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Leading Economist Issues Dire Warning to PR Industry
Posted by Amanda Chapel
One of the world's leading experts on business and economic theory, Martin Turnbull of the renowned Kepler School of Management, today released the findings of a 5-year study of the PR Business. Titled "The Image Industry, Public Relations at a Flashpoint," the 62-page study is already being touted by experts as "the" seminal work on the current state of the Industry.
The study includes interviews of key insiders at some of the Industry's top firms. Included in the study are: Fleishman-Hillard, Weber Shandwick, Hill and Knowlton, Burson-Marsteller, Edelman, Porter Novelli, Ogilvy PR, Ketchum, APCO Worldwide, Manning, Selvage & Lee, Ruder Finn and Golin Harris.
Turnbull denied that the timing of the release was at all related to the recent Economist article, "As advertising struggles, PR steps into the breach" (Jan 19th 2006). But Turnbull said, "I was shocked at The Economist as were a number of my colleagues. The article has turned out to be the consummate PR puff piece; and considering what's at stake, that's dangerously misleading."
According to the study, American business is reallocating its advertising and marketing spend at an alarming rate. The study warns that in light of recent developments on the Internet, business is taking a huge and very risky gamble on Public Relations.
Turnbull forecasts that the Industry will likely experience 30-40 percent correction in the next 8 to 12 months.
These conclusions are based on several key factors Turnbull refers to as "the perfect storm."
Here, as I've read the study, I'll try to briefly summarize and provide commentary as to some of more salient points. Note, a good portion is just lifted directly from the study.
Chapter 1: What PR sells and what the buyers expect has become totally outmoded for the "Web 2.0" revolution. The business of PR is stuck in the 90's.
Media relations and publicity are still PR's #1 sellers and account for the lion share of the Industry's revenues. But, however successful these tactics were in the 90's, today they're not. Their effectiveness to deliver a message has almost totally eroded.
Bottom line: the key success factor was control. "We craft(ed) messages; and we manage(ed) their distribution" is/was the general premise. But today the audience is so fragmented they cannot digest anything that would rise to "crafted." In fact, "crafted" is likely flat out rejected. And the idea of "managing the message" today is unrealistic.
Why? Turnbull contends that the nature of the marketplace now is chaos. PR firms, my present employer included, try to tell you we're on top of it. Fact is we're not at all; and if anyone tells you they are, they're lying. Fact is chaos cannot be managed. It's like herding cats. That's why it's called chaos. Clients are coming to realize that their "PR Investment" is no better than a Vegas gamble where odds are you're taking the bus home busted. How have we forgotten the tech bubble?
Chapter 2: In chapter 2 Turnbull expands on the chaos factor from an internal perspective. He says that the PR Business Model centers on the expectation of some internal cohesion. There is an unwritten expectation that "the organization marches together." Today, that's a myth. The Virtual World is more like the Natural World. In the Natural World, for the cheetah to eat, his modus operandi is simply to separate the young and/or lame from the pack. Mother Nature made that easy. This is becoming the dominant approach to competition and PR is not set up presently to accommodate it.
Chapter 3: The PR Model is built on the presumption of power. In the past, BIG-ness was used to suppress small. Now Big has been rendered powerless and small is nimble and more than likely destructive. Bottom line: Bloggers by-and-large have nothing to lose. They gamble exclusively at your expense. That's unbeatable.
Chapter 4: The PR Model is built on expectation that "brand" is relatively stable. That's no longer true. Old and established brands are but dried kindling. And the bloggers? They're by-and-large kids with their own made-up rules in the backyard collecting shiny things and burning ants with magnifying glasses. Some have been known to steal their parents' matches. Excuse me but that smoke you smell is your house!
Chapter 5: On the Net, the loonies are running the asylum. The hierarchal character that was business had its functional benefits. Theoretically at least, it is an organization's version of "survival of the fittest," i.e. the stronger rose/rise to the top.
But on the Net that's all changed. Some profess that "True Power Lies in Being Flat as a Pancake." Blog celebrity Steve Rubel openly questions, "Who is a corporate spokesperson? Is it any employee who blogs, the CEO, who?" From a boardroom perspective, that's just plain lunacy. And once that control leaves the hands of those that actually know what they are doing, those that actually have a clear and mature understanding of shareholder value, it's over. Once that genie gets out, it's near impossible for companies to put it back in the bottle without resorting to fairly dramatic, draconian and most of all costly measures.
Chapter 6: PR fostered the perception that the more money one spent on a campaign, the more the results. Today that's pure-dee donkey dust. Ten years ago, a $100,000 dollars spent would likely have increase the effectiveness of a $50,000 PR campaign by a factor of 2. Today, the market is dramatically more dynamic and fluid. As such, PR, a business renowned for its elusiveness and immeasurability, is now a total crap shoot. (See Chapter #3.)
Chapter 7: The channel(s) PR targets and into which they ply their trade are totally polluted. Broad general access has made it nearly impossible for the message consumer to differentiate between good, bad, real or fake. Add to that the net is indelible. The tyranny that is Google is that garbage has a better than even chance of being quoted.
Chapter 8: With broad info access, PR has totally lost its claim to expertise. Communications is essentially common sense. As a result, the once consultative "profession" has been reduced in most cases to a base task-oriented corporate assignment. When one adds the paper-thin margins in the industry presently, the result is little creative and hugely inflated service pricing. Nothing worse then getting nothing for your money then having to pay twice as much for nothing.
"The Image Industry, Public Relations at a Flashpoint," is one of the more insightful things I've ever read regarding our industry. It is far too broad in reach to draw simple conclusions here. I am sure it will be discussed for years to come.
Personally speaking, after having read it, if I were a CEO, I'd probably fire my PR firm directly. I'd issue a company-wide restriction on all things blogging. I'd spend less on anything "spin." And I'd look at the market chaos as an opportunity to exploit my competitors' weakness.
Something to think about.
- Amanda Chapel
PS Special thanks to Nick for the lead. Note to readers: More like these please!
Strumpette: the comeback
Hey, welcome back Strumpette. Your summary of the train wreck that is now PR was superb. There has to be a future for all those communicators but reading your post, I am finding it difficult to know what it might
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Mmm: here's an ally for Tom Foremski, it seems. Having trawled through a couple of Google searches using variants of "turnbull", "kepler" "flashpoint" etc, I can't locate this magnum opus. Any chance of a link? (BTW -- really like the blog. . . )
I can't find the original, either.
#1.1 David Gallagher on 2006-04-04 15:37 (Reply)
David, I am currently working with the Professor to fulfill the requests for the study. There have been many as you might imagine. Unfortunately, it is only available in hard copy and is being selectively sent out to various business and financial editors at this time. If you send along you mail address, I will try to get to it sometime next week. - Amanda
#1.1.1 Amanda Chapel (Homepage) on 2006-04-04 15:45 (Reply)
Thanks, Amanda. Seems a little strange to me, as did a few aspects of his article, but maybe the original will clear those up. Mailing address is 35-41 Folgate Street, London, E1 6BX. I'm not sure what to expect in the post ... Like your blog by the way. Mostly. Thanks again.
#220.127.116.11 David Gallagher on 2006-04-06 18:57 (Reply)
Think for a second about what happens when you add all of Turnbull's conclusions to the underlying issue that few in the business seem to want to discuss -- the billing model. I think nearly every corporation's relationship to large PR agencies ultimately smashes into the rocks over this question: "Are you bringing me this idea because it's good for my business, or because you want to bill me more hours?" I think the billable-hour model is likely to die out, just as the standard 15 percent commission model died at ad agencies.
Juxtapose the chaos of the marketplace and the PR industry's inability to figure out how to handle that with the industry's broken business model, and the prospect of fundamental change seems inescapable.
My God, what a comeback.
Welcome home Amanda.
#3 David Tebbutt (Homepage) on 2006-04-03 14:54 (Reply)
PS Do you have the right to reproduce that picture?
#4 David Tebbutt (Homepage) on 2006-04-03 16:09 (Reply)
I am far from an attorney but I am confident that this would surely pass a fair use test. - Amanda
#4.1 Amanda Chapel (Homepage) on 2006-04-03 16:32 (Reply)
Pictures are different than text. Fair use doesn't apply. You don't have the right to reproduce it.
Well, whoever you are from CMP Publications Inc., you are wrong. It is not as simple as you infer. There is a 4 point test for evaluating "Fair Use." This passes. That said, I do appreciate your concern. Ciao, - Amanda
#18.104.22.168 Amanda Chapel (Homepage) on 2006-04-04 08:13 (Reply)
This is an important aspect of copyright that you seem to be ignoring:
"Take not from others to such an extent and in such a manner that you would be resentful if they so took from you." If you drew that "economist.jpg", and I pasted it at the head of my next blog post, what would be your reaction, Amanda?
And another:
"Attribution does not always make use fair, but should always be provided." There doesn't seem to be any attribution for the creator of the "economist.jpg" that you used.
I like your creative organization, Amanda, but it's sad to see you get huffy when people are kindly pointing out that you may be in violation of someone else's copyright. How hard would it be for you to obtain permission, or at LEAST attribute the work? If Turnbull himself drew the picture, then I can see how you've implied attribution, but otherwise, it looks like unattributed "stealing", plain and simple.
Gregory Kohs
Author of "Inside Market Research"
(P.S. Before you check out my site for ammunition, I stand by the images on my blog as being: used with permission, used for the purpose of parody, or being re-used as the product of a public relations campaign where the original authors would be delighted to see more exposure for their product. I hope.)
#184.108.40.206.1 Gregory Kohs (Homepage) on 2006-04-04 12:27 (Reply)
Gregory, I don't mean to put too fine a point on it but you are wrong. I wish I had more time to discuss it but I don't. Google "Four Factor Fair Use Test." Good luck. - Amanda
#22.214.171.124.1.1 Amanda Chapel (Homepage) on 2006-04-04 12:47 (Reply)
Amanda - Where is this "renowned Kepler School of Management" - never heard of it and Martin Turnbull either? Seems really fishy. Can you tell us what academic institution this Kepler School of Mgmt is affiliated with?
#4.1.2 Jen Galvan on 2006-04-05 14:33 (Reply)
I'm sick of this bullshit about PR supplanting advertising, which Al Ries wrote the book on. There's PR and there's advertising, just like there are hammers and screwdrivers. Different task, different tool. PR doesn't "brand"; advertising doesn't "announce". A plumber doesn't install your carpet; your meter-reader doesn't tune your engine.
#5 Stan DeVaughn (Homepage) on 2006-04-03 16:51 (Reply)
Thank you. GREAT and informative!!! I would have missed that article entirely.
And chuck is right about the billing model for PR. Especially when flat billing rates are a ripoff because they staff teams with junior (read: just out of college) people who you pay as much as you would a senior VP. And tiered billing doesn't work because you pay overhyped dunderheads $250 an hour when they essentially delegate the work to the junior folks anyway.
Thanks to the move toward independence made possible by the net, you can get folks who used to bill you $250 who are now out on their own, or in loosely-joined association with other independent ex-agency vets, for less than half that. Same know-how, same tools, same talent, same processes. Different address.
#6 jeneane sessum (Homepage) on 2006-04-03 21:41 (Reply)
Jeneane (you know I like you but...) I think you're using a broad brush to paint that picture. For example my firm uses flat rate billing and are NOT the type of firm that assigns the bulk of the work to junior reps. (Nor, to my knowledge, do most boutiques or mid-sized independents.)
Just as importantly, to your point that loose affiliations of ex-agency reps have "the same tools" - that may be the case in terms of what's in their brainpans, but, our agency (small by Edelman standards!) spends "half-a-gajillion" dollars on all sorts of tools and services that allow us better, faster, up-to-date info on the media. And those loose affiliations of agency vets, by the way, often hate doing the scut work that our junior staff does (and which clients demand).
Lastly - to Ms. Strumpette - pls put me on the list to receive this report... thx!
#6.1 Todd Defren (Homepage) on 2006-04-04 19:19 (Reply)
Your comment that much of communication is common sense pegs the current attitudes that many of us have been intuitively feeling, and danced around, but hadn't said it as clearly as you did in this post. The chaos of all of the current mediums has made it nearly impossible to keep track of the message, let alone measure results or research message impact.
The notion that anyone is the corporate spokesman is pure rabbit pellets. Sure, you can have advocates and evangelists for your cause, but you still need someone to lead the charge. That remains the essential power of the PR professional; someone who can focus the message, whether it be through intuition, common sense, or research, and provide a clear message to the corporate leader.
I think the idea that you pay someone to be 'of counsel' or because it was the cost of doing business lost its appeal long ago. Did it catch up with the industry? It probably just did.
#7 Michael Sommermeyer (Homepage) on 2006-04-04 01:13 (Reply)
I think Dr Turnbull and the Kepler School might both be imaginary, but that wouldn't change the truth behind the "study" -- agencies do need to change, and quickly. I'm meant to give a speech next month about the future of agencies, and I'd welcome your comments and those of your readers. What will define the winners and losers?
#8 David Gallagher on 2006-04-07 03:29 (Reply)
All very depresssing! I think this is a very exciting time for our industry, and that our expertise is required now more than ever.
#9 Declan Waters on 2006-04-07 14:40 (Reply)
What expertise? Come on, you're talking to me know. - Amanda
#9.1 Amanda Chapel (Homepage) on 2006-04-07 15:32 (Reply)
It's an interesting if polemic picture. Two things:
1. Does PR (US specifically) truly believe it ever controlled the media? I know attempts at control within US high tech media (both agency and in-house) were increasingly hamfisted. Didn't wash this side of the pond where editorial has always been more independent (or less dependent depending on your point of view) of publishing.
2. The measurement thing is even more interesting. PR has measured, but the wrong thing. Ink on page is not the same as influence at the point of purchase. For the first time perhaps, PR is seeing what has been known for years - it's effectiveness as relates to the customer through ink that gets put on the page is almost zero. It may have some influence on getting a customer through the door - but buying decisions? Rarely, if ever. People buy from people. That's why SAP has industry 'clubs' set up at its SAPPHIRE conferences. It's why in the UK, there is the Sage Accountants Club. Now, even those sanctums are being breached to be replaced by....??
No amount of PR and spin can kick back against that sort of tide with any serious expectation of success.
Amanda - edicts restricting internal blogs will casue an opposite and far from equal backlash. Trust me - the MySpace generation doesn't take kindly to being legislated against - ESPECIALLY this side of the pond :).
#10 Dennis Howlett (Homepage) on 2006-04-07 17:14 (Reply)
I can think of lots of instances in which PR has prompted people in large numbers to march into a shop or doctor's office or hair salon to demand a new product, prescription or hair style they've read / heard / seen through the media. Problem is, this side of the pond, they can't always find someone willing to provide enough customer service to take their money. But I digress. What will the agency of the future look like?
#11 David Gallagher on 2006-04-08 01:24 (Reply)
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The history of Dawn goes back to 1990 when founder and guitarist Fredrik Söderberg left his former band, Obduracy. (Even earlier than that, back in 1985-1986, Fredrik also was a member of Cranium, who later changed their name to Legion). Hailing from Linköping, Sweden and therefore being close friends with death metal cult band Seance, it was not long before Patrik Jensen (today in The Haunted and Witchery) recommended a new guitarist to Fredrik: Andreas Fullmestad (formerly in MORGUE). Fredrik and Andreas got together and the unit was completed by drummer Karsten Larsson and bassist Dennis Karlsson (both ex-Mortified members). The final addition to this early Dawn line-up was Henke Forss (Funeral Feast, In Flames), providing the band with death growls from hell. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
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Bookmarks has not yet published a review of this book. We may do so in the future; in the meantime, please see the other review sources to the right and browse the information from Amazon.com below.
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They make a gizmo of chains for smaller brush and hand operated devices for really small trees.
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In the most recent issue of Farm Show, a guy told of dragging a pole behind him on a long chain. I think he had the chain hooked about a foot or so behind the end of the pole, and he would circle the sprout to catch it in the vee between the chain hookup and the pole. He said that after getting it pulled, he could circle in the opposite direction and it would unhook by itself. I'm skeptical, but there's a piece of a broken power pole laying in the edge of the pasture, and I'm gonna have to try it. Probably just strip the limbs from the sprout, but who knows til it's tried? I especially like the idea of not having to climb on and off of the tractor a hundred times. The slip ring idea works - I used my long furnace poker to get the chain in position under the limbs around the sprout, but again, it's on and off and on and off the tractor.
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In the heart of the Pennines, Lee Royd lies in Hebden Bridge, a Yorkshire town famed for its artistic identity and as a centre for outdoor pursuits. Hebden Bridge is the unconventional centre of a distinctly non-metropolitan arts scene, and annual events include no less than eight festivals, covering music, arts and poetry. Hebden Bridge is also perfect as a centre for walking and cycling.Home to artists, actors, musicians and writers, and inspired by the surrounding rolling countryside, the pretty cobbled streets of Hebden Bridge are overflowing with pop-up galleries and independent book and craft shops. The local picture house, an attraction in itself, shows not only films, but broadcasts live events from major stand-up comedians to international music acts. Real ale and music lovers alike are catered for with some of the pubs playing host to local musicians. The esteemed Trades Club hosts international artists ranging from Patti Smith and Laura Marling to Fairport Convention.Ted Hughes, the poet laureate, was born nearby, and his first wife, the American poet Sylvia Plath (as well as Hughes' parents) are buried locally in historic Heptonstall, a scenic twenty minute walk up the wooded and heathered hill behind the house, where roe deer may wander. The view over the valley below and towards Studeley Pike is quite spectacular. An extensive library of their history and work is available within this property together with a selection of walking books and maps.As Britain's first official 'Walkers are Welcome' town, unsurprisingly, there is excellent walking nearby with the Calderdale Way and also the Pennine Way, and its latest extension, the Hebden Bridge Loop, going straight past the property. Hardcastle Crags, owned by the National Trust, is a must see with its beautiful wooded valley, streams, kingfishers and carpet of bluebells in the spring. The Rochdale canal winds its way through Hebden Bridge, with a tow path that offers level walking and cycling and is ideal for picnics, as well as being a water-colourist's and photographer's dream (as is the south-facing view over the Calder Valley from the property's veranda).More challenging cycling, as featured on the 2014 Tour de France, and 2015's Tour de Yorkshire can also be enjoyed from the doorstep. Ideally positioned between two national parks, a fine walk or scenic drive can take you to Haworth's Brontë Country, with its steam railway of 'Railway Children' fame. The walk takes you past 'Top Withins', Emily Brontë's inspiration for 'Wuthering Heights'. A pleasant drive further north takes you to the Yorkshire Dales, or south to the TV series 'Last of the Summer Wine' country. Hebden Bridge and the surrounding area lend themselves to filming and have featured in the Ray Winstone film 'Fanny and Elvis' and the TV series 'Happy Valley' and 'Last Tango in Halifax'.The property itself is a cosy Yorkshire stone house full of traditional character and charm. There are many original Victorian features including an impressive stone fireplace which was re-discovered beneath the 1970s plaster work when renovated in 2000. Shop, pub and restaurant 200 yards.
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Thanks Rain. Very colourful. I do have some tumbler tomato seeds I can try round by the greenhouse or even in front of the garages where they'll be in full sun and near the tap but I need something more flamboyant for the front door.
Garden design
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I have a 2002 Yukon XL with 98k on it. The external fuel pump by the tank is making a loud electrical motor sound that will not shut off. I unhooked the power supply to it and it quit. I have been unhooking the battery to shut it off after I shut the car off in order to drive anywhere. I also replaced the fuel pump relay in the fuse box under the hood, did not stop the motor from staying on. Took the relay out and the pump still stayed on. What do I do next to diagnose this? Thanks in advance
have the same problem?
Thursday, November 9th, 2006 AT 6:15 PM


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How many ways can you stuff a vegetarian baked pepper? Looking at my archive of stuffed pepper recipes, the current answer is 4. (Maybe I'll stop once I get to 10 stuffed pepper recipes?)
This Mexican Stuffed Pepper has a hearty filling of rice and black beans, with an easy flavor boost from salsa verde and cumin. Melty cheese and sliced green onion add a finishing touch.
Mexican Stuffed Peppers Recipe (vegetarian)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1 serrano chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1 cup cooked rice (I used Jasmine)
1/2 cup cooked black beans
1/4 cup tomatillo salsa verde
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 medium red or yellow bell peppers
1/4 cup finely shredded Colby Jack or Mexican blend cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a medium (8-inch) skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add zucchini and serrano chile, cook 3 to 4 minutes until just tender, stirring frequently. Add green onion; cook and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add cooked rice, black beans, salsa, cumin and salt; mix well.
Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; remove and discard seeds and ribs. Spoon rice mixture into bell pepper halves. Arrange stuffed bell peppers in a 2-quart square baking dish. Cover with foil. Bake 40 to 45 minutes until peppers are tender when pierced with a fork. Sprinkle with cheese and bake, uncovered, 2 to 3 minutes more until cheese is melted.
Serve with additional salsa verde and a sprinkling of sliced green onion, if desired.
Makes 4 stuffed pepper halves
Tip: For vegan stuffed peppers, omit the cheese or substitute with a vegan brand of shredded cheese.
More vegetarian stuffed pepper recipes:
Vegetarian Rice and Mushroom Stuffed Peppers
Tex-Mex Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
Rice and Veggie Vegan Stuffed Peppers
Mediterranean Stuffed Bell Peppers from The Wanderlust Kitchen
Caprese Quinoa Stuffed Peppers from Bourbon and Honey
Like what you see? Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook for more recipes and cooking tips. You can also subscribe to Kingfield Kitchen by email.


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All my friends think I'm bonkers, but I think there's something to be said for a national electronic identity system. Not the card as previewed by the home secretary last week - that programme seems to have been designed by an evil genius to put as many people's backs up as possible. What is needed is a means for citizens to authenticate their identity for electronic transactions with officialdom at a level that satisfies both the state's legitimate need to know who we are and our fellow citizens' confidence that public goods are being handed out fairly.
This shouldn't be controversial stuff. If this government or its replacement canned the identity card scheme next month or next year, the need to authenticate would remain. It's at the very heart of what everyone wants to achieve with electronic government: public services centred on the user.
For the past 12 years, the idea of citizen-centred government has emerged at regular intervals. The latest incarnation is in a programme called Service Transformation, unveiled two years ago by a chancellor called Gordon Brown. Its big idea is to create a one-stop notification service for big life events, starting with births, changes of address and bereavements.
Of the three, bereavement is the obvious priority. Anyone who's ever dealt with a death will be familiar with the grinding trudge of sending multiple copies of the same birth certificate to different arms of the state. At best, it's an upsetting chore; at worst it's an insult.
Despite a lack of enthusiasm from ministers, progress has been made. However, a national one-stop notification service won't happen until a multiplicity of state agencies agree on a robust way of authenticating the identity both of the deceased person and the individual making the notification.
The way ahead involves approaching the problem from the opposite direction. The purpose of a national identity service should not be for the state to inspect its citizens, but for citizens to inspect the state. Specifically, the core data the government holds on our names, address, date of birth and so on.
Other governments already do this. The principle that the personal information is the property of the individual, not the state, was established at the outset of the Netherlands' e-government programme.
Last month, our government took an oblique step in that direction when the NHS in England conceded that patients should have the same right as their counterparts in Scotland and Wales to be asked for permission every time their electronic health records are called up on screen. The same principle - with obvious audited exceptions in areas such as law enforcement - should apply to all personal data.
But the first step in putting citizens in charge is to establish a means of authenticating identity. Few people want their neighbours looking up their DWP files. The mechanism might require a single national identity infrastructure of the kind envisaged by Service Transformation and the ID card; more likely it would involve the kind of smart use of existing databases that Westminster City Council has put into practice to police the issuing of highly valuable residents' parking permits.
These are all technical details, and have been well discussed elsewhere. The important thing, though, is for citizens to get the kind of national identity system that suits their own priorities. And if we wanted to carry it around on a nice biometric card, fine. I'd certainly apply for one myself. But as I said, nearly all my friends think I'm bonkers.


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Andy Murray finally beats Roger Federer. Wins Olympic gold medal.
It seems no win for Andy Murray could be worth its weight in gold literally without the presence of the chanteuse Kim Sears who has become a constant beacon of support for the tennis great as he tours the world building his rank and title and today winning his first time gold medal to the dismay of Roger Federer who he edged out in straight sets: 6-2, 6-1, 6-4.
That said here's Kim Sears in various repose as she cheers her man on….and the thrill when her man rushes to her after his win to savor in the moment that her man is today an Olympian champion.
Victoria Beckham wasn't particularly impressed by the Wimbledon tennis thank you very much!
Andy Murray's girlfriend, Kim Sears cries along with her hero as he loses Wimbledon.
Video: Disbelief as Roger Federer beats shattered Andy Murray to win 7th Wimbledon title.
Kate Middleton and Pippa Middleton star at Wimbledon Final as they cheer Andy Murray.


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Rosey's Weight Loss Journal
I'm 29 years old and I weigh 203lbs. Size 16 jeans and XL tops. I want to lose 50lbs. But more importantly, I want to feel better. I've started taking apple cider vinegar supplements to help cleanse. And I started drinking lots of water. I plan to start eliminated the junk in my diet one step at a time. I dont want to be on a diet, I want to change my lifestyle. The catalyst to make me take my weight seriously: I sat down too hard and broke the boxspring on my brand new bed. I plan to weigh in once a week, Thursdays.
you say the apple cider vinegar helps cleanse. what is it that is being cleansed and has it helped you lose weight?
i just started taking it on thursday. i dont know about weight loss yet but it has definitely been helping with cleansing ,my digestive system.
Today's goal was to not eat any sweets, It was hard but I did it. Now for tomorrow.
Day 2 of no sweets, i havent given up sugar completely but i have managed to stay away from candy and other junk. I've become alot more aware of what i'm eating. I hope tomorrow is nice out, i would like to take a walk.


text:
Hello Everyone
I have made a Gui application with Netbeans drag and drop tool, and I have added a taped panel in this Gui so I have several taps in my application.
My question is how to add an image a certain tap. The problem is that I do not know where to write the code in the netbeans generated code.
Thanks for attention


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Robin Thicke's newest video to his song "Get Her Back" just dropped, and let's just say there are no blurred lines in the message he's sending—he's in a lot of pain. (The video features him with a black eye!) The song is reportedly dedicated to Thicke's estranged wife, Paula Patton (and the album itself is called Paula). The "Get Her Back" video features texts many assume to be ones exchanged between the couple, including, "You drink too much" and "You embarrassed me." And while most of us haven't had to deal with our dirty laundry being aired for millions of YouTube watchers, dealing with an angry or clingy ex isn't exactly fun. Here, how to let him know it's over for good—and let you both deal with the breakup with dignity.
1. Really end It. No hanging out as "friends," no ending up back at his place, and no retweets or hearts—at least for a little bit, suggests Karen Ruskin, Psy.D., author of Dr. Karen's Marriage Manual. "Even if it ended on relatively good terms, having any sort of connection—and especially a physical one—can confuse you both." We're not saying you need to ignore him completely, but giving each other space will make it easier to organically fall into a friendship pattern in the future, once your brains and bodies know it's really over.
RELATED: Should You Be Friends with Your Ex?
2. Be blunt. Let him know that his clingy behavior isn't doing him any favors, and may actually detract from the possibility of a reconciliation, says Elisabeth Mandel, a licensed marriage and family therapist based in New York City. "Try something like, "Please respect my need for space. I know you still care about me, so the best thing you can do is let me reach out when I'm ready. These things are never easy. Thank you." By saying that, you're showing you know he still cares about you, so he won't step up his get-you-back strategy, explains Mandel. "Giving him clear directions helps alleviate his confusion on how to make the situation better," she explains.
3. Keep it classy. It's tempting to badmouth him or let everyone know your side of the story—especially if he's sharing his side with your mutual friends—but resist the urge and tell everyone that it's a matter between the two of you. By not getting locked in a this-is-what-really-happened convo exchange, friends' attention will drift to other things—and he'll eventually drop the subject as well, once he realizes that no new info is coming from you, say experts.
4. Be ready to block. If he's e-mailing and texting after you've told him you're not ready to talk, it's not rude to block him—it's you protecting your boundaries. But before you block, give him a warning, suggests Mandel. "It's about letting him know that it's hard for you too, and that you know he's reaching out because he cares, but that's not what you need right now," she explains. Making sure to use "please" and "thank you" in all your communications will help him feel acknowledged and respected, and will help him realize the best thing he can do is leave you alone.
5. Know when you need help. If your ex won't respect your boundaries after you've made it clear—or he's threatening or harassing you in any way, or makes you feel seriously freaked out or uncomfortable whenever you and he do communicate—then you need to let authorities know ASAP. Letting the police know what's going on will help you figure out your options, and will also give you peace of mind.


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You can upgrade places and placetypes that the qptool upgrade command does not normally upgrade, for example when a place caused the upgrade process to stop.
To force the upgrade of places and placetypes, enter one of the commands in the following table.
Until places and placetypes are upgraded:
In a cluster, the qptool upgrade command should only be run on the primary server.
Parent topic: Upgrading places and placetypes


text:
Symposium Prepares Law Enforcement Officials to Fight Cybercrime
Posted: August 13, 2001 at 1:00 am, Last Updated: November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am
More than 650 law enforcement officers and government employees and contractors from across the country are on the Fairfax Campus today attending "GMU 2001," a hands-on training program in combating cybercrime.
This is the third year the symposium has been held at George Mason, and attendance has grown exponentially each year, says investigator McKinley Bowman of University Police, who is helping coordinate the event. "GMU 2001" is sponsored by the High Technology Crime Investigation Association Mid-Atlantic Chapter and hosted by the Regional Computer Forensic Group, with the support of the George Mason University, Fairfax County, and Montgomery County Police Departments. The program is held today through Friday in the Johnson Center.
Fifty-five sessions and more than 30 labs cover topics including computer forensics, cyber profiling, digital evidence, hiding crimes in cyberspace, Internet security, child pornography, software piracy, and viruses.


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Vanderbilt gets to check out one of the Southeastern Conference's new locations during the 2012 football season.
The Commodores travel to the University of Missouri on Oct. 6 for what will be their only road game that month. It also will come following an open week.
The SEC announced its complete 2012 conference football schedule Wednesday morning.
The conference expands to 14 teams with the start of the 2012-13 school year with the addition of Missouri and Texas A&M from the Big 12. That means teams play only two opponents from the opposite division.
Vanderbilt hosts Auburn on Oct. 20 and plays at Ole Miss on Nov. 10. It opens the season at home on a Thursday night against South Carolina.
Vanderbilt was 2-6 in the SEC this past season. Its only victories were against Ole Miss and Kentucky, yet that still was good enough to finish alone in fourth place in the Eastern Division.
The complete 2012 Vanderbilt football schedule.
Date Opponent Location
Aug. 30 South Carolina Nashville
Sept. 8 at Northwestern Evanston, Ill.
Sept. 15 Presbyterian Nashville
Sept. 22 at Georgia Athens, Ga.
Oct. 6 at Missouri Columbia, Mo.
Oct. 13 Florida Nashville
Oct. 20 Auburn Nashville
Oct. 27 UMass (Homecoming) Nashville
Nov. 3 at Kentucky Lexington, Ky.
Nov. 10 at Ole Miss Oxford, Miss.
Nov. 17 Tennessee Nashville
Nov. 24 at Wake Forest Winston-Salem, N.C.


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BOSTON -- Tom Glavine, who grew up 25 miles west of Boston in Billerica, will be fulfilling a childhood dream of pitching at Fenway Park when he goes to the mound Sunday night (8 p.m., ESPN) in the series finale. The left-hander, who has one win and five no-decisions since July 16, just hopes the offense continues to post big numbers.
Glavine, who has received an average of five runs per start, watched the bullpen blow a 6-2 lead last Tuesday night against the Astros, giving him his 10th no-decision. In those 10 starts, he has a 2.87 ERA.
"For me to come here during the summer has been special," Glavine said. "Hopefully it will be like a postseason game and once I get out there the anxiety will fade. It's going to be an interesting night. It's going to be interesting to see the reaction of fans toward the hometown boy."
Traditionally, left-handers haven't had much success at Fenway because of the Green Monster in left field provides a tempting target for right-handed hitters. Glavine said he doesn't plan to change his style or his strategy.
"In all the years I've seen games here, I've seen left-handers have success, so it can be done," he said. "Just because the Green Monster is looming in left field, I'm not going to change the way I pitch."
ROSTER MOVES: The Braves made a roster move Saturday, activating rookie pitcher Kevin Millwood and optioning rookie reliever Kerry Ligtenberg to Class A Durham (N.C.). In reality, it was a paper shuffle. Ligtenberg will remain with the Braves this weekend and return when rosters expand Monday.
Following Saturday's 15-2 win in which Millwood worked seven strong innings, he was optioned to Durham and catcher Tim Spehr was called up from Class AAA Richmond (Va.). To make room on the 40-man roster for Spehr, left-hander Terrell Wade was transferred from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day list.
Durham's season ended Saturday, and so did the Braves' long-time affiliation with the city. The team is moving to Myrtle Beach, S.C., next season and will remain a Braves' affiliate in the Carolina League, while Durham will become a Class AAA affiliate of the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
In a joint project between the city and county, Myrtle Beach is building a $12 million stadium for the Braves adjacent to Broadway At The Beach, a development about 11/2 miles from the beach. However, the stadium won't be completed in time for the team to open there next season and it will share a stadium with the Braves' Class A Danville (Va.) affiliate in the Appalachian League for at least half the season.
SURPRISE RECORD: John Smoltz was unaware his 200th strikeout Friday night gave him a franchise record four seasons of 200 or more strikeouts, one more than Jim Whitney (1883-86) and Phil Niekro (1977-79).
"It's nothing in the long-term as far as the great pitchers are concerned," How many times did Nolan Ryan do it? But for the Atlanta Braves, it's nice. I'm honored."
Of more importance to Smoltz is the $50 he donates to Atlanta's Table, a charity food bank, and St. Gerard's Charity, a Catholic school he attended in Lansing, Mich., for every strikeout.
"(One of the directors) was joking with me earlier in the season and he accused me of trying to save money and I said, `Don't worry, I'll kick it in,"' Smoltz said. "The way this season started, I thought it was going to be tough to top last year."
Smoltz attended St. Gerard's grade school and learned to play baseball there. He has helped the school raise money for several years to buy uniforms for the baseball team and rebuild the baseball fields.
"It's my dream that those kids will have the same opportunities that I did to play at a great facility that I started at," Smoltz said.
Besides attracting other sponsors who match his contributions, Smoltz has also gotten the school's students involved. Many students, he said, contribute a dime or quarter for each of his strikeouts.
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text:
Stories by Lara Kattan
Why it's okay to take a break from Ulysses and indulge in some lighter reading.
The Washington Post misprinted Obama's tax plan. We imagine a world where they were right.
Turns out poker isn't gambling and ex-cons really do like jail.
If you thought falling asleep in class was bad, try doing it at a G-7 conference.
The youth vote was instrumental in securing Barack Obama the win on Nov. 4, 2008. But with the President comfortably ...
The new pledge class of Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) painted the Rock on Wednesday night. After the painting, the new ...
The youth vote was instrumental in securing Barack Obama the win on Nov. 4, 2008. But with the President comfortably ...
The youth vote was instrumental in securing Barack Obama the win on Nov. 4, 2008. But with the President comfortably ...
Discussing the terrifying nature of science and Tickle Me Elmo.
The youth vote was instrumental in securing Barack Obama the win on Nov. 4, 2008. But with the President comfortably ...
We live in a world of forgetful police, one-eyed men and bypassed amendments.
Have the NU hipster masses been withholding the love this place deserves?
FMO's State of the Black Union offered only division and no solutions.
Three days after his former parishioner Barack Obama was elected President, and six months after it emerged that the university ...
Paul Krugman's genius belied his awkward mannerisms.
When it comes to helping the world's poor, conventional wisdom is often wrong.
Not even a 500 point drop in the stock market can stop some businessmen.
In spite of the stresses Northwestern students love to whine about, being hunted by a pack of hyenas probably isn't ...
So, about that European sophistication...
Is there really anything else you want to hear about? Well, fine: Here's what to do and know Tuesday at NU.
Why don't we get rid of honorary degrees altogether?
And other strange news.
If you're preparing for a career by enjoying the relative poverty of an unpaid internship, you can get a $2,000 ...
Discovery is often just mixing things and hoping that the result is interesting or practical. So when researchers at Northwestern's ...
If a felon baked you a cake, would you eat it?
Administrators at a Nebraska school went psycho in banning Assassins.
Pretty well, but not as impressively as you might think.
Kidnap victims, cocaine addicts and computers alike experience regret.
Get a taste of a new marketing strategy and learn what makes a strip club vegan.
Between slick sidewalks and strange ASG rules, maybe there's some learning going on here.
A writer considers why so many seem to perceive a prevalent Greek/non-Greek social divide.
Smiling, along with everything else you've ever enjoyed, proven bad for your health.
It's been two weeks since the last NYCU, but it's still totes awesome.
It's sure not Roe v. Wade, one professor said Monday.
Northwestern cashed in a nice $700 million for rights to Lyrica, but just what is this drug all about?
Assessing his welfare plan -- er, social contract.
A Czech woman poses as a young girl (and boy), universities expect students in class on Fridays, and more.
Malaysia turns out a sex tape to give Paris Hilton a run for her money, Portugal also has incompetent government workers, and more.
BBC. More BBC. Daily News. Bnet. Huffington Post. Washington Post. More WaPo. All photos from Wikipedia are licensed under the ...
The strangest presidential candidates you'll find.
Decrease in violence in Iraq means fewer "sick" days, elite athletes may be required to wear GPS tracking devices and world leaders bicker like children. Fun times.
And the Russian who wanted to kill 64 people -- one for each space on a chessboard.
Lawyers smuggling underwear, monkeys attacks, and a Republican vaccine help our columnist relax this week.
Why the CIA's latest incident has been like an episode of Seinfeld.
Chinese officials say prisoners get to keep their organs, and other strange headlines.
Naked politicians in Poland and a senior citizen protest of a doughnut ban in New York made for an interesting week in news.
Russia is looking up for volunteers to lock up, and more summer escapades.
Catching up with four decades of alumni who have worked in politics.
Plus, domestic terrorism and DNA databases in this week's headlines.
"Racist" parks, counterfeit rupees, and tax season in this week's roundup.
The first installment of our weekly snark attack on the news.


text:
The Strange Adventures of Rangergirl
by Tim Pratt
Review by Ernest Lilley
Spectra Paperback ISBN/ITEM#: 0553383388
Date: 29 November, 2005 List Price $12.00 Amazon US / Amazon UK / Show Article /
From official release/information:
American gods? You want American gods? Shoot. Well, we got your American gods right here, right behind that door, and they're not lame Norse has-been gods, nosiree. They're gen-you-eye-ne sagebrush and desert chaos and evil with barbed wire teeth and gun barrel eyed gods. We've got the Outlaw, and he's not just bad folks...he's an earthquake with boots. Now, now...don't you worry none. Rangergirl can handle the Outlaw and keep you all safe, just like she's been doing in every one of her comics, ever since she opened the door in her apartment to find a wilder west beyond it. And shucks...that's all just comic book stuff anyway. Ain't nohow that Outlaw can come to life from those pages and cross back through the door to our world. Well, almost nohow...and of course, therein lies our tale.
(Source: Spectra)
advertising index
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© 2002-2018SFRevu


text:
Play is a very good description of this type of exploration. It doesn't really take a lot of time, if you don't feel like you have much. If you just check out one spot that you don't usually look at every time you come to the site, you'll have a pretty nice selection of different tools, ideas and points of view in a very short time. Not everything will prove equally useful, but it will give you the exposure to lots of options that you might not have considered.
Thanks for sharing!
- by ANNE-ELIZ


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posted on 21 September 2016
Trucking Data Improved But Still Soft in August 2016
Written by Steven Hansen
Truck shipments improved in August - even the BLS truck employment data improved. But there remains a disconnect between reporting sources.
Analyst Opinion of Truck Transport
We previously only analyzed ATA trucking to get a feel of the truck transport sector. But their data was far from transparent, and it was at odds with truck employment data. ATA trucking data does not represent the entire industry - only a slice of it. This month the ATA truck data is saying there was a year-over-year improvement - I do not believe this is representative of the entire truck sector.
Now several sources are analyzed - and we see the proponderance data saying that trucking volumes did improve this month, but remains in contraction year-over-year. The entire transport industry (truck, rail and ship) remains in contraction. The trend lines in trucking are not clear - one month it looks like the situation is improving, and the next month indicates the opposite.
This situation is mirroring the trends in wholesale trade and manufacturing - which all remain in contraction. Prior to the New Normal, this would have indicated a recession - in 2016 it seems only to be indicating very weak near term economic conditions.
ATA Trucking
The American Trucking Associations' (ATA) trucking index increased 5.9 % in August, following a 2.1 % decline in July.
From ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello:
Truck tonnage this month
z truck.jpg
Compared with one year ago, seasonally adjusted tonnage increased 3.5 %.
Econintersect tries to validate ATA truck data across data sources. It appears this month that jobs growth says the trucking industry employment levels were up month-over-month. Please note using BLS employment data in real time is risky, as their data is normally backward adjusted (sometimes significantly).
source: ATA
Weak Q1 Economics Pull FTR's Trucking Conditions Index Up in April
source: http://www.ftrintel.com/news/latest-tci/index.php
August's Cass Freight Index continued to signal that overall shipment volumes (and pricing) are persistently weak, with increased levels of volatility as all levels of the supply chain (manufacturing, wholesale, retail) continue to try and work down inventory levels. That said, there have been a few areas of growth, mostly related to e-commerce, with lower levels of expansion being experienced in transit modes serving the auto and housing/construction industries. All of this added up to slightly lower shipment volumes in August on a YoY (year-over-year) basis, marking the eighteenth straight month of year-over-year decline. That said, at least on a seasonally adjusted basis, August volume was up sequentially, offering a glimmer of hope that the contraction in volumes may be getting closer to an end.
Source: http://www.cassinfo.com/Transportation-Expense-Management/Supply-Chain-Analysis/Cass-Freight-Index.aspx
Although the data for trucking does not correlate, we can assume trucking growth is sluggish - but the trends are mixed.
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text:
Now this is what I call bling bling! Pioneer has got some pretty awesome headphones, but this one really catches the eye. And why not, it has got Swarovski crystals stuck all over it. I am sure it would catch the eye even in the dark! But of course, considering these headphones have so much Swarovski studded on them, the price tag isn't affordable for all. You will have to shell out around 1400 Euros for these babies.
Might be a good buy for DJs but not for us ordinary folks. The name of this model is HDJ-2000s. The dance music label Blanco y Negro has created this sparkly creation and only 40 pairs have been made. These headphones have been given out to some of the top DJs in Ibiza and some others will also be handed out to other cool DJs of Spain. As for the rest of you non-DJs, you will have to shell out loads of money.
I would rather put my money on something that is better quality wise and not looks wise, but then there is no dearth of people who are just gaga over bling. And if its Pioneer then it cant be too bad.
Via: pocket-lint


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Liberty University's net assets headed for $1 billion, thanks to online programs
Liberty University's net assets have sustained a fivefold increase — from $150 million to $860 million — over the past six years, driven by the rapid expansion of its online programs.
While colleges across the country have struggled to make ends meet during the economic downturn, Liberty's financial picture has grown stronger by the year, according to an examination of Liberty's IRS 990 tax forms by The News & Advance of Lynchburg, Va. It's a picture of growth that some observers say is a national model for other schools.
eCampus News


text:
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text:
ATLANTA - Health officials say more Americans got food poisoning last year, primarily because of salmonella.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also reports a rise in illnesses caused by some strains of E. coli. That increase may reflect more testing. There were no reports of the E. coli strain behind the current large outbreak in Europe.
Tuesday's CDC report is based on 10 states and is believed to be a good indicator of food poisoning trends throughout the country. More than 19,000 cases were reported in those states last year, up from 17,500 cases the previous year.


text: Ian Jackson <email@example.com> writes: > And, despite the fact that the decision has become very politicised (to > some extent along the lines of preexisting camps of strongly disagreeing > contributors), I think it is primarily a technical decision. I think this is a remarkable statement given that you're the primary one who has been politicizing it. I am really unsure how to respond usefully to the outright attacks you have been posting against both systemd upstream and other maintenance teams in Debian. The degree to which you are assuming not only bad faith but malicious motives among other people in the free software community is deeply disturbing to me. -- Russ Allbery (firstname.lastname@example.com) <http://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/>


text:
The first time I tasted hominy, all I could think was, "Gee, it tastes like cornbread."
Turns out, while my tastebuds yell out things like 'macaroni and cheese' when I taste wine, when it comes to vegetables, I'm spot on.Hominy is, in fact, the Chippendale dancer of corn. As opposed to mild, sweet corn, hominy is stripped (of its hull) and beefed up (thanks to a special soaking liquid) maize: corn raised to be ground into cornmeal, grits, or masa. Hence, it tastes like a corn tortilla, or starchy, unsweetened cornbread.When I found out that H is for Hominy in Heather's Meatless Mondays A to Z challenge, I immediately thought about making an autumn stew–probably Mexican in flavor, as hominy is most often used in posole, or dried and ground into masa for tortillas, as mentioned before–featuring the giant kernels in place of sweet corn.
Yet, I couldn't get the idea of cornbread out of my mind.
But you know Miss Smart would never settle for a simple cornbread.
Because she turns everything into hummus.
It all starts with hominy.*
*Which I know I don't really have to say, but then the glamour shot of my generic, store brand can of hominy won't get any play.White hominy seems, for some reason, to be the classier cousin at the corn family reunion, but why compromise color for class? [And you should never
wear eat white after Labor Day.]
Hummus without garbanzos is just bean dip.
Here is where it starts to get fun. You see, depending on how you like your cornbread, you might want to alter the additions. Chili powder would be good, or even brown sugar if you roll that way. I pretty much think cumin belongs in everything, so I got a little crazy with that.
I also think cheesy cornbread is delicious…but lactose-averse vegans with benefits can't throw a hunk of cheddar into this mixture. Thus, we welcome nutritional yeast to the party.If you don't add something sweet, you'll end up with tortilla hummus instead of a flavor more akin to cornbread. Enter…Xagave! (Or your favorite agave nectar.)
Yep. That's good.The only thing that will make it better? Green chiles, obviously.
I might have left Texas, but I haven't left the love of chiles. Since we are now exiting Hatch chile season (which my Blog Mama reminded me of recently), I thought it would be a fitting tribute to last year's greatest (Hatch chile) hummus success. Southern, western, or Mexican…whichever region you're from–and whichever region you think holds claim to cornmeal baked delicacies–you can appreciate this vegan 'cheesy,' mildy spicy, sweet and savory dip.
Green Chile Cornbread Hummus
(Makes 3 cups)
1 15.5 oz-can golden hominy, rinsed and drained
1 14.5 oz.-can no-salt-added garbanzo beans
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. Xagave (or other agave nectar)
3/4 tsp. salt
2-3 Tbsp. green chiles (mild or hot, depending on preference)
Combine all ingredients, except green chiles, in a food processor.
Process until smooth, adding bean liquid or water to reach desired consistency.
Add in chiles. Pulse until just incorporated.
Note: Hummus will thicken up when stored in the fridge.


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BASTROP COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Texas Rangers were called in after a body was found in a field north of Bastrop about 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday.
The body was found in an area between BJ Mayes Road and State Highway 95, according to a Bastrop County Sheriff"s spokesperson. Their department assisted the Texas Rangers.
Authorities have not yet identified the person and no further information was immediately available.


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I know of no serious observer who is happy with the state of health care in the U.S.--and for good reason. The current system is marked by a set of incoherent compromises that blend massive government subsidies with counterproductive regulations. Over time everyone loses.
One long-standing feature of the current health care mess is the tax rule that allows an employer to deduct from his or her income the costs of his or her employee health benefit plan, without requiring employees to take the fair market value of these plans into income.
This current rule supplies an implicit tax subsidy to employees and their families that induces overconsumption in health care. In addition, it creates an indefensible gap between individuals and families who pay for their own health care and those who receive it from their employees. During the last campaign, Sen. John McCain proposed scrapping the current health care deduction in favor of a uniform tax credit that would go to all families.
His proposal attacks the differential tax treatment between different classes of earners. But it does nothing to eliminate the inefficient subsidy to health care, which it unwisely extends to the whole working population. It institutes parity, albeit it in the wrong direction.
Now, however, according to a Sunday story in The New York Times, President Obama appears to be "open" to any Congressional proposal that in principle should attract the support of free-market advocates. Create the desired parity between self-employed and other-employed people by subjecting both to taxation.
The prudent backsliding on his campaign is rich in irony, for it blows a huge hole in a promise Obama made most recently in his Feb. 24 State of the Union address: families that earn less than $250,000 a year will not see their taxes increased by "one single dime." It is just that their deductions will be reduced.
For more on this topic, see:
Tevi Troy on the Future of the FDA
Daniel Freedman on Taxpayers Paying for Madoff to go to Jail
Vince Haley and Kevin Thomas Pigott's Proposal for a National Asset Clearinghouse
On the positive side, Obama's change of heart represents a belated recognition that the upper 2% of the population (which has lost much in both its income and asset base in the past year) will not be able to fund health care for everyone else. But in his desperate effort to fund new revenues for his program, Obama compounds the overall problem.
The ideal tax structure, as I argued in my last column, features broad tax rates with low, flat taxes. The new Obama health care proposal broadens the base but it steepens tax progressivity. Because his proposal is not revenue neutral, he cannot flatten taxes at the top. The correct approach removes the present subsidy whether or not the United States moves to a more comprehensive health care system. The unambiguous gain from sound taxation is higher output across the board, stemming from a more rational allocation of resources across competing uses.
Earmarking these new dollars for helping the uninsured will salvage the centerpiece of the Obama health care policy, which builds existing employer health care plans as a key driver for broader health care coverage. What he fails to see is that present employer health care coverage is not immutable. The move toward flat taxes off a broader base rightly ramps down on the coverage. But high marginal tax rates will surely overshoot the mark by putting an enormous crimp in job creation and retention. The present health care system could easily unravel as unemployment rises, and employer health plans fall by the wayside. Total nationalization is the likely long-run outcome.
There is, in my view, no way to square the circle so long as public policy starts with a fruitless quest to tap new sources of revenue to fund additional health care entitlements. An alternative approach, with scant chance in the current political climate, offers a better way: Reduce the cost of health care through sensible deregulation.
As David Hyman and I have urged, the best strategy is to attack the cost side: entry barriers and licensing restrictions, defensive medicine, medical privacy and state mandates all add impressive costs to the system. Cut these burdens, costs will come down, and access will rise through market forces. At that point, we could actually trim the rolls of the uninsured and reduce the pressure for a new round of hasty reforms that, this wary libertarian believes, will do far more harm than good.
Richard A. Epstein is the James Parker Hall Distinguished Service Professor of Law at the University of Chicago; the Peter and Kirsten Bedford Senior Fellow at The Hoover Institution; and a visiting law professor at New York University Law School. His latest book is The Case Against the Employee Free Choice Act, to be published shortly by the Hoover Institution. He writes a weekly column for Forbes.


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cath lab was a bust
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January 27th, 2012, 10:25 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 2,979
I have worked in the CCL for over 20 years. I have helped open blocked vessels all over the body with many techniques and devices.
In your case, the details of how the blockage can be opened need to be understood. The doctors may have (and should have) explained what it takes to fix these things.
No matter where the blockage is, if it is done percutaneously, nothing can clear the blockage until a wire can be passed thru the channel (lumen) of the vessel.
If the wire can be passed thru the blockage, below the blockage, and into a normal (undiseased) area of the vessel, then a device can be passed along that wire and to the blockage.
A device could be a balloon, a stent, or a plaque reducing device. These devices have to be able to pass to and thru the blockage over the wire in order to open the blockage.
Even if the wire passes, there is no guarantee a device will pass. The device may be too bulky or the disease too much to get thru. If the device can get thru the blockage, this will open the lumen and allow bloodflow.
I would ask the doctor if they have used a device called The SilverHawk� Plaque Excision System ?
This is a device used to remove plaque that blocks arteries and interrupts blood flow. Unlike other methods of restoring bloodflow, the SilverHawk removes the obstruction � plaque build-up � instead of simply compressing it against the vessel wall.
I have used this device many many times. It is most useful in this very application. It may be that after this device clears the blockage there will also need to be a stent placed to help hold the vessel open.
Key to this process is the size of the blood vessel. We are talking about 1.5mm to 2.5 mm sized vessels---very small. Even with them being opened, the pressure (flow rate) that far down is low and the vessel may close up again.
Many times in these cases, there are what are called "collaterals", blood vessels that form around a blocked main vessel to try to get blood past.
Some doctors feel that if there are adequate collaterals to the area below the knee then there is no use spending time opening the main ones.
Amputation, while difficult to accept, many times it is inevitable in these cases. We try, sometimes for hours, to get these vessels open, only to hear a few months later that the limb just didn't heal.
Hyperbaric therapy may help, also.
Whatever happens, I hope your father finds relief.
The Original Phil & Liz
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Sydney FC goalkeeper Ivan Necevski has heaped praise on the club's goalkeeping coach John Filan.
Necevski, who has been demoted to number two behind Clint Bolton in the early stages of the season, believes the former Wigan Athletic shot-stopper has been an invaluable asset to the club, especially during this year's pre-season.
"John has been absolutely massive for me and I know it's the same for Clint," Necevski said.
"I remember watching him play in the old state league when I was 12 or 13 and then followed his career over in the English Premier League."
39-year old Filan enjoyed a lengthy stint playing in England, beginning with Cambridge United in 1993 before moving onto Nottingham Forest (loan), Coventry City, Blackburn Rovers, Wigan and Doncaster Rovers (loan), and Necevski said his standing in the game has assisted his development greatly.
"It's huge to have someone of his stature and experience at the club who can ultimately help us as keepers and us as a club to win a championship with Sydney FC," Necevski added.


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TRC Electronics
The current generation of race cars is highly reliant on electronic systems, and in particular with emerging Electric Vehicle EV and Hybrid systems, there are a number of new and emerging challenges.
TRC Electronics leverages Mike Newton's 30 years of experience in both the management and design of electronic systems, combined with a Driver's perspective including the needs of 24 hour Le Mans Prototpye racing.
Mike's first foray into motorsport electronics dates back to 1984, when he successfully prototyped electronic rear wheel steering on a Formula Ford, subsequently reviewed and tested by Rob Wilson for CCC magazine. This was probably one of the earliest cars to have system control and Map selection switches on a single seater race car steering wheel. As a classic example of the challenges to innovative and emerging technology, the principle of rear wheel steering other than as per production road cars was immediately banned by the RAC ( now the MSA ) due to a fear that it would escalte costs and pace too much.
There are already exciting bespoke projects in hand for customers across the racing community, including advanced EV system instrumentation.
If you have an unusual and interesting race car electronics requirement that 'off the shelf' solutions can't meet, please contact us to discuss.


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- HubPages»
- Religion and Philosophy
Joys of narrow mindedness
Thank God we are petty minded!
Thank God we indulge in pettiness: we routinely squabble over pieces of land, over my-religion-versus-your-religion, my-culture-versus-your-culture & so on. And we should thank God for that.
All this pettiness keeps us preoccupied. It keeps us distracted from more sinister, more forbidding facts of life.
How many people would rather like to be reminded of the fact that they are going to die one day leaving all good & nice things they see around them behind? No shopping malls, no jewellery, no yachts, no scuba diving , no TV serials. None of our hard earned riches are going to matter the moment we cease to exist. How many people would want to be reminded that as we are slowly inching towards our graves, the earth, the Sun & pretty much everything else is inching towards its own doom ? And the fact that the climate is steadily , albeit slowly, getting warmer? The sun is burning itself out, the galaxies are spreading themselves thin, everything else is really wearing itself out. One fine morning there would be no earth . Another morning there would be no sun- and hence no morning! As our earth spins round its axis & the revolves round the Sun, it dodges- and nearly misses- a lot of celestial debris which has the capacity to wipe all of us out of existence.
Isn't it better we get up cheerfully each morning thinking about all the tricks we would adopt through the day to bed our neighbour's wife? Or the misdemeanours we are ready to commit to buy a fancier apartment or a fancier car than our neighbour ? Isn't the fulfilment of petty but innumerable desires a blessing in disguise to keep us from killing ourselves ? This is summed nicely by an Urdu poet known for his melancholic outpourings :
Hazaaroon khwahishien aisi ki har khwahish be dam nikle,
bahut nikle mere armaan lekin phir bhi kam nikle....
( Innumerable and intense desires seldom get fulfilled
As each fulfilled desire brings forth a fresh one.....)
Desire, says Buddha, is root cause of all pain ,anguish & Dukkha (suffering). I have my own doubts. Our small fulfilments, our petty desires keep us going. These keep us from getting insane . Otherwise our existence , meaningless as it is, does not seem to matter at all- neither to us nor to anyone around us. (Someone was utterly succinct when she wrote an epitaph for herself : First I was not , then I was & now I aint again. The underlying point being, what if I 'was' not? )
Our ephemeral existence grants us no mercy, makes no promises to us other than evil, dark ones. Howsoever careful we are , we can hardly escape the insalubrities Life would bestow on us. The promises of afterlife are rather feeble and somewhat doubtful. That leaves us with little choice but to eat, live and ignore all that even remotely hints about the 'ultimate purpose' of our flower-like fugacious existence.
Petty stuff that keeps us busy ....and happy
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One of the fields in which innovation is paramount, and constant, is the development of humanity's capabilities to explore, live, and work in space. Success in the emerging space economy is now understood to be central to every nation's terrestrial economic success, and our understanding of what is required to succeed in our space-based scientific and commercial ventures is constantly improving.
Langdon Morris serves as editor of the book series issued by the Aerospace Technology Working Group, a small think tank consisting largely of current and former NASA employees. Our latest book is International Cooperation for the Development of Space,* in which we explore the ways that various countries have partnered, and will partner, to develop their capabilities in space. The following is excerpted from the book, which will be available on Amazon.com in September.
The last few years has seen a mixture of good and bad news affecting the space community. The conclusion of the US Space Shuttle program was accompanied by cutbacks and layoffs at NASA, and contributes to a general sense that the American space program has lost its way.
Despite this setback, though, there is plenty of good news. To get a sense of how human capabilities are evolving, we have complied a selection of thirteen recent stories. We understand that this is by no means a complete set of every story that the space community may be interested in, and we also recognize that when you read this section, the stories here will no longer be "news." But we include them nevertheless because we found it interesting and revealing to see all of these stories together in one place, as it gives a sense of some overall trends in the progress and globalization of the space endeavor, which naturally also contributes to the theme of this book, international cooperation
1. April 2011: GPS in health care, helps treat asthma
"Spiroscout is an inhaler with a built-in Global Positioning System locator and (in advanced models) a wireless link to the internet. Whenever someone uses the inhaler, it broadcasts the location and time to a central computer. Asthmapolis plots and analyses the data, and sends weekly reports to participating patients and their doctors summarising the observations and making recommendations. That is useful for the individuals involved, since it may illuminate patterns of which they were unaware (the proximity of a particular kind of crop, for example). It could also help doctors identify those patients whose asthma is not under proper control. Use of the inhaler more than a couple of times a month suggests there is something wrong, and that the patient's medication may need to be changed. Patients do not, however, always report such problems, and so do not get the right drugs. The big public gain, though, will come from pooling all the data from the inhalers, once they have been suitably anonymised. That will open the way for a much more detailed analysis of what is going on, and may allow the triggers to be identified and ranked in order of importance."
(The Economist Magazine. "Inhaling information: How to collect data on asthma while, at the same time, treating it." April 7, 2011.)
2. January 2012: Satellite data in video gaming
Data from the Aster Global Digital Elevation Map, a joint satellite project of Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry and NASA, has been used to provide a three-dimensional model of K2, the world's second tallest mountain on the border of Pakistan and China, for video game maker EA as the basis of the latest version of its SSX snow boarding video game. But not just K2. Mountain ranges around the world are rendered inside the video game. "Riders will now be able to helicopter-drop onto the icy heights of Kilimanjaro, grind on the Great Wall of China, descend Everest, deploy a wing suit, and race in real time against 100,000 other players around the world – all set against a backdrop that's as realistic as anything on Google Earth."
(Goldstein, Melissa. "Shred Everest." Wired Magazine. January 2012. P. 60.)
3. February 2012: Scientists in the US State Department
"In the late 1990s, science and engineering leaders were deeply concerned that the US State Department lacked the scientific expertise that would be needed for the 21st century. Now, after a sustained effort, State has built significant scientific strength and a promising capacity for science diplomacy. … Starting in 2000 with the appointment of veteran scientist-diplomat Norman P. Neuriter, four senior scientists have been appointed to 3-year terms as science advisor to the Secretary of State. Fellowship programs now bring dozens of scientists every year to the State Department and the US Agency for International Development."
("Experts See Progress, Challenges in Advancing Science Diplomacy." Science Magazine, Vol. 335. February 24, 2012. p 935.)
4. February 2012: Swiss spacecraft to clean up space debris
Space researchers in Switzerland are seeking funding to build a spacecraft, dubbed ClearSpaceOne, that would help reduce space debris in orbit around Earth. Researchers at the Swiss Space Center at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne have been working on the necessary technology for 3 years." The satellite would grab an unneeded satellite and drag it down into the atmosphere to burn up upon reentry. The first target is expected to be a Swiss picosatellite. Center Director Volker Gass commented, "Switzerland is a country that likes to keep things clean, so we decided to first get our own satellite down."
(Science Magazine, February 24, 2012, Vol 335, p 896.)
5. May 2012: Space suit for Mars developed in Austria
The Austrian Space Forum has developed the Aouda.X Mars Space Suit Simulator to enable scientists to study the dynamics of suit design for an eventual voyage to the red planet. On April 28, 2012 an international team of researchers tested the suit in a mountain cave in Dachstein, Austria.
(Science Magazine. "That Age-Old Question: What to Wear on Mars." May 11, 2012, Vol 336, p 656.)
6. May 2012: SpaceX Dragon docks at ISS
"High above northwestern Australia, a robotic arm on the International Space Station grabbed onto a cargo capsule floating 10 meters away. With that penultimate act, the Space Exploration Technologies Corporation of Hawthorne, Calif., or SpaceX, made history as the first private company to send a craft, the Dragon, to the station. The grab — which NASA refers to as a grapple — occurred at 9:56 a.m. Eastern time on Friday. 'It looks like we've got us a Dragon by the tail,' said Donald R. Pettit, the NASA astronaut on the station who was operating the robotic arm…. SpaceX launched the Dragon capsule on top of its Falcon 9 rocket."
(Chang, Kenneth. "First Private Craft Docks With Space Station." New York Times, May 25, 2012.)
7. June 2012: Chinese taikonauts dock 2 spacecraft in orbit; first Chinese woman in space
"Chinese astronauts carried out a manned docking with an experimental space module on Monday, the latest milestone in China's ambitious campaign to build a space station. The Shenzhou 9 and its three-person crew, which includes China's first woman in space Liu Yang, linked with the Tiangong (Heavenly Palace) 1 module, with state television showing the pictures live. Almost three hours later, the blue jumpsuit-wearing mission commander, Jing Haipeng, entered the module followed by colleague Liu Wang and Liu Yang, the first time China has been able to transfer astronauts between two orbiting craft. Rendezvous and docking exercises between the two vessels are an important hurdle in China's efforts to acquire the technological and logistical skills to run a full space lab that can house astronauts for long periods."
(Martina, Michael and Ben Blanchard, "China astronauts complete successful space docking." Reuters, June 18, 2012.)
8. June 2012: Voyager passes heliosphere boundary at 18 billion kilometers from Earth
The Voyager spacecraft, now in its 35th year of flight, is estimated to be about 18 billion kilometers from Earth. "An increase in cosmic rays hitting the spacecraft could mean that it's leaving the heliosphere and entering interstellar space."
(Science Magazine. "18 billion kilometers." June 29, 2012. Vol 336, p 1626.)
9. July 2012: Virgin Galactic set to fly Branson's family
"The first space flight of Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic venture will be a family affair: The billionaire adventurer confirmed that he will be joined by his two adult children." Virgin says it has booked 529 paying passengers, which happens to be one more than the total number of people who have traveled to space since Yuri Gagarin's 1961 flight. The cost of the two hour trip on Virgin Galactic is $200,000, and includes a one week training program prior to the flight at Virgin's New Mexico Spaceport location.
(Associated Press. "Bransons will ride on company's debut flight." San Francisco Chronicle, July 12, 2012. P D6.)
10. July 2012: Exoplanet science teaches about Earth's physics
"Discovered in 2005 and orbiting a star 63 light-years from us, exoplanet HD 189733b doesn't generally get much attention from climate scientists on Earth. However, thermal observations of the gas giant have suggested that the planet's hot spot has shifted about 30 degrees aware from the 'high noon' position, suggesting strong winds." A study of HD 189733b led planetary scientists Adam Showman and Lorenzo Polvani … "to the discovery that the models currently used to study terrestrial climate had left out some key physics concerning the transfer of momentum. 'We're learning about Earth by studying exoplanets and about exoplanets by studying Earth' commented Yohai Kaspi of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel.'"
(Klintisch, Eli. "Earth and Planetary Scientists Search for Common Ground." Science Magazine, Vol 337. July 13, 2012. P 145.)
11. August 2012: India announces mission to Mars for 2013
"Top Indian space department officials revealed on Thursday that India would launch a Mars Mission in 2013. The country intends to undertake an orbital probe mission around Mars in attempts to grasp deeper understanding of its geology and climate. The 2013 mission will be a milestone in India's greater plans to launch its first ever manned mission in 2016. This is a representation of the increased aggression in India's space programs. According to reports, an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle rocket will be used to transport the orbiter spaceship. This 320 ton rocket will blast from the state run Indian Space Research Organization launch site in Sriharikota, Andhra Prandesh."
(Yieke, Lennox. "India To Step On Mars Next Year As Space Program Expands." ValueWalk. August 2, 2012.)
12. August 2012: Curiosity lands on Mars
"In a flawless, triumphant technological tour de force, a plutonium-powered rover the size of a small car was lowered at the end of 25-foot-long cables from a hovering rocket stage onto Mars early on Monday morning. The rover, called Curiosity, ushers in a new era of exploration that could turn up evidence that the Red Planet once had the necessary ingredients for life — or might even still harbor life today. NASA and administration officials were also quick to point to the success to counter criticism that the space agency had turned into a creaky bureaucracy incapable of matching its past glory."
(Chang, Kenneth. "Curiosity Rover Lands Safely on Mars." The New York Times, August 6, 2012.)
13. August 2012: Asteroid mining venture
"Planetary Resources Inc., an asteroid-mining venture backed by Google Inc. executives, said it added more billionaire investors and is nearing a partnership agreement with a 'top-10' mining company. The company wants to be the first to harness potentially trillions of dollars of minerals including platinum group metals by using robotic technology to mine asteroids."
(Riseborough, Jesse and Thomas Bieseuvel. "Asteroid-mining company attracts new billionaires." San Francisco Chronicle, August 8, 2012, p D4. This theme is explored in detail in a previous book in this series, in Taylor, Thomas and Haym Benaroya, "Developing a Space Colony from a Commercial Comet Mining Company Town." in Living in Space: Cultural and Social Dynamics, Opportunities, and Challenges in Permanent Space Habitats, Bell and Morris, editors. Aerospace Technology Working Group, 2009.)
Taken together, these pieces of news compose a compelling story showing steady improvement in our understanding and capabilities. Space tourism, private rocketry, asteroid-based business ventures, space clean-up, clothes for Mars, a Chinese docking in space, Voyager's continuing journey, etc., etc., all of this and more is part of our current endeavor and heritage. And we note that efforts continue in many countries, among those noted here are Austria, China, India, Japan, Switzerland, and the US.
For those who are interested in innovation, paying attention to what's happening in space presents a fascinating body of new knowledge.
* The new book, International Cooperation for the Development of Space, Morris & Cox, Editors, will be available in
September 2012.


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Eryn Eubanks and The Family Fold will be featured at Thursday's Music in the Park concert series at Maude Edenfield Park.
The group, which has been together since 2001, was voted Best Christian Band of 2011 by Augusta Magazine . Members of the band consist of: Eryn Eubanks, lead vocalist; Patrick Eubanks, percussion; Ricie Eubanks, upright bass, penny whistle and harmony vocals; Mike Merritt, guitar and vocals; and Jim Jewel, guitar and vocals.
Guest performer Taylor Swan will also join Thursday's concert on guitar and vocals.
"We play acoustic, folk, Celtic, bluegrass, classic country and gospel," said Eryn.
Eryn said when she is not performing that she teaches music lessons.
"Also, we have weekly jam sessions and coffeehouse on Saturdays from 4 to 6 p.m. on the corner of Eve and Fenwick Street in Augusta," she said. "All acoustic instruments (are) welcome."
The 5th annual Eryn Eubanks & The Family Fold Music Festival benefitting Lynndale, Inc. will be held Nov. 3 at the Kroc Center in Augusta.
For information about the group, visit eryneubanks.com. The following is an interview with Eryn:
Q: What is the first tune that you learned and mastered?
A: I can't remember the first tune, but it would have been a classical piece on the double bass.
Q: What are your fondest music memories?
A: Playing with older friends who are unable to play now.
Q: What advice would you give to up and coming musicians?
A: Johnny Hensley told me this: "Know why you're doing what you are doing." I told him I make my music to help others, and he said, "Then you will always be happy, whether you are famous or not."
Q: What has been the group's recent biggest accomplishment?
A: Our music festival that benefits Lynndale, Inc., a community support service that was established in 1952.