his scene is the fleshpots of Long Island, the deceptive blandness of corporate life, or a desolate cave in a Western desert, there is visible behind his story-lines what has to be called a theme: the bewilderment of us all who, living in the midst of plenty and under the shadow of doomsday, must still make choices, and make them without guidance, flying blind."
During his career, Wilder was nominated for 20 Academy Awards and won six. At the 1988 Academy Awards, he was given the Irving G. Thalberg Award for a consistently high quality of motion-picture production, having already received a lifetime achievement award from the American Film Institute (AFI) in 1986. Four of his films—Sunset Boulevard, Some Like It Hot, Double Indemnity, and The Apartment—appeared on the AFI's list of Top 100 films, in both the list's original (1998) and 10th-anniversary (2007) incarnations.
Learn More in these related Britannica articles:
film noir: The omniscient narrator and the flashbackWilder's
Double Indemnityand Sunset Boulevard(1950)—the denouement (often the death or downfall of the central character) is revealed in the opening scenes; flashbacks then tell of the circumstances that led to the tragic conclusion. Tension and suspense are increased by the use of all-knowing…
Ernst Lubitsch: Films of the mid- and late 1930s…but, despite a Charles Brackett–Billy Wilder script, it also failed at the box office, and Paramount finally let Lubitsch go to MGM.…
Jack LemmonTwo films directed by Billy Wilder helped establish Lemmon as a major star.
Some Like It Hot(1959), an American comedy classic, featured Lemmon as a jazz musician posing as a woman, and The Apartment(1960) reinforced the character type for which he became known, that of a tense,…
Stalag 17…1953, that was directed by Billy Wilder and featured an Academy Award-winning performance by William Holden.…
Double Indemnity…film was adapted by director Billy Wilder and writer Raymond Chandler from the 1935 novella by James M. Cain. Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) is an insurance representative whose obsession with bombshell Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) allows her to manipulate him into helping murder her husband so she can collect on…
More About Billy Wilder14 references found in Britannica articles
Assorted References
- film noir
- screenplay of "Ninotchka"
- In Ninotchka
association with
- Diamond
- Lemmon
- In Jack Lemmon
- Lubitsch
- Trauner
direction of
- "Double Indemnity"
- "Fortune Cookie, The"
- "One, Two, Three"
- "Seven Year Itch, The"


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A two-day warm up is in progress as the wind shifts out of the south.
Temperatures won't be nearly as cold this morning with middle teens expected. A few flurries will be possible and some sleet.
Temperatures will rise to around 33 this afternoon under a partly cloudy sky.
On Saturday, temperatures will be in the 35-40 range in the afternoon.
A stong cold front will arrive Sunday during the midday. Temperatures will go from the middle 20s around lunchtime Sunday to minus-8 by Monday morning.
We'll likely stay below zero Monday with high temps around 5 degrees Tuesday and New Year's Day.


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My favorite innovation on the Treo 700w was touchscreen photo speed dial. Instead of a list of names, you have a grid of faces you can tap to call. The iPhone, mysteriously, doesn't take advantage of its gigantic and gorgeous screen to do the same. That's a pity, too, because I can recognize the face of the person I want to call much more quickly than I can their name.
No More!
Step 1: Make a bunch of thumbnails of the faces of your favorite contacts. Upload them to a server (or Flickr, or wherever) and copy their image addresses.
Step 2: Go grab use the little hack here to add speed dial links to your home screen, but as the "Advanced" instructions suggest, paste the URL of your favorites' face thumbnails (from step one) onto the end. (No Jailbreak required)
Step 3: Move all your cute photo speed dial faces onto their very own Home Screen page. Voila, you can now hit the home button, swipe over to your speed dial screen, and there are up to 16 faces per page you can dial by tapping.
(Thanks to rener for the inspiration!)


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* This stylish Ray Ban Aviator RB3025 Sunglasses are one of the most unique Ray Ban frames.
* This style is available in a variety of colors, to help you personalize your Ray Ban.
* Double brow bar, similar to the frame Ray Ban is known for.
* Lightweight plastic frames and arms.
* Gradient lenses offer 100% UV protection.
* Lenses are Rx-able (prescription ready).
* Brand name at temples and upper right lens.
* Protective case with fold-over snap closure included.
* Adjustable nosepads for a personalized fit.
* Clean and sophisticated, these modern have an unmistakable style that never goes out of date.
* Made in Italy.
Save: 92% off
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Combine your love of books and penchant for podcasts with these podcasts for bookworms. You can even read while listening!
Good news, bookworms! Your love of eBooks doesn't have to cost a thing.
To cut back on costs, I stopped reading comic books after high school. Then I realized I could get my comic fix for free, with no superpowers required.
If you have a computer, iPhone, or other handheld device, you can download for free more books than you will ever be able to read, including recent releases.
The best thing about public school is that it keeps kids occupied and not spending money for six hours a day or more. Now that it's summer, here re seven ideas for free or very che
Want free access to the more multi media than you can handle? Get yourself to your public library before the powers that be close them all down...
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www.babiesovernight.com is a website that is accessible through the Internet in Grand Theft Auto IV. The website is a reference to the Pets Overnight website from Grand Theft Auto III, as both sites have similar names, premises and taglines. As advertised on the radio, Babies Overnight is a service that allows a customer to pick out the style of baby he/she wants (referencing that some naturally-born babies are ugly) and the baby will box-ship anywhere in Liberty City in a matter of hours. Also, if a customer is not satisfied with the baby they receive, they can order a new baby and simply dispose of the old one.
As a minor detail, the part where the countries from Africa are listed, the one called Pambia does not exist.
It should be noticed that online baby adoption is illegal in real life.
- A woman on the FLEECA radio advertisement indirectly mentions babiesovernight.com when asked what she does with with FLEECA card.


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|Posted: March 6, 2009
The role of science and technology in meeting America's energy, environmental and economic challenges
|(Nanowerk News) Statement of Dr. George W. Crabtree, Senior Scientist, Associate Division Director and Distinguished Fellow, Materials Sciences Division, Argonne National Laboratory before the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, March 5, 2009:
|Chairman Bingaman, Ranking Member Murkowski, and members of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the national discussion of the role of science and technology in meeting America's energy, environmental and economic challenges.
|Let me begin by expressing my thanks to the members of the Senate present today and to Congress for their strong support of basic science and technology. Basic science and technology have given us remarkable innovations that have dramatically raised the quality of our personal lives, increased the productivity of our businesses, and created long term economic growth. However, the combined challenges of energy, environment and the economy that we face today are greater perhaps than at any time in the last six decades. They will require a new generation of inspirational breakthroughs from basic science to replace the economic recession with economic growth, to replace uncertain and costly imported oil with a secure and sustainable energy supply, and to reduce carbon dioxide emissions that threaten global climate.
|Congress has taken a bold step toward meeting these economic, energy and climate challenges with the recent passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Along with the pending FY09 Omnibus Appropriations Act, these acts have the power to transform science and technology into the vibrant and aggressive engines of change envisioned by the America COMPETES Act passed by Congress in 2007.
|But such daunting goals cannot be achieved in a year. A sustained and aggressive investment in basic scientific research, manpower and infrastructure is needed, like that triggered by Sputnik or devoted to the Manhattan project. Today's combination of energy, environment and economic challenges is much greater than either of these landmark historical events.
|Energy and Environmental Challenges
|A single number captures the magnitude of the energy challenge: $700 billion/yr, the cost of imported oil at last summer's peak prices. That money is removed from the U.S. economy, where it cannot turn over and stimulate additional economic activity. Even at today's prices, imported oil will remove about $200 billion/yr from the U.S. economy, a significant drain on the economic recovery. Last year we imported nearly 60% of our oil, used primarily to power our cars and trucks. Imported oil has become the lifeblood of our transportation system, making us vulnerable to interruptions caused by natural disasters, terrorist acts or internal political decisions in producer countries. Our energy security requires markedly reducing this dependence on imported oil.
|Carbon dioxide emissions are an equally serious threat. The evidence for global warming cited by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is unequivocal: rising average temperatures and sea levels, shrinking polar ice and snow cover in the northern hemisphere, and pole-ward migrations of animals and plants to maintain their preferred habitat. The U.S. is the second largest carbon dioxide emitter behind China, but we have remained remarkably passive in addressing this issue. We need to regain international leadership by tackling this global threat.
|There is a transformative opportunity hidden in these challenges. Next-generation energy technologies not only solve our own energy and environmental problems, but also create a new export market of enormous capacity and enduring strength. The world's energy and environmental problems reflect our own a reliance on uncertain imported oil and the threat of climate change. Meeting these global needs with next-generation technologies exported by U.S. companies generates long term economic growth that can protect the economy from stagnation or recession and reverse the drain of imported oil. Next-generation energy technologies will be developed the question is whether the U.S. will be buying or selling them.
|The Path Forward
|The report 'New Science for a Secure and Sustainable Energy Future', issued recently by the Department of Energy's Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee, outlines the opportunities to address these challenges and recommends a path forward. We know what many of the next-generation sustainable energy technologies are: carbon capture and sequestration; high-efficiency coal and nuclear electricity; renewable solar, wind and geothermal power generation; solar fuels and biofuels; solid state lighting; energy storage for plug-in hybrid and battery electric cars, and high-temperature superconductivity for a 21st century electric grid. Many of these technologies have been proven in principle in the laboratory or in small scale demonstrations. Why have we not deployed them? The answer is remarkably simple and universal: the current versions of these technologies do not perform well enough to compete with conventional fossil energy technologies.
|The performance roadblocks to next-generation sustainable technologies are extremely challenging otherwise they would have been solved by the extensive research and development already devoted to the energy sector. Inexpensive catalysts ten times more active than platinum are needed for producing electricity in hydrogen fuel cells that operate without emitting pollutants or carbon dioxide. Electrodes that accept and release large quantities of lithium are needed for high energy density batteries to enable plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles. New superconductors that carry high current at low loss are needed for long-distance transmission of solar and wind electricity from remote generation sites to population centers.
|The materials and chemistry that will overcome these performance roadblocks will be much more complex than those in use today. High-temperature superconductors contain four or five elements instead of the one or two of conventional superconductors. The best battery electrodes have intricately nanostructured surfaces that promote injection and release of lithium. The catalytic activity of platinum can be increased by a factor of ten, by altering its sub-surface composition in subtle and still unexplored ways. The lesson of the last ten years of materials and nanoscience research is clear: greater complexity enables higher performance.
|The complexity demanded of next-generation materials is so great that conventional trial and error approaches to their discovery and development are failing. Edison gave us a wonderful model when he said Genius is 2% inspiration and 98% perspiration. These words motivated the technology of his day and described his remarkable success with the light bulb, the phonograph and the movie camera. The complexity of today's materials and chemistry, however, is much greater than in Edison's time. The number of possible variations is enormous. It is no longer possible to try one variation after another and eventually hit the jackpot. Instead, we need to raise the inspiration quotient. Instead of 2% inspiration we need at least 50% inspiration to dramatically reduce the perspiration of perfecting new energy technologies. This inspiration comes from basic science. We need to understand why and how materials do what they do, at nanoscale dimensions and ultrafast time scales beyond the reach of the human eye. The basic science of how and why materials behave as they do is the inspiration for developing new materials and chemistries that will change the performance equation of sustainable energy.
|The Basic Science Solutions
|What are the basic science challenges we need to solve for next-generation energy technologies? They are laid out with remarkable clarity and detail in the twelve Basic Research Needs Workshop reports that are summarized by the New Science report. Each of these workshops selected a sustainable energy challenge such as electrical energy storage, solar energy, advanced nuclear power, superconductivity, solid state lighting, or catalysts for energy. Each workshop then convened a group of 100 or more experts drawn from universities, national laboratories, industry and foreign countries to identify the materials and chemistry challenges in the selected field and the promising research directions to overcome them. These workshops and reports are textbooks for next-generation sustainable energy technologies. They provide the roadmap for investments in inspirational basic science that will change the energy game.
|The importance of basic science inspiration for next-generation sustainable energy technologies cannot be overemphasized. History has shown that breakthrough materials and chemistries, once found, are quickly snatched up by entrepreneurs looking for a competitive opportunity. The laser, digital electronics, and fiber optics communication are all examples of materials advances spawning new technologies. These technologies flowed from basic research. Try to imagine, for example, the information revolution based on vacuum tubes.
|In the rush to do something about the daunting problems of imported oil and carbon dioxide, we often emulate Edison's emphasis on perspiration redoubling our efforts on technologies based on existing materials and chemistry. These efforts often improve technologies incrementally, but just as often they miss the opportunity for game-changing breakthroughs to an entirely new material or chemistry that dwarfs the old approaches. The big solutions come from high risk-high payoff basic science on new materials and chemistries catalysts for fuel cells, electrode materials for batteries, superconductors for electricity transmission. These basic science inspirations are the tipping points that create the next-generation energy technologies that will replace imported oil, reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and grow us out of the recession. To have the biggest effect, we must go after the biggest challenges, and that means investing in basic science.
|Energy Frontier Research Centers
|The Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) proposed by the DOE Office of Basic Energy Sciences are a model for promoting inspiration. These centers will create dream teams of the best scientists, working with the best tools and focused on the most important problems outlined in the Basic Research Needs Workshops and the New Science report. The EFRCs are basic science inspiration machines, examining how complex materials and chemistry work at nanometer length scales and ultrafast time scales. The scientific knowledge and understanding they generate will be the basis for overcoming the materials and chemistry roadblocks to next-generation sustainable energy technologies.
|The scientific community has responded enthusiastically to the concept and opportunity of EFRCs. The Office of Basic Energy Sciences has received approximately 260 proposals representing 3800 senior investigators from 385 research institutions in 41 states and the District of Columbia. The proposals reflect an unusually high degree of interdisciplinary cooperation - the average proposal has nearly 15 senior investigators from 4.8 institutions. The EFRCs will deliver the dream teams needed to overcome the challenging performance roadblocks to next-generation sustainable energy technologies.
|The Department of Energy must do more than establish dream teams and EFRCs. It must recruit the next-generation of talented early career scientists and inspire them to become tomorrow's energy innovators. The challenges we face dependence on imported oil, carbon dioxide emissions that accelerate global warming, and growing ourselves out of the recession are the biggest we have faced in six decades. The solution will require basic science inspiration on a grand scale and a new generation of energy scientists to achieve it.
|Thank you again for the opportunity to provide this testimony and I will be pleased to answer any questions.
|Source: Argonne National Laboratory
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[Verse 1: Spiderman]
My spider sense is tingling, evil-doers beware
You're never prepared when I come swinging through the air
With unmatched agility -- calm your hostility
With great power comes great responsibility
Words of wisdom from Uncle Ben
I love giving criminals a first class ticket to the pen
Ask The Goblin, The Kingpin, or Sandman
Doc Oc, The Lizard, or Venom how I ruined they plans
All within my own Spider way every day
And still make time to visit with my Aunt May
Make your world crash around you, rearrange your room
I put a new record on and make you change your tune
I'm your friendly neighborhood -- ah please, you know the rest
We need to be clear that you're dealing with one of the best
I'm way too strong to fear a villain with a scary name
I'm out, blowing upside-down kisses to Mary Jane
[Verse 2: Iron Man]
I spot the victim
I'm glad I saw him with super vision
Spot the villain, fly above him and then I hit him precise precision
All thanks to the suit that I'm flying in
MK V classic color, red and golden
It's elementary, the crew I roll with is legendary
Thor, Hulk, Captain America, it's pretty scary
Hawkeye, Scarlet which complete the group, yo
You already know, we earth's mightiest heroes
It's your boy Tony Stark, son, show me love
A billionaire boy before Pharrell was in the club
At fifteen, I had two master degrees
And now I'm CEO and ain't nobody checking me
Stark Enterprise is realized, open your eyes
Particle arise, magnetized and I can fly
Only question then is which city I'm flying in
Cellphone - "Hello, Mr. President"
I tell I tell 'em all the time, again and again
The world needs fusion and I'm doing the best I can
It's simple to me but he don't seem to understand
I'm inside an iron suit and so simply a man
It's safe to say I've got more dough than Bruce Wayne
Think I'm playing, get your ass with this Repulsor Ray
I'm playing, I like your ass in this repulsive way
From up close and personal instead of really far away
I grow wise and get better with time like fine wine
I like to recline, think of ways to fight crime
Who am I kidding: Thinking of ways to fight crime?
Come on really, bro? Yo, chicks be on my mind
These chickenheads ain't blind
They see the dollar signs
They want to ride in Iron Man's Audi, and I oblige
Light skin, brown thick with light green eyes
African booty, yo, Dominican tai-tais
She's in the passenger seat, we about to get it in
But my assistant Misses Pepper cock-blockin' again
She got my back though, only woman who can
For her controlling my finances it's a win-win
So this summer, go flying to your local movie theater
See my heat-seaking missiles do some booty-penetrating
The Avengers - May 4, 2012
Tickets sell, get yours fast, we've got another story to tell
[Verse 3: Hulk]
Every man a beast inside, it's deep inside
All you gotta do is reach inside
A geek could be chief G.I
Cause when it all goes down, it ain't all about what meets the eye, see
My inner animal screams out to the sky
With a blood-curdling howl that could change the way planets align
Who looking out for my fellow man?
The stride I took at times, but they separated me from mankind
Rick Jones had a damp mind
It was a sponge that soaked up whatever he found fly
He took a dare to take a drive
Sounds tight, except for what's across the bomb-testing site
Rest on my mind from the weapons design
I shocked the lives, seeing Rick drive to certain suicide
Who was I to let this dude glide by?
I swallowed my pride, switched my standard gait to a stride
Then I pulled him over, snatched him up out his ride
Tried to hustle him back, put the crush in the back
By a cluster attack of gamma rays snuffing me with a smack
Busting my head into New Mexico desert flats
Everything turned black; I woke at base with a gasp
Safe at last, Bruce Banner is back
Ricky paid me back in bravery stat
I got to walk away fat
With a force that would change how I act
So when life's inconsistency viciously start sticking me
I look on the strictures that constrict me as a human being
Deep shade of green blazing my gleam
Best run because I don't see you, I see things
And leap things like skyscrapers in one pass
Flicking yellow cabs at foes that make me mad
Those who oppose ain't got half of a chance
I turn they life on this planet to a bitch when Hulk smash
This parody of the 2011 Shady 2.0 Cypher features marvel's avengers. The funny thing is ,like the 2.0 boys, they killed the beat.


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"To everything, turn, turn, turn, there is a season." - The Byrds
This time of year, we think about endings and renewals. Politics is no exception.
The four-year cycle set by laws that say when we elect folks and how long they serve has just ended.
It peaked on Nov. 6 when we voted for president, U.S. House, the legislature and a slew of local posts.
In contrast, next year's electoral calendar is a parade of mostly empty boxes filled in mostly with a few scattered municipal races.
So political junkies are looking ahead and speculating about who might run for what in 2014, 2015 - or even 2016.
Things won't be as fluid in 2014 as they were in 2010, the corresponding year in the last cycle.
In 2010, almost everything seemed up for grabs. Every other elected official seemed to be thinking about running for something else.
In contrast to 2010, the incumbent governor - Republican Nathan Deal - plans to seek re-election in 2014.
That means fewer second-tier politicians will give up their offices in a quest for the Capitol's corner suite.
In contrast, 2010 saw a chain-reaction game of musical chairs. It made waves that rippled around Georgia as state lawmakers tried to claw their way up the political ladder.
Instead, most of Georgia's statewide elected officials - all Republicans - likely will try to stay put in 2014.
All members of the General Assembly face re-election, but - in Chatham County and elsewhere - many will be unopposed.
The GOP-led legislature drew politically friendly districts to protect its big majority. But that required doing the same for most Democrats.
Local congressional elections could be pretty ho-hum. When they redrew boundaries, lawmakers left only one district with Chatham turf, that of Savannah Republican Jack Kingston.
Even after it put all of Democrat-leaning Savannah in the 1st Congressional District, Kingston won big this year. He'll probably do so again if he seeks a 12th term in 2014.
That may be a big if.
Republican U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, 69, also is up for re-election that year.
Chambliss has miffed many of the conservatives who tend to dominate GOP primaries, and rumors he might retire persist.
He insists otherwise, but if he does retire, Kingston - who's expressed interest in the Senate in the past -
might figure it's his year.
That likely would trigger a multi-candidate scramble for the GOP nomination in the 1st. Although it still leans Republican, a vacancy also might attract a credible Democrat, such as Savannah's state Sen. Lester Jackson.
The next year, 2015, will see races for Savannah mayor and council. The last two mayors won second terms; the law doesn't allow a third. Count on incumbent Edna Jackson to try to follow suit.
In 2016, the cycle will peak again - and will be action-packed. It will be more like 2008 than this year. President Barack Obama will be ineligible for re-election; so expect a wide-open scramble for both parties' nominations.
The prospect of more Hispanic and black voters suggests Democrats in Georgia, where the GOP has dominated for a decade, will be in the hunt. So we might see much more of each party's candidate.
Also worth watching: U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, who faces re-election that year. He says he'll run again.
But if he doesn't - he'll be 70 - that could mean another shot at the Senate for Kingston if he doesn't take one in 2014. And a wide-open race in the 1st.
And 2017?
Count on it to be pretty much like next year.
Turn, turn, turn.
Senior reporter Larry Peterson covers politics for the Savannah Morning News. Reach him at 912-652-0367 or at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Apple's Keynote, an alternative to Microsoft PowerPoint, was originally built for one customer: Steve Jobs, who refused to use the clunky, ugly presentation software that's standard in most boardrooms.
Keynote hasn't taken the business world by storm. But it has found a following among an unexpected group, former Apple employee and founder of digital publishing platform MAZ, Paul Canetti, told us.
Designers will usually lay out app interfaces using specialized software like Adobe InDesign or Photoshop.
But that there's an emerging school of designers who have come to prefer Keynote for the purpose.
The movement has gotten so much momentum, Canetti explained, that Apple's designers used Keynote to design the latest version of Keynote.


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text:
Subscribe To Ian McKellen And Patrick Stewart Haven't Been Approached For X-Men: Apocalypse Updates
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When they first tackled their respective roles of Charles Xavier and Magneto in 2000's X-Men, there's no way Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen could have dreamed they'd still be talking about the parts nearly 14 years later … and possibly for years to come. But the respected thespians continue to delve into all things mutant as Fox educates audiences on next summer's X-Men: Days of Future Past, which original X-Men helmer Bryan Singer will return to direct.
For example, did you know that for the first time on screen, McKellen and Stewart will "act" alongside much younger versions of their characters, played by the First Class stars James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender? When asked if the veteran actors synched their performances to match McAvoy and Fassy, McKellen joked to the Wall Street Journal, "No, it's up to them to sync with us."
All sides will have to synch if Singer is going to pull his sprawling story off. Days of Future Past tells a tale that spans decades, with the antihero Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) traveling from the future to the past to try and help the X-Men prevent an event that alters our timeline and creates a post-apocalyptic reality in the distant setting. It is based on a very popular storyline from the X-Men comics, but will make a few key changes on the way to the screen.
The use of the word "apocalyptic" takes on a cryptic meaning now that Fox and Singer already have announced that Future Past will be followed by X-Men: Apocalypse in 2016. Again, this is a story that should involve a classic X-Men villain… though Stewart and McKellen swear that they know nothing at all about the sequel or their potential roles in it. Stewart tell the WSJ:
"I don't know if Ian knows anything about this. I know nothing about this. Another X-Men movie has been announced. … Has anyone called you? Are you keeping something from me?"
To which McKellen responded:
"No, I know nothing about it. Which probably means we're not in it."
There have been precious few X-Men movies without these two gems since the franchise launched. Though what we are hearing about Apocalypse is that it will be a traditional sequel to First Class, with a heavy emphasis on McAvoy and Fassbender. So maybe Stewart and McKellen – who are no strangers to sequels and multi-part franchises – will get a short rest? Listen to them tell the story below. Are they playing coy? Do they really have no part in Apocalypse? Or is it just too soon to tell?


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The future is unwritten, as they say, but sometimes we get a glimpse of it. Will we be smart enough to recognize it when we see it?
Sometimes we do, but more often we don't. And that's why I love this excellent blog post by Dustin Curtis, a developer and the creator of a blogging platform called Svbtle. The headline: "What a stupid idea."
In it, Curtis tells of being exposed to new applications on separate occasions and dismissing them as being stupid ideas. Both went on to become big deals.
In late 2009, I received an email from a guy asking to meet about his new project. I was a designer at the time, and he was looking for some advice, so I agreed to meet with him at the quintessential startup meeting place in San Francisco, The Creamery.
"I want to make an app for browsing catalogs. It's like a fashion catalog, but you can organize and share outfits," he said. He pulled out his iPhone and showed me a prototype that barely worked. The UI was decent but clunky; it had side-swiping navigation that only worked every few swipes. He showed me what seemed to be an endless series of women's dresses.
Curtis dismissed the idea, which turned out to be called Pinterest.
In the second instance, he was shown a video app in 2012. Video is a tough field to crack, and the developer was working on what he hoped would be a video version of Instagram.
The app had one awesome feature, though – it would only record when your finger was on the screen, so you could take a bunch of little videos through time and connect them together to build a story. But it was a self-contained app, with its own feed and no obvious viral mechanics. I couldn't see it ever succeeding.
That app turned out to be Vine, which was later acquired by Twitter, and which is now at the top of the most-downloaded free apps chart in the iTunes App Store.
Curtis' anecdotes resonate with me because, as someone who's written about personal technology since the early 1980s, I've had many glimpses at the future that I dismissed out of hand. The ideas weren't stupid: I was.
Here are two examples:
• In the late 1970s, I was a freshly graduated journalist working my first professional job at the Beaumont Enterprise. One Saturday afternoon I was doing my laundry and watching workers set up a new storefront across the parking lot. The new business was getting ready to sell small computers to individuals and businesses, and it was going to primarily sell systems made by a company called Apple.
I'd taken a computer science course at the University of Texas, and learned a little BASIC programming. I'd even put together a sex survey for a student magazine in which we compiled results using the campus mainframe, programmed via punch cards. I knew the value of computers, but there was one thing I didn't understand.
"Why would anyone want to have a computer in their home?" I thought as I watched the store's signage go up. "That will never fly."
• In the mid-1990s, I was attending a conference with my boss and we were sitting in a session about a new technology that could get news quickly to large numbers of people. It involved a cellphone feature that was becoming increasingly popular in Europe, called Short Message Service. It had not caught on yet in the United States, and I told my boss I thought it never would.
"Who wants to try to type short messages into the keyboard of a cellphone?" I asked him. "Talk about annoying … It's a lot easier just to make a phone call and talk. This won't catch on in the U.S."
Curtis sums up the inability to see the promise behind something new perfectly: "The future is extremely hard to see through the lens of the present." Hopefully, we learn, as I have, that our first reactions to something new aren't always the correct ones.
How about you? Have you gotten an early glimpse of something that you dismissed as stupid but later turned out to be big? Let us know in the comments.


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Nation & World
Without jobs growth, China will break education's promise
Xin Sun, 24, is taking the route his parents always wanted for him.
Work hard, study, get a job.
Attending Nanjing University, he graduated with a degree in management information systems.
On paper, he was on the fast track to success.
Fast-forward to March 2013. Xin is jobless and starting to become hopeless, he said.
Xin dedicated four years of his life to studying for a job market that doesn't really exist in China – at least not yet.
College students across the globe are facing a saturated job market without enough jobs to satisfy the growth.
And China, which often has been seen as a powerhouse for employment, is no exception. The problem in China, though, is especially acute for college graduates – which seems to defy conventional wisdom that more education means better job prospects.
"I think students feel like they're working toward this dream – much like the American dream – of going to school, getting a good job and making a good life," Xin said. "We've seen agriculture and factories in our country, which we still need, but there has to be more industry to account for these students graduating. There has to be more jobs that use our degree."
China is regarded as an economy with an enormous manufacturing sector fed by an endless supply of cheap labor. But those jobs have little attraction for the country's growing number of college graduates like Xin.
Chinese governmental leaders have set a goal of 195 million college graduates by the end of 2020.
From 1998 to 2011, the enrollment rate in college has gone from 8 percent to 27 percent, causing a large development in education and an increase in students very quickly, according to Ding Yan, a professor at Fudan University in Shanghai.
"Fifteen years ago, only four or five of every 100 people would be a university student," Ding said. "Now it's 30 and increasing."
Ding believes the growth is too quick, and China is going to face major problems absorbing the spike in graduates.
Jobs in farming and factories are plentiful – and, for now, there are enough people to fill them. Migrant workers who perform these menial labor jobs, Ding said, are still available within China's workforce.
"There are not as many options in rural areas to receive a college education, so China still has enough workers to remain in this manufacturing, low-skilled industry," Ding said. "But it might not stay like that for long."
The increased premium on a college education for Chinese young people could chip away at the number of people willing to take factory or farming jobs, Ding added. Instead, there will be a growing number of college graduates competing for relatively few jobs, mostly in technology and business.
Xiong Qingnian, a Fudan professor and director of the Research Institute for Higher Education, said universities could help ease the demand by diversifying their programs.
"Intertwined into the more common majors like business and economics, there should be more vocational and technical skills being taught at the university level," Xiong said.
"We need more students across this spectrum of jobs. They are finding the job industry hard to break into right now because they are only looking for one type of job," he said. "They are only studying for one type of skill. There needs to be a mix."
Fudan University's Ding said Chinese students need to be realistic, because not everyone can secure technology-based jobs.
For instance, just 10 percent of college graduates who studied engineering are actually getting a job in engineering.
"Assembly and production lines are still extremely important," Ding said. "We rely on such low-skilled industry. And without it, if students continue to choose unemployment until a higher paying job comes, China has no future. This is why the Chinese government needs to promote all industries."
Some graduates are taking matters into their own hands – creating opportunities for themselves in non-traditional ways.
Ding said he heard a story of a student who graduated from Peking University, one of China's elite universities, who opened up a meat-selling business.
This is unusual, Ding said.
But entrepreneurship may become more common, because it offers opportunities to students who are facing unemployment, Ding said.
Meanwhile, college students who have followed a path that promised a better life are struggling.
Hu Zhen Hao, on the cusp of earning his accounting degree, is one of them.
Having initially started at a technical school, Hu was then accepted to the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics.
Every week since January, he has attended various job expos in search of something that would make him an employed college grad.
And every week, he's heard nothing back.
As much as he'd like to avoid a low-wage job, he thinks he might be forced into one.
"We don't have the jobs in China right now to keep up with the university graduates. Things might be made in China, but they're not created in China, so we're only seeing a small profit and a small spectrum of jobs." Hu said. "We don't have the jobs here that we're studying for. And that's why there needs to be a change."