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|Could ACORNS Be Predicting This Winter?
Credit: Craft JR
The 'Squirrely Acorn Theory', as it's called by KSHB's Brett Anthony, can be used to help predict winter. In this case, Anthony watches for an anomaly of acorns. Last year, he reported below normal acorns. Lo and behold, below normal snowfall was observed in Kansas City, Missouri. This fall, Anthony says he is seeing more acorns than normally seen, and this acorn anomaly is being seen in other areas in the East as well. So, could we see an above normal snowfall this winter for the Eastern US as a whole?
Well, it just so happens that there are no reports for acorn anomalies, so that takes away predictions for large scale areas. Also, skepticism on old wives' tales has some truth to it- unchanging rules on what the weather is saying does not turn out well in many cases. However, this particular theory looks promising, and it may have been the only 'forecaster' to verify last year's winter.
You can read more on the Squirrely Acorn Theory at KSHB by clicking on this link.


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So I wanted to make a Guardian discussion thread, mainly because every other profession got on, and i'm pretty sure there are people here who will go with the Guardian profession. I want to 'pimp' this thread out more than the other profession threads, because Guardians are awesome! I searched through the forum but couldn't find a Guardian discussion thread only.
I will ask my question, so scroll down a little bit.
So I will explain a little bit what the Guardian is about. To them who want's to understand a little bit about Guardians.
The Guardian is a friend caring profession, which means you help other friendly players a lot with your skills and abilites. The Guardian controls the ground, which means they put symbols, wards and lines on the ground which enemies can't cross, or causes conditions, dealing damage to the enemies. The Guardian's special ability is that they got three virtues, which is assigned for F1, F2 and F3. Each virtue provides a passive effect to the Guardian.
Virtue of Courge gives the Guardian a shield that blocks next attack every 30 seconds.
Virtue of Justice makes the next 5th attack to cause burning condition on enemies.
Virtue of Resolve gives passive health regeneration.
These Virtues can be activated and gives the friendly players around you it's benefits, and to you too of course. But they will be deactived for some time as a passive effect for you.
The weapons that the Guardian can use are-...
- Main-Hand
- Off-Hand
- Two-Handed
- Aquatic
I won't go into detail about what skills the different weapons get. However, if you want to read more about the Guardian you can visit these websites.
So my questions are-...
What weapon combinations will you go with mainly?
Even if the Guardian is a protective profession, how much will you actually care about helping others? Using your virtues to give it to your allies?

subset: commoncrawl


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In a recent blog post Harold Jarche – a great knowledge source for smart work and learning – described his view on how real value creation happens at the edge of organizations and requires different management and communications practices.
Here below Harold's wonderful visualization of how and where value is being created: the chaotic edge, complex and complicated, and the automated parts of the business ecosystem. He states:
"I think the edge will be where almost all high value work gets done in organizations. Core activities will be increasingly automated or outsourced. Most of the people in an organization will be on the edge. The core will be managed by very few internal staff."
The aspects he has included into his picture are very much like how I see the changing environment for the most businesses. However this wasn't the case few years back. Ten years ago I did some research on the same topic, in an entirely different business environment.
Harold's visualization reminded me of my 10-years old Analyzing Framework for Value Creation. It was a part of my Master's thesis (anno 2001) in which I researched how organizations (at that time) tried to create value by enhancing their supply chain processes, and finding new ways for cooperation within their business network.
The leading discussion topic was process automation; it all was very transaction-oriented. And instead of the notion social, it was all about virtual. Yes, it was the golden time of ERP's and Business Process Management.
My idea and approach was to study how value was created in our common business processes, and how those could be developed towards more collaborative and 'virtual' ones, and especially what aspects have an effect on the value-creation in these processes. Here below my framework from 2001.
On the outer circle a blend of soft and hard elements: Culture, Commitment, Leadership, and Strategy. The middle circle represents the two main tasks associated with managing business processes: Coordination and Integration. On the inner circle I've chosen three set of pairs: Infrastructure & Architecture, Relations & Processes, and Information & Knowledge. All these further having an effect on the ultimate target in the middle – Value innovation and Creation.
Kind of Social Business 1.0, or Enterprise 1.0 or what do you say; some of the aspects are quite close to the today's key topics social and social business?
All the elements are still valid but clearly my framework needs re-structuring and refreshing. When I now look at Harold Jarche's model and my old framework, I see clearly three things:
- Firstly, business development people at that time were stuck at the process automation hype, in the name of cost and time savings. Both good targets, however people and innovation (other than process innovation) were neglected. The same applies to organizational learning. These were not in the core focus for most organizations.
- Secondly (ok, this is obvious); the speed by which the level complexity has grown is huge. Change and complexity are becoming a norm. As Harold Jarche says: "Any work where complexity is not the norm will be of diminishing value." In my model, I see it all too simplified.
- Thirdly, I was on the right track but missing some adjectives – especially the social. And I was stuck to the processes too much; the physical process (distribution of goods) and the related information processes.
Summarized it can be said that from the people and innovation perspective, my model is indeed missing some width and depth.
When value creation and innovation is discussed, a notion of the 'edges' Harold referred to, is an interesting one. The idea of 'edges' was presented by two of my favorite thinkers John Hagel & John Seely Brown, and can be associated into this discussion. Here's a snippet from HBR article few years back:
"Edges within firms represent early stage business initiatives with high growth potential, whether new market-oriented initiatives or new work practices, often generated by the born-digital generation entering the workforce. Edges at the individual level represent the weak ties in our social networks that quicken personal growth by connecting us with experiences and resources we might not have otherwise encountered."
The book of the above-mentioned talent duo – Power of Pull – presents The Pull approach which enables organizations to learn faster and translate what we've learned into improved performance and customer value. Warmly recommended book, it gives many valuable ideas of how to succeed in the world where value is created in a very complex environment; on the edge, in the interactions, in the trust-based relationships. Within and outside the organization.
Yes, I'll very much agree with Harold's wise words:
"Social networks, collaboration and cooperation must be the norm when dealing with complex or chaotic situations."
Changes in the organizational culture, more open attitudes and behavior, together with social media tools and services, are altering the landscape of human connectedness and the ways of value creation.
I'll end this post by quoting The Beatles: With a Little Help from My Friends!
Welcome, Renaissance of Relationships!
PS. Check out the recent video by John Seely Brown: Collaborative Innovation and a Pull Economy
PS2. If somebody would like to refresh my old framework, feel free to do so : )


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At this time of year there are festive decorations throughout the land — in homes, schools, businesses, shopping malls, and government buildings. But, this Saturday, Dec. 13, just 12 days before Christmas, there will be a different kind of decorating taking place marking a much different tribute.
Known as "Wreaths Across America," these decorations are for the tens of thousands who made the ultimate sacrifice so that this nation can remain "the land of the free." Wreaths will be placed on the graves of fallen military veterans in cemeteries and at monuments from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from the Canadian border to the Gulf of Mexico.
More than 200 of those symbolic expressions of gratitude are expected to decorate graves in Alexandria'a National Cemetery, 1450 Wilkes St., during a noon hour ceremony. They will join the more than 10,000 wreaths to be placed at individual gravesites in Arlington National Cemetery.
"The mission of 'Wreaths Across America' is to Remember-Honor-and Teach. Remember the fallen. Honor those who serve. Teach our children the value of freedom," according to the project's founder. This will be the 17th year for this solemn holiday ceremony begun by Morrill Worcester, president, Worcester Wreath Company, Harrington, Maine.
Worcester originally donated wreaths for Arlington National Cemetery to show his appreciation and gratitude for the sacrifices of American military personnel. In 2006, he decided to expand his tribute to 250 state and national cemeteries and Veterans memorials nationwide.
To accomplish this, Worcester solicited the aid of the Patriot Guard Riders, a motorcycle and motor vehicle group composed primarily of military veterans and active duty personnel with over 65,000 members, to escort the wreaths from Maine to Arlington. The week-long journey, a 750-mile trek, begins in Harrington and travels most of the way on Route 1, arriving in the Washington area just prior to the wreath-laying ceremony.
The mileage is significant in that it represents one mile for every 1,000 of the approximately 750,000 men and women who have died as a result of armed conflict throughout this nation's history. Part of that contingent also brings wreath to the Alexandria National Cemetery, which pre-dates Arlington National Cemetery, going back to the Civil War.
Conducting the wreath-laying ceremony in Alexandria this year, as he did in 2007, is Patriot Guard Rider Patrick Gallagher. "We hope this will be a much bigger ceremony than last year," Gallagher said.
Participating in the ceremony, which is open to anyone wishing to attend, will be members of the various Armed Services and volunteer students from T.C. Williams High School. Following remarks by Gallagher and others, wreaths will be placed on individual's graves throughout the cemetery, including the 128 unknown dead from the Civil War.
MORRILL AND KAREN WORCESTER began their personal veterans' tribute in 1992 with a trailer load of wreaths, decorated by volunteers, that were placed on graves in Arlington National Cemetery. It was their wish to bring children and veterans together — a way to bring past, present and future sacrifices of veterans and their families together.
From that effort by the Worcesters and their volunteers has grown this national tribute at one of the most family times of the year. It also serves as an educational vehicle to make the next generation aware of the cost of freedom.
Each year dozens of students make the annual trip to Arlington National Cemetery to participate in the wreath-laying event. It was just such a trip to Arlington National Cemetery years ago by Morrill Worcester, as a 12-year-old boy from Maine, that triggered his desire to create Wreaths Across America.
Involving children in the project has inspired works of art as well as essays and poems. The final lines of one of those poems, written by a participating student, identified only as Stephanie C., captures the essence of the project. "And so the sun goes down; Another child has learned the lesson; War is not glorious but the people are; Love for freedom goes beyond death."
In expressing his appreciation to all those that give of their time and talents to make this annual project possible, Worcester issued the following statement: "On behalf of everyone at Worcester Wreath, we wish to express our appreciation. It provides the inspiration for all of us to renew our commitment to honor the men and women of the armed forces who have served, and those currently serving our country.
"To each, and especially, those who made the ultimate sacrifice, we owe unwavering support and a profound debt of gratitude for preserving the way of life we all enjoy here in the United States of America."
Alexandria's National Cemetery is located six blocks west of Route 1 at the end of Wilkes Street. There is a direction sign at the intersection of South Washington and Gibbon streets. To learn more about this event visit www.wreaths-across-america.org.


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Choose Christian Boys Names from our unique and huge collection of Christian Baby Names. Our categorized list of Christian names helps you to find the delightful name for your baby boy. Also find Christian Baby Boys Names by alphabets and other categories from our easy filtering option.
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Gyrolicious, Jericho: First bites
The night I stop into Gyrolicious in Jericho, there's a 10-minute wait for a table. Looking around the room, I note the enormity of portion sizes. And, checking out the menu, the ultra-moderate prices.
For starters, four of us share a sampler platter of dips ($9.95). They're all exemplary: taramasalata, or roe dip, spiced pepper feta, eggplant salad and hummus. Some quibbles: Not enough pita accompanies; individual plates have to be requested. Less appealing is an appetizer of grilled octopus, which is chewy and vinegary.
A generous Greek salad, gratis with entrees, is bright and fresh, with ripe tomatoes a deep red in color. In the case of a gyro combination platter entree ($13.95), the house made beef and lamb gyro has been sliced off and grilled to the point where the slices are a bit dry; they curl around the edges. Chicken gyro, also made on premises, features shards of white and dark marinated meat. Although the gyro looks dry, it's surprisingly moist and savory. Lemon potatoes, which share the plate, are addictive. A real standout turns out to be a vegetarian pita sandwich with crisp fried falafel and hummus ($6.95).
Gyrolicious, a spinoff of an established East Meadow eatery, is at 24A Jericho Tpke., Jericho, 516-427-5555.


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A basic problem for clients looking for long-term care insurance today is that they simply may not be able to find it. Major carriers have pulled out of the market in the last year, and the policies that remain can be prohibitively expensive and contain strict qualification requirements.
Fortunately, the product market is evolving so that a relatively new method of securing tax-preferred long-term care benefits has emerged. Hybrid annuity products that combine the estate and income planning features of an annuity with the protection of long-term care insurance are becoming increasingly popular among clients looking for replacement insurance. Because the available long-term care benefits under these contracts are based on a percentage of the annuity premium value and often offer optional inflation coverage, clients may need to triple their initial investment to ensure long-term care needs are met, but with the added bonus that those funds are not lost if care is never required.
Annuities with long-term care: The mechanics
Typically, the value of the long-term care benefits that will be available to your client under an annuity with long-term care coverage is based on a percentage of his initial premium investment (usually 200 percent or 300 percent of the client's investment). The client must also choose whether he wants to include inflation protection, which ensures that the contract value grows at a rate that is designed to keep pace with the rising costs of long-term care.
When the client needs long-term care, the costs are paid out of the accumulated value of the annuity (most contracts will specify the maximum monthly benefit based on the contract value and the coverage period chosen by the client) until the annuity value is depleted. Your clients will also usually have the option of purchasing an extended benefit, which will continue benefits after the account is depleted. Many hybrid annuity contracts will also allow a contract owner's spouse to be covered under the same contract.
While the minimum buy-in for these annuity products is around $50,000, if the client has another annuity or life insurance product that he is not using, the funding can be accomplished through a tax-free 1035 exchange.
How does this strategy compare to a traditional LTCI policy?
While premiums paid to fund the traditional long-term care policy will continue over the life of the policy, an annuity contract with long-term care benefits is fully funded when the contract is purchased. The client will not have to worry about meeting the monthly premium payment or potential future increases in that premium.
Further, while a long-term care policy provides benefits only if the client eventually does require long-term care, the value of the annuity with long-term care benefits may be withdrawn by the client when the contract reaches maturity or passed on to the client's heirs in the event that care is not required. Conversely, the client's investment in a traditional policy is lost if he does not require care.
Many annuity contracts with long-term care riders will provide coverage with significantly fewer qualification requirements than a traditional policy, providing an attractive alternative for clients with preexisting conditions who may be unable to qualify for traditional policies.
Like a traditional long-term care policy, if amounts are withdrawn to pay for the client's long-term care expenses, those amounts are taken tax-free (regardless of whether they represent the client's investment in the contract or earnings over the accumulation period).
However, clients should be advised that some of these contracts may take years to fully mature and tie up a larger dollar value over this accumulation period. The contract may permit the client to make withdrawals during the accumulation period, but any withdrawals will reduce the amounts available to the client if care is needed.
Though a hybrid annuity contract may not be the solution for all clients, for those who seek to protect themselves in the event that extended long-term care becomes necessary, finding long-term care benefits through the use of an annuity product may provide a relatively simple-to-obtain and tax-preferred alternative.
For more on long-term care insurance, please see:
- States' LTC Squeeze: Demand Swamping Services
- Largest LTC Claim Tops $1.8 Million
- Closing the Window on LTCI
For additional coverage of this issue and similar ones, we invite you to sign up with AdvisorOne's Summit Business Media partner, National Underwriter Advanced Markets, for a free trial.
You may also be interested in signing up for a free trial with another Summit Business Media partner, Tax Facts Online.
See also:


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Helping Preservice Teachers Implement and Assess Research-based Instruction in K-12 Classrooms Documents
Main Document
Helping Preservice Teachers Implement and Assess Research-based Instruction in K-12 Classrooms
written by
Donna Messina,
Lezlie S. DeWater, and
MacKenzie R. Stetzer
The Physics Education Group at the University of Washington offers special physics courses for preservice teachers. The three-quarter sequence helps prospective teachers develop an in-depth understanding of some of the important basic concepts they will teach. The guided-inquiry pedagogical approach provides them with an opportunity to learn as they will be expected to teach. As a result of the course, preservice teachers also come to recognize some conceptual and reasoning difficulties commonly encountered by students. A culmination of their experience is a teaching practicum in which the preservice teachers apply what they have learned to instruction in middle or high school classrooms. Observations of the preservice teachers as they design, teach, and assess their lessons contribute to our understanding of the type of preparation needed for them to be able to teach physics and physical science by inquiry.
- Download PERC04_Messina.pdf - 462kb Adobe PDF Document
Published September 1, 2005
Last Modified July 8, 2013
This file is included in the full-text index.


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Frequent Links
An anonymizer or an anonymous proxy is a tool that attempts to make activity on the Internet untraceable. It is a proxy server computer that acts as an intermediary and privacy shield between a client computer and the rest of the Internet. It accesses the Internet on the user's behalf, protecting personal information by hiding the client computer's identifying information.[1][2]
There are many reasons for using anonymizers. Anonymizers help minimize risk. They can be used to prevent identity theft, or to protect search histories from public disclosure.
Some countries apply heavy censorship on the internet.[3][4][5][6][7] Anonymizers can help in allowing free access to all of the internet content, but cannot help against persecution for accessing the Anonymizer website itself. Furthermore, as information itself about Anonymizer websites are banned in these countries, users are wary that they may be falling into a government-set trap.[8]
Anonymizers are also used by people who wish to receive objective information with the growing target marketing on the internet and targeted information. For example, large news outlets such as CNN target the viewers according to region and give different information to different populations. Websites such as YouTube obtain information about the last videos viewed on a computer, and propose "recommended" videos accordingly, and most of the online targeted marketing is done by showing advertisements according to that region. Anonymizers are used for avoiding this kind of targeting and getting a more objective view of information.[9]
Use of anonymizers
Protocol specific anonymizers
Sometimes anonymizers are implemented to work only with one particular protocol. The advantage is that no extra software is needed. The operation occurs in this manner: A connection is made by the user to the anonymizer. Commands to the anonymizer are included inside a typical message. The anonymizer then makes a connection to the resource specified by the inbound command and relays the message with the command stripped out.
An example of a protocol-specific anonymizer is an anonymous remailer for e-mail. Also of note are web proxies, and bouncers for FTP and IRC.
Protocol independent anonymizers
Protocol independence can be achieved by creating a tunnel to an anonymizer. The technology to do so varies. Protocols used by anonymizer services may include SOCKS, PPTP, or OpenVPN.
In this case either the desired application must support the tunneling protocol, or a piece of software must be installed to force all connections through the tunnel. Web browsers, FTP and IRC clients often support SOCKS for example, unlike telnet.
Use of multiple relays
Proxies can be daisy chained. Chaining anonymous proxies can make traffic analysis far more complex and costly by requiring the eavesdropper to be able to monitor different parts of the Internet.[1] An anonymizing remailer can use this concept by relaying a message to another remailer, and eventually to its destination.
Even stronger anonymity can be gained by using Tor. Tor is not merely a proxy chain, but an onion router, which means that routing information (as well as message content) is encrypted in such a way as to prevent linking the origin and destination. Like all anonymity networks, Tor cannot end-to-end encrypt messages destined for the public Internet;[10] that must be arranged between the sender and recipient. Tor's hidden service protocol does, however, provide end-to-end encryption, along with the ability to anonymize servers to make them more censorship-resistant.
Another anonymity network is the Invisible Internet Project (I2P). Unlike Tor, I2P is a fully internal network. The philosophy behind I2P is that each node routes traffic for others and blends its own traffic in, whereas one's own traffic will be relayed by other peers through so-called tunnels made up of various other peers. As you never know if a given mix logs all connections or not, the only way to be really sure there is no logging is to run your own anonymizing mix node and blend your traffic with those of other users, who in turn need not trust you, as they blend their traffic with yours and other users' traffic in their own mix nodes. The network is highly dynamic and totally decentralized. It also takes care of other nodes learning about your node existing, for without peers using your node, there would be no traffic to blend yours with. As all traffic always stay within the I2P network, a routing user's I2P can remain end-to-end encrypted and will never show on public websites' logs.
See also
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Portal/images/i' not found.
- Anonymization
- Anonymous web browsing
- CGIProxy, web based proxy Perl script often used as anonymizer solution,
- Java Anon Proxy - a proxy system designed to allow browsing the Web with revocable pseudonymity.[11]
- Geo-blocking
- ^ a b "How Anonymizers Work". The Living Internet. Retrieved 2007-08-03.
- ^ (Reference from Censorship in Singapore#Internet) Mixing welfare and elitism in Singapore", Alex Au, Asia Times, November 23, 2006.
- ^ (Reference from Censorship in Saudi Arabia#Internet) http://www.tgdaily.com/business-and-law-features/53403-saudi-arabia-bans-blogging-without-a-licence
- ^ (Reference from Censorship in North Korea - where internet access itself is illegal) "List of the 13 Internet enemies". Reporters Without Borders. Archived from the original on 2 January 2008. Retrieved January 9, 2008.
- ^ (Reference from Internet censorship in Iran) OpenNet Initiative. (2006.) "Internet Filtering in Iran in 2004-2005: A Country Study". In these countries most Anonymizer websites are banned
- ^ See references above i.e. Iran banned Tor
- ^ US FBI uses 'Anonymizer trap' to catch online pedofiles (Security Focus website)
- ^ About targeted advertising on an anonymizer (FastCompany Anonymizer website) - an article describing the typical targeted advertising avoidance by most anonymizer services, while this one enables continued online targeted marketing
- ^ The hack of the year
- ^ Privacy-friendly law enforcement 2009


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An alternative Dublin guide for tourists, written by a native. It is not intended to be a comprehensive tourist review but somewhere to find the best expert information about alternative Dublin. It contains detailed information and advice about Dublin's attractions, people, history, transport, music, culture, sport and night life. Additionally, you will find Irish facts, trivia, links and sayings. Join the free newsletter and get advice on hotels and B&Bs with a monthly acommodation update including an exclusive topical article and occasional features about fun tips and advice. subscribe to free newsletter here.
Dublin [see map] is situated on the River Liffey (An Life), which is a beautiful, crystal clear stream
at its source in the hills of County Wicklow and a brown, treacle-like substance at its entry into Dublin Bay. The medieval city was situated quite close to the mouth of the river on the south side (now near Trinity College); the early settlers were responsible for dividing the future pattern of the city into an almost tribal north-south divide. The commercial centre is mainly located on the south side including the Central Bank, although some of Dublin's finest buildings are on the north side such as the Custom House, the Four Courts and the Rotunda Hospital.
Great fun tip: As a visitor the most important item to possess is a 1-Day LEAP card [Adult 6.90 Euro - not Nitelink] which enables you to hide your ignorance of the Euro coinage system, skip queues by entering the bus on the right-hand side of the door and ride any bus which comes along (with the exception of certain peak-hour services). They are excellent value too and it is possible to make serious incursions into Dublin's wonderful city providing you are armed with a route map.
Time-saving advice: You can buy the Dublin Bus passes mentioned above when you arrive at the airport; however, the tourist information oftens gets busy and you have to wait your turn for service. Exit the arrivals area and follow directions for buses for the city. At the Dublin Bus stops, there is an automatic ticket machine. The day pass is €6 euro and valid on the 747/748 express buses; get a pass anyway since their single fare is also €6, and you can then use it on other buses during the day!
Great extreme tip: send a free 'live' postcard during your visit - details on this page.
Useful banking tip: Most banks in Ireland do not open until 10am and close at 3 or 4pm. You can now check opening hours on their websites (search for "Bank of Ireland" or "Allied Irish Bank"). Many regional banks even close for lunch
Top advice: Dublin people often use an informal name for a street or road such as "James' Street" If you can't find it in an index, try putting a "Saint" or "St." before it.
latest additions 1 January 2020 >
We are proud to announce our independent accommodation partners www.almarabb.com; if you're looking for good value accommodation in the Dublin area, contact them for a commission-free quotation. You will receive a prompt and efficient response, tailored to your needs; they specialise in Bed and Breakfasts but also book hotels. Like ourselves, they offer impartial advice about Dublin and we're delighted to have them as associates.
Dublin's Airport is situated about 12 miles from the city centre to the north; at present there is no rail connection to the city. Taxis [cabs] can be expensive (c.30 Euro per car to the centre of Dublin; worth it for 4 persons - but the taxi driver is usually a reliable source of betting tips, Gaelic and soccer information, who's in town, Dublin acommodation and, most of all, traffic congestion and its solutions. There are also express coaches and for a more cultural and enlightened journey, try the No. 16 or 41 stopping bus which is the cheapest and longest route to the centre (keep that wallet hidden!). More travel details here.
Great driving tip: If you're driving a car from Dublin airport and heading to the south or south-west of Ireland, you will use the M50 and Westlink toll bridge. A car costs €3 but you need to pay at the e-Flow website, or at a PayZone outlet by 8pm the next day. Some hire cars include free tolls - ask the agent. More tips >
Great fun tip: Huib Zegers sensibly recommends buying bus passes at the airport or at Dublin Bus on O'Connell Street - good comment Huib and many thanks! Bus & rail price details here.
Great saving tip: If you need to check e mails and the internet, many public libraries offer PCs with free access. The cheapest web cafes are on Talbot Street (near Busarus, the bus station) where they typically charge €1 euro per hour.! An alternative is to buy a bus Travel 90 ticket if you're exploring and surf on Dublin Bus for an hour-and-a-half for free!
Most of the material has been written by myself and is therefore copyright; if you discover material that is copyright please inform me and I'll remove or acknowledge it. Material is presented in good faith and I am not responsible for its accuracy. The material in this web site is suitable for all ages! We do not use cookies. Read this page if you would like to consider a reciprocal link .
Peter Scott © 2001-20


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|*April 21 - 27
|The Bible Is Reliable
Read for This Week's Study:
|Matt. 5:17, 18; 24:35; John 10:34, 35; Rom. 8:34; 1 Cor. 15:6, 12-19; Gal. 3:22; 2 Tim. 3:16; James 2:23; 1 Pet. 1:25.
Memory Text:
|"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:17).
Key Thought:
|Why would God give us His Word and not give us evidence that enables
us to trust it?
Mark Twain once said that rumors of his death had been greatly exaggerated. One could make the same claim about the Bible. More than once people have declared that the Book one day would be deemed dead, a relic from a bygone era.
The Bible continues to come under attack. Interestingly enough, the critics come and go, but the Bible remains. Critical ideas about the Bible, once deemed cutting edge and revolutionary, have been long forgotten, but the Bible remains. Men deemed great scholars, whose work questioned the authenticity of the writings of Moses or Isaiah, are barely known anymore, while Moses and Isaiah are still being read all over the world.
For the past few weeks we have looked at elements that should give us confidence in the Bible. This week we continue to look at reliability. Thousands of years ago copy machines and digital scanners did not exist. How accurate are the manuscripts we have today? Why do we trust them?
*Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, April 28.
|April 22
The Evidence
From the start, Satan always has hated the Bible. After all, it reveals the whole plan of salvation, from start to finish. In it everyone can find the path to eternal life. No wonder Satan hates it.
Many have been his attempts over the centuries to destroy it. When, finally, because of massive circulation, the destruction of the Bible became impossible, Satan tried a new tact: If he couldn't destroy the Scriptures themselves, then he could do the next best thing: destroy their credibility. Hence, the arrival of what's known as higher criticism, which has been very successful in destroying faith in the Bible as the Word of God. For many scholars, the Bible is just another ancient text, a Jewish version of, for instance, the Egyptian Book of the Dead. Full of historical interest, for sure, but not divinely inspired.
Look up Matthew 5:17, 18; 24:35; John 10:34, 35; 1 Peter 1:25. What do they say to us about the reliability of the Bible?
There is, however, one problem here. We are using what the Bible says about itself to verify the reliability of the Bible. That's circular reasoning. How can we use the Bible to verify itself when it's the reliability of the Bible itself that is coming into question? It's like defining by using that word itself in the definition.
On the other hand, God has given us plenty of reasons to trust in the reliability of the Bible. We have been given enough internal and external evidence so that we can trust what it says. We don't have to believe just because it tells us to believe. God gives us reasons to trust in the Bible as His Word, even though, in the end, we have to go by faith. The bottom line, however, is that we can trust the Bible because God has given us many good reasons to.
|Suppose someone were to ask you, "Why do you trust the Bible? Why do you think the Bible is the Word of God? Why do you live according to what the Bible says?" How would you answer, and why?
|April 23
The Old Testament
Read Mark 15:28(, KJV); Luke 4:21; John 13:18; 17:12; 19:24; Galatians 3:22; 2 Timothy 3:16; James 2:23. What do these texts tell us about how the Old Testament was viewed by the writers of the New Testament? What message is in these words for us?
As we saw last week, there are amazing prophecies in the Bible that give powerful testimony to its accuracy in both the Old and the New Testaments. The fulfillment of these prophecies shows how both Testaments are reliable; each one works to help establish the validity of the other.
But there's even more. For many years higher critical scholars have told us that the Bible can't be trusted. After all, there are no complete copies of the Hebrew Old Testament dated earlier than around A.D. 900. Certainly, with no copy machines around, many errors got into the texts. Thus, how can the Old Testament be trusted?
Then, in early 1947, the world learned about what has been. called "the greatest archaeological discovery of the century." In caves near the Dead Sea, ancient jars were discovered containing the now famous Dead Sea Scrolls, many of them dated from about 150 B.C. to A.D. 70, which means these biblical texts were more than one thousand years older than many of the other known texts. The find included the earliest manuscript copy yet known of the complete book of Isaiah and fragments of almost every book in the Old Testament. The books of Samuel, in a tattered copy, were also found, along with two complete chapters of Habakkuk.
In comparing the Dead Seas Scrolls with the other manuscripts, scholars were amazed to find just how accurate our modem Bibles are. In most cases there were just minor spelling differences. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls has given us great external evidence on just how reliable the text of the Old Testament is.
|How much sense would it make for God to give us His Word and it not be reliable? Or for Him not to give us reasons to trust its reliability? Should we not be able to trust the Bible in the same way that we trust in the God of the Bible?
|April 24
The New Testament
Read Revelation 22:18, 19. What message about just how seriously the Lord takes the words of the Bible is found here?
"I'll be honest with you. . . . When I first found out that there are no surviving originals of the New Testament, I was really skeptical. I thought, If all we have are copies of copies of copies, how can I have any confidence that the New Testament we have today bears any resemblance whatsoever to what was originally written?"Lee Strobel, The Case for Christ (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1998), pp. 58, 59.
Good question. Here, too, we have to ask ourselves: Would God not leave us a reliable source to know His will? Even more so, would He not give us reasons to trust in whatever sources He left us?
Yesterday's lesson showed that the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls is important for us to see the accuracy and reliability of the Old Testament. Can we find the same evidence for the New Testament?
One of the most amazing things about the New Testament, something that gives us incredible evidence for its reliability, comes from the fact that so many copies of its manuscripts are still in existence, so many more than other ancient manuscripts. The Lord has left us with a wealth of manuscript evidence that attests to the accuracy of the New Testament that we have today. According to scholars Norman Geisler and William Nix: "The New Testament, then, has not only survived in more manuscripts than any other book from antiquity, but it has survived in a purer form than any other great booka form that is 99.5 percent pure."Strobel, p. 65.
Then, too, there is so much external evidence; that is, there are many quotations and excerpts from the early copies of the New Testament found in commentaries, sermons, and letters .,of the early Church Fathers. The Apostolic Fathers, writing mostly. between A.D. 90 and 160, showed great familiarity with most of the books of the New Testament. This external evidence, called the lectionaries, were the reading lessons used in public church services. By the middle of the twentieth century, more than eighteen hundred of these reading lessons had been classified. Because they so closely reflect the New Testament as we have it today, these early church manuscripts also give us many reasons to trust in the reliability of the New Testament texts as handed down through the years.
|How firm is your faith in the Bible as the Word of God? Also, ask yourself this question: "If I can't trust the Bible, what can I trust?" What's left?
|April 25
Internal Evidence: Part 1
What other evidence can help us trust in the Bible as the Word of God, besides what we've looked at in the past few days?
Think about the New Testament story of Jesus. Of all the things that happened to Him, which event is not only the most incredible (in that it is not something that happens very often) but has a great deal of importance to the whole Christian faith? See Rom. 8:34, 1 Cor. 15:12-19.
Of course, it's one thing for a Jew to have been crucified by the Romans. That happened all the time. It's wholly another for that Jew to have been resurrected from the dead. And yet that's exactly what the New Testament writers declared happened to Jesus.
Read Matthew 27:51-28:20, Mark 16:9-14, Luke 24:35-53, John 20:19-31. What do all these accounts have in common?
Whatever the differences in the Gospel accounts (in that some writers recorded things that others didn't), one thing all have in common is that all testified to the resurrection of Jesus from the grave.
Now, some reject the idea that someone, anyone, could be raised from the dead after three days. It's crazy, they saythe product of a sick mind, of someone having hallucinations.
Now, that might be a reasonable assumption if only one person were making the claim that Jesus rose from the dead. But in this case, there were four! It's one thing for all four Gospel writers to be crazy. But for all four to be crazy in the same way? Hardly sounds as if the hallucination theory makes any sense.
|Read again 1 Corinthians 15:12-19. Why is the resurrection of Christ so central to our faith? Now ask yourself this question: "Would God ask us to believe in something. like this and not give us plenty of evidence to believe it?" Explain your answer.
|April 26
Internal Evidence: Part 2
As we saw yesterday, the idea that the resurrection of Jesus was based on the claim that the disciples were crazy made no sense. Realizing that this idea wasn't too sensible, others claimed that the disciples conspired to make up the story of Christ's resurrection.
what you know about the life and fate of those early
followers of Jesus, why does the conspiracy theory make no sense either?
21:16, 17;
What reason would they have for making up this story? Power? Prestige? Money? Please! Shunned by their own people, rejected by the religious leaders, and mercilessly persecuted by just about everyone, the disciples never gained worldly power, influence, or money as a result of the Resurrection. On the contrary! They lost everything the world had to offer because of their insistence on it.
Some have argued that though the disciples had conspired in hopes of personal advantage, things went awry concerning their plans. However, because they already had committed themselves to the story of the Resurrection, they had no choice but to keep promoting it. The only problem is that the Gospels were not written until many years after the Resurrection. If the disciples had hopes that through the fabricated story of Jesus' resurrection they were going to get rich or powerful, they learned early that this was a vain hope. Why, decades later, long after they had had plenty of time to disassociate themselves from the whole failed endeavor, did they cling to it anywayeven at such a great personal cost?
Corinthians 15:6 (NIV). What is Paul saying here that gives even more
evidence for the resurrection of Jesus?
Paul is telling people that Jesus, after the Resurrection, appeared to more than five hundred people, "most of whom are still living." In other words, Paul is so confident about the resurrection of Jesus that he is all but inviting people to talk to those among the 500 who are still alive and ask them to tell them what they saw. And, of course, one reason that Paul was certain of their testimony was because he, himself, had been a witness to the resurrected Jesus (Acts 9:1-8).
Go over in your own life and experience the reasons you have for your faith in Jesus. What things can you do to strengthen that faith? At the same time, what activities tend to weaken it?
|April 20
Further Study:
|"The Languages, Manuscripts, and Canon of the Old Testament," pp. 25-45
in The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 1.
"God has faithful witnesses, to whom He committed the truth, and who preserved the Word of God. The manuscripts of the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures have been preserved through the ages by a miracle of God." Ellen G. White, Letter 32, 1899.
Aside from the Dead Sea Scrolls, there are two other ancient witnesses that attest to the accuracy of the copyists of the Old Testament. One of these is the Greek translation of the Old Testament, called the Septuagint; another is the text that was preserved by the Samaritans that live today in Nablus, Palestine. No wonder R. Laird Harris, an Old Testament scholar, concluded: "We can now be sure that copyists worked with great care and accuracy on the Old Testament, even back to 225 B.C. At that time there were two or three types of text available for copying. These types differed among themselves so little, however, that we can infer that still earlier copyists had also faithfully and carefully transmitted the Old Testament text. Indeed, it would be rash skepticism that would now deny that we have our Old Testament in a form very close to that used by Ezra when he taught the Law to those who had returned from the Babylonian captivity."R. Laird Harris, Can I Trust My Bible? (Chicago: Moody Press, 1963), p. 124.
Discussion Questions:
| Russian Leo Tolstoy wrote the great novel Anna Karenina.
Could you imagine Tolstoy willing to face persecution, rejection, jail, and
maybe even death, because be insisted that the whole story was true, even
though he knew he had made it all up? How does this analogy help us understand
why the disciples wouldn't have made up the story of Christ's resurrection?
However much evidence God has given us to trust in His Word, there is always room for doubt; there are always unanswered questions. What can you as a class do to help those in your church who are struggling with questions about the reliability of the Bible?
As a class, go over your answers to Sunday's final question. What can you learn from each other?
|I N S I D E Story
|New Name, New Heart
by EMMANUEL A. ALLOTEY
Sabbah lives in a town in central Ghana. When she was 17 years old, some of her friends invited her to attend evangelistic meetings near her home. Sabbah wanted to go to the meetings, but she knew that her father would object, for he hated Christians. She decided it was best not to tell her parents where she was going each night, so she arranged to meet her girlfriends at their homes and walk to the meetings with them.
Sabbah was touched by what she learned about God. She gave her heart to God and asked to be baptized. But her father learned of her plans and forbade her to be baptized. He threatened to beat her and disown her if she even attended a Christian function. Sadly, Sabbah did not take part in the first baptism. But she was not willing to give up her love for Jesus just because her father said she must, and she continued attending worship services whenever she could.
When her father learned of Sabbah's continued interest in Christianity, he drove her from her home. However, Sabbah's mother had secretly encouraged her daughter's decision to become a Christian, and she tried to encourage her daughter's faith. When Sabbah's father learned of her mother's actions, she too was forced to leave her home.
On her baptismal day, Sabbah changed her name to Christine* to reflect her new faith.
Christine passed her junior high school exams and could enter high school, but without her parents' financial support, she had no way to continue her studies. As her pastor, I encouraged her to trust in the Lord and pray for a sponsor.
Not long after this conversation, I received a telephone call inviting me to the conference office. There I met a couple from overseas who wanted to sponsor Christine to finish her education. She could continue her studies!
Christine has done well in her high school years and wants to serve God in whatever capacity He leads her. She is thankful for those who have helped her finish her education, but is even more grateful for those who made it possible for her to be introduced to her Savior, Jesus Christ. Your mission offerings help make evangelism possible in Ghana and around the world. Thank you.
* Not her real name.
EMMANUEL A. ALLOTEY is a pastor M Ghana.
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So ever since I started posting the videos from my races, people love to see myself making an idiot of myself. I mean, in pictures, you can't really tell that I might be doing something dumb, but videos just prove it all to be true. This past weekend when I ran San Francisco, I ran with my camera. I ran with it in a small pouch that I once called a loincloth, attached to my iFitness belt. Look for the review of the iFitness belt coming up. You won't be disappointed.
So during this wonderful run in San Fran, I decided that videos were a must. I wanted to prepare people for the start line, the water stops and the finish. So I will also describe my opinions of each of these segments before I show the videos that I took. Also, soon I'll have the nice video with pictures and video and music posted, but give me some time here people, I'm not the best at movie making! :)
So the start line. You get herded into a enclosed area (usually called 'waves', 'heats' or 'corrals' and everyone in there is kind of nervous/jumping around/running in place. This is where I usually get pumped up to run. Seeing everyone and being around everyone and knowing I'm about to embark on another great journey (lame) I get excited! Sometimes there is some unnecessary shoving and pushing when the gun goes off, must mostly it's pretty minimal. It can take a long time to get up to the starting line as well, but don't worry! You WILL pass over the chip starter for your time, and your 'chip time' will be what you can count as your finishing time, since sometimes it's a little backed up. Don't be a jerk and try to push around, believe me, everyone starts. Also, I just stand in the corral. There is no need to bounce around, I need all the energy I can get to get me to the finish line!
Here is the video from the starting line.
Then we have water stops. Water stops are OUT OF CONTROL, I think. People get crazy in these stops. First off, there are a billion cups everywhere. The ground can be wet and other racers are weaving in and out of each other to either avoid the stop or to get to the stop. It's hard to drink while you run and some people, myself included, just stopped after I get water and drinks it down, instead of trying to run and drink at the same time. Sometimes there are also two different types of drinks, like an energy drink and also water. This can be confusing to some as well. The volunteers are usually yelling and also revolted by the fact that they have to hand you water. It's actually entertaining.
I usually try to run with a water bottle or get water at a stop if necessary during a race but I try to avoid the congestion. My absolute favorite thing is when people throw a cup over their shoulder when it still has liquid in it and it gets me wet. I also love it when people pour it over their head and it splashes all over me. Just remember when you are going through a water stop to watch out for other runners, be courteous and careful and also drink the fluids that you need!
Here is the video of Aron and Billy successfully making it through a water stop. I really like my commentary as well.
It's funny because this station actually worked well since there was water volunteers located on both sides of the course.
I can't find the finish line video, so perhaps you'll just have to wait for the movie including all videos and pictures to be completed! This weekend, I have that 5k that will be fun and I think I'm going to run a 13-16 miler on Sunday, so we shall see how I fair during that. I am starting a new program this weekend when I run as well. It's call "Lets find something to eat that doesn't make you explode while running." It should really help me on my longer runs instead of making them awful and painful. I think I'm going to try poptarts on this first run. Gus be gone! I also am going to my co-worker's son's first birthday party and I'm super excited about it! I have only been to one "one year old" birthday party before.
Have a wonderful weekend!


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2015 BMW Lineup Receives Minor Updates
BMW is rolling out some minor changes for its 2015 lineup, including equipment and trim changes for the 2015 BMW 3 Series, 4 Series, 5 Series, and 6 Series models, as well as the BMW Z4 Roadster and the BMW X1 and X5 SUVs. We've previously covered the more significant updates for the 2015 BMW 2 Series, the 2015 BMW X3, the 2015 BMW 7 Series, and the 2015 BMW X6, and the BMW X4, 4 Series Gran Coupe and M3 and M4 models are all new for 2015.
2015 BMW 3 Series and 4 Series
There are a few small changes to the interior, such as the deletion of the cupholder lid and the relocation of the clock display in the instrument panel. Otherwise, new interior trim options are available for the various lines which include the Luxury Line (now available with Oyster Dakota leather and brushed aluminum trim), the Sport Line (now available with Beige Dakota leather and Dark Burl Walnut wood trim), and M Sport (now available with Fineline Anthracite wood trim). Bluetooth audio streaming is also standard for 2015, and there are some new wheel designs available as well.
2015 BMW 5 Series
The 5 Series sedan and Gran Turismo models gain some new standard equipment for 2015, including LED foglights, Bluetooth and USB smartphone integration, and a sport leather steering wheel; comfort access keyless entry is also standard now on 550i and 550i xDrive models. BMW is also dropping the Modern Line, leaving only the Luxury Line and the M Sport Line. The Liquid Blue Metallic color is no longer available for the ActiveHybrid 5 sedan, and the optional night vision system with pedestrian detection costs $300 less for 2015, bringing the option price to $2300.
2015 BMW 6 Series
The 6 Series' optional digital instrument cluster becomes standard on all models, Bluetooth and USB smartphone integration is newly standard, and the navigation system gains a touchpad for the iDrive controller. The 650i and 650i xDrive models also now come standard with the M Sport exhaust. Titanium Silver Metallic is gone from the color palette, as it's being replaced by Glacier Silver Metallic. The automatic transmission also has a new launch control system for 2015.
The six-cylinder Z4 sDrive 35i model is no longer offered with a six-speed manual transmission, as the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is now standard on both the 35i and 35is models. There is also a new color package for 2015 called the Ivory White/Burnt Sienna package that adds sport seats trimmed in white leather with a saddle brown leather dashboard. This package is available with a new exterior color called Sparkling Brown metallic, and the Orion Silver Metallic exterior color is no longer offered.
The extremely minor changes for the 2015 BMW X1 amount to interior upholstery and trim updates. The standard beige SensaTec trim is now available with the M Sport Line, but cannot be combined with the Sport Line trim level. The Dark Crosshatch aluminum trim on the MSport Line can also not be combined with any accents or trim finishers for 2015.
The X5 SUV was redesigned last year, but there is one minor mechanical change for 2015; the eight-speed automatic transmission has been revised for faster acceleration and better efficiency, meaning that all X5 models accelerate to 60 mph between 0.1 and 0.2 seconds faster this year. The 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine in X5 35i models also increases slightly in displacement from 2979 cc to 3001 cc.
The X5 also gains new standard equipment, such as a sport leather steering wheel, Bluetooth and USB smartphone integration, and comfort access keyless entry as standard on the X5 xDrive50i model. The optional Luxury Seating package costs $350 less, the Premium Package costs $150 less, and the Executive Package gains a leather dashboard and 4-zone climate control for a $500 uptick in price. Soft-close doors are now a $600 standalone option.


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ROCHESTER — For one local Girl Scout, Christmas time is about making sure everyone has a merry holiday.
Ashley Wilkins, 13, an eighth-grader at Rochester Middle School, launched "Merrier Christmas For All," a community-wide toy and clothing donation project to help achieve her "silver award" as a cadette in her Girl Scout troop. But, Wilkins explained her endeavor is worth much more to her than just the award.
"I wanted to do something that was important to me," she said. "And I know times are tight. My dad got laid off a couple years ago, and I know how hard that affected us. I know some people aren't as lucky as my dad, who got another job … and I thought if we could come together, we could help others."
Ashley has called on her community to ask them to drop off clothing to a special donation box designated in the main office at the Rochester Middle School. She added about 47 of her peers have volunteered to help out and she thanked staff, her teachers and Principal Valerie McKenney, for being so encouraging.
"Rochester is more of a city and I'm hoping to bring us together as a group. I want to make sure everyone has a great Christmas because, you know, when you think back on Christmas, you want to think of running down the stairs and seeing presents under the tree and having a good time — not being told by your parents it's not going to be good Christmas and that you're sorry."
Ashley has divided up families in need among several teams throughout the middle school. Students are tasked with purchasing specific requested gifts by families and then Ashley, along with the RMS Student Council will wrap the presents and deliver them to seven participating elementary schools on Monday, Dec. 17.
Ashley noted any extra gifts will be donated to Salvation Army, so that all of the toys brought in are put to use.
"This project means a lot to me. Families all over Rochester are struggling, and I believe that if we all rally together, we can make a difference," Ashley wrote in an email. "We can make sure that it is a merrier Christmas for all."
Donations will be accepted during school hours from Nov. 26 to Dec. 12.
Rochester eighth-grader starts clothing, toy drive
ROCHESTER — For one local Girl Scout, Christmas time is about making sure everyone has a merry holiday.


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Wow! Finally back home in California! The trip was amazing, such a whirlwind and I have so much to post about! I decided that I will post one day for each country that we visited, and I have some loose end Q&As to tie up that I thought I would be able to post while I was gone but alas I didn't have enough time. So I will post the Q&A's tomorrow, with England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales all getting their own post each day! :)
It seriously was so much fun but I am glad to be home and be back in contact with all my friends and family and coming home to the glorious sun! How I love the sun, even more now!
We also have our house closing hopefully by the end of next week! We are getting it painted and then can move in.
So many crazy things and work is getting more busy with event season right around the corner! I'm glad to be back in the swing of things. I really truly missed running and working out while I was gone so that was a great kick in the pants to get back on track. B and I are running a half marathon in November with a few of his friends from work, so I do have that goal to work towards!
I got up early today and was really looking forward to the gym and ran over there, and it was just so beautiful out that I just kept running. I made sure to run very slow, since I haven't run in almost over a month from being gone and the wedding, but man, it was great. I finished up with 4 miles and stopped at the gym on the way home for just a little 20 minute weight workout. Great way to kick off the morning and start my routine back up! It was just perfect out, and just what I needed to start the week off right, even though it's Tuesday. Though I haven't run in a long time, the pace was good and I just kept running and taking everything in, it seemed to help with the sinus pressure I've had since the flight yesterday too. What a great, great morning.
It feels good to be home!


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I am writing a raycasting engine right now, based off the Permadi tutorial, and I seem to have encountered two problems concerning wall drawing.
The first is that when I turn 180°, I get the exact same thing, regardless of how far away the wall behind me might be (essentially, if you look at the minimap top right (which does display the level correctly), you'd get the same images if I were to look into the top-left corner).
The second is that the walls don't render properly, as can be seen on the images below. Only difference between these two images is that I move forward a little (it gets a lot worse if I move more).
Would anybody know offhand what is happening ? Being new to this forum, I can't post enough code to provide an understanding of the way I'm trying to do this.


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SACRAMENTO >> A federal judge Wednesday granted the state of California's request for a temporary restraining order banning firearms at the Rolling Hills Casino in Corning as the disputing factions of the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians are moving toward mediation.
United States District Judge Kimberly Mueller's order keeps the current status quo of casino operations in effect until July 2 and bans the deployment of hired armed personnel within 100 yards of the casino and on all tribal properties.
The state's request to find the tribe had breached its compact, which allows it to operate a class III gaming casino, will be heard at a preliminary injunction hearing June 30.
At that time the court will hear arguments over whether the injunction should be broadened to prevent any gaming activity at the casino.
In the meantime the two factions competing for control of the casino operations are scheduled to meet for mediation, possibly as early as Friday.
Attorney General Kamala Harris filed the restraining order request Tuesday to prevent an imminent threat to public health and safety after both sides hired and staged armed personnel on the casino grounds.
Paskenta Chairman Andrew Freeman issued an executive order June 11 banning anyone outside of local, state and federal law enforcement officials from carrying firearms on tribal lands.
An armed "Tribal Police" force, hired by the ousted tribal council members at odds with Freeman, left the casino grounds on Monday.
In another attempt to close the casino, attorneys for the ousted tribal members petitioned the court to expand the state's request and order the casino temporary closed.
The ousted members, David Swearinger, Leslie Loshe, Geraldine Freeman and Allen Swearinger, were replaced at an April 12 General Council meeting by vote of all tribal members present. The new Tribal Council was reaffirmed by a tribal vote in May.
A Bureau of Indian Affairs regional office said its paperwork showed the ousted members, along with Andrew Freeman, make up the last federally recognized Tribal Council.
On May 16, without Andrew Freeman present, the ousted members ordered the casino closed.
However operations under Andrew Freeman's leadership have continued and the ousted members have been barred from entering the casino.
Andrew Freeman's own lawyers argued to the court it is the ousted side's police force that is causing the threat to casino patrons.
"They cannot be allowed to cause the BIA's issuance of this order, then turn around and appear before this court with unclean hands and request that the court close down the casino," Andrew Freeman's lawyers' brief states.
The brief argues that there are hundreds of jobs at stake and a closure would devastate the local economy.
In their defense brief ousted members said they planned to hold mediation with Andrew Freeman as early as Friday.
In Andrew Freeman and remaining tribe's own defense brief, attorneys said the tribe was attempting to resolve the issues through its own governing process and as a sovereign nation has the right to do so.
It said the tribe had already approved initiatives to remove the ousted, but federally recognized, council on an interim basis.


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HOTSEAT- Block-buster: Biological clockmeister nabs top UCLA job
Even though UVA provost Gene Block moved here in 1978, his wife, Carol, a medical technologist, always kept her California medical technologist license. Good thing. In December, Block was named chancellor of UCLA– sort of like the John Casteen of the west.
"Too big, too good," was Block's reaction to the job offer; he'd always thought that if he was going to head a college, it would be a smaller institution– not California's largest campus with 38,000 students in the middle of America's biggest city.
"UCLA is an enormous biomedical research power," says Block, a biologist. "UCLA is more science oriented; UVA more humanities oriented."
Still, there are similarities. U.S. News & World Report ranks UVA number 24 and UCLA at 26 of the country's top colleges. Both schools are considered "public Ivies," and both have phenomenally loyal alumni, Block says. UCLA just finished a $3 billion campaign, while UVA is in the middle of its own $3 billion fundraising.
Block went into academics for the science. As an undergrad in psychology studying visual perception at Stanford, he was interested in the question of how depth is determined, but he found the research "boring."
He looked around and lit upon biological clocks. "I never deviated from that as a graduate student," he says. "I was fascinated." He's been provost here since 2001, but he still keeps a small lab, and he expects to do so in Los Angeles.
In 1993, UVA's two provosts came to call. Block was founding director of the National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center in Biological Timing. "My reaction was, there must be some financial irregularities," recalls Block. "I thought I must be in trouble if two provosts were coming to see me."
Instead, he was recruited to be vice provost and on the path to Madison Hall and becoming UVA's top academic officer. Before UCLA beckoned, Block figured he'd finish his term as provost, go back to his lab, teach a little, and enjoy a little less pressure.
Instead, he's leaving the town he's called home for almost 30 years. Block will give up his Jeffersonian Pavilion on the Lawn for the Italian-Spanish architecture of the chancellor's home at UCLA. Besides the bigger house and bigger school, there's one other perk in Los Angeles: "The weather," he says, "is just about perfect."
Age: 58
Why here? UVA. In 1977 I was in my last year of an NIH postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford's marine station in Pacific Grove, California. I looked in the back of Science magazine and saw a job for a biologist at the University of Virginia. I barely knew where Charlottesville was, but I applied, was invited to interview, saw how beautiful the countryside was, and immediately accepted. My first application, my first interview, and my first job.
What's worst about living here? Very little to whine about in Charlottesville, perhaps the humidity in mid summer.
Favorite hangout? Kyoto. I've been many times, and there are always more shrines and temples to visit. It's remarkable that there are so many serene places in a busy city.
Most overrated virtue? Thrift. If you can afford it, why not spend and help the economy? Unclear why this is necessarily a virtue.
People would be surprised to know: Fairly serious motor-head. Have rebuilt a number of cars– BMWs , Jag, MG, Porsche.
What would you change about yourself? I'd be more athletically talented.
Proudest accomplishment? Achieving a deeply held belief in diversity and tolerance. Learning to not think or act towards people as stereotypes.
People find most annoying about you: My children state the most annoying thing is time-sharing between a conversation and the Blackberry.
Whom do you admire? In Virginia, former Governor Mark Warner. He's smart, has solid values, and has a great sense of humor. I also greatly admire John Warner. Again, principled and patriotic in the most positive sense.
Favorite book? Recently, Wings by Tom Crouch– a very engaging book about the history of human flight. Hard to put down. I was probably most affected by The Diary of Anne Frank as it translates from wholesale to the personal the horrors of the holocaust.
Subject that causes you to rant? Cars running red lights on 29 and running crosswalks on University Avenue
Biggest 21st-century thrill? Automobile navigation systems. This technology is as sophisticated as it gets and helps people like me without map genes.
Biggest 21st-century creep out? Cell phones and the lack of etiquette in their use. Does everyone have to scream when using a cell phone? I suspect 80 percent of conversations over cells phones are a waste of electromagnetic energy.
What do you drive? An Acura TL which runs, and an old Porsche 911, that does not.
In your car CD player right now: Empty. Have satellite radio tuned to the L.A. traffic channel to get me ready for entry.
Next journey? This coming month: Nassau, Amsterdam, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Tucson, and Seattle.
Most trouble you've ever gotten in? Still can't reveal-– parents are still alive.
Regret: Not having obtained an engineering degree as an undergraduate
Favorite comfort food: Peanut butter
Always in your refrigerator: Cheeses from Whole Foods
Must-see TV: I barely watch TV– sometimes NBC Nightly News.
Favorite cartoon: No preference here
Describe a perfect day. Sitting on a dock on the Oregon Coast at a place call Waldport, on a sunny summer day with a good book and with a crab net in the water, waiting for Dungeness crabs
Walter Mitty fantasy: Driving a red Ferrari at the Grand Prix in Monaco
Who'd play you in the movie? Richard Gere
Most embarrassing moment? By mistake, arriving two hours late for a seminar I was to give at Stanford University
Best advice you ever got? Don't sweat the stuff that you have no power over changing.
Favorite bumper sticker? "I brake for Leonard Sandridge"
Gene Block
The original print version of this story contained an error in the first paragraph regarding the type of license. It has been corrected for this online edition.
1 comment
Dr. Block's comment regarding UVA leaning more toward humanities vs. science was very telling. I thank him for his honesty, because quite frankly, research is not encouraged here nor is independent thought so far as I can tell. I've been very disappointed after coming to this realization and am glad he finally gets to work among a more science-oriented crowd.


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We're glad that many others will now be discovering what Family Forest® explorers have known for years. The very talented folks at Progeny Software have created the very best genealogy charting, far better than any others either online or offline.
A recent article at Dick Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter talks about their new announcement, and actual examples can be seen at Progeny Software's website.
Speaking from personal experience, Progeny's really top-notch Family Explorer® software is also the best software choice for performing high-quality ancestral history searching in large databases, such as the Family Forest®.
Kudos to our friends at Progeny Software for their excellent work.


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Cafe Friday Nights on the Patio
- May 24, 2013 5:00 PM
Featuring music on the patio with Ron Ramirez.
Enjoy live music, creating a relaxing ambiance on the patio at Café Modern from 5 to 8 pm. Musicians will be featured beginning April 26 through the end of May, weather permitting. On Friday evenings, seating is available for dinner from 5 to 8:30 pm. For reservations at Cafe Modern.


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Who We Are: Axxcelera Broadband Wireless is a wireless infrastructure company that is developing leading-edge technology for the deployment of broadband wireless communications. Axxcelera networks are designed for rapid and easy deployment. From a number of small island sites to complete coverage of a given area, Axxcelera covers all service markets.
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Approved for FCC 3.65 GHz
WiMAX TDD
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Multi-sector support in a compact all-outdoor installation footprint
Evolved Packet Core network-in-a-box solution
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Department of Technical Services in city of Zagorz (ZUT) provides comprehensive services to the Town and Municipality of Zagorz.
Latest News
News - Axxcelera Broadband Wireless Announces AxxceLTE™ Evolved Packet Core (EPC)
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Events - Learn more about Axxceleras ExcelMAX 3.65GHz and AB-MAX 5GHz WiMAX Systems
Events - 4G World 2010
No specials found


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Connect with vegetarian and vegan friends from all over the world.
November 8, 2018 at 6pm to March 8, 2019 at 7pm – Central Park Let's bring together an amazing array of vegetarian natural food providers, top national speakers and chefs, and educational exhibitors in a fun and welcoming environment. It is a chance to talk dire… Organized by Charlotte Mason | Type: free


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Nothing to Fear but Fearmongers Themselves: A Look at the Sovereign Wealth Fund Debate
Reliance of the U.S. economy on foreign investment is as old as the Republic itself. So, too, are misgivings about external financing and foreign ownership. But the latest manifestation of the debate over whether, to what degree, and with what stipulations foreigners should be permitted to own U.S. assets presents a new wrinkle. By focusing on a particular subset of foreigners‐namely, foreign governments‐the current debate is framed in terms that could win support for greater restrictions of foreign investment from those who might otherwise oppose them.
Government‐owned investment funds, also known Sovereign Wealth Funds are not new to the international investment scene. Some existing funds were established in the 1950s and 1960s. What is new, however, is that the number of SWFs and the value of assets under their collective management have increased significantly in recent years.
Skepticism about the motives and consequences of increased SWF investment is growing. Perhaps most disconcerting for some U.S. policymakers is that the governments that have been most active in recent SWF investment do not necessarily share America's worldview. At issue is whether SWF investment, which could be used to serve strategic or political objectives, should be subject to greater scrutiny and tighter restrictions than other types of foreign investment.
Despite legitimate concerns about governments accumulating wealth and making investment decisions in the first place, as well as lingering doubts about the motivations behind those investments, changes in foreign investment policy are unnecessary. Current U.S. rules governing banking and investment strike the right balance; they generally welcome foreign investment while being designed to ensure that such transactions do not compromise the integrity of our financial markets or our national security.
The Sovereign Wealth Fund Explosion
The U.S. Department of the Treasury defines sovereign wealth funds as "government investment vehicles funded by foreign exchange assets, which manage those assets separately from official reserves."1 SWFs are nothing new. Government‐owned asset funds financed from currency reserves have existed for more than half a century, pursuing legitimate and rational economic objectives, though not necessarily optimally. Over the years, governments of countries where commodities account for important shares of their economies have established SWFs to hedge against declining commodity prices‐hardly a worry today‐and to ensure that wealth generated from the extraction and sale of its nonrenewable assets is available to future generations. To date, these funds have exhibited unremarkable behavior‐that is, their investment strategies and performances do not appear to have differed markedly from those of private‐sector funds.2
In recent years, the number of SWFs and the value of assets those funds manage have increased dramatically, due in large part to rising commodity prices and the accumulation of foreign reserves in countries running persistent trade surpluses. Since 2000 the number of funds has roughly doubled to about 40 and the value of assets under SWF management has increased five‐fold to a figure approaching $2.5 trillion today.3 According to projections from the International Monetary Fund and others, SWF assets will increase to about $10 trillion by 2012 and $12 trillion by 2015.4
Brewing Concerns about SWF Investment
The rapid growth in SWFs has raised concerns among U.S. and other rich‐country policymakers. Skepticism about SWFs reflects, among other things, angst about the implications of wealth accumulation in emerging countries. Among the countries accumulating wealth and establishing new SWFs are China, Russia, and other oil‐rich nations, whose views about markets, government accountability, and transparency have not always meshed with those of the West. This has accentuated the political dimension of the issue. A recent front‐page article in the New York Daily News put it like this:
America is for sale‐and the buyers of some of our most iconic corporate assets are a passel of Mideast oil sheiks, Asian government investment funds and market Marxists.5
And with respect to China and other East Asian countries that have run persistent trade surpluses, policymakers are already sensitive to claims that those surpluses are the product of currency manipulation and other alleged "unfair" trade practices. As the United Steelworkers union boss Leo Gerrard put it:
We've hollowed out our industrial base and run up this massive trade deficit, and now the countries that have built the deficits are coming back to buy up our assets. It's like spitting in your face.6
Already worried about falling stock and real estate values, soaring oil and food prices, and the specter of stagflation, Americans are now being told that SWF investment is the fourth horseman of the apocalypse. At a recent House Financial Services Committee hearing on the topic of SWFs, Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-PA) painted this extreme hypothetical:
If I were China, I'd put my sovereign funds … in the energy field of the United States. I'd buy as many electrical utility companies as I could. And then, at my own desire, rather than send an army over here sometime in the future or an airplane to do damage, I'd just issue the order as the owner of the electrical utility networks in the U.S. to turn off the power. What's going to stop them from doing that?7
That scenario reflects the growing concern that SWFs might pursue strategic and political objectives rather than purely economic ones. Not only could foreign purchases of critical infrastructure compromise U.S. national security, but the pursuit of non‐economic objectives through investment transactions could adversely affect the ability of markets to price assets correctly and to allocate resources efficiently.
Although nearly entirely lost beneath the hyperbole of his example, there is a trace of merit to Congressman Kanjorski's broader point. The same cannot be said of the xenophobic rantings of the New York Daily News article or the economic illiteracy of Leo Gerard. Loss of faith in the ability of financial markets to function properly when major participants in those markets are governments is a thorny issue, and one that concerns Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Christopher Cox.
In a recent speech at Harvard University, Cox expressed concern about private interests being at systemic disadvantages because SWFs have access to information that is barred from the public, like government intelligence and state secrets. Markets react to political and diplomatic events; having foreknowledge of an event constitutes an advantage that, if acted upon, could cause investors to lose faith in markets. An asymmetry of information is not the problem; markets deal with that routinely. It is the asymmetry of access to information between market participants that might ultimately dissuade participation in markets, which would be problematic.8
Cox also expressed concern that SWFs present conflicts of interest that could impact the SEC's capacity to fulfill some of its functions. The SEC relies on the cooperation of foreign governments to administer its international financial regulation and enforcement efforts. Cox worries that that cooperation might not be forthcoming and that the potential for corruption increases when the proposed investments and activities of foreign governments themselves come under the scrutiny of U.S. authorities.9
Oversized Policy Responses
In response to concerns ranging from legitimate to paranoid, U.S. policymakers are considering whether new restrictions of SWFs are warranted. Although no legislation has been introduced yet, several hearings have been held in various U.S. congressional and executive advisory committees on the subject already. At present, the IMF, World Bank, and OECD are reportedly working to draft codes of official conduct for SWFs with guidelines concerning institutional structure, risk management, transparency, and accountability.
For some countries, best practices guidelines will not be enough. The French, who have cultivated a reputation for blocking international transactions to "protect national champion" companies, have identified 11 "strategic sectors" immune to foreign takeovers. Meanwhile, Russia, an emergent SWF investor itself, has drafted a law that, if formalized, would protect 39 different "strategic industries," relegating industries comprising over 50 percent of Russia's GDP off limits to foreign investment.10
Certainly, there are voices among U.S. policymakers and within the policy community that would support tighter restrictions or prohibitions of SWF investment, if not all types of foreign investment altogether. With the exception of a couple of token witnesses counseling circumspection in the matter, a recent U.S.-China Economic and Security Commission hearing on the topic was a virtual who's who of trade and investment skeptics. Several witnesses called for strict limits on sovereign investment in U.S. assets, including outright bans on investments in sectors, industries, or assets deemed to be strategic for U.S. economic or military purposes (however amorphous those parameters might be).11
Typical was the testimony of Alan Tonelson of the U.S. Business and Industry Council, who draws parallels between the threats to the United States posed by SWFs, Al Qaeda, the Chinese military, and a resurgent Russia, and suggests that it is naïve to count the sheiks in Persian Gulf oil kingdoms as allies. Better to err on the side of caution, which in his estimation means limiting foreign government ownership of any given U.S. entity to 10 percent‐because "that seems like a reasonable starting point"-with 1 percent limits coming from any single foreign government.12
Tonelson seems unconcerned about the costs of such a blanket prohibition. The shortage of U.S. savings necessitates inflows of foreign capital to finance investment. By restricting large sources of investment a priori, the cost of capital in the United States would be considerably higher. Surely there are better alternatives.
A Little Perspective, Please
The growth of SWFs reflects rational investment portfolio diversification. While there are legitimate concerns about the implications of government ownership of assets, there is something hypocritical about complaints that SWFs might pursue political rather than economic objectives. After all, the value of assets within SWFs is already a reflection of political choices and national policies, such as monetary and fiscal policies, including, notably, a government's decision to spend in excess of its revenue.
For many years, foreign central banks have invested currency reserves conservatively, often in low‐yielding U.S. government securities. Over the past few years, as the dollar's decline has accelerated, foreign central banks have been losing money on these investments. In 2007, for example, the yield on 10‐year U.S. treasury bills averaged between 4.5 percent and 5 percent. But during 2007, the Chinese renminbi appreciated by 6 percent against the dollar. Accordingly, in terms of its domestic currency, China experienced negative returns on its investments in U.S. debt during 2007.13 The same was true for nearly all foreign holders of U.S. treasury bills.
The same people who have complained about the need for more rapid appreciation of the Chinese currency now complain about China's diversification into higher‐yielding assets, which is necessary to allow that appreciation to happen without the Chinese experiencing huge currency exchange losses.
Furthermore, foreign investment in nongovernment portfolio and physical assets might curtail U.S. government growth by reducing demand for government debt, thereby bidding up the cost of government profligacy. For too long Congress has been able to spend without political consequence by thrusting the costs on future generations. There is an important distinction to draw between investment in the United States that finances current consumption‐such as purchases of government bonds‐ and investment that is likely to produce future income streams‐such as purchases of U.S. factories, land, or other productive assets. In that regard, SWF investment is more like an investment and less like a line of credit than the majority of foreign sovereign investment has been thus far.
Most anxiety about SWFs is attributable to their rapid increase in number and size. At nearly $3 trillion (the upper end of current estimates), SWFs are more than twice as large as all of the world's hedge funds combined. But $3 trillion constitutes a tiny sliver of the $190 trillion stock of global financial assets or the $62 trillion managed by private institutional investors.14 Even with SWF assets projected to quadruple by 2015, global asset values are projected to grow as well, such that the percentages owned by SWFs should not change much. It is highly improbable that the investment decisions of SWFs will "move" U.S. markets.
Welcome Investment and Let Our Laws Work
The proliferation of SWFs is not a threat to the United States but an affront to citizens in countries where large amounts of wealth and too many investment and other economic decisions are controlled by the state. When governments get wealthier, their capacity to exert firmer control over their citizens and to marginalize civil society grows. It remains the firm hope of liberal‐minded people that economic growth continues to lead to increased civil and political liberties and a diminution of the role of government, as it has in the past. That that process has been agonizingly slow in some countries is a fact of economic life that we should not attempt to mitigate through trade or investment policy.
Instead, we should welcome all foreign investment that complies with out laws. We have to ensure that any policies we adopt in response to SWFs and in the name of preventing market distortions don't themselves cause market distortions. Blanket prohibitions or rigid controls on investment from foreign sovereigns are likely to cause resources to be allocated inefficiently.
If SWF investment is significantly curtailed in the United States and in other rich countries, where most of the world's assets are parked, it is more likely that those funds will seek out investment opportunities in other markets that are less capitalized. The total value of assets in Latin American stock markets, for example, is estimated to be about $4 trillion. The $1 to $2 trillion in new wealth projected to be added to SWFs annually through 2015 could certainly have a major impact on markets that are less capitalized, like Latin America's and Africa's, where, presumably, the United States has security interests as well.
A heavy‐handed response to SWF growth also could spark a tit‐for‐tat trade and investment war. U.S. policymakers should be aware of the stakes. For example, in 2005 the parents of U.S. multinational companies exported $456 billion in goods to foreign markets, but their foreign subsidiaries sold nearly $3 trillion of goods abroad that year. U.S. multinationals serve foreign markets primarily through host country affiliate sales.15
Whether controlling or passive, direct or portfolio, sovereign or private, foreign investment in the United States should be welcomed with the presumption that it will be mutually beneficial. Its presence reduces the cost of capital to businesses and the cost of credit to consumers, whose investment and consumption decisions drive the economy.
But foreign investments should be vetted to ensure that any risks to national security posed by such investments are minimal and that proposed investments that do present legitimate national security risks are blocked or restructured. The interagency Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, whose procedures for reviewing proposed foreign investments were just revamped by the Foreign Investment and National Security Act of 2007 (FINSA), has the tools and authority to do just that. And where ownership of U.S. financial institutions is concerned, a host of banking laws exists to ensure that our financial system remains safe.
The one extra assurance that will reduce risk even further below tolerable levels without repelling investment is voluntary transparency. If SWFs are forthcoming about their investment strategies, their portfolio allocations, and their governance, and they are made aware that the consequences of false representations or insider trading would result in severe penalties and future restrictions, there should be no problems. If SWFs refuse to disclose, there should be an adverse presumption that leads to investment restrictions.
Finally, to allay some of the deeper fears, like those roused by Representative Kanjorski's depiction, foreigners would never be able to turn off the power in the United States. The first stopgap would be CFIUS, which would not allow foreigners to obtain potentially dangerous levels of ownership in U.S. utilities. Second, the operation of utilities and other assets in the United States are subject to U.S. laws and, ultimately, to U.S. actions to mitigate the problems associated with nefarious aims.
We should welcome foreign investment, in whatever form it comes, without a priori exclusions. Our laws are already well‐suited to identify and discipline bad actors, when necessary.
1 David H. McCormick, Undersecretary for International Affairs, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Testimony Before the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Financial Services, March 5, 2008.
2 Stefan Schonberg, "Sovereign Wealth Alarm," The International Economy, Winter 2008, p. 58.
3 McCormick Testimony. Many sources cite current SWF asset values between $2 and $3 trillion.
4 Ibid. Many sources cite projected growth of SWF asset values to between $10 and $15 trillion by 2015.
5 Douglas Feiden, "American Corporations Selling Chunks to Economic Powerhouses," New York Daily News, January 16, 2008.
6 Peter Goodman and Louise Story, "Overseas Investors Buy Aggressively in U.S.," New York Times, January 20, 2008.
7 Congressman Paul Kanjorski, Comments During Hearing in the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Financial Services, March 5, 2008.
8 Christopher Cox, "The Role of Government in Markets," Speech before the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, October 24, 2007.
9 Ibid.
10 Schonberg, p. 58.
11 Peter Navarro, Professor of Business, University of California‐Irvine, Testimony before the U.S. China Security Commission, February 7, 2008.
12 Alan Tonelson, Research Fellow, U.S. Business and Industry Council, Testimony before the U.S.-China Security Commission, February 7, 2008.
13 Congressional Research Service, CRS Report for Congress, "China's Sovereign Wealth Fund," January 22, 2008, p. 16.
14 McCormick Testimony.
15 Matthew J. Slaughter, Associate Dean and Professor of International Economics, Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth University, Testimony Before the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Financial Services, March 5, 2008.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.


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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The neighbor of a former commander of a Nazi SS-led unit living in Minnesota says the man has lived quietly and always been friendly and considerate.
An Associated Press investigation found that Michael Karkoc served as a top commander in the Ukrainian Self-Defense Legion during World War II. The unit is accused of wartime atrocities. The investigation showed Karkoc told American authorities that he performed no military service during the war.
No one answered the door at Karkoc's northeast Minneapolis house on Friday morning.
Gordon Gnasdoskey, who lives next door, says he's known the 94-year-old Karkoc casually for many years and is shocked to learn of his past. Gnasdoskey, the grandson of a Ukrainian immigrant, says their neighborhood has many Slavic, Ukranian and Polish immigrants and their descendants.


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Who might Hassan pick to replace Delaney as AG?
With state Attorney General Michael Delaney submitting his letter of resignation to Gov. Maggie Hassan on Tuesday, one piece of of the puzzle as to who Hassan might pick to be her attorney general is solved: It won't be Delaney.
Delaney's term was up at the end of the month and among Concord insiders it was clear that she didn't want to reappoint the 43-year-old Manchester Democrat who has held the post since 2009.
Who then will Hassan nominate for one of the state's most prominent posts?
Watch for a woman
The larger story of New Hampshire politics this year is the leadership role that women are playing. All of the state's Washington delegation are women as are the house speaker, the governor and the state supreme court chief justice. Hassan seems to be into the theme as well.
While hardly the deciding factor gender could be part of the conversation.
Watch for a Democrat
Democratic activists liked former Gov. John Lynch's ability to win elections with bi-partisan support, but they were getting a little tired of how he kept appointing a number of Republicans to key positions. Remember, without Lynch reappointing Republican Kelly Ayotte to serve as Attorney General she might not be the rising star in the U.S. Senate today.
Hassan caught some under the radar flack for continuing the tradition. In her first appointment she picked Republican Jeff Rose to serve as the commissioner for economic development.
For the important post of attorney general, Hassan almost has to pick a Democrat. She probably wants to as well.
Watch for someone who isn't against expanded gambling
Hassan's political future this year rests on the question of whether she can get an expanded gambling plan through the legislature. Having the current attorney general oppose her on the issue was not helpful. When Hassan looks for others it might not be necessary her pick be pro-gambling, but just not anti-gambling. Agnostic is fine.
Among the list of names being discussed in Concord are a mix of men and women and all Democrats.
Hassan legal council Lucy Hodder
Hodder has only been in the job three months, but Hassan has already hired her once. Hodder would be a safe choice for Hassan since the nomination will easily be confirmed by the Executive Council and Hassan will know that she'll have a team player at the Department of Justice. Hodder worked in the state's attorney general's office for four years. In private practice is a one of the state's leading experts on health care, a topic of key importance as the state grapples with how to implement Obamacare.
U.S. Attorney John Kacavas
Kacavas, of Manchester, may have little incentive to take on a job that probably pays less and has a lot more headaches. That said, being state attorney general is higher profile and has been a political springboard that he appears to be interested in having. As a high profile prosecutor and someone who has run his own law firm, he can clearly do the job.
Jim Rosenberg of Shaheen & Gordon law firm
He has criminal experience as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney. He is well liked and personable. He is also connected.
Former Congressman Paul Hodes
This might be an out-of-the-box pick, but Hodes is a former assistant attorney general and loyal Democrat, who hasn't been up to much since he lost the 2010 U.S. Senate race to Kelly Ayotte. Hodes give the office some star power and he would be driven to do well. Let's just state the obvious: If Hassan put him back in the game, he would also help Hassan politically grow her donor base in future elections.
Former Senate Majority Leader Joe Foster
Foster, a leader at one of the state's largest law firms, is a close personal friend to Hassan, with whom he served in the state Senate. Foster focuses on bankruptcy law and is likely enjoying the money of private practice, but he could be something of an outside pick as a way to elevate him politically.
Ann Rice, deputy Attorney General
Another way Hassan could go is to just promote within the Department of Justice. Rice is respected in Concord and is obviously qualified for the role. The problem is that she just testified against expanding gambling in the state.
Kate Hanna, Lynch's former legal council
Hanna might be too advanced in her career to want to take on the role, but she is a favorite of many Democrats and would be loyal to Hassan.
Former State Sen. Deb Reynolds
Reynolds, like Foster, also served with Hassan in the Senate. She is in private practice in Plymouth and currently serves as the New Hampshire Democratic Party finance chair. Reynolds has been rumored to be the attorney general pick for months now. The problem with Reynolds is that she is a real estate lawyer with no experience with criminal law.