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OAKLAND — East Bay Municipal Utility District customers will be hit with one of the agency's largest water rate increases in history — 20 percent in two steps over the next year, the EBMUD board decided Tuesday.
Thirteen customers objected strongly, saying at Tuesday's public hearing that the district should pare down costs rather than raise water rates so much so fast in an era of slow inflation.
"I question whether any increase of this magnitude can be just and reasonable," said Jim Tuthill of Lafayette, a part-time teacher at UC Berkeley's School of Law. "This is preposterous."
The board disagreed. The elected directors said their water supply agency for 1.3 million people in Contra Costa and Alameda counties needs big increases because it deferred maintenance of pipes and other systems in recent years of drought and recession.
EBMUD officials also said the price of steel, concrete, chemicals and other materials to run a water district have increased faster than the overall inflation rate.
"It's time for us to do better than limp along," said Director Lesa McIntosh of Richmond. "It's painful, but it's necessary."
The vote to approve the increases in two steps was 5-2. Directors John Coleman of Lafayette and Katy Foulkes of Piedmont voted no, saying a large increase was justified but not as much as proposed by district managers.
A 9.75 percent water rate increase goes into effect July 1, and a 9.5 percent increase goes into effect a year later.
The two increases will add a total of $8.05 a month to the average bill of a customer using 246 gallons of water per day.
In a related move, the board approved sewer rate increases of 8 percent this year and 9 percent next year for some 600,000 people in western Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
EBMUD staffers said failing to enact the water rate increases would put the district's credit rating in jeopardy and increase the risk of water service outages caused by aging water pipes breaking more often.
"The district has faced some difficult circumstances, compounded by recession and drought," Eric Sandler, EBMUD's finance chief, told the board.
Several water customers said the board should postpone the rate increase for at least 90 days and ask an auditor to seek ways to avoid such large increases.
"This increase will disproportionately affect the working poor and those with disabilities," said Darrell Johns of Oakland, who works as a volunteer helping low-income residents.
He and others complained that the water district has approved annual increases greater than the Consumer Price Index for several consecutive years.
EBMUD rates overall are lower than most other water suppliers in the Bay Area, officials said.
Contact Denis Cuff at 925-943-8267. Follow him at Twitter.com/deniscuff.


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Romney: Individual mandate "is a tax"
(CBS News) Two days after his top adviser insisted otherwise, Mitt Romney on Wednesday told CBS News chief political correspondent Jan Crawford that President Obama's individual mandate - upheld last week by the Supreme Court - is "a tax."
"The Supreme Court has spoken, and while I agreed with the dissent, that's taken over by the fact that the majority of the court said it's a tax, and therefore it is a tax. They have spoken. There's no way around that," the presumptive GOP presidential nominee told Crawford in an exclusive interview, referring to the court's 5-4 ruling that largely upheld the president's signature health care law, with the individual mandate as a tax.
"I said that I agreed with the dissent, and the dissent made it very clear that they felt it was unconstitutional," Romney continued. "But the dissent lost - it's in the minority."
The individual mandate is uniquely problematic for Romney, whose health care legislation as Massachusetts governor also included a mandate. But as an anti-tax increase candidate, Romney has relied on the argument that at the state level, governors can tax on mandate under "police powers" - a fact that Supreme Court chief justice John Roberts noted in his opinion.
Still, Romney's remarks contradict a backpedaling maneuver Monday by his senior adviser Eric Fehrnstrom. After the campaign had initially hopped aboard with critics saying the court's ruling indicated the health care law is a massive tax increase on Americans, Fehrnstrom - no doubt eyeing potential backlash relating to Romney's own past mandate - told MSNBC that Romney "agreed with the dissent written by Justice Scalia which very clearly stated that the mandate was not a tax."
Pressed by Crawford on whether he had flip-flopped on calling the mandate a tax, Romney turned the table, arguing that the president is the one who's gone back on his word.
"You can try and say you wish [the court] had decided a different way, but they didn't," Romney said. "They concluded it was a tax; that's what it is. And the American people know that President Obama has broken the pledge he made. He said he wouldn't raise taxes on middle-income Americans, and not only did he raise the $500 billion that was already in the bill, it's now clear that his mandate, as described by the Supreme Court, is a tax."
Watch more of Jan Crawford's interview with Mitt Romney Wednesday night on the "CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley" (6:30 p.m. EST) and Thursday on "CBS This Morning" (7 a.m. EST).

subset: commoncrawl


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I was looking for something else and spotted this. I'm not saying this is it I'm saying it resembles the intro cap.fwiw: Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil)
This shot was taken in:Portuguese Fort, Maputo, Mozambique. See the soldier on the far left in the first link & note the yellow walls in the second.1. Close up of relief in fort.2. Wide shot of reliefs in fort.
Very Nice mwooden The only thing I had to do with this was finding the fort in GE. Sifting through thousands of images... That's the real work!
You did great mwooden! I was hoping for a new location too but ah well. It's looking like we will see 3 legs in Africa and one leg in Europe/Poland and one in Malaysia, 3 in Hong Kong and then we know the rest..Guam, HI, to San Fran.
3 legs in the HONG KONG area - no way it will be more than HONG KONG and MACAU separately, which is 2
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2010 Year End TV Review: Scott Malchus
2010 was another great year of television, despite the fact that most of the new fall network shows were forgettable. While the big four seem to have a handle on coming up with new comedies, they still can't develop innovative dramas to compete with the cable channels. Fox made an attempt with their excellent "Lone Star," but viewers stayed away and the series was quickly cancelled (despite support from the network president). With Lost leaving the airwaves, it seems that if you want to watch something other than a procedural, you'll have to tune to AMC, FX or HBO. That's not to say that there aren't some great cop, lawyer or medical shows ("The Good Wife" immediately jumps to mind), but the TV landscape is wide open enough that stories about all walks of life should be able to survive.
Best Drama: Friday Night Lights (Direct TV/NBC)
There was a lot of great drama on television this year ("Southland" was exceptional, "Lost" went out in glorious fashion, "Men of a Certain Age" was moving and effective), but I would be remiss if I didn't place "FNL" at the top of my list, just where it has been since the show premiered in 2006. It's hard to believe that this will be its last season. No other show has me cheering and laughing and crying week in and week out. Even during the cringe worthy moments (Julie's affair with the TA) I can't bring myself to raise the remote and fast forward through them. I've stated time and again on Popdose that this show is the most realistic portrayal of small town life I've ever seen on television, with beautifully written and acted characters, smart direction, and perfect music selections to create the mood of each scene (not to mention W.G. Snuffy's poignant score). I love the Taylors; I love the community of Dillon, Texas; and I love Friday Night Lights.
Best Comedy: Modern Family (ABC)
A tough category. There are so many strong comedies on television right now, including NBC's Thursday night lineup and ABC's Wednesday shows. Of all of them, "Modern Family" makes me laugh the hardest; so hard that my wife and I have to rewind to hear the second and third jokes of each scene. With a great cast and insightful writing, "Modern Family" is a modern classic.
Best Reality: The Biggest Loser (NBC)
I generally hate reality shows on network television, however there is something truly inspiring about "The Biggest Loser" that grabs me every week. Here is a series about people seriously having to take back their lives otherwise they could die. The money at the end never seems to be as important as the health benefits they receive. Unlike most of the reality competitions shows, the inspiration that comes from watching "The Biggest Loser" occurs from watching every contestant, not just a select few. Obesity has overtaken our country and the men and women of "The Biggest Loser" prove that you can take back your life and that you are in control of it.
You can follow us on Twitter @moviebuffs and on Facebook as well.
Posted in: Friday Night Lights, Lost, Mad Men, News, Reviews, TV, TV Action, TV Cartoons, TV Comedies, TV Dramas, TV Sci-Fi, Year in Review
Tags: Alison Brie, Arliss Howard, Betty White, Bullz-Eye Year in TV 2010, Chevy Chase, Cloris Leachman, Community, Danny Pudi, Donald Glover, Frasier, Fred: The Movie, Friday Night Lights, Garret Dillahunt, Gillian Jacobs, Greg Garcia, Hot in Cleveland, J.G. Quintel, James Dale Badge, Jane Leeves, Joel McHale, Julie Plec, Just Shoot Me, Kevin Williamson, Lost, Lucas Neff, Mad Men, Martha Plimpton, Men of a Certain Age, Michael Cristofer, Modern Family, Raising Hope, Rubicon, Southland, The Biggest Loser, The Mighty Boosh, The Regular Show, The Vampire Diaries, The Walking Dead, Valerie Bertinelli, Wendie Malick, Yvette Nicole Brown


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Fox Business Network Stories
The Mission:
'You're hired!' There is no greater way for a business to say thank you to our courageous servicemen and women than providing them with a job. The mission of Helping Heroes Work is to raise awareness for the responsibility we all share in helping our returning veterans begin this next critical phase in their lives. More


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Life Science: Session 1
What is the basic unit of life?
In 1665, a physicist named Robert Hooke used one of the first microscopes to look more closely at the living world. A slice of cork caught his eye. Looking at thousands of tiny chambers, Hooke termed these structures cells because they reminded him of the rooms in a monastery.
Subsequent observations built upon Hooke's work and led to what is known as the cell theory. The cell theory states the following:
- All living things are made of cells.
- Cells are the basic units of structure and function in living things.
- All cells are produced from existing cells.
Hooke's microscope.
Cork cells as seen in an early microscope.
How is life organized around cells?
An organism may be characterized as having different levels of organization built around the cell. Unicellular organisms are made up of only one cell, while some multicellular organisms are comprised of trillions of cells. In multicellular organisms, groups of cells sharing similar structure form tissues that carry out a specialized function. Different tissue layers form organs. And separate organs often work together to carry out major bodily functions, such as digestion or circulation. These "teams" of organs are referred to as organ systems. Growth of an organism is the result of an increase in cell size and, in multicellular organisms, an increase in the number of cells.
Levels of organization.
How are cells alike?
At first it might seem that the cells of such dissimilar creatures as
the tiniest bacterium and a great blue whale would be very different.
The cells of any organism, however, demonstrate all the characteristics
of life: a life span that includes a living beginning, growth, development,
reproduction, and death; the constant use of matter and energy; response
to changing internal and external conditions; and the presence of DNA.
Although multicellular organisms can have diverse cell types, all cells have certain parts in common (see the interactive cell picture below). All cells are bound by a cell membrane and contain cytoplasm, which is where the cell parts lie. The nucleus of this cell contains the hereditary molecule DNA, which is also found in all cells. And, all cells contain ribosomes, which are so tiny that they can't be seen in this cell. Ribosomes are structures that are responsible for constructing proteins—the molecules that carry out the instructions contained in DNA.
Cytoplasm | Nucleus | Cell Membrane
Roll your mouse over the names of the parts to see them in the picture.
How are cells different?
One of the most basic distinctions among life forms involves the cell. In some cells, including those of plants, animals, fungi, and protists, the DNA is contained in a nucleus, which is itself a membrane-enclosed body. Cells that contain a nucleus are called eukaryotic ("true nucleus") cells, and the organisms with cells of this type are called eukaryotes. Within the cytoplasm of a eukaryotic cell, there are numerous compartmentalized bodies called organelles. Organelles serve specific purposes within the cell, ranging from building proteins to making energy. Different types of organisms may have different sets of organelles. Organisms that photosynthesize, like plants, contain chloroplasts, for example.
There are cells that aren't as structurally complex as those with a nucleus. Prokaryotic ("before the nucleus") cells lack a nucleus and organelles. Most single-celled organisms are prokaryotes that are known as bacteria and archaea. Prokaryotes are still capable of performing many of the same types of functions as eukaryotes. These functions occur in the cytoplasm instead of in organelles. In fact, many bacterial and archaeal cells are capable of carrying out very complicated biochemical reactions that allow them to harvest food and/or energy from very unlikely sources, such as pollutants and poisons.
|prev: a closer look intro
|next: organic molecules


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PacSpi needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 52 designs submitted by 18 freelance designers.
Logo for a tour operator selling South America.
Needs to look professional & elegant.
Must Appeal to travelers between 30-60 years old, rather mainstream.
Alma Latina
Alma Latina
Accepted File Formats:
Vector Formats (.eps, .pdf or .ai)
We are a European Based Tour Operator selling different destinations around the world.
We are creating a new brand called Alma Latina. Altima Latina will sell South America and in particular countries such as Peru, Bolivia, Argentina & Chile..
We are currently working on our printed brochure & we need a good looking logo to illustrate it.
You can use symbols or animals to go with the Alma Latina name
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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In spatele fiecarui medic bun se afla o echipa buna – Clinicile Dentare Dr. Leahu
Order to cash/Customer Support with French IE1280
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|DK Global Recruitment
|Job type:
|Job level:
|0 - 1 years of experience
|Updated at:
DK Global Recruitment is a multilingual recruitment agency, based in Dublin, Ireland. We specialize in finding European language-speaking jobs for job seekers in many European countries. With years of experience in the multilingual BPO sector, we have developed advanced skills that we use to help Companies relocate candidates globally, and assist candidates to relocate smoothly and find their desired employment.Requirements
• Proficiency in French & English
• Basic customer service will be acceptable
• Attention to details
• Ability to solve urgent matters and work under pressure
• Processing employee expense reports for reimbursement;
• Ensuring compliance with the corporate policy by auditing expense receipts and payment requests;
• Responding professionally to different types of inquiries and working with local country staff;
• Providing ongoing recommendations for process and procedural changes;
• Acting with responsibility and accuracy
• Excellent salary package
• Relocation package
• Meal Vouchers
• Christmas Bonus
• Dental plan (partial reimbursement )
• Optical plan (partial reimbursement )
• Sport activities (partial reimbursement )
• Opportunity to work in a young and dynamic environment
• Opportunity to grow in the organization
• Access to internal training , both for career and individual development
Why use Recruitment Agency
• You will be contacted within 30 min of your application
• You are given extra support in preparing for interviews
• You have a contact person who gives you all the details of the job
• You can ask for your application feedback anytime via email or phone
• You don't have to face the situation where company do not reply to you for days.
• All our services to job seekers are free of charge. We also offer bonus scheme to candidates.
DK Global Recruitment is a multilingual recruitment agency, based in Dublin, Ireland. We specialize in finding European language-speaking jobs for job seekers in many European countries. With years of experience in the multilingual BPO sector. Our fully-trained expert recruiters help and advise job seekers throughout the recruitment process, and always treat the candidate as a high priority.
Our clients are highly-reputed companies with constant growth in the international market and we are pleased to find good employees for them. Thus, you should not hesitate to contact us regarding any kind of queries you have, related to jobs and career advice.


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NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) will announce results for the third quarter on Wednesday, October 24, 2012. During a conference call at 10:00 a.m. ET on October 24, company executives will review financial information and will address inquiries from investors and analysts.
Investors and the general public are invited to listen to a live webcast of the call at http://investor.bms.com or by dialing 913-312-0375, confirmation code: 6543884. Materials related to the call will be available at the same website prior to the conference call. A replay of the call will be available beginning at 2:00 p.m. ET on October 24 through midnight ET on November 7. The replay will also be available through http://investor.bms.com or by dialing 402-280-9013, confirmation code: 6543884.
About Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. For more information, please visit www.bms.com or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bmsnews.
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
Jennifer Fron Mauer, 609-252-6579
John Elicker, 609-252-4611
Source: Bristol-Myers Squibb Company


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Katherine Heigl has parted ways with "Grey's Anatomy" and it's not for her film career, she swears.
"I am done. We just finalized our agreement," said Heigl in the current issue of Entertainment Weekly. "It's sad, but it's what I wanted."
The cover hitting newsstands on Friday features Heigl seemingly praying for forgiveness with the large quote "I'm Sorry."
It's family, not film, listed as the official reason why the 31-year-old actress the actress sought to leave the show despite having 18 months on her contract.
"I started a family and it changed everything for me," said Heigl in the extracts of the interview which have appeared online, "It changed my desire to work full-time."
The star took a three-month family leave from Grey's this season to bond with her newly-adopted daughter, Naleigh.
How sure a thing is her leaving? Here's a big sign. While she was supposed to appear in the final five episodes so as to bring the ending to a bang -- even that's not happening. The Jan. 21 episode will be her last as Dr. Isobel Stevens.
ABC Studios is even looking forward releasing a statement that "wishes her well."
"Everyone at "Grey's Anatomy" is now focused on delivering a shocking season finale and a great show for seasons to come."


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Author Believes "You Don't Die - You Just Change Channels!"
jelsnelssz | dodany 1247 dni 12 godzin 35 minut temu | () | obserwuj nie obserwuj
http://j.mp/YouDontDie After his wife of 54 years died in 2006, Chuck Swartwout decided there had to be more to life than merely the time spent on earth. This realization motivated him to take a long analytical look at the afterlife, which he believes we will all enter after death. Using his training in the scientific method, Swartwout researched and published You Don't Die – You Just Change Channels! which he describes as a 'common sense' approach to prove the... więcej...
komentarze (0) | kategoria: Biznes | tagi: heaven spirituality after-death afterlife chuck-swartwout eternity life-after-death hereafter


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|Birth Date:
|Arcadia, Calif.
|High School:
|Arcadia HS
Andreww Pilavjian returns after redshirting the 2009 campaign...He is a junior in 2010...As a sophomore his top finish was a 49th-place at the Stanford Invitational when he ran a 25:50 8,000 meters...His best time in the 8,000 meters was a 25:26.1 which he ran at the NCAA Division I Pre-National Meet, good for a 164th-place finish...He ran a 32:25.02 10,000 meters at the NCAA West Region Championship, his personal best at that distance...Ran in one meet as a freshman in 2007, finishing 113th in the Stanford Invitational in a time of 25:56.
High School
Champion of the Pacific League in 2006...Placed 16th at CIF and then placed 24th at the California State Cross Country meet...Was the 2006 Track and Field league champion in the 3200m...Went on to run the 3200m at CIF and placed ninth... Holds his school's record on the famed Mt. SAC course, with a time of 15:11...Was honored with the CIF Spirit of the Sport Award...Was All-State in 9th-12th grade.
Andrew was born in Pasadena, raised in Arcadia...The son of Gina and Armen Pilavjian...Has a brother, Levon...Hopes to major in Business Economics at UCSB.
Personal Records 800m - 2:01 1600m - 4:21 3200m - 9:12 Woodward Park - 15:47 Mt.Sac - 15:11


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FAYETTEVILLE � Arkansas outfielder Tyler Spoon sat in coach Dave Van Horn�s office during the middle of the 2012 season and was hit with a surprising question.
How would he feel if he was moved to the active roster, ending what was scheduled to be a redshirt season?
Van Horn was working with a lineup struggling at the plate. He thought Spoon, a Van Buren native, could help solve some of the problems. So he pondered the move.
�Of course I wanted to play,� Spoon said earlier this week, looking back on the conversation. �Even if it meant losing my redshirt. Whatever was best for the team. � If it would�ve helped the team I would�ve done it in a heartbeat.�
In the end, Van Horn opted not to play Spoon. The way he tells the story, Spoon�s body language in the meeting was an indication he wasn�t ready. So it didn�t take long for Van Horn to talk himself out of the thought and carry on with the season.
The decision has paid off for the Razorbacks (4-1) either way as they prepare for this weekend�s three-game series against Evansville, which is scheduled to begin � weather permitting � at 3 p.m. today in Baum Stadium. Spoon spent the rest of the 2012 season watching teammates, spent the summer playing baseball in Alaska, and the fall and preseason proving he�s ready to be a big part of the lineup.
Spoon, who is batting third for the Hogs, is hitting .444 with a home run and a team-high six RBIs after his first week on the field. There�s a long way to go in the 56-game regular season, of course, but it hasn�t taken Van Horn long to feel confident in saying Spoon will be a big part of Arkansas� plans this season.
�I think he solidified himself as a guy who can hit in the middle of the order and that was really good to see,� Van Horn said Sunday.
Spoon � who was a multi-sport star at Van Buren High � said it�s good to hear.
Spoon admitted being told he was going to redshirt in 2012 last winter was difficult at first. He had hopes of making an instant impact with the Razorbacks. But it didn�t take long for Spoon to see the year off as an opportunity to prepare for 2013.
Spoon worked extensively with Arkansas assistant Brian Walker on hitting throughout the season. He got bigger and stronger. And, while the rest of the Razorbacks were in Omaha for the College World Series, he was finally getting work against live pitching in the Anchorage Glacier Pilots in the Alaska Baseball League.
Spoon hit .283 with team highs in home runs (10), doubles (11) and RBIs (33). When the summer was over he was ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the league by PerfectGame.com and No. 5 by Baseball America. He was confident, too.
�The summer was definitely very important,� Spoon said. �They can teach me whatever (at Arkansas). But until I actually put it together and see some live pitching and put it all together, honestly, it�s not really worth much.�
Van Horn said the transformation was obvious when Spoon returned. Teammates saw it, too. Pitcher Brandon Moore, who is Spoon�s roommate and was a high school teammate at Van Buren, said it�s clear the year off was a big help.
�He grew up over the summer,� Moore said. �He got back from Alaska and when he would get out it was just like another at-bat. It wouldn�t bother him at all. Then he�d come up next and hit a missile. Seeing that, the confidence he has in himself right now, I think that�s the biggest difference.�
Spoon collected a hit in each of his first two games against Western Illinois, then broke out in series finale going 3-for-4 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. He went 3-for-8 with 3 RBIs in Tuesday�s doubleheader, clubbing his first home run.
His play, to date, seems to have helped Spoon become a fan favorite already. The crowd already is chanting �Spooooon� before he steps into the batter�s box. Teammates like Moore have taken to Twitter as well, using the hashtag �Spoonsanity� and asking fans to bring spoons to games after his big week.
It�s all flattering to Spoon. But the freshman � who learned how to be patient after redshirting in 2012 � is taking it all in stride.
�I�m glad I�m feeling comfortable at the plate, but I�m not satisfied,� Spoon said after Tuesday�s doubleheader. �I still missed some opportunities. There�s still a lot of improvement left. But I�m ready and looking forward to what is to come.�
Evansville (1-2) at No. 3 Arkansas (4-1)
When: Friday at 3:05 p.m., Saturday at 1:05 p.m., Sunday at 1:05 p.m.
Where: Baum Stadium in Fayetteville
TV: None
Radio: Razorback Sports Network
Series Record: Arkansas leads 6-2
Starting Pitchers: Arkansas � RHP Ryne Stanek (1-0, 2.25 ERA), RHP Barrett Astin (1-0, 1.80 ERA), RHP Trey Killian (0-0, 0.00 ERA); Evansville � LHP Kyle Freeland (1-0, 1.29 ERA), RHP Sam Johns (0-0, 9.00 ERA), RHP Kyle Lloyd (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Top Hitters: Arkansas - SS Brian Anderson (.467, 2 2B, 4 RBI), 2B Jacob Mahan (.462, 2B, 5 RBI), RF Tyler Spoon (.444, HR, 6 RBI), OF Matt Vinson (.348, 0 HR, 3 RBI); Evansville � CF Kevin Kaczmarksi (.417, 3 2B, RBI), SS Shain Showers (.400, 0 HR, 0 RBI), DH Kyle Pollack (.364, 0 HR, 3 RBI), 1B John Day (.364, 2 2B, 2 RBI)


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A series looking to cash in on the success of other Louisiana reality TV shows features so-called swamp commandos using "bayou ingenuity" to annihilate invasive populations of giant rodents.
A series looking to cash in on the success of other Louisiana reality TV shows features so-called swamp commandos using "bayou ingenuity" to annihilate invasive populations of giant rodents.
"Rat Bastards" premiers on Spike TV at 9:30 tonight and follows a group of men as they hunt nutria in the southern part of the state.
The show will take its place along "Swamp People," "Cajun Justice," "Cajun Pawn Stars," "Duck Dynasty" and others looking to portray an aspect of south Louisiana culture with maybe a small dose of sensationalism.
The network has ordered six episodes of the show shot in St. Bernard and Jefferson parishes. It features a cast of six men from St. Landry and St. Martin parishes — all sporting folksy nicknames like Squirrel, Kridda and Skeeter — as they "wage war" against "giant swamp rats."
This war is waged with some fairly unconventional methods.
"Machine guns, dynamite, GPS tracking, Molotov cocktails: When it comes to hunting giant swamp rats, there is no such thing as overkill," a preview for the show touts as various members of the cast holler in the background.
Another clip shows a cast member unloading a clip from an M4 assault rifle into a tree before going on a hunt.
While their methods are perhaps made for television, the problem the show touches on is genuine, according to local scientists.
"When somebody asks me about invasive species, it would be really hard for me to say that there is a bigger problem," said Michael Massimi, invasive-species coordinator for the Thibodaux-based Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program.
Previews for the show describe the nutria as swamp rats threatening the "total destruction of Louisiana."
"I'm really not very comfortable with the way that they come down here and portray our efforts to control these things," Massimi said after watching previews for the show. "The sensationalism doesn't go very far to educate people."
In reality, nutria are a serious problem in the state's coastal areas as they worsen coastal erosion because of their quick pace of reproduction and hefty appetite, said Edmound Mouton, a biologist program manager with the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
Mouton said nutria feed on the roots and lower portions of marsh vegetation, leaving soil exposed to open water and exacerbating wetland erosion.
"The shoots, roots and basal portions of plants — they are the fabric," Mouton said, "When you destroy the fabric, the marsh soils wash away."
The native South American rodents were introduced into southern Louisiana in the 1930s to supplement the then-booming fur industry. They made their way into the wild either accidentally or intentionally and were a popular harvest for the fur industry, pulling in about 2 million pelts at its peak in the '70s, Mouton said.
Then the fur industry collapsed shortly thereafter, creating little demand for the nutria and allowing their numbers to boom and their damage to wetlands to expand, Mouton said.
In response to the nutria's effects on Louisiana's already degrading wetlands, the state introduced a bounty program for the rodents in 2002.
The program pays $5 a tail and brought in more than 350,000 nutria tails from rodents killed in the state's coastal zone during the most recent trapping season that ran from late November to the end of March, Mouton said.
Terrebonne brought in the most tails last year with more than 85,000, accounting for 24 percent of the harvest. Lafourche had a bit more than 37,000, accounting for 11 percent of the harvest.
Mouton said since the program's inception, the area of marshland damaged by nutria has been reduced from more than 80,000 acres to just over 4,000 acres this year.
Staff Writer Xerxes A. Wilson can be reached at 448-7639 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Cisco at Educause: Using Technology to Expand Options for Higher Education
One of the things I like best about Fall is the Educause show, a time for us to take a pause in our busy lives and learn about the best thinking in how technology applies to higher education. It also gives us a chance to connect with one another and share ideas about how to effectively prepare students for the future and increase access to quality education. This year, these topics are especially important as together, we face one of the most troubling economic environments that we've ever encountered as a nation and global community.
What we know is that we need to think differently to address the challenges in front of us. We need to think differently to develop a range of options. The Educause tagline, "In Challenging Times, We Need Options," could never be more accurate or true than it is today. Not only do higher education institutions need options in terms of how to deliver quality education, but students need options to get the very best education possible.
Technology plays a critical role in providing students with options, and Cisco delivers many of these technologies to the higher education market. Interacting with technology not only helps students to prepare for careers that are increasingly technology-dependent, but it also gives them better access to education. High-definition, life-like TelePresence solutions provide access to students in remote locations, and these solutions also allow universities to access experts from across the globe. Wireless technologies engage students in the learning process with wireless response systems and anytime, anywhere access to information. Collaborative learning solutions, such as WebEx, support online learning, offer virtual group work, and enable interactive learning experiences. And advanced video technologies create media-rich, connected learning environments that engage the "now" generation in the learning process.
We welcome the opportunity to connect with you at Educause. Please visit us at booth 322 to see a number of our demonstrations for higher education, including TelePresence, Campus Safety, Digital Media, and more. And, enter for a chance to win a new Flip Ultra II HD Video camera from Cisco to capture the spirit of Educause. We look forward to seeing you there.
In an effort to keep conversations fresh, Cisco Blogs closes comments after 60 days. Please visit the Cisco Blogs hub page for the latest content.


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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. � Jimmie Johnson, who had a quiet Speedweeks, went to the lead on Lap 186 then held off a last-lap challenge with a push from teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. to win the 55th annual Daytona 500 before 135,000 at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday.
�You can�t wait for things to happen,� Johnson said. �You got to race all day long and fight for track position. Our Chevrolet was so good.�
Danica Patrick, who was in the thick of the competition from the drop of the green lap and led five laps under green, was �freight-trained� on the last lap to score an eighth-place finish, the best by a female driver in the Daytona 500. When Lap 200 started, she was third on the track.
�It was a steady day,� Patrick said. �I spent most of the day half-throttle behind people. I didn�t think it was a wise idea to drop low and try to pass.�
Patrick leaves Daytona as the first female to earn a Cup Series pole and lead laps under the green flag. She scored the highest finish by a woman driver in the Daytona 500, eclipsing Janet Guthrie�s 11th-place finish in 1980.
In addition, Patrick became the 13th driver to lead both the Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500.
It was Johnson�s 61st career win � second Daytona 500 victory � in his 400th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start, all in Hendrick Motorsports equipment.
Johnson averaged 159.250 mph, his speed slowed by six yellow flags for 24 laps.
Mark Martin finished third in the No. 55 Toyota, followed by 2012 Cup Series champ Brad Keselowski and Ryan Newman, Patrick�s teammate at Stewart-Haas Racing.
Two of the top contenders were taken out early. Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart were swept into a wreck going into Turn 1 on Lap 33. The melee involved nine cars.
Another nine-car storm kicked up on Lap 138 in Turn 1, notably eliminating the No. 99 Ford of Carl Edwards, who has been involved in four wrecks during Speedweeks.
Johnson, a five-time Cup Series champion, won the 2006 Daytona 500. He stayed around the top 10 most of the day, but never challenged for the lead until the money lap was in sight.
�My crew chief Chad Knaus and Hendrick Motorsports gave me a fast car,� Johnson said. �I had a lot of confidence those last few laps leading the train with just how fast this car was.�
Knaus was very protective of the No. 48 Chevy. Johnson ran limited practice laps in the hopes of taking their best piece into the 200-lap run over the 2.5-mile tri-oval.
�We wanted to get this car to the Daytona 500,� Johnson said. �We felt this was the best car for us. I was very happy with it, and it certainly did its job.�


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Performance & Growth
How To Up The Customer Service Ante With SMS
There's no denying that SMS is the MacGyver of the communications world.
Thanks to its reach, reliability, ease-of-use and flexibility, SMS is a vital tool for small and medium businesses and can, amongst other things, be used to enhance your day-to-day customer service.
For instance, Kenyan concierge service, Dash2do.com, offers its customers everything from quick errand running, shopping services and DIY jobs, to taxi services and security.
In the business of offering its customers convenience and proficiency, Dash2do.com needs to be super-efficient in everything it does.
Communicating by SMS
To get this right, it uses SMS as the main way it communicates with customers and its network of "dashers" – the people who actually carry out the various tasks its customers ask for. It uses SMS to do everything, including:
- Accepting bookings
- Confirming details and any last-minute changes
- Sending driver details and pickup times
- Allocating dashers to tasks
- Billing customers.
SMS keeps customers in the loop
Dash2do.com knows that it can reach almost everyone via an SMS, whatever cellphone they have, that people respond quickly to SMSs, and that with the increase in third party messaging apps, customers' SMS inboxes are now increasingly free of social conversations, giving business-related SMS's more prominence.
The benefits of this, including improved and immediate communications, is minimised customer complaints, fewer incoming queries from customers, and increased efficiency.
In the case where something takes longer than planned, or details change at the last moment, Dash2do.com can immediately inform its customers, accurately setting expectations, allowing customers to adjust their plans thereby reducing anxiety.
Automated SMS is the key
How does Dash2do.com do this? Clearly this system needs to be automated using an SMS service provider, rather than done manually.
Step 1: Choose an SMS service provider that gives you the capability to integrate your processes and services. It should be flexible enough to accommodate your business needs, and not force you to compromise your requirements to fit it. Your service provider should also be able to guide you on the best way to achieve your communications goals.
Step 2: Develop a communications flow connecting customers with ongoing process updates. This will differ from business to business, but try to identify the crucial junctures where your customers may need an update from you, or to interact with you. Get the balance right between just enough information to be useful, but not so much that your customers start ignoring your notifications.
Step 3: Integrate this into your mobile messaging provider's infrastructure – you should have access to a set of application programming interfaces (APIs) from your service provider that your developers can use to do this.
Step 4: Integrate the automated mobile messaging flow with your back-end systems to make the tracking of bookings, orders, updates and so on easier. You can access a wealth of business intelligence this way and also track the effectiveness of your SMS communications and customer service.
Step 5: Via these back-end systems, also link the SMS communications service with other channels, such as call centres, to improve the efficiency of these as well.
Company Posts
How TomTom Telematics Can Keep Your Business Moving Forward
Successful businesses need to find ways to improve their margins while still delivering excellent and efficient customer service. VDM's CEO, Deon van der Merwe, explains why this wouldn't be possible in his business without TomTom Telematics' solutions.
When TomTom Telematics entered the South African market in 2010, the local team took a deep dive into the different industry verticals they were servicing.
The more they got to know their customers, the more they realised a different solution was needed to address local conditions, and a subscription model was introduced whereby customers didn't need to invest a large capital outlay into TomTom Telematics' technology, but would receive the tech and software, including installation, at no extra cost, in exchange for a monthly subscription fee.
This model gives SMEs affordable access to TomTom Telematics' solutions, but it's had another benefit as well: As TomTom Telematics introduces new innovations, existing customers can benefit — without the costs associated with replacing all of their existing technology themselves.
An indispensable tool
For a transport and logistics business like VDM Group, which has more than 160 vehicles on the road, this means they have access to incredible new offerings, without needing to replace their TomTom units themselves.
"TomTom plays a critical role in our business," says Deon van der Merwe, CEO of VDM Group. "It's an indispensable tool in ensuring quality customer feedback and the management of KPIs for all supply chain stakeholders.
"Earlier this year, TomTom Telematics launched their New WEBFLEET product. We were very satisfied with what we had, and yet they still approached us and offered to replace all our existing units with new tablets, and they're covering the installation costs," explains Deon.
Related: Driving Your Business Growth Towards More Customers
"New WEBFLEET is the result of TomTom innovating their product based on customer feedback from around the world, and the local team wanted to ensure we had access to the additional functionality and innovations that had been introduced."
Seamless integration with your network
According to Deon, the new TomTom PRO 8275 units seamlessly integrate VDM's fleet scheduling software with information they extract from TomTom, including individual vehicles' standing time and arrival notifications.
"The software from TomTom is open API, which means that all our various applications can communicate and interact with each other," he explains. "From a productivity perspective, we no longer need to manually capture any trip information.
In addition, we have every conceivable piece of data available that will assist us to run a leaner, more cost-effective fleet, enabling us to ensure that we are delivering on all our KPIs — particularly with regards to meeting our customers' needs."
Related: Changing The Shape Of What's Possible
VDM is a large transport business, but Deon believes the benefits for SMEs are as great, if not more so. "Many SMEs don't have the back-office support that we do. The ability to capture and use this information without a team of admin specialists at your disposal is a huge competitive advantage for smaller businesses," he says.
Offering you the competitive edge
VDM offers a specialised logistics service that creates custom-made options for clients. In order to ensure the most optimal and cost-effective solutions, while still ensuring top quality delivery, they need to consider special and complex individual customer requirements, from the point of origin to the point of destination, before finalising a customer-specific solution.
"We take into account a host of factors, including inventory carrying costs, volume requirements, product specific factors and route to market," explains Deon.
"Road transport significantly impacts total supply chain costs, and if not managed properly, can have a severe impact on the sustainability of any particular channel. We try and manage this risk by continuously improving our service through innovative logistical solutions, the use of advanced technology, vertical integration and a team of passionate and talented experts.
TomTom assists in creating differentiators
"This focus has helped us to develop a market offering that includes dedicated and completely flexible inter-modal solutions, which is a big differentiator for us. TomTom Telematics plays a key role in our total productivity, helping us measure the performance of road transport across our supply chain."
Deon believes that what you don't measure you won't know.
"TomTom provides updated fleet statistics that allow us to constantly benchmark our fleet against pre-defined route surveys and, in so doing, enables massive savings in fuel and total turnaround time.
Communicating via the WEBFLEET platform also helps us save time and creates a formal trail of correspondence with our drivers. I don't believe it's possible to successfully run a business like ours without a solution like this."
Company Posts
Sasfin Continues To Support SME Growth
Sasfin's equity stake in fintech lender Payabill set to enhance SME growth.
In another major step forward in supporting growth in SMEs, Sasfin today announced that it has acquired a strategic stake in fast-growing fintech lender Payabill.
Payabill, a 100% digital lending business, provides working capital and/or trade finance to small businesses. The collaboration between Sasfin and Payabill accelerates financing opportunities for customers.
Sasfin, South Africa's leading business challenger bank, last year successfully launched its digital platform, B\\YOND, for SMEs.
"Sasfin has been investing in fintechs, building digital capabilities (such as B\\YOND) and working with third parties (such as XERO Accounting) for a number of years with the aim of adding value to our business and wealth clients. Payabill has made huge strides in giving businesses access to digital finance and we are thrilled to announce this investment," says Sasfin CEO Michael Sassoon.
Payabill CEO Eli Michal launched the pioneering fintech start up in SA in 2017. Payabill settles suppliers directly for its clients and allows clients to select their own extended payment terms. "We are incredibly excited by the opportunity afforded to Payabill by having Sasfin as an equity and debt partner. Sasfin will provide access to new channels and much needed funding that enables us to support the growth of small business finance in South Africa," says Michal.
Michal started the fintech as he "wanted to enhance access to finance for small businesses in South Africa. We all know that boosting small business creates jobs and enables growth. Traditional lenders have neglected this segment of the market due to the high costs associated with on-boarding and assessing these customers, as well as managing their credit risk. It made no sense to us that a retail consumer could get multiple forms of credit, almost instantly via electronic channels, but small businesses could not. They were being neglected. With this in mind, we set out to build a completely paperless, digital solution to address this market's unique requirements."
Currently, Payabill offers loans of up to R150 000 to businesses. The intention is that with the investment made by Sasfin, Payabill will be able to offer larger loans to SMEs in the near future.
The alignment of Payabill's aims and Sasfin's long-term focus on small business in SA made for an ideal partnership. "SMEs can now borrow digitally, via Payabill, and bank via B\\YOND from Sasfin – reducing admin and costs which often stifles small business growth. Both B\\YOND and Payabill are gaining meaningful traction in the SME market and there are a host of additional digital initiatives that we are working on to further help small businesses thrive," says Sassoon.
"While Sasfin has always offered a trade and debtor finance solution, this was largely for more established businesses. The new offering speaks to smaller businesses that are passionate about growth, and our larger Trade and Debtor Finance offering will be there to support businesses that reach the next phase in their development," says Sassoon.
Sasfin Holdings Limited ("Sasfin" or "the Group" or "the Company") is a bank-controlling company listed in the "Financials: Investment Services" sector of the JSE Limited ("the JSE"). Sasfin and its subsidiaries provide a wide range of complementary banking, financial and related services.
Company Posts
Driving Your Business Growth Towards More Customers
Designed to help its customers get the most from their businesses through the right telematics solution, New WEBFLEET can help you reach your customers quicker, get more done, improve efficiencies, save costs and boost your revenues.
Europe's highly regulated operating environment has made telematics ubiquitous in business. On the one hand, this means industries across the spectrum have become safer, more efficient and highly productive across the EU. On the other, it's much harder to stand out from the crowd when everyone follows the same best practice standards.
"We don't have those same stringent regulations in place," says Justin Manson, Sales Director, Africa at TomTom Telematics. "Our clients have realised what a huge competitive advantage this actually offers them though.
"Locally, everyone understands the role that telematics plays in tracking what your drivers are doing right and wrong, and use it as a tool for encouraging good driving practices, but there's so much more to this solution, and we're making it our mission to help business owners really use it to their benefit.
"When deployed across the organisation to its full capabilities, a telematics system can radically improve productivity and workflow. Done correctly, a business can save up to 10% on its bottom line, and redeploy that cash into the company's growth, thanks to drivers reaching customers quicker and getting more done. The right data also increases productivity and ensures better turnaround times."
Thomas Schmidt, MD of TomTom Telematics, loves visiting South Africa for this very reason. "Because so many business owners aren't using telematics to their full extent, there's such a huge opportunity for us to assist businesses in their growth here," he says. "We deliver a high-value stack of products that can change the way companies operate, and most importantly help them save money and make money. The challenge for us is educating our customers so that they understand what our solutions offer, and the incredible impact they can have on a business. We consistently improve these solutions based on customer feedback as well, making them very much from customers for customers.
Related: Why Your Fleet Management Plays a Pivotal Role In Your Business
"Anyone can buy a map for less than R100. Why invest in such expensive devices? The answer is because we've developed solutions that change lives. With the right data — and access to that data — you increase safety, simplify your business, drive efficiencies, increase your output and customer service, and ensure you are always productive and reliable — across the organisation. And that impact can be measured, and given a real ROI value.
"Imagine the impression companies that operate at that level make on their industries. They stand out from their competitors. There is so much room for growth in South Africa as we deploy these solutions."
Game-changing solutions
As an organisation, TomTom Telematics is focused on continuous growth and innovation as well, constantly learning from market conditions, its customers and industry needs to improve its product offerings.
The result is the launch of New WEBFLEET in February 2018. "We've increased the value we offer our customers," says Thomas. "We've collated data from hundreds of thousands of customers around the world who gave us their feedback through surveys, and New WEBFLEET is a window into easy-to-use, smart fleet management that is a game changer for companies."
"TomTom Telematics is in the business of helping businesses," agrees Justin. "Our goal is help our customers master their challenges. The right data at your fingertips will help you change the way you operate. That's our goal. How much cash is being left on the table in an organisation because of inefficiencies?"
Introducing New Webfleet
The smartest way to manage your vehicles and mobile workforce
TomTom Telematics' state of the art Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) fleet management solution, with best-in-class user interface, is inspired by two decades of working together with customers to achieve more for better fleet management. New WEBFLEET is everything you need to manage your vehicles in the cloud, in real time. It allows you to monitor reports and dashboards, manage orders/workflow, and improve driving behaviour, safety and service, helping you save fuel and reduce costs.
Best-in-class user interface
- A future-proof platform with a completely renewed interface, based on the latest HTML5 technology and driven by continuous innovation.
- Simple and clean interface, with minimised clicks for faster working.
- Intuitive functionality, means it is more accessible for greater impact across your business.
- User rights management and state-of-the-art data handing ensures the highest level of data privacy and data security.
- Fast access to the right information.
Related: Fleet Tools Will Help You Get More Done In Less Time
Map view
Know where your vehicles are and where they have been. Different map options such as Google, Google Street View or satellite map are enriched with traffic information, giving you a more detailed view on what's happening on the roads. Toggle between different types of information on the map such as traffic, addresses and areas and create specific views, so you only see the information you need.
New WEBFLEET's dashboard gives an overview of performance at a glance. Up to 27 KPIs can be used to track the performance of vehicles, individuals, benchmark teams or give a simple overview. This helps you to track real-time performance against your pre-defined KPIs.
New WEBFLEET gives you instant access to the information that matters, meaning you can spot trends over time and use real-time information to make smarter and more informed decisions. You can instantly download or schedule reports to help you stay on top of everything — from fuel efficiency and legal compliance to quality of service.
Manage on the move
New WEBFLEET is optimised so you can manage your fleet on any device by entering WEBFLEET through a web browser or by downloading the WEBFLEET Mobile app on your smartphone.
Send routes direct to drivers
- Plan accurate routes in New WEBFLEET by adjusting multiple variables such as location, time of departure/arrival, traffic and vehicle type.
- Get a choice of alternative routes, as well as suggested fastest route with traffic.
- Customise your route by simply adding new waypoints, or dragging and dropping existing waypoints on a route. Then choose from guided or forced route* options.
- Send planned routes directly to a TomTom PRO driver terminal to keep your drivers on the right track.
Related: Time Is Money And It's Time You Saved Both When Running Your Fleet
Personalised Map views*
- Create your own saved map view to reach information you need fast.
- Switch between vehicle groups or areas, without needing to adjust the map filters and zoom levels. n
Many ways to customise WEBFLEET to suit individual requirements from personalised views to adding information to make what you see more informative on one page.
Plan a route the way you want it
Use multiple variables (including waypoints) to give fastest or most efficient routes.
Access WEBFLEET
Across different device types, allowing you to always stay on top of business.
Simple, clean and easy to administer
Toggle between views to get the right information to focus on the task in hand. Get the right information to the right people at the right time, keep data secure and in the right hands.
Send routes to driver terminals
In real time, ensure drivers follow or avoid specific routes.
Visit telematics.tomtom.com/tellmemore and follow us on Twitter @TomTomWEBFLEET


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Watching Damian Lewis' gripping performance as a U.S. Marine on the drama Homeland, you might never suspect he spent his childhood in a top hat and tails uniform at Britain's most exclusive boys' boarding school, Eton College. But Lewis, who won an Emmy on Sunday for his portrayal of troubled American Nicholas Brody, is just one of a group of rising actors to have attended the storied institution.
Renowned (and frequently reviled) in Britain as a bastion of privilege, Eton, founded by Henry VI in 1440, has educated 19 British prime ministers and countless aristocrats, including Princes William and Harry. Today, it's almost as well known for its film and TV-star alumni including A Week With Marilyn's Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston of The Avengers, and House's Hugh Laurie.
(PHOTOS: Photographs of the 'Great British Public' in London)
Historically, many of Britain's great actors, including Anthony Hopkins, Kenneth Branagh and Michael Caine, rose to stardom from humble roots. These days, however, British actors are more likely to be covering up their cut-glass accents than cultivating them. What is it about Eton, then, that's spawned this recent band of thesps? There's no doubt the school boasts an impressive drama program (the kind you'd expect given its $46,000 yearly fees). Its students have a 400-seat theater at their disposal, equipped with a flying system, orchestra pit and revolving stage. There's also a wardrobe, dressing rooms, make-up studio and professional-level sound and lighting systems plus a coterie of dedicated theatre staff. The school stages over 20 productions a year, including such meaty fare as Christopher Marlowe's Doctor Faustus and Tom Stoppard's Arcadia. And until last year, the school boasted a teacher, former Royal Shakespeare Company actor and director Simon Dormandy, who revolutionized Eton's drama program and inspired admiration in his students. "He treated us like professionals," Redmayne said of Dormandy in an interview with Time Out. "The facilities at that school were extraordinary and he really exploited that."
But even with such a grand stage to play on, it's hard to believe that the boundless confidence, experience and lighting design expertise conferred by an Eton education is solely responsible for its students' success. There is the undeniable fact that Etonians, as many in Britain have pointed out, are likely to have the money and connections to launch an acting career. With tuition fees at drama schools in the U.K. hovering at a recently increased £9,000 per year, a degree in acting is a big financial risk. And then there are the months, perhaps years, of auditioning. That desert of rejection must be easier to traverse with a bit of parental cash at one's side, an aid Downton Abbey actor Rob James-Collier, who plays footman Thomas, has likened to a "comfort blanket" that he and others from working class backgrounds never had.
(MORE: Can Oxford and Cambridge Shed Their Elitist Images by Admitting More Poor Students?)
Yet whatever the advantages of their silver spoon upbringing, Old Etonian actors are often keen to avoid being cast as toffee-nosed Brits. Still, some have found it doesn't hurt to be a charming young Englishman. Eddie Redmayne, 30, got his big break when he landed the part of Colin Clark in My Week with Marilyn, a film in which he essentially played himself: a handsome, boyish Old Etonian looking to get into showbiz. After a stint as a pillow-lipped (and posh) young officer in the World War I BBC drama Birdsong, Redmayne is set to appear in the upcoming Les Miserables as the idealistic (and posh) Marius.
In the U.S., OEs have been rather more successful at playing against type: counter-intuitively, Old Etonians are regularly tapped to play gruff American characters. Homeland is not Lewis' first foray into tough guy American roles — he also played U.S. battalion commander Maj. Richard Winters in 2001's Band of Brothers. Another OE, Dominic West, made a name for himself in the U.S. playing the Baltimore detective Jimmy McNulty in The Wire. The phenomenon has even led Eton's headmaster to quip in 2011 that "When HBO want a gritty, hard-bitten, authentically American character to head up a mini-series they instinctively think: Old Etonian."
It's unusual for OEs to tout their connection to the school, however. Damian Lewis went so far as to keep the fact that he had gone to Eton secret while he built his career. "It was really to avoid any typecasting in a floppy-fringed, public schoolboy kind of way," he told BBC Radio 4's Front Row show this month. Dominic West, meanwhile, said in March on a British talk show that "Old Etonian is a stigma that is slightly above 'paedophile.'" Still, he acknowledged that it hasn't hurt his craft, either. "It's an extraordinary place…it did very quickly nurture my acting," he told the Telegraph in 2011. "It has the facilities and the excellence of teaching and it will find what you're good at and nurture it."


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New Mexico is the only state that explicitly allows people with PTSD to smoke pot under its medical marijuana law - an issue that is getting attention around the country at a time when traumatized vets are coming home from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in large numbers.
New Mexico's medical marijuana law has created a conundrum for the Veterans Affairs, which does not allow its doctors to prescribe pot because the drug is illegal in the eyes of the federal government. So, patients like Culkin must seek out an endorsement from a private doctor.
PTSD accounts for more patients than any other of the state's 16 eligible debilitating conditions approved for medical marijuana treatment.
Culkin wishes the VA could provide it.
"Oh my God, it would be so helpful," said Culkin, 30, who heads the New Mexico Medical Marijuana Patients Group formed last December as a support and education group.
If the VA handled all needs - including medical cannabis - care for veterans would improve, he said, because the doctor would know everything about the patient.
"If these guys fought the hardest they could, why not give them the best medicine, or an alternative medicine you can?" Culkin said.
States where medical marijuana use has been approved have been trying to determine what ailments the drug will help. Those efforts have resulted in a mishmash of regulations.
For instance, a Colorado House committee in March rejected following New Mexico's lead in specifically listing PTSD to qualify for medical marijuana. California doctors can recommend medical marijuana for a variety of conditions and "any other illness for which marijuana provides relief."
The American Medical Association has called for controlled studies of marijuana for patients whose conditions it might help. The association also wants a review of marijuana's status as a Schedule 1 drug so clinical research can move ahead.
The Department of Veterans Affairs says it is developing a national policy, and the head of Veterans for Medical Marijuana Access believes a VA policy allowing medical marijuana "is inevitable."
"We're all on the same side," said Michael Krawitz of Virginia. "My goal is a good outcome for the veteran, and that's their goal."
"The irony in this ... is it's a common thing for veterans to tell me, 'The VA is telling me if I just stay away from medical marijuana, we'll give you all the pills you want, morphine, whatever,'" he said.
Krawitz, 47, was severely injured in a motorcycle accident while stationed in Guam with the Air Force about 20 years ago and eventually received a medical discharge.
He is an advocate for marijuana's medicinal benefits.
"It makes it so you can put down a lot of the pain pills. It helps with nerve pain, that really bad spasming and twitching."
He praises the care he's gotten from the VA, but adds: "I feel sorry for the VA; they're caught in the middle ... They have a clear mandate to take care of veterans."
Given their inability to get medical marijuana from the VA, New Mexico veterans are finding their own go-to physicians, including Dr. Eve Elting in the central part of the state.
"I have guys coming to see me from all over the state, five or six hours' drive, just to be legal," said Elting, of Truth or Consequences. "It's bad enough they have something that makes life so challenging. On top of that they're discriminated against, made to feel like they're doing something wrong."
Elting said veterans hear about her by word of mouth since she will see people who aren't regular patients. About a quarter of those who come to her want medical marijuana for PTSD. One day she saw eight veterans - five for PTSD.
New Mexico doctors do not prescribe medical cannabis. Rather, they certify someone has one of the approved conditions and that standard treatment doesn't work. Patients then apply to the state program. If an application is approved, the patient gets a registry ID card that allows possession of up to 6 ounces of medical marijuana.
A psychiatrist's diagnosis must be included for PTSD. For chronic pain, X-rays or CT scans are required and both a primary doctor and a specialist have to sign off.
"Even though the VA has prohibited them from signing the documents, I don't see why a physician treating the veteran would not be willing to sign a piece of paper attesting that the patient had that condition," said Elting, who did her residency at a VA hospital and serves on New Mexico's eight-member medical advisory board for the program.
Veterans armed with Elting's signature would still have to find a private psychiatrist or other specialist to sign.
"Everyone's happy to give them a million narcotics, anti-psychotics. It's frustrating," she said.


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SANFORD, Fla -- Will George Zimmerman walk, or will he be walked handcuffed to prison?
Six women on a Florida jury could decide that as early as Saturday morning, when they resume deliberations in Zimmerman's trial in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.
The jury officially got the case at about 2:30 p.m. Friday, after 14 days of testimony punctuated by at times dramatic closing arguments over the past two days.
Judge Debra Nelson read off 27 pages of instructions that outlined the jury's three options: convict Zimmerman of second-degree murder in Martin's death, convict him of manslaughter or find him not guilty. She approved the manslaughter option on Thursday, over the defense's vehement objection.
"All of us are depending on you to make a wise and legal decision," Nelson told the jurors.
About two hours later, the judge noted the jury's request for an inventory of the evidence presented -- something that they got delivered to them at about 5 p.m. But the jurors only deliberated for an hour longer, at which point they asked to cut off talk for the night.
They'll be back at it Saturday, starting at 9 a.m.
Hanging in the balance is what happens to Zimmerman, and beyond that a verdict's inevitable impact on the many others nationwide who have been moved by the case.
Some feel passionately that he did nothing wrong and killed Martin only to save his own life. Others blame Zimmerman for, in their view, profiling the unarmed 17-year-old, ignoring a 911 dispatcher's direction not to follow him and shooting him without justification.
Given those strong feelings, the case spawned a vigorous debate about gun violence and race: Martin was black, while Zimmerman is Hispanic. And it still does, so much so that authorities in Seminole County and elsewhere steeled for the possibility of violent reactions to the verdict.
"As Americans, we entrust our fellow citizens with a solemn duty," Seminole County Sheriff Donald Eslinger said moments after the jury got the case. "At times, as individuals, we may not agree with this verdict. But as communities within our country, we respect the rule of law."
All this emotion traces back to the evening of February, 26, 2012. Martin was walking back to his father's fiancee's house from a Sanford convenience store -- where he'd bought Skittles and a drink -- the hood of his sweatshirt raised as rain fell. The Miami teen was spotted by Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, who called police and, at one point, got out of his car.
The now 29-year-old Zimmerman never denied shooting Martin, following an altercation between the two. The question is why.
Prosecutor: Zimmerman 'had hate in his heart'
Since opening arguments on June 24, dozens testified on everything from what they heard that night, what they saw or believed happened, and whose panicked voice they think can be heard screaming on a pivotal 911 call. Both sides presented extensive info -- the gun, pictures, interviews that Zimmerman conducted and more -- for the jury to consider.
Instructing the jury Friday afternoon, Judge Nelson told the six women that Zimmerman didn't have to prove anything. The prosecution does, however, have to convince them he's guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, she said.
She told the jury not to use Zimmerman's decision not to testify against him and to be cognizant of the specific charges. She told them "your memory should be your asset" -- among other pieces of advice.
"It is up to you decide which evidence is reliable," Nelson said. "You should use your common sense."
Attorneys made their cases before jurors began their deliberations.
Assistant State Attorney Bernie de la Rionda went first Thursday, characterizing Zimmerman -- the only one of the two involved in the altercation who the prosecutor said is still able to make his case -- as untrustworthy. De la Rionda picked apart interviews Zimmerman had given to police and in the media.
Why would a scared man get out of his car and walk around after being told by a 911 dispatcher not to follow the victim, the prosecutor asked in his closing argument? Did Zimmerman walk toward Martin, or did Martin come after him? Should Zimmerman have had more than a bloody nose and scratches on his head if he'd had his head slammed on the ground by the victim?
Zimmerman "always has an excuse, or they catch him in a lie," de la Rionda said.
The prosecution got one last chance to present its case Friday, when Assistant State Attorney John Guy rebutted the defense's own closing argument.
Guy echoed many points de la Rionda had made, characterizing Zimmerman as a frustrated wannabe police officer who took the law into his own hands. He had decided Martin was one of the criminals who had been victimizing his neighborhood, Guy argued, then trailed him against the advice of police dispatchers and wrongly shot him to death.
"The defendant didn't shoot Trayvon Martin because he had to," Guy said. "He shot him because he wanted to. That's the bottom line."
The prosecutor argued Zimmerman built a mountain of lies to conceal vengeful frustration and powerful determination not to allow someone he had already decided was a criminal to escape.
And, Guy contended, his under-his-breath commentary, captured on a police recording, about "f***ing punks" -- apparently directed at Martin -- revealed Zimmerman's hatred and ill-will toward the teenager.
That's important because under Florida law, a conviction on second-degree murder requires jurors to find that Zimmerman shot Martin out of "ill will, hatred, spite, or an evil intent."
"Common sense tells you it's the person talking like the defendant who had hate in his heart," Guy said.
"What is that when a grown man, frustrated, angry, with hate in his heart, gets out of his car with a loaded gun and follows a child? A stranger? In the dark? And shoots him through him heart? What is that?"
It was, defense attorney Mark O'Mara argued, nothing more than self-defense.
Defense: Case against Zimmerman full of 'what ifs'
"How many 'coulda beens' have you heard from the state in this case," O'Mara asked Friday. "How many 'what ifs' have you heard from the state in this case? They don't get to ask you that. No, no, no."
"Do not give anybody the benefit of the doubt except for George Zimmerman," the lawyer said.
O'Mara tried to discredit the prosecution's portrayal of Zimmerman as a frustrated, spiteful vengeance-seeker.
His client wasn't the aggressor, the defense argued, contending it was Martin who stalked Zimmerman and emerged from the darkness to pounce. There, O'Mara said, the teenager pinned Zimmerman to the ground and slammed his head into the sidewalk.
The defense attorney lugged a heavy block of cement to show jurors what, he said, Zimmerman had struck.
"And that is not an unarmed teenager with nothing but Skittles trying to get home," said O'Mara. "That was somebody who used the availability of dangerous items, from his fist to the concrete, to cause great bodily injury against George Zimmerman."
Guy ridiculed the argument that Zimmerman had suffered substantial injuries, saying repeated blows against concrete would have caused more damage than the rivulets of blood and bumps seen in photographs from the night of the shooting.
Authorities brace for post-verdict reaction
While this drama played out in a Sanford courtroom, authorities -- in that central Florida city and elsewhere around the state and the country -- braced for what might happen when or if the jury makes its decision.
In the weeks after Martin's death, tens of thousands attended rallies demanding Zimmerman's arrest and castigating authorities for their handling of the case. Some of them wore hoodies, as did Martin the night he was killed, in support of his family.
On Friday, a lawyer for the late teenager's family said that, while he wouldn't call Zimmerman a racist, "this case in its totality has a racial undertone to it."
Daryl Parks told CNN's Anderson Cooper that the defendant surmised Martin was a criminal like those who'd struck in his neighborhood before -- at least one of whom was black. "The problem, in this case, ... is that Trayvon was not one of those people," Parks said.
The defense, meanwhile, has strongly rejected accusations that Zimmerman is a racist, with O'Mara citing his client's work as a mentor to black children and his having taken a black girl to his prom as evidence of his non-racist beliefs.
But the perception is still out there, and it's a big reason Zimmerman moved out of his home after receiving death threats, his father Robert had said, then stayed at an undisclosed location awaiting trial.
His defenders have been passionate as well, especially about a person's right to defend himself with a gun when attacked. Debate swirled over Florida's "stand your ground" law, which allows those who believe they are in imminent danger to use deadly force to protect themselves.
Soon after the jury got the case, Zimmerman's family released a statement urging people to accept the verdict, whatever it is.
"Though we maintain George committed no crime whatsoever, we acknowledge that the people who called for George's arrest and subsequent trial have now witnessed both events come to pass," the family said. "We hope now that as Americans we will all respect the rule of law, which begins with respecting the verdict. The judicial system has run its course -- pray for justice, pray for peace, pray for our country."
Authorities similarly appealed for calm -- and took steps in case some did not heed those appeals.
The sheriff's office in Broward County, in the Miami area, said it had made a contingency plan to respond to incidents tied to a verdict, as it used a public service announcement to urge people to refrain from violence or destruction.
"Freedom of expression is a constitutional right," the sheriff's office said. "While raising your voice is encouraged, using your hands is not."
The Rev. Jesse Jackson Jr., a prominent civil rights leader, was among those who urged people not to react with violence.
"If Zimmerman is convicted there should not be inappropriate celebrations, because a young man lost his life, and if he is not convicted we should avoid violence because it will only lead to more tragedies," Jackson said.
But O'Mara, for one, said that whatever the outcome, his client will not feel safe.
"There are a percentage of the population who are angry, they're upset, and they may well take it out on him," he said.
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