text:
121 US 230 Fargo v. Stevens
7 S.Ct. 857
30 L.Ed. 888
FARGO, President, etc.,
STEVENS, Auditor General, etc.
April 4, 1887.
This is a writ of error to the supreme court of the state of Michigan to bring here for review a decree sustaining a demurrer to the complainant's bill in chancery, and dismissing the bill. The complainant brought suit as president of the Merchants' Dispatch Transportation Company, averring that said company is a joint-stock association organized and existing under the laws of the state of New York, and by the laws of that state authorized to sue in the name of its president. The bill, so far as it presents the questions on which this court can have jurisdiction, charges as follows:
'Second. That, during the year ending with the thirty-first day of December. A. D. 1883, the said transportation company was engaged in the business of soliciting and contracting for the transportation of freight required to be carried over connecting lines of railroad in order to reach its destination; and, for the prosecution of its said business, it had agencies located generally throughout the United States and the dominion of Canada. The said transportation company issued through bills of lading for such freight, and caused the same to be carried by the appropriate railroad companies, and, as compensation for its service in the premises, the said transportation company was paid by the said railroad companies a definite proportion of the through rate charged and collected by said companies for the carriage of said freights.
'Third. That during the said year the said transportation company was possessed of certain freight cars which were used and run by the railroad companies in whose possession they chanced from time to time to be for the transportation upon their own and connecting lines of railroad of through freight, principally between the city of New York, in the state of New York, and Boston, in the state of Massachusetts, and Chicago, in the state of Illinois, and other points and commercial centers in the west, north-west, and south-west, without the said state of Michigan; that said cars were not used for the carriage of freight between points situate within the said state of Michigan, but wholly for the transportation of freight, either passing through the state, or originating at points without said state and destined to points within, or originating at points within said state and destined to points without; that the said several railroad companies thus making use of said cars, during the said year, paid to the said transportation company as compensation therefor a definite sum per mile for the distance traveled by the said cars over their respective lines.
'Fourth. That the said transportation company during the said year was not running or interested in any special fast, through, or other stock, coal, or refrigerator car freight line, or doing business in or running cars over any of the railroads of said state of Michigan otherwise than as in the preceding paragraphs stated.
'Fifth. That prior to the first day of April, A. D. 1884, the commissioner of railroads of the state of Michigan transmitted to the said transportation company certain blank forms of a report to be made to him pursuant to the provisions of an act of the legislature of the state of Michigan approved June 5, 1883, entitled 'An act to provide for the taxation of persons, copartnerships, associations, car-loaning companies, corporations, and fast freight lines engaged in the business of running cars over any of the railroads of this state, and not being exclusively the property of any railroad company paying taxes on their gross receipts,' with the requirement that the said transportation company should make up and return said report to the office of said commissioner on or before the first day of April, 1884, under the penalties of said act; that, on or about said first day of April, in compliance with said demand, but protesting that the same was without authority of law, and that said act was invalid, or, if valid, was not applicable to the said transportation company,—the said transportation company made and filed with said commissioner a report, duly verified, setting forth that the gross amount of the receipts of the said transportation company for the mileage of said cars during said year 1883, while in use in the transportation of freight between points without said state and passing through said state in transit, estimated and prorated according to the mileage of said cars within said state of Michigan while so in use, was the sum of $95,714.50; and while in the use of transportation of freight from points without to points within said state of Michigan, and from points within to points without said state, estimated and prorated according to the mileage of said cars within the state of Michigan while so in use, was the sum of $28,890.01, making in the aggregate the sum of $124,604.51; that during said year it received no moneys whatever on business done solely within the said state of Michigan, and no moneys which were or could be regarded as earned during said year within the limits of said state of Michigan other than as hereinbefore and in said report set forth.
'Sixth. That by the terms of said act it is the duty of said commissioner of railroads to make and file with the auditor general of said state of Michigan, prior to the first day of June each year, a computation based upon the report of each person, association, copartnership, or corporation taxable thereunder of the amount of tax to become due from them respectively, and each such person, association, copartnership, or corporation is required, on or before the first day of July in such year, to pay to the treasurer of said state of Michigan, upon the statement of the auditor general thereof, two and one-half per cent. upon its gross receipts as computed by the said commissioner of railroads, and derived from loaning, renting, or hiring of cars to any railroad or other corporation, association, copartnership, or party. It was also provided in said act that for the said taxes, and interest thereon, and the penalty imposed for delay in the payment thereof, the said state should have a lien upon all the property of the person, association, copartnership, or corporation so taxed, and, in default of the payment of said tax by and within the time so prescribed, the u ditor general of said state was authorized to issue his warrant to the sheriff of any county in said state, commanding him to levy the same, together with ten per cent. for his fees, by distress and sale of any of the property of the corporation or party neglecting or refusing to pay tax wherever the same may be found within the county or state.
'Seventh. That the said commissioner of railroads has computed and determined that the amount of the gross receipts of the said transportation company under the said act is the said sum of $28,890.01, and that there is due from said transportation company to the state of Michigan, as a tax thereon, the sum of $722.25, and has transmitted said computation to the said auditor general, and your orator shows that unless said tax is paid by the said transportation company on or before the first day of July, 1884, it will become the duty of the said auditor general under the said act, and the said auditor general threatens that he will proceed, to enforce payment of the said tax against said transportation company by the seizure and sale of the property of said transportation company under the provisions of said act.
'Eighth. That your orator is advised, and so charges, that the said act as to the said gross receipts of the said transportation company, or of any of its receipts or earnings from the use of its cars, within the state of Michigan, and the transaction of its business in the manner aforesaid, is in violation of the constitution of the United States and void, and that said act is inapplicable to the said transportation company, and inoperative for further reasons appearing upon its face, and that said transportation company is not amenable thereto.
'Ninth. That the chief office of the said transportation company for the transaction of corporate business was, during said year, and is, in the city of New York, in the state of New York, and that all the moneys earned by it, as set forth in the second and third paragraphs hereof, were paid to it at its said office; that said company, during said year, had no funds or property whatsoever within the state of Michigan, except cars in transit and office furniture in the possession of agents, and that during said year the said transportation company was subject to taxation, and was taxed, on account of its property and earnings, within and under the laws of the state of New York.'
The bill then prays for a subpoena against William C. Stevens, auditor general of the state of Michigan, and for an injunction to prevent him from proceeding in the collection of said taxes. To this bill the defendant Stevens demurred, and the circuit court for the county of Washtenaw, in which this suit was brought, overruled that demurrer. From this decree the defendant appealed to the supreme court of the state, where the judgment of the lower court was reversed, the demurrer sustained, and the bill dismissed. To reverse that decree this writ of error was sued out.
Ashley Pond, for plaintiff in error.
Edward Bacon, for defendant in error.
[Argument of Counsel from pages 235-237 intentionally omitted]
The contention of the plaintiff in error is that the statute of Michigan, the material parts of which are recited in the bill, is void as a regulation of commerce among the states, which, by the constitution of the United States, is confided exclusively to congress. Article 1, § 8, cl. 3. It will be observed that the bill shows that the tax finally assessed by the auditor of state against the transportation company was for the $28,890.01 of the gross receipts which the company had returned to the commissioner as money received for the transportation of freight from points without to points within the state of Michigan, and from points within to points without that state, and that no tax was assessed on the $95,714.50 received for transportation passing entirely through the state to and from other states.
There is nothing in the opinion of the supreme court of the state, which is found in the transcript of the record, to explain this discrimination. There is nothing in thes tatute of the state on which this tax rests which makes such a distinction, nor is there anything in the commissioner's requirement for a report which suggests it. It must have been, therefore, upon some idea of the authorities of the state that the one was interstate commerce and the other was not, which we are at a loss to comprehend. Freight carried from a point without the state to some point within the state of Michigan as the end of its voyage, and freight carried from some point within that state to other states, is as much commerce among the states as that which passes entirely through the state from its point of original shipment to its destination. This is clearly stated and decided in the case of Reading R. Co. v. Pennsylvania, commonly called the case of the State Freight Tax, 15 Wall. 232, in which it is held that a tax upon freight taken up within the state and carried out of it, or taken up without the state and brought within it, is a burden on interstate commerce, and therefore a violation of the constitutional provision that congress shall have power to regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the several states. And in Wabash Ry. Co. v. Illinois, 118 U. S. 557, 7 Sup. Ct. Rep. 4, it is held that a statute attempting to regulate the rates of compensation for transportation of freight from New York to Peoria, in the state of Illinois, or from Peoria to New York, is a regulation of commerce among the states. The same principle is established in Crandall v. Nevada, 6 Wall. 35.
The statute of the state of Michigan of 1883, under which this tax is imposed, is entitled 'An act to provide for the taxation of persons, copartnerships, associations, car-loaning companies, corporations, and fast freight lines engaged in the business of running cars over any of the railroads of this state, and not being exclusively the property of any railroad company paying taxes on their gross receipts.' Sections 1 and 2 require reports to be made to the commissioner of railroads of the gross amount of their receipts for freight earned within the limits of the state from all persons and corporations running railroad cars within the state. The commissioner is by section 4 required to make and file with the auditor general, on the first day of June of each year, a computation of the amount of tax which would become due on the first day of July next succeeding from each person, association, or corporation liable to pay such taxes. Each one of these is by section 5 required to pay to the state treasurer, upon the statement of the auditor general, an annual tax of 2 1/2 per cent. upon its gross receipts, as computed by the commissioner of railroads.
It will thus be seen that the act imposed a tax upon all the gross receipts of the Merchants' Dispatch Transportation Company, a corporation under the laws of the state of New York, and with its principal place of business in that state, on account of goods transported by it in the state of Michigan; and the bill states that the company carried no freight the transportation of which was between points exclusively within that state.
The subject of the attempts by the states to impose burdens upon what has come to be known as interstate commerce or traffic, and which is called in the constitution of the United States 'commerce among the states,' by statutes which endeavor to regulate the exercise of that commerce, as to the mode by which it shall be conducted, or by the imposition of taxes upon the articles of commerce, or upon the transportation of those articles, has been very much agitated of late years. It has received the attentive consideration of this court in many cases, and especially within the last five years, and has occupied congress for a time quite as long. The recent act, approved February 4, 1887, entitled 'An act to regulate commerce,' passed after many years of effort in that body, is evidence that congress has at last undertaken a duty imposed upon it by the constitution of the Unt ed States, in the declaration that it shall have power 'to regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes.' Congress has freely exercised this power so far as relates to commerce with foreign nations and with the Indian tribes, but in regard to commerce among the several states it has, until this act, refrained from the passage of any very important regulation upon this subject, except perhaps the statutes regulating steam-boats, and their occupation upon the navigable waters of the country.
With reference to the utterances of this court, until within a very short time past, as to what constitutes commerce among the several states, and also as to what enactments by the state legislatures are in violation of the constitutional provision on that subject, it may be admitted that the court has not always employed the same language, and that all of the judges of the court who have written opinions for it may not have meant precisely the same thing. Still we think the more recent opinions of the court have pretty clearly established principles upon that subject which can be readily applied to most cases requiring the construction of the constitutional provision, and that these recent decisions leave no room to doubt that the statute of Michigan, as interpreted by its supreme court in the present case, is forbidden as a regulation of commerce among the states, the power to make which is withheld from the state.
The whole question has been so fully considered in these decisions, and the cases themselves so carefully reviewed, that it would be doing little more than repeating the language of the arguments used in them to go over the ground again. The cases of State Freight Tax and State Tax on Railway Gross Receipts, which were considered together, and decided at the December term, 1872, and reported in 15 Wall. 232-328, present the points in the case now before us perhaps as clearly as any which have been before this court. A statute of the state of Pennsylvania imposed upon all the railroad corporations doing business within that state, as well as steam-boat companies and others engaged in the carrying trade, a specific tax on each 2,000 pounds of freight carried, graduated according to the articles transported. These were arranged into three classes, on the first of which a tax of two cents per ton was laid, upon the second three cents, and upon the third five cents. The Reading Railroad Company, a party to the suit, in making its report under this statute, divided its freight on which the tax was to be levied into two classes; namely, freight transported between points within the state, and freight which either passed from within the state out of it, or from without the state into it. The supreme court of the state of Pennsylvania decided that all the freight carried, without regard to its destination, was liable to the tax imposed by the statute. This court, however, held that freight carried entirely through the state from without, and the other class of freight brought into the state from without, or carried from within to points without, all came under the description of 'commerce among the states,' within the meaning of the constitution of the United States; and it held also that freight transported from and to points exclusively within the limits of the state was internal commerce, and not commerce among the states. The taxing law of the state was therefore valid as to the latter class of transportation, but with regard to the others it was invalid, because it was interstate commerce, and the state could lay no tax upon it. In that case, which was very thoroughly argued and very fully considered, the case of Crandall v. Nevada, 6 Wall. 35, was cited as showing, in regard to transportation, what was strictly internal commerce of a state and what was interstate commerce. The court said: 'It is not at all material that the tax is levied upon all freight, as well that which is whollyi nternal as that embarked in interstate trade. We are not at this moment inquiring further than whether taxing goods carried because they are carried, is a regulation of carriage. The state may tax its internal commerce; but, if an act to tax interstate or foreign commerce is unconstitutional, it is not cured by including in its provisions subjects within the domain of the state. Nor is a rule prescribed for carriage of goods through, out of, or into a state any the less a regulation of transportation because the same rule may be applied to carriage which is wholly internal. Doubtless a state may regulate its internal commerce as it pleases. If a state chooses to exact conditions for allowing the passage or carriage of persons or freight through it into another state, the nature of the exaction is not changed by adding to it similar conditions for allowing transportation wholly within the state.' In the case of Erie Ry. Co. (a corporation of the state of New York) v. Pennsylvania, decided at the same time, it appeared that the road of that company was constructed for a short distance through a part of the state of Pennsylvania, and that a similar tax was levied upon it for freight carried over its road. This was held to be invalid, for the reasons given in the Case of the Reading Road.
In the other case of State Tax on Railway Gross Receipts, which was also a suit between the Reading Railway Company and the state of Pennsylvania, an act of the legislature of that state was relied on which declared that, 'in addition to the taxes now provided by law, every railroad, canal, and transportation company incorporated under the laws of this commonwealth, and not liable to the tax upon income under existing laws, shall pay to the commonwealth a tax of three-fourths of one percentum upon the gross receipts of said company, and the said tax shall be paid semi-annually upon the first days of July and January, commencing on the first day of July 1866.'
This tax was held to be valid. The grounds upon which it was distinguished from the one in the preceding case upon freight were that, the corporation being a creation of the legislature of Pennsylvania, and holding and enjoying all its franchises under the authority of that state, this was a tax upon the franchises which it derived from the state, and was for that reason within the power of the state, and that, in determining the mode in which the state could tax the franchises which it had conferred, it was not limited to a fixed sum upon the value of them, but it could be graduated by and proportioned to either the value of the privileges granted, or the extent or results of their exercise. 'Very manifestly,' said the court, 'this is a tax upon the railroad company, measured in amount by the extent of its business, or the degree to which its franchise is exercised.' Another reason given for the distinction is that 'the tax is not levied, and, indeed, such a tax cannot be, until the expiration of each half year, and until the money received for freights, and from other sources of income, has actually come into the company's hands. Then it has lost its distinctive character as freight earned, by having become incorporated into the general mass of the company's property. While it must be conceded that a tax upon interstate transportation is invalid, there seems to be no stronger reason for denying the power of a state to tax the fruits of such transportation, after they have become intermingled with the general property of the carrier, than there is for denying her power to tax goods which have been imported, after their original packages have been broken, and after they have been mixed with the mass of personal property in the country. Brown v. Maryland, 12 Wheat. 419.'
The distinction between that case, which is mainly relied upon by the supreme court of Michigan in support of its decree, and the one which we now have before us, is very obvious and is two-fold: First. Thec orporation which was the subject of that taxation was a Pennsylvania corporation having the situs of its business within the state which created it and endowed it with its franchises. Upon these franchises, thus conferred by the state, it was asserted the state had a right to levy a tax. Second. This tax was levied upon money in the treasury of the corporation, upon property within the limits of the state, which had passed beyond the stage of compensation for freight, and had become, like any other property or money, liable to taxation by the state. The case before us has neither of these qualities. The corporation upon which this tax is levied, is not a corporation of the state of Michigan, and has never been organized or acknowledged as a corporation of that state. The money which it received for freight carried within the state probably never was within the state, being paid to the company either at the beginning or the end of its route, and certainly at the time the tax was levied it was neither money nor property of the corporation within the state of Michigan.
The proposition that the states can, by way of a tax upon business transacted within their limits, or upon the franchises of corporations which they have chartered, regulate such business or the affairs of such corporations, has often been set up as a defense to the allegation that the taxation was such an interference with commerce as violated the constitutional provision now under consideration. But where the business so taxed is commerce itself, and is commerce among the states or with foreign nations, the constitutional provision cannot thereby be evaded; nor can the states, by granting franchises to corporations engaged in the business of the transportation of persons or merchandise among them, which is itself interstate commerce, acquire the right to regulate that commerce, either by taxation or in any other way.
This is illustrated in the case of Cook v. Pennsylvania, 97 U. S. 566. The state of Pennsylvania, by her laws, had laid a tax upon the amount of sales of goods made by auctioneers, and had so modified and amended this class of taxes that in the end it remained a discriminating tax upon goods so sold imported from abroad. This court held that the tax which the auctioneer was required to pay into the treasury was a tax upon the goods sold, and, as this tax was three-quarters of 1 per cent. upon foreign drugs, glass, earthen ware, hides, marble-work, and dye-woods, that it was a tax upon the goods so described for the privilege of selling them at auction. The argument was made that this was a tax exclusively upon the business of the auctioneer, which the state had a right to levy. In that case, as in others, is was claimed that the privilege of being an auctioneer, derived from the state by license, was subject to such taxation as the state chose to impose; but the proposition was overruled, and this court held that the tax was a regulation of commerce with foreign nations, and that the fact that it was a tax upon the business of an auctioneer did not relieve it from the objection arising from the constitutional provision.
The same question arose in the case of Gloucester Ferry Co. v. Pennsylvania, 114 U. S. 196, 5 Sup. Ct. Rep. 826. That company was a corporation chartered by the state of New Jersey to run a ferry carrying passengers and freight between the town of Gloucester, in that state, and the city of Philadelphia, in the state of Pennsylvania. It had no property within the state of Pennsylvania, but it leased a landing-place or wharf in that city for its business. The auditor general and treasurer of the state of Pennsylvania assessed a tax upon the capital stock of this corporation under the laws of that state, which the company refused to pay. Its validity was sustained by the state supreme court, and the question was brought to this court by a writ of error. It was insisted that the tax was justified as a tax upon the business of the o rporation, which, it was claimed, was largely transacted in the city of Philadelphia. The supreme court of the state, in giving its decision, stated that the single question presented for consideration was whether the company did business within the state of Pennsylvania within the period for which the taxes were imposed; and it held that it did, because it received and landed passengers and freight at its wharf in the city of Philadelphia. The argument was very much urged in this court that the licensing of ferries across navigable rivers, whether dividing two states or otherwise, had always been within the control of the states; and that this, being a mere tax upon the business of that corporation carried on largely within the state of Pennsylvania, was within the power of that state to regulate. But this court held, after an extensive review of the previous cases, that the business of ferrying across a navigable stream between two states was necessarily commerce among the states, and could not be taxed, as was attempted in that case.
In the case of Pickard v. Pullman Southern Car Co., 117 U. S. 34, 6 Sup. Ct. Rep. 635, (decided at the last term of the court,) it was shown that the legislature of Tennessee had imposed what it called a privilege tax, under the constitution of that state, of $50 per annum upon every sleeping car or coach run or used upon a railroad in that state, not owned by the railroad company so running or using it. This, it will be perceived, is very much like the tax in the case before us, except that it is a specific tax of $50 per annum upon the car, instead of a tax upon the gross receipts arising from the use of the car by its owner. In that case, after an exhaustive review of the previous decisions in this class of cases by Mr. Justice BLATCHFORD, who delivered the opinion of the court, it was held that, as these cars were not property located within the state, it was a tax for the privilege of carrying passengers in that class of cars through the state, which was interstate commerce, and for that reason the tax could not be sustained.
Two cases have been decided at the present term of the court in which these questions have been considered; one of them at least involving the subject now under consideration, namely, that of Robbins v. Taxing District Shelby Co., ante, 592. A statute of that state declared that 'all drummers, and all persons not having a regular licensed house of business in the taxing district, offering for sale or selling goods, wares, or merchandise therein by sample, shall be required to pay to the county trustee the sum of ten dollars per week, or twenty-five dollars per month, for such privilege.' Robbins was prosecuted for a violation of this law, and on the trial it appeared that he was a resident and a citizen of Cincinnati, Ohio, who transacted the business of drumming in the taxing district of Shelby county, that is, soliciting trade by the use of samples, for the firm by which he was employed, whose place of business was in Cincinnati, and all the members of which were residents and citizens of that city. It was argued in that case, as in the others we have just considered, that the state had a right to tax the business of selling by samples goods to be afterwards delivered, and to impose a tax upon the persons called drummers engaged in that business. It was further insisted that, since the license tax applied to persons residing within the state as well as to those who might come from other states to engage in that business, that it was not a tax discriminating against other states, or the products of other states, and was valid as a tax upon that class of business done within the state. The whole subject is reconsidered again in this case by Mr. Justice BRADLEY, who delivered the opinion of the court, in which it is held that the business in which Robbins was engaged, namely, that of selling goods by sample, which were in the state of Ohio at the time, and were to be delivered in the city of Mep his, Tennessee, constituted interstate commerce, and that, so far as this tax was to be imposed upon Robbins for doing that kind of business, it was a tax upon interstate commerce, and therefore not within the power of the state to enforce.
In the case of Wabash Ry. Co. v. Illinois, 118 U. S. 558, 7 Sup. Ct. Rep. 4, the question presented related to a statutory regulation of that state as to compensation for carrying freight. It was held by the supreme court of Illinois to embrace all contracts for transportation by railroad which came into or went out of the state, as well as that which was wholly within its limits; and, although the controversy did not arise in regard to a tax upon interstate commerce, yet the general question was fully considered as to what was interstate commerce, and what was commerce exclusively within the state, and how far the former could be thus regulated by a statute of a state. This court held in that case that no statute of a state in regard to the transportation of goods over railroads within its borders, which was a part of a continuous voyage to or from points outside of that state, and thus properly interstate commerce, could regulate the compensation to be paid for such transportation; that the carriage of passengers or freight between different points is commerce, and, except where that is wholly and exclusively within the limits of a state, it is not subject in its material features to be regulated by the state legislature.
In many other cases,—indeed, in the last three cases mentioned,—the whole subject has been fully examined and considered with all the authorities, and especially decisions of this court relating thereto. The result is so clearly against the statute of Michigan, as applied by its supreme court, that we think the judgment of that court cannot stand. The decree of the supreme court of Michigan is reversed, with directions for further proceedings in accordance with this opinion.


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She's made millions of dollars, achieved world-wide fame and yet, former world number one tennis pro Martina Navratilova likes to spend her days tweeting about politics.
The tennis legend is a self-identified liberal, and two major events affected her politics and how she sees the world. At age 18, she defected from the then-Communist country of Czechoslovakia. She's also an openly gay woman.
"I was political when I came out of the womb, I just didn't know it," says Navratilova.
On the latest DecodeDC podcast, host Jimmy Williams sits down with Navratilova to find out why someone who has enjoyed so much success chooses to enter the political fray.
While she actively engages in politics on both Twitter and real life, don't expect Navratilova to run for office anytime soon. "I know I would be okay as a politician, but maybe my skin is too thin. I would have a really hard time dealing with people that really don't know what they're doing, if they have the power," she explains.
And true to her competitive spirit, Navratilova says she can't be president (because she wasn't born in the U.S.), so what would be the point?
To listen to other DecodeDC podcasts, watch edgy videos and read blog posts about politics, politicians and policy, go to DecodeDC.com. And don't miss a new spin-off podcast titled, TrailMix 2016.

subset: commoncrawl


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For people, being touched can initiate many different reactions from comfort to discomfort, from intimacy to aggression. But how might people react if they were touched by a robot? Would they recoil, or would they take it in stride? In an initial study, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology found people generally had a positive response toward being touched by a robotic nurse, but that their perception of the robot's intent made a significant difference. The research is being presented today at the Human-Robot Interaction conference in Lausanne, Switzerland.
"What we found was that how people perceived the intent of the robot was really important to how they responded. So, even though the robot touched people in the same way, if people thought the robot was doing that to clean them, versus doing that to comfort them, it made a significant difference in the way they responded and whether they found that contact favorable or not," said Charlie Kemp, assistant professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University.
In the study, researchers looked at how people responded when a robotic nurse, known as Cody, touched and wiped a person's forearm. Although Cody touched the subjects in exactly the same way, they reacted more positively when they believed Cody intended to clean their arm versus when they believed Cody intended to comfort them.
These results echo similar studies done with nurses.
"There have been studies of nurses and they've looked at how people respond to physical contact with nurses," said Kemp, who is also an adjunct professor in Georgia Tech's College of Computing. "And they found that, in general, if people interpreted the touch of the nurse as being instrumental, as being important to the task, then people were OK with it. But if people interpreted the touch as being to provide comfort … people were not so comfortable with that."
In addition, Kemp and his research team tested whether people responded more favorably when the robot verbally indicated that it was about to touch them versus touching them without saying anything.
"The results suggest that people preferred when the robot did not actually give them the warning," said Tiffany Chen, doctoral student at Georgia Tech. "We think this might be because they were startled when the robot started speaking, but the results are generally inconclusive."
Since many useful tasks require that a robot touch a person, the team believes that future research should investigate ways to make robot touch more acceptable to people, especially in healthcare. Many important healthcare tasks, such as wound dressing and assisting with hygiene, would require a robotic nurse to touch the patient's body,
"If we want robots to be successful in healthcare, we're going to need to think about how do we make those robots communicate their intention and how do people interpret the intentions of the robot," added Kemp. "And I think people haven't been as focused on that until now. Primarily people have been focused on how can we make the robot safe, how can we make it do its task effectively. But that's not going to be enough if we actually want these robots out there helping people in the real world."
In addition to Kemp and Chen, the research group consists of Andrea Thomaz, assistant professor in Georgia Tech's College of Computing, and postdoctoral fellow Chih-Hung Aaron King.


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Most of the time, when I make things, it's because I like something, but don't want to pay the asking price at a store. Or, maybe I want to give something with meaning to someone.
Well, in this case, I made something because I just could not find what I was looking for. My mother in law had these cute little flowers in a long basket on her sofa table. I don't know where she got it, but after searching and searching, I finally just made my own version. It really ended up looking nothing like hers, but has the same idea in theory. So, thanks Lark, for the inspiration!
I started off with a bread basket from Target. Why use something for its intended purpose? Where's the fun in that?
After my fruitless flowerpot/vase search, I bought the metal buckets from IKEA for $1 each. I filled them with floral foam squares from the dollar store, cut down to fit.
The flowers are from Hobby Lobby- they were $6 each but on sale for $3.
I covered the foam with spanish moss, also from the dollar store.
It works perfectly as a centerpiece on my kitchen table or as an accent on my sofa table. I'm glad I can stop searching for that "perfect" flower arrangement and just enjoy my little flower basket.


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- 3.1 You agree to be bound by, and comply with, these terms and conditions as a direct result of registering on the site.
- 3.2 You agree to comply with all relevant laws relating to your use of the Site and your placement of any order through the Site.
4. Placing an order for products
- 4.1 You may order Products by selecting and submitting your order through the Site in accordance with these terms and conditions.
- 4.2 Any order placed through this Site for a Product is an offer by you to purchase the particular Product for the price notified (including the delivery and other charges and taxes) at the time you place the order.
- 4.3 We may ask you to provide additional details or require you to confirm your details to enable us to process any orders placed through the Site.
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5. Acceptance or rejection of an order
- 5.1 In certain circumstances, we may need to reject your order. This may happen where the requested Product is not available or if there is an error in the price or the product description posted on the Site.
- 5.2 Each order placed for Products through the Site that we accept results in a separate binding agreement between you and us for the supply of those Products. For each order accepted by us, we will: supply the Products in that order to you in accordance with these terms and conditions; and provide you with an email confirmation of that order.
- 5.3 If we reject an order placed through the Site, then we will endeavour to notify you of that rejection at the time you place the order or within a reasonable time after you submit your order.
6. Back orders
- 6.1 If we determine that we do not have a particular Product in your order in stock, then we will use reasonable endeavours for 30 days to order the relevant Product ("Back Ordered Products"). In this instance, we will notify you of the relevant Back Ordered Products and the anticipated delivery date.
- 6.2 If you do not wish to wait for the back ordered product and instead cancel the order please ring us on 0800 549 429. We will refund any money you have paid for the product.
- 6.3 If we are not able to procure the product within 30 days we will contact you and let you know the options which could include a refund or if we are able to source the product at a different price, give you the option of purchasing at the different price.
7. Delivery of products
- 7.1 We will only deliver Products ordered through the Site to a location where we provide delivery services.
- 7.2 You may obtain further information on the Site about our delivery timeframes and how we deliver certain Products. The Delivery Fee for your order depends on the type of Product you order (in particular, the size and weight of the Product).
- 7.3 You agree to comply with certain delivery requirements specified below and such other requirements that we notify you when you place your order through the Site.
- 7.4 We also recommend that you be present to accept the delivery of your order if you have paid by credit card.
- 7.5 We may require the person accepting the delivery of your order to: provide us with proof of that person's identity (including photographic identification) and, where relevant, age. If the order has been paid by credit card, then we may also ask you to show us the credit card for us to conduct our verification checks.
- 7.6 If there is no one or no appropriate person at the Delivery Address to receive the order or, if you are required to be present at the time of delivery and you are not present at that time, then we will not deliver the Products you have ordered. In this instance, we will endeavour to contact you or you may contact us to arrange for delivery at a different time, and we may charge you an additional Delivery Fee for that replacement delivery.
8. Risk and title
- 8.1 Risk and title to the Products passes to you on the date and time of delivery to the Delivery Address.
9. Cancelling an order
- 9.1 We may cancel any part of an order (including any orders that we have accepted) without any liability to you for that cancellation at any time if: the Products in that order are not available; or there is an error in the price or the product description posted on the Site for the Product in that order; or that we reasonably believe your order has been placed in breach of these terms and conditions.
- 9.2 If we do so, then we will endeavour to provide you with reasonable notice of that cancellation, and will not charge you for the cancelled order.
- 9.3 You may cancel an order (whether it is accepted by us or not) by contacting Customer Service during Contact Hours at any time prior to the dispatch of that order. Once the order has been dispatched for delivery to you, then you may return the relevant Products in accordance with these terms and conditions.
10. Fees and charges
- 10.1 We will charge you, and you agree to pay, the purchase price of each Product that is ordered, the delivery fee for your order that we notify to you when you place your order ("Delivery Fee") and any other fees and charges set out in these terms and conditions.
- 10.2 All fees and charges identified in these terms and conditions and all prices for the Products include GST where applicable.
- 10.3 The purchase price of each Product is shown on the product list on the Site at the time you place your order.
- 10.4 Prices for Products change from time to time and we do not provide any notice of these changes. Subject to these terms and conditions (and in particular, our Back Order Policy), once we have accepted your order, we will not change any prices that apply to the Products in that order.
- 10.5 If you cancel an order then: we will refund any amounts paid by you for that cancelled order; we will not refund the Delivery Fees where the Products in your cancelled order have been dispatched for delivery. Refunds for delivered products become subject to our returns policy (Section 12).
11. Payment
11.1 You may pay the fees and charges for an accepted order using the following payment methods (note: the name that will appear on your credit card statement will be Kiwi Cylinder Heads Ltd):
- Credit Card (Visa or MasterCard);
- Direct Deposit as set out below.
- 11.2 If we are unable to successfully process your credit card payment for your order that is accepted by us, then we may cancel your order.
- 11.3 If you have chosen to use direct deposit to pay the fees and charges for the order that has been accepted by us, details of our account details will be provided in our checkout process regarding where and how the fees and charges need to be deposited.
- 11.4 Once you have deposited the amount for the fees and charges for your order, then you will then need to contact Customer Service to complete the payment process. We ask that you provide us with the details of the order, the date deposited, the amount deposited, the customer number and the email address of your account to enable us to apply the direct deposit to your order that we accept. If you wish to use this payment method, you must allow at least 48 hours for confirmation of your payment. If you do not deposit the relevant amount for your order into our nominated account within 5 business days of the date of the order, then we will contact you. If you notify us at that time that you have not deposited the relevant amount for your order, then we can at your request cancel the order or agree other arrangements. We may however, need to cancel your order if we cannot agree other arrangements.
- 11.5 If we have previously agreed that you are a business customer that may obtain Products from us on a deferred payment basis, then we will invoice you the fees and charges for the Products you have ordered. You must pay us the fees and charges in accordance with these terms and conditions.
- 11.6 If you choose to pay by credit card, you authorise us to debit the amount that is payable for an accepted order from your nominated credit card.
- 11.7 You must not pay, or attempt to pay, for Products through any fraudulent or unlawful means.
- 11.8 We will provide you with a receipt at time of delivery which specifies the total fees and charges for the Products in the order.
11.1 You may pay the fees and charges for an accepted order using the following payment methods (note: the name that will appear on your credit card statement will be Kiwi Cylinder Heads Ltd):
12. Damaged Products and returns
- 12.1 You must check any Product delivered to you to determine if it is damaged. If a Product is damaged on delivery, then you should refuse to take receipt of that Product. If you subsequently discover damage contact us through our Customer Service on 0800 549 429 to resolve the problem.
- 12.2 If you wish to return a Product that is not damaged and that was provided to you under these terms and conditions, then you may return that Product for a refund at the sole discretion of Kiwi Cylinder Heads.
- 12.3 You must provide us with a copy of the invoice we issued to you for your order to make a claim under this clause. If you fail to do so, then we may not provide you with a refund.
- 12.4 We will not refund the Delivery Fee where the Products have been delivered to you, unless you are returning the Product because it was damaged.
13. Liability
- 13.1 Subject to clause 13.3, we exclude all implied terms and warranties whether statutory or otherwise, relating to the Site or the subject matter of this agreement. You acknowledge that the Site is provided "as is" and that we do not make any warranty or representation as to the suitability of the Site or a Product for any purpose.
- 13.2 Subject to clause 13.3, we will not be liable to you for indirect and consequential loss (including without limitation for loss of revenue, loss of profits, failure to realise expected profits or savings and any other commercial or economic loss of any kind) or loss or corruption of data, in contract, tort, under any statute or otherwise (including negligence) arising from or connected to this agreement.
- 13.3 Where any law implies in this agreement any term, and that law voids or prohibits provisions which exclude or modify the operation of such term, then the term is taken to be included in this agreement. However, our liability for breach of such term will be, if permitted by law, limited to one of the following remedies (at our option): in the case of services: the resupply of the services; or the payment of the cost of resupply; and in the case of goods: the replacement of the goods, the supply of equivalent goods, the repair of the goods; the payment of the cost of replacing the goods (or of acquiring equivalent goods), or the payment of the cost of having the goods repaired.
- 13.4 Our liability to you for loss or damage of any kind arising out of this agreement or in connection with the relationship established by it is reduced to the extent (if any) that you cause or contribute to the loss or damage. This reduction applies whether our liability is in contract, tort (including negligence), under any statute or otherwise.
- 13.5 Nothing in these terms and conditions is intended to limit or exclude any liability that cannot be excluded by law.
14. Termination
- 14.1 We may immediately suspend, terminate or limit your access to and use of the Site and (where relevant) your account if you breach these terms and conditions and: the breach cannot be remedied; or you fail to the remedy the breach within 10 days of our notice to you of that breach; or if there is an emergency.
- 14.2 We may stop making the Site (or any part of it) available without prior notice. If so, any orders that we have accepted will not be affected by this unless the Products that have been ordered are no longer available or we are prevented from supplying the Products, in which case, we will notify you and will refund to you all valid payments received by us for those Products.
15. Changes to these terms and conditions
- 15.1 For future orders, these terms may be different and so we recommend that you read these terms carefully each time you agree to them during the ordering process.
- 15.2 We will not change any terms and conditions for an existing order that has been accepted by us, the terms and conditions that will apply to the order, are the terms and conditions that applied at the time you placed your order.
16. Privacy policy
- 16.1 We respect your privacy. We collect, hold, use and disclose your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1993.
- 16.2 We will collect your personal information through your use of the Site or through your personal contact with us. In using www.cylinderheads.co.nz you agree for us to collect, hold, use and disclose your personal information in ways we consider appropriate namely: for the purpose of and incidental to providing our products and services to you in a secure way. This includes
processing your registration application;
assessing your credit-worthiness;
undertaking any dealings or transactions with you;
processing and delivery of your order(s)
enforcing any legal or other rights we may have against you in any manner that we see fit; and
sending you any advertising or promotional material
uses and disclosures which we require to operate the Site; and with, to and from third parties who provide services to us in relation to online shopping. These may include mailing houses, call centres, gateway providers, delivery service providers and organisations that assist us to check for or prevent unauthorised or fraudulent transactions.for other purposes to which you consent to (either express or inferred consent).
- 16.3 We may transfer your personal information to others in countries outside New Zealand. We will only do this within the scope of clause 16.2.
- 16.4 You may access your personal information, by logging into your registered account or by contacting us. Any personal information supplied will be retained by us until such time as you remove it or request that the information be removed.
- 16.5 If sufficient personal information is not supplied, or is not satisfactory to us, then we reserve the right to refuse to accept the person's application to register to use www.cylinderheads.co.nz
- 16.6 While we endeavour to keep your personal information collected secure and confidential, we shall not be responsible for any breach of security caused by third parties, nor do we represent that www.cylinderheads.co.nz is completely secure.
17. General
- 17.1 If the whole or any part of a provision of this agreement is void, unenforceable or illegal in a jurisdiction it is severed for that jurisdiction. The remainder of this agreement has full force and effect and the validity or enforceability of that provision in any other jurisdiction is not affected. This clause has no effect if the severance alters the basic nature of this agreement or is contrary to public policy.
- 17.2 The Site may contain links to external websites that are not operated by us or our related bodies corporate. These links are provided for your convenience only and we make no representations or warranties, or have any responsibility or liability for those websites; and these links do not indicate, expressly or impliedly, that we endorse the site or the products or services that are provided at those sites.
- 17.3 This agreement is governed by the laws of New Zealand. Each party submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of that place.
18. Definitions
Capitalised terms used are defined in these terms and conditions. In these terms:
- Contact Hours means 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday (Auckland Time).
- Delivery Address means the address specified by you during the customer registration process for the delivery of Products that we will supply to you under these terms and conditions.
- GST has the meaning it has in the Goods and Services Tax Act 1985.
- LoginID means the email address that you provided to us as part of the registration process to use the Site.
- Product means each good or service that is advertised on the Site.
Capitalised terms used are defined in these terms and conditions. In these terms:
All prices are shown in NZ Dollars.


text:
In every child's life there comes a time when childhood fantasies are shattered and he or she is forced to accept reality - there is no Santa Claus or tooth fairy; parents don't always mean it when they promise to stay married until parted by death.
Grown-up scientists, theologians, historians, archaeologists and others who pursue facts and objective truths are rooted in reality and constantly adjusting their conclusions, theories and hypotheses when new information comes to light. Those who ignore facts and cling to outdated information, or outright falsehoods, can quickly embrace fanaticism.
So it is with "global warming," the secular religion of our day that even has a good number of adherents among people of faith. Having decided to focus less on the eternal and whether anyone dwells there, global warming fundamentalists are pushing planet worship on us in a manner that would make a jihadist proud.
There are at least two characteristics all fundamentalists share. One is the exclusion and sometimes suppression of any and all information that challenges or contradicts the belief one wishes to impose on all. The other is the use of the state in pursuit of their objectives, overriding the majority's will.
With global warming, some members of the scientific community - not all of whom are climatologists, who disagree among themselves - have circled the wagons, denying access and labeling illegitimate any scientist who disagrees with the "doctrines" of a recently warming planet. The big media have been complicit in this censorship or ridicule of alternative views, mostly refusing to interview anyone who does not push the global warming faith. CBS News this week broadcast a four-part series on "climate change." Newsweek magazine recently slammed global warming "deniers." That brought a counterattack in the Aug. 20 issue from Newsweek contributor Robert Samuelson, who termed the article "highly contrived" and "fundamentally misleading." In 1975, Newsweek was just as convinced - using "scientific evidence" - that a new Ice Age was upon us.
Many global warming fanatics have pointed to NASA as proof that their concerns about a warming planet are justified. They have repeatedly cited the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), whose director, James Hansen, has asserted that nine of the 10 warmest years in history have occurred since 1995, with 1998 the warmest. When NASA was confronted with evidence provided by Climate Audit, a blog run by Stephen McIntyre devoted to auditing the statistical methods and data used in historical reconstructions of past climate data, it reversed itself. Without the fanfare used to hype the global warming fanaticism it had earlier supported, NASA now says four of the top 10 years of high temperatures are from the 1930s. Several previously selected "warm" years - 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2004 - fell behind 1900.
GISS now says its previous claim that 1998 was the warmest year in American history is no longer valid. The warmest year was 1934.
Has any of this new information changed the minds of the global warming fundamentalists? Nope. Neither has much of it seen the light of day in the mainstream media, which continue to carry stories where seldom is heard an alternative word and the skies are polluted all day.
The New York Times ran a story in its Sunday Business section last week that said it would cost a lot of money to fight global warming. The implication being that this money should come from government (and taxpayers), along with more government regulations and control over our lives by the very people who seem to have difficulty winning wars and controlling spending.
The Earth has warmed and cooled over many centuries. One can get a sense of who is telling the truth about global warming by the company the concept keeps. Most of the disciples of global warming are liberal Democrats who never have enough of our money and believe there are never enough regulations concerning the way we lead our lives. That ought to be enough to give everyone pause, along with emerging evidence that the global warming jihadists may be more full of hot air than the climate they claim is about to burn us up.


text:
(H/T: JWF) Rep. Nadler is apparently quite upset that the cops cleared out the fetid, disease-ridden plague pit that had replaced what was once (and is now becoming again) a decent enough public-private urban park in lower Manhattan: he's insisting – insisting! – that the Attorney General take time out from Holder's current busy schedule* to investigate the cops for 'misconduct.' It would seem that Nadler feels that the Occupiers' propensity for incessant drum circles, rampant drug use, rape coverups, and of course defecating on police cars should all fall under the category of "First Amendment rights" – and that the cops should take seriously the complaints of a bunch of illegal squatters with Mommy/Daddy issues in Nadler's district than they should the complaints of actual residents and taxpayers of said district.
I politely – politely! – would like to suggest to said residents and taxpayers that it may be time for a switch in, shall we say, point of view? And while normally I'd just settle for suggesting that NY-08 Democrats toss out Nadler in their primary and replace him with someone more sensible, in this case I'd have to ask: how would you know that the new Democrat would be any smarter about keeping the Occupy movement at arm's length, and in compliance with NYC's various health and legal codes? – Because I'll tell you this: we're going to run a Republican in NY-08 next year, and he or she is not going to be a supporter of Occupy Wall Street. We in the GOP have this thing about humans leaving excrement in the street, you see: we're against it.
Just tossing that out there.
Moe Lane (crosspost)
*True, these days I believe that said busy schedule largely consists of Holder shredding all documents relating to the Obama administration's impromptu arms dealing with Mexican drug gangs. Which is worse that you thought. Much worse.


text:
Severe Weather
When severe weather conditions become apparent, the National Weather Service describes conditions with two (2) classifications, a "Watch" or a "Warning." This applies to the reporting of severe thunderstorms, the approach of weather conditions favoring the formation of tornadoes, a hurricane condition, a winter storm condition, etc.
A Watch means that conditions are favorable for the development of severe weather in and along the boundaries of the Watch Area. A Watch Area is generally determined by the specific counties or geographical area.
A Warning means that severe weather is occurring or that severe weather is imminent and that immediate steps should be taken to safeguard life and property.
Except in very rare circumstances, the decision to evacuate the building based on the above weather reports will not be made by property management, but rather by each tenant in accordance with their own emergency evacuation plan. However, in the event these conditions do exist, the following guidelines should be kept in mind:
- Move away from outside windows. If the windows in your offices are supplied with blinds, close the blinds (this will provide protection from broken glass).
- Do not panic.
- If evacuated, lock all desk drawers and take all items of value with you.
- If evacuated, use a route that is in the building interior and stay away from large expanses of glass and windows.
- Use the stairwells rather than the elevators.
- If evacuated, do not return to your office until advised to do so.


text:
Lauren Rauscher (HDEV) Earns Distinguished Faculty Award
July 17, 2013Since becoming a faculty advisor in the Human Development Department in 2008, the number of students Lauren Rauscher advises has grown considerably, from 376 students to 632.
Despite the significant increase in the number of majors, she makes it a priority to get to know students both academically and personally so she can best help them achieve success and be a mentor they can trust. She works diligently to accommodate students' schedules, ensuring there is plenty of time for them to discuss concerns and create plans for success. She meets with students individually, in weekly new majors sessions and during walk-in advising hours.
Social, economic, and cultural factors shape student experiences, and being attentive to the barriers and opportunities they present for students is key for successful advising. More than 50 percent of students at CSULB require remediation in math, English or both; an overwhelming number (more than 90 percent) combine paid work with school; a significant number are first-generation college students; and many struggle with depression and anxiety.
"Conversations with many students in our department reveal that our students face public transportation issues to get to campus, some taking three buses each way from home to school," said Rauscher. "Others are responsible for juggling significant family responsibilities while they move toward degree completion—caring for their own children, their siblings, their parents, and/or holding multiple jobs so that they can contribute financially at home."
Rauscher has learned that other students are homeless and live out of their cars. And, given that the human development major is 95 percent young women, she frequently talks with students about their experiences with sexual assault and stress between gendered and cultural expectations of them and their own aspirations. These structural and cultural constraints have a significant impact on the path to degree completion and post-graduate plans. Rauscher strives to create open spaces for students to talk about these issues, create student-specific plans for success, and connect them with additional resources on campus for support, if needed.
She serves on students' theses committees and often meets with students informally to discuss graduate school and their professional goals. Since becoming an advisor, she has written more than 200 letters of recommendation for graduate school, academic awards, scholarships and study abroad opportunities.
When not on campus, Rauscher serves as chair of the board of directors for Girls on the Run of Los Angeles County, a sports-based positive youth development program designed to educate and prepare preteen girls for self-respect and healthy living. To date, more than 30 CSULB students have participated in Girls on the Run as mentors, research assistants and interns.
Adapted from Inside CSULB's larger piece "Rauscher, Speirs Ali, Shon Earn Distinguished Faculty Awards."
Photo: Lauren Rauscher (c) with College of Liberal Arts' Dean David Wallace and CSULB Interim President Donald Para


text:
by Amy Wolf
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: April 11th 2017
Red Empress Publishing
Summary from Goodreads:
Mattie Sharpe—seventeen and bored in L.A. —is getting into trouble. She gets into even more when she's whisked to Cavernis, a world teeming with dragons. But these are dragons as you've never seen them: they are fussy gourmets; work as lawyers & CPA's; and attend their school ASH, where they take classes like TNS ("Tails, Nails & Scales").
Reuniting with her childhood friend, Mattie learns why she's been brought there, and even heads ASH's rowing team, Skull & Bones. She learns how to be a knight from the mysterious Eli, a small mute dragon…or is he?
Amy Wolf has published 38 short stories, including two in Realms Of Fantasy, and one in Interzone. Her memoir, Don't Let Me Die In A Motel 6, is a humorous account of her years after the Great Recession (and is available on Kindle).
Amy started her career working for the Hollywood film studios, where she was a script writer/reader. She is currently a refugee from Los Angeles living in Seattle.
Author Links:


text: You can find an index of all the GURPS bibliographies we have online here. If you spot any broken links or other problems with this page, please report them to email@example.com. Bibliography for GURPS ReligionDictionariesCooper, J.C., The Aquarian Dictionary of Festivals (Aquarian Press, 1990). Cotterell, Arthur, A Dictionary of World Mythology (Oxford Press University, 1986). Crim, Keith (ed.), The Perennial Dictionary of World Religions (Harper & Row, 1989). Eliade, Mircea and Ioan P. Couliano with Hillary S. Wiesner, The Eliade Guide to World Religions (HarperSanFrancisco, 1991). Evans, Ivor H. (ed.), Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 1989). Farmer, David Hugh, The Oxford Dictionary of Saints (Oxford University Press, 1987). Leach, Maria (ed.) and Jerome Fried (ed.), Funk & Wagnall's Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend (Harper & Row, 1984). Lurker, Manfred, Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses, Devils and Demons (Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1987). Monaghan, Patricia, The Book of Goddesses and Heroines (Llewellyn, 1990). Opie, Iona (ed.) and Moira Tatem (ed.), A Dictionary of Superstitions (Oxford University Press, 1989). Walker, Barbara G., The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets (Harper & Row, 1983). Walker, Barbara G., The Woman's Dictionary of Symbols and Sacred Objects (Harper & Row, 1988). General StudiesAdams, Doug (ed.) and Diane Apostolos-Cappadona (ed.), Dance as Religious Studies (Crossroad, 1990). Bancroft, Anne, Origins of the Sacred (Penguin, 1987). Campbell, Joseph, The Masks of God: Primitive Mythology (Penguin, 1969). Campbell, Joseph, Transformations of Myth Through Time (Perennial, 1990). Campbell, Joseph, with Bill Moyers, The Power of Myth (Doubleday, 1988). Eliade, Mircea (tr. Willard R. Trask), A History of Religious Ideas (University of Chicago Press, 1978). Eliade, Mircea (tr. Willard R. Trask), Shamanism – Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy (Princeton/Bollingen, 1974). Fields, Rick, The Code of the Warrior in History, Myth and Everyday Life (HarperPerennial, 1991). Goodrich, Norma Lorre, Priestesses (HarperPerennial, 1990). Henderson, Joseph L. and Maud Oakes, The Wisdom of the Serpent: The Myths of Death, Rebirth and Resurrection (Princeton University Press, 1990). Morris, Brian, Anthropological Studies of Religion – An Introductory Text (Cambridge University Press, 1987). Norman, Dorothy, The Hero – Myth/Image/Symbol (Anchor Books, 1990). Parrinder, Geoffrey (ed.), World Religions From Ancient History to the Present (Hamlyn/Newnes, 1985). Stewart, R.J., Prophecy (Element Books, 1990). Von Franz, Marie-Louise, Patterns of Creativity Mirrored in Creation Myths (Spring Publications, 1986). Eastern and AsianAgency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese Religion – A Survey (Kodansha International, 1981). Campbell, Joseph, The Masks of God – Oriental Mythology (Penguin, 1976). Danielou, Alain, The Myths and Gods of India (Inner Traditions, 1985) Hopkins, Thomas J., The Hindu Religious Tradition (Wadsworth, 1971). Kinsley, David, Hindu Goddesses – Visions of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Tradition (University of California Press, 1988). Koller, John M., Oriental Philosophies (Scribner, 1970). Lao Tzu (tr. Victor H. Mair), Tao Te Ching – The Classic Book of Integrity and The Way (Bantam, 1990). Ross, Nancy Wilson, Three Ways of Asian Wisdom (Simon & Shuster, 1966). Wing-Tsit Chan (tr.), A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy (Princeton University Press, 1969). WesternBaldwin, Marshall W., The Mediaeval Church (Cornell University Press, 1968). Bulfinch, Thomas, Myths of Greece and Rome (Penguin, 1979). Campbell, Joseph, The Masks of God – Occidental Mythology (Penguin, 1976). Clebsch, William A., Christianity in European History (Oxford University Press, 1979). Farah, Caesar, Islam (Barron's, 1987). Finkelstein, Louis (ed.), The Jews – Their History (Schocken Books, 1974). Finkelstein, Louis (ed.), The Jews – Their Religion and Culture (Schocken Books, 1973). Kraemer, Ross S. (ed.), Maenads, Martyrs, Matrons, Monastics – A Sourcebook on Women's Religions in the Greco-Roman World (Fortress Press, 1988). McManners, John (ed.), Oxford Illustrated History of Christianity (Oxford University Press, 1990). White Jr., Lynn, Medieval Religion and Technology (University of California Press, 1986). OtherBierhorst, John, The Mythology of North America (Quill William Morrow, 1985). Budapest, Zsuzsanna, The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries (Wingbow Press, 1989). (Wiccan) Carr-Gomm, Philip, The Druid Tradition (Element Books, 1991). Frazer, J.G., The Golden Bough – A Study in Magic and Religion (Papermac, 1987). Matthews, Caitlin, The Celtic Tradition (Element Books, 1989). Matthews, John, The Celtic Shaman (Element Books, 1991). Mooney, James, The Ghost-Dance Religion and Wounded Knee (Dover, 1973). Nichols, Ross, The Book of Druidry (Aquarian/Thorsons, 1990). Shafer, Byron E. (ed.), Religion in Ancient Egypt (Cornell University Press, 1991). Schele, Linda and David Freidel, A Forest of Kings – The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya (Quill William Morrow, 1990). Starhawk, Spiral Dance – A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess (Harper & Row, 1989). Tyson, Donald, Rune Magic (Llewllyn, 1989). Specific MythologiesAddiss, Stephen (ed.), Japanese Ghosts and Demons (Spencer Museum, 1985). Berndt, Ronald M. and Catherine H., The Speaking Land – Myth and Story in Aboriginal Australia (Penguin, 1989). Bosley, Keith (tr.), The Kalevala (Oxford University Press, 1989). Translation of the Finnish epic. Branston, Brian, Gods and Heroes from Viking Mythology (Schocken, 1982). Burland, Cottie, North American Indian Mythology (Peter Bedrick Books, 1991). Dalley, Stephanie (tr.), Myths from Mesopotamia (Oxford University Press, 1989). Evans, Cheryl and Anne Millard, Usborne Illustrated Guide to Norse Myths and Legends (Usborne, 1986). Gantz, Jeffrey (tr.), Early Irish Myths and Sagas (Penguin, 1981). Gantz, Jeffrey (tr.), The Mabinogion (Penguin, 1976). Translation of the Welsh epic. Graves, Robert and Raphael Patai, Hebrew Myths – The Book of Genesis (Arena, 1989). Husain, Shahrukh, Demons, Gods and Holy Men from Indian Myths and Legends (Douglas & McIntyre, 1987). MacCana, Proinsais, Celtic Mythology (Hamlyn, 1973). McAlpine, Helen and William, Japanese Tales and Legends (Oxford University Press, 1958). Narayan, R.K., Gods, Demons, and Others (Bantam, 1986). (Collection of information from the Hindu mythos) Piggott, Juliet, Japanese Mythology (Hamlyn, 1969). Roberts, Moss (ed. and tr.), Chinese Fairy Tales and Fantasies (Pantheon Books, 1979). Ross, Anne and Don Robins, Life and Death of a Druid Prince – The Story of an Archeological Sensation (Rider, 1989). Simpson, Jacqueline (ed. and tr.), Scandinavian Folktales (Penguin, 1988). Tyler, Royall (ed. and tr.), Japanese Tales (Pantheon Books, 1987). Waters, Frank, The Book of the Hopi (Viking Penguin, 1963). Fiction BooksHistorical FantasyForde, R.A., Wisewoman (NEL Hodder & Stoughton, 1988). Christian/Celtic conflict. Tarr, Judith, Alamut (Doubleday, 1989). Crusades, religious conflict, magic. Tarr, Judith, Ars Magica (Bantam Spectra, 1989). Intra-church conflict, magic. Tarr, Judith, The Dagger and the Cross (Doubleday, 1991). Crusades, religious conflict, magic. Alternative Historical FantasyBall, Margaret, Changeweaver (Baen, 1993). Pseudo-Indian magical earth-religion. Ball, Margaret, Flameweaver (Baen, 1991). Pseudo-Indian magical earth-religion. Baudino, Gael, Strands of Starlight (Roc Penguin, 1989). Church vs. magic. Bradley, Marion Zimmer, Mists of Avalon (Knopf, 1982). Christian/Celtic cultural and religious conflict, magic. Carl, Lillian Steward, Sabazel (Ace, 1985). Warring cultures/religions, avatars. Carl, Lillian Steward, Shadow Dancers (Ace, 1987). Warring religions, gods and avatars. Carl, Lillian Steward, The Winter King (Ace, 1986). Warring cultures and religions. Kurtz, Katherine, The Deryni series (Del Rey, 1970-1993). Religious magic, church vs. state, church vs. magic. Kurtz, Katherine, Knights of the Blood (Roc Penguin, 1993). Cursed knights, church vs. magic. Kurtz, Katherine, Lammas Night (Ballantine, 1983). World War II, magic vs. technology, good vs. evil. FantasyEddings, David, The Elenium series (Del Rey, 1989-1991). Questing knightly orders; church vs. magic. Hodgell, P.C., God Stalk (Berkley, 1982). Polytheism, inter-church conflict. Huff, Tanya, Child of the Grove (DAW, 1988). Interfering gods, divine magic. Huff, Tanya, The Last Wizard (DAW, 1989). Divine magic, apotheosis. Lee, Tanith, Tales from the Flat Earth (DAW, 1978-1987). Meddling gods and demons. Leiber, Fritz, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser series (Ace, 1970-1979). Meddling gods, divine champions, magic. Lovecraft, H. P., The Shunned House (1928), The Shadow Over Innsmouth (1936), The Outsider and Others (1939), Beyond the Wall of Sleep (1943), The Dunwich Horror (1945), The Shuttered Room (1959), The Dark Brotherhood (1966). Lovecraft is responsible for the Cthulhu cycle. Gods from beyond, destructive forces, and things-we-were-not-meant-to-know. Moon, Elizabeth, The Paksenarrion series (Baen, 1988-1989). Inter-church conflict, good vs. evil, divine magic, holy knights. Moorcock, Michael, Eternal Champion series (various publishers, 1967-present). Law vs. chaos, divine magic, avatars, meddling gods, fated champions. Paxson, Diana L., The Westria series (Pocket/Tor 1982-1990). Magical earth religions. Reichert, Mickey Zucker, The Last of the Renshai series (DAW, 1992-1994). Norse mythos, fated champions, meddling gods, divine magic, demigods. Sagara, Michelle, Books of the Sundered series (Del Rey, 1991-1994). Divine magic, light vs. dark, fated champions, inter-church conflict. Severance, Carol, Island Warrior series (Ballantine, 1992-1993). Divine magic, avatars, cultic conflicts. Smith, Julie Dean, Caithan Crusade series (Del Rey, 1990-1992). Church vs. magic. Yolen, Jane, Sister Light, Sister Dark (Tor, 1988). Prophecy and exegesis, religious conflict, change over time. Urban FantasyHambly, Barbara, The Darwath Trilogy (Del Rey, 1982-1983). Church vs. magic; church vs. state. Hambly, Barbara, The Silent Tower (Del Rey, 1986). Church vs. magic vs. technology. Hambly, Barbara, The Silicon Mage (Del Rey, 1988). Church vs. magic vs. technology. Hambly, Barbara, The Sun-Cross Trilogy (Del Rey, 1991-1992) Church vs. magic, church vs. state, magic vs. technology. Huff, Tanya, Gate of Darkness, Circle of Light (DAW, 1989). Light vs. dark, avatars. Kurtz, Katherine, and Deborah Harris, The Adept series (Ace, 1991-1993). Secret religious/magical orders. Lackey, Mercedes, Diana Tregarde series (DAW, 1989-1991). Neopaganism, magic. Paxson, Diana L., Brisingamen (Berkley, 1984). Divine magic, Norse mythos, neopaganism. Science FictionAtwood, Margaret, The Handmaid's Tale (Bantam Seal, 1985). Orwellian theocracy. Cherryh, C.J., Wave Without a Shore (DAW, 1981). Existentialism. Cherryh, C.J., ed., Merovingen Nights series (DAW, 1987-1989). Political-religious factions on another planet. Gentle, Mary, Golden Witchbreed (Arrow, 1983). Religious culture clash, church vs. tech. Heinlein, Robert A., The Day After Tomorrow (Signet, 1949). Constructed religions. Originally published as Sixth Column. Herbert, Frank, The Dune series (Berkley, 1965-1976). Religion vs. technology, church vs. state. Messianic movement. Kingsbury, Donald, Courtship Rite (Pocket, 1982). Intra-church and cultural conflict. Lichtenberg, Jacqueline and Jean Lorrah, Sime/Gen series (DAW, 1978-1986). Post-holocaust society, mutants, merged and fractured religions. Vinge, Joan, The Snow Queen (Dell, 1980). Constructed religion, church vs. state. Game ProductsBarker, M.A.R., Empire of the Petal Throne (TSR). Wonderfully detailed world of Tekumel, with intricate religions. Laws, Robin D., GURPS Fantasy II – The Mad Lands (Steve Jackson Games, 1992). Weird maltheism – the gods are evil, or simply chaotic, and are avoided, not worshipped. Schroeck, Robert M., GURPS Werewolf: The Apocalypse (Steve Jackson Games, 1993). Rich use of symbol and ceremony. FilmographyThis is a very subjective list. Undoubtedly, some of your favorites have been omitted. All but one or two of these movies are available on video. Agnes of God (1985). Mystery set in a convent, interesting because of the clash between Jane Fonda's ultra-rational psychiatrist and Anne Bancroft as the Mother Superior defending the faith. Angel Heart (1987). Mysterious Robert De Niro launches two-bit detective Mickey Rourke at the beginning of a twisted "deal-with-the-devil" plot. Black Robe (1991). Jesuit attempts to convert natives of 17th-century Canada. Lots of culture clash; very historically accurate. Clash of the Titans (1981). Greek mythology brought to life, with nifty effects from Ray Harryhausen. Not very true to the classics, but good inspiration for a campaign where the gods meddle in mortals' daily affairs. The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965). The story of Christ, with Max von Sydow in the title role (he later played the Devil in Needful Things, proof of the ultimate in acting range). Length varies with edition. Jesus Christ Superstar (1973). Webber-Rice rock opera brought to the screen, with a few very odd visuals (why is Judas being chased by a tank?). Jesus of Montreal (1989) Modern-day Passion-play interpretation with lots of different viewpoints; historical and archeological references are very accurate. Joan of Arcadia (2003-2005). A teenage girl encounters God in a variety of human forms. The Last Temptation of Christ (1988). Many protesters hated this adaptation of a Greek novel because it presented a Christ who had doubts about his mission. Leap of Faith (1992). Overlooked great film, with Steve Martin as a con man masquerading as a faith healer. Interesting insights into the nature (and power) of faith. Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979). This movie – possibly Monty Python's best – offended lots of folks, most of whom hadn't seen it. Incredibly funny, and much more of a political satire than any sort of blasphemy. Name of the Rose (1986). Sean Connery struggles with lots of religious infighting in this medieval murder mystery. Oh, God! (1977). George Burns is the Big Guy Himself; John Denver is the meek grocer chosen to be his modern-day prophet. Much better than it had any right to be. The Rapture (1993). Mimi Rogers is amazing as a woman who fills her empty life with fundamentalism, only to fail the test on the Last Day. Watch for a cameo from the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The Seventh Sign (1988). Pregnant Demi Moore believes the Apocalypse is at hand, and that her boarder wants her baby for an end-of-the-world plot. The Ten Commandments (1956). Cecil B. DeMille's epic story of Moses and the Exodus from Egypt. Worth watching for the parting of the Red Sea alone (bearing in mind that it was accomplished without CGI). The Wicker Man (1973). Edward Woodward is perfect as a pious Scottish police sergeant investigating a disappearance on a small island. The evidence of paganism shocks him more and more. Look for the 103-minute version. Wings of Desire (1988). Two angels wander around West Berlin and muse on what it would be like to be human. | |


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2Q Profit Up at Jos. A. Bank
Hampstead, Md., Jos. A Bank Clothiers Inc. said that second-quarter profits rose 56% on strong sales. The men's apparel retailer beat Wall Street estimates and raised its outlook for the year.
The company said quarterly net income grew to $5.3 million, or 37? per share, from $3.4 million, or 24? per share, a year ago. Revenue rose 20% to $98.6 million from $82 million last year as same-store sales rose 4.9%. Internet sales increased 23.4% from a year ago.


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Browse our extensive range of quality clamps and vices. We have everything you need, from bench clamps and hand vices through to PCB vices and clamps. Need a replacement jaw or some new clamping fingers? Why not browse our range of vice and clamp accessories.
Clamps, occasionally known as cramps, are used as a way to quickly secure objects, usually in construction or woodworking, often using a bar to fix the objects in place, clamps are often used for oddly shaped workpieces. There are many types of clamps used for industrial, domestic or medical purposes including:
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We also stock a wide array of vice accessories such as vice jaws and clamp fingers to enable better grip of objects in your vice.


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BELLEFONTE, Pa. (AP) — Jerry Sandusky's effort to get his child molestation convictions thrown out ran into tough questioning Monday from a judge who voiced doubt about defense lawyers are entitled to question witnesses — including some of the former Penn State assistant football coach's victims.
Judge John Cleland pressed Sandusky attorney Al Lindsay about whether there is sufficient basis for him to allow an evidentiary hearing now, nearly four years after a jury found Sandusky guilty of 45 sex-abuse counts.
Sandusky, wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, took no active role in the hearing that lasted about an hour. On his way into the courthouse, he told reporters to "read what has been written."
The 72-year-old ex-coach is serving 30 to 60 years in state prison. He has maintained his innocence.
Cleland told Lindsay that hearings under the state's Post-Conviction Relief Act can't amount to fishing expeditions. The judge noted that a recent filing described some of the witnesses as hostile to the defense, so Lindsay doesn't know for certain how they will testify.
"The law is very clear. You have to give me a certification of, if I have a hearing, 'Judge, this is who I'm going to put on the stand and this is what they're going to say,'" Cleland said.
Lindsay wants to be able to question lawyers who previously represented Sandusky, investigators, prosecutors, and a man who has claimed to be the person referred to by prosecutors as Victim 2.
Victim 2 was a key figure in the prosecution. His abuse at Sandusky's hands was the topic of critical testimony by another former Penn State assistant football coach, Mike McQueary.
Lindsay argued in a recent filing that prosecutor Joe McGettigan knew about the man who claims to be Victim 2 at the time McGettigan told jurors that the victim's identity was a mystery.
"That's a long way from saying that you've got a witness that's going to come in here and say (the man) was Victim 2, McGettigan knew it and lied about it," Cleland said.
Lindsay said many people involved in the case knew of the man's claim at that time, so McGettigan made "a false statement" when he said the man's identity was known only to God.
Lindsay also wants to delve into how news of the investigation got out in March 2011, when The Patriot-News of Harrisburg reported on the grand jury investigation. He also wants to probe defense team decisions to waive the preliminary hearing, to let Sandusky be interviewed on NBC by Bob Costas and to keep Sandusky off the stand during trial.
Jennifer Peterson, a prosecutor with the attorney general's office, told Cleland that "most, if not all" the arguments Lindsay is making can be addressed based on the existing record and do not require an evidentiary hearing.
Cleland did not indicate when he would rule.
The judge told Lindsay he raised some very important issues.
"My problem is that I don't know that you've got the witnesses to back them up," he said.


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Dear Allplan customer,
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There are just a few more steps to download the program, for which you will need a free Allplan Connect account.
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According to a new report from IHS iSuppli (http://www.isuppli.com), Apple, spurred by demand for the iPhone and iPad, became the world's largest semiconductor buyer among original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in 2010.
Apple bought US$17.5 billion worth of semiconductors, a 79.6% increase from $9.7 billion in 2009. This represented the highest rate of increase among the world's Top 10 OEM semiconductor buyers, allowing Apple to rise up two positions to take the No. 1 rank in 2010. Apple in 2009 was the third-largest semiconductor purchaser, behind Hewlett-Packard of the United States and Samsung Electronics of South Korea; it was sixth in 2008.
"Apple's surge to leadership in semiconductor spending in 2010 was driven by the overwhelming success of its wireless products, namely the iPhone and the iPad," says Wenlie Ye, analyst for IHS. "These products consume enormous quantities of NAND flash memory, which is also found in the Apple iPod. Because of this, Apple in 2010 was the world's No. 1 purchaser of NAND flash."
Apple is likely to continue increasing its semiconductor spending during the coming years at an above-average pace, allowing the company to extend its lead over Hewlett-Packard, Samsung and other OEMs in 2011 and beyond, per IHS iSuppli. In 2011 Apple's semiconductor spending is expected to exceed that of Hewlett-Packard by $7.5 billion, up from $2.4 billion in 2010.
Although Apple and Hewlett-Packard have been rivals in the computer space for many years, an examination of their respective semiconductor expenditures shows that the two companies are fundamentally different. Apple is more a wireless devices maker than a computer maker.
The company spent approximately 61% of its semiconductor budget in 2010 on wireless products such as iPhones and iPads. In contrast, 82% of Hewlett-Packard's 2010 semiconductor spending was dedicated to computer products like desktops, notebooks and servers.
This worked to Apple's benefit, with the smart phone and tablet markets massively outgrowing the computer segment in 2010. Smart phone shipments in 2010 rose 62%, while tablets exploded by more than 900%, driven by the introduction of the iPad.
In contrast, global computer shipments grew a relatively weak 14.2% in 2010. Apple strength in hardware sales lies in its device and media ecosystem — every Apple product is connected through iTunes/iOS and is synergetic with all other Apple products. As a result, committed users of the Apple ecosystem derive more value from each additional Apple device they buy, and users have little interest in leaving the Apple realm, according to IHS iSuppli.
In other words, through a common ecosystem, Apple leverages each device to sell other devices. Rising device sales to consumers then leads to increased semiconductor purchasing by Apple.
In comparison, the traditional computer business doesn't put heavy emphasis on the creation of an ecosystem. A buyer that once purchased a Hewlett-Packard PC would just as likely purchase a Dell PC next if the price was better, given that there is little or no value in purchasing another Hewlett-Packard.


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By PAUL KRUGMAN
New York Times
So here's the situation. We've been through the second-worst financial crisis in the history of the world, and we've barely begun to recover: 29 million Americans either can't find jobs or can't find full-time work. Yet all momentum for serious banking reform has been lost. The question now seems to be whether we'll get a watered-down bill or no bill at all. And I hate to say this, but the second option is starting to look preferable.
The problem, not too surprisingly, lies in the Senate, and mainly, though not entirely, with Republicans. The House has already passed a fairly strong reform bill, more or less along the lines proposed by the Obama administration, and the Senate could probably do the same if it operated on the principle of majority rule. But it doesn't — and when you combine near-universal Republican opposition to serious reform with the wavering of some Democrats, prospects look bleak.
How did we get to this point? And should reform advocates accept the compromises that might yet produce some kind of bill?
Many opponents of the House version of banking reform present their position as one of principle. House Republicans, offering their alternative proposal, claimed that they would end banking excesses by introducing "market discipline" — basically, by promising not to rescue banks in the future.
But that's a fantasy. For one thing, governments always, when push comes to shove, end up rescuing key financial institutions in a crisis. And more broadly, relying on the magic of the market to keep banks safe has always been a path to disaster. Even Adam Smith knew that: he may have been the father of free-market economics, but he argued that bank regulation was as necessary as fire codes on urban buildings, and called for a ban on high-risk, high-interest lending, the 18th-century version of subprime. And the lesson has been confirmed again and again, from the Panic of 1873 to Iceland today.
I suspect that even Republicans, in their hearts, understand the need for real reform. But their strategy of opposing anything the Obama administration proposes, coupled with the lure of financial-industry dollars — back in December top Republican leaders huddled with bank lobbyists to coordinate their campaigns against reform — has trumped all other considerations.
That said, some Republicans might, just possibly, be persuaded to sign on to a much-weakened version of reform — in particular, one that eliminates a key plank of the Obama administration's proposals, the creation of a strong, independent agency protecting consumers. Should Democrats accept such a watered-down reform?
I say no.
There are times when even a highly imperfect reform is much better than nothing; this is very much the case for health care. But financial reform is different. An imperfect health care bill can be revised in the light of experience, and if Democrats pass the current plan there will be steady pressure to make it better. A weak financial reform, by contrast, wouldn't be tested until the next big crisis. All it would do is create a false sense of security and a fig leaf for politicians opposed to any serious action — then fail in the clinch.
Better, then, to take a stand, and put the enemies of reform on the spot. And by all means let's highlight the dispute over a proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency.
There's no question that consumers need much better protection. The late Edward Gramlich — a Federal Reserve official who tried in vain to get Alan Greenspan to act against predatory lending — summarized the case perfectly back in 2007: "Why are the most risky loan products sold to the least sophisticated borrowers? The question answers itself — the least sophisticated borrowers are probably duped into taking these products."
Is it important that this protection be provided by an independent agency? It must be, or lobbyists wouldn't be campaigning so hard to prevent that agency's creation.
And it's not hard to see why. Some have argued that the job of protecting consumers can and should be done either by the Fed or — as in one compromise that at this point seems unlikely — by a unit within the Treasury Department. But remember, not that long ago Mr. Greenspan was Fed chairman and John Snow was Treasury secretary. Case closed. The only way consumers will be protected under future antiregulation administrations — and believe me, given the power of the financial lobby, there will be such administrations — is if there's an agency whose whole reason for being is to police bank abuses.
In summary, then, it's time to draw a line in the sand. No reform, coupled with a campaign to name and shame the people responsible, is better than a cosmetic reform that just covers up failure to act.