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This is so totally random – but yesterday I was sorting through some old lighting stuff in my toolbox, and I ran across this Studio Color reference guide! Those of us who used the living craps out of Studio Colors know this guide! I have also made a PDF for convenient printing, in case anyone […]
Posts tagged "wash luminaire"
VLX – Inside the New LED Marvel of Moving Lights
MMM. VLX! Sexy! I cannot WAIT to see this at LDI 2009. Hey, did I mention I am going to LDI 2009? I just found some pictures of the inside of the VLX from Vari*Lite, and a few of the outside of the casing. Check this stuff out! A light engine chip from the VLX […]fixture, LED, lighting, luminaire, moving light, Phlatlight, sexy, vari*lite, VLX, wash luminaire, yoke
Vari-Lite is Touring Some New Products
A press release from Vari-Lite tells of the in-progress tour of new Vari-Lite gear – the VLX LED wash luminaire, the VL500 and VL1000 Ceramic Discharge fixtures. I am in Sweden, and I will miss out on this fun. I want to be there so badly I can taste the smell from the inside of […]Automated Lighting, ceramic discharge, Fixtures, LED, moving lights, vari-lite, VL3500 Wash FX, VLX, wash luminaire
High End Systems Births the ShowBeam 2.5
One of the things about High End's latest fixtures that I have really enjoyed seeing is the effort to add a little less utility to new fixtures, and actually make them look pretty great. ShowGun, StudioPix, ShowPix, and now the ShowBeam 2.5 – these fixtures provide an advanced function while giving a new form to […]BARCO, High End Systems, showbeam 2.5, Twin Beam, wash luminaire


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After the first day of competition Hoyt's Danny McCarthy found himself in perfect striking distance to make the shoot down on Saturday night under the lights. After yet another impressive round with his Alpha Elite, McCarthy entered the shoot down in second position, trailing by a mere six points. After four arrows McCarthy had tied the lead and entered the sixth and final arrow with a two point lead, which resulted in a victory for McCarthy. This marks one of many Classic victories for McCarthy and his second win on the ASA tour this year. Hoyt's Tim Gillingham made the shoot down round and finished fifth.
Entering the final ASA event of 2012 Cara Fernandez had winning her first ASA Shooter of the Year award in her sights. After day one of competition Fernandez and her Contender Elite burned up the range with an impressive ten up score and ten point lead. "It was the cleanest round of archery I have ever shot," stated Fernandez. After another strong day of shooting, Fernandez entered the shoot down with a twelve point lead and the 2012 Women's Pro Shooter of the Year Honor. Fernandez sealed the win without having to shoot a final arrow and marked her second Classic Win over the past three years and her fifth win of the season on the ASA Tour.
Of the Senior Pro Division Hoyt's Allen Connor wrapped up an impressive 2012 archery season with a strong second place finish for Shooter of the Year.
In the K-50 Division Hoyt shooter Daniel Matthews clinched the ASA Classic win and the ASA Shooter of the Year title. Matthews shoots the 3-D dominant AlphaElite.
In the hotly contested Semi-pro division, Hoyt shooter Michael Fryfogle was clutch and sealed the win with a thirteen point lead. Fryfogle will be a force to be reckoned with in the 2013 Pro Class.
Congratulations to all of Team Hoyt on impressive shooting this ASA season.

subset: commoncrawl


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Barclays plans to cut jobs in Asia
London, United Kingdom (4E) – British bank Barclays Plc said on Thursday that it is cutting jobs in its Asian investment banking unit as part of the bank's decision to overhaul its global investment banking business.
Barclays is following the lead by Morgan Stanley, which trimmed jobs in Asia, as the economic slowdown led to shrinking demand by companies for investment banking services.
Barclays Chief Executive Antony Jenkins, who took the helm of the company in August after the firm was penalized for attempting to manipulate Libor benchmark interest rate, will announce details of the revamp operations in February.
The job cuts in Asia, which may affect 70 employees, will be focused on the bank's equity capital markets, merger and acquisitions (M&A) advisory, global finance and risk, and debt capital market groups. The decision comes after Barclays announced it was cutting 10 per cent of its global workforce in the investment banking division, or 2,000 employees.
Sources familiar with the plan said that the job cuts in the region mirrors the low revenue the bank has been generating from conventional banking businesses like M&A advisory and stock and bond underwriting. Sources also say that Barclays will not likely exit any markets or product areas in Asia.
Barclays' decision to shrink its investment banking follows similar moves by other financial firms including Citigroup Inc., Credit Suisse Group AG, Deutsche Bank AG and UBS AG, which have slashed jobs worldwide amid changing regulatory environment and slow operating revenues.
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text: Comments on: Spotlight on Thursday, June 13 Back to the article » | June 12, 2013 | 12:00 am YEARS OF EXPLORING There is never a shortage of things to do in this town. From museums, restaurants, shopping and the National Zoo, you can always find something to do. But how do you choose? We're here to help! National Geographic (1145 17th St. NW) is proudly celebrating its 125th anniversary with an all new exhibit: the New Age of Exploration: National Geographic at 125. You'll get to dive... Web URL: http://washingtonexaminer.com/article/2531742 Share this article on Facebook or Twitter Print this article


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You have many decisions you need to make before you apply for a business registration.
The following are some resources to help you get started.
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BRANCH FEE: $110.00 for each additional location. Mobile carts or other mobile units from which business is conducted is considered an additional location.
Personnel Definition:Any person employed by or at any business within the City and/or persons who perform any part of their duties within the City of Spokane.
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NON PROFIT ENTITIES: Nonprofit entities which have received certification from the state and/or federal government are entitled to a reduced registration fee. The reduced business registration fee is one-half the basic registration fee plus inspection or other applicable fees or charges. Nonprofit businesses are exempt from personnel fees. Any applicant for a reduced fee registration mush present sufficient proof of nonprofit status as granted by the state or federal government.
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Site evaluation fees apply ONLY to businesses located within the City limits with any of the following criteria:
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Businesses engaging in business in the City for a period of ninety days or less within a twelve-month period, or businesses without any permanent location either within or without the City, may obtain a temporary business registration in lieu of a regular business registration. (SMC 10.40.010)
Temporary registrations are good for 90 days. Please fill out a Temporary Business Registration Application
A temporary registration is $55.00 for first 90 days.
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You may want to consider applying for a regular business registration if you expect to be in business for over 90 days.
A business site evaluation fee may also apply.
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Amps/Foot Controllers: one year Computer Accessories: 90 days


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Student Walk-Out Photos
Updated 6/16/09
State Farm supports The National Council of La Raza which promotes illegal immigration and amnesty.
The Reasons behind the Boycott.
Steps to cancel all of your policies with State Farm.
Alternative Insurance Providers
Possible alternative insurance providers and companies to avoid.
La Raza is sponsored by State Farm, Allstate Insurance, Geico and other Corporations. Click here for the complete lists published by La Raza.
People like you have canceled over $45,581 in State Farm policies so far.
Download a Word document to send to State Farm. Simply add your own information and mail. Download a PDF Version
Photos from the March 2006 student walk out.
Links to Immigration Organizations
Links to Local, State and National Organizations that oppose illegal immigration and amnesty.
Use This Link to send me an email
Student Walk Out Photos
These are some of the photographs from March 2006 when students across the Los Angles Area walked out of school in protest.
These students are by law supposed to be in school. Many, perhaps most, are illegal aliens or children of illegal aliens so called "jackpot babies". California spent 10 Billion dollars on illegal immigration in 2006!
The image of the Mexican Flag with the upside down US flag below it is also from the Student Walk out.


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3,000 winners will receive bracelets.
2,000 winners will receive sunglasses.
One Time Entry. Expires August 25, 2013. U.S. Only.
Kinky Liqueur Kinky Swag Giveaway
by cathy roach on 08/16/2013 04:31amLove kinky liqueur,kinky swag,and all kinds of kinky...lol
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by jenny g. on 08/12/2013 09:46pmI LOVE sunglasses AND bracelets!
by vicky rhyne on 08/12/2013 07:04pmKinky Liqueur Kinky Swag Giveway,love to win.
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This large cushion in luxuriously soft long dark grey faux fur is brought to you by RJR.John Rocha's designer home range.
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Debenhams is happy to exchange or refund your purchase within 28 days providing the goods are in a fully resaleable condition (including tags) and not within the exclusion policy*. This policy does not affect your statutory rights. You can return unwanted items either by visiting your local store (the fastest way to get a refund), by arranging a courier collection or returning by post. Exclusions apply to selected products. For instructions on how to return products and information on Debenhams refund policy visit the returns and refunds section of the website.


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Kurt114 Wrote:
Sep 28, 2012 8:24 AM
Ms. Chavez is nothing if not consistent. I got my family out of Texas, in part because of the Mexican invasion. Spanish is the dominant language in many entry level jobs. No Spanish, no job. The local school district was majority Hispanic. School ratings were dropping. Moved far north. No illegals. Businesses function just fine using Americans. Low unemployment and crime rates. When Ms. Chavez implies we are too lazy to do without illegals her racism is showing. Viva la Raza?


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Containing an exquisite flora featuring over 174 varieties of native plants of which 51 species are endemic including some rare and threatened, Norfolk Island retains a 5 square kilometer tract of rainforests which have been declared as a national park. Situated between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, enjoying a large degree of self governance is part of the Commonwealth of Australia. Colonized by the British in 1788, Norfolk Island is 1600 kilometers to the east of Sydney and 1000 kilometers to the northwest of Auckland. Spread over 34.6 square kilometer area, Norfolk Island displays no safe harbor facilities as such.
Though relatively small and isolated, Norfolk Island is home to a few land birds alongside populations of breeding seabirds. Tourism, which has steadily gained over the years, is the leading economic activity of this island country where no imports are allowed. Served by a single airport offing scheduled flights from destinations in Australia and New Zealand, Norfolk Island occasionally receives cruise ships, where passengers are ferried ashore in the absence of a regular harbor.


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I'm Sr. Helena of Mary. I'm a Carmelite Sister for the Aged and Infirm. I live in Germantown, NY. with my Community. My blog is called "Salt of the Earth" because that is what Jesus asked his disciples to be. I hope I meet many friends here and witness to the beauty of our Catholic Faith and the love of God!
It is when we attempt to avoid suffering by withdrawing from anything that might involve hurt, when we try to spare ourselves the effort and pain of pursuing truth, love, and goodness, that we drift into a life of emptiness, in which there may be almost no pain, but the dark sensation of meaninglessness and abandonment is all the greater.
Pope Benedict XVI


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On my drive home I saw the most magnificent sunset. It made me think of the bright orange skies drawn for The Lion King. I almost stopped along the highway to take a photo, but forgetting about this post I chose to keep driving. I've been waiting for another sunset to photograph. It's on the way.
Day 30: Growth
Do you believe you have grown or are growing as a person since the loss of your precious baby? How? How do you see other people now? How do you see the world? Do you believe you have a higher purpose? Do you believe your baby had a higher purpose?
*coming soon*
Day 29: Healing
What has had the most healing impact on your life through this journey of grief?
Day 28: Special Place
This could be your baby's place of rest. If they do not have a grave, maybe you have a special place that you associate with your baby. A place you go to, to remember them. Where is it? Why did you choose that particular place?
*coming soon*
Day 27: Signs
My beliefs don't speak to a life after death, exactly. I do believe the energy that was my baby's life is incorporated into the earth, but that energy no longer makes up my baby. The sign that comes to mind when reading today's topic is a dream I had while I was still pregnant.
It needs a little context. Three years ago I got two kittens, Dexter and Sassy. They are my fur babies and I love them so so so much. Dexter died unexpectedly just over a year ago. Sassy remains my daily snuggle buddy and best friend.
In my dream, Dexter was a ghost who had come to take Sassy away. He kept trying to leave with her, and although she did not want to go, it was as though she had no choice and knew it was right for her to go. This seemed to go on for a while, with me resisting and begging for her to be allowed to stay. The whole dream was very emotionally charged. I woke up crying and feeling very stressed about the whole thing.
This did not seem terribly significant at the time, but it remained in the back of my mind. After I found out the baby had died, this dream kept pushing its way into my thoughts. I have a strong feeling that this dream occurred right around the time my baby died within me. Until I became pregnant, Sassy and Dexter had been the closest feeling I had to being a mother; they are my fur babies. Dexter's death had, up until then, been my most personal experience with death. Knowing how significant these little animals have been in my life, I feel that my brain/heart/insides were trying to tell me baby had died, or perhaps preparing my self for the loss.
So, while I don't believe in a life after death, I do believe we have an intuitive knowledge of what is happening with the energies in and around our selves. I knew on some level that my baby had died, but it wasn't the right time to handle that fact. My body gave me five more weeks with him, and then it was time to face his death.
Day 26: Community
Today's topic is community, but that's not really what is on my mind. Today is my birthday. I am 25 years old today. I keep trying to evaluate the last year of my life, and all I can come up with is that it's been the most horrible and most wonderful year. One year doesn't feel like enough to quantify the growth that has occurred. The number 25 doesn't mean much compared to the other things I have become in this year. Mother. Mother to a dead baby. Woman. Woman who lost a child. 25 just doesn't capture it.
I love birthdays. I love celebrating others and I love taking the time to celebrate me. I have gotten lots of well wishes and some cards and tasty treats. I appreciate everyone's love and kindness. It's just different this year. I'm not really sad, I'm reflective of all that has been and as always, a little stuck on what could have been. I would have had a great big belly by now, and everyone would have been celebrating that little life along with my 25 years. Instead, I'll likely be the only one to mention him, today. I suppose that's where this ties into community.
This community is my outlet. This is the safe place where there will always be someone who understands, who has shared a similar experience. This is where I can wish my birthday were all about my baby this year, and not feel crazy for thinking that way. Thank you a million times to this wonderful community of women. Thank you for reaching out. Thank you for sharing your experiences. I cannot imagine this journey without your support, or without these projects that have helped so many to heal before me.
Thank you for reminding me that it's okay to be both thankful and resentful on this celebratory day.
Day 25: #sayitoutloud
Say It Out Loud is The STILL Project's famous hashtag. STILL is a feature-length documentary film project aimed at breaking the cycle of silence surrounding pregnancy and infant loss. If you could say anything out loud about your journey with grief with the death or your baby, what would it be? What do you want the world to know? Is there a cause that touches your heart that you want to raise awareness for?
*coming soon*


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Categories > Celebrities > My Chemical Romance > There's more to life than Dying (Chapter 1)
There's more to life than dying (Chapter 7)0 Reviews
so chapter 7. MCR is back on the road...what good can come now that Frerard has become public?
Frank continued smiling and broke away, still holding Gerard in his arms,
"Well I guess we better get ready to get on the road again huh?" he asks. Gerard sighs.
"I guess so. I just wish that we could have more alone time. You know what I mean?" he asks, Frank smiles,
"Who's to say we can't have alone time on the bus?" he asks, smiling seductively.
Gerard sighs, "Frank...you know I love you...but we've only been together for a few days, I don't think we can go that far yet. I don't want to lose you by doing that," Gerard says. Frank smiles at Gerard and hugs him, sqeezing Gerard lightly...
"Hun, you couldn't lose me if you tried. No matter how much you want me to go away, i'll always be there to help you," Frank says.
Gerard smiles and slowly breaks away and they both start packing for the bus again, they hear a knock on the door and Mikey comes in.
"Hey guys you ready?" he asks,
"Yeah man, we're ready," Gerard says, taking Frank's hand. Mikey couldn't help but smile. He'd never seen his brother so happy and he was happy for him.
The three of them walk out, with their stuff stowed in the trunk, to the bus. Mikey climbed the few steps first, then Gerard, and finally Frank...only to see that the bus had been raided and invaded by Bob and Ray...seriously. There was crap EVERYWHERE.
"What did you two do? We were only gone 5 minutes?" Mikey asks, "We got bored," Ray says. Mikey sighs.
Gerard and Frank smile and make themselves comfortable on the fake leather couch, snuggling together and watching the TV...seeing more stuff about them.
"In other news, lead singer of the hit band 'My Chemical Romance', Gerard Way, has announced to the world that he's gay the other night at a concert. How does the world feel about this? We've got some people here to speak," says the news anchor.
"So, how do you feel about gay people in general?" the news anchor asks a man and a woman,
"Well I personally think that just because someone's gay is no reason to treat them any differently. Someone's sexual orientation doesn't really make them any different. Just because someone is gay, that's their preference, it doesn't make them any less of a person," the woman says. The man nods in agreement,
"Well it's to bad the entire world can't be like this lovely couple right here," the news anchor says and then goes to some other random thing...
Frank smiles, "Well most of the world seems to be pretty understanding," he says. Gerard sighs. "But you heard what she said. Not everyone feels the same way those people did," Gerard says. Guess where they were headed next?
SAN FRANCISCO...from what i've heard San Francisco is the gay part of California...that's great.


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NEW GIRL: Jess (Zooey Deschanel, L), Nick (Jake Johnson, C) and Schmidt (Max Greenfield, R) attend a friend's wedding in the "Wedding" episode of NEW GIRL airing Tuesday, Oct. 4 (9:01-9:31 PM ET/PT) on FOX. ©2011 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Greg Gayne/FOX
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celebrity gossip, academic style by Anne Helen Petersen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.


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It was the first time that Airbus specifically participated in an event in Washington State exclusively designed to mate the fierce rival to Boeing with suppliers in a meeting intended to increase business opportunities in Boeing's back yard.
More than three years in the making, Airbus sent top supply chain officials to a suppliers fair organized by the Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance and the State Department of Commerce.
Before the event even started, one of the main arterials leading to the meeting was closed during the peak rush hour due to police activity. Wags suggested Boeing arranged the traffic disruption.
In fact, Boeing officials previously have said they support the idea that Washington's supply chain sell to Airbus and other original equipment manufacturers–though they also admit they like the common suppliers to favor Boeing first. The cross-selling makes from stronger suppliers, Boeing says.
Boeing also had two people at the event listening in.
Here is an article from the Puget Sound Business Journal. We sat down with Airbus' head of Americas procurement for Airbus and parent EADS for an exclusive interview, and we'll have this report next week.
But one key piece of information to come out of the meeting that is critical to rival Boeing (as well as the supply chain) is that Airbus plans to produce the A350 at a rate of at least 13 per month. This confirms a long-reported rumor we've heard but which Airbus would never acknowledge. The confirmation came from presenter ElectroImpact, which is headquartered in Everett and has a major facility in Broughton, Wales, where it makes wings for the A380 and A350. The A350 facility was built with a capacity for 13 A350s per month.
Airbus has only acknowledged its production plans call for 10 per month within four years of entry-into-service (2H2014). Consideration to creating a second A350-1000 production line is underway and has been publicly promoted by John Leahy, COO Customers. No timeline for the decision has been specifically set, though it may come by year end.


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Matt Schultz
Unbelievable But True
I was making a purchase the other day at a local convenience store. I was purchasing a newspaper. The Headline was simply "Global Warmimg."
The young clerk, looked like a college frosh, muttered something under his breath. I aaked if he didn't believe in climate change. He said no. So I asked "What do you think is going on?" "I think the world is twisting in a new direction." I broke out laughing. Couldn't help myself. But then I got quite serious and said "You may want to look into that much deeper, because your future right now looks pretty scary."
This is a young man in a small town rejecting science and going with the easy to believe myth. When it finally dawns on folks that their buddies in the fossil fuel industries and the Tea Party have been lying to them just to make a buck they will be either up to their knees in mud or dry as a bone. And they will probably blame the "libruls" for not telling them what was happening.
I am Tired of Terry!
So I am Backing Jack!
One thing is for sure, if Branstad gets elected again you can expect more of the no growth Republican policies. Hatch has been a leader on the economy and I am hoping he can bring the governorship back to democratic policies.
Has Schultz Crapped Out?
Secretary of State no longer in training Matt Schultz may have made some folks mad with the way he ran the SoS office. Seems like he squandered money left and right running down illegal voters that didn't exist while paying buddies for working after they were let go. Republicans have an undeserved reputation for fiscal responsibility. Since Reagan was president we have seen borrowing on an unprecedented level, wars started without raising taxes, contracts given without bids and major appropriations without being funded.
That is at the national level. At the state level we have the Branstad administration shifting moneys around probably illegally or at least unethically. We have Schultz pissing away money like it was his own. In nearby states we have Walker using staff to work his campaign and we have Brownback in Kansas giving the treasury back to his buddies.
We need Jack Hatch and Brad Anderson to restore the integrity of government in Iowa and stop these silly witch hunts and crony politics.
Crazy Laws – How Much Longer?
I will be sitting down soon with my mentee. He is nearing the end of a successful high school career and hopefully will embark on a successful life. But before he heads out, I want him to know there are some major traps that have been laid along his way by the Republican Party and the Tea Party. Of most concern to me is that he not walk out of school after four or five years with a debt equal to that of a house and no skills saleable on the market.
What Republicans have done to post secondary education and its financing should be a crime. They punish the poor like they do in everything and reward the rich who hold the loans. We are about the only major economy that does not provide education for close to nothing. No, our laws make it difficult for many to go to college. This will come back to haunt America in the global market in a few short years and will last for a long time. It appears that Republicans want Amrica to be a second rate economy with all the gains going to a few.
Newer, Safer Gun Rejected By Right.
I give up. This past week we actually learned that a company had created a gun that would be much safer because the shooter would need to be wearing a watch like object that would have a unique key for one gun. The gun could not be fired without the watch. Thus if the gun fell into the wrong hands, it couldn't be fired. I suppose someone could come up with a few scenarios where that may not be true, but it would take some doing.
Seems like a great response to the horrible problem of guns falling into the wrong hands. This would be something I would think most gun owners would want. Well, surprise, surprise. That most crazy of all organizations, the NRA, has come out vehemently opposed to it. The guns haven't even be put on sale yet and the minions of the NRA harassed a potential seller of this gun to the point where he made a strange video explaining he would not sell the gun.
America loses 30,000 citizens yearly to guns. If we had an enemy that was killing 30,000 Americans a year we would be in all out war with them. Yet, we seem to accept this with little push back. This is an issue that must be resolved.
I am Tired Of Terry
I am Tired of Terry. I am tired of his lies about jobs. I am tired of his skirmishes with ethics. Seems like this is a never ending problem. I am tired of his nepotism. I am tired of his scandals. I am tired of his worthless promises. I am tired of his being the tired old face of Iowa. I am tired of his policies that greatly favor the rich. I am tired of his line-item vetoes cutting aid to the poor. I am tired of his regents doing what they can to trash our great universities.
In short one Terry Branstad is doing Iowa no favors and should be sent packing. It is time for new blood.
Oh – and most of all, I am afraid that his lieutenant governor may accidentally become governor. Best to replace him now.
Really Joni? Really?
One Sarah Palin in the world isn't enough? Iowa has to have its very own version? It was bad enough when you sent out that campaign video claiming your expertise at castration really sent a message around the country. Not sure what the message was, but I sure took the message to- uh – heart. It was definitely an eye opener for most men.
But now you claim – well here:
"State Sen. Joni Ernst stressed that judges must have an "understanding where the Constitution came from and our laws, and they all did come from God." "
The Constitution has no relationship to your god or any other god. If you ever read the damned thing you might come across this passage also known as Article VI of the Constitution:
"The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States."
Not having a clue what the job is is a good reason to vote for almost anyone else. Maybe you should spend your time doing your job in the Iowa state senate where you seldom showed up this year.
Matt Schultz: It's Not My Money!
Nope, it wasn't Matt's money that he gave to his buddy, Jim Gibbons after Gibbons job was eliminated. No it was your money and mine. Just like when he paid his brother illegally. Let us not forget how Schultz squandered our money chasing phantom illegal voters so he could be a star of the tea party. What did that cost us? About a million or so.
You folks out there in district 3 – we can't afford no Shultz no more.
Democratic vs. Tea Party
The best way I can explain the difference between the Democratic Party and the Tea party is this:
The Democratic Party solves problems.
The Tea Party creates problems.
The Power Of Money
I am but a casual observer of the sports scene anymore, especially the professional sports. But even as a casual observer I had heard the stories over the years of Donald Sterling and his racist bent. So when the stories started bouncing around about what he said to his girlfriend, I for one was not too surprised. What I was surprised to learn was that Mr. Sterling was going to be given a lifetime award by the local NAACP chapter in Los Angeles later this same week.
And this illustrates the problem of money in politics. Surely if I knew about Sterling, the head of the NAACP in LA did. But to get the continuing donations from Sterling he had to ignore Sterling's actions.
What better example to illustrate what has happened and will be happening to a much greater degree as elections become incredibly expensive and the only folks who have the kind of money needed are people like the Kochs, the DeVoses, etc. They don't give money without wanting something in return.
Join the Move to Amend movement to help change the Constitution to get money out of politics!
The Courtney Report
As a member of the State Government Committee, I participated in a meeting with Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz. We wanted to know how three valid Iowa ballots in the 2012 election ended up not being counted. What we've learned so far tells me that we have some work to do to prevent this type of voter disenfranchisement from happening again.
Iowans expect our elections to be secure, accurate and efficient. After all, our democracy is based on citizens making their voices heard.
That's why it came as a big disappointment when the Cerro Gordo County Auditor brought to our attention that the 2012 general election ballots of three voters in his county had had been wrongly thrown out because of inaccurate information provided by Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz. The auditor told us that these individuals had had their voting rights restored and that their votes should have counted.
If three voters in one county could be disenfranchised, how many individuals could this happen to statewide? It is the Legislature's responsibility to make sure that Secretary of State Matt Schultz, as the state commissioner of elections, does a better job of ensuring that the ballots of all eligible voters are counted.
Iowans are proud of their high levels of voter participation, so it is of utmost importance that we take measures to protect the integrity of our system. In recent years, Iowa has made many improvements to our voting process, including allowing voters to register on Election Day at the polls. As a result, Iowa ranked fifth in voter turnout in the 2012 General Election with 73.3 percent of registered voters casting their ballot.
Iowa educators tell us that predictable, sustained state investment in education is the most effective way to increase student achievement.
That's why I voted this week for a 6 percent increase in local school funding for the 2015-16 school year (SF 2079 and SF 2077). This money would pay for the basics: up-to-date textbooks, heating bills, teacher salaries and gas for the buses. We also approved additional state dollars to prevent any related property tax increase (SF 2078).
Developing the state budget is the one thing I am required to do in my job as a state senator, and the largest part of that budget goes to education. State law requires us to set school funding 18 months ahead of the academic year so that school boards, administrators and educators can plan for local needs and make the best use of state resources.
A 6 percent increase would be welcome news for our local schools. It would help them bounce back from several lean years while also implementing the education reforms we approved in 2013. Since 2011, school funding in Iowa has suffered. As a result, our state has fallen to 37th in the nation when it comes to per pupil spending. Iowa is more than $1,500 below the national average in terms of how much we invest in each student.
However, we have the money to reverse this trend. Our reserve accounts are full at more than $650 million, and we have a surplus of $842 million. The major U.S. financial rating agencies all give Iowa the highest rating of AAA. Only seven other states match us with an across-the-board AAA rating.
Now is the time to invest wisely in student achievement. If the House and Governor also approve the legislation we passed in the Senate, here's how much our local school districts will get for the 2015-16 school year:
(editor's note: I could not get the table to transfer to this format. Here are a couple of examples:
School District FY 2016 (estimate) Change from FY 2015 (estimate)
Muscatine $48,896,010 $2,567,231
Burlington $43,736,443 $2,374,987
West Liberty $11,076,032 $813,624
With this week's vote on school funding, the Senate obeyed state law requiring the Legislature to set education funding 18 months in advance of the school year. I hope the House and Governor will follow our lead. We must put politics aside, follow the law and support the students who are the future of a strong state economy.
The Legislature is expected to set school funding within 30 days after the Governor presents his state budget. For the 2014 session, the deadline is February 13.
Iowa superintendents overwhelmingly believe state lawmakers should meet that deadline and set funding for the 2015-16 school year, as the law requires. In a recent survey, 98 percent of the 214 superintendents who responded oppose the House and Governor's plan to wait until next year to decide on funding.
In recent years, the House and Governor have defied the advance budgeting law, allowing K-12 education funding to become entangled with other issues and even held hostage for reasons unrelated to students or schools. The message we're hearing from superintendents this year is clear: Don't delay school funding again! Nearly every superintendent (99 percent) we surveyed said education dollars would be used more effectively if lawmakers followed the law and set school funding well in advance.
We've made some big changes with recent education reforms. Now we must provide financial stability so schools can successfully enact those changes and make sure all Iowa kids graduate with the skills to land a good job. Asked how they would use our proposed 6 percent increase in basic school funding, school superintendents said strengthening reading and writing skills in elementary students, implementing Iowa's common core curriculum and reducing class sizes are their top priorities.
For more on our survey of Iowa school superintendents and what they had to say about school funding, go to http://bit.ly/1irPiuQ.
I met Andrea Scott and congratulated her on the Excellence in Mentoring award from the State of Iowa. This award is the most prestigious honor that mentors in Iowa can receive. Andrea began as a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Muscatine County in 2008. She and her little sister, Zayla, joined us for Mentoring Day on the Hill. Big Brothers Big Sisters matches youth at risk with a "Big" who can have a positive impact on their "Little."
In an effort to help more Iowa employers and workers recover from the national recession, we must increase access to high-quality Internet services across the state.
Iowa ranks 11th out of 12 Midwestern states in the TechNet State Broadband Index, which ranks states based on how many households use broadband, network speeds and the number of jobs that benefit from broadband technology.
Broadband is currently underused in Iowa. According to a survey from Connect Iowa, 71 percent of Iowa households have adopted broadband, but only 47 percent can access broadband at high speed (50 Mbps). Broadband is used even less by low-income families, rural households and senior citizens. Among Iowa businesses, about 23,000 are not using high-speed Internet services.
Broadband can be a powerful economic tool for Iowans and businesses. Better broadband access, particularly in rural areas, could spur economic development through job creation and business expansion.
That's why legislators in the House and Senate are looking at ways to improve access broadband in Iowa. Under a Senate proposal, companies could get tax breaks if they invest in broadband infrastructure. The bill also would establish a loan fund for businesses making broadband investments.
In September, Governor Branstad announced a new broadband initiative, Connect Every Iowan. A task force made up of stakeholders and legislators met to discuss broadband connectivity issues, as well as how we can increase access to and use of broadband throughout Iowa. To view the task force's report and learn more about Iowa's work to expand broadband, go https://broadband.iowa.gov.
The Senate Appropriations Committee this week approved additional help for low-income Iowans struggling to pay their home heating bills during this exceptionally cold winter.
SSB 3137 would provide $2 million to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps offset heating costs for low-income families. The additional money will help address emergencies, including fixing broken furnaces and carrying out emergency fuel deliveries for families in need.
Last year, LIHEAP assisted more than 85,000 Iowa households. As of December, more than 60,000 households had already received assistance through LIHEAP this fiscal year. About 10 percent of LIHEAP recipients depend on propane to heat their homes, with 150 gallons of propane lasting about two weeks in January.
The supplemental assistance approved in the state senate is due to the spike in propane fuel costs. Throughout Iowa, propane is three to four times the usual price, reaching more than $6 per gallon in parts of Iowa. Usually, propane is about $1.79 a gallon.
The federal government is also responding to the need. The U.S. Department of Human & Health Services released a second LIHEAP appropriation of close to $7.5 million to help Iowa families heat their homes during this cold weather.
Iowans with questions or concerns should check out the state's new Propane Shortage and Heating Assistance Webpage. It has detailed information about LIHEAP, energy and cost-saving tips, safe heating alternatives and other resources.
During the first five years of life, children begin to gain the emotional and social skills that enable them to thrive in school and in life. These skills form the foundation for "healthy mental development," the ability of children to regulate and express emotions, form relationships with others, and explore and learn in their surroundings.
Without a solid foundation of healthy mental development early in life, children are at higher risk for poor school performance, juvenile delinquency and adult mental health concerns later in life.
Iowa's 1st Five Healthy Mental Development Initiative is a public-private partnership that brings together physicians and public service providers to promote healthy mental development among Iowa's children from birth to age five. The initiative encourages pediatricians and primary care providers to use proven tools to gauge a child's progress during well-child visits. At-risk kids can then get the help they need, when local children's health agencies and early intervention services assist the family in optimizing their children's mental development.
The Health & Human Services Budget Committee learned this week about last year's efforts to expand this program from 33 to 49 counties. With continued support of the 1st Five Initiative, we can ensure that all Iowa children begin life with a good chance to achieve school readiness, academic success and overall well-being.
Between 2007 and 2012, health care providers referred close to 5,000 families to 1st Five. In that time, the program helped an estimated 77,000 children. Getting more health providers involved is key. About 93 percent of health providers include comprehensive developmental assessments in their well-child appointments after becoming involved in 1st Five.
Learn more about how 1st Five is helping Iowa kids and families at www.idph.state.ia.us/1stfive.
Protect land with REAP grants
More than $200,000 in cost-share grants is available to help conservation organizations acquire land for additional outdoor recreation opportunities and to protect critical habitat. Recent projects include additions to Pine Lake State Park, Pictured Rocks Wildlife Management Area and the Loess Hills Wildlife Area.
Through the cost-share arrangement, 75 percent of the acquisition costs come from Resource Enhancement and Protection, and the remaining 25 percent comes from private contributions. The Department of Natural Resources owns and manages the property that is jointly purchased on behalf of the public.
For an application and complete details, go to www.iowareap.com and click on "REAP Grants" in the left column. Applications are due March 14.
How much should students borrow for college?
Iowa Student Loan wants to help students avoid excessive debt by educating them about the risks of over-borrowing and how to reduce the need to borrow. At the Iowa Student Loan website, students can learn about their return on college investment.
The ROCI (Return on College Investment) Reality Check is an online tutorial that allows students to compare various types of jobs, their associated starting salaries and the future demand and probability they'll get the job. It helps students set realistic expectations for how much they might earn after college and how much they should borrow for college. Access the free tool at www.studentloan.org/ROCIRealityCheck.
Contact Tom
Iowa Statehouse
Des Moines, IA 50319
2609 Clearview Drive
Burlington, IA 52601
Christie Lessons For Iowa
Wonder how the Democrats in New Jersey feel now? So many made a point of backing Chris Christie for governor last fall. This helped give Christie the patina of a politician who is a cut above the rest. Christie got that supposedly valuable word "bipartisan" attached to his name with the help of various members of the New Jersey Democratic Party who endorsed him.
Why they endorsed him was something of a mystery. Christie did not bend to compromise with Democrats or their constituencies. Rather he looked to slap them down when he could. But the press created this image of Christie as someone that appealed to both sides of the aisle even as he bullied voters, belittled reporters and sparred with members of the Democratic Party.
New Jersey Democrats had a really good candidate to run against Christie for governor last fall. Barbara Buono was her name. She is a solid Democrat with a long track record. But it sure seemed like her name may as well have been Typhoid Mary the way she was avoided by her own party. It was a Christie love fest and apparently Democrats had to get on board while there was still room. Were they threatened by Christie? Were they just wanting to get on board the Christie White House Express early to maybe catch a plum federal appointment? As I said it is a mystery.
What is not a mystery these days is that if a politician identifies themselves as a Republican, they pretty much by definition endorse Republican policies wholesale. Therefore for the most part they stand in direct opposition to most of what a Democrat or a progressive should stand for. I want to make this quite clear. Whether the Republican in question is named Christie or Branstad or Grassley or Matt Schultz or a Mike Huckabee. Much of what a Republican must espouse is due to kow-towing to the tea bagger contingent that has taken over their party.
So whether it is Christie or Branstad, they believe that
a) women should not be in control of their own bodies. That groups of old white men should choose whether birth control or abortion is available to women. Gee, this sounds like a middle eastern country.
b) Babies must be born. After that who cares if they are fed, schooled or doctored. If they did choose the right parents then their lives may be miserable.
c) Christian religion is much more important than science. Following the precepts of Christianity is not important. Saying you are a Christian publicly and loudly is important.
d) If you are poor, you must remain poor and suffer. No government help of any sort should be available to you, or your family ever.
e) If you were born rich you are obviously chosen by God to lead and deserve to be treated as special by the government.
f) If you are a working person, you are lucky to have a job. You should have no right to organize into unions and should be happy to even have a job.
These values are not written down anyplace, but this is what the Republican party practices daily. So why the main stream media has taken it upon themselves to paint Chris Christie as someone who does not encompass these repugnant views is beyond me. They skewer any Democratic politician who endorses even one of those views, yet let Republicans pass even get praised even though holding such views is the price of admission to their party.
Iowa's version of Chris Christie is Terry Branstad. As governor he uses his line item veto to cut substantial aid to food banks and the press barely reports it. When he realizes he can't simply dump the Medicaid portion of the ACA because it would be too politically dangerous, he comes up with a scheme that attempts to make the poor pay for their Medicaid and our press barely reports on it. Instead of being truthful in record keeping his administration constantly lies about things like jobs and the press doesn't even question it.
I am hoping Iowa's Democrats are much smarter than New Jersey's Democrats. Branstad over the years has proven he is thoroughly Republican from his days as an early leader of ALEC to these days when he is more than happy to punish the poor. Democrats don't need to bow to Republicans like Branstad, they need to proudly back their own candidate, Jack Hatch. Hatch is a long standing progressive who would bring solid progressive credentials to Terrace Hill. Iowa can no longer afford Branstad's unreported Republican agenda.
Contrasting Our SoS Candidates
There is quite a contrast between Brad Anderson and Matt Schultz. In a recent edition of your Muscatine Journal there were two articles concerning the elected position of Iowa Secretary of State.
One described Democrat Brad Anderson's good ideas on how to increase voter turnout in the state of Iowa.
The other article told of Republican incumbent Matt Shultz's possible illegal spending of federal funds to conduct a wild goose chase.
It's bad enough for Shultz to push for repressive "Voter ID" laws and pay the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation $150,000 (so far) in a ridiculous attempt to find "voter fraud".
But you'll remember that recently he took a week-long "working" vacation to Switzerland at the same time county auditors were meeting in Des Moines to discuss voter issues after the municipal elections.
Dr. Branstad?
Their Freedom Is Controlling Your Life
Last week Gov. Terry Branstad signed a law which gives him what must be the ultimate among those who desire to hold the control of others' lives in their hands; he now has the power to decide if a woman who uses Medicaid as their insurance will be allowed to get an abortion paid by Medicaid. Man, other Republican governors must be out of their minds jealous.
When I say "those who desire to hold control of others lives" I mean Republicans. Almost every move since Ronald Reagan has been geared to make those who are not rich lose more and more control of their lives. There are the obvious acts through which a segment of the population loses control over their own lives, such as all the regulations imposed on abortion clinics, which in effect take away choice for women. Having a child imposes huge societal controls on a woman. Now Branstad gets to decide who will have those controls placed on them. And the beauty is that he will not have to contribute one cent of his money to raise the subsequent child.
That is one of many ways Republicans have moved to control our lives in the past 30 years. They have nullified the power of unions and any leverage labor ever had by both busting unions and by passing laws which allow corporations to manufacture overseas without any penalty. This has greatly expanded the labor pool and thus lowered the cost of labor. How does that put the Republicans and the rich in control of your life? Well, have you thought about leaving your job lately? Back in the 70s you may have had a great many opportunities. Today, if you are lucky there might be one or two. More than likely there will be hundreds vying for that job. Since the chances of you leaving your job are slim, the raises and perks that once went with your job have been stunted. If you decide to leave there are a hundred outside the door that are ready to take your place for an even lower wage.
As we come up on birthday #237 for America, the freedoms and liberty that was won so hard against a government that limited freedoms are once more becoming quite limited for the average person. Franklin Roosevelt stated it very succinctly decades ago in a time of great economic trouble. As the country pulled itself out of the Depression, Roosevelt noted the relationship between freedom and economics:
"True individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made."
Republicans are quite aware that the opposite is also true – people who are hungry and out of a job can easily be controlled. All they had to do was to create the environment in which people were losing their jobs or feared losing their jobs and were either hungry or were getting there. Thus they have passed legislation which funnels government money to the rich. Then in turn they have cut social safety nets which at one time could sustain a person's dignity. They have also created insecurity in jobs in all sectors through government cut backs, through laws which effectively undermine unions and through laws which allows employers to send jobs overseas for much lower wages.
Republicans have also created a populace they can control by defunding public schools and forcing teachers to teach to a set of tests. This cuts down on the teaching of critical thinking skills. Without those skills, it is harder for a person to understand when someone is controlling them. The rise of corporate and religious run schools with their ideologies also negate critical thinking skills.
And of course the great control mechanism for those in power since the beginning of man and in all societies is religion. That religion is so tied in with Republican Party is no coincidence. The Republican Party using their position in government to pass what should be religious rules is no coincidence either. Republicans know that claiming the mantle of the party of the religious gives them a great way to get votes and a great pipeline to use control mechanisms. Laws pertaining to marriage are a great example. Until just yesterday, our country had a law which controlled who you could and couldn't marry.
How could you exert control without control of the media? You couldn't! Usually the first thing the winners of a revolution do is seize the media. One of the first things we did after our revolution was free the media from government control. Yet the media has descended into almost total control by corporations which align themselves with the extreme right of this country. Thus they control the information that is disseminated to us. We now get a very narrow view of what is actually happening. Because of their opposition to the President, one TV network (Fox) refuses to carry anything Obama. They rehash discredited stories such as Benghazi rather than give the president any air.
The last way Republicans exert control is by limiting who can vote. We have a great example here in Iowa with Secretary of State Matt Schultz determining who can vote based on last name. Republicans do not want open elections, they want rigged elections. The gutting of the VRA by the Supreme Court Tuesday will go a long way toward that.
So we have slowly descended as a country into a situation very near what we faced in the 1760s . Once again we have a very small group of very wealthy elites running our lives through control mechanisms that their lackeys in government and industry have imposed on us. I am not advocating a revolution or anything like that. I am pointing out that our freedoms have been usurped. I will also point out that we have the tools to turn the country back to a track of freedom which in turn will bring prosperity. But we have to use these tools. We must run good candidates and vote them into office.
If the thought of Terry Branstad deciding whether a woman he does not know must be forced to give birth and then raise that child with little or no safety nets in place is as repugnant to you as it is to me – get off that couch and get active while you still can!
Republicans Lie? Surprise!
In a survey released Wednesday, Politifact noted that Republicans lie 3 times more than Democrats. This is based on a study of statements only since the beginning of Obama's second term. Although I did not see this noted, I would assume it only included actual office holders and did not include Republican sycophants like Fox News, the Wall Street Journal and most radio talk shows.
There were of course some attempt to determine how much truth was being told during the campaign in 2012. Maybe you can remember how well acquainted Republicans were with the truth last year. About the only time Mitt Romney told the truth was the night he thought he was speaking behind closed doors and safely under the rocks to a group of his peers. That was the famous 47% speech. Beyond that it is rather doubtful that Romney ever said anything that was true. Ironically his confidence in winning was buoyed by an old hand at lying who never told Romney the truth. That of course was Karl Rove. Still funny when I think about it.
Like most of you, I think Politifact was being kind. They rated only 1/3rd of Republican statements as false. I seldom hear one that is true. Even our vaunted senator, Chuck Grassley seldom says things that can be labeled fully true. Remember his continual denial that he made the famous "pull the plug on Grandma" statement despite a video of him doing so going viral on the internet.
The very beliefs that under gird the GOP is little but a pack of lies. Whatever you call "Reaganomics" whether it be "supply-side economics" or "Chicago school" economics or whatever, events have proven over and over that it simply does not work. So as they go on and on about how great their version of economics works, history has long since proven it does not work. As an addendum, the book that their current philosophy of austerity is based on has been proven to be based on false presumptions and misuse of data. That is the now infamous Reinhart and Rogoff book that claims that once the national debt reaches 90% of GDP the consequences get bad and feed on themselves. They had to ignore a lot of data to support that claim.
In Iowa we have some of the most productive liars the Republicans have ever produced. The aforementioned Grassley who seems to be only loosely acquainted with truth. But the top prevaricator in Iowa has to go to Governor-for-life Terry Branstad who still can't understand the concept of NET job gains. Following close behind is Secretary of State-in-training Matt Schultz who can't seem to grasp that he must follow laws and that his job is not to make up laws out of thin air.
It is hard to believe that Republicans do not know what they are saying are lies, or if not lies certainly misleads. However, much of what they say is based on lies and misleads pushed by a propagandistic media which is mostly corporate and mostly Republican. Our media is now a sad shell of what it once was. Slanting stories, ignoring stories and leaving out nettlesome facts are par for the course for our corporate media. Republicans can use the media's poor performance easily as a basis for their lies rather than ferreting out the truth themselves.
Most Republicans (all I am sure) claim that the very basis of their belief system is Christianity and the bible. The Bible itself is a book that seems to be full of pretty questionable accuracy. (Methuselah really lived to be 900 years old? Really?) Even beyond that there is the practice to only support a few quite selected portions of the bible and totally ignore anything they disagree with. (Jesus really did believe that we should not purposely let our fellow man starve to death). So it seems that the very foundation of Republican values is based on untruths, misleads and omissions.
I am not saying Democrats don't lie. But certainly not on the scale of Republicans and not with the intent of causing harm. The other thing that is so distressing about Republican lies is that they lie in order to cover their true intent on what they want to do in government. If they were truthful, they would be running on a platform of lowering wages to the lowest possible point, ending all government programs that helped individuals in any way, controlling our sex lives and ending all taxes, especially for the rich. Their true platform would be one written by the rich, for the rich. It is already that but is couched in weasel words or Frank Luntz words. Were they to tell the truth no one would vote for them. And nearly everyday more Republicans are awakening to the fact that they are being lied to and lied to and lied to.
Just last week some guy named Bob Dole woke up to that fact, noting that he does not belong in today's Republican Party.
Hey Reince: Matt Schultz Ain't Listening
Reince Preibus wants to start a love affair with all those people who rejected him and his friends in 2012. That is to say that he and the Republican party want to make up with people like the African American community, Latinos, women, gays and all those other people who just said "NO" to the Republicans last election. So Reince has extended his hand. He wants to be your buddy.
But whoa! what is this. While Reince says please join us, Matt Schultz, Iowa's Secretary of State in training, continues on his Republican approved campaign to make sure that Iowa voters have the right kind of last name. His new rules were supposed to go into effect on March 13th, but he has been so quiet about it that even the press never heard. Maybe out of respect for Reince, Mr. Shultz just decided not to say a thing. It can be a Surprise! next election. Rumor has it that his rules are aimed at those Latinos that Reince wants to cozy up to. Maybe Reince should cozy up to Secretary Schultz and let him know the Party is changing direction.
Steve King Only A 3 Seed
Boy, the competition is tough over at Dailykos in their "Republican March to Madness" tourney. King is in the teabagger division facing Matt Kibbe in the first round. Remember Kibbe is the one who took down Dick Armey in real life. Going to be tough for King. Not sure if his hate of all things not white and male can carry the day with that bunch.
If you want to vote, you will need to sign on to Kos daily @ noon to catch that day's matches.
Education Deform
There is a name that makes sense for the ALEC led, slow change over from public schools to charter schools run by private companies and paid for by the public. Imagine attending Walmart Grade School or Pepsi High. As Republicans keep defunding our schools and then blame the resulting mess on the teachers we will be seeing more and more call for "charter" schools as the fix. And the first thing they will do is bust unions and the second will be to demand more money. It's already happening, folks.
Quotes for the week:
"50 yrs ago today Dick Cheney had his 1st deferment to avoid a war in Vietnam. That he supported. Happy Anniversary…Dick." John Fugelsang
"I did express my regret in saying that he was a numbnuts because I didn't — I probably shouldn't have used the word 'numb', " Gohmert said. "That was probably unfair." Louie Gohmert apologizing for calling John McCain 'numbnuts.'
Matt Schultz – Out Of Step?
Like many I was somewhat shocked when the Republican Party did a 180 degree turn on immigration last week. Suddenly, groups of people they had denigrated for decades, especially Latinos, were their best friends. "We want to be your friend" they said in unison. "We want to help you all become citizens and vote for us, because we really like you." It was a moment of incredibly moving sincerity.
But, whoa, what is this? Matt Schultz, Iowa's Secretary of State in training, still has a rule out there he is pushing hard to stop the rampant practice of voting illegally. He may have found a case or two in the past. The best way he can find to stop this deluge is to basically target Latinos. Now i am not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but isn't that in direct contradiction to where the national party is suddenly headed? Somebody, get these guys a map, quickly.
Seriously, if you think that the Republicans are changing their attitudes toward Latinos, may I direct your attention to the Matt Shultzes of the world? While the national party will make a splash about their change of heart, the truth is that at the lower levels they are still trying to stop Latinos from voting.
Remember, Republicans can't win on issues. Latinos I know care about decent jobs and wages, health care, education for their children without putting them forever into debt and many of the other issues that Democrats have been working for for decades. Republicans want the Latino vote, but not enough to really work for it.
Reforming the Schools
I do not understand the school reforms that Gov. Branstad is pushing so hard for. I am not even sure Gov. Branstad does. But he is so sure that they are needed that he is trying to turn the normal course of school funding upside down in order to get them in. Pardon me for being quite suspicious, but when Republicans want something really bad, it usually benefits someone who is rich and hurts society in general.
Since Branstad is a founding member of ALEC and ALEC is basically a lobbying group that works hard to turn government dollars over to private corporations, I have a feeling that the reforms Branstad is pushing will greatly enrich the privatized school crowd and will work to kill public schools. I base that on what "reform" has meant in other states with Republican leadership.
While charter schools and privatized schools claim going in that they have much better results, the truth is that they don't, even when they hand pick their students. Republicans are trying to make "public" schools have the same bad name that things like "public" housing does. Truth is once again that America's "public" schools have been and can once more be one of the shining examples of what a democracy can do. The public itself has a vested interest in well educated citizens. Businesses do not.
Lower Income Folks Pay Higher Percentage of Taxes
Well, our friends at Iowa Policy Project and iowafiscal.org have once again done actual research to shoot down one of the myths that runs rampant in our country. Seems that when they actually break down who pays what in taxes, the poor and low income pay a much higher percentage of their income in taxes.
A recent move throughout the country is to shift tax burdens from things like corporate tax and income tax that are more fair to the poor to sales tax which is one of the most regressive of all taxes and is a great burden the poor. Ideas like this are especially hot where Republicans are in charge of both houses of the legislature and the governorship. Thank goodness Democrats control the senate. As I have said before, we are one vote from being Mississippi. That is scary.
Healthy Iowa?
Governor Branstad is pushing hard for his Healthy Iowa initiative. Call me a fool, but I would think that such an initiative would include somethingthat would allow people to access health, dental and vision care regardless of income. Universal health care in other words. Until then, Mr. Branstad, your words are empty. Like most Republican ideas for a better society, empty words with no action or money for anyone not already wealthy.
As governor, I am sure you have health care, but way too many Iowans have no access to health care.
Next initiative, back it up with some true action.


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Jennifer Lopez has topped the annual Forbes list of the 100 most powerful celebrities in the world, taking over from fellow pop singer Lady Gaga and beating out media mogul Oprah Winfrey.
The 42-year-old singer and actress who rose up through the entertainment world ranks from her humble birthplace of the Bronx, New York, jumped a surprising 50 places from last year's list that measures power by entertainment related earnings, media visibility and social media popularity.
Forbes estimated Lopez's earnings in the past 12 months at $52 million, through her gig as a judge on the popular American Idol television talent show, a new clothing line and an upcoming tour.
Winfrey, who has admitted struggling with her OWN TV network after ending The Oprah Winfrey Show syndicated TV chat show last year after 25 years, kept her No. 2 slot from last year, earning an estimated $165 million.
Canadian pop star Justin Bieber, 18, also stayed at No. 3 where he debuted last year, earning $55 million, with Forbes reporting he has become a serious investor whose portfolio includes music streaming service Spotify.


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My sister booked this hotel for one night (to skip out on doing chores!) and said she had the best time. She was a little nervous before going because you're kind of cut off, but they lit a fire at night and had a quaint little room. The sunset was beautiful and she said they would definitely do it again.... More
- Also Known As:
- Rose Island Lighthouse Hotel Newport


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iLLUMiNATi THE NiGHT
Light up the place, Starry Story Night is on. Returning to the Boise Contemporary Theater on October 27, Starry Story Night sheds light on the real spark of local luminaries with true stories, told live. Get to know the actual personalities behind "the personalities."
You're invited to this star studded special event—held annually to build up our aspiring nonprofit. This year, it all goes down with the theme CURiOSiTY, as we continue to open up outlets to showcase the wide range of real human experience under the Story Story Night constellation.
Stay tuned for tickets.
Starry Story Night
theme: CURiOSiTY
October 27, 2014
Boise Contemporary Theater
854 Fulton Street
Tickets coming soon
Rick Johnson


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Hot Chicken Salad
Community Recipe from
- 5 cup(s) Chicken - cubed (or turkey)
- 2 cup(s) celery - diced
- 2 cup(s) cooked rice
- 2 cup(s) mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoon(s) onion - or more to taste
- 2 teaspoon(s) lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon(s) salt
- 2 can(s) water chesnuts - sliced - drained
- 2 can(s) cream of chicken soup
- 6 hard-boiled eggs - chopped
- In 9x13 baking pan combine all ingredients and pat down level into pan. Top with 1 cup Corn Flakes crushed that have been coated with 1 stick of melted butter. or can use already boxed corn flake crumbs but slice butter thin and place on top of crumbs evenly over top of dish.
- Bake 35 min at 350 degrees.
November 2011
This recipe is a personal recipe added by Kimpaul and has not been tested or endorsed by MyRecipes.
My Notes
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Hot Chicken Salad Recipe at a Glance
- COURSE: Main Dishes
- MAIN INGREDIENT: Poultry
- COOKING METHOD: Bake
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Microbes that dwell within us can help or harm us, according to UCSF experts at "Gut Check," a lunchtime panel discussion hosted by UCSF as part of the Bay Area Science Festival last week.
Latest News
November 10, 2011
October 25, 2011
New studies of vitamin supplements, prostate cancer risk in men and mortality in women have yielded disappointing results. Some researchers remain optimistic about identifying dietary and lifestyle interventions that are beneficial to health.
March 23, 2011
Researchers exploring human metabolism at UCSF have uncovered a handful of chemical compounds that regulate fat storage in worms, offering a new tool for understanding obesity and finding future treatments for diseases associated with obesity.
March 01, 2011
Scientists at the UCSF Cardiovascular Research Institute have discovered how a change in growth hormone activity in mice leads to fatty liver disease, a condition whose human counterpart is of rising concern worldwide.
February 03, 2011
UCSF Nobel laureate Elizabeth Blackburn is not ready to predict how long you will live. But she and her UCSF colleagues are exploring a feature within cells that is a kind of hourglass for aging.
December 16, 2010
Cystatin C, a blood marker of kidney function, proved significantly more accurate than the standard blood marker, creatinine, in predicting serious complications of kidney disease, in a study by researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center and UCSF.
December 15, 2010
Weight gain and environmental pollutants might be linked, an award-winning worm researcher suggests.
November 15, 2010
Cutting back on salt in teenagers' diets by as little as one-half teaspoon, or three grams, a day, could reduce the number of young adults with high blood pressure by 44 to 63 percent, according to new research presented Sunday, Nov. 14 at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2010 meeting in Chicago.
October 05, 2010
A diet supplemented with powdered dried plum restored bone lost by mice during the course of normal aging, in a study led by Bernard P. Halloran, PhD, at the San Francisco VA Medical Center.
September 01, 2010
Ezlopitant, a compound known to suppress craving for alcohol in humans, was shown to decrease consumption of sweetened water by rodents in a study by researchers at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, which is affiliated with UCSF.


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These are 10 of my favorite stories, but even though they are strange, sexy and a little bizarre, they are nothing compared to what you get inside of taboostories.com.
It has more than just the regular taboos, it has all the small fetish stories you can never find, such as; midgets, fuzzy, cumswallowing, clown sex, piercing and tattoo sex and more. Check it out below.
Be sure to bookmark this site and come back regularly.
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These are not basic, cheaply made stories like the ones you have probably been reading online. These are very high end stories, written by true erotic authors (not people just trying to make a buck part time) with erotic story fans in mind. Take the free tour and i guarantee you'll like what you see. They have thousands of stories! If you don't like it, click the back button and keep surfing. No consoles or pop ups are used on the free tour to ruin your surfing.
Click here to visit taboostories.com


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03 Apr 2012
The East Midlands is holding an East Midland Swim Teacher Training Day at SportPark, Loughborough on Sunday 13th May 2012.
The inaugural Derbyshire Disability Swimming Development Day was held at Alfreton Leisure Centre on 19th February 2012.
Ben Goodall has been selected to represent Great Britain, in his international debut, at the LEN Open Water Cup taking place in Israel in May 2012.
In the East Midland Region, Water Polo course dates have been set for 2013! All are to be held at SportPark
12 Mar 2012
First up in the finals session of day 6 was Derventio eXcel Captain Kane Haggett in the semi-finals of the 50m Free. Kane had a great start and blasted an outside smoker to qualify 4th for tomorrows final in a lifetime best of 22.75.
12 Mar 2012
The inaugural Derbyshire Disability Swimming Development Day was held at Alfreton Leisure Centre on 19th February, and brought together around 12 swimmers and 21 teachers and coaches from around the County.
12 Mar 2012
Retford Swimming Club is running a Big Splash event.
Molly Renshaw as one of the rising stars to look out for at the Olympic trials next month.
Double olympic medalist Nick Gillingham MBE will be holding Art of Swimming courses
Sixteen talented aquatics performers have been awarded a bursary from Podium, Derbyshire Sport's talented athlete fund.


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There are a number of ways to show your support of Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School, all of which are an important part of our program.
GIFTS BY CHECK Checks should be made payable to Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School and mailed to:
Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill SchoolP.O. Box 954764Saint Louis, MO 63195-4764
GIFTS BY CREDIT CARDYou can make a donation, including an immediate online gift, to Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School using VISA, MasterCard and Discover.
MATCHING GIFTS Some companies will match your gift, making your gift worth more while crediting you the total amount. A matching gift occurs when participating companies match (sometimes up to double or triple) the amount of dollars given to Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School by their employees and spouses, or retirees. The company matches the gift only after the donor has sent his or her gift to Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School along with the company's matching gift form. Certain companies will match capital campaign and endowment gifts as well as annual giving and scholarship gifts.
GIFTS OF STOCKMany individuals donate appreciated stocks or mutual funds to Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School. Such gifts, or other gifts involving securities, can have significant tax advantages over cash. Please contact the Advancement Office for more details on how to make such a gift.


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The Indian Toy Industry is dominated by SMEs and micro enterprises even though toy majors such as Fun School and Mattel are also present. The domestic industry has been in existence for over 50 years and has considerable reach through an extensive distribution network. Innovation in the form of IP creation has, however, been extremely poor. With generational change occurring in the industry, businesses have started becoming open to new ideas.
With the liberalization of the economy, since the late 1980s there was a sudden increase in the number of automobiles being offered to Indian consumers. This, in turn, inspired some toy manufacturers to start producing plastic miniatures of automobiles being introduced in the market. Much like MatchBox Cars, these manufacturers faithfully reproduced the shape of every new car they saw on the road. Over the years a large number of models became available and coupled with extensive reach their miniatures were soon available across the length and breadth of the country.
Keeping in mind the low awareness of IP related issues amongst the SME Sector in the country, the Small Industry Development Organization (SIDO) - the SME Development Agency of the country - working under the Ministry of Small Scale Industries had embarked upon a series of workshops and sensitization programmes on IPR for SMEs. One such workshop was devoted exclusively to the toy industry. One of the prominent manufacturers of these miniature cars happened to attend this workshop.
After the workshop, he met some of the Resource Persons and confessed that it was the first time that he understood the implications of IP to his business. He understood that if a design was protected then he, as an entrepreneur, could not escape liability for passing off through the defense of miniaturization. He also understood that he could legally copy the design of certain automobiles by doing so intelligently. For instance, he could do a design search at the design office and determine which designs were over 15 years old and hence no longer protected. He could now also assess which were the designs where protection had not been extended by the company in question beyond the initial 10 years or such cases where a foreign company had never obtained design protection in India. This, itself, gave him a substantial number of models to miniaturize.
In addition, as a canny entrepreneur, he approached one of the car manufacturers and presented 10 pieces of the miniature cars to a senior executive with the suggestion that whenever any potential customer of the car comes for a test drive to the car showroom, his miniature could be offered to the potential customer as a memento from the automobile company. The automobile company thought it was a good idea and today offers this toy miniature to all its potential customers opting for a test drive. In the process, even though the design of the automobile is protected, the fact that the automobile has acquiesced in the reproduction of its registered design protects the SME entrepreneur.
Case study compiled by Pankaj Jain, Director (IPR Cell), Ministry of Small Scale Industries, Government of India (email: email@example.com).


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Categories > Celebrities > Fall Out Boy > Through the Eyes of the Fly on the Wall
Broken down on memory lane0 Reviews
read to see how it all ends!!
Andy's POV
Everyone started to come over and try to comfort me, but I just pushed them away. I didn't want to me petted, I wanted answers. I wanted to know what I had done in this world to deserve this punishment.
I sat in a chair far in the corner, alone remembering. I still remember how she smelt the first time I talked to her. I remember what she was reading that day. I remember how our bodies fit so perfectly together. I didn't want to forget any of this. I didn't want her to go, ever.
People would get up and start toward me but Pete would hold them back. I couldn't ask for a better set of friend in the entire world. They are the best, they knew when to give someone space, and when to just give them a hug. They knew when to joke around, and when to be serious. Pete always knew the exact words to say. Joe always knew how to love someone unconditionally. Patrick knew when to be a geek and when just to be accepted. I couldn't thank them enough for just being there.
A doctor came out. I ran to her. "Are you Mr. Hurley?" she asked. "Yes" I said nervously. "I'm sorry. We could do anything to stop the bleeding." She said putting her head down. I dropped to my knees. "The baby?" I asked her. She just shook her head. "Can I see her" I asked. "Yes, she's awake right know, but she doesn't have long." She said leaving. I turned to the others. Words wouldn't form in my mouth. I just ran to her room and busted through the doors. Her eyes were barely opened. "Hey babe" I said trying to hold back my tears. "Hey" she said faintly. "Hold on, okay?" I said. She nodded. I grabbed all of the machines and out them on her bed. I started to roll her out of the room. "Sir, sir you can't do that." I heard the nurses say behind me. I didn't care. I passed the waiting room. "Call the pastor" I yelled to them. They looked at me in disbelief. "We're getting married today!" I said. I found the chapel. "Babe, we're getting married today." I said to her. She smiled faintly, God how I'm going to miss that smile. The crew busted through the doors with the pastor behind them. "Thanks for coming." I said to him. He went through the regular vows. I held on the Ashley's hand tight, afraid to let go. She made it through all of the vows. I bent down to kiss her and I got one last perfect kiss from her before I felt her lips go limp and saw her skin grew pale. My tears hit her eyes and I move my face just enough to look at her face one last time. The nurses took her away from me.
I just dropped to my knees and buried my face in my hands. I felt arms wrap around me, this time I didn't push away. I needed this comfort.
The funeral was beautiful. The guys made all the arrangements. I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I still wasn't ready to accept that she was dead. I kept asking myself 'what went wrong?' but I never got an answer. The band was put on hold. I went into therapy for trying to comment suicide twice. I just wanted to her her face again.
I eventually got on with my life, but not without thinking of her every time I woke up and she wasn't there. It's been rough but the band has pulled me through most of it, and I thank them for that.


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A panel discussion on the past, present and future of Afghanistan
"Afghanistan," a panel discussion by Paul Fitzgerald, Elizabeth Gould, Nick Mills, and Sima Wali, moderated by Alan Berger.
What would a peaceful, stable, and productive Afghanistan look like? What can the new American administration do to help Afghans realize this goal? Joining the Forum to discuss the roots of the current crisis and how to move toward a better future are Paul Fitzgerald and Elizabeth Gould, co-producers of the 1981 PBS documentary Afghanistan Between the Wars, and authors of Invisible History: Afghanistan's Untold Story, Nick Mills, Associate Professor of Journalism at Boston University, award-winning broadcaster, and author of Karzai, and Sima Wali, former Afghan exile and current President of Refugee Women in Development. Moderated by journalist Alan Berger of the Boston Globe's editorial board.
A Ford Hall Forum event. For more information, please visit www.fordhallforum.org.
Back to Events Listing »


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Mourinho urges men to remain calm before key UCL match against Schalke
10/22/13 in Soccer | KurtKingsley | 1858 respect
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho claims his side has played under pressure this season. As the Champions League game against Schalke approaches, the Portuguese tactician has urged his men to "play without pressure". Mourinho insists his side needs relieve pressure before taking on Schalke in Germany on Tuesday night.
The opening day defeat at the hands of FC Basel at home means Chelsea cannot afford to make mistakes. Schalke are currently leading the group, but Mourinho isn't worried about that fact. The Stamford Bridge boss is confident that his side will be able pass through these early obstacles.
"I don't think it's yet the time to have the calculator and to be counting the number of points you need to qualify, to be first or second or go to Europa League," Mourinho said.
"I think that comes on the fifth fixture. The third and fourth are fixtures, you can play just thinking about the game, trying to win and if not trying to get a point, but basically, to play without that pressure of the calculator. We lost the first at home, but won the second away so found a balance."
Mourinho also revealed that he "has a decision to make" about who he will field at the center back spot. David Luiz had the spot last week, but his error in Saturday's Premier League game against Cardiff City seems to have taken away his position in the first team.
"I have to make an option for tomorrow -- I have to make a choice between David [Luiz] and Gary [Cahill]," Mourinho said. "The players don't know yet as we have only had two days between matches and we haven't trained tactically, so when they don't know I would not like to say.
"Ashley Cole is out. That's not a big deal. A team is a squad, not 11 players, and they have a squad with players to replace. It's difficult for a team to be at maximum power, to play a match without somebody missing through injury or suspension, but no big deal. They miss a couple of players, but us too."
Mourinho also defended Andre Schurrle against critics for not being able to connect with the rest of the Chelsea team. Mourinho suggests the young Germany star is still adapting to English football and could be featured in the match against Schalke.
"He needs some time to adapt to a different league, a different profile of competition but he is a good player, an open kid who wants to work and to learn, so our hopes are on him," added Mourinho.
"We are happy with the investment in such a young player,' he answered, before responding to enquiries about another new recruit who has been in goalscoring form, Samuel Eto'o.
"He needs time, because in his career he played in Spain and Italy, a little bit in Russia, countries and championships different from the Premier League. Since the first day, he made an impact with the players. Everybody sees the fantastic quality he has."


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If you watch any of the programing on NFL Network or ESPN, listen to any NFL radio or pick up a sports magazine while killing time in a waiting room — you already know what they're saying about the Green Bay Packers.
The window is closing. But … is another opening?
A couple of weeks ago, Aaron Rodgers expressed this very sentiment in a post-season interview.
"It's the end of a window and the beginning of a new one. We can open up a [new] window that lasts four, five years."
Teams like the high-flying Denver Broncos and the defensive-minded Seattle Seahawks are the new "it" teams. Where the Packers once were fixed, hailed to be Super Bowl contenders each year, they are now being replaced by the young, physical teams of the future. Divisions that once produced a 7-9 playoff pretender are now ushering in two NFC Championship Super Bowl contenders. Likewise, dynasties like the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens are now hearing the faint train whistle blowing and are struggling to get off the tracks.
The league is ever-changing. It preaches parity and the ebb and flow of drafts, salary caps and rulebook renovation make it so.
Rodgers lamented that his now nine years in the league have come and gone quickly. He said that he would love to enjoy nine more. But can Packers Nation really expect another nine from our All-Pro, MVP quarterback? It's a fair question to ask, as legends like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are still enjoying elite success at 14 and 15 years in the league, respectively. Even Brett Favre (gasp!) enjoyed prolonged success for 18 seasons in the league (forgetting his finale season with the Minnesota Vikings).
We do know one thing for sure — we have Aaron Rodgers for six years. And whenever he is under center, the Green Bay Packers will always be in the conversation.
But he can't do it alone. Can he? No, that's silly — of course he can't. So, if what he said is true: if the Packers are closing the door on one era and cracking open the window to another, what actually needs to take place for that window to lead to another championship?
For starters:
- We have to protect our assets. Rodgers is a pretty hefty chunk of our salary cap for the next six years. He's our biggest investment. The Packers have to find ways to protect him. Don't get me wrong — he isn't your standard pocket passer. He is better than any quarterback I've seen when passing on the run. He scrambles to find open receivers and he nearly always does. But we have to keep him upright. When he has time to go through his reads and throw with confidence, he will carve up ANY defense, that has already been proven. We can't afford to operate with a makeshift offensive line anymore. It's time to piece together a "fantastic five."
- We need a dynamic 1-2 punch at running back; and I think we've found it. Eddie Lacy was more productive than even the coaching staff believed he could
be in his first year. With big plans for him and Dujuan Harris falling through in the offseason, James Starks stepped up big time. He has already been involved in one Super Bowl run; he's a dynamic change of pace back. He needs to be brought back and worked in tandem with Lacy for years to come.
- It's time to put together a solid defensive line. Matthews can't be the only pure pass rusher to come from the last four drafts. Nick Perry and Mike Neal are progressing but need to make the leap quickly. First-rounder Datone Jones has had time to adjust to the system and now needs to produce. With a shakeup coming for the D-linemen with free agency looming, we need some solid cornerstones to fall back on. And Johnny Jolly needs to be re-signed, sooner rather than later.
- We need an upheavel in the secondary. Mediocrity won't cut it at the safety position anymore and we can't tolerate uneven play at cornerback. We need a defense that has enough pride in themselves to separate from the boys and join the men. We need ball-hawks who want to make plays to give the ball back to our MVP quarterback.
While all of these things may sound daunting — it can be done with one draft and one offseason. We are already in the building phases.
A championship is within our grasp. We just need to stop worrying about things that we cannot control (i.e injuries) and take a firm hold of the things that we can.
Let's not waste the next six years, Green Bay Packers. Let's not allow the Aaron Rodgers era to come and go without really unearthing its possibilities.
There is only one thing better than a championship ring — multiple championship rings. The window is open …


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Hurricane Sandy has disrupted many performances in New York City, greatly impacting the New York Philharmonic's radio broadcast season. Here are the latest program highlights for December, which includes a performance of Messiah on December 23rd and a great family holiday special on December 30th.
12/2 Glinka: Overture to Ruslan and Ludmilla Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3 Elgar: Enigma Variations (Nikolai Lugansky, p; Charles Dutoit, cond)
12/9 Brahms: Concerto for Violin and Cello, Symphony No. 2 (Glenn Dicterow, v; Alisa Weilerstein, c; Kurt Masur, cond)
12/16 Brahms: Symphony Nos. 3 and 4 (Kurt Masur, cond)
12/23 Handel: Messiah (Gaechinger Kantorei, Stuttgart; Annette Dash, s; Daniel Taylor, ct; James Taylor, t; Shenyang, bs; Helmut Rilling, cond)
12/30 Winter Holiday Special (Skitch Henderson, p; Leonard Bernstein, Skitch Henderson, Danny Kaye, cond)