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The owners' decision to approve the Rams' move to Los Angeles changed the current course of NFL history. Here's the inside story of how and why the vote swung in favor of Stan Kroenke. Plus answers to reader email
It's been a week since the NFL's biggest postseason upset happened inside a Houston hotel: NFL owners voted to approve the move of the Rams from St. Louis to Los Angeles immediately, while giving the Chargers a one-year option to join the Rams or get a stadium deal done in San Diego.
But the strangest aspect of that vote is still being debated in some league circles: Six hours after an influential league committee handling the Los Angeles negotiations voted 5-1 to recommend to ownership that the league allow the Chargers and Raiders to move to a site in suburban Carson, the owners rebuked their own committee and voted 30-2 to let the Rams and owner Stan Kroenke to move to Inglewood, scuttling the Carson site forever and ruining the hopes of two teams looking to Carson for long-term franchise salvation.
Those are the six hours that changed the current course of NFL history. What happened, exactly? How did so many owners who professed their love for San Diego chairman Dean Spanos turn on him—and the committee of heretofore trusted veteran owners—in the matter of one Texas afternoon?
Three answers:
1. A secret ballot, so owners who favored the Inglewood project could turn their backs on Spanos without him being sure who they were.
2. Kroenke's jillions.
3. History repeating itself, with a rebuke of a powerful owner conjuring memories of another powerful owner slapped down a quarter-century ago by a new guard with different ideals.
This is not quite a tale fit for the Coen Brothers and the big screen, but if you like stories detailing the reasons why rich people make the decisions they make, it's a fun ride.
* * *
At 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 12, in the Azalea Ballroom at the Westin Houston-Memorial City, the 32 owners (or owners' proxies) returned from lunch to hear from the six-man Committee on Los Angeles Opportunities. One of the key members, Carolina owner Jerry Richardson, had already come out strong for Spanos and the Carson project, so it was no real surprise when the full body heard the results: five votes for the Chargers and Raiders to move to Carson, one vote for the Rams, and the Rams only, to move to Inglewood, closer to downtown L.A.
• THE MMQB ROUNDTABLE: Peter King and staff on the postseason and other top issues
There were murmurs in the room, but the committee vote shocked no one. Art Rooney II of the Steelers gave his reasons for the majority—solving the Charger/Raider stadium problems, fixing the California stadium conundrum, helping two tradition-rich California franchises—and Kansas City's Clark Hunt spoke for the minority. He was the minority.
"I dissented," Hunt told The MMQB, "because I felt the NFL would be best served by having less realignment. Moving one team would be less disruptive to our fan base. And, also, having just one team in Los Angeles would give the league the best chance to be successful."
"Clark was artful," said one person who was in the room. "But it was clear what he wanted and what he thought was best."
Right. Hunt wanted just one team in Los Angeles. And that seems most logical. Though it's become fashionable to say two teams is the best idea and will eventually both build strong fan bases, the NFL would be asking two teams to become instantly loved in a region that hasn't had pro football for 21 years. It might happen. But it's no lock. Hunt realized that. Privately, several owners applauded his bold stance, because they felt Richardson was trying to ramrod the Carson project through.
One point to make before moving on: During the morning meeting, when the final details of both projects were laid on the table for the owners, two owners not known for their loquacious leadership stood up to give ideas. Seattle's Paul Allen, an E.F. Hutton type who rarely attends such meetings and more rarely speaks at them, said the owners needed to consider the project—that is, the proposal for the stadium and its additional amenities and opportunities—more than anything else. And Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie spoke stridently for Kroenke. Those two men influenced the room, and quite possibly portended what was to happen in the afternoon.
"Carson never had the 'wow' factor," one top club official said. "The Rams' project did. Sentiment for that project became a tsunami."
Once the membership heard the 5-1 vote, the next step was voting on the project, with a three-quarters majority (24 votes) being required for one side to win. Commissioner Roger Goodell, who proponents of both projects told The MMQB played each proposal down the middle, nonetheless was about to do something that he knew could tangibly affect the outcome. He'd been asked by "six to eight" owners, a source said, over the previous month about the feasibility of this vote being by secret ballot. "Roger knew we had a serious split in the membership," the source said. "He knew neither side had the votes to win. But he also felt owners needed to vote their consciences, so proposing the secret ballot was something he felt he had to propose, and it was a no-brainer after several owners asked him to do it."
Goodell proposed the secret ballot, and asked for a show of hands on the idea. A majority would rule. Asked how many favored a secret ballot, more than 17 raised their hands. (The Los Angeles Times reported the vote was 19-13.)
Why was the secret ballot so significant? The Chargers/Raiders faction felt it had between 18 and 20 votes solid entering the meeting—something the Kroenke side believed was fiction. But there was something about the Rams/Inglewood project that, while inconvenient for those who wanted the Chargers and Raiders stadium issues fixed in one fell swoop, many owners knew was better for the NFL long-term: Instantly, the 298-acre Inglewood site would be the best NFL property in the league … with $2.7 billion worth of buildings and development, including a 70,240-seat stadium with translucent cover that would join the regular Super Bowl rotation; a campus for a so-called "NFL West," including a new building for NFL Network and new home for NFL Media; and a 6,000-seat theater that one day one owner said "we hope will host the Oscars." Carson was a nice project, but it couldn't compete with all those bells and whistles.
Ballots were printed and distributed to the 32 owners/proxies in the room. A vote was taken. It has been widely reported that the first vote was 20-12 in favor of the Kroenke/Inglewood project, then 21-11 on the next one. But one source in the room said the vote was actually 21-11 the first time, then 20-12 the second time—inexplicably. Whatever the vote was, one owner said Dean Spanos "was utterly shocked—white as a sheet" at the first vote. And he realized that it would be nearly impossible to overturn the will of the silent but overwhelming majority.
In talking to three owners in the wake of the vote, it became apparent that they were convinced Kroenke's project, the most ambitious stadium/development concept in American sports history (likely to end up costing more than $3 billion by the time it's fully operational in 2019), was the best thing for the NFL's second century. (The league's 100th anniversary is in 2020.) To succeed in Los Angeles requires what one league source said was an "L.A. Live on steroids," referring to the Staples Center complex where the Lakers and Kings play. In other words, NFL-big. Kroenke, with his fortune in the billions (net worth $7.4 billion, according to Forbes), had agreed to put $1 billion into the project—money the Chargers and Raiders owners just didn't have.
But the vote wasn't at 24, and there was some discussion about a potential compromise. Owners could vote for Carson. Owners could vote for Inglewood. Or owners could vote for Inglewood plus one other team, as Dallas owner Jerry Jones had suggested. Now Baltimore owner Steve Bisciotti said why not just combine B and C, Inglewood and the extra team. And because it was obvious the ownership felt Spanos and the Chargers deserved first shot, why not make "B" the Rams and Chargers in Inglewood? Bisciotti's idea was embraced by the league.
So Goodell, trying to form a proposal that could get 24 votes, adjourned with the six-man L.A. committee. They were gone about an hour. During that meeting, each of the three owners looking to move rotated through to be apprised of the compromises the leagues and committee were considering. They threw around several ideas and settled on this one: Because it was clear that San Diego was the franchise favored over Oakland for relocation, the committee would propose giving the Chargers a one-year option to join the Rams in the Inglewood project; construction would start immediately regardless of whether a second team joined. Then, if the Chargers didn't exercise their option to join within one year, the option would belong to the Raiders. In addition, the league would throw in $100 million if the Chargers or Raiders reached agreement in their existing markets to build a new stadium.
• THE NFL RETURNS TO L.A.: King on the aftermath of the Rams' vote
Goodell and the committee returned to the room and explained the compromise. The membership knew Inglewood was going to pass muster; it was just a matter of time. And this proposal—which would potentially motivate the politicos in San Diego to take another shot at a stadium, with $100 million more from the league as a spur—seemed the fairest to both Spanos and the Rams. The Rams were willing to take a partner in Inglewood, but Kroenke would prefer to go it alone. But if it meant the league would give the project its blessing, it was a deal Kroenke was fine with.
The previous Friday, in New York, Kroenke had agreed to a revenue split if it turned out he eventually would take on a partner. All along, Spanos did not want to be Kroenke's tenant—or anyone's tenant, for that matter. But if Kroenke did a deal to take all the risk for potential cost overruns and other financial liability, and motivated a second team with a profitable stick-and-carrot, might that tempt the Chargers? In the end, on Friday, Kroenke agreed to let a second team keep all game-day revenue in and around the stadium on days it played. And he told the league he would agree to a formula that gave the second team 18.75 percent of other lucrative deals associated with the new stadium—such as signage and stadium naming rights. When the deal was relayed to owners on Tuesday, one owner exclaimed, "Sign me up! We'll be the Los Angeles Wolverines!" (Writer's note: The team name is changed, because the owner told the story with the agreement that he not be identified.)
The vote was anticlimactic: 30-2. There was light applause. No owner wanted to show up Spanos. They were clapping, one said, for Kroenke, and for this long ordeal being over.
Kroenke rose. "Thank you for your trust," he said. "I won't disappoint you."
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A few things to know:
• St. Louis is the jilted party here, obviously, losing its team. But the lease signed by St. Louis officials to get the Rams to come in 1995 was such a team-favored arrangement that the only way it wasn't going to end ugly for St. Louis was if the Rams' owner—Georgia Frontiere first, then Kroenke after she died in 2008—agreed to rewrite the terms of the lease. Kroenke wouldn't do that. Those terms said the locals had to keep the Edward Jones Dome a top-tier stadium, which in NFL parlance is taken to mean "top quartile," or top eight. That would have meant St. Louis would have had to inject $700 million into the Edward Jones Dome by 2015 to keep up with the Joneses (Jerry, and other owners) throughout the league. St. Louis was never going to do that, and pledged about a quarter of that amount. Kroenke said no. Now, you can nail Kroenke for disingenuous negotiating, for never stridently pleading his case publicly and disappearing and never engaging with the fans or politicians to try to get a deal done. All fair criticisms. Nail him too for being a local guy who never seemed earnestly interested in the Rams staying in St. Louis. But to Kroenke, a deal's a deal. He wasn't going to let the locals break a binding lease.
Regarding the unexpected swing in votes, one longtime team and league official said, "I sense a shift in the geological plate of the NFL."
• Jones, according to one top club official who got a call from him urging this team to vote for the Rams' project, was a major salesman for Kroenke. "Jerry thought Jerry Richardson went overboard trying to push Carson," the official said. In the end, Jones spent hours lobbying for Kroenke's deal, and as another club official said, it had nothing to do with the relationship between Jones and Kroenke. They're not particularly close. Jones just felt this deal had to be about the owner who had the deepest pockets and the most invested in making Los Angeles work.
• Said one top club official I trust: "Carson never had the 'wow' factor. The Rams' project did. Sentiment for that project became a tsunami."
• Maybe it won't matter in the end, but I get no great sentiment favoring the Chargers to move to Los Angeles. If they win, that'll change. But the Rams were in Los Angeles and Anaheim for 49 years, so there's a natural sentiment to be loyal to them when they return. Spanos is likely loathe to remain in San Diego because of years failing to make a deal there, and it makes sense to move to a place that is going to take away every financial woe. But San Diego is such a loyal and vibrant market, and it's the only place in southern California that loves the Chargers. Could the $100 million spur by the league be the impetus to get a deal done with the city on a new stadium? So many in the league hope so.
• ON LONG ROAD TO L.A., THE OWNERS FOLLOWED THE MONEY: Brandt reviews the 21-year saga of the NFL's return to SoCal
• Now for the allegory 25 years in the making …
Once upon a time in the NFL, the establishment told the new kids what was best for everyone, and the kids rebelled. This was in the early '90s, when the league, in the midst of a multibillion-dollar network TV deal (four years, $3.6 billion), proposed to rebate its TV partners because they were taking a financial bath. Some new-guard owners, including Jerry Jones, nixed it. The new guard worked to get nine votes so they could block the give-back. And they found nine owners, and there was no give-back. Old-guard leader Art Modell, the Browns owner, chairman of the Broadcast Committee and the biggest advocate of relief for the networks, subsequently resigned his prestigious TV post.
In 2016, Richardson pushed hard for Carson, and thought he had a majority of owners supporting the Chargers/Raiders project. But when the secret ballot came, it was clear the majority was for the project, not for Spanos. "Classic case of Jerry [Richardson] misreading the field, of overplaying his hand," one owner said. Richardson, essentially, became the Modell of 2016. He's still a well-respected owner, but he's not the power broker some thought when the Los Angeles process started.
A few days after the Rams got their deal, one longtime team and league official mulled the meaning of what just happened. He said: "I sense a shift in the geological plate of the NFL." A few people were reaching for that conclusion in the wake of a Richie Rich owner getting his way, and the new breed celebrating the shiny new football palace set to open in America's second-largest city in 2019.
I get it, but I'm not so sure. A shift toward the new breed is exactly what people said in the early '90s, when the owners pushed out Modell and ushered in the new TV model (in favor of FOX using the NFL to build a prime-time network, which has worked).
The NFL isn't changing so much. It already has changed.
Now for your email...
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I'm probably the 900th person to ask you this, but should the Packers have gone for two after the Hail Mary? Instead of a longer extra point (with more risk this year) to tie it and leaving it to the fate of the overtime coin toss, the Packers could have entrusted their Hall of Fame quarterback to go for the win from two yards out against an obviously stunned Arizona defense with no timeout left to regroup. Your thoughts?
—Robert D., Nashville
I've heard a lot of people say that in the past 48 hours. While I am generally in favor of teams going for two instead of kicking the PAT, I am not a very big fan of doing it if the outcome of the game depends solely on whether even a very good quarterback like Rodgers can get the ball into the end zone from two yards out. Normally you would say, sure, I'll take my chances with Rodgers from that distance. But if I'm Packers coach Mike McCarthy, and I have watched my defense play pretty well for four quarters, I'd probably take my chances knowing that even if I lose the coin flip, odds are in my favor that my offense will get at least one chance at the ball in overtime. Also, think of the outcry if Rodgers throws an incomplete pass on an attempted two-point conversion and the Packers lose 20-19. McCarthy would have been roasted from coast to coast, and probably rightfully so.
• DENVER'S NEW NORMAL: The Broncos' best chance to play in Super Bowl will be to ride defense, not Manning, to Santa Clara
It's really disappointing to see an entire section about a player who is hitting correctly, Reggie Nelson, yet there's not even a snippet about the cheap shot Danny Amendola put on Jamell Fleming. I know that it was flagged, but in college that would be targeting and an ejection, and that's what he deserved. There's no place for that, and your silence on the subject is surprising and I hope simply an oversight. Luckily Fleming wasn't seriously hurt and it didn't come at a critical juncture in the game, so it's not talked about in the same way as the Vontaze Burfict hit from a week ago, but it is still the kind of play that the NFL should be eliminating. At a bare minimum, the rules regarding "defenseless" should be amended to include all players regardless of their offensive/defensive standing.
—Matt, Overland Park, Kan.
I'd like to see the competition committee take a look at this play. To review, Fleming was camped under a punt, basically like a punt returner, trying to down it inside the New England 5-yard line. He was completely defenseless, and Amendola creamed him. It was unclear to me whether Amendola hit him in the head/neck area or a little lower. Regardless, expect the competition committee to address these types of plays that leave a player completely defenseless.
Can we pay homage to the greatest non-story of this season? Sarah Thomas, in her first season as an NFL official, made her historic mark with no controversy, no headlines and no ammunition for the talking heads to pontificate over. Congratulations, Sarah. You were the ultimate pro.
— Doug, Michigan
Thanks for the reminder. Former Raiders executive Amy Trask wrote a column for us when Thomas was named the NFL's first full-time official, and that was her point. It would be progress, Trask wrote, if Thomas got treated exactly like her male counterparts—criticized when she was wrong and credited when she was right. That's about how this season went for her.
• INTERVIEWING TO BECOME AN NFL HEAD COACH: Jenny Vrentas goes behind closed doors to learn secrets of job selection process
Wanted to know your thoughts; as the Brady-Manning rivalry nears an end, does this mean that Cam Newton and Russell Wilson will be the next great rivalry? If not, who?
—Dallas S., New York City
I sure hope it will be Newton-Wilson. That will be a treat for everybody who watches the NFL. Fifteen years after Brady-Manning was born, Newton-Wilson would be fresh and fun because both guys can play from the pocket and play from outside of it. I hope you're right.
I'm not a fan of how the overtime coin toss inherently gives one team an advantage. I figure, why not just remove the overtime coin toss from the game? Have the receiving team in overtime determined by something else. Maybe the team that finishes with the ball in regulation receives it (although this would probably cause people to play for overtime in regulation). Or have the team that chooses to receive in the first half also receive in overtime if the game gets there. Robert Mays' article last week said most teams were choosing to defer, so this might create some interesting strategic decisions.
—Thomas B., Houston
I have long favored both teams being guaranteed an overtime possession. It is an advantage to have the ball first, plain and simple. It is an improvement on the rule to mandate that the team getting the ball first has to score a touchdown for the game to be over immediately. But it is only a partial fix of a broken system. I understand everyone who says, "Play defense," and the league has bigger problems, both on and off the field, than addressing the substance of overtime again. But I simply believe that the fairest way to do it is to make sure that each team gets the ball once in overtime.
• Question or comment? Email us at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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With the portable option of making music on an iPad becoming more and more popular, Focusrite have created an all-in-one bundle, which gives users everything they need to capture ideas and performances wherever they are! Just add an iPad!
The iTrack Studio bundle is the perfect option for recording vocals and/or guitar to your iPad. The bundle consists of an iTrack Solo interface (with one mic input, one guitar input and two outputs), a studio-quality microphone with stand adapter, headphones, an XLR mic cable and a cable for connecting the interface to your iPad, Ableton Live Lite, the Scarlett Plug-in Suite, Loopmaster samples, the Bass Station softsynth, plus Focusrite's Tape app, which is ideal for quickly capturing your performances. That's a lot of stuff for your money! Of course, the iTrack Studio bundle will also integrate perfectly with other popular recording apps such as GarageBand, Auria and Cubasis.
The iTrack Studio package brings studio-quality sound to your iPad, with the iTrack Solo interface featuring one of Focusrite's renowned preamps. However, if you chop and change between recording on an iPad and recording on a Mac or PC then there is no need to worry because the iTrack Studio bundle is compatible with all of these platforms. Maybe you're away from the studio and have a great idea for a song? Just plug the iTrack Solo into your iPad to record and start arranging it. Then, when you're back in your studio, import the files to your Mac or PC, plug the iTrack Studio bundle into your computer and record some more parts over the top before finishing the mix! The iTrack Studio bundle is perfect for those that demand the flexibility to record on different systems.
The iTrack Solo interface features a solid, metal casing, so there is no need to worry about taking it on the road. It's also very compact, so is ideal for slotting into a bag alongside your iPad. The iTrack Solo allows you to capture extremely high-quality audio, up to 24-bit 96kHz, which goes far beyond CD quality! The bundle includes a 30-pin cable, which will connect to an iPad 4 or iPad Mini via a Lightning adapter (sold separately). Of course, it can also connect directly to a computer via USB.
If you're an artist that needs to quickly jump between platforms and requires an all-in-one recording package then the iTrack Studio bundle is due to begin shipping in September 2013... not too long to wait so get your pre-orders in today!
For more information on the Focusrite iTrack Studio or to pre-order/buy, click the links below or give us a call on 01202 597180.
Focusrite iTrack Studio - More Info/Buy

subset: commoncrawl


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Club News
5 years 6 months ago
Peter Odemwingie has today finalised his move to Stoke City, joining the Potters on an eighteen month contract, subject to FA clearance.
All at Cardiff City wish Peter success in his future career and thank him for his contribution to the club during his time in South Wales. Good luck Peter.


text: On January 25-26, 2016, C.A. House Productions top engineer's Justin West and Justin Malarkey took part in JBL's VTX/VerTec training course at the Harman International Business Campus in Northridge CA. The training covers topics including Line Array Theory, System Deployment, system measurement and optimization, array assembly and suspension techniques, JBL hiQnet performance manager software, and JBL line array calculator software. JBL Product Mangager for tour sound systems, George Georgallis taught the 2-day course.


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Mommy Needs Coffee
Oh, cup of joe. Let me count the ways. It was hard taking a break from you those long nine months; but our reunion after was pure bliss. And never did I ever need you so much as I did in those first, newborn months. I overdid it at times, but eventually, we found balance. And now I enjoy you a {moderately} reasonable amount thoughout the day. That morning cup, most often at 5am, is a life-saver- and is almost worth getting up for.
And what's better than pouring yourself a cup in a perfectly pretty mommy mug?
Here are some of my favorites for you coffee lovers out there:


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What makes us clever.
Thain Creative begins in 2007 in Barrie
"We Craft Brands, We take the essence of your business, ideas and vision and create a full circle brand that encompasses the creative vibrancy and the flexibility you need to keep your business on top. How does one craft a brand, well let me tell you a little story.
My dad can make anything… almost everything. He could sew clothes, pour moulds, make spoons and even fix cars. He eventually started making hand-stitched leather shoes for people who did war re-enactments. He would spend hours making his shoes, pounding the brass nails in one by one in magnificent patterns.
I grew up, his passions remained and I forged my own life. However, I had gained the knowledge of a true craftsman; someone who goes above and beyond expectations in everything they do. They work as if to leave a lasting legacy to the world through their creations. Even as a child I would always find myself sketching, painting and inventing whatever came to mind. I now use my experience, knowledge and passion to design brand identities and much more."


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21st Century Retirement Solutions
21st Century Retirement Solutions provides information and tools for people who are anticipating financial issues such as longevity, risk to your lifestyle, family needs like survivorship, potentially large out of pocket healthcare expenses, and planning for your most important priorities in this life stage. Remember, your plan is no plan if you don't give these issues some attention.
Retirement in the 21st Century is like a chess match with risk. Investment risk, chronic healthcare risk, longevity risk, global economic risk, etc. This is why we all need to be alert and realistic.
Some financial experts believe that longevity is the largest risk to retirement income and savings. Longevity can create a number of situations that put assets and income at risk of falling short. Simply put, there are consequences from living beyond your resources that are hard to anticipate. The only way to give yourself peace of mind is to have a good strategy to deal with the 4 major longevity events/concerns.
- Income Security
- Asset Depletion
- Chronic Illness/Alzheimer's
- Long Term Care Needs
When the transition from accumulation to the income phase of savings takes place, planning for longevity is easier.
Savings and investments are going to turn into "salary replacement or your retirement paycheck." This is a very new and different experience for most of us. There are many considerations; however we like to focus on the core or essential areas that require serious attention and planning.
- Generating "essential" income you need–for your entire lifespan
- Creating income to fund the lifestyle you want while you have the health to enjoy it.
- Identify resources to pay for the healthcare you might need.
- A plan to pay for Long Term Care (LTC)
These are the fundamentals that, given the right attention, can be the key to experiencing retirement security. Whatever your circumstances are, we have knowledge, research and planning that can help you.
A Common Retirement Denominator
Regardless of your economic status, if you are a U.S. citizen, worked 40 quarters and paid Social Security taxes, you qualify for Medicare and Social Security. These programs have been the foundation of retirement security for the past 50 years (80 years for SS).
A Key "To Do": Know about your options on electing Social Security!
Note: If you and/or a spouse are determining when and how to elect social security benefits, make sure you have all the facts and have a reliable projection of what happens if you elect early or wait and take delayed retirement credits (DRC). These credits are currently at 8% per year of delay. Example: If you were to apply at age 66 (Full Retirement Age) but delayed benefits to age 70, your lifetime payment would be 32% greater! It is well worth taking the time to get an analysis; which we perform at Secure Retirement.
Withdrawals from Retirement Accounts (Savings)
Two income issues that require your attention:
- "Sequence of Investment Returns": carefully manage your investments a few years before and after retirement date.
- "Burn Rate": rate of spending that will exhaust retirement assets used for income.
Burn Rate
|Annual Income
|Expected Time before Depletion
|29 years, 8 months
|16 years, 9 months
|11 years, 9 months
Assumption for example:
- After tax return 6%
- Rate of Inflation 3%
This example emphasizes the need for good retirement income planning!
Sequence of Investment Returns
The order that your investment returns arrive each year when you are 35 or 40 years old doesn't matter very much. You have time for your performance to average itself out. On the other hand, if you have large and/or successive losses in the years just prior or just after retiring it can alter your ability to produce your desired income. What this means is that the 5 or so years prior to your retirement date and the first few years after you retire requires vigilance to keep investments out of harm's way. In fact, as counterintuitive as it sounds, we would prefer you take more risk much later in your retirement than in the period just before and after your retirement date. A harsh example of this risk was 2008-2009. Many people close to or early in retirement suffer severe financial repercussions.
Healthcare in Retirement and Long Term Care
Healthcare is expensive, especially at this life stage. Medicare brings on a new set of expenses to deal with. Many financial institutions have put forth estimates of what the cost will be for a new Medicare beneficiary when you add up all their premiums for Medicare Part B and D plus their supplemental insurance. When you add up all the out of pocket expenses; you've got a big number.
We ran an analysis of projected total healthcare costs for a couple close to retirement age. This report calculates the average lifetime cost of all premiums and out of pocket expenses as Medicare beneficiaries.
Sample projection: Spouse #1 age 62-M; Spouse #2 age 60-F
- Life expectancy is 85 years old for each.
- Total lifetime healthcare costs for both is $730,860 (#1 is $319,914; #2 is $410,946)
Inflation for services and premiums are factored.
Breakdown of costs
Hospital, Doctors, Test Premium (Medicare Part A and B) ........................................................................................................................
Prescription Drug Premiums (Medicare Part D) .........................................................................................................................................
Supplemental Insurance (Medigap) .............................................................................................................................................................
Out of Pocket Hospital, Doctors, Tests ........................................................................................................................................................
Out of Pocket Prescriptions ..........................................................................................................................................................................
Out of Pocket Vision and Hearing ................................................................................................................................................................
This couple is earning over the $170,000 threshold for increased Part B premiums. An Income less than that threshold amount would reduce approximately $100,000 lifetime total.
Total Lifetime Cost
If you are new to Medicare, you would be well served to get familiar with how it works and what other insurance you will need. There are great resources available for these needs. If you would like some direction or ideas we can help you get proper information.
Long Term Care, Chronic Illness, and Dementia related diseases like Alzheimer's are major considerations in any retirement plan. The expense related to these, not to mention the emotional and physical toll they take, is overwhelming for most families.
A study produced by Genworth each year provides some average costs by geographic area. For the California Bay Area, costs for 2014 on average are:
|Assisted Living Facilities
|Home Health Care
|Skilled Nursing Home
These costs will likely continue to rise. Costs vary depending on the facility and /or home care providers used.
There are different options for paying these costs:
- Out of pocket, use your assets
- Long Term Care Insurance (LTC)
- Home Equity (Reverse Mortgage)
- Medi-Cal (financial qualification or spend down of assets)
- VA nursing homes (for Veterans)
- Life Insurance with a feature for LTC
There are creative ways to combine your resources as well. It is hard to almost impossible to figure out a strategy when you actually need care. Planning ahead for this possibility is a vital part of a retirement plan and having peace of mind about the future.
Secure Retirement is highly qualified to help you with this planning.
Major Considerations for Retirement in the 21st Century:
- The fundamentals of income security including a reliable stream of income for your essential needs should be looked at as far in advance of your need as possible. This provides more opportunities for creativity and to make adjustments .
- Your investments earmarked for retirement should be analyzed for risk. The few years before and after your retirement date are critical for your long term income and retirement accounts health.
- Healthcare will cost more than you anticipate. This should be accounted for when you are planning and forecasting.
If you have not done any planning for long term care needs, your plan is not to have a plan. Face this reality now and involve your family if practical. Long Term Care is a family issue.
This may sound elementary to a sophisticated investor or educated person. Our experience has been, along with thousands of other professionals, that taking care of these fundamentals the best way you can, is the most important part of retirement planning and makes a comfortable retirement with financial SECURITY possible. Secure Retirement is dedicated to helping everyone interested in achieving this standard.


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2017-11-20 One Down, One to Go
Another week as Congress continues down the path towards comprehensive tax reform. This week we look at the changes the Senate made to its bill, as well as the passage by the House of their version of the bill. We also discuss what comes next in this process.
The audio version of this week's broadcast can be streamed and/or downloaded below.
The PDF below has the description of the two bills as they stood when this was recorded on November 18, 2017.


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In need of a creamy and nutty snack to satisfy your sweet tooth, without the guilt?
Enter this delicious melt-in-the-mouth fridge fudge from the Hemsley sisters new cookbook 'Good + Simple'. Easy to whip up and made from just three ingredients, it's a simple solution to avoid refined sugar with no compromise on flavour...
"Make sure to choose a whole food tahini which contains no emulsifiers (the tahini should naturally separate in the jar) otherwise your fudge might not set properly. You could upgrade to the more nutritious dark tahini which has a bitter flavour, if you like. The fudge keeps really well in the fridge or freezer, so make double!"
Tahini Date Fridge Fudge
Serves 18
85g of pitted dates (chewy dried dates rather than the larger soft ones), or to taste
110g light tahini (make sure it doesn't contain emulsifiers)
2 tablespoons coconut oil, at room temperature, or extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt flakes
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds or desiccated coconut, to decorate (optional)
Line a small baking tin – about 11cm x 17cm– or similar-sized container (we use a glass lunchbox) with baking parchment.
Slice one of the dates finely and set aside to decorate the top of the fudge. Place the rest of the dates in a food processor with the tahini, coconut oil or EVOO and 1⁄8 teaspoon of salt flakes and blend to a smooth, thick paste. Taste and add more salt if desired.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and use a spatula to press the mixture down evenly.
Decorate the top with the date slices and a sprinkle of sesame seeds or desiccated coconut (if using), pour over any leftover oil from the food processor and press down gently.
Freeze or chill in the fridge until firm – about 15 minutes in the freezer and 30 minutes in the fridge. Slice into squares, then store in the fridge or freezer. Eat chilled/frozen straight from the fridge/freezer.
Recipe from 'Good + Simple', by Jasmine Hemsley & Melissa Hemsley, photography by Nicholas Hopper.


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Paul Fenley, Atec President announced that "Atec engineers have been working with Celtech over the past year to modernize their products. We are extremely proud of the advancement made to update the important T21D turboprop test system. More powerful engines and props can now be accommodated, and our ADAQ control system is world class. Our customers will see this joint effort throughout Celtech's product line."
Read about the T21 Improvements.


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Let's face it, I'm just a nerd. I love music, art, food and technology, and I can't throw a football to save my life. My father was an engineer and my mother a psychologist, and I seem to be a mix of both. My passion is creating and sustaining media whether it's audio, blogging, video, or photography. I am logical and artistic at the same time often in contradiction. It's not uncommon that I would quote Ronald Reagan and John Lennon in the same sentence. In my spare time I like to play music, paint water color, and spend time outdoors. Professionally I strive to be the rock that others can lean on in time of need and success.
Bill Schwamle
Listen to the Eerie 'Whispers' on Lake Yellowstone [VIDEO]
People have described the sounds many ways. Some say it sounds like voices. Some say it resembles buzzing of bees. Yet no one knows what causes the noises.


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This is not a movie review; I'll make it clear this early. I just though of sharing interesting quotes from the movie, Life of Pi, which I think are simple lines yet really moving if you dissect them. But before I list them down, I had to check first the lead actor of the movie, Tom Hiddleston. Well, most of the time, he was made dirty and ugly in the movie. I just have to check how he looks like when all neat and groomed.
Woah! He's actually cute! In a very Bollywood way...
Overall, I enjoyed watching the movie because of 3 things: the use of metaphors to represent life, production value in every scenes and the fresh funny lines delivered by the actors. But above all, there are a few lines that really lingered in me after watching the movie last night.
Life of Pi Quotes
"You must take life the way it comes at you and make the best of it."
"Life will defend itself no matter how small it is."
"Life on a lifeboat isn't much of a life."
"My alarm clock during my childhood was a pride of lions."
"I must say a word about fear. It is life's only true opponent."
"Above all, don't lose hope."
"God, thank you for giving me my life. I'm ready now."
It's up to you. I told you my story. The story is up to you now."
The last quote is actually my favorite. It speaks of the truth depending on who is relaying the story and how he wishes to convey his message. Does it make him less of a person? Not really. It's just how life is; multi-faceted but at the same time unique. No story is the same as the other.
Do I recommend my readers to watch it? If you enjoy watching movies with lines that are moving and words that truly represent life, this one is for you. Oh, did I say that the movie is also funny?
I watched the movie at Megamall and this is What I Wore...
|What I Wore on Fierce Blogs
Follow me on Twitter - @Fierce_Blogs
Your Lifestyle Page with an Attitude!


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Assessing the MLB Playoff Picture
Now that the MLB regular season is over, it is time to talk about the MLB playoffs. Which teams have legitimate chances to win the World Series this year?
In the National League, it looks like it is the Chicago Cubs versus the field. Their 101 victories are the most they have had as a franchise since 1935 and they will have home-field advantage until the World Series (the American League won the All-Star game this year). Simply put, General Manager Theo Epstein's Cubs are nearly a perfect team. Their pitching staff leads baseball in ERA and opponent's batting average, their offense was second in the National League in runs behind the Colorado Rockies, and their defense is fantastic. By default, they are the National League favorites and they will almost certainly defeat the NL wildcard team that they meet in the divisional round. I project them to defeat the Giants, They are the default National League favorites, and will almost certainly defeat the NL Wildcard team that advances, which I suspect will be the Giants.
The Washington Nationals are probably Chicago's biggest threat in the National League, but first they have to get by the Dodgers in the NLDS. For this series, the Nationals will be without number two starter, Stephen Strasburg, who is arguably the third best player on the team, and Wilson Ramos, who is out for the season with a torn ACL after hitting over .300 with 22 home runs and 80 RBIs. These injuries will be extremely difficult to overcome, especially when you consider the struggles of two time All-Star Gio Gonzalez and last year's NL MVP Bryce Harper, who's batting average is down an abysmal 86 points from last year. They will need a huge series out of MVP candidate Daniel Murphy and at least solid performances by Harper, Jayson Werth, rookie Trea Turner, and Ryan Zimmerman in order to score runs against a very good Dodgers rotation led by Clayon Kershaw, Rich Hill, and Kenta Maeda. Ultimately, I do not think that the Nationals will be able to overcome these injuries, and Dave Roberts' Dodgers will capitalize on a weakened Nationals roster to advance in five games to the NLCS. But their run will end there, as I suspect that the Cubs will take the series in six games and Jon Lester will take home NLCS MVP by leading the Cubs to two victories.
The American League is tougher to call. However, I, am picking Boston to beat Cleveland in the ALDS. The Indians depleted starting rotation (they lost Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar to injuries) and will be unable to deal with the Red Sox offense. The Indians offense will not be able to pick up the slack. Look for the Red Sox to win in four games, beating their former manager Terry Francona in an emotional series.
The wildcards in the American League, Baltimore and Toronto, are much more dangerous than the teams in the National League. Although both teams are very flawed, they also feature extreme strengths. The Orioles have a great bullpen and a dangerous offense. Despite only scoring the seventh most runs in the American League, they lead baseball handily in home runs. Their starting pitching is inconsistent, but I still see potential in Chris Tillman, Kevin Gausman, and Dylan Bundy. If the Orioles can get by Toronto's high-powered offense, then watch out.
I assume that the Rangers will get to the ALCS because they are far more complete than any of those teams and they have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. This would set the table for a fantastic, high-scoring series between Boston and Texas. This series will really have it all. David Ortiz will undoubtedly have his key at bats and clutch moments, but the Rangers' have a clutch bat of their own in Carlos Beltran. Both offenses are deep, but the defensive edge and pitching depth will allow the Red Sox to pull off the upset and make their 4th World Series appearance since 2004. Look for the Red Sox dynamic right fielder Mookie Betts to take home the ALCS MVP, stuffing the stat sheet with runs scored, RBIs, stolen bases, and even outfield assists.
A Red Sox versus Cubs World Series would truly be historic. It would feature David Ortiz's final send-off, the longest curse in the history of professional American sports, and former Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein's Cubs facing the franchise that he reinvigorated out of an 86-year curse. Please, Baseball Gods, let this happen! Obviously it would feature a desperate Cubs team looking for their first World Series win in over 100 years, but it would also include storylines such as David Ortiz's final send-off and Theo Epstein looking for revenge against his old team.
As a Red Sox fan, it pains me to say this, but the Cubs will win the World Series behind World Series MVP Kris Bryant and break their curse at Fenway Park in a Game Seven for the history books. But these are just predictions and I cannot wait to see what actually happens. Sports cannot be scripted; anything can happen, and that is what makes it all so exciting.
Game on.


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Unwind with a bit of downtime on Fraser - and stay for a pre and post night in our Wilderness Lodges. You'll get to explore Fraser's awesome western beaches, have access to resort amenities and the famous Dingo Bar... and if you're in to nature - there are some great self guided walks in World Heritage wilderness.
Our 3 day Cool Dingo tours are available with extra nights to connect with coach transfers. Bus departs Brisbane daily at 11.40am from in front of the Roma Street Transit Centre, then on the last day catch the 7.50 am Kingfisher Ferry to meet the 8.50 am shuttle departure from Hervey Bay back to Brisbane.
Foreign Language Guides are now available on our Cool Dingo Tours. Please ask when booking or talk to your tour guide.
- Price: $914 quad or $1055 twin/double
- Includes 3 Day / 2 Night Cool Dingo Tour; PLUS
- Return coach transfers BNE-HVB-BNE.
- 2 extra nights accommodation in our Wilderness Lodges.
- 2 extra breakfasts and dinners.
- National Park Permit Levy and Fees included.
We recommend you arrive to the departure point at least 15 minutes prior to the departure time. Pick ups are also available from Brisbane Airport - but must be pre-booked.
|Con-X-ion departure time/s
Bus Stop 125, 161 Roma Street, Brisbane.
This is located on the street outside the Brisbane Transit Centre (Roma Street Railway Station) and is opposite the entrance to the Police Building on Roma Street.
|Transfers and ferry departure time/s
The Con-X-ion service arrives directly to the River Heads Mainland Reception, where passengers are met by the Kingfisher Bay Resort Shuttle and transferred to the Ferry departure point.
|Return from Hervey Bay to Brisbane:
Catch the 7.50am Kingfisher Ferry to meet the 8.50am Con-X-ion shuttle service arriving back in Brisbane at approximately 2.20pm.
The bus from Brisbane will drop you straight to the River Heads Mainland Reception, where you will be met by the Kingfisher Bay Resort Shuttle to meet the next ferry to Fraser Island.
After a 50 minute cruise across the waters of the Great Sandy Marine park to Fraser Island; you'll arrive at Kingfisher Bay Resort to check in to your Wilderness Lodge accommodation. Keep your eyes peeled for turtles, dugong and dolphin... we've also been known to spot Humpback Whales in the calm waters off Hervey Bay.
You'll have time to chill out with new mates, relax or explore the resort, before your all-you-can-eat buffet dinner at the Dingo Bar and a comfy night's rest. Plus, there's a regular shuttle service between the lodges and resort - you just need to check transfer times with resort reception.
Includes dinner.
Enjoy a little sleep in and big buffet breakfast, then meet your Cool Dingo ranger-Guide and the rest of your group at the Jetty Hut at 9.30am (other Cool Dingo passengers will also arrive from the 9.00am ferry). After group introductions and a quick briefing, your 4WD, Fraser Island adventure begins!
Your guide is a font of knowledge about Fraser Island and will regale you with fact and figures; local legends and the odd tall story - but is also passionate about the island's history, fauna and flora. Keep an eye out for an abundance of bird life - including the white-bellied sea eagle... and you never know when you'll spot a dingo!
Your Cool Dingo guide stays with you for the entire tour and is in charge of making it fun...or the cool dingo eats his hat!
Today we check out some of Fraser Island's coolest inland sights - sub-tropical rainforest; sapphire-blue lakes ringed with golden sand and whispering creeks!.
- Basin Lake - first stop is an easy walk into beautiful Basin Lake - get up close and personal with the resident freshwater turtles or just enjoy being here! Basin Lake gets it's name from being Basin-shaped, so it is easy to remember in your photos.
- Central Station - no trains or whistles here - just peaceful, ancient rainforest and the reminders of a once- bustling, former logging camp. This is the historical heart of the island - and there are some interesting stories and displays if the mood takes you.
- Wanggoolba Creek - walk along the banks of this silent, completely clear creek with lush green rainforest and rare king ferns... it's simply breathtaking. If you didn't know the creek was there... you just might miss it.
- Pile Valley - Bark paths carve their way through giant satinay trees in this sub-tropical forest... it has such a Jurassic feel!
- Lake McKenzie - with its white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters, Lake McKenzie is a must-do on any Fraser Island tour. Enjoy a refreshing afternoon swim, walk along the banks or use the fine sand granules to polish your jewellery before you board your 4WD bus back to Kingfisher Bay Resort.
Includes buffet breakfast, picnic lunch and buffet dinner.
Today's an early start as we set out to explore all the attractions in and around Seventy-Five Mile Beach, the world's most beautiful beach highway - well we think so!
- Eli Creek - a great spot for a refreshing dip on a warm Queensland day! Float down this fast-flowing freshwater creek - which pours out 80 megalitres of water daily - to the seaside.
- Maheno Shipwreck - washed ashore during a cyclone in 1935, this hulking wreck is one of Fraser Island's essential photo stops. And the best thing is that it is moody and beautiful no matter what the time of day or what Mother Nature is doing on the day.
- The Pinnacles Coloured Sands - This is an awesome example of the diversity of minerals within the sand... you'll see all the colours of the rainbow (well just the reds, oranges, ochres and creams really)... and there's a great Butchulla story behind it's creation.
- Indian Head - climb to the top of this rocky headland - one of the only rocky spots on this sandy isle and the place where Captain Cook first spotted Fraser - for awesome views stretching north and south. It's also the perfect spot to look out for sharks, turtles, rays and migrating humpback whales (Jul - Nov).
- Champagne Pools - chill out in these bubbling ocean rock pools and just enjoy being here!
Did you know Air Fraser offers scenic flights over the island - they're great for a bird's eye view and pics for your travelling diary. You can book onboard with your guide (extra cost applies).
Includes buffet breakfast, picnic lunch and buffet dinner.
A relaxed day visiting a few of Fraser Island's lesser known treasures.
- Lake Wabby - walk through cool rainforest to beautiful emerald-green Wabby, Fraser Island's deepest lake and a favourite swimming hole. Keep an eye out for the friendly catfish.
- Hammerstone Sandblow - trek over one of Fraser's vast desert-like sand blows to the seaside... no wonder it's the world's largest sand island!
- Eurong Beach Resort - for lunch we head to Eurong for an Aussie-style all-you-can-eat buffet lunch. There's also great coffees in the bakery (if you've been missing your fix) and a souvenir shop, so you can show the family back home what you've been up too.
- Lake Birrabeen - if you loved Lake McKenzie then Birrabeen will allure you with its sparkling clear waters and dazzling white beaches... you won't be able to resist a dip... we think it's a great way to finish the tour!
Includes buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The last day
After spending an extra night on Fraser to recharge your batteries, you'll enjoy an early buffet breakfast before your return to Brisbane. You'll need to catch the 7.50am ferry from Kingfisher Bay Resort to meet the 8.50am Con-X-ion shuttle service arriving back in Brisbane at approximately 2.20pm. If you have a flight that's leaving around 1230, we thoroughly recommend you catch the 07.50am ferry back to Hervey Bay.
Includes buffet breakfast.
Please note - touring order and itinerary may vary due to tides, seasons and weather conditions.


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After putting his solo career on hold for the past few years to reunite with Alex Turner on their Last Shadow Puppets project back in 2016, Miles Kane seems more than eager to get back to his riff-tastic ways on this new studio album. While The Last Shadow Puppets and their more lo-fi sound may have bled into the new Arctic Monkeys record, Kane has gone back to the basics on his latest effort, taking inspiration from the glam rock and Britpop days to make this new material feel fresh but also familiar.
From the start, 'Coup De Grace' pitches itself to a more nostalgic ear. Tracks like 'Cry On My Guitar' see him transform into a modern day Marc Bolan, while lead single 'Loaded' would feel right at home as Ziggy Stardust-era Bowie off cut. But while the influences and homages throughout this record stand loud and clear, Kane has still tried to add his own sense of showmanship to the release. With a commanding vocal performance throughout, the frontman feels more than comfortable to be back at the centre of a musical project as he truly becomes a fully-fledged solo artist rather than just fronting a wider band.
The one thing that 'Coup De Grace' manages more than his previous records is maintaining a consistent level of energy and excitement about it. While it may lack that radio-friendly atmosphere, each track seems keen to keep you on your toes and, in the end, delivers a collection of his most engaging material to date.


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WASHINGTON — Authorities said Monday they are looking for links between the Holstein infected with mad cow disease and a Canadian cow that was diagnosed with the deadly illness in May.
Repeating their insistence that the U.S. food supply is safe, agriculture officials also said they are searching for 81 Canadian-born cows from the same herd as the sick Holstein that records indicate entered the United States in late 2001.
Dr. Ron DeHaven, the Agriculture Department's chief veterinarian, said records from the Washington dairy farm that was the infected cow's last home, and in Canada, confirm that the animal was born in Alberta, Canada in April 1997. Alberta also was the home of the infected Canadian cow.
More significantly, both cows were born before the United States and Canada began banning from use in cattle feed brain and spinal cord tissue that is the primary means by which the ailment is transmitted. The ban, which took effect in August 1997, prohibits feeding the cattle protein to cattle, sheep and goats.
No conclusive ties found yet
"No doubt that will be a very important component of the investigation," DeHaven said, adding that it is premature to conclude there are any ties between the two diseased cows.
Video: Tracking the mad cow source DeHaven said that DNA studies now under way would provide more evidence on the origin of the cow that was infected. They also are examining records of the herd that included the infected cow.
For their part, Canadian officials were awaiting results of DNA tests before acknowledging the cow's Canadian provenance. But Dr. Francine Lord, an animal health expert with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, said any link between the cases would mark an important advance in trying to find the source of the disease.
The Canadian case crippled that country's beef exports. So far, more than 30 countries accounting for more than 90 percent of U.S. beef exports have banned American beef products in the past week.
'A North American issue'
Canadian investigators have been unable to pinpoint the source of the infection. The infected Canadian cow was between 6 and 8 years old.
Lord said the tainted feed that is believed to be source of the infection could have come from either country, noting a brisk cross-border trade in animals and related products. "That's why we consider this a North American issue," Lord said.
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The Food and Drug Administration also has said that only 75 percent of animal feed producers were complying with the cattle-parts feed ban when it went into effect, but that compliance has improved to close to 100 percent.
The Canadian cow showed signs of the disease at slaughter and Canadian officials prevented its meat from being sold for human consumption.
Not so with the case of the Washington state cow. Dr. Kenneth Petersen, a USDA veterinarian, said the department is continuing to monitor all efforts to trace and recall all products associated with the 10,000 pounds of meat that have been recalled. About 80 percent of the meat was distributed to Oregon and Washington, he said.
Petersen had said Sunday the government's investigation revealed that meat from the infected dairy cow could have reached retail markets in Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho and Montana and the territory of Guam, in addition to Washington, Oregon, California and Nevada.
Matt Baun, a USDA spokesman, said that about 100 callers, mostly from Oregon and Washington, had called to say they had consumed recalled meat and were worried.
U.S. meat supply safe, says official
Baun said they were being told the meat was safe since it was muscle meat and not affected. "If it had been from the spinal column it would have been different," he said.
Government officials have said repeatedly that there was no reason to question the safety of the U.S. meat supply and they said Monday they have not ordered stepped-up inspections or a prohibition on allowing meat from downed animals — which could be sick or merely physically injured — from being sold for human consumption.
"Even with the finding of this single cow, the U.S. remains at very low risk," DeHaven said, because of the ban on feed that includes animal parts.
The prion that causes mad cow disease is not found in muscle tissue, the source of roasts, steaks and other beef cuts. DeHaven said studies have shown the prion is found only in the central nervous system tissue, the brain and spinal cord.
He said the bans on American beef products in response to the case have been based on perceptions of the disease and not on scientific facts.
At the same time, he said, the United States is considering changes to its program to detect mad cow disease, including increasing testing and extending the feed ban, which now does not prohibit cattle products from being fed to chickens and pigs.
"There are all kinds of things under active consideration," he said. In Tokyo, U.S. agriculture officials trying to persuade the Japanese to lift that country's ban, said the United States soon would announce more stringent safety measures, a Japanese official said on condition of anonymity.
But Japan rejected the request, saying officials should first establish the facts surrounding the infection, the official said.
DeHaven also said two Washington state herds remain under quarantine. One, in Mabton, is was the last home of the Holstein and also contains her youngest calf. Another calf, a male, belongs to a herd in Sunnyside.
He said there is no evidence that the disease is transmitted from animal to animal or from mother to calf.
© 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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DUSON has been awarded a 2010 "Best Nursing School for Men in Nursing" award by the American Assembly for Men in Nursing (AAMN). The award recognizes DUSON's significant efforts in recruiting and retaining men in nursing, providing men a supportive educational environment, and educating faculty, students, and the community about the contributions men have made and continue to make to the nursing profession.
On Friday, September 24, 2010, Dean Catherine Gilliss and Dr. John Brion accepted the award on behalf of the School at an awards banquet during the annual AAMN conference, hosted this year by DUSON in Durham, N.C., on September 24th and 25th.
DUSON has devoted considerable resources to the recruitment and retention of male students and faculty to create a school that is inclusive of men at all levels of the academic community. Duke's AAMN Chapter, established in September 2008, coordinates networking and community service activities that foster a supportive, encouraging environment for men at the Duke School of Nursing and the Duke University Medical Center.


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Moist & Meaty dog food comes in a variety of dog-pleasing choices, so it is simple to go above and beyond for your dog.
Serve up the smiles with tender, meaty pieces made with real meat.
Moist, tender pieces with real beef and cheddar cheese flavor that is 100% complete nutrition for adult dogs.
Delicious meaty bits with real beef and 100% complete nutrition for adult dogs.
Make the most out of your dog's morning (or any-time-of-day) routine with this tasty meal made with the flavors of bacon and egg.
Tasty, meaty morsels made with real beef and natural steak flavor, meal-time doesn't get any simpler.


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The Board of Fairfield Footlighters meets the first Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Fairfield Community Arts Center. Anyone interested in community theatre in the Fairfield area is welcome to attend.
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: February 20Love Letters
Later Event: March 30Auditions for Lend Me a Tenor


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Lions Club Show set for Friday, Jan. 24
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The 68th Annual Lions Club Show is set for 7 p.m., Friday, Jan. 24 at the Carthage Civic Center on the Loop. Randy Graves in the Student Success Office has a limited number of tickets to give away to faculty and staff.
The Panola College Stage Band and the Panola Pipers will begin performing at 6 p.m. prior to the show. Lions Club International is a service organization with local chapters all across the United States. Panola College employees who are active members of the Lions Club include Freddy Mason, Dean of Liberal and Fine Arts; Don Clinton, Vice President of Student Success and Athletic Director, and Steve Williams, Vice President of Fiscal Services.
The local Lions Club Show is the major fundraising event for the chapter. The Carthage Lions Club group provides college scholarships, as well as funding the cost for disabled children to attend camp.
The variety show format showcases local talent in a fun-filled evening.


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This week's Word of the Week needs only a short explanation. Chocolate has been on the menu all week as we approach Easter. Wherever we've been, there's been some form of chocolate treat always within touching distance.
As we close the studio for the Easter break, we hope you have an enjoyable long weekend, wether it's chocolate fuelled or not.


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News Releases are to be used for informational purposes only.
Information provided should not be relied upon for any type of legal action.
Release Number: 17-511
#1 Black female, approximately 5'6", 165 lbs, medium build, dark brown complexion, 20 – 25 years old. Last seen wearing a blue shower type cap, red pullover short sleeve top, dark pants and slides.
#2 Black male, 5'4 tall, approximately 17 – 20 years of age, 140 lbs, thin build and dark complexion. Last seen wearing a black cap with a Puma logo on the front, a white pullover t-shirt, red pants and black Nike slides with Nike check on top.
On September 16, 2017, the complainant had their wallet stolen from the Dillard's while working there. On the same day the complainant's charge cards were used at two nearby Publix stores. One located at 5731 Ehrlich Road and the other at 15151 North Dale Mabry Highway. There were a total of three fraudulent transactions resulting in the purchase of gift cards.
Anyone with any information reference these suspects is asked to call the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office at 247-8200 or anyone with any information regarding the identity and whereabouts of these suspects and who wants to be eligible for a cash reward is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477), report anonymously online at www.crimestopperstb.com or send a mobile tip using our P3 Tips Mobile application, which is a free download for iPhones, iPads and Droids. You must call Crime Stoppers first to be eligible for a reward.


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The Earl of Sandwich asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: My Lords, debt is an important issue on the Okinawa Summit agenda. Heads of Government plan to review and encourage progress on the HIPC debt relief initiative with a view to meeting the target set at last year's Cologne Summit of seeing three-quarters of eligible countries receiving debt relief by the end of this year. The UK Government remain committed to this target and will continue to do all they can to ensure that these countries receive the debt relief they so urgently need.
The UK has taken a leading role in the development of the HIPC debt relief initiative and our bilateral policy of 100 per cent debt forgiveness underlines our commitment.
The Earl of Sandwich: My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for reaffirming the Government's intentions on the HIPC process, although they still fall well short of the 100 per cent target agreed at Cologne. Would he agree that it is time to turn our attention to future World Bank lending? For instance, under its new country assistance strategy, the World Bank is embarking on a 1 billion dollar loan for Tanzania which merely replaces the debt relief of 1 billion dollars that Tanzania has already received. What is the guarantee that the Bank has a new lending policy which will ensure that future loans are based on sustainable strategies, especially in agriculture?
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Earl for his recognition of the outstanding role of the UK Government in these matters. The new lending that is proposed for Tanzania will be on highly concessionary terms. It will be related not only to industrial projects but on the basis of Tanzania's poverty reduction strategy paper. My noble friend Lady Amos referred to that in
Baroness Rawlings: My Lords, in the light of the Minister's comment about the UK's leading role and its policy of 100 per cent debt forgiveness, how many countries have received debt cancellation from the British Government under the policy of cancellation of all debts owed to the UK by developing countries? Furthermore, can he tell the House how much debt has been cancelled by the British Government in each case?
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: My Lords, I should have to produce a large table to answer that question in detail, but I can say that our contribution to the HIPC trust fund is the largest in the world, at 350 million dollars. All the G7 countries have agreed to follow our example, with 100 per cent relief on bilateral aid. That is not a bad record.
The Lord Bishop of Oxford: My Lords, the Churches are highly appreciative of the lead taken by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. However, there have been disturbing reports that the high hopes set for the G8 Summit will not be achieved. Are there serious obstacles to achieving the target and, if so, what might they be?
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: My Lords, the first obstacle was to get the item on the agenda. Our officials working on the agenda have overcome that. As I indicated in my Answer, it is now agreed that the item will play an important part on the agenda. Japan, in particular, as host country has made a commitment to that. We shall have to wait and see how the negotiations progress at Okinawa, but I can assure the right reverend Prelate that we are pushing hard for a better outcome from HIPC 2.
Lord Judd: My Lords, would my noble friend not agree that the urgency of the situation is underlined by the consistent fall in levels of development assistance from the wealthy countries of the world, with the honourable exception of the United Kingdom and the lead given by the DfID? In those circumstances, is there not something despicable about the wealthy nations of the world meeting to discuss how they can shore up their wealth without falling in behind the lead given by the Chancellor and others on what we should be doing together to fulfil our responsibilities in the wider world?
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: My Lords, it is not for me to criticise other countries in the way in which they approach the G8 Summit. Of course they come with their own motivation, and our role is to pursue, and to encourage them to pursue, a firm and effective strategy for the reduction of world poverty. After all, it was the Labour Government who pushed for the adoption of HIPC 2, which now covers 38 countries and a total of 100 billion dollars. That is no mean achievement.
Lord Redesdale : My Lords, will the Government consider pushing for a change of rules for the World
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: My Lords, there will always be a role for grants, particularly for disaster relief. Indeed, referring back to an earlier Question, the European Commission makes a considerable number of grants for this purpose. I believe that loans will always have a major role to play because they enable the provision of relief earlier than would otherwise be possible.
Lord Grenfell: My Lords, I congratulate my noble friend and the Government on their excellent record on debt relief, but would he not agree that while 600 million people live in 40 HIPC countries, many billions living in other developing countries rely heavily on concessionary aid? Would he further agree that it is extremely important that while the debt initiative must be properly financed, it should not be an excuse for OECD countries to reduce the rest of their development assistance and thus rob Peter to pay Paul?
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: My Lords, those are wise words from my noble friend.
Read a third time, and passed, and sent to the Commons.
Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper. Perhaps it would be for the convenience of the House if I explained the background to the Motion.
It has been agreed through the usual channels that it would be advantageous to commit the Bill to the Moses Room for a single day, specifically to allow the government amendments to be inserted into the Bill. Once this has been done, the Bill will be reprinted as amended and recommitted in its entirety to a Committee of the Whole House.
The Bill which is considered in Committee of the Whole House will therefore be a clean copy incorporating all the government amendments. It will then be open to your Lordships to move amendments to the Bill in the usual way.
Although the purpose of the Motion is to allow government amendments to be inserted, the Motion does not prevent other amendments from being tabled. However, I would urge those of your Lordships who have already tabled amendments to consider
I should be happy to talk to any of your Lordships who are affected by the arrangement and the Government Whips Office is also happy to provide advice and assistance on this subject. The purpose of the Motion is to allow the Bill to be handled in a way which will make an effective and efficient use of the time of the House.
Moved, That the order of commitment of 5th June be discharged and that the Bill be committed to a Grand Committee; that the Bill as amended in the Grand Committee be recommitted to a Committee of the Whole House; and that the Instruction to the Committee of the Whole House of 7th June (order of consideration of clauses and Schedules) be instead an Instruction to the Grand Committee.--(Lord Macdonald of Tradeston.)
Lord Peyton of Yeovil: My Lords, I want to congratulate the Minister on his well placed sense of modesty and shyness in seeking to handle a very awkward stage of a very clumsy Bill in a reasonably delicate fashion without revealing the full horror to an unnecessary degree of public examination and perhaps even slight distaste and disapproval.
At the same time, I should not like to leave my noble friends on the Front Bench out of the torrent of goodwill which is proceeding from my lips. I congratulate them on their generosity, even if I believe that on this occasion they may rather have overdone it and been a little too generous where the deserts were not all that obvious.
Baroness Carnegy of Lour: My Lords, before the Minister replies, for the convenience of the House can he inform us how many government amendments are to be put down which necessitate this rather unusual move? After all, a great deal of time has been spent on the Bill in the other place and we have already spent one day debating it here. Can he tell us how many amendments necessitate this strange idea?
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By Adam Roberts | February 14, 2011
Categories: Book News
So here are "Projekt Stalin" and "Opowieść Zombilijna", two of my novels rendered into the ancient and beautiful language of Poland and published there by the excellently-named publisher, Zysk i S-ka. I can't judge the skill of the translation, lacking Polish; but I can report that these are lovely examples of book-production, inside as well as out. Projekt Stalin has a some lovely in-cover art and touches, not least a rather startling apparition of, er, me in amongst the saucers on the inside-front cover:
But easier on the eye are the divisions between parts:
And the endpapers:
The UK edition of the Scrooge/Zombie title had illustrations by Zom Leech; but he won't mind that Zysk have commissioned their own striking work:
As I tweeted, upon receipt: 'In the post: copies of Projekt Stalin and Opowieść Zombilijna. Very cool. That the latter is thinner than the former makes me want to sing: 'Zombilijna, Zombilijna, tiny little thing/Zombilijna dance, Zombilijna sing.'No tags for this post.
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Mameli, Giulia and Filigheddu, Rossella Speranza and Binelli, Giorgio and Meloni, Marilena (2008) The Genetic structure of the remnant populations of Centaurea horrida in Sardinia and associated islands. Annals of Botany, Vol. 101 (5), p. 633-640. eISSN 1095-8290. Article.
Full text not available from this repository.
DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcn012
Background and Aims: The Mediterranean region is of prime importance to biodiversity at a global level, mainly due to the abundance of endemic plant species. However, information about these species is still scarce, especially at the genetic level. In this paper the first assessment is reported of the genetic structure of Centaurea horrida (Asteraceae), an endemic, sea-cliff-dwelling plant from Sardinia. Methods: The study was conducted on seven populations covering the entire natural range of the species by means of SSR (microsatellite) markers. Key Results: A considerable amount of genetic variation was found (average He = 0•603–0•854), together with a medium-high differentiation among populations, as estimated both by FST (0•123) and RST (0•158). Both Bayesian analysis and AMOVA were employed to detect genetic structuring in this species. The results suggest that the origins of the current populations of C. horrida lie in two gene pools. Conclusions: Despite the restricted range, C. horrida displays high levels of genetic diversity, structured in such a way that three management units could be deemed viable for its conservation. The protected status of the species will probably suffice to prevent the impoverishment of its genetic resources.
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Dormant for nearly six years, the Central Plant smokestack behind B.B. Comer Hall is deteriorating, and repairs would cost $125,000 and at least $85,000 every decade for upkeep.
TUSCALOOSA | A University of Alabama landmark will be razed if trustees approve today.
Dormant for nearly six years, the Central Plant smokestack behind B.B. Comer Hall is deteriorating, and repairs would cost $125,000. In addition, an estimated $85,000 would be needed every decade, if not more often, to maintain it, according to information provided to trustees by UA.
"If it's going to stay up, we need to spend some money on it," said Tim Leopard, assistant vice president for construction and construction administration. "We would rather not spend money maintaining an aesthetic feature of campus — I don't think it's symbolic to anything — rather, utilize that money to enhance the teaching and learning experience where we can."
Comer Hall was built in 1910 as home to engineering instruction, but it also was the site of the university's central power plant. At the time, it was on the edge of campus. A nearby railroad was used to supply the power plant with coal, which was burned to heat the campus in winter. The plant could get water from Marr's Spring, according to "The University of Alabama: A Guide to Campus" by art professor Robert Mellown.
In 1965, the 240-foot-tall, 22-foot-wide red brick smokestack replaced three smaller yellow brick smokestacks. It has never been a campus favorite and, in fact, was the object of obscene jokes by students.
For one, it is red, while Comer Hall is yellow, and, second, it had spotlights fixed on it so it could be seen clearly at night, Mellown said. Further, it bellowed smoke in its early days.
"It's an eyesore, really," Mellown said. "It just projected above the campus, and it really looked peculiar."
The power plant behind Comer Hall was nearly hidden on campus for decades, and even when the taller smokestack was built, the Marr's Spring area was still mostly tucked away. Today, the north side of campus is a bustling hub, with new dorms, a dining hall and river park.
"There are 3,000 people living behind (the smokestack), so in terms of population it's in the center of campus,"
Mellown said.
But university administrators don't want to tear it down simply because it is deemed unsightly. The smokestack has bulges in the upper bands of bricks, weakening mortar joints, discoloration, a rusted iron cap and corrosion of the steel tension bands that hold it together, according to the information presented to trustees.
"It will save money right off the bat," Leopard said.
The smokestack was taken offline in 2004 when a new, more efficient exhaust system for natural gas heat was installed.
The price to raze it is estimated at $225,000. If trustees approve the move today, a firm specializing in such demolition would begin this summer knocking the smokestack into itself from the top down, Leopard said.
Reach Adam Jones at email@example.com or 205-722-0230.


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- Article 1 of the Constitution of India says: - "India, that is Bharat shall be a Union of States."
- The word 'Federation' is not mentioned anywhere in the Constitution.
A state is federal when it has following features:
(a) There are two sets of governments and there is distribution of powers between the two.
(b) There is a written constitution.
(c) Supremacy of the Constitution.
(d) Rigidity of the Constitution.
(e) There is an independent judiciary to interpret the constitution and settle disputes between the centre and the states.
However, a state is unitary when it is governed constitutionally as one single unit, with one constitutionally created legislature. All power is top down. A unitary state is a sovereign state governed as one single unit in which the central government is supreme and any administrative divisions (sub national units) exercise only powers that the central government chooses to delegate.
Federal Features of Indian Constitution
1. Supremacy of the Constitution: The supremacy of the constitution means that both, the Union and the State Governments, shall operate within the limits set by the Constitution. And both the union government and the central government derive their powers from the constitution.
2. Written Constitution: The Constitution of India is a written constitution. It is the most elaborate Constitution of the world.
3. Rigid Constitution: The procedure of amending the Constitution in a federal system is normally rigid. Indian Constitution provides that some amendments require a special majority. Such an amendment has to be passed by majority of total members of each house of the Parliament as well as by two-thirds majority of the members present and voting there in. However, in addition to this process, some amendments must be approved by at least 50% of the states. After this procedure the amendment is signed by the head of the state i.e; the President. Since in India important amendments can be amended through this procedure Hence, Indian Constitution can be considered as rigid constitution.
4. Division of Powers: In Indian constitution the powers of state and centre are clearly defined and there are very clear limits of both the centre and the state for law making powers. Our constitution enumerates three lists, viz.
· the Union, consists of 97 subjects of national importance such as Defence, Railways, Post and Telegraph, etc
· the State and List consists of 66 subjects of local interest such as Public Health, Police etc.
· the Concurrent List. has 47 subjects important to both the Union and the State such as Electricity, Trade Union, Economic and Social Planning, etc.
5. Supremacy of the Judiciary: There is an independent judiciary to interpret the Constitution and to maintain its sanctity. The Supreme Court of India has the original jurisdiction to settle disputes between the Union and the States. It can declare a law as unconstitutional, if it contravenes any provision of the Constitution.
Unitary Features of Indian Constitution:
In spite of the fact that the Indian Constitution establishes a federal structure, it is indeed very difficult to put the Indian Constitution in the category of a true federation. The following provision of Indian constitution makes it unitary:
1. Union of States: Article 1 of the Constitution describes India as a "˜Union of States", which implies two things: firstly, it is not the result of an agreement among the States and secondly, the States have no freedom to secede or separate from the Union. Besides, the Constitution of the Union and the States is a single framework from which neither can get out and within which they must function. The federation is a union because it is indestructible and helps to maintain the unity of the country.
2. Appointment of Governor: Art 155 and 156 provide that the Governor, who is the constitutional head of a State, is to be appointed by the President and stays only until the pleasure of the President The Centre may take over the administration of the State on the recommendations of the Governor or otherwise. In other words, Governor is the agent of the Centre in the States. The working of Indian federal system clearly reveals that the Governor has acted more as central representative than as the head of the State. This enables the Union government to exercise control over the State administration.
3. Representation in the Legislature: The equality of units in a federation is best guaranteed by their equal representation in the Uppers House of the federal legislature (Parliament). However, this is not applicable in case of Indian States. They have unequal representation in the Rajya Sabha. In a true federation such as that of United State of America every State irrespective of their size in terms of area or population it sends two representatives in the upper House i.e. Senate.
4. Appointment on Key Positions: In addition to all this, all important appointments such as the Chief Election Commissioner, the Comptroller and Auditor General are made by the Union Government.
5. There is single citizenship.
6. There is no provision for separate Constitutions for the states. The States cannot propose amendments to the Constitution. As such amendments can only be made by the Union Parliament.
7. All India Services such as IAS and IPS have been created which are kept under the control of the Union.
8. In financial matters too, the States depend upon the Union to a great extent. The States do not possess adequate financial resources to meet their requirements. During Financial Emergency, the Center exercises full control over the States' finances.
9. Unified Judiciary: The federal principle envisages a dual system of Courts. But, in India we have unified Judiciary with the Supreme Court at the apex.
10. Power to make laws: The Constitution of India empowered the central government to make laws on the subjects in the state list. It is exercised only on the matters of national importance and that too if the Rajya Sabha agrees with 2/3 majority. The constitution establishes a strong Centre by assigning all-important subjects to the Centre as per the Union List. The State Governments have very limited powers.
11. Power to form new states and to change existing boundaries: Under Art 3, center can change the boundaries of existing states and can carve out new states. This should be seen in the perspective of the historical situation at the time of independence. At that time there were no independent states. There were only provinces that were formed by the British based on administrative convenience. At that time States were artificially created and a provision to alter the boundaries and to create new states was kept so that appropriate changes could be made as per requirement. It should be noted that British India did not have states similar to the States in the USA.
12. Emergency Provisions: The President of India can declare three different types of emergency under article 352, article 356 and article 360 for an act of foreign aggression or internal armed rebellion, failure of constitutional machinery in a state and financial emergency respectively.. During the operation of an emergency, the powers of the State Governments are greatly curtailed and the Union Government becomes all in all.
From the above discussion it is seen that the constitution of India is neither a complete federation nor it is completely unitary. It has the features of both. In the words of D.D.Basu, the Constitution of India is neither purely federal nor unitary, but is a combination of both. It is often defined to be quasi-federal in nature. Thus we can safely say that, it is primarly Unitary having some fedral features.