text:
Contact Me, Experience, Mission, Sabbatical in Central America, plus
Editorial Advisory Board
Bill Benda, MD
Michael Levin
Taylor Walsh
Daphne White, CHTP
background resources in PDF
Insurance, Integrative Clinics, Industry Summit Reports, News Files '99-'04
some organization links
Professions, Academia, Research, Policy
some CAM/IM publication links
Electronic, Peer-Reviewed, Blogs, More
Bradly Jacobs, MD, MPH, Revolution Health Blog
supported conference
Institute for Health & Productivity Management - Integrative/Complementary Healthcare
Michael Levin
Written by John Weeks
Tuesday, 07 August 2007
Columns and Commentary from Michael Levin,
Editorial Adviser
Michael D. Levin
Founder, Health Business Strategies
Michael Levin
Michael is a cross-over professional. His business insights are deeply steeped in conventional pharmaceuticals and medical technology, formed through a first career which included a stint as a vice president with Baxter Healthcare. For most of the last decade, Michael has held executive positions with natural products companies including Tyler Encapsulations and Cardinal Nutrition. He has a passion for the development of the integrated health care industry, seeing that if people aren't making much money that growth will be slow! Michael has been quite useful on both natural product quality issues and on the potential cost savings from better integration of natural therapeutics.
To contact Michael:
Michael D. Levin
, Founder
Health Business Strategies
12042 SE Sunnyside Road
Clackamas, OR 97015
503-753-3568 (direct)
503-698-7565 (fax)
October 26, 2010
Reader Forum
: Levin, Forbes, Rohleder, Calabrese, Stumpf, Holmes and Taylor on
A nice mix of themes and responses here:
Michael Levin on the Seely-Herman research on cost savings of whole practice ND care for Canada Post employees;
AHMA president David Forbes, MD on the NCCAM priorities;
short notes on the Georgetown-Bastyr relationship promoted by Adi Haramati, PhD; Barney Holmes on biases relative to alternative medicine in Wikipedia;
Carlo Calabrese, ND, MPH on what "CAM" fields have in common according to Wikipedia; Community Acupuncture Network co-founder Lisa Rohleder, LAc, AOM educator Steven Stumpf, EdD and AOM student Leah Taylor on the incomes of licensed acupuncturists as reported by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, plus a brief note from an anonymous naturopathic physician who believes that her profession has a similarly challenged economic perch. I comment on the link between Levin/Forbes and the income discussion.
September 2010
Levin Comments: Australian report finds cost benefits from acupuncture and natural product interventions
National Institute of Complementary Medicine
(NICM), established with seed funding provided by the Australian Government and a New South Wales governmental agency has published
a recent report
that found cost effectiveness for most of the handful of therapies examined. The agency sent a September 13, 2010 press release entitled
Economic report finds complementary medicine could ease health budget
columnist and adviser Levin, in his commentary, notes that
"If the presenteeism and absenteeism costs of low-back pain are averted, the benefits from acupuncture would double."
June 3, 2010
Michael Levin: Opportunities for Integrative Medicine in MedCo Study of Pharma in Treatment of Children
A disturbing new report from Medco documents the growing use of major pharmaceuticals in the treatment of children. Use with childhood chronic diseases is highlighted with a particular area of concern the drug treatment of Type 2 diabetes associated with childhood obesity.
columnist Michael Levin, a healthcare consultant with Health Business Strategies, seizes on the report's recommendation that "health plans actively promote lifestyle change." Levin urges the right integrative medicine entrepreneurs to step up to a potentially lucrative business opportunity.
March 6, 2010
Columnist Michael Levin on the McCain-Dorgan Dietary Supplement Safety Act of 2010; McCain Backing Down
The "McCain Bill,"as it quickly became known, has stirred up a furor in the integrative practice and natural products communities. Practitioner, consumer and industry interests are peppering their lists with alerts about a proposed bill which they argue will increase regulatory burden, limit access to supplements and significantly increase costs. US Senator John McCain used the Senator floor to take on the arguments of his opponents. Major league sports are backing McCain. The proposal is called the Dietary Supplement Safety Act of 2010. Here are links to key viewpoints followed by a critical analysis from
columnist Michael Levin whose professional career spans executive positions in big Pharma and the supplements industry. He offers a useful regulatory strategy by focusing on the narrows of the production river. (Note: At publication time word arrived that McCain was backing down.)
October 26, 2009
Bipartisan Push Heats Debate on Financial Incentives for Wellness:
Good for Integrative Practice?
Passage of a bipartisan amendment from US Senators John Ensign (R-NV) and Tom Carper (D-DE) has elevated a debate
columnist Michael Levin has repeated brought to these pages. To change behavior, in Levin's view, "education rarely works, economics usually does." The Ensign-Carper amendment allow health plan costs to be cut by as much as 50% for those who engage healthy behaviors. Some unions and major disease-based organizations are opposed. Employers tend to support the direction, as Kenneth R. Pelletier, PhD, MD(hc) and Sean Sullivan, JD, each share. A tremendous discussion has been kindled on the
Washington Post
site. Levin lays out what he believes are significant opportunities for the integrative medicine community. Where are you on this issue of patient engagement, habit change, healthcare economics and public policy?
September 27, 2009
Columnist Michael Levin: Author Michael Pollan's View of Insurance Reform Supports Investment in Integrative Practices
In a recent column in the
New York Times
, author Michael Pollan
pits big food vs. big insurance,
arguing that the elephant in the room in healthcare reform is obesity, and that the solution comes to slimming down.
columnist Michael Levin finds in Pollan's perspective evidence that key characteristics of current insurance reform efforts create financial incentives that support investment in integrative practices. One wonders, with Pollan, whether "Washington can summon the political will to take on and reform a second, even more powerful industry: the food industry." Yet Levin's argument is clear that we may be
seeing changes that could stimulate investment in therapeutic approaches which support habit change.
Will these changes incentivize insurers to finally invest significantly in health creation?
April 14, 2009
Columnist Michael Levin: Pepsico May be Our Guru on How to Reduce Behavior-based Healthcare Costs
Did you know that Pepsico is threatening to move all its operations out of New York if the state passes a "sin-tax" on soda pop?
columnist Michael Levin recognized in this story that the giant firm has a rather strong perspective on whether economic incentives can be a powerful stimulus for behavior change. Levin uses the story to wade into questions raised in a recent
British Medical Journal
article on what it will take for people to make healthy decisions. Fascinating piece. Levin invites you to weigh in on the topic.
January 14, 2009
Columnist Michael Levin: California's Attorney General Takes Action Against Supplement Companies
adviser and columnist Michael Levin reports on a recent California action, under Proposition 65, against 56 dietary supplement companies. The issue is a level of lead in their products which required informing their customers. Levin uses the column to remind clinicians and administrators of the importance of vigilance of supplement manufacturers about the extent of their quality control plans. The story was brought to Levin's attention through Michael McGuffin and the American Herbal Products Association.
More ...
October 3, 2008
Michael Levin: On Globalization, Melamine Contamination and Responsibilities of Integrative Practitioners
adviser and columnist Michael Levin often speaks to us from the discomforting chasm between the aspirations of integrative medicine and current realities regarding the natural healthcare products which most integrative practitioners prescribe in their offices. Here, Levin focuses on "economic adulteration" of dietary supplements in the recent story of melamine contamination of infant formulas which caused sickness and death in China. What are the integrative practitioner's responsibilities in raising the bar?
More ...
July 10, 2008
Michael Levin: Statins for 8-year-olds and Mayo Clinic's Whole Practice, Integrative Treatment
The big medical news just after Independence Day was that, following new American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations, thousands of children will soon be dependent on statins for cholesterol management.
columnist Michael Levin muses on this news together with a virtually unnoticed whole system, integrative Mayo Clinic study which found that lifestyle, supplements, diet and yoga or Tai chi not only lowered cholesterol but also weight and who knows what other positive outcomes. Are statins parenting replacement therapies?
More ...
June 20, 2008
Columnist Levin: $24-Billion Savings through Supplement Interventions Says Lewin Group
columnist Michael Levin recently had occasion to read a series of reports, prepared by the internationally-known health care consulting firm, The Lewin Group. The subject: possible cost impact of pro-actively using a few dietary supplement interventions for a handful of conditions. The outcomes were compelling. Levin argues that this kind of work, funded by the dietary supplement industry, exemplifies forward thinking collaborative effort needed to advance the integrative and natural health fields. The story of this strategic funding will be familiar to chiropractic.
More ...
June 5, 2008
Columnist Michael Levin: Deloitte Survey of Health Consumers Offers Insights for Integrative Medicine
columnist Michael Levin shares intriguing outcomes of a healthcare survey from the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. The authors examine opinions and practices of over 3000 consumers, identifying use of alternative healthcare services as a key identifier of behavior across a series of consumer types. The six types range from "content and compliant" to "out and about" (the most significant alt-med users) to "shop and save." Current complementary medicine use represents a fraction of the openness expressed by these consumers.
Paul Keckley, PhD, c
o-author and director of the Center was formerly the head of integrative medicine planning for Vanderbilt University. Levin is correct: there is much here to ponder about integrative care and the changing nature of the healthcare consumer.
More ...
April 15, 2008
Columnist Michael Levin: Opportunities for Integrative Medicine in a Recent AARP Report on Drug Price Escalation
columnist Michael Levin, founder of Health Business Strategies, is a long-time promoter of integrative medicine strategies that challenge the often costly, unsafe and quality of life-damaging interventions promoted by Big Pharma. So when Levin, who has been an executive with both pharmaceutical and dietary supplement firms, saw the new AARP report on drug price trends pre and post the implementation of the Medicare Drug Benefit, he analyzed it both for what Pharma had already extracted, and for what integrative medicine might. Here is Levin's brief report and view of opportunities.
More ...
February 18, 2008
Levin Investigates the Status of Natural Products Quality Initiatives
Most integrative practitioners and consumers have some awareness that various forms of certification of product quality are increasingly available to natural products firms.
adviser Michael Levin looks into the dependability of such certification. He begins with a comment from Alan Greenspan on trust, then goes down the rabbit hole into issues surrounding United States Pharmacopoeia, Concumerlab.com and the major supplement manufacturer Leiner. It's a fascinating and sobering journey.
More ...
December 12, 2007
Columnist: Michael Levin on
CAM Practitioners & Natural Products Companies
There is no question that
the holistic, naturopathic, Oriental,
chiropractic and
integrative medicine professions are in bed with pharmaceutical companies ...
pharma, that is. The question is, how is this relationship best effected? Put differently, can these professions avoid the pitfalls of the MD-Big Pharma marriage and take advantage of each other's strengths? In this third column in an ongoing series on the topic begun by David Matteson,
adviser Michael Levin - who has held executive positions for both Big Pharma and natural products firms - weighs in on the issue.
More ...
September 7, 2007
Adviser Levin on Dietary Supplements and the FDA's cGMPs: What Defines "Quality?" - a 2nd Look
adviser Michael Levin continues with his analysis and commentary on the
current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) finally published by the US Food and Drug Administration. In this take, looks at how the industry and the FDA have defined "quality" and finds out they are not aligned. What does this mean for practitioners and consumers? Levin brings it all home for ginger lovers with his analysis of a July 2007 action on imported ginger by a California regulatory agency. He credits AHPA, the herb industry organization, for its demand that the FDA set the bar higher, and offers a forecast.
More ...
August 24, 2007
Your Comments
: 3 on the Chrysler group services; COCSA/AMI partnership; case for an integrated asthma pathway and more on Hurley's campaign against supplements
The story on the success of a group-focused services clinical strategy for a Chrysler employee population led by Robert Levine, PhD, for Henry Ford Health Systems (HFHS),
prompted Lisa Rohleder, LAc, with the Community Acupuncture Network (CAN) to stimulate a dialogue and real-time link with Levine in the CAN Blog. The HFHS outcomes promoted Adrian Langford, who runs a patient-focused program with a Medicaid population with Alternative Medicine Integration Group to comment on what promotes the positive patient outcomes. Taylor Walsh wonders at the use by Karlo Berger, ABT, LMT, of "collective healing" to describe some of the power of these setting ... In other notes, the COCSA-AMI relationship stimulated a note from COCSA executive director Janet Jordan ... Chris Huson, LAc opens a dialogue about a suggested integrated pathway for asthma and Rik Cederstrom , DC, responds to another attack on supplements by author Michael Hurley, this one broadcast for
plus comments from
Michael Levin
More ...
August 3, 2007
Adviser Speaks: Levin on the Impact of the FDA's GMPs on the Dietary Supplement Industry
The natural products industry in the United States has a boatload of stories of businesses started in homes and garages that grew to become dominant players. The
Current Good Manufacturing Practices
(cGMP) for dietary supplements document recently issued by the
promises to significant change the terrain. What effect will it have on the industry?
Michael Levin
addresses this topic in Part 2 of his analysis of the cGMPs. Levin also addresses questions regarding his first article which were raised by
Michael McGuffin
, executive director of the
American Herbal Products Association
More ...
July 14, 2007 - Bastille Day
Adviser Speaks: Levin on the FDA's New Dietary Supplement GMPs -
Worth the Wait?
After a 12 years of unsteady and politicized process, the
US Food and Drug Administration
last month finally issued its new
Good Manufacturing Practices
(GMPs) for dietary supplements.
Michael Levin
is making his way through the 831 pages of the GMP document. In this Part #1 filing for the
, Levin reveals a strange conceptual approach to GMPs which will allow companies to make claims that sound equivalent (ie, "we follow GMPs") which actually give the consumer no information about the quality of the products. For those wishing to know more about the likely impact of the GMP on consumers and manufacturers, a September 13-14 conference led by Loren Israelsen and the United Natural Products Alliance will explore the full meaning of the new GMP.
More ...
May 9, 2007
Adviser Speaks
: Levin on Whether Supplement Quality May be Influencing Clinical Outcomes
Another recent
post reports outcomes of a survey of media coverage of dietary supplements in 2006. The outcomes were not pretty for the industry.
editorial adviser
Michael Levin
noted two recent reports, both on chondroitin, which might explain some of that negativity. Levin, who has held executive level positions for both Big Pharma and supplement companies, focuses on a
quality and potency study and an efficacy study in the
Annals of Internal Medicine
. Is there a useful pattern emerging?
More ...
January 20, 2007
Disquieting Journalistic Ethics: Michael Levin Challenges New York Times and Dietary Supplement Basher Dan Hurley
On January 16, the
New York Times
published an essay by supplement-bashing author
Dan Hurley
entitled "Dietary Supplements and Safety: Some Disquieting Data."
Michael Levin
, an
advisor who has held executive level positions in both pharmaceutical and dietary supplement companies, immediately researched Hurley's core assertions and discredited them. Here is the full letter to the editor which Levin has shipped off to the
New York Times
. Are clear thinking and accuracy of interest to this staid daily? Truth is presently again a casualty in Hurley's war against supplements.
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 29 December 2010 )
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Great iOS apps for bargain hunters
Hunting for the best deals? Turn to these free mobile tools for coupons, product ratings, and quick price comparisons.
How to return your gadget gifts without any runaround
Unhappy with a gift or other seasonal tech purchase? Here's our advice for hassle-free returns and exchanges, online and in person.
Online charitable giving for the holidays
Make sure that your charitable donations reach their intended recipients and aren't intercepted by conscienceless fraudsters.
What can PC makers learn from Apple?
These days Apple is generating more buzz than a swarm of African killer bees. Of course, we PC users can sit back and watch the hoopla about the Mac Mini and its brethren with detached interest, right?

subset: commoncrawl


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News in Brief
dance scheduled for Blaine teacher
A dance will be held on Saturday evening, January 17, at the Pastime Tavern to benefit Robb and Marea Bouma who lost their home and belongings in a fire on Tuesday, January 6. Robb is a science teacher and golf coach at Blaine high school. Entertainment will be provided by The Rockerfellas and will begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the high school office. For details, call 332-6045.
scheduled for Dakota restoration
A public meeting has been scheduled to discuss the restoration of the Dakota, one of Blaine�s historic vessels. Anyone interested in joining the efforts, should attend the meeting on January 20 at 5:30 p.m. at the Dakota building on Marine Drive. For more information, call Terry Galvin, Blaine�s community development director, at 332-8311 or email email@example.com.
to be unveiled at Birch Bay Chamber
The Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce board of directors will unveil a new program during its next meeting on Tuesday, January 20. Chamber directors are inviting residents and chamber of members of Blaine and Birch Bay to attend a presentation about a new mentorship program that will benefit local youth. Please call 371-5004 or email firstname.lastname@example.com by Friday, January 16 to let the chamber know you are planning to attend. Several community leaders will be in attendance. The meeting will be held at Stephani�s Restaurant at 7878 Birch Bay Drive. The cost for the luncheon is $10 per person and will be served at 11:30 a.m. with the chamber�s presentation starting promptly at noon.
new Birch Bay websites online
Birch Bay now has two new community websites. The Birch Bay steering committee can be found online at www.biz.birchbay.net/bbsc, which features the latest actions of the committee, meeting dates and approved minutes, as well as links to the Birch Bay subarea plan and other sources of information. For the business life of Birch Bay, log online to www.biz.birchbay.net/baybiz, where users can write in and read comments, and post their home pages.
suspect captured in Blaine motel
A man wanted for murder in California was apprehended by Blaine authorities last week, on Thursday, January 8. Pourang Doodruz Sotodeh, 29 of Irvine, California was wanted on an outstanding warrant for murder. Blaine police officers were notified by U.S. border patrol agents that Sotodeh was staying at a local motel, after he was denied entry into Canada. Although the man was registered at the motel, he was not in his room when authorities arrived. Officers and agents searched the downtown area and located him on foot near the corner of Peace Portal Drive and Martin Street a short time later, according to Blaine police chief Mike Haslip. Sotodeh denied having committed murder, but admitted having been arrested in Hollywood for assault with a deadly weapon in 1999. The felony murder warrant was from 2000.�The man was taken into custody and booked into Whatcom County Jail where he is awaiting extradition to California.
boardwalk contract approved
Blaine city council unanimously approved a contract allowing the city of Blaine to contract with Carletti Architects to provide architectural and engineering services for phase two of the boardwalk design process. The group has a projected cost of $109,000 for their services. The $1.5 million boardwalk is planned to be constructed on the west side of Peace Portal Drive between G and H streets.
wage up as of January 1
Washington�s minimum wage increased 15 cents to $7.16 an hour beginning January 1. The minimum wage previously was $7.01. The new wage applies to workers in both agricultural and nonagricultural jobs. The federal department of labor minimum wage is $5.15 an hour. But in states that set rates that differ from federal law, the higher rate applies.


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Written by Matthew Lentini
27/06/2011 | 00:43 |
Category: ACCESSORIES
Sharp is going up against Internet-integrated TVs by releasing four new 3D TVs in its Aquos Quattron range this month that come bundled with a Boxee Internet TV unit.
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Please do not adjust your TV set
My family is obsessed with "NCIS." Or more accurately, my mom and sister are obsessed with "NCIS." It's an obsession I've never understood, due in no small part I'm sure to my cultural snobbery, but a great deal of that falls on "NCIS" as well. The show is so simplistic; it's the very opposite of groundbreaking. Basic material getting strong ratings I can understand, but it completely mystifies me that CBS' marquee show can generate a fan base that rivals devotees of "LOST" in terms of passion.
So a recent Slate article on "NCIS" caught my attention, mostly because it labeled "NCIS" "the smartest procedural on television."
My reaction to that claim was resolutely negative. And after reading Slate's piece, I still disagree with it, though I've tempered my thoughts somewhat. "NCIS" is not even slightly original and doesn't do anything particularly well, but it does at least give its audience basic story elements that movies mastered years ago. Its characters have actual personalities – cookie cutter personalities that feel like they came right off the assembly line, but that's an improvement over the soulless shells that populate the "CSI" and "Law & Order" franchises.
I shudder to call "NCIS" the smartest procedural, mostly because it isn't actually smart. What it is, however is smarter – smarter than the usual bland fare that network television has been pushing as drama for years, which isn't a terribly high bar to set.
That's what brings me to where we are now, at DVR Overflow. First off, thank you for finding your way over to our small corner of the Internet. The idea that people would willingly read anything Kevin and I write is truly flattering. But I'd like to think that more than just chance brought you here.
Hopefully you're here because you share some of the same thoughts about television that we do, that a seismic shift is occurring in the television world. Years have gone by since "The Sopranos" proved TV isn't just a means of wasting time, but a genuine medium for art and thought-provoking entertainment. But we're still waiting for that way of thinking to fully trickle down and permeate beyond HBO and AMC, particularly when it comes to television dramas.
In other words, we're still living in a world where "NCIS," the tuna sandwich of network programming, can be believably praised for its alleged intelligence.
I, for one, am looking forward to seeing how American television progresses away from this mindset. I'll bet my co-blogger Kevin is too, though I'll try not to speak for him, especially considering he will likely find a much more hilarious way to express himself through something like a "Parks and Recreation" .gif. But regardless, please keep checking us out in the future. I promise you, the next time you drop by, we'll make sure to talk about a much more interesting show than "NCIS."
(photo courtesy CBS Paramount)


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Har-dee, har, har, har.by Andy Harris
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text:
By S. Thomas Coleman
For the AJC
Well Class A fans, the 2012 season is officially a wrap. Congratulations to the players, coaches, parents and supporters of Emanuel County Institute and to Eagle's Landing Christian Academy for winning their respective championships.
And so now the inevitable questions/debates begin. Who's better? Who's the "real" Class A champ? And should we have a "plus-one" game to decide the Class A title?
So here in the final Class A football blog for the 2012 season, we touch on that as well as a few other tidbits.
"Big guy" says NO to plus-one
After the game, when the question of a plus-one game between the public and private school champs was posed to players and coaches, everyone said yes.
ELCA head coach Jonathan Gess: "Yes!" was his response to a text message.
ECI head coach Chris Kearson: "Let's do it!" was his response.
ECI senior offensive lineman Gunnar Brown: "Oh yes! I'm a senior. I'm not ready to put the pads up yet. Let's go!"
ECI senior running back Greg Purcell: "Definitely. We could go out and play it in the (Georgia Dome) parking lot if they want to."
So there is sentiment on both sides to start the Class A playoffs the same weekend as the other five classes, let the public and private school champions be crowned on semifinal weekend and then play the final in the Dome. But there is at least one voice out there that is against it, and it's a pretty important voice: Georgia High School Association executive director Ralph Swearngin.
"I don't think there is a need for a plus-one, and I haven't heard any discussion about it, frankly," he said last week.
"I think we can look at the SEC championship game as an example that it's better to let both [public and private championship] teams have the memory of winning their last game" Swearngin said, referring to the gut-wrenching loss suffered by SEC West champion UGA at the hands of Alabama, the East champion.
So there it is. Though Swearngin said there is a strong possibility that the Class A playoff system, most notably the power ranking system, will be tweaked by the GHSA executive committee sometime this winter or spring, the odds of a plus-one title game are slim to none.
Coach Campbell lashes out
Speaking of the split, Lincoln County head coach Larry Campbell said he is tired of being the one "blamed for the split." He went on a long rant last week in response to blog posts written about him that were mean-spirited at best, small and pathetic at worst.
"When my daughter comes to me and says that someone on the blog wrote that when Larry Campbell dies the world will be better off, that crosses the line to me," Campbell said. "That just makes me sick to my stomach."
Campbell admits that he has been one of the loudest and most consistent voices decrying the advantages he believes private schools have over public schools, including unlimited residential zones and the ability to extend financial aid to some families through the publically-sponsored Georgia Greater Opportunities for Access to Learning (GOAL) program.
However, truth be told, he was never an advocate for the split. Campbell was present at many of the meetings held by representatives of some Class A public schools, where bolting from the GHSA was discussed. But he was never one of the leaders of the movement and didn't push for the split.
"We have competed against private schools for years," he said. "Some of the finest, Christian men I know are the head coaches of many of those schools. I don't have a problem with any of them and I never was for the spilt. I just think something needed to be done because of the unfair advantages private schools have over public schools. I'm a public school supporter and always will be."
For the record, Campbell would like to see one of a handful of initiatives implemented to level the playing field. Among those he mentioned were reinstating the "1.5 multiplier," limiting the area where private schools may draw student athletes to a specific distance (either within the city or county limits, or within 20-25 miles of the school), and barring student athletes from being able to use GOAL money to help pay their tuition.
Playoff system tweaks
As Swearngin has said on several occasions, there is a possibility that some minor changes will be made to the power ranking system used to determine the top 16 teams that advance to the playoffs on the public and private school sides.
One such tweak could be limiting the number of points awarded for playing schools from higher classifications. Presently, a Class A school gets two points for every classification higher an opponent is, win or lose.
As an example of how the current system can skew the system, Athens Christian finished fifth in Region 8 with a record of 4-6, and would have missed the playoffs under the old system. Instead the Eagles were awarded a No. 14 seed with the assistance of 40 points they picked up by going 1-2 against three AAA schools on their schedule – Banks County (22-7 win, 17 points), Jackson County (39-21 loss, 10 points) and North Oconee (44-0 loss, 13 points). Athens Christian was beaten by No. 3 seed Walker in the first round, 28-7.
By contrast, Our Lady of Mercy, which finished fourth in Region 5, played all Class A teams and finished the regular season 6-4. For that the Bobcats earned a No. 15 seed and played No. 2 ELCA in the first round, where they lost 42-14. It was the second time Mercy and ELCA faced each other, as the Chargers won the regular season meeting, 49-0.
Want more high school football at the Dome?
Still not ready to let go of the high school football season? If so, you have three more opportunities.
Saturday (Dec. 22) in the Georgia Dome, the D.L. Scott Coalition Bowl Senior All Star Games will feature two high school all-star games – the North Georgia All-Stars vs. the Central Georgia All-Stars, at 3 p.m., and the Metro Atlanta East vs. West All Star Game at 7 p.m.
The North Georgia vs. Central Georgia game will feature Northgate receiver/defensive back Brandon Facyson (committed to Virginia Tech), quarterback Josh Harrison (Troy) and defensive tackle DeAndre Johnson (UGA), Newnan defensive back /receiver Trey Matthews (UGA) and Gordon Lee linebacker/fullback Bryce Bailey.
The Metro Atlanta East vs. West game will feature Mays receiver DeAngelo Yancy (Kentucky), Lovejoy rnning back Travis Custis (Georgia Tech) and receiver A.J. Jackson (Auburn), Jonesboro defensive back Taurean Ferguson (Vanderbilt), Gainesville defensive back Fred Payne (Western Carolina), Tri-Cities defensive lineman Marcus Adams (Western Kentucky) and offensive lineman Dominique Threatt (South Florida).
These are the only high school all-star games in the state held in the Georgia Dome. Tickets are $20. For more information, visit www.dlscottcoalitionbowl.com.
Also, the AT&T Georgia Junior Bowl, featuring some of the top rising seniors in Georgia, will be held Monday, Dec. 31, 1 p.m. at Grady Stadium in Midtown, across from Piedmont Park. Class A athletes in the game include offensive lineman Donald Foster of Savannah Christian, tight end Milan Richard of Calvary Day, running back Stanley Williams of George Walton Academy, punter/kicker A.J. Wells of Marion County, defensive lineman Andrew Williams and defensive back/linebacker Bryson Durden of ELCA, and offensive lineman Buster Dwight of Wilcox County.
Never too early for pre-season Top 10s
Let the debate of who will be the best in 2013 begin!
While our Divided Top 5 Lists became wildly popular (not really, but work with me), we'll do a Top 10 as we ride off into the sunset of the 2012 season. The lists are based on this season's performance, but also on what teams will have returning next season. Of course, there's no way to account for any possible transfers in or out. As always, let us know your thoughts:
1. Emanuel County Institute
2. Lincoln County
3. Dooly County
4. Seminole County
5. Wilcox County
6. Wilkinson County
7. Charlton County
8. Marion County
9. Miller County
10. Irwin County
Trending: Trion, Johnson County, Mt. Zion-Carrollton, Greenville, Hancock Central, Commerce.
1. Eagle's Landing Christian Academy
2. George Walton Academy
3. Savannah Christian
4. Landmark Christian
5. First Presbyterian Day
6. Prince Avenue Christian
7. Our Lady of Mercy
8. Holy Innocents
9. Athens Academy
10. Calvary Day
Trending: Darlington, Mt. Pisgah, Mt. Paran, Brookstone, Walker, Aquinas.
Well, that's all folks! Thanks for reading and the great posts all year. You make this the BEST sports blog on AJC.com, hands down! We can continue the conversation here as long as you want, but starting Tuesday afternoon, we'll be going full throttle with basketball blogs each week.
And so in the immortal words of Carol Burnett (aging myself a bit), "I'm so glad we had this time together, just to have a laugh or share a song; Seems we just got started and before you know it; Comes the time we have to say, so long!"
Until next season football fans, Peace!
S. Thomas Coleman
December 17th, 2012
12:23 pm
seriously, you're already starting with a pre-season top 10 for 2013?
December 17th, 2012
2:09 pm
Ok I would expect coaches and player to want to play on. I maybe the only one but if the reason for the split is to say it isn't fair competition then I see no reason to play more games. The dye was in the water when they said it wasn't fair and we should split. If we are going to plan a Plus 1 then we should play the other state champs to see who it the Big One for the state. But, that isn't fair so outside of making money what would it do for anyone.
For the 1.5 multiplier my only problem is that it only helps the larger Public schools. I am not going back to find the numbers I pulled up a couple of weeks ago in the blog that showed if you look at the top privates who have made it to the Semi's the last 2 years I don't know that it would have effected anything with the numbers as they are and if you did move some larger schools up they would then raise the number allow some others to come down. So you may get rid of a few Privates from A but you would also add back some larger public's from the AA to even out the numbers. So you would have a few less privates but still most of the ones who have made it deep in the playoffs would still be there.
The argument that got to me on fairness was not the ones on recruiting, transfers, facilities or straight money. All of those get equaled out. What got me were two things. Number one was an article in the AJC about the inequality between the top students at many of these rural schools and metro schools. I never see that and it shocked me. The other was a blogger talking about how much parents care and push there kids at the private's schools help drive the programs. I see this one today and I saw it as a kid. When we lost the region to Lovett several time almost 30 years ago I remember thinking if I paid that much I would expect them to beat us too. Now that I pay a pile each month for my kids I expect us to do well also. And I think that is a huge point the expectation on these kids is high all around (not just on the field) and I think it makes a big difference that is over looked by many. My family was glad I played and hoped I would go to college. Just getting through isn't an option for the private school kids. I am amazed at the stress and work they deal with and succeed. I tell you I will pay more for a good math teacher but not a dime for a better tail back.
If it is a fairness issue what can be done to really help the poorer rural schools if that is the real issue.
December 17th, 2012
2:33 pm
If we use x 1.5 then ELCA stays Class A.. If we use 20-25 mile radius then ELCA is still class A… As far as GOAL money goes, you going to tell a kids parents that cant afford the full tuition and qualifies for the goal he/she can get a better education but he/she can't play sports??? One word…Ludicrous!
December 17th, 2012
2:42 pm
Thoughtful post, LanFan.
Absolutely great job all season, Thomas.
December 17th, 2012
2:46 pm
@LoveFridayFootball: You are correct on all your points, I think. I could see restricting the attendance zone for private schools to a certain radius, but I don't think the X1.5 would move that many private schools up to AA. I'd have to look at the enrollment numbers again.
And preventing a GOAL recipient from playing sports would lead to three words: Big Fat Lawsuit.
Thanks for reading and posting all year!
S. Thomas Coleman
December 17th, 2012
2:48 pm
@Max: Thanks for the love, even though "www" obviously doesn't share your thoughts!
Thanks for reading and posting this season, Max!
S. Thomas Coleman
December 17th, 2012
3:21 pm
The service area for private schools is already the county in which they are located. Why not make the service area the same for all schools (i.e.- 25 miles radius from the school)? Also, remove the transfer rules. A student should not be prohibited from participating in an extra-curricular activity just because he or she did not make a bona fide move.
December 17th, 2012
3:24 pm
I've already rung the bell regarding the split several times this year (I'm vehemently against it) and I'll always back ELCA, so rather than repeat myself, I think I'll end this year's football blog by saying this…..
Great job STC! I appreciate the fact that you don't back down from the explosive issues, you cover Single A comprehensively, and you aren't afraid to smack down those that need it from time to time (yep, including me).
Merry Christmas to all posters, public and private, and my sincere wish is that you all have a wonderful holiday season with your family!
December 17th, 2012
4:03 pm
STC Great Job this year! More observations to come later on this mess created by South Georgia public schools (Not Lincoln County). Geographic distance limitations would not work in the metro area. You would have kids in North Fulton barred from playing at Woodward Academy down by the airport still in Fulton County. East Cobb to Pace Academy in Buckhead. Would that be too far also? Aside from ELCA this year and Wesleyan several years ago, it is not metro schools winning in Class A. The tuition costs are much too high at the elite private schools to do what the South Georgia schools are complaining about.
December 17th, 2012
4:18 pm
@CFBFan: The county service area only applies when a kid wants to transfer into a private school after competing in a sport at another school in another county. However, the GHSA has been known to grant waivers in some cases, allowing a kid to compete (and not sit out a year) after transfering to a private school from another county.
Also, if a kid attends middle school in say Fulton County, but wants to attend Walker in Cobb for high school, that kid does not have to sit out because he is starting his high school career at Walker.
Thanks for reading and posting!
S. Thomas Coleman
December 17th, 2012
4:21 pm
@MCMBAA: Thanks for the love, and thanks for your great posts and opinions all year! As I've said on many occasions, you guys/gals make this the BEST, most thoughtful blog on AJC.com Sports!
And congrats again to you and ELCA Nation! Coach Gess told me that the off season program starts TODAY! Uneasy is the head that wears the crown, I guess!
Thanks for reading and posting!
S. Thomas Coleman
December 17th, 2012
4:26 pm
@Realist: Thanks much for the love and for your takes this season! Your points on the geographic limitations are very well taken. Unfortunately, I'm not smart enought to figure out the best way to bring the public school coaches, AD's and principals supporting the split back to the table. I'm almost positive we'll have the same situation next year (maybe some adjustments to the power ranking formula). It will be interesting to see what happens next year when it's time to realign the regions again.
Thanks for reading and posting all season!
S. Thomas Coleman
December 17th, 2012
4:56 pm
@S. Thomas Coleman LOL to your response to "www" You did great job covering Class A football. As a Fan and Father. Thank you for the time you spent. Keep it up for basketball and football. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
December 17th, 2012
4:57 pm
December 17th, 2012
6:57 pm
Thanks for all your hard work and we got some juniors in Seminole co. That need to be showcased for in camps n
How do we go about getting them in allstar games?
December 17th, 2012
7:09 pm
@STC — That was a really great final football article, and I appreciate it. Appreciated the 2013 projection also, as all football fanatics are already thinking 2013 Also appreciated the info on the all-star games and who is playing. Didn't know about that. You're the best STC.
Good luck with the basketball blog (and watch out for my Holy Innocents' Golden Bears!)
December 17th, 2012
9:39 pm
I agree with ECI as your Class A #1 for 2013 for three reasons: 1)James Brown is returning; 2)a strong winning tradition; 3)they probably had more non-starting underclassmen with more second half playing time than any other team in Georgia – including in the State Championship Game. Heck! There were games when starters took the entire second half off and the Junior Varsity took over.
December 17th, 2012
10:22 pm
It has been a great football season and I have enjoyed reading your class A football articles each week @STC. Keep up the good work. I'm proud of my ELCA Chargers. I saw Swamp Lizard at the dome before the game and he looked lost. I hope he found his way out. I'm sure he is somewhere celebrating with his son and his team's big victory.
December 17th, 2012
10:58 pm
@bigchipola: Thanks for the love! Go to Risingseniors.com to get contact information for that game. Perhaps some of your current sophomores, who will be juniors next season, can get selected to play in the game. As for the D.L. Scott Coalition Bowl All Star Games, there may be a South Georgia component added next year. If not, your current juniors would probably be placed on the Central Georgia squad. Contact the game's organizers at dlscottcoalitionbowl.com.
Thanks for reading and posting!
S. Thomas Coleman
December 17th, 2012
11:10 pm
@moto: Thanks for the love, moto! Those all star games should be pretty good, and at the Dome too. And I admit that I'm not too sure how the extra early pre-season rankings I've posted will play out. But it's always fun to speculate.
Thanks for reading and posting all season, moto, and I'll make sure to keep an eye on the HI basketball Bears!
S. Thomas Coleman
December 17th, 2012
11:36 pm
@Al Jones: Thanks for the love. James Brown and four of the five starting offensive linemen returning are the biggest reasons I have ECI No. 1 on public side again. And ELCA has tons of juniors coming back as well, including their quarterback, Dalton Etheridge, and one of their most productive linebackers, Josh Shockley.
Thanks for reading and posting!
S. Thomas Coleman
December 17th, 2012
11:39 pm
@GAHSFBFan24: Thanks for the love and congrats again to ELCA Nation!
S. Thomas Coleman
December 18th, 2012
5:00 am
Aquinas should be in the top 10, the are only losing 1 player, even though he is the best in class a they still have a lot of talent
December 18th, 2012
6:42 am
@STC : Regarding your 4:18 post ysterday – We wish we had 1 -2 somebodys who play sports wanting to transfer in on occasion . Doesn't happen . For robotics or math team , yes. Sports , no !!!!!!!!
Thanks for your coverage of all things single A football this fall . We had a memorable year at Walker that rejuvinated football in our school and will pay dividends in that respect for years. Whether we are able to attain such a year going forward again remains to be seen and will likely be a struggle .
Happy Holidays to all !!!
December 18th, 2012
6:45 am
@ STC Great Job this year. I enjoy the banter on here too! @ CSRA706 I think the same thing Aquinas will be strong next year, how about beating LC next year and get the monkey of your back! Good Luck. Rumor MILL or True..Stratford Academy in Macon applying for a GHSA membership,..bring it on boys. I would like to see the AAA in GISA come on in, if this split continues. Merry Christmas boys!! Later.
December 18th, 2012
8:32 am
@CRSA706: You're probably right. Aquinas does have a lot coming back, including Reuben Garrett. Losing Douglas will be tough, but I'm sure Coach LeZotte will figure out a way to be successful without him.
Thanks for reading and posting!
S. Thomas Coleman
December 18th, 2012
8:41 am
@Ol Water Boy: I'd be willing to bet that you'll have a handful of parents there in Cobb County with athletic, football playing sons who will now give serious thought to inquiring about Walker. Trust me, in Georgia high school sports one thing is true: If they build it – public or private – they will come! Coach East is building. "They" will come.
And in that same respect, IF DeKalb County loses its accreditation (SACS warned the district today and put it on probation), watch out for Mt. Vernon Academy in a few years. They have a wonderful facility up there. That, coupled with top-notch academics, could attract families in DeKalb County looking for another option. Other than Marist, there are no other football-playing private schools in DeKalb County that are in the GHSA. Mt. Vernon is a ticking time bomb that could go off in 3-5 years.
Thanks for reading and posting!
S. Thomas Coleman
December 18th, 2012
8:48 am
@ELCATRAZ: Thanks for the love! I've already addressed Aquinas. I think they will be good as well. Will be a huge game at Lincoln County next season, as the Red Devils return a bunch of kids as well, about 16 of their starting 22.
As for Stratford moving to the GHSA, that would be a HUGE blow to the GISA. Stratford has been one of their stalwarts. Losing FPD and Stratford within a 5-year stretch would be tough. If that happens, schools like Deerfield-Windsor, Mount de Sales and Tattnall might not be far behind. Should be interesting to watch.
Thanks for reading and posting!
S. Thomas Coleman
December 18th, 2012
9:37 am
@ STC …. I've been here, just got busy the last few days. I do want to thank you for the Class A blogs all year …. felt as if I made many friends. There have been times we've agreed and disagreed, but I will say, I always had respect for all your takes. Your a good man STC …. wish you & the family a very blessed Christmas & Happy New Year.
December 18th, 2012
11:02 am
I guess this will be my final take on the football season. I'd like to say I've enjoyed all our conversations ( blogging this year ). I'd like to start off by wishing ELCA & ECI a big congrats !! Both teams had a great year on the field. I do have a few "bones" to pick with the AJC and Todd Holcomb. Having two #1 teams is a disgrace in the final poll. I do not respect that at all. You either have a Private & Public poll or you have a true Top 10. STC, that is one thing I admire about you. At least you have the backbone to take a stand.
On Larry Campbell … I do not know the man, but the things I've heard about him ( if true ) I admire. Love him or hate him, you have to respect what he has done at Lincoln Co … 37 Region Championships, the State Championships, and most importantly, the things I've heard of him helping young men out. Some of the things said about him on these blogs are uncalled for. As far as him being the ring leader of the Public / Private split is something he has to answer to. He has said he is a Public supporter, he does think Private schools have advantages … student atheletes getting GOAL scholorships, having unlimited residental zones, and wanting a multiplier. A lot of these things I agree with him on, some I don't … the SPLIT is not one of them.
The "tweaks" to come by the GHSA …. looking at the "points system" that was used, the Public side worked out to be closer to ranking the teams 1-16 than the Private rankings 1-16. It is not a good way ( system ) to seed these schools for the playoffs … the final Maxwell ratings & a panel of sports writers across the state of Georgia would be my way to go. Writers that see these teams play …. Todd Holcomb, your not invited.
The pre-season teams to watch ( Private ) … like it or not, ELCA will be LOADED again next year !! They are the team to beat with 22 juniors coming back. Sav Christian will be right there with them … this team was young this year and also have "players" coming back. I think Our Lady of Mercy is on track and will be a team to cause trouble in the playoffs next year. Prince Ave will have a very solid team as will Landmark. You can't overlook George Walton & "Boom" … One final team to look out for on the Private side is First Presbyterian Day …. I feel this team was on the verge late in the season, they do need to replace their QB, but the foundation is there. I would love to hear from our fans on the Public side who they think will be tough next year. Best wishes to all during this holiday season !!
December 18th, 2012
11:27 am
@ Swamp Lizard my friend ECI will win it mobile quarterback, running backs, experienced underclassmen, OL and DL. ECI vs Lincoln Co. in finals what everyone has been waiting for a whole lot of red in the Ga. Dome.
December 18th, 2012
11:41 am
@Swamp Lizard: He lives! Good to hear from you Swamp. As always, thanks for the love and thanks so much for your takes and contributions to the blog. You and others make it the best thing going on AJC.com.
Coach Campbell really was not a proponent of the split. In his heart of hearts, he was not. HOWEVER, he is unbending when it comes to his perception of advantages privates hold over publics, and so because of that he didn't speak out as loudly against the split as he could have. To be honest with you, I don't think it would have made a lot of difference. Once the AD's and PRINCIPALS got behind the idea, there was no stopping it. They are the folks who sign off on writing the membership checks to the GHSA.
And you're right about First Presbyterian. They should be in the Top 10. I'll make an adjustment shortly.
Happy Holidays to you and yours and good luck to your son during his off season camp performances!! And congrats again to you and ELCA Nation.
S. Thomas Coleman
December 18th, 2012
11:46 am
@TCDAWG25: I think you're right. Really impressed with your young offensive line. They took it to Adams and after he got his ankle rolled, he didn't want any part of them. Outstanding effort by that unit and all of them return except for Gunnar Brown. Hope he gets to play somewhere on the next level.
Speaking of that, Purcell told me he doesn't have any colleges recruiting him as well. I sincerely hope that changes. It would be a waste of talent for him not to get the opportunity to play on Saturday and get a college education free of charge (or at least at a partial discount).
My only concern is who will play QB for you guys? Pressley was very poised, seasoned. Looked like a senior quarterback should look. Was his replacement on the JV or will someone switch positions? And James Brown is a stud. Not much of a talker, but a stud nonetheless.
Thanks for your thoughts and takes all season, TC!
S. Thomas Coleman
December 18th, 2012
11:49 am
@Swamp Lizard: Almost forgot, don't be so hard on Todd. Trying to cover all six classes is a tough deal. I think he relies on Maxwell Ratings a bit much for my taste, but other than that he does a great job. So please don't bar him from your "ranking meeting"!
And Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and everyone else in the "Lizard" home!
S. Thomas Coleman
December 18th, 2012
12:29 pm
ECI will have a couple of options at QB. First is Boatwright. He will be a senior. Has played DB and is very good there. He has played backup QB and was JV QB for a couple of years with Purcell. They were lethal together. Boatwright can throw and run. Tough kid. They also have a sophomore named Cowart who played WR this year but was backup QB last year. Has a really good arm and can run, too. ECI will be fine with either of these two. I agree that Pressey will be sorely missed. He did a fantastic job running the offense this year.
As always, great job covering Class A this year Mr. Coleman!
December 18th, 2012
12:32 pm
Boatwright was backup QB this year and actually started and played the entire Wheeler County game this year while Pressey was hurt. I believe that game was something like 66-0. Not sure which guy they will go with, but either will do a fine job. Like Pressey, I believe Cowart's future may be bright in baseball.
December 18th, 2012
12:56 pm
@STC: So we can get a pre-season top 10 in football for a season that wont start for another 8 months…but we cant get a basketball top 10 for a season that has been going for 2 months…come on man! haha
December 18th, 2012
1:49 pm
@ STC – Thanks for all of your labor this year and for providing a forum for us to sound off. I posted the following earlier today, but this is the blog that is hopping now so I am reposting:
In my opinion not enough consideration is paid to the effect that the Georgia GOAL scholarship program has had on this issue. The private/public debate had subsided to a degree even to the point that the multiplier had been discarded. However, the debate was re-energized in 2008 when low income families were able to send their children to private schools through the use of a scholarship. Let me be clear, I believe that is a good thing for the kids and they are the ones that continue to get lost in this debate as adults are concerned only about their egos and whether "their" team wins or loses. The GOAL scholarships are not just used by athletes and hopefully we will continue to see kids who have little hope for a better future receive great educations and become productive citizens regardless of their career path. However, a byproduct of this program is that it can be and has been used by some private schools to build powerhouse sports programs. (Football is not the only sport, as bad as I hate to admit it!) Therefore, I can understand why some schools were concerned about the future landscape of Class A and ensuring a level playing field in all areas of competition.
December 18th, 2012
2:15 pm
please, please, when its time, go back to the old system.plenty of deserving class a teams failed to make the playoffs because of the coaches stupid whining.man up and get your team ready to play despite your excuses
December 18th, 2012
3:54 pm
@Ray Goff: Thanks for the love, coach! As I said before, I know we've got 12 months until the potential game, but I think ECI-Lincoln is the odds on favorite to the be the public school final.
Thanks for reading and posting!
S. Thomas Coleman
December 18th, 2012
3:56 pm
@athensball: Fear not, my friend. The Divided Top 5s List will make its debut in January! I got you covered!
The lastest basketball blog will be up shorrtly.
S. Thomas Coleman
December 18th, 2012
3:58 pm
@bucket: Good point. As I've always said, the public schools do have some legitimate beefs. They are not just "whining" as many folks state.
Thanks for reading and posting!
S. Thomas Coleman
December 18th, 2012
3:59 pm
@cdog: See my above comments to bucket.
Thanks for reading and posting.
S. Thomas Coleman
December 18th, 2012
6:52 pm
@ S. Thomas Coleman Boatright is our best option because of his strength, mobility and his arm. No disrespect to any other teams in Class A I just don't see anyone beating them.
December 19th, 2012
7:14 am
@ TCDAWG 25 … I hope the moon and stars line up that I can come down for the ECI / Sav Christian game next year …. that will be a great one !! Congrats on ECI …. don't be upset with me, but I didn't like the tie in the final AJC poll … & I do think ELCA is the best Class A team overall …. I'm sure you think other, we'll just agree to disagree.
December 19th, 2012
7:35 am
@ STC … I'm sorry I was hard on Todd, but I will not wavier on my feelings. The AJC is the largest paper in the South … I know you have the resouces to get the state AP poll ( of writers across the state ) …. at least the wouldn't be ONE individual "trying" to put a Class A Top 10 together that doesn't follow it they way it should be. I know ECI looked great against Dooly Co and they even looked like they would give ELCA a run for the money, but YOU & I know better. WaCo put a beat down on them 48-14 … ELCA SHOULD have beat Waco turning it over 4 times ( losing 24-19 ). The only other common team was Sav Christian …. ECI 48-14 / ELCA 42-7. I'll be the first to say comparing games like this doesn't hold a lot of water, but it's my only one of my defenses in this arguement. As far as Todd leaning to heavy on the Maxwell Ratings, he should have looked at them ( Dec 4th ratings ) …. ELCA 65.32 …. ECI 55.63 ….. that's a difference of 9.69, a HUGH gap between the two teams …. it's not even close and that's my point !!


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Federal money tough to pin downBy PETER HIRSCHFELD
Vermont Press Bureau | July 24,2013MONTPELIER Economists for the state can forecast with surprising accuracy the tax revenues expected to flow into the treasury over the next fiscal year.
But predicting one of the largest sources of funds to Vermonts $5.2 billion budget federal revenues has proven a more difficult task. And despite a recent analysis done by experts for the Legislature, pinning down the federal funds on which the state so heavily relies is still something of a guessing game.
There are just so many unknowns at this point, said Steve Klein, chief fiscal officer at the Legislatures Joint Fiscal Office. And there are a lot of political choices that are going to get made that are totally outside our control.
Official state revenue forecasts, the most recent of which arrived Tuesday, are historically reliable, deviating by only about 2 percent on average over actual revenues.
That record of success gives lawmakers a high degree of confidence in the $1.56 billion in general fund revenues forecast to flow into Montpelier over the next 12 months.
Getting similarly reliable estimates for money flowing from the federal government is more difficult. But Klein said one thing is clear: risk for Vermont is to the downside.
In a report titled Federal Funds Reductions Today and Tomorrow, Klein surveyed the federal landscape in an attempt to divine how decisions in Washington, D.C., will affect Vermont. From health care and transportation to grants that support human services, Klein said Tuesday that federal funds coming into Vermont will likely shrink in the coming years.
And one area where that could be extremely noticeable is in transportation, Klein said.
The reauthorization of the five-year federal transportation bill will likely overhaul a state-by-state allocation formula that has until now been favorable for the state. Vermont gets $2.85 cents from the feds for every $1 in gas tax it sends to the federal treasury, a ratio Klein said he expects will narrow in the next five-year bill.
Projected declines in federal discretionary spending, according to Klein, also imperil some of the federal dollars coming into Vermont. Non-defense discretionary spending supports everything from assistance for low-income populations and energy investments to public safety grants and environmental protection.
As a share of gross domestic product, according to Kleins report, non-defense discretionary spending is expected to drop by a third over the next 10 years, from 8.3 percent to 5.5 percent.
The reductions will come at a time when Vermont is more reliant on federal funding than at anytime in recent memory; federal funds now account for 46 percent of Vermonts non-education budget.
At a meeting of the Joint Fiscal Committee on Tuesday, lawmakers said uncertainty around federal funds exposes Vermont taxpayers to volatile budgetary swings. The issue surfaced during a discussion about whether to accept a $42.7 million federal grant for the new health insurance exchange.
Senate President Pro Tem John Campbell said the receipt of federal funds and the creation of positions to which some of the money will be allocated threatens to leave Vermonters holding the bag when the federal funds run out. He said after the meeting that he has the same concerns about federal funds drying up elsewhere in the state budget.
Any time the federal government wants to offer us money were all licking our lips and drooling, Campbell said. But we need to start thinking about what were going to do two or three or four years down the road when that money isnt there any more.
Preserving programs that sprouted with federal money, Campbell said, could put undue pressure on Vermont taxpayers when Congress withdraws support. But ending those programs, he said, could pull the rug out from under people that have come to rely on them.
The fact is that we have to beware federal agencies bearing gifts, Campbell said. Like my father said, aint nothing free in this life.
A $6.5 million reserve set aside by lawmakers earlier this year is designed to offset declines in federal funding between now and next July. Asked whether that would be sufficient to cushion coming blows, Klein said its impossible to say.
We just dont know, said Klein, noting that diminished federal heating assistance alone could deliver a $5 million hit to the state.
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Nietzsche, The Gay Science, 173.Whoever knows he is deep, strives for clarity; whoever would like to appear deep to the crowd, strives for obscurity. For the crowd considers anything deep if only it cannot see to the bottom: the crowd is so timid and afraid of going into the water.
η απορια του μη ησυχαζειν — Whoever knows he is deep, strives for clarity;...
Insomniac passing anhypnic nights in writing, translation, music, mathematics, programming and whatever else captures my attention or alleviates agrypnia.
This consists mostly of quotations of things that stand out to me or reflect what's on my mind; occasionally I also post original, often more personal, content as well, which may be found under the "personal" tag. Anything posted under "translations" is also original work and may broadly be taken as personal as well as I seldom tackle a work that does not speak to or for me in some way.


text: I have PMDD (premenstral dysphoric mood disorder). It is worse the PMT. For me it always starts 2 weeks before my period and last until I get my period and then stops. I fly into unctrollable rages, argue for no reason with my husband, cannot stand his voice or his name, can't tolerate loud noise like kids talking and difenitly not them laughing or squealing. I have been known to throw things aat my husband, and for no reason at all hurt my kids which I'm not proud of. As I write this I am crying as I can't keep Living like this it is driving me nuts. I can'f function like I would in a normal day when I don't have, beccause I am on edge and I can't think strainght , everything becomes to much. Please is there anyone else with PMDD and what do you ndo or take? I recently heard of Yaz pill is anyone else on it as I heard it is also known for blood clots.


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Alibaba's IPO breaks the world record
The total value of Alibaba shares sold as part of the IPO reached $25 billion after underwriters exercised their options, making it the largest ...
Alibaba's IPO breaks the world record
The total value of Alibaba shares sold as part of the IPO reached $25 billion after underwriters exercised their options, making it the largest ...
E-retailer Wayfair values itself at over $2 billion
The home furnishings retailer set the value as it filed additional paperwork for its planned initial public offering of stock. The company aims to ...
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Google Shopping has just undergone a major overhaul in AdWords.
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The holiday shopping season is short in 2014, so you have more time to prepare well. But don't wait too long! Retailer marketers don't need to be told the holidays are a crazy time, but they're easier when you have a plan.
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The problem for many eCommerce retailers is that traditional ERP systems aren't designed with the eCommerce industry in mind. Because eCommerce ERP is relatively niche, merchants don't know what to look for and often end up trying to attach best-of-breed systems to traditional ERP.
In this white paper, we explore the different ERP systems available to retailers today. We hope that you will use this white paper as a resource when seeking a vendor that will deliver a platform for growth and the flexibility a retailer needs to evolve with the changing retail landscape.
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This Black Friday, 50% of traffic will be from mobile. Are you ready?
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10 Questions to Maximize Profitability in eCommerce AdWords Accounts
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Strong online browse-to-buy correlation rates for fast-moving consumer goods translates to loyal repeat customers for these categories.John Burbank, president, strategic initiatives, The Nielsen Co. read more
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Mums are the most popular and easiest way to decorate your home and garden for fall. Available in a variety of brilliant shades, mums can be used both indoors and out to spread some autumn joy.
Mums are the most popular and easiest way to decorate your home and garden for fall. Available in a variety of brilliant shades, mums can be used both indoors and out to spread some autumn joy.
Cooler weather doesn't mean you have to cool it on outdoor fun. Explore the wide array of outdoor heating options available for your patio or porch that will provide enough spark to keep the party going well into winter.
The mercury's falling, but you can enjoy your patio for three full seasons when you plant fall crops, feed the birds, and entertain friends and family.
Use bittersweet to create a beautiful autumn wreath to celebrate the season.
Give your hardworking patio some TLC as fall approaches. Refresh tired summer containers and clean and store outdoor furniture.
Take some time to carefully prepare your lawn and pack up your patio for the winter, and you'll make it much easier on yourself to return to the great outdoors the moment spring has sprung.
Plant daffodils, tulips and other bulbs in fall for beautiful spring blooms, and store tender bulbs before a freeze.
For fall color that will last until winter, plant a garden surrounding your mailbox filled with seasonal hues. Start with mums – they come in a variety of colors, including several deep yellows, oranges, and plush reds. For a bit of variety, throw some purple into the mix with a few flowering kales.
A lush, green and healthy spring lawn starts with fall fertilization. And if you want a better understanding of the why's and how-to's, we've created this easy-to-follow infographic.
Fall is the most important season for lawn care. Fair temperatures, steady precipitation and softer sunlight all work together to create the ideal conditions for prepping your grass now for a beautiful spring.
Every spring, homeowners hope for beautiful grass that will rival that of the local golf course. If you're willing to put in a weekend's worth of hard work now, you'll see beautiful results in the spring.
The biggest fall to do for warm-season grass is to spread plenty of fertilizer. Your lawn will flourish during the warm summer months, so you should always fertilize in the spring and again in late summer/early fall.
The biggest "To Do's" on your fall lawn checklist should be to aerate and overseed your lawn in order to promote beautiful, lush fall come springtime. Aerating simply creates holes in your soil in order to allow air and nutrients beneath the surface and into your grass roots.
Shopping for fall perennials? Start by looking for rich colors, textures and garden performance.


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The joy of living : unlocking the secret and science of happiness
Yongey Mingyur, Rinpoche
Adult Nonfiction BQ5395 .Y66 2007
Yongey Mingyur, Rinpoche
Adult Nonfiction BQ5395 .Y66 2007
Summary: An illuminating perspective on the science of meditation--and a handbook for transforming our minds, bodies, and lives In The Joy of Living , world-renowned Buddhist teacher Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche--the "happiest man in the world"--invites us to join him in unlocking the secrets to finding joy and contentment in the everyday. Using the basic meditation practices he provides, we can discover paths through our problems, transforming obstacles into opportunities to recognize the unlimited potential of our own minds.
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How do you celebrate being single?
We hear so much about the negative side of being single that we sometimes don't realize just how many positives there are to being a young single adult. What are some of your favorite things to do as a single? Do you ever take yourself out to eat, or out to the movies? What are some of the things you do now that might not be so easy once you have a spouse, or a family?


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Rayman Origins for PS3, Xbox 360, 3DS, PS Vita, Wii, and PC
Rayman Origins is a multiplayer Action-Adventure Platforming game which explains the origins of Rayman and details how he became the hero of his video game series.
Rayman Origins is a multiplayer Action-Adventure Platforming game which explains the origins of Rayman and details how he became the hero of his video game series. Designed both for new fans of Rayman and longtime players, the game is set in the gameworld of the "Glade of Dreams" which is being torn apart by nightmares that are literally transforming it. With the help of his friend Globox and two wizards known as teensies Rayman must use his platforming and puzzle-solving skills to save the day. Additional features include: 60 game levels, 12 unique worlds, 100+ characters and 4-player co-op gameplay support.
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Xbox LIVE Countdown to 2013 Daily Deal 3 sees sales for Rayman Origins, Trine 2 and Fez
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These Rayman Legends screens make us want more Rayman, like, now!
Seriously, look how gorgeous this game looks!
Rayman Legends for Wii U will support up to five players
Also, the game looks effing gorgeous!
Rayman Origins coming to Nintendo 3DS
New trailer reveals that this fantastic platformer is finally coming to the 3DS. Check out the action!
Rayman Origins Nintendo 3DS demo now available
Full version available on June 5, 2012
Is the 3D platformer dead?
The once popular genre is now rarely explored by developers — are the days of the 3D platformer behind us?


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There was no mistaking the anguish in Rob Simi's voice or the conflict he was feeling, as he spoke Monday in the Lions locker room. "It feels like we have such heavy hearts in here right now, because there is so much going on." The irony is, he wasn't talking about Sunday's gut wrenching loss to the Colts - it was much bigger than that. He was talking about a problem that all the game planning, play calling and practice in the world can't seem to influence.
Sims comments surrounded his embattled and now estranged second year teammate, Titus Young, who for the third time this year - has been asked not to show up at the Lions practice facility in Allen Park because of what head coach Jim Schwartz has simply characterized as "Behavioral issues." Beyond that, there haven't been many answers or real clarification of what that exactly means. Nothing definitive has been announced pertaining to his future in Detroit for the rest of the season or going forward, but it is a foregone conclusion that Young has played his last game with the Lions - and that is what has so many of Young's teammates searching for answers.
How could such a talented young receiver squander an opportunity such as this? Many of us will never know - and even those close to him don't seem to understand. After the episode early this year when Young 'sucker punched' teammate Louis Delmas and was sent home many had hoped Titus has learned his lesson. According to Sims, he started showing up at Bible Study on a weekly basis and then came the Week 8 win against Seattle, when Young appeared to turn the corner, putting together the best game yet of his promising career, hauling in the game winning touchdown with just 20 seconds left. The two had exchanged words before the game - then again after.
But what transpired in the five weeks since then have been bizarre and widely unknown by most outside and even inside the team. "For it to flip, just a couple weeks later, it's just hard," said Sims.
For those on the outside, it's unthinkable to imagine - that someone making millions dollars to "Play a Game" could throw it away by not running the play that is called, or putting himself first and hurting his team in the process, but this is about much more than that. Clearly, Young is battling demons that many of us will never begin to grasp in our lifetime and that is the conflict that Sims and perhaps some of his other teammates can't seem to wrap their heads around.
We may have seen the last of Titus Young in a Lions uniform - and to that end, most fans will chalk it up to just another bad draft pick by the team, but to hear Rob Sims fighting back his emotions on Monday it was clear that this was about more than a selfish player who turned his back on his team. Much more.
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Light to medium bodied wines that are high in acid and light to medium fruit. Typically no oak.
Light to medium bodied wines with lots of juicy fruit, typically medium acid and medium oak.
Full bodied wines that have typically undergone malo-lactic fermentation and/or spent time in oak.
Clos Du Val's 2008 Chardonnay is pale gold in color. The wine has aromas of pear, white peach and citrus. The palate is met with tropical fruit flavors, citrus and a hint of toast. This Chardonnay is rich, creamy and full bodied exhibiting balance and elegance that are characteristic of Clos Du Val's style. Fruit, oak and acidity meld together, resulting in a wine that complements food and culminates in a long, crisp finish.
"There's exceptional focus to this wine, its richness checked by acidity that delivers a laser beam of flavor down the tongue. Lemon zest, lime, mint and chalk combine in pale layers, the oak present in the structure of the wine without flavoring it overtly. A tangy white to accompany a salad of calamari, carrots and mint."
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Clos Du Val, French for small vineyard estate of a small valley, was founded in 1972 in the now legendary Stags Leap District by Franco-American entrepreneur John Goelet. After a worldwide search to purchase vineyard properties from which to craft world-class wines, 150
acres in Stags Leap and 180 acres in Carneros were chosen, solidifying Clos Du Val's iconic stature and...Read More About Clos du Val
Technically a part of Napa Valley, the Carneros region straddles both Sonoma & Napa counties. It's the Napa region closest to the San Francisco peninsula and the San Pablo Bay, which is instrumental in controlling the climate of the area. The winds from the San Pablo bay create a cool weather pattern ideal for growing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
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Both Chardonnay...Read More About Carneros
White Wine's Queen Bee
Like Cabernet
Sauvignon, Chardonnay can grow just about anywhere. It adapts well to different
soils and different climates. While frequently paired with
its native home lies in the vineyards of Burgundy,
France. The only major white grape of the region, Chardonnay is at its best on the rolling...Read More About Chardonnay
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Atrial Fibrillation (cont.)
Symptoms of atrial fibrillation include:
Atrial fibrillation is often discovered during routine medical checkups because many people do not have symptoms. Others may notice an irregular pulse but do not have other symptoms.
Mild symptoms may occur immediately. More serious problems may occur after the start of atrial fibrillation and over the course of several days. So it is important to identify and treat atrial fibrillation as soon as possible to avoid serious problems.
What Increases Your Risk
Risk factors for atrial fibrillation include:
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