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Dan Walters
Dan Walters: Rep. Henry Waxman's retirement closes circle on powerful political apparatus
There was a time, a quarter-century ago, when an organization headed by California Reps. Henry Waxman and Howard Berman wielded virtual control of Los Angeles politics and very strong influence in Sacramento, Washington and other political venues.
The wealthy, Democratic west side of Los Angeles, including Santa Monica and Beverly Hills, was the organization's base, from which it nurtured a political stable in the rest of the region, including Latinos and African-Americans.
The Waxman-Berman apparatus, often described as a "machine," had an in-house campaign team run by Berman's brother, Michael, who pioneered microtargeting voters (sometimes with potholders) and campaign fund bundling and whose expertise on redistricting was a powerful tool.
Howard Berman had come within an eyelash of the state Assembly speakership in 1980 before segueing into Congress, where he and Waxman used political acumen and prodigious fundraising to become chairmen of committees on foreign policy and energy.
As the organization reached the zenith of its political power in the early 1990s, however, it suffered a couple of big setbacks. A Republican governor, Pete Wilson, vetoed a legislative and congressional redistricting plan drafted, in part, by Michael Berman, throwing the issue into the courts. And a Waxman-Berman acolyte, Mel Levine, fared poorly in a U.S. Senate bid.
Bit by bit, the partnership's power slipped away in the 1990s, in part because Los Angeles County politics were changing and the Latino-dominated county labor federation was becoming its power center.
Michael Berman played a major role in drafting the Legislature's 2001 redistricting plan, a bipartisan gerrymander that protected Howard Berman's seat by fragmenting Latino voters, but otherwise didn't advance the organization's interests.
The backlash to that plan fueled a ballot measure to shift redistricting from the Legislature to an independent commission, and the plan it drew after the 2010 census threw Howard Berman into the same district as another congressman, Brad Sherman, sparking a fierce duel in 2012 and a humiliating Berman loss.
On Thursday, Waxman announced that he would not run for a 21st term in Congress, completing the rise and fall of the organization and, perhaps, confirming that Democrats may be ceding continued control of the House to Republicans and shifting their resources to retaining control of the U.S. Senate.
His retirement also touches off what will likely be a frenzied scramble among the many political figures along the Los Angeles County coast, including those already gearing up to vie for an open seat on the county's Board of Supervisors and perhaps termed-out Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky – himself one of the many politicians who owe their careers to Waxman and Berman.


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Undergraduate Degrees, Majors and Concentrations
ENVS4480 - Nat Resource Mgmt & Conserv
Summer 2019
This is an advanced course in environmental science for students majoring in the life or related sciences who are considering careers in the public sector as managers or stewards of the public land and resources. The course utilizes a case study approach to engage students in discussion of appropriate techniques to manage and utilize the public resources of the U.S. Successful and unsuccessful management plans implemented in the U.S.'s national, state, and local parks are reviewed. Timber management of the national forests is discussed. Riparian and river management techniques within the nation's parks and game lands are reviewed. Mineral rights and oil and gas exploration within public land is examined, along with other mineral exploration and exploitation policies and agricultural practices within public lands. Management of deer, bear and other game species is discussed. Other topics include: opportunity cost analysis for evaluation policy options, techniques to identify sources of inefficiency in management of specific resources. This is a communication intensive course to fulfill students' communication skills VI-IX requirement.
Prerequisites: ENVS2500 and CSCM1030 (COSK2220) or CSHR1030
3 Credits
Schedule Book for All Active and Available Future Terms, Course starting with ENVS4480
No Courses Found

subset: commoncrawl


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Undergraduate Degrees, Majors and Concentrations
SOSC4803 - Social Science Practicum
Summer 2019
This course is the performance of community service through one or more appropriate, department-approved human services agencies that is directly related to the student's field of study. Each credit requires 40 hours of community service plus completion of academic requirements established by the department.
Prerequisite: Department head permission
3 Credits
Schedule Book for All Active and Available Future Terms, Course starting with SOSC4803
No Courses Found


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David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science, will reveal the investment in SABRE, a British-designed engine.
SABRE's creator, Reaction Engines, wants to use the technology on a unique "spaceplane" called Skylon, which will be capable of taking people to Earth's stratosphere in just 15 minutes. It could also fly from the UK to Australia in four hours.
Skylon is designed to take off from a standard runway before accelerating to speeds of 19,000 miles per hour.
"SABRE has the potential to completely transform how we access space," Mr Willets, who hopes the technology will create 21,000 jobs, will say at the UK Space Conference in Glasgow.
"By supporting this breakthrough technology we are giving the UK a leading position in a growing market of new generation launchers and removing one of the main barriers to the growth of commercial activity in space."
Skylon is likely to be viewed by Sir Richard Branson as a competitior to his Virgin Galactic business. Hundreds of people have so far paid £121,000 each to experience six minutes of weightlessness during one of Sir Richard's sub-orbital spaceflights. However, unlike Skylon, the billionaire's spacecraft is launched from a larger plane and not directly from a runway.
The Government will today also award a £134m contract to Astrium to develop instruments for the next generation of weather satellites.


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We're here to make sure anyone with a mental health problem has somewhere to turn for advice and support.
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Sometimes finding the right help can be difficult. We've brought all the mental health services in Oxfordshire together in one directory.


text: Arms Arms and the woman ears of conservation and planning have resulted in an increase in the wild turkey population in many parts of the country. States that used to have strict limits on the number of turkey tags issued have opened up their hunting opportunities, and the popularity of turkey hunting has increased substantially in the last couple years. Since most states have more than one season, going after wild turkeys makes sense to women who want to hunt as much as possible, and get the most out of their equipment. The female clientele at Capra's Sporting Goods in Blaine, Minn., are active turkey hunters, according to Jerry Riege, store manager. Many of them are deer hunters as well, Reige says, so they're very interested in multiuse camo clothing. Browning's line of women's clothing sells well at his store. When it comes to ammunition, Riege always encourages women to buy the best-quality ammunition they can afford. "The new 20-gauge turkey loads are so much better than before," he said. "You're not limiting yourself by using better 20-gauge ammo." Riege is a big fan of the Winchester turkey loads and recommends them to his customers. Compact shotguns are the most popular Lisa Parsons-Wraith Spring Gobblers Have Women Flocking To Gun Stores Y among women turkey hunters at Capra's. "Ninety-nine percent of women buy a compact shotgun," Riege said. "They have a shorter stock, they're lighter weight, the forend is pulled back closer and they're easier for women to shoulder." Reige has learned to refer to these shotguns as "compact" rather than "youth" models — too many customers were put off by the idea of a "youth" gun for a grown woman. "The selling point is they are lighter weight and the stock fits better," Reige said. He finds most women are successful with the Mossberg 500 Bantam or the Remington 870. Weight is also a consideration with decoys, Riege says. Lightweight Feather Flex decoys from Flambeau have been well received by women turkey hunters, because they are lightweight and easy to set up. Mossberg's 500 Super Bantam Turkey 20-gauge — designed for smaller-framed shooters — is a popular choice among women turkey hunters. Become One-Stop Turkey Headquarters eromy Dinsmore, sales/buyer at Keystone Country Store in Fort Loudon, Pa., says interest in turkey hunting is growing in his area, and quite a few of his female customers are turkey hunters. He says they buy all-purpose shotguns, and Remington and Mossberg 20-gauge shotguns are best sellers — especially in youth/compact sizes. Keystone Country Store carries a full line of sporting goods, and since most of Dinsmore's customers like to hunt solo, it is important to be able to equip them with all the turkey-hunting essentials — from calls and guns to decoys. "We try to set women up with everything they need to do it on their own," he said. "It's an escape." Women who want to dampen felt recoil will be pleased to learn about Mossberg's partnership with Mathews to develop a new recoil-reduction system for their pump-action shotguns. Seven Mossberg shotguns feature a Mossberg Dual Comb (lowand high-profile inserts) stock design using Mathews Harmonic Damper technology and a reengineered thermoplastic elastomer recoil pad. The Mossberg 835 Turkey shotgun features a 20-percent reduction in felt recoil. The dealers at Keystone Country Store and Capra's Sporting Goods say they don't consider the women's clothing market to be a big part of their business; however, having a hunting vest sized for women is important and sends the message that women's hunting needs will be taken care of. Making your store a one-stop turkey hunting headquarters for 28 APRIL 2013 J Make your store a one-stop turkey hunting headquarters for women by stocking a few thoughtful items designed to lighten a woman's load. women can be accomplished by stocking a few thoughtful items designed to lighten a woman's load. Many women prefer to shoot with an all-purpose gun — emphasizing the importance of stocking compact shotguns that are easy for women to carry and shoot. The National Wild Turkey Federation website has a fantastic Turkey Hunters' Checklist that would be great to print out and share with your customers. The list covers everything from equipment to clothing, and is useful for dealers to make sure they are meeting turkey hunters' needs. It also makes a great shopping list for customers who are preparing for the upcoming season. Dealers can even personalize the list by tailoring it to items stocked in their store. Note on the list where an item is located and which items are currently on sale. That makes it easier for customers to get what they need — and, hopefully, they'll purchase a few additional items they didn't know they needed. Find the checklist at www.nwtf.org/images/checklist.pdf. Subscribe to SI DIGITAL www.shootingindustry.com


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AC 2007-1844: An Innovative Mechanical and Energy Engineering Curriculum
Description: This paper discusses the addition of a new Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering at the University of North Texas (UNT). Those involved see the curriculum for this new program as a new model of engineering education that parallels the innovations of UNTs current Learning to Learn (L2L) project-oriented concept course with the addition of innovative approaches for mechanical engineering and emphasis on energy engineering education.
Date: 2007
Creator: Michaelides, Efstathios & Mirshams, Reza
Partner: UNT College of Engineering


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Summer Music Theatre production of rock opera 'Superstar' explores human side of crucifixion storyMuhlenberg premiere of Webber's 'Jesus Christ Superstar,' opening July 10, embraces the arena-rock elements of the greatest story ever told.
Thursday, June 13, 2013 04:11 PM
James Peck vividly remembers the best rock concert he ever attended: U2 at the Meadowlands in 2011.
"It was one of the most quote-unquote 'ritualistic' theater experiences I've ever had," he says. "It had that seize-your-body, wash-over-you aspect of rock-and-roll—that feeling that you're part of something larger than you. That aspect of ritual."
That's the feeling that Peck wants to create as the director of "Jesus Christ Superstar," opening July 10 at the Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre.
"'Superstar' is a big epic rock musical about one of the greatest stories ever told," Peck says. "In the way that a really great rock concert makes you feel like you're part of something big and cosmic, I think a great production of this show should work the crowd into a sort of oceanic sense of being in touch with something in the universe."
This summer marks not only the Muhlenberg premiere of "Superstar," but also the return of former Muhlenberg dance professor Charles O. Anderson. Anderson returns from Austin, Texas, where he teaches dance at University of Texas Austin. Ken Butler serves as the musical director.
"Jesus Christ Superstar" runs July 10-28, Wednesday through Sunday on the Empie Stage, Muhlenberg College.
"Superstar" dramatizes the last seven days in the life of Jesus, from his entry into Jerusalem through his crucifixion. Set to a rock score by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, the show looks at those seven days through the eyes Judas, the disciple who betrays Jesus and "one of history's great so-called villains," Peck says.
"It is unusual for a show to take the vantage point of Judas," Peck says. "But it's what makes 'Superstar' unique."
The show features the hit songs "I Don't Know How to Love Him" and "Superstar."
What interests Peck most, he says, is the way the play explores the humanity of the characters—real people at the epicenter of one of history's great moments.
"You get a sense of Jesus as a human," he says, "of how exhausting it must be to be at the heart of a world movement."
"Superstar" features a cast of 27, including Muhlenberg alumni Dan Cary '08 as Jesus, Jessie MacBeth '13 as Mary Magdalene, and Equity guest artist Kennedy Kanagawa '08 as Judas. The show also features guest artists from the Lehigh Valley including Ed Bara as Caiaphas, Bill Mutimer as Herod, and Joshua Neth as Pontius Pilate.
"What I love about 'Jesus Christ Superstar' is that it takes these iconic figures that we are used to thinking of abstractly, and it humanizes them," Kanagawa says. "They have emotions and desires and allegiances and secrets. The idea of returning to my alma mater and making these discoveries along with this brilliantly talented creative team is thrilling."
The show features a spare, earthy design by Tim Averill, who brings his interest in sustainable theater design to the production. Annie Simon's costume designs draw from 1970s and contemporary grunge fashion. Lighting design by John McKernon brings a rock-show sensibility to the performance. The five-piece band led by Vince Di Mura will feature a lean rock-band sound—less lush Broadway score and more rock-and-roll.
The Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre has been bringing excellent theatre to the Lehigh Valley for 33 years. All productions are performed at Muhlenberg College, one of the top-rated college performance programs in the country according to the Princeton Review rankings. Muhlenberg is a liberal arts college of more than 2,200 students in Allentown, Pa., offering Bachelor of Arts degrees in theater and dance.
"Jesus Christ Superstar" runs July 10-28 in the Empie Theatre, Baker Center for the Arts, Muhlenberg College, 2400 Chew St., Allentown, Pa.
Performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Regular admission tickets for the first four shows are $32; seniors (65 +) are $28; students and children are $20. For the remainder of the run, regular admission tickets are $38; seniors (65+) are $35; students and children are $20. Family matinees on Sundays are just $10 for children. For groups of 15 or more, tickets are $25 per person and $16 for students and children.
Tickets and information are available at 484-664-3333 or muhlenberg.edu/smt


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Student protesters wrote the telephone numbers of family members on the back of their hands because they were afraid they would not survive Monday's forceful evacuation of the Executive Yuan premises, local media reported.
Chen Hung-chang (陳宏彰), a 27-year-old second-year graduate student at National Yang-Ming University, was quoted by the Chinese-language Apple Daily as saying on Tuesday that he went to support the occupation of the Executive Yuan after he saw a Facebook post by the band Chthonic.
Chen was quoted as saying that he followed others into the Executive Yuan building and was one of the 60 students who made it inside, adding that most of the students had been very tense because they heard that police were massing outside.
In the report, Chen said that to calm his nerves he struck up a conversation with a police officer, who was on duty, talking about everything from the farmers' demonstration in 1988 to recent consumer price increases, the report said.
Chen said that the officer said the students had achieved what they wanted and should leave, but Chen responded that the students had taken over the premises and would only leave if they were carried out, the Apple Daily reported.
Before police entered, Chen said that one of the student representatives appointed to keep order told the protesters: "I can't guarantee your safety or tell you what will happen next."
A female protester responded that they came of their own accord, which prompted the protesters to begin chanting: "Reject the pact, defend democracy!"
The student representative then bowed to the student protesters, before being escorted out by police, Chen was quoted as saying.
Chen said that after he was carried outside, he saw officers hitting people to drive them away.
"It was the first time I have been an eyewitness to violence perpetrated by the government," the student was quoted as saying.


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Saturday, April 15, 2017, 12:30 P.M. (ET)
ACT I. In the royal palace at Memphis, Radamès, a young captain of the guard, learns from the high priest, Ramfis, that Ethiopia threatens the Nile valley. Left alone, Radamès hopes to be chosen to command the Egyptian army, envisioning a glorious victory so he can free his beloved Aida, slave of Amneris, the King's daughter. Amneris, who loves Radamès, appears and questions him; she senses his feelings for Aida, especially as the slave enters. In the throne room, the King receives a Messenger who confirms that the Ethiopian army is marching on Thebes. The King announces Radamès's appointment as commander and leads the assemblage in a battle hymn. "Return victorious!" cries Amneris, echoed by the people. Radamès is led off amid general rejoicing, and Aida is left alone, appalled that she too has cheered him to victory, for she is in fact a princess of Ethiopia. Torn by conflicting loyalties, she prays for pity.
In the temple of Ptah, a Priestess addresses the deity, as Radamès is ceremonially clothed in sacred armor. Ramfis consecrates Radamès's sword for the campaign.
ACT II. Radamès has defeated the Ethiopians, and in preparation for his return, Amneris is being groomed by slaves and diverted by dancers. At Aida's approach, she dismisses her other attendants and, to confirm her suspicions, tells Aida that Radamès has died in battle, then that he still lives. Convinced by Aida's reactions that her slave does love Radamès, Amneris threatens her and leaves as Aida reiterates her prayer.
At a public square in Thebes, a crowd welcomes the returning army, which passes before the King and Amneris. Radamès arrives, and Amneris salutes his victory. The captured Ethiopians are led in; among them Aida recognizes her father, Amonasro. He warns her in an aside not to betray his rank, then pleads for his fellow prisoners' lives. Ramfis and the priests demand the captives' death, but Radamès requests their freedom as his reward. The King releases all but Amonasro, then presents Radamès with Amneris's hand, leaving Aida in despair.
ACT III. On a moonlit bank of the Nile, Ramfis leads Amneris into a temple of Isis for her wedding vigil. Aida comes to wait secretly for Radamès. Overcome with nostalgia, she laments her conquered homeland. Amonasro, still determined to save his people, startles her out of her reverie and commands her to trick Radamès into revealing the Egyptian army's intended route into Ethiopia. He shames and threatens her until she reluctantly agrees. Amonasro hides as Radamès appears, promising to make Aida his bride after his next victory. She suggests they run away together, asking what road they should take to avoid his army. No sooner has he revealed the Egyptians' plans than Amonasro emerges from his hiding place and divulges his identity as King of Ethiopia. Leaving the temple, Amneris finds the three and denounces Radamès as a traitor. Amonasro lunges at her with a dagger, but Radamès shields her and surrenders himself, as Aida and her father escape.
ACT IV. When Radamès is led into the hall of judgment, Amneris offers to save him if he will renounce Aida; he refuses. Enraged, Amneris lets him go to his doom. Listening as the priests' demands that he defend himself are met with silence, Amneris feels her pride falling away, and her love for Radamès is revealed by her agony in hearing him condemned by the priests, whom she curses.
Radamès, buried alive in a crypt beneath the temple, turns his last thoughts to Aida, who emerges from the shadows, having entered the vault earlier to share his fate. Radamès tries vainly to dislodge the stone that locks them in. Bidding farewell to earth, the lovers greet eternity, as Amneris, in the temple above, prays to Isis for peace.
Aida offers some surprising throwbacks to the Verdi of early years. There is even an old-fashioned blood-and-thunder cabaletta for the lovers in the Nile scene, though such other moments as "Ritorna vincitor!" and "O patria mia" have a structural fluency and melodic thrust characteristic of Verdi, but few others, in the 1870s.
Like the much earlier Les Vêpres Siciliennes and the just preceding Don Carlos, Aida is a French-style grand opera, conceived to present its central plot against a festive background of chorus and double chorus, ballet and large-scale ensemble. But Aida never loses sight of its personal core, nor does it insist on opening and closing each act with an explosion of color.
One of the largest commission fees of all time brought Verdi out of quasi-retirement to collaborate with his friend Camille du Locle on Aida. Though he had refused an invitation to compose a consecration hymn for the celebration of the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, Verdi was intrigued with the du Locle scenario upon which Antonio Ghislanzoni based his libretto. Both men owe the story to Auguste Mariette, who according to some sources based his scenario on a historical incident. It took Verdi fifteen months to complete the score. After a delay in the production's opening, caused by the Franco-Prussian War (the sets and costumes were trapped in Paris during the siege of that city), Aida had its premiere on December 24, 1871, at the new Cairo Opera House.
The piece surfaced in New York at the Academy of Music in late 1873, arriving at the Met in German in 1886, with Victor Herbert's wife, Therese Herbert-Förster, in the title role. The current Met production was unveiled on December 8, 1988, with James Levine conducting Leona Mitchell and Plácido Domingo.
Mary Jane Phillips-Matz's life of the composer (Oxford) and Julian Budden's The Operas of Verdi (Oxford) are indispensable. William Berger's Verdi with a Vengeance (Vintage) is also diverting reading, especially for newcomers to opera.
On CD, good Aidas are in plentiful supply. Leontyne Price was opera's dominant Aida for more than twenty years; her Rome Opera recording with Georg Solti (Decca) finds her in fresher vocal estate than on her later set, paced by Erich Leinsdorf (RCA), but both are first-rate performances. Callas's celebrated 1951 Mexico City Aida — with its interpolated twelve-second high E flat — is a thrilling document of the diva in prime voice (EMI). Renata Tebaldi's refulgent Aida heads Karajan's luxuriously cast 1959 performance (Decca). Olga Borodina's Amneris steals the show on Nikolaus Harnoncourt's eccentric reading (Teldec).
On DVD, chorus, orchestra and principals, among them Violeta Urmana, Johan Botha, Carlo Guelfi and Dolora Zajick, are in good form in a 2009 HD transmission of the Met's current Aida production, led by Daniele Gatti (Decca). Luciano Pavarotti and Margaret Price are a stately, golden-voiced pair of lovers in San Francisco Opera's Aida from 1981 (Kultur). Adam Fischer leads Zurich Opera's persuasive Aida with Nina Stemme and Salavatore Licitra well-cast as Aida and Radamès (Bel Air). A 1958 telecast of Act III captures Price in her early glory (VAI).


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Environmentalists, industry squawk over prairie birds
• Corrections and clarifications: An earlier version of this report incorrectly attributed a statement to Jay Lininger, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity. The quotation is from Jason Rylander, a staff attorney for Defenders of Wildlife.
A battle is brewing in the western USA over federal protections for four species of chickenlike birds with declining populations, setting up one of the most contentious fights over threatened species since environmentalists and business interests sparred over the northern spotted owl in the 1990s.
The fight intensified last month after three environmental groups sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to try to force the agency to more aggressively protect the lesser prairie chicken — a bird the service placed on the threatened species list earlier this year.
The FWS estimated in 2013 that the lesser prairie chicken population stood at about 17,600, half what it was a year earlier and less than a third of its population in the late 1990s.
The environmentalists say in their suit that the service should put the lesser prairie chicken — a member of the grouse family known for its colorful plumage and burbling mating calls — on the more elevated endangered list.
The less restrictive threatened designation allows oil, gas, wind power, agriculture and other industries to kill up to 1,300 prairie chickens annually in the five states where the prairie chicken roosts — Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
"In listing the species as threatened, the government carved out all sorts of exemptions ... It's almost impossible to conceive how someone could violate the rule other than by deliberately going out and shooting a chicken," said Jason Rylander, a staff attorney for Defenders of Wildlife, one of the groups that sued the FWS.
Before the environmentalists' lawsuit, state, local and federal lawmakers decried the threatened species designation as overreach by the federal government that will hamper the energy and agriculture industries.
Kansas and Oklahoma filed suit over the prairie chicken designation, and four New Mexico counties joined a suit by the Permian Basin Petroleum Association in Texas.
Under the Obama administration, FWS has listed 263 species as endangered or threatened, an average of 47.8 per year, according to data compiled by the Defenders of Wildlife. In contrast, the George W. Bush administration listed 70 species, or 8.75 per year, over two terms and the Bill Clinton administration listed 535 species, or 66.9 per year.
"There are questions about whether this is even about the birds or if this is about shutting down oil and gas," said Ken Klemm, who heads a coalition of 31 Kansas counties battling the FWS over the prairie chicken designation.
The battle over the grouse population is reminiscent of the fight between the logging industry and environmentalists in the 1990s over the designation of the spotted owl, said Chapman Rackaway, a professor of political science at Fort Hays University in Kansas.
The Clinton administration eventually listed the spotted owl — which had seen much of its habitat in the Pacific Northwest deforested over the last 200 years — as a threatened species. Its population continues to decline by 2.9% annually, according to the FWS. The timber industry has maintained that the arrival of the barred owl — not the loss of forest habitat — has led to the spotted owl's decline.
"You had the same kind of circumstance where the federal government was being directly questioned if it has a legitimate concern," Rackaway said.
Under the FWS plan to bolster the prairie chicken population to 67,000, energy interests would pay an enrollment fee that is set aside to rebuild or replace habitat that is altered or destroyed. Landowners wouldn't have to pay an enrollment fee, but they could receive money for implementing conservation practices that help the bird.
Meanwhile, FWS is facing bipartisan resistance from western governors over looming decisions on whether to designate three other species found in 11 western states — the Gunnison sage grouse, the bi-state sage grouse and greater sage grouse — as endangered or threatened.
The service faces a November deadline to make its decision on the Gunnison sage grouse and will decide on the two other species next year. Last month, Republican lawmakers introduced legislation that would delay a decision on whether the greater sage grouse should be listed as an endangered species for 10 years — an idea dismissed by the Obama administration
"I can tell you that putting this off for another 10 years is not going to help this bird, it's going to hurt this bird," Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said in a recent speech.
In Colorado, Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, has told the Obama administration that his state is already working with industry to protect the bird and will take legal action if the Gunnison sage grouse is designated as endangered or threatened. The state has spent nearly $100 million since 2000 on research and habitat protection to help bolster the Gunnison sage grouse and greater sage grouse.
John Swartout, a special adviser to Hickenlooper, recalled the so-called "War on the West" fought in the region 20 years ago as the Clinton administration sought to toughen natural resources policies, alarming ranchers, logging, mining, oil and gas companies.
At the time, then-Colorado Gov. Roy Romer, a Democrat, persuaded environmentalists and ranchers to help develop state policy on grazing fees and practices. The collaboration became the model for national policies and helped tamp down anger at Washington.
"It took a long time to develop that trust," Swartout said. "If this goes south and we lose those partnerships … that will all have been wasted."


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EC takes aim at Qualcomm
Chip off the anti-trust block
The European Commission has launched an anti-trust investigation into chip maker Qualcomm. It is the third chip or memory competition case launched by the commission since July and follows a recent commission competition court victory over Microsoft.
A competition law expert has said that the case highlights how confident the Commission now is on anti-trust matters in the wake of the Microsoft judgment last month, and said that national competition authorities would follow its lead.
The case concerns accusations first made against Qualcomm by rival chip makers in 2005, when Nokia and others made a formal complaint to the Commission. The complaint alleges that Qualcomm abused the fact that its technology was chosen for use in the technical standard used for third generation (3G) mobile phone technology.
"Essential patent holders should not be able to exploit the extra power they have gained as a result of having technology based on their patent incorporated in the standard," said a statement from the European Commission.
The investigation will focus on the issue of whether the licensing terms and royalties imposed by Qualcomm are, as alleged by the complainants, not "fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory," it said. "In a context of standardisation, a finding of exploitative practices by Qualcomm in the WCDMA licensing market contrary to Article 82 of the EC Treaty may depend on whether the licensing terms imposed by Qualcomm are in breach of its free, reasonable and non-discriminatory commitment."
The commission said it would conduct an in-depth investigation as a matter of priority and that there was no fixed timetable under which it must operate.
In August, the commission accused memory maker Rambus of abusing its dominant market position and conducting a "patent ambush".
In July, it issued formal charges against chip giant Intel after a six-year investigation into anti-competitive practices allegedly carried out by the firm. It said that the company had an "overall anti-competitive strategy".
Competition law expert Guy Lougher of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind OUT-LAW.COM, said tthe flurry of activity indicated a change of priorities at the commission.
"It is interesting because there has been flimsy commission activity in relation to intellectual property licensing, it is a policy area the commission has been more reluctant to get involved in than cases of pricing and exclusionary issues," he said. "On the back of the Microsoft case the Commission is becoming more aggressive and interested in these areas. The Microsoft case has encouraged the Commission to take a harder stance."
Lougher said these cases could have a knock-on effect at a national level as well as a European one.
"Patent policy and standard setting is a very important area, and it is important to have accessible standards," he said. "I think this is an area we will see more activity from the commission on, and that will mean there will be more activity by competition authorities taking their lead from the commission."
"The commission tends to be a trend setter and authorities have mirrored the commission. If it is actively engaged with the inter-relationship between rules on abuse and intellectual property protection then we will see national competition authorities take more of an interest," he said.
The Microsoft case which Lougher said has given the commission new antitrust confidence related to a 2004 commission anti-trust ruling against the software giant for freezing out competitors using its 95 per cent control of the operating system market.
The European Court of First Instance ruled last month that the Commission judgment was correct. Microsoft may appeal.
Copyright © 2007, OUT-LAW.com
OUT-LAW.COM is part of international law firm Pinsent Masons.


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VATICAN CITY — The Vatican has confirmed that a consistory for the creation of new cardinals will be held on Feb. 22, the feast of the Basilica of St. Peter.
Noting that such an early announcement is unusual, the director of the Holy See Press Office, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, said Pope Francis had decided to convoke the consistory "in advance in order to facilitate the planning of other meetings involving the participation of cardinals from different parts of the world."
The Vatican spokesman also recalled that the Holy Father had voiced his intention to hold the consistory on that date at two recent meetings: the Oct. 1-3 gathering of the eight-member council of cardinals, convened to discuss Church governance and reforming the Roman Curia, and at a subsequent meeting of the Synod Council on Oct. 7-8.
"It is foreseen that the Pope, like his predecessors on other occasions, intends for the consistory to be preceded by a meeting of the college of cardinals," Father Lombardi said, adding that, before the consistory, the council of cardinals will hold their third meeting on Feb. 17-18.
As of Oct. 21, there were 109 cardinals under the age of 80, and so eligible to vote in a conclave. That is 11 short of the maximum number of 120 advised by Paul VI. By February, that shortfall will rise to at least 14.
This will be the first opportunity for the Pope to choose new cardinals, although the College of Cardinals will remain reflective of the pontificate of Benedict XVI for some time, as more than half of the current college is composed of the pope emeritus' appointments.
Who exactly will be chosen is, of course, open to speculation. Some Vatican observers say it's likely that he will choose more cardinals from outside Europe and from the developing world. This includes candidates not only in Latin America, but also Africa, and especially Asia, where he hopes to visit next year.
New American Cardinals?
Possible contenders for a "red hat" in the U.S. include Archbishops Charles Chaput of Philadelphia, William Lori of Baltimore and José Gomez of Los Angeles — each traditionally cardinalatial sees. But the Pope is under no obligation to follow tradition, and during his brief pontificate, he has demonstrated a willingness to break with it, so it's possible none of these U.S. archbishops will be named cardinals.
Similarly with Italy, which has proportionally a very high number of cardinals, the Pope could choose to break with custom. The sees of Turin, an archdiocese, and Venice, a patriarchate, for example, have traditionally been headed by cardinals, but currently that is not the case. Francis could conceivably pass over both, though this is thought to be unlikely.
The Church in England, Scotland and Wales, meanwhile, has been without a non-retired cardinal, eligible to vote in a conclave, for some time. A leading candidate for a red hat there is Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster. Scotland, too, could possibly have a new cardinal by the end of February.
Vatican Candidates
Within the Vatican, his choices are more predictable. Very probable candidates are the new Vatican secretary of state, Archbishop Pietro Parolin, the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Archbishop Gerhard Müller, and the new prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, Archbishop Beniamino Stella.
Some have speculated that Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, may also be stepping down soon, an opening that would create another candidate for the red biretta.
Soon, a number of other cardinals will vacate positions usually held by cardinals, as they have already surpassed 75, the normal retirement age of bishops. In the Vatican, these include the president of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio, and the president of the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, Cardinal Antonio Maria Veglio.
Cardinals elsewhere who have passed retirement age include Cardinal Francis George of Chicago; Cardinal Carlo Caffarra of Bologna, Italy; Cardinal Paolo Romero of Palermo, Italy; Cardinal Joachim Meisner of Cologne (he turns 80 on Christmas Day); Cardinal Lluis Martinez Sistach of Barcelona; Cardinal Raymundo Damasceno Assis of Aparecida, Brazil; and Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela of Madrid.
According to sources, Cardinal Ruoco, who is 77, will probably be replaced soon by Cardinal Antonio Canizares Llovera, currently prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. But if so, Cardinal Canizares' successor as head of the liturgical congregation would also be in line for a red hat.
However, when these retirement-age cardinals will step down from their offices — and who will replace them — might not be known before the consistory. And in these cases, too, Pope Francis could choose to give red hats to those heading entirely different dioceses or positions.
Other Meetings
After the consistory, the Vatican said the Synod Council will meet again on Feb. 24-25 to discuss the upcoming Synod on the Family and Evangelization, due to take place in October 2014.
The Vatican also said that the next meeting of the council of cardinals for economic and organizational matters of the Holy See (the so-called "Council of Fifteen") is also expected to be scheduled, as in previous years, for the month of February, probably during the week before the consistory.
Edward Pentin is the Register's Rome correspondent.


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[Funeral Program for Abner Dorn, September 7, 1965]
Description: Funeral program for Abner Dorn, died September 3, 1965. The funeral was held September 3, 1965 at Saint Paul Methodist Church, officiated by Rev. T. Madison Bruton. Funeral arrangements were made through Lewis Funeral Home and she was buried in Eastview Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.
Date: September 7, 1965
Item Type: Refine your search to only Pamphlet
Partner: San Antonio Public Library


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I'm not sure if this question isn't too specific for Stack Exchange, but I really can't find a solution, and even extensive web search hasn't brought up any help. There are similar, but different questions here on Stack Exchange, but they also didn't help me.
Basically, I am trying to display a simple, rather small geoJSON file in an OpenLayers project, just about 20 polygons (a small showcase, the focus is more on tiled imagery than on the geoJSON). I created the geoJSON with QGIS from an existing shapefile and cut off all attribute data (I also validated it online to be sure)
This is the actual website (containing the geoJSON showing city districts, and two tiled planning documents that are disabled by default):
(sorry for the abysmal performance, my webhost is moving his server farm this week)
A quick link to the actual JS map code:
The polygons in questions are shown in orange, at least in Firefox. But soon I noticed that the geoJSON wasn't visible when I viewed the map in IE9 (neither in normal mode, nor in any of the various legacy and development modes). There is no error message, and everything else works fine. I already checked all the usual suspects (trailing commas, projection, proxy problems etc.), none of it helped. JS isn't really my strongest skill, but I think my code is more or less valid, because Firebug won't point out any glaring errors, and the map is showing up correctly in FF...
The JS code itself mostly stems from a former project of mine (loosely based on an example from Erik Hazzards great book), plus various snippets I gathered up here on this page, some of the Openlayers tutorials and different Q&A sites on the web.
Right now I am also using the OpenLayers 2.12 full feature .js file to avoid any unintended side effects due to missing features (the long-term goal is to create a slim custom openlayers.js, of course).
So my question is, in short, why won't the geoJSON show in IE? What am I doing wrong here?
I would be deeply grateful if someone could at least provide me with a hint where to look for a solution… at the moment I'm completely lost.


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I am sitting here writing this blog post in 100 degree (!!!) weather. The apartment I'm moving out of has no air conditioning, and all I have to prevent myself from melting is a fan and a hibiscus mojito. We hardly had a spring (at least here in New York), but summer came in full force!
A few years ago while living in China, mojitos became my de facto drink for cooling off during the muggy summers in Beijing and Shanghai. The main reason, other than the fact that mojitos are delicious, was that Bacardi rum seemed to be the only liquor that wasn't outrageously more expensive than it is in the U.S. Don't ask me why. When I traveled down south to Macau I could cool off with all the vinho verde I wanted, but up north in China, rum cocktails were the only good drinks I could have that didn't break the bank. So when I found a great gigantic tea market on the outskirts of Beijing, I bought hibiscus tea in bulk and made hibiscus mojitos every week.
Hibiscus tea has a fruity, almost berry- or cherry-like flavor, but is also quite tart, so it needs a fair amount of sugar for balance. I add a fair amount of sugar to my hibiscus iced tea (which can certainly be gulped on its own!), but feel free to adjust the proportions. If you want to sip this mojito at lunchtime on a weekday and have work to do, skip the rum and go virgin. And if you want to make a frozen dessert version of this, with all the boozy flavor, try this hibiscus mint granita.
Hibiscus Mojito
Makes 1 drink
- 15 to 20 mint leaves, plus a nice sprig for garnish
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
- 2 ounces light rum
- 6 ounces hibiscus tea* (see below)
- In the bottom of a cocktail shaker, muddle the mint leaves with the sugar and lime juice (the sugar granules help bruise the mint and extract flavor). Add the rum, hibiscus tea, and a few ice cubes, and shake well. Strain into an ice-filled glass. Garnish with a mint sprig and serve.
Hibiscus Iced Tea
Serves 4 to 6
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup loosely packed dried hibiscus flowers
- 1 cup sugar
- Bring the water to boil. Remove from the heat, then steep the hibiscus flowers for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sugar, stirring until fully melted, and allow the hibiscus flowers to steep for another 5 minutes. Strain out the flowers and allow hibiscus tea to cool at room temperature. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or until ready to drink.


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MuleMentum: Muhlenberg Looks Back on our Day of Giving11/12/13 marked Muhlenberg's Day of Giving: MuleMentum. We look back at the campaign that met and exceeded our goal of 910 donors.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013 01:02 PM
On November 12, 2013, Muhlenberg College issued a challenge to our alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff and friends to reach 910 gifts to make 11/12/13 a Day of Giving. We named our one-day campaign MuleMentum - an appropriate term when one considers the incredible work the Muhlenberg College community is capable of through teamwork.
The decision was made early on in the planning process to ask donors to designate their gifts toward Financial Aid or The Muhlenberg Fund, the fund that bridges the gap between tuition and the expense of educating a student at Muhlenberg.
On the day of the campaign, we asked people to visit our Mulementum page to make a gift and support the College. We encouraged each donor to share the story of why they give back, and we enabled tools to allow these stories to spread quickly through email and social media. Before long, #MuleMentum was a hot topic of discussion between members of our community, both on and off campus.
The Development Office set up headquarters in Seegers Union throughout the day so students, faculty, staff and local alumni could make a gift in person and have their photo taken with the Mule. A large sign hanging above the stairs in Seegers Union counted the gifts reached towards the eventual goal, and video updates from President Randy Helm, Dean Karen Green and Muhlenberg students and staff let our community know that their overwhelming support was well on the way to making this one-day push an overwhelming success.
It was only 4:17 p.m. by the time our initial goal was reached and surpassed. The crowd gathered at the entrance to Seegers Union erupted into cheers as the online count passed the target goal of 910 donors.
By November 13, over 1300 had taken action to let us know that they support Muhlenberg College. The response from our alumni, parents, faculty, staff, current students and friends was tremendous. We'd like to thank all those who took the time during our Day of Giving to voice their belief in Muhlenberg.


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Join us on August 30th as Randall Atcheson performs a rare concert in the Chatlos Memorial Chapel here at The Cove!
Only 25 seats remain, so don't delay!
Widely acclaimed pianist/organist, Randall Atcheson, is the epitome of a musical Renaissance man. His gift and versatility for musical styles was evidenced early in life when he was recognized as a prodigy on both piano and organ. In fact, he became the only student in the history of The Julliard School ever allowed to pursue, and receive, simultaneous degrees in piano and organ performance. Atcheson has performed many times at Carnegie Hall and has traveled the world over thrilling music lovers. He is listed on the distinguished international roster of Steinway Artists. We hope you will come and enjoy this opportunity in the intimate setting of the Chatlos Memorial Chapel.
To register call 1-800-950-2092. For more information click here.
NOTE: As part of these evening events, we also offer an optional overnight lodging stay, at applicable rates, complete with a complimentary breakfast.
For information on all the programs and events at The Cove, visit: www.TheCove.org


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It's true: the guy with the knife always has far more power than he should. And a handgun is just as effective as a well-placed sniper rifle, when it needs to be. And then, of course, there are the difficulties posed by that incredibly complex piece of equipment, the ladder.
You don't have to be a regular Call of Duty: Modern Warfare player to appreciate how sadly familiar some of the more ridiculous truths of gaming can be. Ladders, man. They have caused me so much more trouble over the years than that Z axis could ever be worth.


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One of the best ways to get to know your customers is to spend time with them face-to-face. This method of doing business is a hallmark of a Customers Rock! company and is usually supplemented with other types of customer conversation, including traditional and social media marketing. For FreshBooks, based in Toronto, Canada, this is not an unusual way to do business – it is business as usual!
Unique Customer Outreach
FreshBooks provides online invoicing and time-tracking for service professionals. I had the chance to speak with CEO Mike McDerment, and he shared with me his story about their unique and effective customer outreach campaign. Mike and a few other folks from FreshBooks were attending two different conferences here in the USA last month, including speaking at this year's SXSW conference in Austin, Texas. Coming from Toronto, the easiest way to get there would have been to fly – but not for this team. They decided to take the fun path and rent an RV (see photo above), meeting and talking with customers along the way! By the end of their Roadburn roadtrip, Mike and his employees Saul (who put the trip together) and Sunir (marketing and community development) had 11 meals over a period of 4 days, meeting with more than 100 customers over breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Roadburn blog above chronicles the trip, and several customers came out to it, requesting stops in their towns.
This was not a product roadshow. This was a listening tour. Mike and his team didn't lead the conversations at all. They merely asked a few simple questions to get them started, such as, "Hey, how are you? What do you do?" Rather than peppering their customers with questions, they encouraged the customers to network with each other. By the end of these meals, many of these customers were swapping business cards and planning to do business with each other. According to Mike, the result was "almost a mini eco-system!" Listening in this type of environment provides fresh (get it?) customer insights that you can't get on a survey!
I loved the way the FreshBooks team described the intent of the road trip on their site:
"The FreshBooks RoadBurn may seem like a stunt or a marketing ploy but in reality it is pretty much what FreshBooks is all about….listening to it's beautiful customer base and getting to know them on a level that other companies wouldn't make the effort to do so."
Getting to Know You
FreshBooks wants to get to know customers and wants to be easy to talk to as well. They have actually been holding these "customer meals" for about four years now. According to Mike, every time he goes to a city he gets a list of FreshBooks customers in that city, and he invites them out for dinner to see what is going on with their business. As you can imagine, this is pretty effective for building customer relationships, as well as for great word-of-mouth. Mike says,
"We are conscious that there is always someone on the other end of the computer screen who is using our products. We keep asking ourselves, how can we get closer to our customers?"
FreshBooks does it not only with face-to-face meetings, but they believe that social media really helps, too. First of all, there is their blog, FreshThinking. FreshBooks uses it as a way to communicate updates to their customers, as well as business tips and other tidbits. It must be working – the blog regularly gets comments and has over 1100 readers (per Feedburner). In addition, FreshBooks is a big fan of Twitter. They twittered the road trip as they went across the country; Mike described it as "random and quirky" writings. They Twitter from inside of FreshBooks as well to share with customers what is going on at the company. It is also part of their customer support mix. For example, the aforementioned Saul, at home on a weekday evening, sees someone using Twitter to ask how to do something in FreshBooks, and he replies and gives the answer.
Good customer service, right? Yes. FreshBooks is paying attention to customer conversation and helping where needed. Per Mike, "…we are not instigating these conversations; rather, we are being where they are."
Caring – A Core Value
Customers are embedded in the corporate culture at FreshBooks; it is in their DNA. Mike supports this in a few ways. One, he hires for fit. He describes this as hiring people who feel good about helping people out. In addition, everyone at FreshBooks does a rotation into customer support. This gives all employees the opportunity to hear from customers directly and to understand their pain points.
Mike says one of their core values is caring. As CEO, Mike is always taking care of employees, making sure they have what they need for their jobs as well as looking out for their happiness and health. Here is his formula for success:
Take care of staff –> Staff takes care of customers –> Customers take care of referrals
This works! From customer satisfaction surveys last year, FreshBooks had a customer referral rate of 98%. This year, the rate went up to 99%! This rocks. Per Mike: "There is really nothing better. Happy customers are a great pool of positive WOM."
I couldn't have said it better, Mike. FreshBooks rocks!


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DescriptionWeb Id: 13402923
IN CONTRACT. South facing Apartment 7D at The Shephard is a wonderful two bedroom apartment with an open kitchen (with big pantry laundry room) and living space that spans 34 feet with a southern exposure. The living space can be used as one large room or as a living dining and den - 7D is as flexible as it is elegant. The apartments at The Shephard have wonderful architectural details that make them feel like homes, including extremely large windows, barrel vaulted ceilings, entrance foyers and gallery spaces and special nooks to accommodate built in bookshelves or art. The quality of the renovation, design and finishes at The Shephard is unlike any other building currently on the market and has much more in common with a private renovation than with other development projects. All systems in the building are brand new, including a VRF heating and cooling system. The windows are Landmark approved, double paned, triple glazed windows from Skyline. The floors are solid hardwood oak in a herringbone pattern. The master baths are incredible with hand-crafted mahogany vanities with Lefroy Brooks fixtures, white mosaic fan tile floors walls, Dolomiti white stone slab and palest grey painted millwork. Kitchens are custom designed by Gachot Studios and are outfitted with custom painted and mahogany cabinetry with brushed stainless steel and brass hardware from Valli and Valli, counters of black absolute granite and backsplashes and islands of white statuary marble. All appliances are from Miele. 7D at The Shephard has a completely southern exposure, and wonderful living spaces in a building with beautiful, useful and fun amenities in the most perfect location in Manhattan. The Shephard, located at 275 West 10th Street has been thoughtfully redesigned, reengineered, and totally renovated to become one of the finest and most special residential buildings in Manhattan. Located on a quiet, tree-lined street in the very best part of the West Village, The Shephard floorplans are both generous and graceful. The interior design by Gachot is elegant and rich, using only the finest and most beautiful materials to accentuate the building's distinguished character. A new lobby and lovely garden have been created by incorporating a neighboring and historic carriage house into the building's plan. Comprised of 38 apartments including three Penthouses, The Shephard has beautiful views from over-sized windows, many of which are arched. Every detail has been thought through and all systems and mechanicals are new and of the highest caliber. With amenities including a basketball court, a gym, a golf simulator, a paneled library that opens to the building's landscaped garden, steam rooms and an arcade and ping pong club room, the building retains an intimate, boutique feeling while still providing residents with fantastic spaces to relax and play. The complete offering terms are in an offering plan available from the sponsor file number CD14-0241.
Building Features
- Pre-war
- New Development
- Attended Lobby
- Pet Friendly
- Outdoor Space
- Fitness Room
Listed by
Stribling Marketing Associates
With more than 15 years of expertise delivering success for real estate developers both big and small, Stribling Marketing Associates is one of the premier project marketing groups in New York City today. Learn more
All information is from sources believed to be reliable and is subject to change of price, rental, commission or other conditions, prior sale, lease or financing or withdrawal without notice. No representation is made as to the accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate and all information should be confirmed by customer. All rights to content, photographs and graphics are reserved. Customer should consult with its counsel regarding closing costs. Nothing herein shall constitute an offer or solicitation with respect to the purchase or sale of any property in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is not authorized or to any person to whom it would be unlawful to make an offer or solicitation.


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|January 2011
|OKLAHOMA'S eGOV NEWS REPORT
Welcome to Oklahoma's eGovernment News Report. We hope you enjoy the monthly report providing you with up-to-date information on Oklahoma's eGovernment achievements.
IRS Launches the IRS2Go App for iPhone, Android; Taxpayers Can Check Refunds, Get Tax Information
The Internal Revenue Service today unveiled IRS2Go, its first smartphone application that lets taxpayers check on their status of their tax refund and obtain helpful tax information.
"This new smart phone app reflects our commitment to modernizing the agency and engaging taxpayers where they want when they want it," said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. "As technology evolves and younger taxpayers get their information in new ways, we will keep innovating to make it easy for all taxpayers to access helpful information."
The IRS2Go phone app gives people a convenient way of checking on their federal refund. It also gives people a quick way of obtaining easy-to-understand tax tips.
Apple users can download the free IRS2Go application by visiting the Apple App Store. Android users can visit the Android Marketplace to download the free IRS2Go app.
"This phone app is a first step for us," Shulman said. "We will look for additional ways to expand and refine our use of smartphones and other new technologies to help meet the needs of taxpayers."
The mobile app, among a handful in the federal government, offers a number of safe and secure ways to help taxpayers. Features of the first release of the IRS2Go app include:
Get Your Refund Status
Taxpayers can check the status of their federal refund through the new phone app with a few basic pieces of information. First, taxpayers enter a Social Security number, which is masked and encrypted for security purposes. Next, taxpayers pick the filing status they used on their tax return. Finally, taxpayers enter the amount of the refund they expect from their 2010 tax return.
For people who e-file, the refund function of the phone app will work within about 72 hours after taxpayers receive an e-mail acknowledgement saying the IRS received their tax return.
For people filing paper tax returns, longer processing times mean they will need to wait three to four weeks before they can check their refund status.
About 70 percent of the 142 million individual tax returns were filed electronically last year.
Get Tax Updates
Phone app users enter their e-mail address to automatically get daily tax tips. Tax Tips are simple, straightforward tips and reminders to help with tax planning and preparation. Tax Tips are issued daily during the tax filing season and periodically during the rest of the year. The plain English updates cover topics such as free tax help, child tax credits, the Earned Income Tax Credit, education credits and other topics.
Follow the IRS
Taxpayers can sign up to follow the IRS Twitter news feed, @IRSnews. IRSnews provides the latest federal tax news and information for taxpayers. The IRSnews tweets provide easy-to-use information, including tax law changes and important IRS programs.
IRS2Go is the latest IRS effort to provide information to taxpayers beyond traditional channels. The IRS also uses tools such as YouTube and Twitter to share the latest information on tax changes, initiatives, products and services through social media channels.
For more information on IRS2Go and other new media products, visit www.IRS.gov
State of Oklahoma Administrative Rule Search Available Online
Under House Bill 2698, signed by Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry in 2010, proposed administrative rules are required to be made available through Oklahoma state agency websites. To assist the public in accessing this information in one location, all proposed rules have been made available from the State of Oklahoma's online filing system, which agencies use to submit proposed rules to the Governor's Office, the House, the Senate and the Office of the Secretary of State's.
In addition to searching for proposed rules, users of this site also can view actions taken on proposed administrative rules by the State of Oklahoma Governor's Office.
If you have questions about specific rules, contact the agency that filed the administrative rule.
Visit the Public Search Online Now
What's Inside
On January 10, Oklahoma's newly elected officials were sworn into office for a four year term. View our elected officials page to learn more about your elected officials.
Oklahoma Wireless Information Network
How Do I find the state of Oklahoma's online stores and payment centers?
Oklahoma's Online Stores & Payment Centers
How Do I find tax resources that can assist me in filing my taxes this year?
Visit OK.gov's Tax Resource Center
Monday, February 21, 2011
View Upcoming 2011 State Holidays
IT Accessibility Event at Metro Tech
53rd Legislative Session Begins
Share Your eGov Story
Have an Oklahoma eGovernment story to tell? Want to give us feedback?
About OK.gov
OK.gov is the official website of the state of Oklahoma and a collaborative effort between the Oklahoma Office of State Finance (OSF) and Oklahoma Interactive, LLC to help Oklahoma government entities Web-enable their information services. OSF is responsible for OK.gov. Oklahoma Interactive operates, maintains, and markets OK.gov and is part of eGovernment firm NIC's (NASDAQ: EGOV) family of companies.
Learn more about Oklahoma's eGov News Report and view past issues
4234 North Santa Fe | Oklahoma City, OK 73118
405.524.3468 or Toll Free at 1.800.955.3468


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Summarizing opinions in selected criminal cases from the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Appeal Waiver -- US v. Luebbert
The Sixth Circuit considered an appeal waiver, from a pre-Booker plea agreement, in United States v. Luebbert, No. 03-5598, (6th Cir. 6/1/05). The waiver language indicates that the defendant "waives the right to appeal his sentence on any ground. . . other than any sentence imposed in excess of the statutory maximum, and any punishment to the extent it constitutes an upward departure from the guideline range deemed most applicable by the sentencing court." The majority opinion found that " statutory maximum" referred to the upper limit of the statute, not the maximum sentence under the sentencing guidelines. According to the majority, this interpretation is buttressed by language in the plea agreement indicating that no guideline sentence was meant to appealed, only upward departures. This appeal waiver, therefore, could not be distinguished from the waivers in Bradley, 400 F.3d 459 (6th Cir. 2005) and Yoon, 398 F.3d 802 (6th Cir. 2005), and therefore the case was dismissed. In a dissenting opinion, Judge Moore would have allowed the appeal to proceed, finding that the plea agreement did not contain an unambiguous waiver of appeal– the term "statutory maximum" could reasonably be construed different ways, as reflected in Booker; and appellate waiver provisions should be construed against the government.
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|Davis, Calif.
|High School:
|Davis Senior HS
|Sprint Free/Back/Fly
2012-13: Qualified for the NCAA Championships placing 33rd overall in the 100 fly and 39th overall in the 100 freestyle…Set the school record in the 100 fly (46.65)…Finished sixth overall in the 100 freestyle with an NCAA 'B' cut time of 43.35 at the Pac-12 Championships…Placed seventh overall in the 100 butterfly with an NCAA 'B' cut time of 46.69 at the Pac-12 Championships…Set another NCAA 'B' cut with his eighth place, 20.00 time posted in the 50 freestyle at the Pac-12 Championships… Part of the 400 medley relay team that broke the school record (3:13.11)… Placed first in the 100 butterfly in the season opener vs. Utah on Oct. 12…Took first in the 50 freestyle in a big dual meet against rival Cal Poly on Feb. 9.
2011-12: Placed ninth in the 100-yard butterfly (47.34), 18th in the 100-yard freestyle (22.55), 18th in the 50-yard freestyle (20.15), seventh in the 200-yard medley relay (1:30.06), fourth in the 400-yard freestyle relay (2:53.48) and fourth in the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:18.54) at the Pac-12 Championships…Swam season bests in each individual event at the Pac-12's…Ranked first in school history along with Chris Peterson, Garrett Thompson, and Kevin Ferguson in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:17.87.
Attended Davis Senior High School…Was coached by Tracy Stapleton…Was a 10-time NISCA High School All-American, earning honors in five events in 2009, two events in 2010 and three events in 2011…Also competed for the Blue Devil's water polo team…Swam club for the Davis Aquadarts under coach Stu Kahn and for the Davis Aquamonsters under coach Peter Motekaitis…Was an AP Scholar Award recipient.
Wade Samuel Allen was born on Aug. 25, 1993 in Sacramento, Calif.…Parents are James and Wendy Allen…Has two older brothers, Jake and Trevor…Is majoring in physics and has aspirations of becoming an engineer…Enjoys skim boarding, surfing, playing the guitar, video games and hanging out with friends…Favorite movie is "Ocean's Eleven" and his favorite book is "The Hobbit"…Enjoys music by DJ Tiesto, Deadmau5, Jack Johnson, Basshunter and Muse…His most memorable athletic achievements were winning the 50 and 100 freestyle at Sections during his senior season…Favorite aspect of college swimming is the team unity.


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Noel Bouley
Acclaimed for his "formidable and richly expressive bass-baritone," Noel Bouley is quickly becoming known for his "commanding stage presence and ability to create a three-dimensional character with sympathy and real humanity."
Bouley began the 2012-2013 season singing Sweeney Todd at the Aspen Music Festival where he "inhabited the murderous barber with frightening precision and ease." He then joined Kentucky Opera as an Ensemble Artist for a second season as the Sacristan in Tosca after performing Zuniga in Carmen and Antonio in Le Nozze di Figaro the previous season. In November, he made his debut with the Lexington Philharmonic singing Vaughan-Williams' Five Mystical Songs "providing tones of gravitas and rapture to this sublime music." This past January Bouley took first place in Shreveport Opera's Singer of the Year Competition.
The season continues as Bouley returns to Kentucky Opera to sing Masetto in their new 'Film Noir' production of Don Giovanni. This summer Bouley will join Glimmerglass Opera as a young artist to cover the title role in Wagner's Der Fliegender Holländer and perform the role of Sir Lionel in Camelot. He will then make his debut with Amarillo Opera this October singing Raimondo in their new production of Lucia di Lammermoor.
Among the other characters in Bouley's opera repertoire are the title roles inLe Nozze di Figaro and Falstaff, as well as George in Of Mice and Men, Collatinus in The Rape of Lucretia, Escamillo in La Tragédie de Carmen, and Guglielmo in Così Fan Tutte. On the concert stage Bouley has performed as featured soloist in many works including Penderecki's Credo, Beethoven's 9th Symphony, and Bach's Mass in B minor. He made his debut at Avery-Fischer Hall in New York singing the bass solos in Haydn's Missa in Tempore Belli and Mozart's Requiem. In 2011 he made his debuts with both the Tucson Symphony Orchestra for Handel's Messiah and the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra singing Finzi's Et in Terra Pax. Bouley graduated with an Artist Diploma and Master of Music degree from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and he received a Bachelor of Music degree in both vocal performance and music education from Louisiana State University. Noel Bouley is a native of Houston, Texas.


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The recently-published Trustwave 2012 Global Security Report details the current threats to user data and identifies the vulnerabilities that persist within organizations. The statistics were generated from their investigation of about 300 breaches across 18 countries. They also analyzed the usage and weakness trends of more than 2 million real-world passwords used within corporate information systems. The verdict? After an initial foothold in a system (via malware and other threat vectors), 80% of security incidents were due to the use of weak administrative passwords.
Yes, that's correct: 80 percent. From weak passwords.
"The use of weak and/or default credentials continues to be one of the primary weaknesses exploited by attackers for internal propagation," the report comments. "This is true for both large and small organizations, and largely due to poor administration."
They found that writing down passwords is still prevalent in the workplace, particularly in organizations that implement complexity requirements, password expiration cycles, and password histories to prevent recycling of old passwords. While these policies are often implemented to improve password management, the reality is that increasing password complexity directly corresponds with a decrease in memorability, hence the insecure practice of writing down passwords. The report found that in 15% of the security tests performed, written passwords were found on or around user work stations.
What's even more astonishing is that rather than find a tool that can help with the password problem, users are getting creative in overriding the policies meant to enforce the use of strong passwords. They exploit loopholes such as:
- Setting usernames as the password when complexity requirements aren't forced
- Adding simple variations to fit complexity requirements, such as capitalizing a letter and adding an exclamation point to the end
- Using dictionary words or applying simple modifications
Default and shared passwords are also a massive point of failure. Companies assign poor default passwords such as "changeme" and "welcome" but don't later enforce an update of those defaults. Applications and devices that are shipped or installed by default on company systems also utilize default passwords that are rarely modified, a particularly dangerous situation for applications accessible from the Internet. The result: they found a proliferation of simple combinations such as "administrator:password", "guest:guest", and "admin:admin".
The top 10 passwords identified by the study were:
- Password1
- welcome
- password
- Welcome1
- welcome1
- Password2
- 123456
- Password01
- Password3
- P@ssw0rd
Variations of "password" made up about 5% of passwords and 1.3% used "welcome" in some form.
In some ways, we're impressed by the creative effort people put into avoiding strong passwords while still operating within the "complexity requirements" imposed on them.
However, moving forward into 2012 and beyond, it's clear there are steps both end users and businesses should be taking to change their password habits, prioritizing:
- Education of employees on basic security practices
- Tracking of company data and pinning it to an individual every time
- Standardizing implementation across all platforms and devices
and, most importantly:
- The implementation of a password management tool that makes it easy to maintain high security standards.
For as long as we force people to create their passwords and remember them, we'll be stuck with bad passwords. Recognizing the prolific use of poor passwords is one thing - empowering people to act on these recommendations, in a way that doesn't inconvenience them or tax their memory, is the true source of change. Only with password management solutions like LastPass and LastPass Enterprise will we enable people to follow best security practices.
The LastPass Team


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Local industry can be credited for and will benefit from Nicholls State University's new maritime management concentration, the program's supervisor told the South Central Industrial Association last week.
Local industry can be credited for and will benefit from Nicholls State University's new maritime management concentration, the program's supervisor told the South Central Industrial Association last week.
The program's first set of students are beginning to learn the ins and outs of the industry this school year. Through the program students will get the information needed to become entry- to mid-level managers within the area's offshore and shipbuilding industries.
"One of the things we are most proud of in regards to this program is the relationships that we have developed, refined and extended on creating this program," said program director Ken Chadwick.
Chadwick said the concentration came out of the need for skilled labor positions in the thriving local industry. Within three weeks of raising money, organizers had raised more than $300,000 from businesses to administer the program.
"There is no doubt that without the significant interaction between the college, the university, various business leaders, various business groups that this program would never had become a reality," Chadwick said.
Chadwick said the creation and ongoing support of the concentration is made possible by local businesses such as SEACOR Marine and many others.
"We had a foundation, but we had no expertise in maritime and oil and gas," Chadwick said. " ... The rules of the sea is a whole lot different than the rules of the land."
The companies also played a key role in developing and now teaching the program's curriculum. The concentration is housed within the university's four-year management program.
Students will follow that curriculum with five maritime-specific courses added. In these courses students will learn about maritime law, basics of maritime industries, and safety and maritime economics, besides getting hands-on experience through an internship course, Chadwick said.
Several local companies have signed up to provide the internships. Students will get a range of experiences depending on the company they intern with. Chadwick used the example of a boat company that will allow a student to go out on a boat for a few weeks before receiving more "real-world" experience in an office setting.
"This is an excellent opportunity for our employers to test drive our graduates," Chadwick said.
"The program has already received commitments from the following companies to provide internship opportunities: Abdon Callais, Bollinger Shipyards, L & M Botruc, Edison Chouest Offshore, Iberia Marine, Montco Offshore, Odyssea Marine, SEACOR Marine, Yellowfin Marine Services and others," Chadwick said. "We also invite other firms to contact us about providing internships for our students."
The goal is to produce an educated manager who understands and can step right into maritime fields to reduce after-hire maritime training local companies say is often needed.
"There is no other program out here in the state," Chadwick said.
Chadwick said about 24 tradition students enrolled in this inaugural run and 16 employees of local businesses are taking at least one of the courses through the certificate program. The courses are not only open to undergraduates but also to anyone who wants to broaden their understanding of the industry. He noted the college awards a certificate of completion for classes completed, which could help an employed person achieve a promotion.


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Buffett Vs. Gold: Who Do You Bet On?
As long as we're on the topic, gold price gains — on a percentage basis — have thrashed Berkshire Hathaway over the last 10 years. Since March 1, 2002, gold futures prices are up 473% through Friday's close. Berkshire is up 60%, though Berkshire A shares were already at more than $73,000 each back in 2002, while gold was worth less than $300 an ounce. Here's gold (orange) vs. Berkshire (blue) going back 10 years.
Of course, over the longer term, Buffett's Berkshire has kicked the tar out of gold. Since early March 1982, Berkshire shares are up roughly 22700%, versus 372% for gold. Oh, and for the record, we're looking at price gains only for Berkshire. It hasn't had a cash dividend since 1967, when it paid 10 cents a share.


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If you see a pack of, oh, anywhere between 12 and 40 happy cyclists in bright yellow jerseys, it's probably the members of Carravelo out for their weekly ride.
Shaping Up: On the bright side of retirement
If you see a pack of, oh, anywhere between 12 and 40 happy cyclists in bright yellow jerseys, it's probably the members of Carravelo out for their weekly ride.
What began in 1995 with three guys, all retired educators — Al Fitzgerald, Frank Suter and Terry Callaghan — has morphed into a riding club with 40 members, all retired, or semi- retired.
Did I mention the average age is 75?
"We started for fun and for exercise," said Fitzgerald, 72, a retired principal. "And we're still having fun — we have to, it's in our charter."
Carravelo (an acronym that plays on the Commission administrative des régimes de retraite et d'assurances, a public service pension fund) formally began in 1997. That's when one of a dozen couples in the club, Dick Chave and his wife, Helen, joined.
"It's a wonderful group" Chave said. "We all look forward to the season, which starts in April and ends in October."
Chave, 85, is very proud of the group's accomplishments.
"We've almost cycled to the moon," he said proudly, referring to the kilometres they have collectively cycled. "We should achieve that by the end of this season."
It's just one of the many statistics the group keeps.
Fitzgerald, the secretary for Carra-velo, sends detailed weekly reports on the status of the group including number of participants, distance and total number of rides, which helps in part with the prizes they give out at the end of the season.
"Nobody wants the rookie prize, which comes with a huge cup," Fitzgerald said, "but we give one anyway."
The club covers a fair bit of territory.
They have trips on the West Island, Old Montreal, South Shore, Laurentiens and over the border into Ontario.
"Some of the members have gone on cycling vacations in Europe and Asia," Chave said.
At the beginning of the season, Fitzgerald sends out a schedule of the planned trips, which are chosen by committee. Each week, the group has a set meeting point (you can either cycle there or drive there), and the planned route varies anywhere from about 30 to 90 kilometres.
"People can go the distance they want since we have a couple of meeting points along the way," Fitzgerald explained. "You do however many kilometres you want to do, we're not a racing group by any means."
The average for each trip, he said, is 40 kilometres. "But we have one guy in the group who is 73 and who usually cycles in from Ste-Eustache and then does the ride and cycles home, so it really all depends on the individual."
To be part of the club, members must be retired (or semi-retired) and have lunch with the group, usually picnic lunches along the route.
"That's very important" Chave said. "It helps cement the group and emphasizes participation and group spirit."
Each trip has a marshal, whose job it is to make sure that the trip runs smoothly, the planned route is clear, the weather is good and the group is together. Some members, like Blandina Pajuk, Bob Chartrand and Sandra Rogerson, regularly take photos of the trips and Jerry Dunn posts them to their website — with colourful commentary, of course.
The club also sets individual challenges for those interested. "We give an award for those who do 20 trips a season, or 30, and those who reach 1,000 kilometres also win a special prize," Fitzgerald said.
"We like to recognize the achievements of the members."
And they like to give back as well.
Callaghan, one of the original three, works with St. Gabriel's in Point-St-Charles and every year they choose one underprivileged child and take him or her shopping to buy a bike and accessories.
"We've done that every year," Chave said.
Safety is important for the group as well, since there have been a couple of close calls. Chave once fell and cracked his hip. "I went in to have that fixed, but they chose to do the knees first," he said with a laugh. "Getting old isn't for sissies!"
To drive home the importance of safety, one of the members, Jerry Dyke, gives a talk each year to the group on safety recommendations and bike maintenance.
"It's important stuff to know," Chave said.
A new event gaining popularity is the Carravin, a little reception held at the home of a member closest to the ride route. "It's nice to kick back and relax and socialize with the members other than on a bike," Fitzgerald said.
Chave explained that a couple of group members credit the club with helping them get over depression. "One or two had dropped out, but with the encouragement of their family and the club they came back and are doing well and tell everyone it helped get them back on their feet," he said. "Sometimes you don't always see how these things work, but it does."
New members are always welcome. "The group is still mostly retired educators, but since we're getting on, we're looking for lawyers, dermatologists or doctors," Chave joked.
For now, the group's motto is To The Moon or Bust. Figuring that the moon is about 350,000 kilometres away, the riders have roughly 13,000 kilometres to go — and no doubt they will get there.
Given their brightly coloured jerseys, chosen because yellow is the most visible colour, maybe if we squint real hard we'll be able to spot them!
For details about Carravelo: https://sites.google.com/site/carravelo
Twitter: junieone