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These are super easy and quickly-done (provided you've made the puff pastry in advance or bought it) cookies that go well with ice-cream and fruit salad.
Makes two dozen
- 1 lb puff pastry (home-made or good-quality all-butter store-bought)
- 2/3 cups strawberry jam (or raspberry)
- ½ cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut
- tiny amount of egg white to secure the cookies' ends to a baking sheet
Center the oven rack and preheat the oven to 400F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
On a working surface, lightly dusted with flour or lined with parchment, roll half of puff pastry into a thin about 10×10-inch square. Spread 1/3 cup of strawberry jam thinly and evenly over the rolled pastry, then sprinkle with the coconut. Roll another half of the puff pastry the same way as the first portion, spread the remaining strawberry jam over it. Carefully flip the second puff pastry sheet over the first one, jam side down (it's very easily-done if you rolled the dough on the parchment since it will be attached to the parchment). Lightly roll a rolling pin over to adhere two pastry sheets together. Using a pizza wheel, trim the edges. Criss-cross cut the sandwiched pastry into 4 equal squares. Cut each square into 6 strips. Using either a sharp paring knife or the same pizza wheel, cut a slit in the middle of each strip leaving about an inch uncut at each end. If, at any point, the puff pastry gets too soft and sticky to work with, place it in the freezer for a few minutes to firm it up. It'll be easier to cut cold puff pastry. But let it soften before coiling it up, otherwise you'll break it.
Now, handling it carefully, slide one short end into the slit, then slide another end into the slit, but do it in the opposite direction. Place the formed cookie onto the prepared cookie sheet securing the ends with a bit of egg white to the baking sheet. Space the cookies about 1-inch apart. Freeze for 20 minutes before baking. After chilling time, place the cookie sheet onto another empty sheet. It will provide more time in the oven to bake the cookies through without burning their bottoms. Bake in batches for about 26 – 28 minutes, until nicely puffed and golden-brown. Cool the cookies on a cooling rack. The cookies are the best the day they are baked. Any leftovers can be refreshed and recrisped in the 350F-preheat oven (place the cookies on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet) for about 7-8 minutes.


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I have this fantastic new Lion server that I've gotten all setup with my user accounts, files, etc. File sharing is up and running, everything. Except for one problem: the users running Linux (we use both Linux and OS X clients) cannot authenticate and access the SMB shares. All of the users' accounts are setup as network accounts (i.e. in Open Directory not the local user database)
Interestingly enough, if the user account is setup as a local account (not Open Directory) the user can authenticate just fine. And we can't switch away from Open Directory because we use the LDAP authentication for some of our other tools.
Does anyone have any ideas on what to do to get this working? I've been pulling my hair out trying.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Opposite Day - Becky's Opposite Day Extravaganza is in full swing until the festivities are interrupted by Nocan the Contrarian. The party guests must find a way to send Nocan back to the land of Contraia. Vocabulary Words: Extravaganza, Antonym. Granny's Book Club - The Association of Villains is ready to retire Granny May unless she's able to capture WordGirl. She successfully lures WordGirl into a trap by starting a book club. Will WordGirl be able to read between the lines and escape the clutches of Granny May? Vocabulary Words: Feisty, Retire.


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Dec 19
Technology And Events: Are We Falling Behind? Is it Time to Audit your Employee Benefits Package?
The National Security Screen Association promotes fair and competitive market conditions in the interest of members and consumers. In doing so, NSSA members follow a strict code of conduct as set out by the NSSA to provide consumers a level of standards and service.


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Thank you for choosing to send your child to one of our Catholic schools for their journey of faith-filled learning. We strive to provide complete, yet distinctive educational programming in a learning environment that focuses on the academic, spiritual and physical well-being of your child. Student learning is our priority, as is a commitment to faith development and self-discovery. Our reputation for excellence comes from this focus.
Learn more about our schools, programs and services by clicking on the links below or in the menu on the left side of this page.
Important note:
Throughout this website we make references to parents and children, without referring to guardians. We have done this in order to make our information easier to read and write. Please be assured that all references and information pertaining to the role of parents equally applies to the role that guardians play in the care of our students.


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Sulphur Springs ISD (for questions, please contact (903) 885-2153).
If you have an existing BPP account, you can look up your account on www.myswdata.com/hopkins and submit your 2023 business personal property rendition on-line. Filing is mandatory and failure to do so will result in a 10% penalty.
Online protests can only be filed if: 1) the property is classified as residential-single family; 2) the property is your residential homestead with a homestead exemption on the account; and 3) you do not have a designated agent representing you.
SEC. 11.43 (h-1) - "THE CHIEF APPRAISER FOR AN APPRAISAL DISTRICT SHALL DEVELOP A PROGRAM FOR PERIODIC REVIEW OF EACH RESIDENCE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION GRANTED BY THE DISTRICT UNDER SEC. 11.13 TO CONFIRM THAT THE RECIPIENT OF THE EXEMPTION STILL QUALIFIES FOR THE EXEMPTION. THE PROGRAM MUST REQUIRE THE CHIEF APPRAISER TO REVIEW EACH RESIDENCE HOMESTEAD AT LEAST ONCE EVERY 5 TAX YEARS. THE PROGRAM MAY PROVIDE FOR THE REVIEW TO TAKE PLACE IN PHASES, WITH A PORTION OF THE EXEMPTIONS REVIEWED IN EACH TAX YEAR."
Must provide Texas Driver's License or state ID card. All addresses must match. For details contact (903) 885-2173.
In an area declared a disaster area by the Governor, Tax Code Section 11.35 allows a qualified property that is at least 15 percent damaged by a disaster to receive a temporary exemption of a portion of the appraised value of the property. A property owner must apply for the temporary exemption and the deadline for application is 105 days after the governor declares a disaster area. As it applies to severe weather, Governor Abbott declared some counties in the state of Texas, including HOPKINS COUNTY a disaster area on JUNE 13TH, 2024 so this exemption applies to those counties in Texas. The deadline for filing the application for exemption is September 26th, 2024. There is no provision in the law that allows for an exemption after that date. The exemption applies only to qualified property. Qualified property includes: • Tangible business personal property used for income production if the owner filed a 2024 rendition; • An improvement to real property, which would include residential buildings (homes), commercial buildings (businesses), industrial buildings (manufacturing), multi-family buildings (apartments), and other real property buildings; and • certain manufactured homes used as a dwelling. The appraisal district determines if the property qualifies for the temporary exemption and assigns a damage assessment rating of Level I, II, III or IV based upon available information. The district may rely on information from a county emergency management authority, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or other appropriate sources like insurance adjusters or repair estimates when making this determination


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An article posted yesterday on the UK Guardian web site reports that 2008 is on track to be the coolest on average since 2000. The preliminary estimate by the UK Met Office is scheduled to be released formally next week. Based on data through October, the global yearly average is expected to be near 14.3°C, which is 0.14°C below the 2001-2007 average. Although the news is likely to be cheered on squawk radio and denialist web sites (It's already being featured here), the article notes:
The relatively chilly temperatures compared with recent years are not evidence that global warming is slowing however, say climate scientists at the Met Office. "Absolutely not," said Dr Peter Stott, the manager of understanding and attributing climate change at the Met Office's Hadley Centre. "If we are going to understand climate change we need to look at long-term trends."The Guardian report is the most viewed article on the guardian.co.uk web site in the last 24 hours, and the second most viewed in the last 7 days.
Image: Long term global temperature trend from Climatic Research Unit, via UK Guardian


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Only 99c for a limited time!
Regular price - $5.99
Title: Trade Me, Volume 1-3
Genre: Gay Romance
Release Date: June 17, 2017
Publisher: Hot Tree Publishing
Cover Designer: Soxsational Cover Art
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2qDAOBr
All others: books2read.com/trademe1
What happens when red-hot mechanics find the men of their dreams?
With strong happily ever afters, meet three couples in Fix You, Wreck You, and Forever You as these gorgeous men embark on their relationship, and sometime personal, journeys of self-discovery and love.
600 pages of escapism wrapped up in so many delicious sexy words.
🔧Fix You by Gen Ryan
Maxwell Craver pretends his entire life to be someone he's not. It used to be easier to lie to himself and to everyone who cared for him until Jason Lewis comes along and changes everything. For the first time, Maxwell thinks that maybe he can finally be his true self.
Jason Lewis has always been open about his sexuality. When he hires Maxwell to restore his new car, their connection and heat are instant. By agreeing to help him overcome his fears, Jason vows to fix him, even if it means breaking his own heart.
🛠Wreck You by Randi Perrin
Mechanic for Hard and Fast, Mike Davis has an intense crush on the parts delivery driver, Blake. For the sake of the business, he keeps his distance, not acting on his wanton desires. What Mike doesn't realize is Blake is crushing equally as hard on him.
Just as love and life appear to take shape for Mike, his old demons take hold and drag him under, leaving him spiraling out of control.
Will Blake push Mike further into the abyss or will he be the one to finally pull him free?
🔩Forever You by Laura N. Andrews
Matthew Price travels across the country to join his twin sister in Brooklyn. As an openly gay man who appreciates casual flings, the last thing he expects is to meet the man of his dreams.
Benjamin Stokes has always considered himself straight. When he hires Matthew to work at his garage and finds himself captivated, his sexuality comes into question.
From the moment they meet, their sexual desires grow fierce. Will they discover a deeper connection than just the physical?
Rafflecopter Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ea80a6ed232/


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Authentic original US one sheet theatrical movie poster of TIME OUT (Single Sided) as displayed in cinemas/movie theatres. All of our posters are mint/near mint unless otherwise stated. This poster measures approximately 27x41 inches (69x104cm). Our posters are supplied rolled in a sturdy tube.
Need help with movie poster terminology?


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I can't show you what Torso Boy did with that herd last Monday. But it turns out I can show you some of the effect of what he did…
ETA: In honor of his having found something useful to do, I have officially added Torso Boy to the TUAK sidebar.
I can't show you what Torso Boy did with that herd last Monday. But it turns out I can show you some of the effect of what he did…
ETA: In honor of his having found something useful to do, I have officially added Torso Boy to the TUAK sidebar.
Keep movin', movin', movin'
Though they're disapprovin'
Keep them dogies movin', rawhide
Don't try to understand 'em
Just rope 'em, throw, and brand 'em
Soon we'll be livin' high and wide
Get'em Torso Boy
glad he's finally got the recognition he rightly deserves!! and i second the name change to CowBoy
They say that Louis XIV had the inscription Ultima Ratio Regum cast into all the cannon of the French Army. It means "The Ultimate Argument of Kings," and that always struck me as one of the most honest and up-front things any ruler or would-be ruler ever said. "We can dress it up prettier than this, but when it comes down to the unvarnished truth this is what it's about: You'll do as I say or I'll send my goons to kill you."
I thought about that for a long time. If there's an ultimate argument, it seems only logical that there must be an ultimate answer. For years I thought the ultimate answer must be the bullets in my rifle, but it never seemed quite right. I've got bullets – he's got frigging Cannon Balls. I mean, if there were three hundred million rifles throwing bullets at him, then maybe. But we all know that's not going to happen. So if there's an ultimate answer to his ultimate argument, it sure as hell ain't bullets.
It finally came to me – and that's when I abandoned the city and most of my stuff, and gave all that was behind me a good stiff Randian Shrug.
The ultimate answer to kings is not a bullet, but a belly laugh.
"Freedom Outlaw. It's not what you do; it's how you do it. It's an attitude — from which actions always follow. It's a do-it-yourself occupation. And a lifetime vocation."
- Claire Wolfe, Backwoods Home Companion, 6-07-10
I owe my success to having listened respectfully to the very best advice, and then going away and doing the exact opposite.
- G. K. Chesterton
"If every Jewish and anti-Nazi family in Germany had owned a Mauser rifle and twenty rounds of ammunition and the will to use it, Adolf Hitler would be a little-known footnote to the history of the Weimar Republic."
- Aaron Zelman
"Authority should derive from the consent of the governed, not from the threat of force."
- Barbie
"Never underestimate the ability of shit to find a fan."
- F. Paul Wilson
"You can't make an omelet without breaking eggs." The sophistry of villains - Bah!
- Robert A. Heinlein, Double Star
"Truth is, I'm not specifically interested in an armed society. What I want is a free society."
- George Potter
I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself
A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough without ever having felt sorry for itself.
- D. H. Lawrence
Aristippus passed Diogenes as he was washing lentils.
He said, "If you could but learn to flatter the king, you would not have to live on lentils."
Diogenes said, "And if you could learn to live on lentils, you would not have to flatter the king."
Sandy Hook was a Gun Free Zone. So was the Westroads Mall. And the Aurora Theater. And Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Should I go on? They were all Gun Free Zones. Why do the gungrabbers never mention this?
- Reality
"Political tags — such as royalist, communist, democrat, populist, fascist, liberal, conservative, and so forth — are never basic criteria. The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire. The former are idealists acting from highest motives for the greatest good of the greatest number. The latter are surly curmudgeons, suspicious and lacking in altruism. But they are more comfortable neighbors than the other sort."
- Robert A. Heinlein
"Civilization is the process of setting man free from men."
- Ayn Rand
If ever a man should ask you
For your business or your name
Tell him to go and fuck himself
Tell his friends to do the same.
For a man who'd trade his liberty
For a safe and dreamless sleep
Doesn't deserve the both of them
And neither shall he keep.
- Frank Turner
Don't be afraid to try something big, just because you're an amateur. The Ark was built by amateurs. The Titanic was built by professionals.
- Anon
"Nothing scares a police officer more than the threat of being treated the way that they treat people every day."
- Anon
"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet."
- Gen. James Mattis
"Lust for power is the most flagrant of all the passions."
- Tacitus
"The man who knows what freedom means will find a way to be free."
- F.A. "Baldy" Harper
"The greatest discovery of any generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitude."
- William James
We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms -- to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.
- Viktor Frankl
The free man will ask neither what his country can do for him nor what he can do for his country.
- Milton Friedman
"We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it."
- William Faulkner
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.
- Ernest Hemingway
"Everything the State says is a lie, and everything it has it has stolen."
- Friedrich Nietzsche
"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are 'I'm from the government, and I'm here to help.'"
- Ronald Reagan
The most dangerous creation of any society is the man who has nothing to lose.
- James A. Baldwin
"It is better to be a warrior in a garden than to be a gardener in a war."
- Anon
"I tried to live in such a way that, when dying, I would rather feel happy than scared."
– Witold Pilecki
Few men desire liberty; most men wish only for a just master.
- Sallust
"Place your clothes and weapons where you can find them in the dark."
- Lazarus Long
Read, every day, something no one else is reading.
Think, every day, something no one else is thinking.
Do, every day, something no one else would be silly enough to do.
It is bad for the mind to continually be part of unanimity.
– Christopher Morley
"I have found that, to make a contented slave, it is necessary to make a thoughtless one. It is necessary to darken his moral and mental vision, and, as far as possible, to annihilate the power of reason. He must be able to detect no inconsistencies in slavery; he must be made to feel that slavery is right; and he can be brought to that only when he ceases to be a man."
-Frederick Douglass
To be, rather than to seem
– Marcus Tullius Cicero
"A Winchester rifle should have a place of honor in every black home, and it should be used for that protection which the law refuses to give."
– Ida B. Wells
Do what thy manhood bid thee do; from none but self expect applause.
He noblest lives and noblest dies, who makes and keeps his self made laws
– Sir Richard Burton
Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.
– Winston Churchill
"Happiness is a journey, not a destination. Dance as though no one is watching you. Love as though you have never been hurt before. Sing as though no one can hear you. Live as though heaven is on earth."
― Father Alfred d'Souza


text:
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I was recently given a gift certificate to buy a book, and I chose "The Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums of all Time Special Collectors Issue." I'd like to say that this was because some earnest treatise on the collapse of the global economy was out of stock, but I can't, because it wasn't. I just felt like being self-indulgent.
Of course, any list is subjective. And although it doesn't come right out and say so, Rolling Stone is a rock music publication, so the list is almost completely skewed in that direction. Nothing from the J.S. Bach repertoire makes it. Nothing recorded before 1950 seems to count: Fats Waller doesn't get even make it to the starting gate and the late Clyde Gilmour's favourite Jussi Bjorling is nowhere to be found. The top rated jazz artist is Miles Davis, whose "Kind of Blue" sits at number 12, followed by poor old John Coltrane, who sits at number 47 well behind the 41st ranked Sex Pistols. Country fares even worse: no George Jones, no Kris Kristofferson. The top ranker is Johnny Cash's "At Folsom Prison," which stands at number 88, almost 30 places behind some outfit called "Guns N' Roses."
The list is a combination of a poll of 271 "artists, producers, industry executives and journalists" conducted in 2003, combined with a similar 100-person poll conducted in 2009 to update the list. The Beatles, Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones top the list at 10 entries apiece, followed by Bruce Springsteen (eight) and the Who (seven); although if you combined all of Neil Young's various incarnations he would be tied with Bruce Springsteen.
The publishers of this tome have no doubt succeeded in doing what 'list' publishers count on: generating discussion and controversy. So the selection of the Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" as number two behind the Beatles' "Sergeant Pepper" and ahead of "Revolver," "Rubber Soul" and Bob Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited" is sure to generate all kinds of heated debate; as will the placement of "Revolver" ahead of "Rubber Soul". But that's not quite what happened in my household.
My first reaction was to say "yeah, the Beatles, the Stones, the Who; but who the heck are these other guys?" I'll just take a page at random to show you what I mean. Number 357 (from 1967) is "Between the Buttons" by the Rolling Stones. Okay, I've heard of that. Number 358 (from 1960), "Sketches of Spain" by Miles Davis; okay that one too; and ditto Number 359 (1972), "Honky Chateau" by Elton John and Number 364 (1971), "L.A. Woman" by the Doors. But as for the others - "Singles Going Steady" by the Buzzcocks (1979), "Stankonia" by Outkast (2000), "Siamese Dream" by the Smashing Pumpkins (1993), "Substance" by New Order (1987), and "Rage against the Machine" by the band of the same name (1992) - I might as well have been on Mars. And the same was true of all my friends who have thumbed through the compilation.
All of which makes me a little philosophical. Either I am, and am surrounded by, rock philistines. Alternatively, buying this little publication tends to prove to me that we're passionately connected to the music we grew up with; and that at some point along the way, we just disconnect with popular musical culture and get stuck in a time warp, to which we demand to be taken back. All of which is why, I suppose, they have those 'formula' stations on the radio which no doubt have bulging demographic surveys to back up their choice of repertoire: 'EZRock92.3, featuring the hits of the 80s and 90s' , and '106.6TheGrind - all heavy metal all the time' and so on.
Anyone who has spent much time with me knows I am fond of saying that there has been no great music since Freddie and the Dreamers (and the Dave Clark Five, the Searchers, the Hollies and the Kinks). There's probably someone out there 30 years younger than me saying exactly the same thing about the Buzzcocks, the Smashing Pumpkins, Outkast and Rage against the Machine, although I derive some consolation from the fact that of the 500 albums ranked by decade, the 1960's come in a close second to the 1970's, and that together they constitute almost 300 of the 500 choices.
It occurs to me, as I think of the irrepressible Treat Hull and his confreres who have been beavering away on a licence application for a CountyFM radio station, and are looking to sign up another 75 members this month: good luck to you. Your first annual meeting is being held tonight, May 30. It will take a lot of imagination and patience to program a station that keeps everyone in the County reasonably contented.
A note to the CountyFM people: my survey indicates there is heavy public demand for a short program every week, during waking hours, that features Fats Waller and Freddie and the Dreamers.
Some readers seem intent on nullifying the authority of David Simmonds. The critics are so intense; Simmonds is cast as more scoundrel than scamp. He is, in fact, a Canadian writer of much wit and wisdom. Simmonds writes strong prose, not infrequently laced with savage humour. He dissects, in a cheeky way, what some think sacrosanct. His wit refuses to allow the absurdities of life to move along, nicely, without comment. What Simmonds writes frightens some readers. He doesn't court the ineffectual. Those he scares off are the same ones that will not understand his writing. Satire is not for sissies. The wit of David Simmonds skewers societal vanities, the self-important and their follies as well as the madness of tyrants. He never targets the outcasts or the marginalised; when he goes for a jugular, its blood is blue. David Simmonds, by nurture, is a lawyer. By nature, he is a perceptive writer, with a gimlet eye, a superb folk singer, lyricist and composer. He believes quirkiness is universal; this is his focus and the base of his creativity. "If my humour hurts," says Simmonds,"it's after the stiletto comes out." He's an urban satirist on par with Pete Hamill and Mike Barnacle; the late Jimmy Breslin and Mike Rokyo and, increasingly, Dorothy Parker. He writes from and often about the village of Wellington, Ontario. Simmonds also writes for the Wellington "Times," in Wellington, Ontario.
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Diebold Election Systems
This page is part of the Election Protection Wiki, |
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Diebold Election Systems (ref. parent Diebold Inc.) is a provider of "direct recording electronic (DRE) voting solutions" [1], or voting machines. In August 2007, the Diebold subsidiary's name was changed to Premier Election Solutions. [2]
New name, same owner
Following a year-long failed attempt to sell its e-voting subsidiary, the parent company renamed the subsidiary Premier Election Solutions. While still Diebold-owned, PES "will have its own management team and board of directors," and is based in Allen, Texas, while Diebold headquarters are in Ohio, reported O'Dwyer's PR Daily. The PR firm Edelman "is handling the recasting of Diebold Election Systems to Premier Election Solutions," reported O'Dwyer's.[3]
Diebold blamed the lack of buyers on "rapidly evolving political uncertainties and controversies surrounding ... electronic voting systems." Diebold also lowered its e-voting revenue expectations by $120 million, according to Crain's Cleveland Business. A Diebold spokesman "acknowledged that the highly charged attention paid to the subsidiary ... has been a distraction to Diebold," which hopes to "concentrate on its core ATM and security segments." [4]
Bob Urosevich, the first CEO of Diebold Election Systems was also the founder of ES&S, a competing voting machine company now owned by the McCarthy Group. Together these two companies are responsible for tallying around 80% of votes cast in the United States. The current vice-president of Diebold and the president of ES&S are brothers.
It is reputed that the software architecture common to both is a creation of Mr Urosevich's company I-Mark and is easily compromised, in part due to its reliance on Microsoft Access databases; and that the I-Mark and Microsoft software each represent a single point of failure of vote counting process, from which 80% of votes can be compromised via the exploit of a single line of code in either subsystem.
Diebold's new touch screen voting machines have no paper trail of any votes. In other words, there is no way to verify that the data coming out of the machine is the same as what was legitimately put in by voters.
"Delivering" votes
Walden O'Dell or 'Wally" O'Dell, the current chairman and CEO of Diebold is a major Bush campaign organizer and donor who wrote in 2003 that he was "committed to helping Ohio deliver its electoral votes to the president next year." He was very active and visible as a Bush supporter:
"Wally O'Dell, CEO of Diebold Inc., this week [27 August 2003] sent out letters to central Ohio Republicans asking them to raise $10,000 in donations in time for a Sept. 26 Ohio Republican Party event at his home. ... [Ohio State] House Minority Leader Chris Redfern ... and Senate Minority Leader Greg DiDonato ... petitioned Secretary of State Ken Blackwell to drop O'Dell's company from the list of potential suppliers [of new electronic voting machines], saying his presence could undermine Ohio's entire election system." [5]
- Note: According to the AP (August 29, 2003), the letter was actually dated [6], more than two weeks prior to news stories about it. This is supported by an August 28, 2003 [7] news story.
Allegations of illicit interference with an election
On October 13, 2003, it is reported that a former worker in Diebold's Georgia warehouse says the company installed patches on its machines before the state's 2002 gubernatorial election that were never certified by independent testing authorities or cleared with Georgia election officials. If the charges are true, Diebold could be in violation of federal and state election-certification rules.[8]
Online battles
Attempts to prohibit publication of hackability evidence
On October 10, 2003, Diebold sent a cease-and-desist letter to the nonprofit Online Policy Group (OPG) ISP demanding that OPG remove a page of links published on an Independent Media Center (IndyMedia) website located on a computer server hosted by OPG.
Diebold sent out dozens of similar notices to ISPs hosting IndyMedia and other websites linking to or publishing copies of Diebold internal memos. OPG was the only ISP to resist the takedown demand from Diebold. [9]
On October 16, 2003, the Electronic Frontier Foundation announced that it would defend the Internet Service Provider (ISP) and news website publisher against claims of indirect copyright infringement from the electronic voting machines' manufacturer. [10]
On October 21, 2003, defending the right of a fair, democratic election, Why War? [11] and the Swarthmore Coalition for the Digital Commons (SCDC) [12] announced that they would reject Diebold's cease and desist orders and initiated a legal electronic civil disobedience campaign to ensure permanent public access to the controversial leaked memos. Thus, through active, legal electronic civil disobedience, Why War? and SCDC will bring to light the usually silent acts of suppression and censorship. The result will be a permanent and public mirror[13] of the memos: documents whose public existence challenges the assumed presence of democracy in America. [14]
On October 22, 2003, the two groups have decided to pursue different courses of action, confident that the actions of both groups will independently result in continued access to Diebold's memos. SCDC has decided to comply with any cease and desist requests and subsequently take legal action against Diebold.[15] Why War?, on the other hand, will continue to provide access to the memos by listing mirrors provided by individuals worldwide.[16]
Wiki wars
Spin on Wikipedia On November 25, 2005, an anonymous poster from a Diebold IP address deleted extensive references to the controversy surrounding Diebold's electronic voting machines. This edit was picked up by the Wikiscanner tool. [17]
PR campaigns
"Diebold Election Systems (DES) has hired Ogilvy PR to burnish the company's image and the benefits of electronic voting in California," PR Week reported in August 2005.[18] The state had decertified one of DES' e-voting machines the previous year [19], and the company wanted to ensure that their "story is told" and that voters "understand the technology," said Ogilvy's Michael Law, who heads DES' California work. According to PR Week, Ogilvy was researching public perceptions of DES, with an eye to developing messages "about the ease of electronic voting, particularly for voters who do not speak English, as well as for handicapped voters."
The same month, O'Dwyer's PR Daily reported that DES' California PR is part of a national campaign headed by former Democratic National Committee chair Joseph J. Andrew. Andrew has been praised for his "grassroots organizing" and "golden rolodex" of CEOs and labor leaders, according to O'Dwyer's. [20]
DES has worked with numerous other PR firms and consultants to burnish its public image nationally and in various regions of the country. These include Public Strategies, Inc. and the Compliance Research Group. [21] [22] See the SourceWatch articles on the firms, as well as A Short but Tragic History of E-voting Public Relations and e-voting PR for more information.
Articles and resources
Related SourceWatch articles
- Electronic voting Index of articles
- E-Voting: Digital Democracy or a Cash Cow for Consultants?
- Selling electronic voting
- A Short but Tragic History of E-voting Public Relations
- e-voting
- e-voting PR
- Voting machine
- Bush's Rangers
- David Bear
- Public Strategies, Inc.
- ↑ http://diebold.com/dieboldes/
- ↑ http://www.crainscleveland.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070816/FREE/70816004/1088&Profile=1088
- ↑ http://www.odwyerpr.com/members/0817edelman_diebold.html
- ↑ http://www.crainscleveland.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070816/FREE/70816004/1088&Profile=1088
- ↑ http://www.portclintonnewsherald.com/news/stories/20030827/localnews/140871.html
- ↑ http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/business/6646063.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp 14 August 2003
- ↑ http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0828-08.htm Cleveland Plain Dealer
- ↑ http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,60563,00.html
- ↑ http://www.eff.org/Legal/ISP_liability/20031016_eff_pr.php
- ↑ ibid
- ↑ http://why-war.com/features/2003/10/diebold.html
- ↑ http://scdc.sccs.swarthmore.edu/
- ↑ http://cultcom.com/mirror.html
- ↑ http://why-war.com/features/diebold_pr.txt
- ↑ http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/org/daily/archive/fall_2003/20031023.html#n1
- ↑ http://why-war.com/features/2003/10/diebold.html
- ↑ Wikipedia history log for [[w:Diebold|]].
- ↑ http://prweek.com/news/news_story.cfm?ID=240402&site=3
- ↑ https://www.prwatch.org/prwissues/2004Q2/history.html
- ↑ http://www.odwyerpr.com/members/0822ogilvy_diebold.htm
- ↑ http://www.odwyerpr.com/members/0822ogilvy_diebold.htm
- ↑ http://prweek.com/news/news_story.cfm?ID=240402&site=3
External articles
- C.D. Sludge, Sludge Report #154 - Bigger Than Watergate!, scoop.co.nz, July 8, 2003. Another copy re Bev Harris's investigative report at TruthOut.org.
- Julie Carr Smyth, Voting Machine Controversy, Cleveland Plain Dealer, August 28, 2003: "The head (Walden O'Dell) of a company (Diebold Inc.) vying to sell voting machines in Ohio told Republicans in a recent fund-raising letter that he is 'committed to helping Ohio deliver its electoral votes to the president next year.'"
- Diebold appears to have conflict. CEO lobbies for Bush while seeking contract to sell voting machines, AP, August 29, 2003.
- Opinion: Taking sides at Diebold, Cleveland Plain Dealer, September 1, 2003.
- Lynn Landes, How We Lost The Vote - How To Get It Back, ecotalk.org, September 7, 2003.
- Julie Carr Smith, Diebold Executive to Keep Lower Profile, Cleveland Plain Dealer from diebold.com, September 16, 2003.
- Chuck Richardson, The not so good part of the Cali recall delay, niagarabuzz.com, September 16, 2003: "The coup de grace, however, is Walden O'Dell, Diebold's chief executive officer, who's classified as one of Bush's "Pioneers and Rangers," a tag reserved for campaign contributors who give more than $100,000 to the Bush campaign."
- Diebold Redux, whitehouseforsale.org, September 17, 2003.
- Andrew Donoghue, Michael Moore attacks e-voting, zdnet.co.uk, November 10, 2003.
- Michael Hardy, Bias in the voting box?, fcw.com, November 10, 2003.
- Faun Otter, Diebold - the face of modern ballot tampering, scoop.co.nz, November 14, 2003.
- Paul Festa, Diebold retreats; lawmaker demands inquiry, cnetnews.com, December 1, 2003.
- Paul Krugman, Hack the Vote, New York Times Op-Ed, December 2, 2003.
- Diebold (e-voting company) must now deal with the students they tried to silence and a Congressional investigation, punkvoter.com, December 7, 2003.
- Julie Carr Smyth, "Voting Machine Controversy", Cleveland Plain Dealer, August 28, 2003.
- Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman, "Diebold's Political Machine", Mother Jones, March 5, 2004.
- "Diebold Hires Ogilvy," O'Dwyer's PR Daily (sub. req'd.), August 22, 2005.
- Andrew Gordon, "Ogilvy to help Diebold with CA outreach," PR Week (sub. req'd.), August 25, 2005.
- Greg Levine, "Diebold's O'Dell Adds COO Role Amid Glum Results," Forbes, September 21, 2005.
- "VelvetRevolution: Is Diebold the Next Enron? Corruption, Incompetence and Infighting Pummell the Company Name and Stock", US Newswire, September 22, 2005.
- "DIEB-THROAT Weighs in on Diebold's Stunning 15.5% Wednesday Stock Plunge," Brad Blog, September 22, 2005.
- Brad Friedman, "Hack the vote? No problem. Diebold, the e-voting-machine maker, has long sworn its systems are secure. Not so, says a new Princeton study. Converting votes from one candidate to another is simple," Salon, September 13, 2006. Free preview or subscription required.
- Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.,"Will The Next Election Be Hacked?", Rolling Stone, September 21, 2006.
- Melissa Harris, "Former delegate gets purported Diebold code. FBI is contacted over anonymous package," Baltimore Sun, October 20, 2006.
- Michael Janofsky, "Diebold demands that HBO cancel documentary on voting machines. Film saying they can be manipulated 'inaccurate'," Bloomberg News (Seattle Post-Intelligencer), November 1, 2006.
- Dan Wilchins, "Diebold voting machine business should go-analysts," Reuters, November 6, 2006.
- M.R. Kropko, "Diebold weighs strategy for voting unit," Associated Press, March 4, 2007.
- David Bennett, "Diebold to realign Election Systems unit," Crain's Cleveland Business, August 16, 2007.
- "Edelman Gets Diebold's Vote," O'Dwyer's PR Daily (sub req'd), August 17, 2007.
- M.C. Moewe, "Survey contradicts vote machine firm's failure rate claim," Daytona News Journal (Fla.), November 8, 2007.
External resources
Bev Harris
- Free Online Version: Black Box Voting.
- Bev Harris, "Senate Ethics Director resigns; Senator Chuck Hagel admits owning voting machine company McCarthy Group", scoop.co.nz, January 31, 2003.
- Bev Harris, Inside A U.S. Election Vote Counting Program, Scoop.co.nz, July 8, 2003. Introduction; Part 1: Can the votes be changed?; Part 2: Can the password be by-passed?; Part 3: Can the audit log be altered?.
- Bev Harris, Bald-Faced Lies About Black Box Voting Machines and The Truth About the Rob-Georgia File, July 10, 2003.
- Hacking Democracy (HBO, 2006)
Other Websites
- Insider Memos - The Smoking Guns of "Black Box Voting" Election Fraud Dangers. Several years' worth of memos hosted on five non-U.S. servers. Most links are working (12/02/03).
- David L. Dill's verifiedvoting.org web site:
- "In response to the 2000 Florida debacle, Congress passed a law, the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), which mandates voting process reform in all the states."
- "Mr. Darryl R. Wold, former chairman of the Federal Election Commission (FEC) believes that HAVA requires a voter-verifiable paper trail."
- Jon S. Corzine, Outrageous: CEO lobbies for Bush while seeking contract to sell voting machines, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, no date. Includes online petition to Diebold: "Republicans must stop trying to steal elections. Sign our petition and send them a message today."


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National Guard Warrior Challenge
The Finale
Docs & Non-Fiction (Reality), Drama & Genre (Action)
[ 14:09 - from RipeTV ]
Think you're in shape? Want to try competing against a troop of National Guards? Yeah, I don't either. But this reality series follows some average citizens who do. Watch as they compete in physical challenges, and see who becomes the Ultimate Warrior.
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Varlo Vanore is a writer, musician and tech geek. She geeks out in Hollywood doing post-production and special effects for music videos, films and DVDs. Her clients include Mariah Carey, The Police Reunion Tour, Black Eyed Peas, HBO, Nickelback and most recently the feature Marley and Me. She's currently developing a comedy feature film for which she's written the script and musical score.


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According to research conducted this week by us here at StatCounter, the new search engine Cuil is one to watch.
Cuil, launched on Monday July 28th, could be a significant rival to Google. After just one day, Cuil accounted for 1 in every 1000 searches done on Tuesday.
Aodhan Cullen, CEO and founder of StatCounter said, "This is phenomenal when you consider that Altavista, a search engine founded in 1995, accounted for just 6 in 10,000 searches."
Cullen continued, "We monitor over 100 search engines and Cuil was in the top ten in US, UK and Ireland. When you consider that over 90 other search engines (e.g. go, excite, alltheweb.com, lycos) combined accounted for just 1.54% of searches on Tuesday – Cuil with its 0.1% share on the market inside 24 hours is doing extremely well."
On Tuesday Cuil accounted for:
- 1 in 1,000 searches globally and in the US
- 1 in 500 searches in the UK
- 1 in every 400 searches in Ireland
Note: This information is based on a sample of over 25 million page views globally.
Press queries to StatCounter PR Agency:
Mary O'Brien/Jacinta Ryan – Simpson FTPR
UPDATE – 3 August 2008
Thanks for all the comments and interest so far folks!
It does appear that Cuil is having some "teething troubles", but hopefully they will manage to work these out soon. It's a brand new search engine – let's give it a chance!
Some of you have mentioned how the high traffic that Cuil has received is as a result of an impressive PR and marketing campaign. We agree! Regardless of the reason, however, we believe that interest in Cuil has been unexpectedly high. Of course, we have to wait and see how the engine performs in the future, but the stats so far have been interesting anyway. Without initial stats, how could we compare how Cuil fares in the weeks and months ahead?
In our opinion, and for a variety of reasons, Cuil remains "one to watch" – whether we will be watching a meteoric rise or a slow descent remains to be seen… Further to some of your suggestions, though, we would be delighted to update you with more stats on how Cuil is doing in the coming weeks – we'll keep you posted! 😉


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NCHU COVID-19 Case Tracking-1121
Due to the recent tens of thousands of confirmed cases in Taiwan and the new variants Omicron BA.4 and BA.5, CDC announced that these new variants are not thought to be any more lethal than other types of Covid, but are still highly infectious. To achieve preventative disease with limited resources, please do the following:
(1) Individuals who "test positive" should report right away and fill out the form on the COVID-19 section. If you notice that you are infected with BA.5 or BA. 2.75 variant, please "phone"Health and Counseling Center or Office of Student Safety immediately.
(2) For those who "test positive", please "automatically" notify all the contacts on campus (close contacts, self-initiative responsive individuals) and report to NCHU OSA-Trace-System within 24 hours to let the university handle the instant pandemic situation on campus and facilitate further procedures. NCHU OSA-Trace-System: http://nchu.cc/7yWyI
In the past confirmed cases in our university, symptoms self-perceive quick screening and the unavoidable risks from clusters of family members and roommates living together are the main reasons. To relieve the epidemic trend, please be sure to cooperate with the following matters:
(1) To maintain the health and safety of teachers and students, except for meals, wear a mask when studying or working in the lab.
(2) Teachers or students dine in the lab or office, please reduce talking as much as to each other. Advice for eating first, and then chatting after dining, time-sharing, and partitioned dining for reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
(3) As recently the confirmed cases are retrospectively listed as close contacts, a high proportion is those who live with them, and the next is those who eat together. As the epidemic prevention has not yet been fully lifted, teachers and students are reminded again to avoid unnecessary multi-person dinners or gatherings; when hosting events or meetings, we strongly recommend avoiding unnecessary shring meals or gatherings as much as possible to reduce the rapid transmission risk of the virus.
(4) Considering that the dormitory is a group social life with a relatively high risk of cluster infection. In order to ensure the health of the dormitory students, faculty and staff, if the dormitory students are screened positive or confirmed, please inform the Office of Student Safety staff member (Emergency Contact Numbers: 04-22870885) as well as the Student Housing Service Center so the school can take appropriate protective measures for breaking the chain of transmission immediately.
Individuals who test positive from either antigen tests or PCR must report to the Office of Student Safety (24-Hour Hotline: 04-22870885) immediately so that the school can conduct follow-up epidemic prevention management and epidemic investigation. If there is no special reason for delaying the reporting of confirmed cases, which seriously affect the safety of campus epidemic prevention, the punishment may be discussed in accordance with the Regulations for National Chung Hsing University. Student Rewards and Penalties (Article 9, paragraph 3) and will be aggravated punishment depending on the circumstances.
Department | Office of International Affairs |
Views | 1036 |


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A stability-oriented monetary policy as a necessary condition for long term growth
Speech by Jean-Claude Trichet,
President of the European Central Bank,
at the UNICE Competitiveness Day
Bruxelles, 9 December 2004.
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is a pleasure for me today to address such a distinguished audience, which best represents the European entrepreneurial capacity and dynamism. Today I would like to discuss first the general role of policy institutions in a developed market economy. I shall then dwell more specifically on how the conduct of monetary and fiscal policy in the euro area contributes to foster high and sustainable output growth and job creation. Finally, I shall stress the importance of structural reforms in labour and product markets in ensuring that our economy is endowed with the degree of flexibility that is needed for firms and workers to be able to withstand successfully the challenges that the contemporaneous, highly interrelated world economy poses to us.
The determinants of sustainable long term growth
The determination of the factors that increase the individuals' standard of living is the main issue that scholars have analysed since economics was born as a modern science more than 250 years ago. The evolution of the economic theory has greatly furthered and deepened our understanding of this issue. Nevertheless, one core conclusion remains today as important as it was in the late eighteenth century: the amount of goods and services produced in any given economy grows at its highest possible rate when the rules of market economies are applied.
We have learned that this prescription cannot possibly be translated into a pure laissez-faire doctrine, because when the production and the exchange of goods and services is carried out without a proper legal and institutional framework the potential of the economy would not be fully exploited. For this reason, societies need to equip themselves with the right framework, which enhances the collective welfare by clearly defining and ensuring property rights and ensuring the efficient supply of public goods. This means in particular that economic policy must ensure that individuals have the necessary incentive to earn their income by working and producing goods and services which other individuals need. It also means that enterprises must take their decisions on the basis of market signals without relying on subsidies or being protected from competition. This will foster the accumulation of human and physical capital and a high level of employment, which are the determinants of long term growth. To fulfil this objective, economic policy must create and maintain a "stable" macroeconomic environment, ensure an appropriate level of flexibility of the economic system and provide incentives to work and invest in both physical and human capital in order to maximise employment and output growth.
In Europe and more particularly in the euro area, the stability of the macroeconomic framework and the flexibility of the economic structures are two guiding principles of economic policy that are enshrined into the Treaty and the Lisbon Agenda, respectively. How can these principles be best applied in practice?
The role of a stability oriented monetary policy
Let me start by illustrating the role that the ECB's monetary policy plays in fostering long term output growth in the euro area. The EU Treaty establishes the maintenance of price stability as the primary objective of the ECB. This objective refers to the general price level in the euro area and the ECB has made it clear that it aims at keeping inflation (as measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices) below and close to 2% over the medium term. The ECB does all what is necessary to be credible in the delivery of price stability – in line with its definition – over time, including in the medium and long term. By credibly maintaining price stability, the ECB brings about a decisive contribution to long run output growth, and it does this through several channels.
First, price stability ensures the transparency of the relative price mechanism, thus enhancing the efficiency of resources allocation. In an environment of price stability economic agents can more easily discern the change in the relative value of each single good and service produced as well as that of labour and capital. In a situation of increasing inflation, instead, resources could be wrongly allocated to the production of goods and services whose relative demand has not increased. Furthermore, households may have difficulties in discerning the relative price of goods and services thus choosing a consumption bundle that turns out to be suboptimal.
Preserving price stability also contributes to fostering private consumption. Lower inflation supports private consumption via its positive impact on the real value of households' income and wealth.
Another important channel through which price stability fosters economic growth consists in the reduction of borrowing costs for individuals and firms. As we all know, inflation erodes the purchasing power of the nominal return on long term loan contracts or bonds. In case of high and uncertain inflation, savers or those who lend their liquid funds would then require a higher rate of return from borrowers, in order to compensate for the higher risks related to the uncertainty about future inflation. This inflation risk premium implies that in an economy with high inflation, less investment projects with a rather high rate of return will be profitable. In such circumstances, capital accumulation will be lower than it could have been in a situation of price stability and the output growth rate is consequently reduced.
Financial market developments during the past few years are indeed a testimony to the success of the ECB's stability oriented monetary policy in securing low and stable long-term inflation expectations and thereby low interest rates in the euro area. Over the period between 1995 and 1999, the latter is the year when the euro replaced the national currencies of eleven EU member states and the ECB started to run a single monetary policy, long-term inflation expectations, as measured by Consensus Economic Forecasts, swiftly converged towards the "below 2 per cent level", which is the ECB's definition of price stability, from levels much higher still in the mid-1990s. Such a high degree of credibility was reflected in the developments of euro area long term interest rates, which by the beginning of 1999 had declined to around 4%, which was the level prevailing for the most credible and stable currencies, thus resulting for a number of countries and economies in a decline of around 9 percentage points since the beginning of 1995.
Since 1999 the ECB's stability-oriented monetary policy and, overall, the ECB credibility in delivering price stability has been remarkably successful and has contributed to maintain financing costs - from the short term to the long term up to 30 years - at historically low levels. Inflation expectations have remained at low levels and have not been significantly affected by short-term developments in actual euro area headline inflation. Furthermore, in the period since the start of the single monetary policy, the fluctuation of key macroeconomic variables has declined significantly. In comparison with the average level of the first half of the nineties, the volatility of long-term inflation expectations (as measured by the Consensus Economic Forecast) has declined by more than one half. From a longer term perspective, when compared with the average levels recorded in the 1980s and the first half of the nineties the observed volatility of inflation and long term interest rates declined by around three quarters. Furthermore, over this latter period the decline in the volatility of both real GDP and employment figures by more than one quarter should also be associated with the contribution of successful stability-oriented macro-economic policies in the euro area.
The ECB manages monetary policy in a systematic and transparent manner so that private agents are in the best possible conditions to gauge the likely evolution of interest rates in response to economic developments. First of all, the ECB is very clear about its monetary policy strategy. In addition, the ECB informs the public through the monthly press conference held just after the first Governing Council meeting of the month where the economic and monetary diagnosis of the ECB and the decisions taken by the Governing Council are displayed and explained almost in real time. The ECB has been a pioneer in this domain and has been followed by other central banks keen on increasing the transparency of their actions and decisions. This transparency is one further element contributing to macroeconomic stability and long-term growth. In an environment where the predictability of interest rates movements and their likely relation with key macroeconomic developments is relatively high, firms can better manage their balance sheets. This reduces both their vulnerability to economic shocks and their risk management costs and creates the condition for better decisions as regards domestic and foreign investment.
Finally, I would like to stress the importance of maintaining price stability in enhancing the functioning of the labour market and contributing to sound nominal wage developments and competitive unit labour costs, which fosters firms' competitiveness, growth and job creation. In a credible regime of low inflation workers do not ask for extra-wage increases to compensate for inflation risk and firms and trade unions know ex-ante that firms will not be able to pass higher wages on to consumer prices. This helps to avoid excessive nominal increases, thus enhancing the ability of firms to efficiently manage their production costs and create new jobs. At the current juncture, it is important that there are no second round effects on wage and price settings arising from the recent increase in oil prices. Such effects have not been observed till now. All economic agents know without any doubt that we are very vigilant in this respect; and we trust that it is this vigilance and our credibility that are decisively contributing to prevent second round effects.
The role of a stability oriented fiscal policy
Of great importance for the maintenance of macroeconomic stability and long term growth are sound public finances. The Stability and Growth Pact, which complements and further specifies the EU Treaty, provides a set of rules for the national fiscal authorities with the aim to ensuring fiscal soundness, by avoiding excessive deficits and safeguarding government finances, as defined by the attainment in the medium-term of budgetary positions "close to balance or in surplus". Far from being a straightjacket on national policymakers, these rules derive from the experience accumulated in past decades showing that increased debt ratios – as well as the implicit debt associated with social security systems in ageing societies – cast a permanent shadow over long term output growth and constantly limit the scope for fiscal policy to act as a stabilising instrument.
Although its implementation has been far from satisfactory, we should see that the Stability and Growth Pact brought about significant improvements in the fiscal performance of the EU over the years. In other major economies outside Europe fiscal deficits reached very high levels in the recent economic slowdown, and the ratio of debt to GDP in these countries is now on a very worrisome path. In contrast, the euro area public finances weathered the economy cyclical downturn with aggregate deficit to GDP ratios remaining between 2% and 3% and with debt to GDP ratios only moderately rising. While this is less than what the ECB – as well as the Council and the Commission - had hoped for, it is a significant achievement for Europe where in the early 1990s average deficit to GDP ratios of above 5% were still recorded. The euro area is now in a better starting position, in terms of macro-economic policies, compared to a number of major economies to emerge from the phase of economic slowdown. These achievements are from time to time forgotten in the ongoing debate on the Stability and Growth Pact, and they demonstrate how important it is for Europe not to weaken this Pact.
As the ECB has repeatedly clarified on several occasions, it is important that the Stability and the Growth Pact and the excessive deficit procedure remain key cornerstones of the Economic Union. Let us never forget that we cannot have a Monetary Union (M.U) without and Economic Union (E.U), to make a coherent and economically rational E.M.U. This implies that both the Pact and the excessive deficit procedure are respected in their current form. Their implementation could be improved, in particular as regards the preventive arm of the Pact, i.e. the implementation of those rules aiming at avoiding that excessive deficits arise in the first place.
Experience shows that if financial markets are uncertain about the future soundness of fiscal policy, at some stage long term interest rates are likely to increase. This tends to exert a negative impact on private investment and physical capital formation. Ultimately, unsound fiscal policies reduce production, output suffers a permanent loss and consumption possibilities are diminished in the long run. To be sure, being in a monetary union, like the euro area, does not shield countries that are expected to follow an unsustainable fiscal course from sooner or later being forced to pay higher credit risk premia on their government bonds relative to more disciplined countries in the union. The Treaty explicitly prohibits that individual governments, which run policies that are not sustainable, can be bailed-out by other governments or by the ECB.
In recent years budgetary developments in the euro area have not been fully satisfactory and there is growing concern among market participants and observers that consensus on the importance of fiscal discipline is weakening in the euro area. While fiscal accounts in the euro area have been affected by the sluggish economic growth experienced in the past two or three years, it is undeniable that, in general, the resilience of fiscal deficits in the euro area is mainly due to high - and, sometimes, very high - structural public expenditure, which, by definition, are not dependent of the cyclical developments.
It is of crucial importance that euro area member states take advantage of the ongoing recovery and focus on the pursuit of balanced budgets or surpluses in the medium term. Such a policy would contribute to ensuring that the conditions for long-term growth in the euro area are strengthened and to meeting the challenges arising from an ageing population. Empirical evidence supports the conclusion that comprehensive fiscal consolidation programmes, if appropriately designed and credible, can have favourable effects on confidence, investment conditions and thereby on output growth even in the short term. Notably, if fiscal reform is based on the consolidation of public expenditure rather than on an increase in taxation, the adjustment in fiscal accounts would tend to support both private consumption and investment - because the current and expected after tax disposable income of household and firms increases.
Comprehensive and credible expenditure–based fiscal stabilisation programmes would in particular have positive supply effects as well. A number of empirical studies suggest that there are two main reasons why this can be the case. First, lower expected deficits reduce long term market interest rates, which creates more opportunities to invest and increase the productive potential of the economy. Second, following the reduction in labour taxation that is possible when public expenditure is reduced, the expectation of higher after-tax income induces higher labour supply and mitigates wage increases, thus boosting the country's international competitiveness and job creation.
The role of structural reforms
A stability oriented macroeconomic policy framework is not sufficient to ensure that high long-term growth is achieved. When private agents take their decisions over consumption, saving and investment, they should also not have impediments in the form of unnecessary and excessive regulations. A sound monetary and fiscal policy framework has to be complemented by structural policies that make the economy more flexible and dynamic.
Since March 2000, when the European Council launched the Lisbon agenda, European national governments, parliaments and social partners have become increasingly aware of the importance of implementing a substantial, courageous and far-reaching agenda of structural reforms. The ECB, from its side, fully endorses the Lisbon agenda and shares its objectives. We also agree with the main conclusion of the High Level Group chaired by Wim Kok that - in preparation of the mid-term review of the Lisbon Strategy - has stressed the advantages of sharpening the focus on the key issues in order to revamp the structural reform process in Europe.
Indeed, in the last decade, euro area countries have made some tangible progress with their structural reform programs. Competition in product markets due to, for example, a lower level of state aid and de-regulatory measures has increased, especially in network industries. This resulted in significant downward price effects in some sectors like telecommunication.
The ECB is supporting strongly governments that are courageously embarking on reforms and does not underestimate the difficulty to implement them. In particular it has proven to be more difficult than previously expected for European governments and social partners to implement labour market reforms that could strengthen the positive employment trends recorded in the EU in the second half of the 1990s.
Breaking the reform deadlock is of the utmost importance, also in light of growing role played by new economies in the international market place that exposes European firms to new and challenging competitive pressures. It is not my intention today to provide suggestions to government, parliaments and social partners about specific policy actions, but it is clear to me that in the area of labour market reform, increasing flexibility and suppleness with a view to maximize job creation and to augment the capacity of outsiders, like unskilled youth, to enter the job market is of the essence.
In another domain there is a number of countries where the lengthening of retirement age, allowing workers to work longer hours per week and the reduction of non-wage costs of labour – like labour income taxation and social security contributions – are necessary to increase labour supply and demand, thus raising the productive capacity of the economy. Recent events involving a number of important euro area companies demonstrate that social partners are aware of the collective benefits induced by a better management of resource utilisation, as workers and employers could agree on measures that would preserve competitiveness and consolidate jobs.
Moreover, other measures facilitating workers reallocation, reducing both employment traps - due to generous unemployment subsidies and high marginal income taxes - and costs related to adjustments in the labour force are often useful to increase the resilience of the economy to unforeseen shocks. A more flexible economy will make it easier for the corporate sector to maintain competitiveness without large cuts in employment.
Finally, a more flexible cost structure will increase the expected rate of return from private investment in both physical capital and research and education of the labour force. Hence, both the productivity and the quality of the labour force employed will increase, thereby setting the stage for virtuous dynamics that lead to higher output growth.
All policymakers are called to play their role in making the euro area a more dynamic economy. By maintaining price stability, and by being credible in delivering it over the medium and long term, the ECB makes its own indispensable contribution to foster growth in the euro area. The rate of potential economic growth very much depends also on the other policy actors. It requires fiscal policy to be sound and sustainable, and it requires reforms ensuring that the structure of the economy is flexible and supple enough to augment the growth potential of Europe and to allow economic agents to respond smoothly to economic shocks.
In a very rapidly changing environment, where new technological advances, not only in the IT area, are extremely powerful and seem to be comparable only with the start of the industrial revolution, where creativity and conceptual innovations are flourishing in all economic sectors, particularly in the global financial system, and where economic globalisation is rapidly transforming the very structure of the world economy, the euro area and its 306 million fellow citizens are called to adapt in order to take advantage of the opportunities offered by this new world and to respond to new challenges.
A lot has been done in Europe over the last 20 years: the combination of the bold single market endeavour starting in the mid eighties and of the single currency starting at the end of the nineties are perhaps the most striking historical set of structural reforms at the level of a continent in peace time. We have proved we were able to move and to restructure. We still have a lot to do as Wim Kok is wisely and strongly recommending.
In this respect, permit me a last remark : at the moment I am speaking most of the reforms that are necessary at the level of our continent have been implemented with success in some European economies, generally on the basis of a bi-partisan consensus and with a large accord of the entrepreneurs and of the unions. Benchmarking in each particular domain of structural reforms the entire euro area and the European Union on the best European performers might well be the most powerful tool to make the necessary progress. Let's just do it!
I thank you for your attention.
Euroopan keskuspankki
Viestinnän pääosasto
- Sonnemannstrasse 20
- 60314 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- +49 69 1344 7455
- email@example.com.
Kopiointi on sallittu, kunhan lähde mainitaan.
Yhteystiedot medialle


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So you've finally decided to settle down. In that case, we better find you a family friendly neighbourhood that meets not only your needs, but also those of the family. Here are a few of the best communities Greater Victoria has to offer when it comes to raising your kids.
Oak Bay
Featuring such sites as Estevan and the Uplands, Oak Bay is perhaps the most family friendly neighbourhood across all of Greater Victoria. Home to a number of public and private schools, Oak Bay is perfect for anyone looking to raise a family. In fact, half of the University campus can also be found in the area, and therefore contains a lively atmosphere throughout most of the year. Along with its access to education, Oak Bay includes countless parks, public facilities and other interesting landmarks, such as the Greater Victoria Public Library and the Royal Victoria Yacht Club.
Another fantastic option for any family is Sidney (both Northeast and Southeast), a vibrant community only 20 minutes out of downtown Victoria. With roughly 3.6 kilometers of waterfront, it truly is as scenic an area as they come. For young families looking to enroll their children in public or private schools, there are a handful of institutions to choose from. From Sidney Elementary to Parkland Secondary, you can trust that your children will be well educated. Other areas of interest include the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea (a not-for-profit aquarium and cultural learning centre) and the Sidney Museum and Archives. Avid readers/news residents will also be pleased to find out that Sidney is Canada's only Booktown: meaning that there is a ton of new and used book stores right in the neighbourhood.
Although there aren't any secondary schools in the immediate area, Fairfield is a lovely place to raise your kids in a comfortable, friendly setting. Bordered by Beacon Hill Park – a 200 acre nature reserve – there is no shortage of outdoor activity and splendid strolls. As Victoria's largest community, it also one of its most dynamic, featuring the ever-popular Cook Street Village: a charming strip of amenities, coffee shops and locally owned businesses.
James Bay
On the other side of Beacon Hill Park, you'll find James Bay: otherwise known as the oldest residential neighbourhood on North America's west coast (excluding San Francisco). Although one of the Island's pricier points, James Bay is home to many parks, heritage homes, and other landmarks, including the Royal BC Museum and the world famous Fisherman's Wharf. James Bay Community School and South Park Elementary will also serve families with young children.
Saxe Point
Located on the southern tip of Esquimalt, Saxe Point is one of Victoria's up and coming neighbourhoods. Surrounded by lush greenery and ocean, those that live here have a tough time getting away. Saxe Point Park also adds a little colour, as is perfect for those interested in getting out and about. With newly developed condo complexes, there's all kinds of housing options to choose from.
Honourable Mention: Fernwood
Last on our list (but definitely not least) is 'Funky' Fernwood, an eclectic neighbourhood that features a ton of trendy shops, cafes and galleries. Although the area may be a bit more adventurous, it does house three vibrant schools with a number of extra-curricular activities.


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AUBURN, Ala. -- Auburn's backup quarterback predicts that Nick Marshall will win the Heisman Trophy this season.
Jeremy Johnson expresses much less certainty over who will start the opening game since Marshall is expected to begin the season on the bench as punishment.
"He led us to the national championship [game], and we were 13 seconds away," Johnson said. "And this year he got better at passing, better at running, better at making reads. He's become a leader on this team, and I've never seen him so amped at practice every day the way he is, the way he comes out. So I know for a fact he'll win the Heisman."
The common presumption is that Johnson will be the starter against Arkansas on Aug. 30. Auburn coach Gus Malzahn has said only that Marshall won't start the game after the quarterback was cited for possession of a small amount of marijuana in July.
If the coaches have decided how long to hold Marshall out, or even whether Johnson will start in his place, the sophomore said over the weekend that they haven't told him.
Third-teamer Sean White is a freshman.
Johnson said he is not stressing over the uncertainty and is not about to wander into Malzahn's office to ask if he's starting.
"I'm very confident, and I know the team's confidence in me and I know they have my back, so if I'm called upon I'll be ready," Johnson said.
Malzahn has said he and offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee had already decided Johnson will play more this season. The 6-foot-5, 230-pounder offers a changeup to the smaller, quicker Marshall.
The former Alabama Mr. Football played in six games last season, starting for an injured Marshall against Western Carolina and playing most of the way against Florida Atlantic. He passed for 393 yards and six touchdowns with a pair of interceptions in those two games and appears to have earned the confidence of his coaches and teammates.
Tight end C.J. Uzomah said Johnson emerged as a team leader even before preseason camp began.
"Jeremy could start probably anywhere else in the SEC," Uzomah said. "We have all the confidence in the world in him."
Johnson showed his support for Marshall, whom he calls a good friend, well before the Heisman prediction. He said he called the preseason All-SEC pick as soon as he heard about Marshall's legal run-in.
The quarterback's mother has paid the $1,100 in fines, meaning Marshall won't have to appear in court.
"If you're the quarterback at Auburn, you're the face of the program regardless of what you've done in the past," Johnson said. "Whatever happens, you're still the face. He knows that, and he's learned from his mistake, and it won't ever happen again."
Johnson said he is perfectly comfortable running zone-read plays like Marshall. He said a primary offseason focus has been working on his timing with quick throws from a three-step drop.
If Johnson does start against the Razorbacks, he insists jitters won't be a problem.
"I'm really not going to be nervous," he said. "It's just football is football. I'm a football player. That's why I'm here. I'm really not going to be nervous."


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Scientists reveal new targets for anti-angiogenesis drugs
A new study describes how a carbohydrate-binding protein, galectin-3, promotes angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels. Targeting the protein, scientists identified two approaches that significantly reduced angiogenesis in mice. These discoveries, published online August 16 in The Journal of Experimental Medicine, may lead to novel treatments for diseases caused by excessive angiogenesis, including age-related macular degeneration, cancer, and diabetes.
When the body needs to expand its network of blood vessels, cells release molecular signals called growth factors that prompt angiogenesis. While this process is key for normal growth, development, and wound healing, it can be harmful when blood vessels supply tumors or other diseased tissue, or when excessive blood vessel growth encroaches on surrounding tissues.
A growing body of research indicates that a protein called galectin-3 promotes angiogenesis, indicating that it may be a valuable target for drugs that halt harmful blood vessel growth. Until now, though, scientists did not understand how galectin-3 promotes angiogenesis.
Led by Noorjahan Panjwani, PhD, researchers propose a mechanism that explains how galectin-3 brings about angiogenesis. Panjwani is a professor in the department of ophthalmology at Tufts University School of Medicine and a member of the biochemistry and cell, molecular and developmental biology program faculties at the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences.
"Our study shows that galectin-3 protein binds to glycans (carbohydrate portions) of specific cell-adhesion proteins, the integrins, to activate the signaling pathways that bring about angiogenesis. This improved understanding may provide a more targeted approach to preventing harmful angiogenesis," said Panjwani.
"We found that application of a galectin-3 inhibitor significantly reduced angiogenesis in mice. We also found that preventing galectin-3 from binding with the integrins reduced angiogenesis," said first author Anna Markowska, a PhD student in the biochemistry program at the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences at Tufts.
"By deciphering the mechanism of galectin-3 action, we were able to establish more than one therapeutic target. The more we know about how this pathway works, the more options we have for potential treatments," said Panjwani.
Panjwani's lab is dedicated to understanding the cell biological and biochemical mechanisms of wound healing and angiogenesis, specifically for the purpose of developing improved treatments for blinding eye diseases. Panjwani's research is also focused on Acanthamoeba keratitis, a rare and painful parasitic infection of the cornea that can affect contact lens wearers. She is currently working on strategies to protect against the infection and is developing a test that identifies at-risk individuals by sampling their tears.
Fu-Tong Liu, MD, PhD, professor and chair of the department of dermatology at University of California Davis School of Medicine, is also an author of the study.
This work was funded by the National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, the Massachusetts Lions Eye Research Fund, and Research to Prevent Blindness.


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NightLase and SmoothLase Training (SOLD OUT!)
15 October 2021 - 16 October 2021
Boynton Beach, FL, United States
Course Information
This 2-day course will teach the Phast™NightLase and Phast™SmoothLase protocols. In detail, it will guide doctors through the history and research behind these procedures as well as cover treatment limitations, case selection, and, most importantly, practice integration. To further expand on the complete training experience, an amazing opportunity to learn via live patient training will take place throughout the course. Furthermore, we will expand on both internal and external marketing, as well as clinical photography tips, in order to help make these procedures a success in your practice!
Learning Objectives:
• Understand how to integrate the PHAST™ NightLase Procedure into your practice.
• Understand the laser tissue interaction/biology that allows for a successful Tx.
• Establish Tx limitations and case selection, along with Mallampati classification.
• Understand sleep apnea M.D. testing and sleep studies, co-therapy, appliances etc.
• Understand how to integrate the PHAST™ SmoothLase procedure into your practice.
• Better understand laser tissue interaction as it relates to muscle and skin anatomy.
• Ascertain the aesthetic clinical photography skills necessary to aid in Tx success.
• Learn the benefits of PHAST™ NightLase and SmoothLase procedures .


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Harvard School of Education released their findings on their latest research project; and, they could have simply titled it "Why Your Kid Should do Gymnastics if You Want Them to Develop the Kind of Character That Helps Them Succeed at School."
Okay, it doesn't exactly roll off the tongue…but it cuts to the core of what kids need to succeed in school and why gymnastics is the perfect place to develop it.
You see, the good folks at Harvard in conjunction with 4,000 UK teenagers undertook a study that examined the characteristics that best predicted a student's future academic success and that characteristic is…
Grit, which was defined as having determination, courage, persistence, a 'growth mindset' and the ability to maintain a balanced lifestyle, was a better predictor than intelligence in predicting which kids succeeded in the classroom.
Gymnastics develops determination. Determination is that quality that makes you continue trying to do or achieve something that is difficult. Simply watch a beginning gymnast learn a cartwheel or a pullover, and you are seeing determination in action.
Gymnastics cultivates courage. Tumbling across a 4 inch wide beam? Running full speed at a standing object and then jumping (or flipping!) over it? Swinging on a bar 7 feet in the air? Defying gravity on a regular basis? Gymnasts routinely make the choice to confront discomfort, fear and to do the right thing even when it costs more than they want to pay. All hallmarks of courage.
Gymnastics plans persistence. Fall down seven times, get up eight is a Japanese proverb turned gymnasts' motto. Developing that quality that allows someone to continue doing something or trying to do something even though it is difficult…that is not only the definition of persistence but is practically the definition of gymnastics practice.
Gymnastics garners a growth mindset. It's practically impossible to not have a growth mindset, the belief that our most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work, and be a gymnast. Otherwise, why would a gymnast even bother with practice? Turns out that a growth mindset helps create a love of learning and a resilience essential to great accomplishments. Ever met a gymnast who didn't love to learn new things or who accomplished something without having to rise in the face of difficulty or after a set back? Me neither.
Gymnastics demands a balanced lifestyle. Dr Christina Hinton, a neuroscientist and faculty member at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, said: "Our results suggest that grit does not require pushing yourself at all costs, but rather cultivating healthy emotional regulation skills and effective learning strategies." Gymnasts understand this. The importance of getting sufficient sleep, nutrition, making time for gymnastics, school, family, faith and other extracurriculars are all things even our youngest athletes learn.
Still not convinced? Then consider this: an NCAA study was conducted that showed over 35% of gymnasts at the college level achieved a GPA of 3.5 or better. Over 90% of college students involved in NCAA gymnastics graduated, a much higher rate than students who didn't participate in gymnastics. More academic awards were given to gymnasts than to any other college sport by as much as two to three times. Additionally, more gymnasts received NCAA post-grad scholarships in the past 5 years than any other female sport.
Like I said: "Why Your Kid Should do Gymnastics if You Want Them to Develop the Kind of Character That Helps Them Succeed at School."