text:
Charges and counter-charges have been flying over the last 10 days after Harford County Public Schools leaders announced cutbacks to bus service and plans to begin collecting fees to participate in sports and other extracurricular activities.
Harford County Executive David Craig says he wants those actions rescinded, saying there are more acceptable alternatives.
At the center of the fight is the school system's $444 million budget for the 2013-14 school year that begins on Aug. 26. The budget is about $20 million less than what the Harford County Board of Education requested; the county executive and county council declined to fund the full request.
For the past four months, school leaders, members of the Harford County Council and the county executive have traded public barbs.
The county's action triggered unpopular responses from school officials, including elimination of raises planned for 5,300 school employees, the bus service cutbacks announced two weeks ago and the new sports and activity fees.
After more than 200 parents, students, elected officials, teachers and other school employees and their families packed the school board's last meeting on July 29, fingers began to point. More than 40 people spoke during the meeting, which ran about three-and-a-half hours because so many people offered comments.
Find money 'elsewhere'
On Tuesday, Craig again defended the county's action on the school budget, while also urging school officials to reconsider their own actions. He also reiterated that the school system received more money from the county for the coming year than it received from the county in the previous year.
"I do not question the Board members' dedication to education in any way," Craig wrote in a lengthy letter to the editor of The Aegis. "I do, however, question their judgment in the case. Were the changes in transportation practices and introduction of sports and activity fees enacted because they would cause the least impact to students and parents, or is it the opposite?"
"Considering the amount of money that these changes save - roughly $1.5 million out of a total budget of well over $400 million - I believe that these funds could have been easily found elsewhere in the school system's budget," he wrote.
Though Craig noted he has no authority to tell the school system how to spend its funds or handle operational and personnel decisions, he did offer his personal assistance and that of his budget staff "in finding areas where these funds can be found."
With teachers still seeking raises, school officials having to absorb millions in pension costs and the ever-increasing cost of "doing business," the issues that prompted the Harford County Board of Education to seek a major increase in local funds this year will most likely be present next year, one outspoken school board member says.
"I would not be surprised to see that any of those issues change," board member Robert Frisch said last week.
"There's just the general increased cost of doing business that really brought us to a point that, even without the negotiated [teacher] pay raise in the budget, we really couldn't continue as we were with the funding that we had," Frisch said.
Craig's office, which puts the county budget together each year and then submits it to the county council for final approval, also defended its school funding in a handout provided to visitors at the county's booth during the recent Farm Fair.
"Since Fiscal Year 2006, Harford County Government's contribution to Harford County Public Schools has increased by 26 percent and by 35 percent per student," administration officials wrote.
The handout was one of more than 50 "pieces of literature" available to fair goers who visited the county's tent "all of which addressed various programs and topics that we anticipated that residents would be interested in," Sherrie Johnson, Harford County's public information officer, wrote in an e-mail Thursday. Johnson said it cost the county $75.95 to print 1,000 of the handouts.
"The county executive disagrees with the recent actions of the board and feels that they were unnecessary," she wrote. "He will address the issue in a more formal setting in the coming weeks."
Tax increase warning
The school system's funding request for the 2013-2014 school year, which was introduced to the school board in late 2012, included a request of more than $241 million in county funds, $21 million more than what was budgeted for fiscal 2013, according to budget documents posted on the school system's website.


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It would have been so much better if you left yourself Anonymous…or if I was too stupid to figure out who it was xD
I love you.
Numbre? 1482. <3
It would have been so much better if you left yourself Anonymous…or if I was too stupid to figure out who it was xD
I love you.
Numbre? 1482. <3
Today happens to be October 24th. Really, noway.
Yeah way, & today, is theeee one year anniversary with my boyfriend, John. I've had one year before, nbd honestly. But… They've never meant thiiiis much to me. Just the thought of spending this much time, with a human being as amazing, fun loving, funny, adorable, super sweet & passionate, & accepting as him…hell, that just sets off fireworks in my chest ha butterflies bat around in my rib cage at just the idea. It's scary to think that this, being a teen love, probably won't last … but why would I think about that when my current state is utter unadulterated happiness? Why would anyone even think of what could be, when what's happening is so genuine & real? I am going to bask in this love for as long as I can, because even if it is my first, I sure as hell want it to last.
I've never let myself get to this point. I always sort of laughed at those doting couples that bat their eye lashes lovingly at one another in during a sappy little eskimo kiss … but now that I am one part of those lovesick couples, I know I wouldn't trade it for anything. This concoction of feelings, this solid relationship I've built with him means more to me than most things … which is another big turn for me. I've never placed relationships above much of anything at all. They were usually the least of my concerns, for my mentality was rooted in the fact that they come & go. Until this adorably shy guy passed a note to me in Science class & that was all it took. I gradually just kind of grew out of my usual behavior & fell madly in love with him. He drew me out of that controlling outlook. He brought out the better of me, the compassionate person I could always be, but chose not to. He makes me feel alive, he brings out who I really am & absolutely adores me for it, which is all that anyone could ever ask for. He thinks my dorky sense of humor is cute, that I'm beautiful even with my scars & actually CARES about me, how I'm feeling, & is the most sincere listener & the most comforting/loving/understanding person I have ever met. He's helped me so much more than he could ever know. He soothed my insecurities & just made me okay, he helped secure me in who I was, when I was lost & bouncing around in the fear of not being "good enough." Though, I will always believe that I'm not good enough for someone like him. He deserves anything & everything he could ever want, the best of anything, for he gives HIS best to everyone. He is that person who is there to make you smile & turn around your most awful days. He is that person who goes out of his way to help anybody, not for the sake of being a good person, but because he actually wants to, for he is the epitome of good-natured, thoughtful & loving human beings. I can pretty much guarantee that you will never encounter someone as sweet… & as humble. He doesn't realize how amazing he really is. He will never admit it, never agree with you, when it comes to him being some sort of angelic sweetheart. I think it's a cover up ha
those sappy eskimo kisses.
Hi. Hello. Shalome. Hola. Koneecheeewahzizzle. Hai.
I'm Kelsea.
How are you today?
You look very nice, I must say.
I love your blouse.
It'd better on my floor.
I'm new at this … popping my tumblr cherry.
It's an awkward experience for me,
but I'll give it a try.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Crow's Teeth
equine blog
Hi, My name is Valerie. I'm small, but not weak, and have an unmatched love for animals. I like trying to draw and looking at cool things outside and white tic tacs and women. I also enjoy learning and meeting new people.
I believe I was put on this big ol' earth for the sole purpose of helping animals and trying to help other people understand them.
When I grow up I want to be a unicorn.
I post a lot of useless rubbish but hopefully it makes you smile.
Improve upon the silence


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- ECDIS(Model FMD-3200/3300) [PDF/5.46 MB]
- Update : 2014.02.06
The ECDIS FMD-3200 (with 19" LCD) and FMD-3300 (with 23.1" LCD) deliver great enhancement in terms of user interface as well as functionality.
The ECDIS employs intelligently arranged Graphic User Interface elements that deliver task-based operation scheme to give the operator direct access to necessary operational procedure.
Also, the new ECDIS utilises cutting edge chart-drawing engine that delivers instantaneous chart redraw with the seamless zooming and panning, hence making the ECDIS operation stress-free.
The ECDIS will also bring about streamlined chart management scheme providing easy chart management independent of the chart providers. The ECDIS is compatible with Jeppesen Dynamic Licensing and it supports the Admiralty Information Overlay (AIO).
Fully complying with the performance standard of ECDIS stipulated in IMO resolution MSC.232(82), the ECDIS is going to be a suitable candidate designated for new installation as well as retrofit to fulfill ECDIS mandatory carriage that is phasing in from July 2012 onward.
Multifunction display capability, featuring ECDIS,Conning Information Display, Radar/Chart Radar* and Alert Management System**
*a radar sensor needs to be integrated in the network.
** Radar and Alert Management System display capabilities are to be implemented as software update after product release. (option)
Instantaneous chart redraw delivered by FURUNO's advanced chart drawing engine, making redraw latency a thing of the past
Intuitive new user interface offers fast, precise route planning, monitoring and navigation data management
Interface with existing FAR-21x7/FAR28x7 series Radar for Radar overlay, target track info, route and waypoint exchange via Ethernet
*Software update on FAR-21x7/FAR-28x7 series might be necessary depending on the program number.
Complies with the following IMO and IEC regulations:
- IEC 61174 Ed. 3
- IEC 61162-1 Ed. 4
- IEC 61162-2 Ed. 1


text:
Currently PLAYING: Dishonored, Lego Marvel Super Heroes
Currently WATCHING: X-Men the Animated Series, Angel.
starkid challenge - nine characters [9/9] draco malfoy
You must be Harry Potter, the famous bastard. My name is Draco Malfoy. I am a racist. I despise gingers and Mudbloods. I hate Gryffindor House and my parents work for the man that killed your parents. Do you want to be my friend?
Now if you have to spit up just do it right into Hagrid's beard, that's what I always do! Now tell me what's wrong? Harry?! What's the matter!?!
Rebloging until the day I die :)


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Old Town on the Adriatic
Start high above, and then head through the streets in this look at Dubrovnik, Croatia.
All Articles
Page: 1
36 Hours in Dubrovnik, Croatia
With its medieval Old Town and bird's-eye views of the Adriatic, Dubrovnik is no longer anyone's best-kept secret.
After more than a half-century in obscurity, the walled city of Dubrovnik is making up for lost time, quickly transforming the Croatian coast from a ragged backwater into a fashionable seaside resort.
In Croatia, a New Riviera Beckons
As the wounds of war heal, Croatia's beautiful and historic Dalmatian coast is being rediscovered by international trendsetters.
Page: 1


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1 year ago 5 notes
One year, two weeks, one day
I left the U.S. on a red-eye from IAD to CDG on September 25, 2011.
I have been thinking a lot about that first week recently. Part of it is the seasons changing from summer to fall. Part of it is remembering how a year has passed. Part of it is coincidental, like NPR broadcasting a story on le Pont des Arts yesterday morning. (It was particularly funny hearing a French woman exclaim how only tourists, not the French, put locks on the bridge.) Part of it is my picking up of James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room to read on the train last week and how his descriptions of New York and Paris remind me of the two cities I've spent the most time in this past year for weekend escapes.
It isn't that I have any grand musings on my time spent as a careless post-grad, rambling around Europe. But sometimes I can't stop the waves of nostalgia. It wasn't that long ago that I was there and I didn't adore every moment I spent in France, yet I still get those wistful feelings.
Zoë agrees that I need to slap myself.


text:
- Presenter
- Lorne Spicer
- Expert
- Jonty Hearnden
Cash in the Attic, Series 17 Episode 63 of 74
Duration: 45 minutes
Josie and Len Higgs want to buy a plasma screen, to treat their family to movie nights. Lorne Spicer and Jonty Hearnden help them sort through a lifetime of collectibles that can be sold at auction.
BBC © 2014 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.


text:
Is Priceline Wall Street's Starship Enterprise?
By Eileen Rojas - August 19, 2013 | Tickers: EXPE, PCLN, TRIP
The rise of Priceline.com (NASDAQ: PCLN) shares to a price target that no other S&P 500 stock has reached before speaks to current investor tolerance for high share prices. Two factors driving share prices higher include the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing and the improvements seen in the economy in recent months. Analyst Howard Silverblatt explains in the Wall Street Journal that companies are not engaging in as more »
Why This Online Traveling Company is in Trouble
By Adrian Campos - August 18, 2013 | Tickers: EXPE, PCLN, TRIP
The summer of 1999 was hot and long. Words like "dotcom" or "web" sounded the way "3D printers" or "e-cigarettes" sound today. The web was the next big thing, and online traveling sites were regarded as gold mines by many. In this context, online travel booking company Priceline (NASDAQ: PCLN) saw its share price reach almost $1000.
The aftermath was terrible. Priceline's shares dropped all the way down to more »
Are Online Travel Companies About to Take Off?
By Lior Cohen - August 8, 2013 | Tickers: OWW, PCLN, TRIP
If you are like me, then you usually plan your trips via big online travel companies such as Orbitz Worldwide (NYSE: OWW) and TripAdvisor (NASDAQ: TRIP). Even though I still occasionally use travel agents for international flights, the majority of my flights and hotel bookings are done via online travel sites. Considering the little growth in the U.S airline business, will these online-travel companies continue augmenting their revenue?
During more »
Can This Company Become Profitable This Year?
By Ishfaque Faruk - August 2, 2013 | Tickers: GOOG, TRIP, YELP
Rapidly growing consumer reviews platform Yelp (NYSE: YELP) has been a strong performer in 2013, with its stock price up more than 123% so far. The company has seen large increases in levels of user traffic to its platform. The company has built up a robust reputation among consumers by making its platform more social, and has a phenomenal position on mobile to keep up with secular shifts.
Strong revenue more »
After Recent Declines, Should Investors Buy Into Expedia?
By Rupert Hargreaves - August 1, 2013 | Tickers: EXPE, TZOO, TRIP
Expedia (NASDAQ: EXPE) has been one of the worst performers of the whole market in the past week, with the stock falling nearly 30% in just two days.
What went wrong?
Expedia is a good example of a growth company that missed expectations. Before the declines, the company traded at a trailing 12-month P/E ratio of 65 compared to the sector average of around 23.
Expedia was expecting to more »
This Online Travel Stock Looks out of Gas
By Vladimir Zernov - July 30, 2013 | Tickers: EXPE, TZOO, TRIP
Finding deals online is how modern consumers make their decisions. This is true for the travel industry as well. Various deal and booking sites fight for the growing number of customers. Travelzoo (NASDAQ: TZOO) is one of them. The stock has had a good year, up 53%. However, the recent earnings report was taken coldly despite the fact that the company had beaten estimates on both revenue and earnings. Investors more »
Is This Stock Tripping?
By Marshall Hargrave - July 29, 2013 | Tickers: EXPE, PCLN, TRIP
TripAdvisor (NASDAQ: TRIP) spiked 20% last week; the company beat EPS consensus estimates and net income was up 26% year-over-year. Its 2Q EPS of $0.46 was inline with consensus. Part of the big earnings bump was the fact that the company began its first TV ad campaign last quarter. It also snatched up five companies.
However, TripAdvisor's business model is a bit different than the likes of the more »
Who Should Investors Trust in the Scattered Online Travel Booking Industry?
By Ryan Guenette - July 29, 2013 | Tickers: EXPE, OWW, PCLN, TRIP
Over the past week, two of the most prominent companies in the online travel booking industry have reported second-quarter financial results. These reports sent one stock soaring 16%, and another plummeting almost 30%. With mixed signals coming from different companies, which perspective of the industry should investors trust?
What Happened
On July 24, TripAdvisor (NASDAQ: TRIP) reported second-quarter financial results, posting earnings of $0.46 per share, up 24% year more »
How Mobile Will Impact Online Travel Companies
By Ryan Peckyno - July 29, 2013 | Tickers: GOOG, PCLN, TRIP
A few months ago, I penned an article, 4 Top Internet Stock Picks. In that article, I highlighted a company that I feel has a very solid business model, TripAdvisor (NASDAQ: TRIP).
A few days ago, TripAdvisor's stock price soared, breaking out and reaching a new high, after a very strong earnings release. So let's take a closer look at TripAdvisor, its competition, the travel industry, and the more »
Billionaire Steve Cohen's SAC Reports 5.2% Stake in This Internet Stock
By Meena Krishnamsetty - July 25, 2013 | Tickers: RATE, TRIP, WBMD, YELP
A 13G filed with the SEC has reported that billionaire Steve Cohen's SAC Capital Advisors owns 2.6 million shares of WebMD Health (NASDAQ: WBMD), giving it 5.2% of the total shares outstanding of the $1.5 billion market cap health information website. At Insider Monkey, we can see from our database of 13F filings (which we track as part of our research on investment strategies; we have more »
Will Yelp Become the Next $10 Billion Social Media Company?
By Mark Holder - July 22, 2013 | Tickers: LNKD, TRIP, YELP
As investors ponder if Yelp (NYSE: YELP) is overvalued at $42, the big picture needs to be considered. The company has a market value of $2.7 billion and revenue that will only cross $200 million this year. While it might be difficult to envision it as worth $10 billion at this point, the company appears to have all the makings of a future that big.
The company is a more »
This Stock Is Heading To $1,000 a Share and Higher
By Jayson Derrick - July 18, 2013 | Tickers: EXPE, PCLN, TRIP
Priceline.com (NASDAQ: PCLN) is trading in the low $900 range, and I believe that not only will the stock reach $1,000 a share, but also continue to appreciate from there.
One of highest quality companies in the Internet space
Priceline.com is a low cost operator with a focus on large industry profit pools and a management team with an acquisition strategy focus. That being said, it would more »
OpenTable Might Surprise You
By Dan Moskowitz - July 17, 2013 | Tickers: OPEN, TRIP, YELP
OpenTable (NASDAQ: OPEN) is up more than 77% over the past 12 months, as well as approximately 40% year to date. At the same time, the stock carries a hefty short position of 20%. Trading at 30 times forward earnings, some shorts might have taken their position based on valuation alone. Other shorts might have established their positions based on longer term concerns.
The good news
OpenTable's revenue has more »
Yelping for a Higher Stock Price
By Mark Holder - July 9, 2013 | Tickers: ANGI, TRIP, YELP
The local ad market offers tons of opportunity and Yelp (NYSE: YELP) provides possibly the best way to play that market. The local online ad market already has reached $23 billion of the roughly $100 billion spent in local ads each year. Yelp is quickly placing itself as the place to generate high quality leads via check-ins, reservations, clicks to their websites, phone calls, and even directions with a depth more »
Three Risky Review Site Investments
By Dan Moskowitz - July 1, 2013 | Tickers: ANGI, TRIP, YELP
Yelp (NYSE: YELP) continues to expand its domestic and international geographic reach. Those expansions come with costs, however, including lower margins. The game plan is for the costs to pay off in the future, of course, but how risky would it be for you to make that bet? Are there review sites that offer better investment opportunities, such as TripAdvisor (NASDAQ: TRIP) or Angie's List (NASDAQ: ANGI)?
We'll more »
3 Web-Based Businesses That Profit From Leisure
By Victor Selva - June 27, 2013 | Tickers: OPEN, SFLY, TRIP
You travel, you dine out, you take pictures… you spend money. This is my list of Internet services related to leisure activities: TripAdvisor (NASDAQ: TRIP) is used for voyages, OpenTable (NASDAQ: OPEN) is used to eat out and Shutterfly (NASDAQ: SFLY) is used to keep the memories alive. These three companies beneficiate from increasing disposable incomes around the world and an ever-growing use of the Internet as a research, reservation more »
Why Should You Be Bullish on Expedia?
By Kiran Gulati - June 19, 2013 | Tickers: EXPE, PCLN, TRIP
Growth in the U.S. online travel market has witnessed a slowdown, which resulted in online travel agencies (OTAs) such as Expedia (NASDAQ: EXPE) exploring other profitable markets. The Asia-Pacific region is a rapidly growing market, especially for the online travel industry. At present, Expedia possesses a 4% market share in the Asian-Pacific online travel market.
It must be noted Expedia's revenue generated from international markets increased from 35 more »
How Does This Internet Travel Company Measure Up?
By Dan Moskowitz - June 18, 2013 | Tickers: EXPE, PCLN, TRIP
Would you like to enjoy a luxurious vacation on the beach? Find an affordable seven-night cruise in Alaska? Plan an itinerary for your European adventure? If so, then Expedia (NASDAQ: EXPE) might be your best option. However, this doesn't mean Expedia is the best investment option compared to its peers.
As many investors already know, Priceline (NASDAQ: PCLN) has been the biggest winner for Internet travel companies over the more »
Jana Partners Jams Things Up
By Marshall Hargrave - May 27, 2013 | Tickers: AIG, NFLX, BA, TRIP
Barry Rosenstein founded Jana Partners in 2001, and now has some $3.5 billion in assets under management. The hedge fund focuses on value-oriented and event-driven strategies. A couple of Jana's latest activist campaigns include its fight with Ashland and Agrium. Outlined below are a few of Jana's notable sell-offs and additions during the first quarter, per the fund's quarterly filing with the SEC (check out Jana more »
Are Online Reviews Destroying Small Business?
By AnnaLisa Kraft - May 25, 2013 | Tickers: ANGI, TRIP, YELP
Starting a small business is a brave endeavor with a US failure rate of 44%. Online review sites can drastically alter the odds one way or another.
The bad news
Yelp (NYSE: YELP), Angie's List (NASDAQ: ANGI), and TripAdvisor (NASDAQ: TRIP), are the three go-to sites for consumer online reviews on local business, services, and travel, respectively. The one with the greatest impact on small business is Yelp.
According more »
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In an effort to sustain the congregation after selling Temple Beth Sholom, Cantor Judy Merrick reached out to First Presbyterian Church to ask if they could share a space to hold religious services.
According to a report in Newsday, the church was quick to share their space, which they already lend to a group of Korean Presbyterians.
Merrick hopes to draw in more worshippers at the new location. First Presbyterian's pastor, Rev. James Hulsey, doesn't plan on charging Merrick for the first three months in order to first determine if the Temple has enough support from the congregation in the new location.
Click here to read the entire Newsday article.


text:
Solely in love with Carol Peletier. She is my queen; a victim embracing the change within herself, triggering her transition from victim to survivor.
Redefining society's norms one machete at a time.
Ask me anything | Archive | RSS
Latest Tweets:
July 24 2013
If Carol dies, we join together and RIOT!
(Tweet this pic out, reblog, come on let's be heard)


text:
Next, you'll be asked to connect with Twitter. Rest assured, we will never send a tweet from your account
without your permission.
We will send you an email with an invite soon.
RT @NBCNews: From Dallas to Damascus: The Texas 'straight shooter' who could replace Syria's Assad http://t.co/9l0LMgHnBP
RT @Reuters: Death toll in Damascus mosque blast rises to 42 -Syria government
RT @Reuters: Woman charged with capital murder in connection with Texas prosecutors' killings: source
RT @Reuters: LIVE NOW: Texas news conference update on fertilizer plant explosion
RT @Reuters: Mayor says 14 dead in Texas fertilizer plant blast
See what's Trending Now for @AntDeRosa
Follow @AntDeRosa on Twitter


text:
Local: In Alameda
In Alameda – Local News, Information, Events and Photos -
Monthly Archive for November, 2013
The Broad Brush: Your Alameda News in Brief
Welcome to this week's edition of The Broad Brush, your 60-second news review. Here's what happened this holiday week. When Anne Lipow became frustrated about her inability to find anything but cheap, plastic dreidels she decided to design and manufacture her own, starting The Dreidel Factory in 1974. Nearly four decades later her daughter, Stephanie […] [Read More]
Alameda in history: The USS Hornet
By David Baker As many are aware, on, November 16, marked a pair of significant milestones for Alameda's resident aircraft carrier: the 70th anniversary of the Hornet's commissioning during World War II, and 15th year in service as a museum. The Hornet celebrated this momentous occasion by holding a formal gala to honor its legacy […] [Read More]
Alameda youth's art on Caldecott Tunnel
Ellina Bartholomew-Couts is constantly creating – doodles in her schoolbooks, drawings, earrings made out of plants. "There isn't a day I don't do art," she said. "Art is 99 percent of me." While friends and family members have long been aware of her artistic prowess, the 11-year-old's work is now finding a much wider audience: […] [Read More]
Friends remember late Wood School custodian
By Janice Worthen Every Friday, the staff at Wood Middle School in Alameda wear blue "Happy Friday" pins in honor of Paul Hardy Parker, a custodian at Wood Middle School who passed away this past July. Parker worked for the Alameda Unified School District for 24 years, and for those who knew him, he was […] [Read More]
Video: The Dreidel Factory
Video by Donna Eyestone. When Anne Lipow became frustrated about her inability to find anything but cheap, plastic dreidels she decided to design and manufacture her own, starting The Dreidel Factory in 1974. Her daughter, Stephanie, has fond memories of the time they spent together at street fairs, selling the wooden tops Anne and her […] [Read More]
The Broad Brush: Your Alameda News in 60 Seconds
Welcome to this week's edition of The Broad Brush, your 60-second news review. Here are your headlines for the week. Veteran naval aviators shared plenty of sea stories during a special Living Ship Day celebration held aboard Saturday aboard the Hornet, moored permanently at Alameda Point. Though the foundation that runs the ship has a […] [Read More]
Alameda Hospital board okays affiliation deal with Alameda Health System
Alameda Hospital's governing board approved a deal Thursday that will see a countywide health care provider assume operations of the financially ailing hospital, a move hospital managers have said will keep the its highly desired emergency room open and provide the cash needed to perform near-term seismic upgrades the special district set up to operate […] [Read More]
Council considers sea rise protections at Alameda Point
The City Council on Tuesday tackled the impacts of anticipated sea level rise at Alameda Point – and specifically, the task of figuring out how much protection to erect, and when. "You're essentially buying an insurance policy. And the City Council needs to decide how much you want to pay up front, and how much […] [Read More]
Alameda schools leaders get state funding plan update
Alameda's school board got a rundown Tuesday on what one trustee called the "brave new world" of school funding that school districts across California are entering as the state begins its rollout of a new school funding formula this year. The new funding formula could mean more money for Alameda's schools over the eight years […] [Read More]
Pacific Pinball Museum to stay in Alameda
The Pacific Pinball Museum is planning to lease and restore the city's long-vacant Carnegie Library, its leaders announced Monday, a move that will keep the museum on-Island. The four-year-old museum's leaders and the city have signed a letter of intent detailing plans for the museum to lease the 111-year-old library building, at the corner of […] [Read More]
Show More


text:
Sal Mineo was nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The second time was for Exodus (1960). His first nomination and probably his most famous role was for playing troubled teenager Plato in Rebel Without a Cause
(1955), co-starring alongside James Dean. This role certainly put Mineo
on the map and almost instantly shot him into the Hollywood
stratosphere. However, it was quickly revealed behind the scenes that
Mineo was gay, a fact that he didn't really hide. As a result, it became
difficult for him in the 60s to get certain movies that he wanted. He
started to struggle in the film world and ran into financial troubles.
Things got hard, and it wasn't until the mid-70s that his career began
to rebound, but, like his Rebel Without a Cause co-stars, Mineo's
life was cut short tragically when on February 12, 1976, Mineo was
murdered, having been stabbed in the chest outside his West Hollywood
apartment at night. Mineo died at the age of 37.
Instead of depicting or showing what those 37 years were like, director James Franco focuses on February 12, that last day of Mineo's life. Franco's approach is similar to the recent Fruitvale Station where he's using the last day as the ultimate example of showing who Mineo was, which could be a good approach, but the life of Oscar Grant in Fruitvale Station could be reduced to one day. As to say, it could be explored and even fully developed in short span. The same can't be said about Mineo. Limiting this movie to one day loses so much about Mineo's life.
Based on the book Sal Mineo: A Biography by Michael Gregg Michaud, the screenplay by Stacey Miller is certainly informed properly but so much doesn't translate that it was difficult to even care about the Mineo depicted here. Franco's direction and his choices don't help either. Franco opens with a news report of Mineo's death that was mentioned rather nonchalantly and quickly and then the anchor moved on to the weather report without any pause or indication that his death meant anything or was significant at all.
It's odd because at the end of the movie Franco shows a different report by NBC News that shows Mineo's corpse uncovered lying in the middle of the street. I can't speak as to what the mindset was for the TV news reporters in 1976, but today, it is rare, very rare, that an uncovered corpse would be broadcast as brazenly as it was then. Again, the idea in retrospect makes it seem like Mineo didn't matter and certainly that his death wasn't anything to be respected.
I don't suppose that this was Franco's intention. That would have been bold and daring of Franco, but I don't think his goal was ultimately to depict Mineo as someone who didn't matter. That being said, I'm not sure what Franco's purpose here was. If it was simply to depict Mineo's last day, then that's fine but that doesn't do justice to Mineo's life and the true tragedy his loss was.
Honestly, there are only two scenes that are interesting at all. The first is a scene where Sal Mineo, played by Val Lauren, meets with Billy Belasco, his agent or perhaps producing partner, played by Vince Jolivette. It's a meeting where Sal talks about how he wants to direct his upcoming movie, and what he wants it to be about. Billy voices concerns that the studio might have, given that the movie features a homosexual rape.
Recently, James Franco spoke out about how Australia's Office of Film and Literature Classification banned the gay film I Want Your Love by Travis Matthews from playing at the Sydney Mardi Gras Film Festival due to its depiction of gay sex. Franco didn't think it was fair and posted a video saying as much. The scene between Sal and Billy is an expression or an extension of that conflict. So, on that level, it was a compelling scene.
The only other scene that was interesting in the slightest was when Sal goes to the Westwood Playhouse to rehearse the play he was set to star. It was called P. S. Your Cat Is Dead. Sal's co-star on the stage was Keir Dullea, played by Jim Parrack (True Blood). Keir was famous for playing the main character in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), and it was simply funny watching this rehearsal because it got to a point where it seems that Keir was not the best actor for that role. Keir forgets his lines. He gets confused easily. Clearly, he needs way more direction than Sal from the theater director who was Milton Katselas, played by James Franco himself.
Watching Mineo's reactions is brilliant and getting the feeling generated through the dynamic between Keir and Milton is fun as well. If you haven't seen the play or the movie based on it, the scene-within-the-scene will seem bizarre, but that in itself can be brilliant to discover and piece together.
The rest of the movie though is rather boring. We see a too long sequence of Sal at the gym. We see a too long sequence of Sal going to the toilet, then making coffee and finally drinking juice out of the carton. There are various other scenes that feel really random and that make no sense because there's no context. For example, we see Sal go to a clinic and get an injection and we don't know why. Sal meets a sassy black woman who complains about his lack of cleaning and we don't know who she is.
A lot of it doesn't seem all that informative or insightful into Mineo's life. One scene where Sal is on the phone talking about his family does so, but everything else felt like padding.
I also have to add that the real Sal Mineo was a very, very beautiful boy. Mineo wasn't just handsome. He was gorgeous. No offense to Val Lauren, but he is nowhere near as good-looking as Mineo was, even at the age of 37, so just seeing Lauren took me out of the movie because his presence always felt less than Mineo.
Two Stars out of Five.
Not Rated but recommended for mature audiences.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 26 mins.
Available via VOD everywhere.
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The U.S. House Foreign Affairs Western Hemisphere Subcommittee chose the fitting location of Tucson, Arizona, to convene a field hearing on trade facilitation in the border region on December 9. Dotted with cacti, this college town lies at the heart of the desert landscape that belonged to Mexico until the Gadsden Purchase of 1853. Today, Mexico is Arizona's largest trading partner, yet perceptions of the border often identify it as a security threat rather than as an economic opportunity.
Last week's hearing marked a refreshing effort to rebalance policymakers' attention. In his opening statement, Chairman Matt Salmon (AZ-R) defined the objective: "to get at what we need to do in the public and private sectors to improve border infrastructure and better facilitate trade without letting down our guard on security efforts." Recognizing that the two economies are deeply intertwined, he pointed to "the good news"—that the commercial relationship continues to grow—and "the bad news"—that ports of entry face significant challenges in keeping up with this growth.
Western Hemisphere Subcommittee Ranking Member Albio Sires (NJ-D) alluded to the solutions needed to resolve tensions between border security and trade facilitation, while Representative Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-D) criticized "long and unpredictable wait times" at the border. Representative Ron Barber (AZ-D) unequivocally stated that "we must expedite the legal flow of traffic," and Representative David Schweikert (AZ-R) cited the "amazing opportunity" represented by the potential for lower energy costs bolstering a manufacturing renaissance on both sides of the border.
On both sides of the aisle, the consensus was that the security-versus-trade debate has been overly skewed towards the former.
September has been a difficult month for U.S. policy toward Latin America. Between the crisis in Syria and the NSA surveillance disclosures, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry cancelled an address to the annual CAF conference, Vice President Joe Biden cancelled a trip to Panama, and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff cancelled a state visit to Washington DC.
The sole exception to the raft of cancellations was the launch of the U.S.-Mexico High Level Economic Dialogue (HLED), which still took place on September 20 in Mexico City, in the presence of Biden and several U.S. cabinet officials.
That the Mexico trip was planned at all testifies to the importance of the economic relationship with our third-largest trading partner. That it happened according to schedule says a great deal about Biden's emerging role as an envoy to the Americas, and about the Mexican administration's pragmatism and diplomatic maturity.
Biden first outlined the Obama administration's commitment to deepening engagement with the Western Hemisphere at the Council of the Americas' 43rd Washington Conference on the Americas in May. Soon after, he traveled to Brazil, Colombia, and Trinidad and Tobago. He also hired Juan S. González, a well-respected Latin Americanist as his Special Advisor on the Western Hemisphere (a first for his small foreign policy team). This week, he is scheduled to meet with Uruguayan President José Mujica as well as with members of U.S. Congress for a wide-ranging conversation on the region. Previous presidents have appointed special envoys for the Americas, but in Obama's second term, the vice president himself has emerged as the de facto—and much more powerful—emissary for U.S. interests to Latin America's rising economic and diplomatic powers.
Of those powers, Mexico is the clear priority. "The Western Hemisphere has always mattered to the United States, but I think it matters more today because it has more potential than any time in American history," Biden pronounced at the conference in May. Last week in Mexico, he was explicit about the primacy of economic interests with our NAFTA partner: "There is no relationship that we value more, there is no economic relationship that we think holds the most promise and there is no part of the world that has the opportunity to do as much to generate economic growth over the next 20 or 30 years in the hemisphere."
Yoani Sánchez is known for her mordant accounts of the vicissitudes of life under a repressive government. Yet on Wednesday night, at an auditorium at Georgetown University simply adorned with a Cuban flag, I was inspired not only by the lyricism of her Spanish, but by her tone of reconciliation and hope. In wide-ranging remarks, the dream of "a Cuba where all Cubans fit" was the recurring theme.
The island of Sánchez's imagination celebrates intellectual pluralism, suppressed for decades but now growing from a whisper to a clamor in the "virtual Cuba" of dissident bloggers. It also unites Cubans "from the two shores." Sánchez vividly conjured the image of islanders and exiles looking at two sides of a mirror and recognizing each other, in direct defiance of a government that has separated gusanos (worms) from revolutionaries.
The equally intrepid blogger Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo, who joined Sánchez on her whirlwind speaking tour in Washington DC expressed the joy he finds in building bridges with the Cuban diaspora. Responding to requests from Cubans around the world, he snaps photographs of stucco houses shaded by mango trees, family crypts in the Cemetery of Colón, even the graceful slope of Havana's seawall—all frozen in the memory of the exiliado.
Fears of a trade war between the United States and Mexico escalated on Thursday following a preliminary decision in the politics of tomatoes. In a surprising and premature ruling, the Commerce Department sided with Florida tomato producers in terminating an agreement that has set a minimum price on Mexican tomatoes imported into the United States over the past 16 years.
The Mexican Government has already threatened to retaliate, with ramifications for other commodity producers caught in the cross-fire. Earlier this week, Secretary of Economy Bruno Ferrari had promised that if the United States makes a hasty decision, instead of conducting a standard 270-day review, "Mexico will use all our legal means to defend our producers." A final ruling could also endanger talks over other bilateral trade disputes.
For Mexican tomato growers, termination of the agreement would allow U.S. growers to file formal complaints accusing the Mexicans of unfair trade practices, which they did repeatedly before the agreement's adoption in 1996. The Mexicans argue that they are being punished for their success—for growing a superior product and for honoring the pact over 16 years.
Thursday's announcement seemed particularly harsh given the timing: Mexican tomato producers were scheduled to meet with officials at the Commerce Department on Friday to discuss ways to resolve the dispute. The growers have said they are willing to accept a higher floor price for their tomatoes.
Fears of a trade war between the United States and Mexico escalated on Thursday following a preliminary decision in the politics of tomatoes. In a surprising and premature ruling, the Commerce Department sided with Florida tomato producers in terminating an agreement that has set a minimum price on Mexican tomatoes imported into the United States over the past 16 years.
The Mexican Government has already threatened to retaliate, with ramifications for other commodity producers caught in the cross-fire. Earlier this week, Secretary of Economy Bruno Ferrari had promised that if the United States makes a hasty decision, instead of conducting a standard 270-day review, "Mexico will use all our legal means to defend our producers." A final ruling could also endanger talks over other bilateral trade disputes.
For Mexican tomato growers, termination of the agreement would allow U.S. growers to file formal complaints accusing the Mexicans of unfair trade practices, which they did repeatedly before the agreement's adoption in 1996. The Mexicans argue that they are being punished for their success—for growing a superior product and for honoring the pact over 16 years.
Thursday's announcement seemed particularly harsh given the timing: Mexican tomato producers were scheduled to meet with officials at the Commerce Department on Friday to discuss ways to resolve the dispute. The growers have said they are willing to accept a higher floor price for their tomatoes.
On October 8, Mexico is set to become a full partner in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations. As Mexican Ambassador to the United States Arturo Sarukhan is fond of saying, with TPP Mexico and the U.S. are playing chess, not checkers. Indeed, Mexico's participation in the high-standards pact represents a unique opportunity to consolidate our strategic bilateral partnership and deepen our economic integration in the context of like-minded countries along the Pacific Rim.
Yet even as we celebrate cooperation at the level of geopolitics and multilateral negotiations, we cannot ignore the more prosaic frictions that inevitably arise in such a broad and dynamic relationship. Recently, these have included spats over chickens and washing machines, while the latest issue revolves around tomatoes.
Tomato disputes have a long history. With the advantages of ideal soil and climate conditions and low labor costs, Mexico became a major player in the U.S. market following the embargo placed on Cuba in 1962. After decades of tomato trade wars, the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1992 eliminated tariffs on Mexican tomatoes over a ten-year transition period, despite the opposition of Florida agricultural producers. In 1996, at the behest of Florida's tomato industry, the U.S. Commerce Department initiated an anti-dumping investigation to determine whether tomato imports from Mexico were being sold at less than fair market value. To suspend the investigation, Mexican producers agreed to a minimum price for imports. This so-called "suspension agreement" has been honored for 16 years, with two renewals as well as adjustments of the reference price.
Fast forward to the electoral year of 2012, and Florida tomato growers have requested that the Commerce Department end the suspension agreement so they can initiate a new anti-dumping investigation against Mexican tomatoes. They argue that the agreement is outdated and fails to protect them against the Mexican competition; their critics accuse them of a transparent attempt to use a swing state's political clout on behalf of protectionist interests.
Assembled in the White House Rose Garden for a joint press conference on Monday, the "three amigos" of North America projected an image of trilateral comity in keeping with the depth of their countries' relationships. Yet Mexican President Felipe Calderón and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper departed the one-day North American Leaders' Summit without a firm commitment from U.S. President Barack Obama on their request to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Buried in the penultimate line of the lengthy joint statement was a coy response: "The United States welcomes Canada's and Mexico's interest in joining the TPP as ambitious partners."
As President Obama acknowledged in the Rose Garden, TPP's high-standards approach "could be a real model for the world." Indeed, the goal of the original four TPP members—Brunei, Chile, New Zealand, and Singapore—was to create a uniquely comprehensive agreement to which like-minded countries on both sides of the Pacific could accede, thus linking Asia and the Americas. Similarly, the U.S. decision to join TPP made more sense for the bloc's potential to grow than for the market-access gains to be found in the members' relatively small economies. For Washington, TPP carries significant strategic weight as long as it continues to expand.
To its credit, the Obama administration recognizes the geopolitical benefits of TPP in the context of increased U.S. engagement with the Asia-Pacific. Its reluctance to advocate for expanded participation from the Western Hemisphere, however, risks a gross strategic oversight. As Harper candidly remarked to an audience at the Woodrow Wilson Center on Monday, while "most of the members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership would like to see Canada join, I think there's some debate, particularly within the (Obama) administration, about the merits of that."
At the conclusion of the Fifth Summit of the Americas in 2009, President Obama called for hemispheric partnership in place of "stale debates and old ideologies." Three years later, the stalest of all debates is once again dividing the region. Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa leads a threat to protest the absence of Cuba at the Sixth Summit by boycotting the entire event. While the political storm clouds will likely dissipate before April, the episode reveals the magnified symbolic importance of the lone outlier in the inter-American system.
Correa's proposal immediately met with the avid support of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and the other members of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) bloc gathered in Caracas last weekend. In response, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department appropriately pointed out that Cuba has not reached the threshold for participation—the essential elements of a representative democracy—as recognized at the Third Summit in Québec in 2001. The Secretary-General of the Organization of the American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, hastened to add that the Cuban government has not requested "the process of dialogue" necessary to participate in the OAS, as stipulated by the 2009 resolution that revoked its nearly five-decade-old suspension. Meanwhile, Colombian Foreign Minister María Ángela Holguín has reiterated that an invitation does not depend on her government, which will host the Summit in Cartagena, but rather must result from a consensus decision among the member countries.
The notable lack of consensus is striking for what it says about the incentives and challenges faced by each of the actors involved. Policy toward Cuba has always generated controversy, less for the island itself than for larger principles; Cuba can represent either a litmus test for a government's commitment to human rights and democracy or, as is so common in Latin America, a measure of a government's independence from Washington. While this week's debate does indeed spark a sense of déjà vu, it also demonstrates shifting dynamics in inter-American relations.
For Ecuador's agent provocateur, Cuba fits neatly into a strategy of discrediting the OAS in favor of hemispheric organizations that exclude the United States, principally the new Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). Correa is locked in a fight with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, an autonomous branch of the OAS that has documented his abuse of press freedoms. Fellow firebrand Hugo Chávez is facing his own domestic problems, with rising inflation and crime endangering his electoral prospects in the October presidential contest while also contributing to a loss of regional influence for the ALBA bloc. In this context, Caracas and Quito have little to lose in promoting Havana's participation in the Cartagena Summit, even knowing that the proposal will be a non-starter in Washington.
With the expiration of the U.S. tariff on ethanol imports at the end of 2011, this year marks a potential watershed in U.S.–Brazil trade ties. For three decades, Washington protected corn-based ethanol producers from Brazil's more environmentally-friendly and economically-efficient sugar-based ethanol. Now, without the 54-cent-per-gallon tariff on imported ethanol or the corresponding 45-cent-per-gallon tax credit, the U.S. market is open for business for ethanol imports.
The demise of these protectionist measures removes a bone of contention with the Brazilian government, saves U.S. taxpayers about $6 billion a year and expands access to cleaner energy for U.S. consumers. Though the move will have positive foreign policy repercussions, it stemmed from domestic political dynamics: as the industry matured, subsidies became a harder sell, particularly at a time of high corn prices.
Ironically, Brazilian ethanol production fell in 2011, requiring imports from the United States to meet local demand. This unusual situation, largely due to poor weather and delays in crop replanting after the 2008 financial crisis, will minimize the immediate impact of the end of the U.S. ethanol tariff. Still, industry analysts expect new investment to revive exports.
Peter Smith's classic text on U.S.-Latin American relations, Talons of the Eagle, posits a basic rule: the greater the perception of extra-hemispheric threat, the greater the attention to Latin America. This is particularly true in the U.S. Congress, where the region's diversification of relations beyond the Western Hemisphere tends to arouse suspicion and competitive pressure.
China is the most obvious target, oft-mentioned in the debate over the free-trade agreements with Colombia and Panama. India has also become more active in the region, and even Russia is touting its renewed interest in Latin America. It is Iran, however, that is doing the most to raise congressional hackles—vividly so in a recent House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on "Emerging Threats and Security in the Western Hemisphere."
As Chairman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen recognized in her opening statement, the hearing could not have been more timely, coming two days after U.S. officials announced an alleged attempt by the Iranian Quds Force to hire the Zetas, a Mexican criminal organization, to assassinate Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Washington.
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos drew laughter and applause when he placed the U.S.-Colombia free-trade agreement (FTA) in the "hands of God" at an AS/COA program last month. But now that the White House has submitted the long-pending pact to Congress, its earthly fate lies just where it belongs.
House Speaker John Boehner has pledged quick consideration of the agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea, in tandem with the Senate-passed legislation reauthorizing Trade Adjustment Assistance. This afternoon the Ways and Means Committee favorably reported out all three implementing bills, leaving supporters and opponents to gear up for a floor debate and vote expected as early as next Wednesday.
That debate will center on job creation on the one hand and labor concerns on the other—particularly in the case of Colombia, which remains the most controversial of the three countries. The Obama Administration has rightly emphasized the economic arguments that carry weight on Capitol Hill in the context of 9 percent unemployment. But it's worth remembering that the FTAs are just as important to U.S. geopolitical interests.
"I've got a flag on my lapel, not a maple leaf," U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk exclaimed at a Senate Finance Committee hearing in March. Today, as Canada's free-trade agreement (FTA) with Colombia enters into force, it is the maple leaf that represents competitive pressures on U.S. market share and the political influence that goes with it.
Canada and Colombia are two of our closest friends in the Western Hemisphere, and their strengthened commercial ties clearly benefit their mutual interests as well as Washington's broader goal of promoting open markets and economic development. Yet U.S. businesses and their congressional advocates are keenly aware that Canada has beat us to the punch, leaving U.S. exporters to an important emerging market at a competitive disadvantage.
The implications of delayed ratification of the U.S.-Colombia FTA are not lost on either Colombia or Canada. As Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos bluntly put it in a recent interview with Americas Quarterly, "American products are being replaced in the Colombian market because other countries have free-trade agreements. If the FTA is not approved shortly, the U.S. will continue losing market share." Those losses will be particularly acute in the agricultural sector, where duty-free Canadian wheat will likely replace U.S. imports.
After Republicans won the House last November, predictions of gridlock usually cited one potential exception—trade policy. President Obama affirmed his support for free-trade agreements (FTAs) in his State of the Union address in January, raising hopes that the three pending deals could be approved this year. As a Senate Foreign Relations Committee minority report argued, in an era of divided government, the agreements "provide an opportunity for bipartisan cooperation on the administration's stated goal of doubling exports in 5 years."
If only it were that easy. While yesterday's "mock mark-ups" were a welcome and necessary step, they didn't stand out for bipartisanship. The House Ways and Means Committee approved the implementing bills for the Colombia and Panama FTAs on partisan lines, with all Republican Members voting for them and all Democratic Members voting against. Many of these Democrats expressed support for the agreements, but used their nay votes to protest the omission of Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) in the South Korea bill.
Indeed, TAA has proved to be the partisan sticking point. Many Republicans and Democrats can agree that free-trade agreements are tools to spur job creation and growth without deficit spending, but the same can't be said of training for displaced workers. The unfortunate irony is that the fiscal cost of renewed funding for TAA would be much lower than the cost incurred to U.S. businesses by a failure to approve the three FTAs.
On the Senate side, the Finance Committee met yesterday on the second try, after Republicans boycotted the mock-up originally scheduled for June 30. The South Korea bill, with TAA language included, was the target of the partisan standoff, passing on party lines by 13 Democrats to 11 Republicans. Ranking Member Orrin Hatch vowed to vote against the agreement if it includes "the TAA poison pill." For once, Colombia was less controversial with an 18-6 vote, and Panama passed easily, 22 to 2. No amendments passed.
As U.S. trade policy has returned to the headlines in 2011, much of the discussion is focused on packaging the three pending pacts (Colombia, Panama and South Korea) into one large bill or sequencing the consideration of each individual free-trade agreement (FTA). And more recently talk is centered on the impasse over Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA). But less attention is on other components of the broader trade agenda awaiting congressional action, namely extension of trade preference programs.
Back in February, Republicans scrapped a House of Representatives vote on extension of the Andean Trade Preferences Act (ATPA) to protest the lack of a firm timetable for moving the Colombia and Panama FTAs. The result: duty-free treatment expired for Colombian and Ecuadorian imports. Since then, the Obama administration has pressed for renewal, even as the future of this 20-year-old program remains in doubt. Could the next renewal of ATPA be its last?
Initial ATPA participants included Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador. The goal was a noble one: to encourage a shift away from illegal drug production by expanding alternative export sectors and promoting economic growth. In 2008, Bolivia was suspended from the program when the Bush Administration deemed it incompliant with eligibility criteria related to counter-narcotics cooperation, and in 2010, Peru was dropped from the list of beneficiaries following approval of its FTA with the United States.
Now, only Colombia and Ecuador are left. In Colombia's case, the argument for one more renewal is sound. Exporters are counting on a retroactive extension that will cover tariff costs since February, and they'll continue to need the preferences until the FTA enters into force, assuming all goes well in Congress this summer. The bigger picture is that Colombia is a key U.S. ally that deserves better than the uncertainty created by short-term extensions. The most recent ATPA renewal, in December 2010, lasted only six weeks.
June 1: This AQ-Efecto Naím segment looks at sustainable cities in the hemisphere.


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REK Extending Bookcase by Reinier de Jong
Earlier in the week, we posted about the Platzhadler Expandable Bookshelves. This morning we ran across a similar idea with Reinier de Jong's design for the REK extending bookcase...
Reinier de Jong's REK has five parts that slide in and out fo each other to customize the size of your bookcase. We must admit that we like this version of an extending bookcase much better! Can anyone read Dutch? Where is the REK available and how much does it cost? Via: dezeen.
23 Comments
Wow. What incredible design. Form and function at the highest level.
It's lovely.
This is an expandable bookcase done right! Great job.
A beautiful paradox, that one...
Anyone who uses bookshelves for, you know, books, will only see the collapsed form once. Where would you put all of the things formerly held on the shelves when it is closed? And if you did not have much to store on them so as to allow it to expand and contract, why own a bookshelf in the first place?
I think it's very beautiful but the collapsing functionality is somewhat lost on me.
What's the point? When it's collapsed it's just a huge block of wood that has some nice structural details.
The "awful," "ridiculous," "crazy," V-shaped one was at least functional in both modes.
yeah. way to redeem yourselves AT. :)
I'd need 2 though. one closed and one open.
It's much better than the others - I can see it's expandability being a handy thing for renters who move frequently who might have varied spaces for book storage...
...but I suspect that it's pricing is nowhere within the realm of accessability for those renters who move frequently - so it's rather a moot point.
This one is snazzy, but not practical for a real book collection. I think it would be nice as a room divider and for holding a small number of decorative items, though. And for that use, the expandability would allow it to stretch to fit varouis sized wall spaces. (Fill an unused doorway or cover a stretch of wall??)
I can see it being very functional for people who move frequently. It packs into a compact shape and it can be adjusted to fit whatever size wall happens to be in your new place. And of course it gets lots of points for being both elegant AND clever :-)
Too bulky even when expanded and useless with collapsed.
i love that you can adjust it to fit a space. does anyone know the dimensions? is it available for sale in the us?
Now this is how an expanding bookcase should look! It looks solid and sturdy. Could probably be used as a room divider as well. The collapsible feature is great for when it needs to be moved or stored.
This is much better than the V but it's kind of clunky. I didn't do any research but I'm guessing this is made of wood, possibly plastic. Should have made it out of a thinner, stronger material it would be nicer - i.e. metal.
Books are clunky to begin with and if you put them on a big clunky shelf it all looks way too heavy in the room.
The Dutch word 'rek' has two meanings. One is elasticity/flexibility, the other one is rack/frame. There is a link to the manufacturer on the Dezeensite, with email adress.
Amazing! The leaning one was silly. This one, although its collapsibility isn't much of a functional feature, is simply stunning!
I can't even think of functionality because it's so beautiful.
agree with previous comments about the collapsability being a one-time thing. but if you got it with a house and knew you wanted space in the future, it could grow with you.
i'd also be curious to know if each element is sturdy enough without the support of the others. as a modular piece, it might offer a lot of creativity and flexibility.
I love this soooooooooooo much. It's a little strange that some spaces would have to be for horizontal storage, which tends not to be all that pretty, but basically SO much nicer than the other one.
By the way... when this is collapsed it must weigh 2 tons to ship! And it's in another country? Hmm... maybe if we all buy one and rent a freight car thing to be sent on a ship.
"Anyone who uses bookshelves for, you know, books, will only see the collapsed form once. Where would you put all of the things formerly held on the shelves when it is closed? And if you did not have much to store on them so as to allow it to expand and contract, why own a bookshelf in the first place?"
It would be incredibly useful for me. My husband is in the military, and we move consistently. This would be easier to move than our current book cases.
Also, I plan on expanding my book collection. I don't have a ton now, but I always buy more. I would have this bookcase partly expanded until I could fill it. It would be easier than constantly buying new furniture.
Are you honestly so unimaginative that you can't see the possible usefulness in an expanding bookcase?
Yes. I'm going to marry a carrot.
Cool idea, but it looks better closed and you'd never really see it that way, would you?
This is great, also, i like most other designs on his website. Great dutch design. The funny thing is, I googled this thing in english and I found a whole bunch of sites (nowhere to order it though) and in dutch I just found one site. Apparently it's reputation has already exceeded itself quite a lot..
(Yes, I'm dutch so I can read dutch but his whole site is in english so I don't see the point! :))


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By Score Atlanta
George Walton Academy 45, Holy Innocents' 14: Nick Waters had two rushing touchdowns and an interception as George Walton scored 38 unanswered points to erase an early 14-7 deficit. Stanley Williams also scored twice on the ground for the visiting Bulldogs and Patrick Stewart returned an interception for a touchdown. Casey Shubert completed the scoring with a touchdown reception from quarterback Hunter Rice.
Hebron Christian 60, Cross Keys 0: The visiting Lions charged to victory thanks to productive quarterback play and an opportunistic defense. Quarterback Connor Holliday threw four touchdown passes in the first half. Defensively, Matthew Glisson and Seth Kuntz each brought interceptions for back scores, and Chandler Schultheis added a fumble return for another touchdown.
King's Ridge Christian 48, Pace Academy 20: The host Tigers mixed the run and the pass effectively to cruise past Pace Academy. Running back Tarez Miller ran for 200 yards on 21 rushes and scored twice. Quarterback Bailey Miller threw a pair of touchdown passes to Julian Champ and another to Benaiah Franklin.
Our Lady of Mercy 42, Mt. Pisgah 14: Austin Harper registered both touchdowns for Mt. Pisgah, hauling in two scoring catches and finishing with five catches for 67 yards. The Bobcats were paced by Chauncey Laboo and Albert Wilson. They each had two rushing touchdowns. Dylan Terrell and Rashard Fant also rushed for scores.
Whitefield Academy 46, St. Francis 7: Whitefield Academy surged to a commanding 40-0 halftime lead and coasted to a victory over visiting St. Francis. Max Kemether led the Wolfpack with 70 rushing yards and a touchdown to go along with a 20-yard interception return for a score. Richard Sherrell provided two rushing touchdowns while Sky Dupree and Ben Brannen found the endzone once each on the ground.
September 15th, 2012
1:09 am
Mighty Hornet,….???!!
September 15th, 2012
5:39 am
Zone3canE …. I gave the Mighty Hornet updates all night!
September 15th, 2012
6:39 am
Big win for George Walton over a tough Holy Innocents team, think this just proves they will be a "player" in the playoffs … congrats!
September 15th, 2012
6:43 am
Glad to see Coach Dickerson & Clinch Co bounce back & get a big win … 13-12 winners over Seminole Co!
September 15th, 2012
6:45 am
See that Wilcox pulled out a 28-14 win over Dooly Co … got anys fans that were at the game to give us a take on how it all went down?
September 15th, 2012
1:10 pm
Thanks STC !! … big win for George Walton over Holy Innocents last night … thought that one would have been a lot closer … & what a "shocker" with Parkview beating Grayson !!


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GreatSchools Rating
Teacher quality
Principal leadership
Parent involvement
Wonderful school- love the after school clubs and KOT program. Great class sizes- rivals a private school. Excellent principal, faculty, and staff.
I have a daughter at this school and my wife and I are very satisfied thus far with the quality of education she is receiving. This school has great teachers who care about the students and are very dediccated in teaching.
My daughter entered grade K. I have no complaints whatsoever she loves it and hates it not open on weekends. The teachers keep you very informed about even the littlest things. I even referred one of my co workers in the area to enroll her child and they both love it now. ( they had a rough beginning he was use to day care)My daughter brings home tons of work they've done in class so I can follow her progress. My daughter is hard of hearing and all of the teachers Attend to her needs so that she is on pace and doesn't get left behind.
I am very impressed with the school and especially their k.o.t. program for gifted students. The teachers seem to be fair and the academics are top notch. I would highly recommend this school over the private schools in the area. I compared a couple of private schools and decided to enroll my daughter in Ridge Lawn and I am happy that I did. They also have lots of after school activities and extra curricular activities for the kids. The only concern that I have is some of the substitutes.
my son and daughter have been in this school since 3yrs old for pre-school.My son is now in second grade. I feel that this school has done an excellent job. The staff and teachers really show they care about your child's best interest in their education. This school has many programs and activities your child can learn from or enjoy. Because of the way this school performs itself in everyway i'am having a hard time relocating.There is no other compareisen for the involvment of the teachers to the students at any other school.
Great School. Love Mrs. Brennan and Mrs. Furest. I wish all teachers could be that great! Can not wait till full day K starts!
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The Community Rating is the school's average rating from its community members (e.g., parents, students, and school staff). The highest possible rating is five stars; the lowest is one star.
5757 105th Street
Chicago Ridge, IL 60415
Phone: (708) 636-2002
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text:
Jamaican Gin and Gingers
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup chopped candied ginger
- Honey
- 2 1/2 cups gin
- 6 2/3 cups cold Jamaican ginger beer
- 1. In a mini-processor, combine the sugar and candied ginger and process to a coarse powder. Transfer to a shallow bowl. Lightly brush the rims of 10 red-wine glasses or water goblets with honey. Dip the glasses into the ginger sugar and then, if you wish, freeze the glasses until ready to use; do not freeze your best crystal.
- 2. Fill each glass halfway with ice cubes and add 1/4 cup of gin. Pour 2/3 cup of ginger beer into each glass and serve.
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Jamaican Gin and Gingers Recipe at a Glance
- COURSE: Beverages
- CUISINE: Caribbean
- OCCASION: Winter
- PUBLICATION: Food & Wine
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FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (Feb 11, 2014) – The ACI Foundation's Strategic Development Council (SDC), a council of the ACI Foundation, is currently seeking nominations for its Jean-Claude Roumain Innovation in Concrete Award.
The award was established by SDC in memory of Jean-Claude Roumain, a long-time SDC supporter and executive committee member who passed away in January 2010.
Past award recipients include:
Nominees should be individuals who have met one or more of the following:
1. Have contributed to innovative developments in concrete mixture proportioning, production of concrete, andor concrete construction,2. Have contributed to the improvement in the manufacture of materials used in the production of concrete, and used existing and new materials in innovative ways to improve concrete construction and serviceability, and/or3. Used concrete in innovative ways to contribute to a sustainable built environment.
Anyone may submit a nomination, and the recipient will be recognized at the American Concrete Institute's fall 2014 Convention in Washington DC, on Oct. 26, 2014.
Nominations must be received by April 1, 2014 to be considered. The nomination form, guidelines, and other important information about the Award can be found here.
ASTM International has partnered with the Slag Cement Association to develop new...
NRMCA has announced the winners of its 2014 NRMCA Excellence in Quality Awards. Winning...
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The FFC Concrete Chuter by Paladin Attachments allows contractors to use a skid-steer...
Concrete Construction
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Preview the truck of the near future.
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2014 Hanley Wood Media, Inc. All rights reserved.


text:
As teens get ready for prom season they're finding that their special night out requires an increasingly heavy wallet.
NEW YORK — Inspired by celebrities on the red carpet, influenced by couture photos circulated on Pinterest and armed with price information from online browsing, American girls plan to spend more when they shop for prom dresses this year.
"I have a budget of $200 for my dress, because I know from shopping online that most prices are $150 and up," said Anna Brown, 17, while shopping at Macy's in Manhattan this week. Brown, a senior at Newtown High School in Elmhurst, N.Y., will attend her prom on May 27.
Brown has no idea what her total prom expenditures will be this year, because it just starts with the dress.
If she is anything close to average, Brown's wallet will be much lighter at the end of next month. Overall spending on prom events is forecast to rise to an average of $1,139 per family in 2013, up 5 percent over last year, according to Visa's third annual survey of prom spending.
Related: 7 ways to save on a prom dress
Depicted in movies as sweet as "Pretty in Pink" and as disturbing as "Carrie," the prom is an American institution, a lavish dance that traditionally celebrates the culmination of high school.
While the survey does not break down exactly where that average spending of $1,139 comes from, teens typically focus on attire first. Adding to the cost are event tickets, limousines, hotel rooms or after-party events, corsages and other accessories, hair, makeup and other extras.
The prom price tag is up significantly from a 2008 survey by Hearst's Seventeen magazine, which found families were planning to spend $566 on the prom.
The official tallies are not in from this year's prom season yet, which runs through June. But stores like David's Bridal are already seeing higher spends this year, with dresses going for an average of $100 to $150.
Related: The ultimate dating dos and don'ts
Windsor Store chain, another retailer with 62 locations across the United States, said this year's average prom dress costs $100, and families are spending about $300 total in their stores.
There are also online retailers selling both new prom dresses and reselling used ones. "The average prom dress on our site sells for $150 but retails for average of $300," said Tracy DiNunzio, chief executive officer of Tradesy.com, which is an eBay-like site for fashion. "For a lot of families that $300 is a big investment for a dress that a girl's going to wear once. We've seen parents that make their daughters promise to sell the dress after they wear it."
However, the dresses can be hard to part with. Emily Casarola, a 16-year-old from Colts Neck, N.J., intended to hold on to her $250 dress, at least for a little while. If anything, she said, she would eventually donate it to a site like Operation Prom or Cinderella's Closet, which provides dresses to families that cannot afford them.
Casarola ended up getting her white, feathered dress from David's Bridal, where her mother Amy, 50, works as a district manager. They did plenty of shopping online and at other stores first, and a lot of checking on a private Facebook group to make sure that none of her friends were buying the same thing. They also picked up $35 earrings, $50 shoes and a $149 bridal headband. The family had a budget of $500 before Emily would have to start contributing her own money.
Nationally, Visa's survey found that parents were planning to pay 59 percent of prom costs, with teens paying the remainder. The survey also noted that families with income less than $50,000 were planning to spend $100 more than the national average on prom, and that single parents were planning to spend double the amount of married parents — $1,563 versus $770.
Visa conducted a telephone poll of 3,000 families nationally over February and March, which was twice the size of its sample last year.
"It's become a social arms race," said Nat Sillin, Visa's head of financial literacy. "It's an opportunity for parents to engage their teens and have a conversation about budgeting."
That's what has been going on in the Astoria, Queens, household of Amalia Garced, 17, who has a May 17 prom at her Manhattan high school. She has been talking to her mother — whose budget tapped out at $500 for her own prom years ago — about what she should spend.
Garced planned to spend no more than $300 for the dress, $20 for hair, $40 for nails and then she also has to pay for shoes, plus tickets for herself and her date. Her mom is helping with half of the cost of the limo, but she is paying for everything else on her own.
"I never thought I'd have to spend so much," she said, while shopping with a friend. "It's like, 'Oh my goodness, how am I going to afford all of this?'"
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text:
The Visigothic Code: (Forum judicum)
ed. S. P. Scott
Title I: Concerning the Degrees of Relationship
Law I: The Nature of the First Degree.
Law II: The Affinity of the Second Degree.
Law III: The Relationship of the Third Degree.
Law IV: The Consanguinity of the Fourth Degree.
Law V: The Origin of the Fifth Degree.
Law VI: The Limits of the Sixth Degree.
Law VII: The Persons in the Seventh Degree who are not Mentioned by the Laws.
Title II: Concerning the Laws of Inheritance
Law I: Brothers and Sisters shall Share Equally
in the Inheritance of their Parents.
Law II: The Children shall Come First in the Order of Succession.
Law III: Where there are no Heirs in the Direct Line, Collateral Heirs shall Inherit the Property.
Law IV: Who shalt Succeed to the Property of Those who have left no Written Wills, or have made no Disposition of their Possessions in the Presence of Witnesses.
Law V: Concerning Inheritance by Brothers and Sisters, and by such of these as are not descended from the same Parents.
Law VI: Where he who dies leaves Grandfathers or Grandmothers.
Law VII: Where he who Dies leaves Aunts.
Law VIII: Where he who Dies leaves Nephews.
Law IX: A Woman shall be entitled to a Share in an Entire Inheritance.
Law X: As a Woman has a Right to a Share of an Entire Inheritance, so he who is next in Succession shall Inherit the Remainder of the Property.
Law XI: Concerning the Inheritance of Husband and Wife, respectively.
Law XII: Concerning the Inheritance of Property from Clerks and Monks.
Law XIII: After the Death of their Mother, Children shall remain under Control of their Father; and What Disposition he shall make of their Property.
Law XIV: Where a Mother remains a Widow, she shall have an Equal Portion of the inheritance with her Children; and How a Mother ought to Dispose of the Property of her Children.
Law XV: No Wife can lay Claim to what her Husband has Gained by the Labor of her Slaves.
Law XVI: Concerning such Property as the Husband and Wife, together have Accumulated during their Married Life.
Law XVII: In what way a Child may Inherit Property.
Law XVIII: How the Parents of a Child can Inherit from Him.
Law XIX: Concerning Posthumous Children
Law XX: He who leaves no Children, has full Power to Dispose of his Property as he Pleases.
Title III: Concerning Wards and Their Guardians
Law I:
What a Minor Is.
Law II: From what date Time is to be Computed in Bringing Lawsuits relating to Minors.
Law III: How the Guardianship of Wards shall be Entered upon; what Portion of their Property they shall Receive, and what Portion shall be Given to their Guardians.
Law IV: Guardians shall have no Right to Exact from Wards in their Charge any Instruments in Writing whatever.
Title IV: Concerning Foundlings
Law I:
Where Anyone Casts Away, or Abandons, a Freeborn Child, he shall Serve
as its Slave.
Law II: Where a Male or Female Slave shall be proved to have Cast Away a Child, with, or without the Knowledge of his or her Master.
Law III: What Compensation for Support anyone shall Receive for the Bringing up of a Child committed to his Care by its Parents.
Title V: Concerning Such Property as is Vested by the Laws of Nature
Law I:
Concerning the Disinheriting of Children; and What Disposition Parents
should make of their Property.
Law II: What Part of her Dowry a Woman has a Right to Bequeath.
Law III: What Property Parents should Bestow upon their Children, at the Time of their Marriage.
Law IV: Concerning Children Born of Different Parents; and What Distinctions Parents may Make in the Disposition of their Estates.
Law V: Concerning such Property as Children may have Acquired during the Lives of their Parents.


text:
Meet Us On The Road
Our admissions counselors visit high schools and college fairs across the country. They can tell you what you need to know about America's Environmental College and help you discover whether we're a good fit for you. The spring schedule is available below. If your school or city is not on the schedule, check with your guidance office to find out if we're planning to stop by. You can also contact Unity College's Admissions Office directly by calling 800-624-1024 or emailing firstname.lastname@example.com.
|Oct 28
|Three Rivers Community College - Norwich
|Nov 3
|Bristol Community College - Fall River
|Oct 8
|Central Maine Community College - Auburn
|Oct 21
|Kennebec Vally Community College - Fairfield
|Oct 22
|York County Community College - Wells
|Nov 20
|York County Community College - Wells
New Jersey
|Oct 14
|Raritan Valley Community College - Branchburg
New York
|Oct 1
|Finger Lakes Community College - Canandaigua
|Sep 26
|Landmark College - Putney


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|Total (w/tax)
|Total (w/tax)
Book Description:
Imagine John L:ennon met Mick Jagger around 1968, really hit it off, went through the collapse of modern civilisation together, and changed from rockstars into genuine heroes. And came out on the other side ruling England. And imagine they were both in love with the same girl, and this gorgeous babe they both adored turned out to be ...But this story isn't actually set in 1968, it's an alternate Now, and Fiorinda is no hapless sixties rock chick, but a formidable power in her own right: a child of our times and a timeless heroine. Bold As Love is an evocative Arthurian fantasy in which cultural icons (rock and roll stars) are cast as man of destiny, peerless warrior companion at his side, with a band of faithful companions, a princess in jeopardy, battle scenes, fancy dress, Celtic mythology, true romance, a wicked magician, the Holy Grail ...More magical than the classic Divine Endurance, more exciting and moving than the award-winning White Queen: Bold As Love is a shamelessly romantic fantasy about England that asks what would happen to the rock nobility if all those protest songs and idealist opinions were put to the test ...
Tags: Literature-Fiction, Contemporary,


text:
Price the Device Challenge
Can you guess how much this product is? Play now to find out and enter for a chance to win* tech our editors love.
Get a head start on building your very own 1970s-style Mars orbiter by snapping up an engine built for NASA's Viking project.Articleby Amanda Kooser
After two years of exploration and driving, NASA's Curiosity rover has finally reached the base of Mount Sharp, a major goal of the mission.Articleby Amanda Kooser
The glamour of science without the work! It's your chance to control a Mars rover, but on an alien world and for a possibly shady scientific organization. Season 1 is completed (and free).Articleby Kelsey Adams
NASA aims to correct a series of problems with the Opportunity rover's memory by giving it a reformat from far, far away.Articleby Amanda Kooser
Space-alien theorists have gotten a thrill from a bone-like object found on Mars, but NASA has a more plausible explanation.Articleby Amanda Kooser
NASA announces the payload for its next Mars rover and it's set to be even more sophisticated than the highly successful Curiosity mission.Articleby Amanda Kooser
The extraterrestrial robot rolls 25 miles across the Red Planet, breaking a more than 40-year-old record for off-Earth mileage.Articleby Dara Kerr
The founder of the private space transport company gives a short timeline for the possibility of firing up a self-sustaining city on the Red Planet.Articleby Dara Kerr
Get a rare perspective on the Curiosity rover's travels across a distant planet with a fascinating image snapped by NASA's Mars orbiter.Articleby Amanda Kooser
UFO enthusiasts are excited about a strange blip of light in a photo from Mars, but the real explanation is likely much less exotic than alien life.Articleby Amanda Kooser
Miles to go before it rests, the Curiosity rover finally heads for its primary mission target.Galleryby Charles Cooper
Launched on July 7, 2003, with a modest goal to carry out 90 Martian days of exploration, NASA's little robotic wanderer far exceeded its original mission objectives.Galleryby James Martin
Price the Device Challenge
Can you guess how much this product is? Play now to find out and enter for a chance to win* tech our editors love.


text:
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - The Vermont House has passed a bill to allow workers who provide personal care to disabled Vermonters in their home to unionize.
On a 95-41 vote, the House on Thursday approved Legislation backed by two national public employee unions.
Rep. John Moran, a Democrat from Wardsboro, says the bill will allow the homecare workers to negotiate with the state, which funds services to the disabled, for better pay and benefits.
He says the legislation is similar to a separate bill that would allow child care workers to unionize.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
Black River Falls, Wisconsin: Leaping DeerJust past the two orange moose and the giant mouse, a fiberglass depiction of a leaping stag.
- Address:
- Oasis Rd, Black River Falls, WI
- Directions:
- I-94 exit 116. Drive east on Hwy 54. Make first right onto Oasis Rd. Drive around the lake; the deer will be on the left, just past the orange moose.
- Hours:
- Always Visible.
- Admission:
- Free.
Visitor Tips and News About Leaping Deer
Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip.
After you pass the two orange moose and the giant mouse, you think it can't get much better......it can! Just across the lake-like body of water, you will find a giant leaping deer! We're pretty sure it was molded at the FAST Corporation in Sparta, WI where we saw nearly an identical statue earlier in the day -- however, there was one difference: The deer here in BRF is anatomically correct![Amy-Marty, 06/13/2009]
Nearby Offbeat Places
- Orange Moose, Black River Falls, WI - < 1 mi.
- Giant Mouse with Cheese, Black River Falls, WI - < 1 mi.
- Little Falls Railroad & Doll Museum, Cataract, WI - 15 mi.
- In the region: Big Catfish, Trempealeau, WI - 36 mi.
Latest Tips Across Roadside America
Catch up on the latest discoveries from the road.
Explore Thousands of Oddball Tourist Attractions!
Unique destinations in the US and Canada are our special obsession. Start here.
Use RoadsideAmerica.com's Attraction Maps to plan your next road trip.


text:
4945 Posts in 17688 Topics by 1494 members
Installing SilverStripe
SilverStripe Forums » Installing SilverStripe » 2.4 fresh install, /admin/ -> Error 500
Getting SilverStripe up and running on your computer and on your web server.
Moderators: martimiz, Sean, biapar, Willr, Ingo, swaiba, simon_w
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2.4 fresh install, /admin/ -> Error 500
7 May 2010 at 6:34pm
I did a fresh install on Windows 2008R2, IIS7.
It seams to be running, except I can not log in to the CMS.
sswebsite/admin/ gives me a Error 500
All Logs are activated
ini_set("log_errors", "On");
ini_set("error_log", "/log");
// log errors and warnings
SS_Log::add_writer(new SS_LogFileWriter('/log/'), SS_Log::WARN, '<=');
But it is not logging anything.
However, in IIS I get a Error 500 0 0 328
Maybe something with the URL-Rewrite-Modul? Or how could I trace this?
Forum Moderator
921 Posts
Re: 2.4 fresh install, /admin/ -> Error 500
8 May 2010 at 12:03pm Last edited: 8 May 2010 12:07pm
Hi there,
In IIS manager, go to Errors and enable detailed errors. This might give you a few more clues as to why the error occurs.
IIS generally gobbles up the errors unless you tell it not to, or unless you browse the site locally on the server.
FYI, I've installed SilverStripe on many IIS 7.x with SQL Server 2008 installations using the installer and it's been a smooth process.
Check that you've got the IIS URL Rewrite module installed too. Find it here: http://www.iis.net/download/URLRewrite
Hope this helps!
Community Member
1 Post
Re: 2.4 fresh install, /admin/ -> Error 500
8 May 2010 at 5:18pm
It(error 500)often appears when i open the window.
Re: 2.4 fresh install, /admin/ -> Error 500
9 May 2010 at 12:23am
Thank you for your answer, Sean
Since 2.4 is a new release I report my conditions. It might help to get it as clean as possible.
2.3 ran (almost) perfect. But before I wanted to go about a strange behavior I wanted to upgrade. And that is the point when I got stuck and had to turn to this forum. It might be that the installation (Webinstaller) works fine. But if you upgrade you encounter problems. So I did a clean install on a machine that 2.3 was running fine.
after extensive trying I got Silverstripe to log. The logflie paths should look something like this: "/inetpub/log/ss.log" starting from the drive where PHP is located, so in most cases c:. "/log/" will not work. There's got to be a logfilename! Maybe a note in the config file would save time for others.
the Logfile states: " Error at \sapphire\thirdparty\Zend\Cache.php line 208: Uncaught Zend_Cache_Exception: cache_dir is not writable"
finding out with procmon I can see that PHP tries to access c:/windows/temp/
concluding ss tries to cache files in c:/windows/temp/
so how can I set the cache_dir ?
Re: 2.4 fresh install, /admin/ -> Error 500
9 May 2010 at 12:32am
setting the cache_dir explicitly in /sapphire/thirdparty/Zend/Cache/Backend/File.php:90 to my silverstripe-cache directory helped.
I think it is a SS 2.4 issue, looking at this thread:
Forum Moderator
921 Posts
Re: 2.4 fresh install, /admin/ -> Error 500
9 May 2010 at 10:47am Last edited: 9 May 2010 10:52am
In Windows Explorer, browse to C:\Windows\, right click the Temp directory and select Properties.
Click the Security tab, proceed through any message of warning and give the Users group read and write access using the checkboxes.
PHP / SilverStripe should now be able to write into C:\Windows\Temp\
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text:
MUSICIANS → SPENCER KRUG. "There's no wrong way to appreciate music. The person that sits down and wants to intellectualize your music with you for an hour is not enjoying it any more than the person that's like, "Dude, that was fucking awesome!" They're both relevant opinions. Either way, if they like it and they're getting something out of it, that's the whole point – for it to be communal."
3 songs: Us Ones In Between, Headed For The Door, Cave-O-Sapien.


text:
Raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha, Bachchan said the jockeys should make sure that their language and content does not mock the country's leaders.
The growing trend of RJs mimicking Parliamentarians and their "double-meaning" talks is a serious issue, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said.
Actress-turn-politician Jaya Bachchan sought to know whether if I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar was aware of language used and jokes made by RJs.
The Railways has decided to install CCTVs in ladies' compartments in phases in order to provide enhanced security to women passengers.
The debate in RS saw more than an hour devoted to the issue of stale food and newly elected members of the LS demanding official homes in Lutyens' Delhi.
The railways are supposed to run Parliament canteen on no-profit-no-loss basis. Any shortfall is met from budget allocation for LS & RS in 2:1 ratio.