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With Hitler dead...
As I told Christos; history could have taken a dramatic turn if Hitler had died in April of 1941. The Russian campaign would have been delayed, with the troops that would have been commited Rommel could have beaten the British in North Africa, severing the Suez canal, the Navy still stinging from their one failure in WWI could have used their assets to rip the covnoy system to pieces, and to make it happen the way I postulate, I only have to make one additional change.
Fact: The primary stumbling block the German fleet faced was named Adolf Hitler. When the Graf Spee was sunk he immediately ordered the Deutchland renamed Lutzow to avoid the propoganda victory of the British claiming to sink a ship with the Nation's name. It took the better part of a year before he allowed Scharnhorst and Gneisenau to sail, and it was their successful cruise that convinced him to allow Bismarck to sail.
But after Bismarck, all naval operations had to be cleared by Hitler, which is why except for some inconsequential raids, they did little else for the rest of the war.
When the game Great Naval Battles of the North Atlantic came out, I decided to experiment. First I chose the Kriegsmarine at normal setting, and pretty much did what I think Admiral Raeder would have done. I also saved games only after battles, so if I lost a ship, it was gone.
Results? By the end of the game (September 1943) I had destroyed or crippled every British Battleship. I had destroyed all of their cruisers and destroyers, and was attacking unescorted convoys with Destroyer hunter killer teams. The cost? seventeen destroyers, one Heavy cruiser, one pocket battleship sunk. Everything larger was in the body and fender shop, but soon to be operational again.
Fact: When Genral Tojo delivered his declaration of war with the US, the Emperor did not sign it. Historically, he read it, set it down, and walked out of the room. Tojo later waved the unsigned document in victory as he left the Imperial Palace. But what if Hirohito had taken a leaf from the Emperor Meiiji in the Last Samurai? What if he had stood up to his government and forced another option?
Fact: Yamamoto, CINC of the Imperial Navy came up with the Pearl Harbor attack because he had to think of some way to cripple the US fleet. To paraphrase his own words when he was told they would fight the Americasn, 'I can run wild for perhaps 18 months. But then their production will drive us under'.
Fact: Roosevelt had spent the last two years doing everything he could to force Germany into war with the US. The sinking of Reuben James, the attack against USS Kearny and USS Gridley, the first accidental (As I commented in my review the US had almost 200 ships of the same classs still in service) The second because Gridley was actively hunting a U Boat outside the Neutraliy Zone with the assitance of a British long range bomber. All so that he could wave the bloody shirt to convince the Congress to vote for war. In fact one attempt was by sending the fleet (But not the fleet train) to Pearl Harbor, 2000 miles closer to Japan in July of 1941.
The reason this was provocative is that without the fleet train, the fleet was restricted. Assuming war had been declared with Japan, the Fleet would have immediately sailed to the Phillipines. However once they arrived, they would have been low on fuel and with only the ammunition in their magazines. That is what the fleet train is for, after all.
The worst part of history in reality is that the Navy was using the Mahan Doctrine for plan Orange, the Rainbow plan for a war with Japan. It required the fleet to confront the Japanes there off Luzon, not in Hawaii. The only two pluses that came out of the Pearl Harbot attack is that instead of being sunk by long range aircraft, as would have happened, the battleships were crippled in harbor, and except for USS Arizona survived to gain their revenge in 1944 off Luzon. The second was that without battleships to fight it, the Carriers were forced to shoulder that burden, which is why that after WWII no new battleships were ever built.
So is anyone interested in what could have happened?
has requested a fanfic review for this thread.
'To argue with those who have renounced the use and authority of reason is as futile as to administer medicine to the dead.' Now who said that?
From the one who brought you;
What we die for...
KOTOR excerpts
Star Wars: The Beginning
Star Wars: Republic Dawn
Return From Exile
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All right, here goes. Note that all of the operations and decisions mentioned happened when I specified, and could have been altered by a different man being in charge in Berlin:
The North African campaign, like a lot of the secondary operations the Germans had leaped into, began as an Italian fiasco. An attempt to drive to the Nile was beaten and driven back to El Agheila Libya where 130,000 Italians of the 10th Army surrendered in February 1941. In response to this, and to deny the British an easy victory Hitler sent a blocking force of one light division under command of Erwin Rommel in Operation Sonnenblume ("Sunflower"). The British XIII Corps had gone into defensive positions there, and the bulk of their troops were replaced with ill trained Colonial troops except for the veteran 7th Armored Division, which had been pulled back to the Nile. The troops withdrawn were sent to Greece.
Although Rommel had been ordered to simply hold the line, an armoured reconnaissance soon became a fully fledged offensive from El Agheila in March 1941. In March–April, the Allied forces were forced back to Sollum in Egypt. The Australian 9th Infantry Division had fallen back to the fortress port of Tobruk,] and the remaining British and Commonwealth forces withdrew a further 100 mi (160 km) east to the Libyan–Egyptian border.
With Tobruk under siege from the main German-Italian force, a small battlegroup continued to press eastwards. Capturing Fort Capuzzo and Bardia in passing, it then advanced into Egypt, and by the end of April had taken Sollum and the tactically important Halfaya Pass. Rommel garrisoned these positions, reinforcing the battlegroup and ordering it onto the defensive.
With Hitler dead, and the plans for invading Russia shelved, The high command sees that a quick victory in North Africa will limit the front they must defend. Instead of sending a division or two, they instead reinforce the two divisions with attachments to eight creating Panzergruppe Afrika.
During Operation Crusader, the British now a full Army (8th) rather than a single corps was able to push the Axis forces back to El Agheila again in November/January 1942. But Rommel blindsided them. pushing back through North Africa, capturing Tobruk, and were finally stopped at the first battle of El Alamein in July of 1942. The build up continued, (My timeline) with over half a million German troops and an equal amount of Italian troops. With more troops than his enemy, Rommel builds up Halfaya Pass (Known because of Operation Battle Axe as Hellfire Pass) with German panzer units holding the southern flank which had been broken in Operation Crusader.
When Montgomery broke through at second El Alamein, he ran into the secondary defenses at Hellfire pass, and the offensive was shattered. Rommel sent a collumn of 5th and 21st Panzer to cut off the British retreat at El Alamein, and Mongomery's army was crushed between them. Two weeks later, the Afrika Corps stops briefly at Suez.
With scattered forces facing him, Rommel pushes North, capturing Jerusalem in December 1942 and Damascus Syria in Febrary 1943, completing the conquest of both nations and Lebanon by the summer.
With the forces released to face the British in North Africa, the decision about the 'Final solution held in september 1941 was instead of extermination to relocate them if and when Palestine was captured.
The primary problem previously had been that Britain had bowed to Arab sensibilities, limiting the influx of Jews into Palestine with the White Paper of 1939. Going into the concentration camps, the Jews were relocated to Camps in Crete (Which actually happened when the war ended, but administered by the British). At the same time, the Jews were told by Martin Bormann that once Palestine was captured, they would all be relocated there. To show their willingness to do so, the captured Jewish Brigade from North Africa was relocated to the camps, and armed by the Wehrmacht. Secret negotiations were opened between the Haganah (Which had been formed to resist the Arabs and British) and they were promised German and Italian equipment. On Christmas Day 1942 the first Haganah troops were landed at Tel Aviv. On the same day, Nazi Germany declares the Nation of Israel as a free nation and ally.
American Responses:
Kptlt. Jost Metzler commanding U 69 Took SS Robin Moor, an American merchant ship carrying munitions to South Africa and sank her 21 May 1941. Because Metzler had failed to radio the survivor's position, the US declared Germany an Outlaw nation and closed all of their Legations across the US, leaving only their main embassies. But even this did not drive the Americans to war. The sinking of USS Ruben James in October again did not do so.
The Japanese occupied Northern Indochina in September 1940. in June 1941 the Americans froze all Japanese Assets in the US and embargoed cargoes not already shipped.
On September 5, Prime Minister Konoe informally submitted a draft of the decision to go to war with the US to the Emperor, just one day in advance of the Imperial Conference at which it would be formally implemented. On this evening, the Emperor had a meeting with the chief of staff of the army, Sugiyama, chief of staff of the navy, Osami Nagano, and Prime Minister Konoe. The Emperor questioned Sugiyama about the chances of success of an open war with the Occident. As Sugiyama answered positively, the Emperor scolded him:
—At the time of the China incident, the army told me that we could make Chiang surrender after three months but you still can't beat him even today! Sugiyama, you were minister at the time.
—China is a vast area with many ways in and ways out, and we met unexpectedly big difficulties.
—You say the interior of China is huge; isn't the Pacific Ocean even bigger than China? Didn't I caution you each time about those matters? Sugiyama, are you lying to me?
Here is where one man changes things. Instead of keeping to the usual "Imperial Presence and silence', The Showa Emperor orders his military high command to find a way to gain their supplies short of war with the US. Only after every such effort is exhausted will he agree to fighting the Americans. He asks officers he trusts (Not the High command obviously) to monitor their efforts.
Part of the warplans offered had been to disable the American fleet which had been moved to Pearl Harbor while simultaneously occupying Dutch and British territories in the South Pacific. However while not yet at war with the US, technically, as allies, they are at war already with the Dutch and British, though they have not yet actively acted against them. An alternate plan is put forward; To declare war against Holland, and occupation of the Dutch East Indies. England would not be party to it, because the Germans believe still that the British will surrender or sign a peace if left hanging alone.
In October 1941, Ambassador Kurusu is sent to Washington to bolster Ambassador Nomura. They lay the following statements before Cordell Hull:
Japan will declare war on Holland, as mentioned above. British possessions and American possessions will be left alone unless Japan is attacked by either party. After delivering the documents, the two Ambassadors call a press conference to explain what they are doing; that they are leaving alone the two major allied nations intentionally. Kurusu also states that the Japanese Navy will be arranging a 'fleet visit' to Pearl Harbor. in the second week of December 1941.
Yamamoto, who never liked the idea of a war with America agrees to the plan put forward under the Emperor's auspices. It would place the onus for any war that came out of it firmly on the US.
On December 7 1941, 186 aircraft of the Japanese fleet take off. They are completely disarmed except for light series carriers with 5 lb practice bombs. Twenty minutes before their arrival, the Japanese Legation calls a press conference where they say that the Japanese Navy will hold an aerial display by unarmed Japanese aircraft above American military bases and Pearl Harbor. The Military attaches of Sweden and Switzerland had been apprised of this the day before, and The Swiss representative goes to Wheeler field (US Army Air Corps) while the Swede goes to CincPac.
The Japanese aircraft arrive, and the military panics. Fighters take off from Wheeler to attack them, because the lower echelons had not been informed. The ships in Pearl Harbor open fire as the bombers pass over, dropping practice bombs. Twenty five Japanese aircraft are shot down, one crash landing at Wheeler where it is verified that it was completely unarmed. American losses are two aircraft rammed by Zeros in an attempt to break up the attack against the 'aggressor' forces over Wheeler. Still harried by the Army aircraft, five more are shot down before armed Zeros orbiting north of Oahu break it up, shooting down fifteen American Tomahawk fighters to a loss of three.
At 3 PM Eastern Standard time(When the original of the document that started the war was delivered two hours late), The Japanese deliver their protest. A friendly game to show what they could have done to the American fleet had gotten ugly, and almost a hundred unarmed Japanese airmen had been brutally murdered by the US. They demand that the US either declare the war they seem to be wanting, or apologize.
So without popular support for a war, and with the US branded as the 'outlaws' this time, what does Roosevelt do?
Fact: The 'Final solution' was not agreed upon until september 1941. Before that the Jews had been held, and some of them horribly treated, but the cost in lifes was less than a quarter million.
Fact: The Emperor did not want a war with the US, and his arguments listed above did occur. The only change I have made was having him be more vehement publically about his disagreement with his government.
The aircraft listed in the 'display' are the exact number on the first wave of the Pearl Harbor attack. Disarming them means that they are unable to fight back, and would have been a telling point in the US Press
'To argue with those who have renounced the use and authority of reason is as futile as to administer medicine to the dead.' Now who said that?
From the one who brought you;
What we die for...
KOTOR excerpts
Star Wars: The Beginning
Star Wars: Republic Dawn
Return From Exile
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Red Hessian
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Very interesting indeed. But I have a question: With Hitler dead, wouldn't Göring or Himmler be named as his successor? And wouldn't that be more detrimental to the war effort because Göring, and especially Himmler, didn't have much experience when it came to tactics and war, and were just as megalomaniacal and obstinate as Hitler? For example, If Göring came to power, all of the funding and the resources would go to the Luftwaffe, and in Himmler's case probably to the SS.
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Originally Posted by
Red Hessian
Very interesting indeed. But I have a question: With Hitler dead, wouldn't Göring or Himmler be named as his successor? And wouldn't that be more detrimental to the war effort because Göring, and especially Himmler, didn't have much experience when it came to tactics and war, and were just as megalomaniacal and obstinate as Hitler? For example, If Göring came to power, all of the funding and the resources would go to the Luftwaffe, and in Himmler's case probably to the SS.
That is why the timing was important, and I let Christos set that. You see, as I pointed out in the introduction, Hess as Deputy Fuher was his chosen successor. While a 'man behind the scenes' to most during the war, he had as much authority as the other better known leaders. In fact his attempt at reconciliation with England was because while he adored Hitler more than most (Which is saying something) people would not even know his name half the time. Hitler had named Goring as the next man in charge after Germany invaded Poland in fact because Goring had military experience that Hess lacked.
When he made his trip to England in May of 1941, Hitler abolished the post, and the post of Head of the Party Chancellery was created, with Martin Bormann taking the office.
Your argument has some merit, but Goring, while megalomaniacal was not the spellbinder Hitler was and knew even less about Naval or Army operations. The Navy was already ticked off at him for his refusal to allow the Navy it's own air arm. The Army didn't like him because he was so busy trumpeting how great the Luftwaffe was in comparison to the other services, yet he'd lost a lot of support as a 'great leader' due to the failure of the Blitz and the bombing of German cities by the British.
Supporting Hitler when he said 'Now for Russia' was one thing, but saying it himself and expecting enthusiastic support was another. The army would not have supported Goring. After all what he knew about ground warfare could have been written on the inside cover of a book of matches with a laundry marker, and there was already too much being spent (In the Navy and Army's minds) on new planes that so far had proven less than perfect.
Himmler while a powerful man was also a lackluster one. He restricted his speeches to the SS meetings because he was not a great motivational speaker. Also he never aspired to more authority, as being in charge of the secret police was more than enough. He also would have admitted that he had no knowledge of strategy, so he would have been asking advice from those military commanders more often than either Hitler or Goring would.
Picture it as if it were the Death of Stalin back in the 60s, but compressed because while every one knew Stalin was ill, no one knew who would take over, and the death by assassination of Hitler would be unexpected. There'd be a press blackout as the Nazi leaders fought out the succession. The additional troops for Rommel I mentioned initially were what the German army wanted to do, but Hitler had been focused on Russia. So without someone to tell them no, OKW (The High command) would have been free to send them.
As much as people credit Hitler with the early victories in Poland France and Greece, it had been plans laid out by the OKW that won them with Luftwaffe support. France was the ancient enemy of the German army, and the plans used in 1940, with the exception of going through Belgium and Holland, were the same ones used under Friederick the Great in the Franco Prussian War.
The same is true in Greece, because the attack by Greece into Albania and the Central Power's reposte matched the one used in 1915. This time however, with Hitler's permission, the German Army didn't stop.
After all, Hitler left the service as a corporal, unlike Napoleon, who had at least been a Colonel.
With Hess still nominally in charge, it would have come down to the General Staff, Goring claiming authority, Goebels trying to maintain his position, with Himmler and Martin Bormann sitting in the wings quietly, waiting for the dust to settle.
I expect the Nazis would have left Hess in the position because they wouldn't have wanted to let one of the others have it at least in the interim.
What I envision is Hess in charge, but mainly a figurehead, with the actual control of the nation a little further down; Goebels, Ribbentrop and Speer, none of whom would have been willing to ram unnecessary orders down military throats. The military would have supported that. Hess, like the British queen would smile and wave and be the visible portion of the government.
Goring, Raeder and Jodl would have been next in charge, and without Hitler to unilaterally say 'He's right, do it that way' it would have been a hectic fight for supremacy. Only Goring would be in it for the power at that point; Jodl would want to run his own shop rather than have people without a clue giving the orders. He'd dealt with that with Hitler already.
Raeder is included for several reasons. First, the Nazis built a navy because a 'modern nation' had to have a navy. With Raeder as it's architect, it was (except for the older light cruisers and two WWI battleships) the most modern navy in the world. Hitler had originally planned to begin the war in 1947, so the fleet had to be built and ready by then.
As envisioned under Plan Z, the fleet was to be:
Scharnhorst, Gniesenau, Bismarck Tripitz, and 9 new design battleships and battlecruisers. To see what they could have had, see
4 aircraft carriers
15 armored ships (Panzerschiffe) In addition to the three already built, the remainder of the newer M class.
5 heavy cruisers
60 light cruisers
158 destroyers and torpedo boats
249 submarines
Of course with the war starting in 1939 instead, only three of the H class, and three of the M (Pocket Battleship) along with two carriers were laid down, and only one carrier was launched (Graf Zeppelin) though never completed.
You see, Hitler had never had a clue as to how to use a navy, and it showed. Operation Sea Lion, the invasion of England (where anyone would expect the navy to take a major role) assumed the navy would be the taxi service shuttling troops across with a few destroyers and light cruiser guarding them, no more. In other words, an infantry man's view of such an invasion. Part of this of course was Goring's contention that the Luftwaffe could replace those big nasty battleships (Two WWI battleships were still in the German inventory).
When the battle of Britain failed, that left the navy with little to do, and too little to do it well, and the loss of Graf Spee didn't help. While ordering single raiders to avoid action when possible, Raeder had always envisioned the fleet as taking those risks. He had protested renaming the Lutzow because it made the German Navy look like cowards. As John Paul Jones said (And Raeder no doubt knew) 'It seems to be a law of nature, inflexible and inexorable, that those who will not risk cannot win'.
Goring had even less of a clue what a Navy could do, and without Hitler to come down on his side of the argument, would have been ignored. Saying the Luftwaffe was supreme was fine, until you got more than 1000 kilometers from the coast. With Britain kicked out of North Africa as described, and Japan pulling the the teeth of the US, Raeder could have at least had a chance to shoiw what his navy could do. After all, U Boats had to move in packs to take on convoys, while major combatants (Battleships, battlecruisers and heavy cruisers) would not
He had rammed through Operation Berlin (The cruise of Scharnhorst and Gniesenau) in December 1940, though it didn't actually occur until January-March of 1941. But the greater success they could have achieved had been hamstrung by Hitler's refusal to risk the ships, which meant that two convoys escorted by old battleships (Ramilles and Malaya respectively) were bypassed. Yet as I found in checking the ballistics and capabilities of the different guns, Lutjens could have taken either one of those ships with two modern battlecruisers, just as Graf Spee was forced to flee after fighting one heavy and two light cruisers.
Using GNBNA, I took out Malaya (Which was one of those escorting battleships escorting convoys) using Graf Spee by merely trailing the convoy until dusk, running in, firing a couple of quick salvos, then running until I was out of visual range, but still within radar range. A few days later I took out another battleship (HMS Renown) in daylight. After that I did have to return due to damage, but picture the propoganda victory; two battle ships sunk by what the Germans had defined as an armored cruiser! By using two of them together (Lutzow and Scheer on the next voyage) I was picking off convoys on a regular basis regardless of their escort after sinking those warships, and when I ran Scharnhorst and Gniesenau back out before the British could damage Gniesenau the destruction included modern battleships as well.
More embarassing for the Brits, using two heavy cruisers (Prinz Eugen and Hipper again with rader) and again attacking at dusk, I had Prinz Eugen fire and lead HMS Warspite away by playing tag from beyond visual range and had Hipper tear up the convoy left unprotected. Yet compared to even a destroyer commander, I have no actual tactical experience. Raeder could have done better.
Also three French battleships of the Richelieu class were still free of Allied hands; Richelieu herself in Dakar, Clemenceaus captured before she could be completed., and Jean Bart which had been rushed to Casablanca also uncompleted. The old battleship Provence and The Dunkerque class battlecruisers Dunkerque and Strasbourg were in Mers-el-Kébir, in Algeria when the British attacked them on 3 July 1940. Dunkerque was disabled and later went to Toulon. Provence, Richelieu Strasbourg and Dunkerque were moved to Toulon France where they sat out the war until scuttled on 27 November 1942. However the scuttling did not occur until after the Torch landings.
If the US had not officially entered the war (Again what reasoning could Roosevelt use to convince the US to enter it?) they would have merely sat there.
'To argue with those who have renounced the use and authority of reason is as futile as to administer medicine to the dead.' Now who said that?
From the one who brought you;
What we die for...
KOTOR excerpts
Star Wars: The Beginning
Star Wars: Republic Dawn
Return From Exile
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I forgot to mention; Clemenceau could have been completed by the Germans well before the end of the GNBNA scenario mentioned. Having another fast battleship with 15" guns on the German side; especially after I had decimated the British threat, would have caused the tide to turn well before 1943. Again, the reason the Germans never considered completing her was Hitler's 'The Navy can't help anyway' attitude
'To argue with those who have renounced the use and authority of reason is as futile as to administer medicine to the dead.' Now who said that?
From the one who brought you;
What we die for...
KOTOR excerpts
Star Wars: The Beginning
Star Wars: Republic Dawn
Return From Exile
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| HP News Services
BARRIE McKENNA
TORONTO -- To supporters, ethanol is a wonder fuel - clean,
renewable and cheap.
Well, scratch cheap from the list of attributes.
Historically, it is true that ethanol has been less
expensive than gasoline. But not this year. Ethanol is now on
the verge of becoming the more expensive fuel, based on recent
benchmark New York Harbor prices.
Blame it on corn, the ingredient of choice for making
ethanol in North America. Towering corn stalks typically
dominate the midsummer landscape across the farm belt, but not
this year, as a devastating drought threatens to wipe out as
much as a quarter of the US corn crop.
Ontario officials say 10% to 20% of the province's crop may
be ruined.
That has sent the corn futures soaring to near-record highs
in recent weeks, pushing up the price of everything it is used
for, including ethanol and animal feed, and creating havoc
throughout the global food chain.
The price spike is also raising some awkward questions about
the wisdom of Canadian and US rules that require refiners to
blend ethanol into their gasoline.
If there is not enough corn to go around, where should it go
- food, feed or fuel?
Roughly 40% of the US corn crop now goes to ethanol, and the
share increases every year, amplifying price pressures when the
market is tight. The rest of the US crop goes to food, animal
feed and various industrial uses.
And because the US is a major global corn exporter, the
drought is making food more expensive everywhere.
Barack Obama is under pressure to scrap the ethanol mandate
in the face of the extreme conditions - the worst to hit the
farm belt since the early 1950s. Cattle ranchers, poultry
producers and food producers have all asked the US Environmental Protection Agency to
suspend the mandate until corn prices ease.
Similarly, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations recently appealed to the Obama administration
for relief after the agency's food index shot up 6% in
An immediate, temporary suspension of that mandate
would give some respite to the market and allow more of the
crop to be channelled toward food and feed uses, the
FAO's Brazilian director-general, Jose Graziano da Silva,
pleaded in a recent opinion piece in the Financial Times.
Reaction has been surprisingly muted in Canada, where a
two-year-old federal mandate requires that refiners blend at
least 5% renewable fuel into gasoline supplies. Several
provinces impose additional regional mandates, including
Ontario and British Columbia. The US imposed a 10% mandate five
years ago.
The Canadian ethanol industry is already playing
defense, insisting that high energy prices, not diversion of
corn to ethanol plants, are causing food prices to spike.
In a statement, the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association
said cutting ethanol production would not meaningfully
lower food prices or alleviate drought concerns.
The federal government has offered two main reasons for the
ethanol mandate: meeting the country's greenhouse-gas reduction
targets and making Canada a clean energy leader.
The mandate has spawned a thriving domestic industry, which
now counts roughly 20 ethanol plants, producing some 2.2
billion liters/year. That's enough to meet roughly 85% of the
legislated demand.
Canadian refineries get the rest from the United States and
are now the largest foreign buyer of US ethanol.
So Canada is at least indirectly contributing to the global
supply crunch for corn, identified by the UN.
And while it is true that ethanol and other biofuels curb greenhouse-gas emissions, it is a benefit that
comes at a steep price to taxpayers.
Ottawa and the provinces generously subsidize the industry
to the tune of roughly $250 million/year, making ethanol one of
Ottawa's priciest greenhouse-gas reduction schemes going.
If there is a more efficient way to lower greenhouse gases,
Ottawa and the provinces should do it.
And if ethanol truly is the answer to making energy less
expensive and more sustainable - as the industry insists - then
the product should stand on its own in the market, without
subsidies or mandates.
The push for ethanol has always been good
politics. But in a world of scarcity and steep prices, it is no
longer an obvious policy winner.
The Globe and Mail (via Dow Jones
All comments are subject to editorial review.
All fields are compulsory.
question is, to eat or drive?
Doug Mancosky
What often isn't mentioned in articles like this is the corn used for ethanol is not the same sweet corn used for food. I welcome anyone to hold a bbq with ethanol corn. It's only other use is animal feed. When corn is converted to ethanol only the starch is removed and the more valuable protein that remains is sold in a byproduct called DDG. Limiting ethanol production this year will not reduce the cost of your corn flakes, but it might reduce the cost of your steak just a little.
Bobby Fontaine
I wrote the ethanol article below. You are free to edit and publish it however you wishFor the Ethanol Mandate, the Real Issue is Speculators by Bobby FontaineThe problem is not so much grain supplies but the prices going so high that third world countries and the food relief organizations that support them can't afford to feed their people anymore. This leads to political unrest and death all over the world, like last years "Arab Spring" being a direct result of rising grain prices caused by federal ethanol mandates. Ethanol supporters can defend high grain prices by showing that ever since ethanol has placed higher demands on corn markets, more corn has been grown to meet it. That however doesn't change the fact that the reason grain prices are so high even though there is ample supply is speculators. And the only reason speculators feel confident enough to risk billions of dollars to drive up grain prices is because federal biofuel mandates insure higher than normal demand on corn, and soybean for biodiesel. Higher demand for soy and corn, along with being able to sell it for higher prices, causes farmers to choose to grow them over other crops, which puts pressure on the supply side for all related food markets, including meat producers who use grain for animal feed. This gives speculators a field day of betting that all commodities markets will rise. This in turn forces the cost of everything we eat to unrealistically high levels. But since we have such a strong economy, we won't starve. This however does keep us from being able to make our economy stronger, which is causing a lot of people to become unemployed and stay that way. In third world countries, higher grain prices means they don't eat, which in the long run, the unrest that follows costs us greatly, to say nothing of the humanitarian aspect of what we're doing to them. No reason for starvation What I'm saying is we will have enough grain to supply all the markets in need, hopefully with next year bringing in a better crop so we can re- supply depleted stores. But speculators are forcing prices up to unrealistic levels so we can no longer afford to buy them without a great deal of pain. This way they make money at everyone's else's expense, including their own since they are human beings and will suffer through whatever they cause for the rest of us. This is to say nothing of the fact that they will also have to help pay to clean up after the problems they cause through taxes and straining the economy further, perhaps beyond repair. And the only reason they are able to do this is because they know which way the markets are pointing as long as we have mandates that insure prices will keep rising. Federal laws that require ethanol and biodiesel be used as fuel forces such a large shift in the direction of grain markets, and subsequently all food markets, that speculators can easily see what no one is supposed to be smart enough to see, which is the direction
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A searchable database of project activity in the global hydrocarbon processing industry
Engineers and designers are highly skilled individuals. Forcing them to enter design changes using tables, forms and spreadsheets is unproductive and uneconomical, and it increases the likelihood of human error—this is the way that most instrumentation software systems currently work. For too long, software vendors have denied engineers and designers the simple practicality of a graphical visual engineering interface with "drag and drop" capability and inbuilt intelligence, ensuring changes are automatically replicated into all the associated data and databases.
Is 2016 the peak for US gasoline demand?
Too soon to tell
July 2016

subset: commoncrawl


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Find Quality Pre-Owned Toyota & Used Cars For Sale Near Columbus at Tansky Sawmill Toyota
If you desire a reliable used car, truck, SUV or van, count on Tansky Sawmill Toyota to deliver the best inventory to choose from! We provide our customers with a diverse used car inventory of vehicles ranging from luxury to utility. You will find a vast selection of quality Toyota models for those who desire to "Go Places," along with models from other popular manufacturers like Honda, Ford, Lexus, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ram, BMW, Lexus and many more. We make sure your options aren't limited! In addition, we offer exceptional used car specials to ensure you receive the best deal possible on your next purchase. Most importantly, we understand that shopping for a used car can be a nail-biting experience, so we make it our business to instill confidence in our customers. Our entire used inventory is rigorously inspected to ensure quality and reliability, and each certified vehicle is backed by our Used Car Certification Program that provides an 7-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty on your car, truck, SUV or van. We firmly stand behind the vehicles we sell!
It's time to shop smart and at ease! So come visit Tansky Sawmill Toyota today at 6300 Sawmill Rd Dublin, OH 43017. We look forward to serving our customers from Columbus, Worthington, Powell, and Upper Arlington OH and throughout the Central Ohio area.
*Picture may not represent actual vehicle. Price varies based on Trim Levels and Options. See Dealer for in-stock inventory & actual selling price. All prices plus tax, title & license with approved credit. MSRP includes delivery, processing, and handling fees. Dealer doc fee $250.00 not included in price. Prices may be different outside of each advertised period and do not necessarily reflect cash price at any other time.
Tansky Sawmill Toyota
Local Toyota Dealer Selling New Toyota and Used Cars.
Serving: Dublin, OH, Columbus, OH, Worthington, OH, and Upper Arlington, OH, and Powell, OH, .
Local Phone: 614-766-4800
Local Toyota Dealer Selling New Toyota and Used Cars.
Serving: Dublin, OH, Columbus, OH, Worthington, OH, and Upper Arlington, OH, and Powell, OH, .
Local Phone: 614-766-4800
6300 Sawmill Rd Dublin OH 43017


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Background: our company provides an online service. The service is provided both to general public, and to enterprise customers. Enterprise customers are signed on as part of sales efforts. We have encountered one customer (in Japan), who requires us to be audited for security. That's pretty much all the have requested, though, i.e. they do not ask for any specific standard, or identified any companies that they would prefer to be used.
Question: considering that I'm completely ignorant in standards in this area, who should I try turning to at all? Is there a good standard of certification of a particular application deployment, that is widely accepted? If I at least knew that, it would probably be easier to Google a company that would do such an audit, but any name suggestions would be also appreciated.


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The importance of upskilling as a designer
Category: Blogs, Interviews / Individual, Interviews / Studio, Magazines, Resources / Educational,
Posted by: TanyaThe guys over at Desktop Magazine have put together this handy article where they questioned six creatives: "In terms of employability and keeping up-to-date with technologies, how important is it for designers to upskill?" ...
Posted: Aug 21st 2012
No. of comments: 0
Posted: Aug 21st 2012
No. of comments: 0


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Cast: Matt Lanter, Ashley Eckstein, James Arnold Taylor, Tom Kane, Corey Burton, TC Carson, Nika Futterman, Dee Bradley Baker, Catherine Taber, Anthony Daniels, Ian Abercrombie, Matthew Wood, Stephen Stanton, Tom Kenny
- Airs: 9:30am Saturdays
- Air Dates: October 2008 - March 2013
The latest animated series in the Star Wars franchise to hit the small screen. The series takes place in between the films Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The following familiar characters (along with a few new faces) feature in the show: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Padm Amidala, Yoda, Chancellor Palpatine and General Grievous.


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Enter your zip code for product availability and pickup options at your nearest store or select a store by state.
Instantly create three times the room in a closet, armoire or wardrobe with the Hanging Space Bag by Ziploc. It's part of the revolutionary vacuum-sealed storage system that reduces volume and increases protection. Simply pack the bag with clean, dry coats, jackets, suits or other garments, remove the air from the bag using a standard household vacuum (not included) and hang the bag. It's easy and simple to use, and it can be used over and over again. Because there's no air, there are no insects, dust, mildew, moisture, musty odors or discoloration.
Enter your zip code for product availability and pickup options at your nearest store or select a store by state.
At its tallest, our Hanging Space Bag is 45-1/2" tall.
A couple of important guidelines should be observed when storing items in our Space Bags. Fiber-filled items such as pillows and comforters should be removed from the bag about twice a year and fluffed to preserve their loft. We do not recommend our Space Bags for storage of down-filled items. The vacuum created in the Space Bag can break the feathers ruining the resiliency and loft of the item.


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MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) -- Attorneys for former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy told a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Court of Appeals their client should get a new trial on government corruption charges.
Scrushy and former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman were found guilty in a 2006 trial in federal court in Montgomery.
Scrushy's attorney Art Leach told Al.com his client is entitled to a new trial.
Scrushy has completed his prison sentence and is now living in Houston. He did not attend Tuesday's hearing. Siegelman is serving a prison term in Louisiana.
Prosecutors alleged that Scrushy bought a seat on a state hospital regulatory board by arranging $500,000 in donations to Siegelman's campaign for a statewide lottery.
Scrushy's lawyers say the trial judge erred in denying Scrushy's motions and related discovery requests.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) -- A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments as former Health South CEO Richard Scrushy appeals a lower court decision denying his request for a new trial of his 2006 conviction in a government corruption case.
Former Alabama Gov Don Siegelman was also found guilty in that case and is serving a sentence in a federal prison in Louisiana. Scrushy is out of prison and living in Houston after having completed his sentence.
Siegelman and Scrushy were accused of taking part in a scheme in which Scrushy was allegedly appointed to a hospital regulatory board in exchange for arranging for $500,000 in contributions to Siegelman's campaign for a lottery.
The hearing for Scrushy is scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Montgomery federal courthouse.


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This is the blog for Gavin and Carrie Jones and family. We live in Papua New Guinea and are working to support Bible translations in progress around the country and the people of PNG. Gavin is a helicopter pilot. Carrie has her degree in Public Health, but our "public" now consists of our son, Isaac, born in 2004 and our quintuplets, Will, David, Marcie, Seth, and Grace, all born in 2012.
But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him and his righteousness with their children's children . . . Psalm 103:17
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Thank you!!
16 comments:
Gorgeous photos! Love seeing those 5 little miracles all lined up together. xoReplyDelete
Beautiful photos!! Thanks so much for taking the time to share them. I too love seeing those 5 little miracles all lined up together.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 3, 2013 at 5:49 AM
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.ReplyDelete
- Sandy BFebruary 3, 2013 at 6:40 AM
They are BEYOND gorgeous!!! I especially love the one with the hats and bright socks. They are so fearfully and wonderfully made. You all (8 of you) are a beautiful gift to us and those around you. love you guys.ReplyDelete
Thank YOU for going through all the work it takes keeping up your blog, sharing pictures, and being so appreciative. You are truly spreading God's love.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 3, 2013 at 10:18 AM
So sweet! Love these photos! I totally understand about not being able to keep up with the personal thank you's. When Carter was sick and we were blessed by so many acts of service and generosity, we could not keep up with thank you's. We needed to focus our time and attention on our son! And I'm sure that people understand that you need to focus your attention on your FOUR sons and TWO daughters! Like Gina commented above, thank YOU for keeping this blog updated!ReplyDelete
~Wanda CummingsReplies
Thanks, Wanda! The girls' outfits were your girls', weren't they? :)Delete
Adorable!!! :)ReplyDelete
- Barbara T. HudsonFebruary 3, 2013 at 2:20 PM
Yes, Adorable. What a blessing you all are to each of us who follow your blog. Thank you for taking the time to share. I look forward to meeting you and your precious ones some day, Lord willing. (friend of David and Anne Smith)(and Ann Marie Peterson who told me about you soon after the babies were born)ReplyDelete
Thank-you, for putting up the pictures of the babies with their hats,, I hope they will be able to wear them for a while. !!!! I LOVE seeing the pictures when ever you have the time to put them up....God Bless you all, I'm still praying...for things to get in a schedule and for all to be healthy,,,,,(Thank-you again,, the babies are so cute with their hats) From Dayton ohioReplyDeleteReplies
And thank YOU for the hats!!! :) They wear them on their walks now.Delete
- K PittsFebruary 3, 2013 at 4:16 PM
HAHAHAHA! I love Will's crying face in the last photo!!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 3, 2013 at 6:01 PM
What preciousness!! (Is that a word!? If not, it should be, with these wonderful pics beside it in the dictionary!) It must be pure joy to wake up to these cuties in the morning - tired as you must be, I know that one smile is all it takes to make it a better day. I will echo the thank you's above for you sharing your journey with us and allowing us to be a part of it. Truly a blessing.ReplyDelete
And, Thank YOU, Lord. NKL
- AnonymousFebruary 4, 2013 at 10:28 AM
Hello från Sweden Stockholm! Found you through my christian newspaper Dagen.ReplyDelete
Wonderful pictures!
Good luck, God bless!
- AnonymousFebruary 4, 2013 at 12:41 PM
Love the bottom right picture -- Seth looks like he's enjoying shoving the whole crew over. Poor Will!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 4, 2013 at 9:51 PM
Great artiсle. Ι am facing а few of thеse issuеs as well.ReplyDelete
Also visit my website - how to stop snoring
Blog Archive
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- Update Wednesday night, February 27th
- Desperate call for prayer for a friend
- Seth is not doing so hot
- Update on Seth and more pictures, Thursday
- Pulmonology appointment
- And more random pics
- Botanic Gardens and another group photo shoot
- And LOTS more!
- TONS of pictures!
- Good Morning, America link
- Good Morning, America!
- News Correction :}
- Carrie's 2 cents
- prayer requests
- More photos
- Thank you!!
- ▼ February (16)
- ► 2012 (266)


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Degree students
Most international students seeking a degree at NTNU attend one of our master's programmes taught in English.
International students who fulfill the Norwegian language requirements may attend one of the bachelor or master's degree programmes taught in Norwegian.
Exchange students
Exchange students typically attend NTNU for short periods of 3 to 12 months before returning to their home university.
PhD opportunities
Doctoral research programmes are available in most disciplines at NTNU.
Continuing education
The Norwegian University of Science and Technology offers both open and in-house Continuing Education and Professional Development courses and programmes. Programmes are taught in Norwegian, and have tuition fees.
International House
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NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
Opening hours: 10am-2.30pm
Telephone: +47 73595700
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GoingOutGuide Movies
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One deliciously dark tale
By Michael O'Sullivan
Friday, October 5, 2012
During the next month, Americans will be called upon to make a choice between two very distinct visions. No, not Obama vs. Romney. I'm talking about "Frankenweenie" vs. "Hotel Transylvania."
The two animated, monster-movie-themed releases -- both timed to coincide with the pre-Halloween season -- are almost polar opposites. Opening last week to mostly negative reviews, "Hotel Transylvania" is aimed squarely at the very youngest viewers, with tired jokes about flatulence and an insipid lead performance by Adam Sandler as Count Dracula.
"Frankenweenie," on the other hand, arrives this weekend with a very different pedigree, and a jolt of jangly energy. The story of a young science nerd who brings his dead dog back to life with a blast from a lightning bolt, "Frankenweenie" is an expansive new adaptation by Tim Burton of his 1984 live-action short of the same name. Designed to appeal to both discriminating adults and older kids, the gorgeous, black-and-white stop-motion film is a fresh, clever and affectionate love letter to classic horror movies.
Warning: It is decidedly not for little children. Like Burton's 1984 short, which famously got the filmmaker fired from Disney for being too intense for tots, "Frankenweenie" is a deliciously dark tale. At least one youngster could be heard loudly whimpering during a recent screening, begging to be taken home. The grown-ups in the audience, however, seemed to love it.
Transplanting Mary Shelley's 19th-century story to the 1950s, "Frankenweenie" is the story of 10-year-old Victor Frankenstein (voice of Charlie Tahan), a bookish loner whose best friend is his dog, Sparky. After Sparky is hit by a car, a desperate, distraught Victor applies some half-remembered lessons in electricity from his slightly unhinged science teacher (Martin Landau) and reanimates the pet pooch, one dark and stormy night.
All is well until some of Victor's classmates get wind of the secret experiment and begin resurrecting all of their dearly departed pets, too, including a hamster and some Sea-Monkeys. (It helps if you're old enough to know what "Sea-Monkeys" -- a.k.a. brine shrimp -- even are. "Just add water," read the old ad, which used to run in the back of comic books.) That they turn into something resembling the evil beasties from "Gremlins" is only one of several loving homages to the cinematic world of creature features. One Japanese-American kid, Toshiaki (James Hiroyuki Liao) unleashes a Godzilla-like monster when his late pet turtle -- mischievously named Shelley -- turns into a giant, rampaging reptile.
It's great fun.
So is the overall look of the film, which portrays Victor and everyone else in it as pallid, sunken-eyed (though lovable) ghouls. The boy who first discovers Victor's secret is a hunchbacked kid named Edgar -- more familiarly known as "E" -- Gore (Atticus Shaffer). You have to say it out loud to get the pun.
Screenwriter John August, who worked with Burton on "Dark Shadows" and other films, fills "Frankenweenie" with lots of equally wonderful, if silly, in-jokes.
Catherine O'Hara and Martin Short vividly portray Victor's parents, along with a variety of other characters. And as Victor's next-door neighbor Elsa Van Helsing, Winona Ryder seems to be channeling her sardonic character from Burton's 1988 hit "Beetlejuice." It's a knowing nod to a great performance, rather than a retread.
The choice here is clear. Leave "Hotel Transylvania," and its soulless, Saturday-morning computer animation, to the wee ones. But for a touch of Saturday night sophistication, you can't do better than "Frankenweenie."
Contains some scary images and morbid thematic material.


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With large crowds flocking to stores comes heavy traffic, especially on roads like Campbell Ln. and Scottsville Rd. that draw in the majority of shoppers.
By late morning and early afternoon today, it wasn't the roads that were the problem, but the parking lots. One shopper explains his strategy for finding the best spots.
"I saw this guy that was about to pull out, and I was like I've gotta get that spot because there are no other spots anywhere today... so that was it. I just whipped it in there. Actually I was about to pass him, and I stopped real quick, and I was like get out! He came back out and it was all good," said shopper Chris Darity.
Darity isn't the only one giving travel advice this holiday season.
AAA advises people to make sure you are aware of your surroundings, keep valuables in the trunk or in a covered area, and in case of an emergency, keep a cell phone with you at all times.


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HOME Michigan State Spartans Gear Michigan State Spartans T-Shirts Michigan State Spartans T-Shirts Short Sleeved (396 items) Product ID: 1399332
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$4.99 flat rate shipping. See other shipping options.
There is nothing you love more than Michigan State basketball, but you want a look that's different from everyone else in the arena. Next time you get to a game, throw on this Fusion Power Glow Ball tee from Nike. It features "Spartans" lettering above a unique basketball graphic and team logo. This tee will ensure you stand out in a sea of fellow Mich State fans!
- 100% Cotton
- Imported
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- Screen print graphics
- Tagless collar
- Crew neck
- Short sleeve
- Screen print graphics
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- Brand: Nike
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Special event items are produced by manufacturers only after the outcome of a game or event. These are advanced sale items and will ship immediately after they are received in our warehouse.
Manufacturer direct items are shipped directly from the manufacturer. These items are not available for international or expedited shipping.
Customized items can be personalized with options such as your name, your favorite number, and/or designs. Some options may be limited by league rules.


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BRYAN (November 25, 2012)—John Ray Falk, Jr., 45, a convicted killer who's already serving a life prison term for murder, faces a possible death sentence for an escape attempt five years ago that left a Texas corrections officer dead.
Falk will be tried in Bryan, where opening statements and testimony are expected to begin Monday.
Corrections officer Susan Canfield was killed as Falk and fellow prisoner Jerry Martin broke away from an inmate work crew outside the Wynne Unit prison just north of Huntsville in September 2007.
Martin commandeered a truck and rammed it into Canfield, who was on horseback.
Martin was convicted three years ago in the same case and is now on death row.
Falk's trial was moved from Huntsville to Bryan.
Authorities say Falk and Martin were both working in a field along Interstate 45 when Canfield, 59, was overpowered and then run over with a stolen truck.
Authorities say one of the prisoners asked Canfield to hold what officials believe was a watch.
Canfield reached for the object and the struggle broke out.
Officials say one inmate took Canfield's weapon, while the other inmate grabbed another guard's gun.
The inmates then exchanged gunfire with officers before fleeing in the stolen truck and running over Canfield, who was on horseback.
The inmates dumped the stolen pickup, then confronted a woman in a bank drive-through in Huntsville and took her car.
By then, Huntsville police were in pursuit and shot out a tire in that car.
Falk was caught shortly after the two fled, and searchers using dogs, horses and a helicopter eventually found Martin hiding in a tree.
Canfield had been a corrections officer for seven years.
Martin was serving a 50-year sentence for attempted murder out of Collin County.
Falk was serving a life sentence for a Matagorda County murder.


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MIDLAND (November 18, 2012)--The harrowing train crash in Midland that killed four Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans who were riding on a trailer after a parade unfolded in a rapid-fire 20 seconds from the time the crossing bells and lights activated to the collision.
Sixteen people were injured.
The National Transportation Safety Board released a detailed timeline Saturday, pieced together from video images on the train, a sheriff's car and the train's equivalent of a black box.
A group called Show of Support organized the parade.
Group member Michael McKinney said the truck was donated.
According to the timeline, the truck entered the crossing after the warning lights had gone off.
The veterans and their spouses had only seconds to jump off.
At the same time, the train conductor pulled the emergency brake in an attempt to come to a screeching halt.
NTSB member Mark Rosekind said the signals activated seven seconds before the float crossed the tracks.
He said the train started sounding its horn nine seconds before it hit the float.
Several hundred people fathered Saturday for a vigil in downtown Midland, lighting white candles and praying for the victims' families and the community as a whole.
The town square was lined with American flags.
Midland Mayor Wes Perry told the crowd that "the next few days will be tough but when we get to the other side, it will be better."
Ministers prayed for the community to have strength in wake of the tragedy.
City Manager Courtney Sharp says Midland is "grieving and in pain."
A funeral will be held in Amarillo for an Army sergeant who saved his wife, Daylyn, from the catastrophic crash and was killed in the collision.
Family spokesman Cory Rogers told the Amarillo Globe News the funeral for Army Sgt. Joshua Michael will likely be after Thanksgiving, but didn't give a time or location for the services.
Daylyn Michael's mother Mary Hefley says Michael shoved his wife from the float just before impact, saving her life.
The couple has two children.


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Fact Sheets
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Saudi Arabia In Focus
King Abdullah chairs Cabinet's weekly meeting
August 24, 2009
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz began the Cabinet meeting at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah today by welcoming the start of the holy month of Ramadan and calling on all Muslims to practice their religion's values of fraternity, tolerance and self-accountability. The King then reviewed his latest contacts with world leaders and their envoys.
The Cabinet praised King Abdullah's approval of the establishment of four new universities in Dammam, Al-Kharj, Shaqra and Al-Majmaa. The Cabinet then listened to a briefing by Second Deputy Prime Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz on the situation in Al-Eis, where several tremors and aftershocks have struck over the past few weeks. According to Prince Nayef, residents have returned to their homes following strenuous efforts by authorities to provide assistance.
The Council also listened to a presentation by the Minister of Finance regarding the 2009 Article IV Consultation Report completed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The report found that in recent years, Saudi Arabia has consolidated its macroeconomic position, strengthened its financial sector, and implemented structural reforms to boost private-sector led growth. The Cabinet confirmed that the Kingdom is continuing to implement policies that will further strengthen the Saudi economy and promote confidence in its ability to withstand the current global financial crisis.
Finally, the Cabinet praised the achievements of the Saudi security services, which succeeded in arresting forty-four terrorists during a recent operation.
After reviewing its agenda, the Cabinet approved an agreement on security cooperation with Germany, which was signed in Riyadh on 5/27/2009; authorized the Minister of Health to sign a draft memorandum of understanding on health cooperation with Qatar; authorized the President of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) to sign a draft agreement on cooperation in the development of peaceful uses of nuclear energy with France; approved the addition of the phrase "A fee (10 percent) shall be collected from the just value when the ownership is transferred by means other than the sale, except in cases of inheritance, legacy, endowment, gift, waiver of property free of charge for one first-degree relatives or donation to charities" to the end of article (1) of the Cabinet's decision No. (149) dated 25/11/1377 H; and approved the continuation of paragraphs (1, 2) of the Cabinet's decision No. (7) dated 01/01/1422 H. as regards allowing the import of Palestinian products.
The Cabinet approved the appointments of Fahd Al-Rajeh as Ambassador at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Mowaffaq Hafez as Minister Plenipotentiary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Shihri as Minister Plenipotentiary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Abdulaziz Al-Miqbel as Director General of Administration and Financial Affairs at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
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Stay Connected Anywhere
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Two days after lawmakers gave it unanimous approval, Gov. Sam Brownback on Friday signed a bill fixing a constitutional flaw in the state's Hard 50 sentencing statute into law.
"I am pleased that we could resolve this issue of public safety quickly," Brownback said in a statement. "Repairing the 'Hard 50' sentence was the focus of the special session and I wanted to act as quickly as possible to have the law take effect."
The Hard 50 law allows some convicted murderers to be sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 50 years. But a June U.S. Supreme Court decision said a jury must decide aggravating factors for enhanced sentences. Under current Kansas law, a judge makes the decision.
A bill advocated by Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt puts a jury process into the Hard 50 sentencing law. Schmidt told lawmakers during their special session Tuesday and Wednesday that a change was needed immediately to end a period of uncertainty with Hard 50 cases that are on appeal or in the trial process, plus crimes that might occur between now and when the Legislature would convene its regular session in January.
The bill was delivered to the Secretary of State Friday afternoon. It become law upon publication in the Kansas Register that day.


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Radiation treats cancer by using high-energy beams to kill tumor cells. To spare normal tissues, shaped radiation beams are aimed from several angles of exposure to intersect at the tumor, providing a much larger total dose to the tumor than to the surrounding healthy tissue. Your cancer care may call for using these precise beams of radiation to destroy your tumors. If so, you want your care to be in the hands of experts who can assure that the process is done with complete accuracy and safety.
The doctors, nurses, radiation specialists, and technicians who provide your radiation therapy in the UI Department of Radiation Oncology are professionals at the top of their field. Not only do they deliver this high level of care to hundreds of patients each year, they are also at the forefront of their discipline, pioneering new and more effective means to deliver your care safely and accurately.
Take a 12.5 minute tour to learn what happens during radiation treatment for cancer. This is a detailed education video to better prepare patients for radiation therapy mixed with patient stories.


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WEIRTON - Shale supporters say domestic production could surpass that of Saudi Arabia and even Russia within a matter of a few years.
Rayola Dougher, senior economic adviser for the American Petroleum Institute, told civic and government leaders at a luncheon meeting Tuesday that U.S. producers "have turned a corner, a big corner, and the expectation is for it to continue."
Dougher said the U.S., the world leader in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling technology, is expected to be positioned within the decade to export natural gas, adding that prices are dropping and that's "good news for anybody who makes anything in the U.S."
Article Photos
OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND — Rayola Dougher, senior economic adviser for the American Petroleum Institute, told area residents Tuesday the nation's dominance in shale oil and gas drilling "is good news for anybody who makes anything in the U.S." Dougher was in Weirton on behalf of Energy Speaks, a public awareness campaign sponsored by the Just Beneath the Surface Alliance. - Linda Harris
A recent study by the American Chemistry Council suggests shale already has created more than 412,000 jobs, 17,000 of them high-paying positions in the U.S. chemical industry; fueled $132.4 billion in U.S. economic output; generated more than $4.4 billion in federal, state and local tax revenue annually; prompted a $32.8 billion increase in U.S. chemical production; and spurred $16.2 billion in investments in new petrochemical and derivatives capacity.
Those numbers, too, are expected to swell, she said.
"It has great ramifications for the state," said Jack Harrison of the American Petroleum Institute. "...It's not only the drilling, but all the downstream (opportunities), that's where the real implication will be for us."
Harrison said shale oil and gas is "a low-cost domestic fuel, available right here."
"There are decades and decades of drilling to be done," he said. "It's a true game-changer."
Steve Roberts, marketing manager for Wellsburg's Eagle Manufacturing, said the shale deposits here in West Virginia are rich in liquids, giving them added value.
Shell's decision to build a multi-billion ethane cracker in nearby Monaca, Pa., makes the Northern Panhandle a prime location for downstream industries, particularly since the area has rail, river and highway access and is strategically located "within 500 miles of major industrial consumers."
"We have a tremendous opportunity in West Virginia, if we just ... embrace the industry," he said. "The technology is proven, the job creation is proven. There will be challenges along the way, but we have the resources" to overcome them.
The panelists said there's potential for another cracker in the Mountain State, as well as downstream industries.
"There are a couple things going on behind the scenes, other than Shell, by companies looking to do something," Roberts said.
The luncheon, held at DeeJay's in Weirton, was held in conjunction with Energy Speaks, an informational program sponsored by the Just Beneath the Surface Alliance.


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ABERDEEN MUSEUM OF HISTORY, 111 E. Third St., 1903 Aberdeen Fire Exhibit featuring historical equipment, 21-seat digital theater, early schoolroom, Think O' Me Gift Shop. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; closed on Sundays and Mondays. Admission by donation. 533-1976.
ABERDEEN EAGLES, Thursday night marathon bingo at 6 p.m. Senior dance is fourth Sunday of every month, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. All events are open to the public. 532-7520.
ABERDEEN ELKS, Dave Christensen in the Antler Room on Friday, June 28. Open to the public.
ABERDEEN AMERICAN LEGION, 112 W. 1st St., bingo Sundays and Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. Doors open at 4 p.m. with free coffee.
COASTAL INTERPRETIVE CENTER, Ocean Shores, open Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free, For more info, call (360) 289-4617.
HARBOR ART GUILD, Six Rivers Gallery presents the fifth annual Young Artists' Show, featuring art from young people aged seven months to 20 years old. The show runs through June 30. An opening reception is set for noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 8. Six Rivers Gallery is at 210 6th St. in Hoquiam. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.
HOQUIAM ELKS, Friday Night Bingo, 6 p.m.
HOQUIAM VFW POST No. 1135, marathon bingo, Sundays and Tuesdays at 11 a.m.
LAKE QUINAULT MUSEUM, 354 South Shore Road. Current display honors veterans of the Quinault Valley and nearby communities and covers a time span from the Civil War to Afghanistan. Open daily Memorial Day through Labor Day, noon to 5 p.m.. Closed Mondays. Admission by donation. (360) 288-2317 or 288-2857.
NORTH BEACH MUSEUM AND VISITORS CENTER, Moclips. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday through Monday. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Free admission. To arrange special tours, call (360) 276-4441 or go online at www.moclips.org.
NORTHWEST CARRIAGE MUSEUM in Raymond. Open daily May through September: Wednesday through Saturday 10-4, Sunday-Tuesday 12-4. Free admission on the first Wednesday of the month. The museum is located at 314 Alder St., at the corner of Highway 101 and State Route 6 in Raymond. Groups tours available, call (360) 942-4150 for more information.
OCEAN SHORES EAGLES CLUB, Karaoke every Friday and Saturday, 7 p.m. to closing.
PACIFIC COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM in South Bend. Open daily and year round from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The museum is located at 1008 W Robert Bush Drive (Highway 101), South Bend. Call (360) 875-5224 for additional information.
POLSON MUSEUM, Hoquiam. Hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission: $4 adults, $2 students, $1 under 12, $10 family. For more information, call 533-5862 or check out www.polsonmuseum.org.
THE POURHOUSE, Aberdeen, Jam night every Wednesday night.
SHILO INN in Ocean Shores, Paul Bouma on piano, 7 to 11 p.m. Saturdays. No cover. Seating limited.
WAVES at Best Western Ocean Shores, Barb Draper singing, 6-8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. No cover, seating limited.
WILLAPA SEAPORT MUSEUM Raymond. General tours available from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., daily and by appointment.(360) 942-4149.
Around the town listings are free. All items must be submitted in writing. Deadline is noon Tuesdays for the following Thursday's edition.


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It's not a serious point of contention with the country. A plurality of voters now support raising taxes on the upper-rungs of the economy (http://www.businessinsider.com/obama...-romney-2012-7). 70% also support raising capital gains taxes to 30% (http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...-buffett-rule/).Originally Posted by BulletMagnet
We've legalized marijuana for the first time on a state level, and a handful of states passed marriage equality ballots through the popular vote as opposed to judicial or legislative order.
The country is changing. Just because the country hasn't turned into Amsterdam overnight doesn't negate my points earlier.
I suppose you're right as far as it goes, but it still seems to me that the "Center" marker in politics has been moved so far right over the past 30-plus years (again, if moving the top tax rate from 35 to 39 percent has such wide support, why is it constantly treated as such a controversial thing, even by the so-called "liberal" media, who parrot every corporate talking point ["I'll have to fire everyone if this goes through!"] they're fed?) that we need more than a handful more "liberals" in Washington - we need a constant, strongly-backed effort to (re-)redefine where exactly the line is, when you look at the big picture and at history. As long as some well-paid blowhard can go on cable TV and call any country with a public health care a "Socialist state" and not be immediately laughed off the stage with his career in tatters, we're not going to get anywhere no matter how many times we pat ourselves on the back.The country is changing. Just because the country hasn't turned into Amsterdam overnight doesn't negate my points earlier.
No, it won't happen overnight, but the fact that so many "liberals" seem to feel that they own the world after this election does not encourage me when it comes to our long-term prospects. A handful of victories, immediately followed by laziness and complacency...you do know what the next step in the sequence is, right?
Look at the country in 2002, and then look at it in 2012. Look at country's attitude then, and then look at it now.
Last edited by Revuhlooshun; 11-16-2012 at 05:57 PM.
2002 isn't the best starting point, right after 9-11 the country went retarded and kow towed to the authoritarians for the sake of "safety". We're better in lots of ways, but the Patriot Act is still around and Obama hasn't done shit to roll any of that back (not that I expected any president to willingly give up executive powers).
The Democrats have become a center-right party. With a few exceptions, they're pretty much what the Republicans were 25 years ago. The republicans doubled down on the religious crazy after 9-11 (having a new boogeyman in the form of Islam helped) and now they're far right. Democrats for the most part are only liberal by comparison.
In 1987, the Republican Party was calling for a further gutting of marginal tax rates, financial regulations, and environmental regulations; a perpetual increasing of defense spending and a projection of U.S. force across the entire globe; a crusade against any sort of health care reform; the segregation and removal of homosexuals from the U.S. military and the outright criminalization of homosexuality with anti-sodomy laws; and the privatization of Social Security. The very idea of government being capable of anything beneficial was one which was despised.
Democrats of today do not sound anything like the Republican Party of 25 years prior. And indeed, most of the population does not support these initiatives in the numbers that they once did. 25 years probably is a better starting point, because it illustrates my point in a more drastic way. In only a quarter of a century, we've gone from the age of the Reagan Revolution that I just described to an age where almost all of its tenets have been rebuked, disproved, or done away with by the voting public.
This meme that both parties are identical is exaggerated. Yes, they have overlaps -- that's a natural effect of living in a democracy. Uncontroversial issues which large swathes of the population support will be adhered and pandered to by both parties. We're seeing such a consensus forming on immigration as we speak, now that the Republicans have seen it is a losing issue for them and that it will be for some time to come. But there are still very significant differences which do matter and do affect people's lives.
This would be a great time for younger, saner conservatives to take control of the Republican party. Either it evolves or we can look forward to seeing it dissolved within our lifetimes. Ideally, one of the first steps would be to demonstrate that a traditional religious belief system isn't necessary for those who wish to represent the socially conservative lifestyle. For example, let's say we think traditional marriage should be upheld and strengthened in the public eye. That's admirable. However we don't need to legislate against gays to make that happen. We need to differentiate between sound public policy, and shit that people read in story books.
Obamacare was pulled straight out of the Heritage Foundation, it was originally proposed by the Republicans in the 90's as an alternative to Hillarycare. Average income tax for a family of four in 1983 under Reagan was about 11.1 percent, under Clinton in 1992 it was around 9.2. Now it's ridiculously low thanks to Bush, around 4.7. More recently there were plenty of Democrats that supported SOPA/PIPA until the entire Internet revolted.
The theocrats need to be drummed out of the Republican party, and they need to drop the social issues like yesterday. That's going to end up killing them in another generation or two as more people start realizing that gays aren't possessed by demons and are just regular people who happen to be attracted to their own sex. Republicans need to actually get serious about the small government / smart fiscal sense platform they've been pretending to follow, because otherwise they're going to become more and more marginalized until they wake up and realize they're no longer relevant.
How would we have passed anything but Obamacare at the time? With what votes? Politics is the art of the possible. We barely passed the Heritage Foundation's plan due to Republican obstruction. Plenty of Democrats tried passing a Medicare expansion and even a public option at the very least, but if you don't have the votes, then you don't have the votes. Just because the party reckoned with reality and compromised to get something done doesn't mean that they've sold their soul to Ludwig von Mises.
I don't see the importance of the Reagan/Clinton comparison. Clinton wasn't even in office in 1992 -- he was inaugurated in 1993. Both dates are also quite early on in each of their administrations (especially Clinton's, which was really in Bush I's administration) -- how can you measure the effectiveness of their policies after such a short time span, before they've had time to really go into effect? Those figures can easily change from year to year based on a number of variables.
Clinton purposely ran as a conservative Democrat to undermine the rightward swing of the country. In his words, he was "a New Democrat." Nobody's contesting Clinton leaned to the right at the time in order to win. But this also speaks to the fact that the Democrats of 2012 do not need to run to the right to win like Clinton had to 20 years ago -- this further cements my point that there's been a very visible sea-change in the electorate. This is again further evidenced by the number of openly liberal candidates who won elected offices in 2012 and the number of openly conservative candidates who lost races.
In addition: I see no sources for those figures. Where are you getting them from?
As for SOPA/PIPA:
SOPA/PIPA had 80 supporters from both parties and 31 opponents from both parties the day before it was protested on a large scale, tallying a grand total of 111 members who even voiced an opinion on the subject beforehand. As a reference: There are 438 members of the House (of which 193 were Democrats), and 100 members of the Senate (of which 51 were Democrats). At the time of this chart, there were 244 Democrats in Congress altogether. The total number of Democrats who voiced support for SOPA/PIPA before it became unpopular was 44 (as seen in that chart). 18% of the elected Democratic Party supported SOPA/PIPA before January 19th.
I would not call that an overwhelming amount.
Last edited by Revuhlooshun; 11-17-2012 at 02:27 AM.
...I begin to get very worried. It very much behooves all liberals (and neutral observers, if such people truly exist) to remember well that for the vast majority of the years since the "Reagan revolution" the country has been moving steadily rightward. The period in question was NOT a gradual rejection of "movement conservatism" - you are correct in saying that most everything about it has been rebuked or disproved by now, simply because most of it doesn't make a lick of sense, but a LOT of people still believe a LOT of the so-called "conventional wisdom" that the movement spawned, in large part because far too many liberals remained complacent for far too long.In only a quarter of a century, we've gone from the age of the Reagan Revolution that I just described to an age where almost all of its tenets have been rebuked, disproved, or done away with by the voting public.
Cutting taxes (especially for the rich) not only enriches the general population but increases government revenue. Poor people are only poor because they're lazy and unmotivated - Cadillac-driving welfare queens are stealing your hard-earned money via government programs. Government health care is an utter failure in every place it's been tried; they have death panels over there. Liberals and gays own Hollywood, educational institutions, and the media, and are using them all to indoctrinate your children and further their agenda. Saddam DID have weapons of mass destruction and WAS involved in 9/11. Regulators want to outlaw cars, take away your guns, close down churches and stop you from eating anything with too much salt in it. FDR's policies had absolutely nothing to do with getting the nation out of the Depression, and Hoover and his predecessors' had nothing to do with getting us into it. The USA is God's chosen country and can do no wrong, as long as God-fearing people are running it.
A nation in which a sizable percentage - in some cases, I'd wager, a clear majority - of people still believe, and are openly told to believe, by people who keep their jobs for decades by doing so, ANY portion of the above (especially after all we've been through since Reagan) is NOT a country where liberals have been making a competent counter-argument and are just now reaping the rewards for all their hard work. McCain and Romney were both terrible candidates (and moreover selected perhaps even more loathsome running mates), and yet both came FAR too close to the country's highest office for me to buy into the "liberalism is back, baby" rhetoric.
Yes, things ARE better in some respects, nobody's denying that, but anybody who doesn't think that we've still got one HELL of an uphill battle ahead of us if we want to get anything done is just as hyped up on happy pills as any Foxbot ever to roam the earth.
I don't want wagers, I want evidence and sources. You just went on a very partisan rant and accused half the country of believing very absurd things with nothing to support that claim. That is an extremely broad and specific brush that you just painted 150+ million people with. It's not very fair, especially without any sources.Originally Posted by BulletMagnet
Nobody is asking you to buy into anything. We're looking at trends. The political orientation of the country has changed from what it has been in the last 25 years. Candidates can now run openly on traditionally liberal stances and win races, a thing which could not be done only a decade or so ago. The Democratic Party has become an actual contender in American politics under the guidance of Barack Obama. These are demonstrable facts, no more, no less. They'll change eventually -- the country ebbs and flows between the two parties. But right now, we are in the middle of a leftward trend that can be traced as far back as 2006. Your resistance to this idea though seems to boil down to purely self-interested political reasons:Originally Posted by BulletMagnet
With all due respect, I don't care about any uphill battle, nor am I hyped up on "happy pills." Not everyone views these things through a partisan lens. I'm trying to analyze this from a neutral perspective, not cheerlead for a football team. Take the voting population from 1987, 2002, or 1995, and it is markedly different and more right-leaning than the population of today. You can offer all of the caveats you want, but it doesn't change that difference. Just look at the demographics: Hispanics, which break largely for the Democrats, are swallowing up voting share from whites who traditionally lean Republican. Much of this leftward trend is fueled by the simple fact that the Republican base is evaporating from existence, along with a lot of other factors colliding into each other at once. It's pretty easy to see this trend in motion if we can put the partisan blinders aside and look at it objectively. This shouldn't be this controversial.Originally Posted by BulletMagnet
Last edited by Revuhlooshun; 11-17-2012 at 03:20 AM.
Tax numbers in my previous post were from googling median tax rates for a family of four under various administrations after filtering out sites known for partisan spin and number juggling. Was trying to keep my kid from splitting his head open on the fireplace hearth while watching the Avengers so I completely failed at communicating my point, which was that Reaganomics is fucking retarded, and that we should have pushed for even higher taxes during the 90's tech boom under Clinton. Trying to juggle too much at once, should have just left it out. My bad.
SOPA/PIPA thing: Nearly a fifth of democrats supporting those terrible fucking bills means that way too many democrats supported those terrible fucking bills. None of them should have. I suspect most of them did it to make corporate campaign donors happy.
Ultimately, what I'm saying is the country has been fed a lot of "AMERICAN FUCK YEAH GONNA MESS UP SOME COMMIE ISLAM BOOGEYMEN CAUSE WE'RE JESUS'S FAVORITE" over the last couple of decades and things are finally swinging away from crazy land. Nobody's arguing that the country isn't shifting towards the left or that both sides are the same. The point I'm trying to make is the country took a hard turn to the right earlier and now the calibration is wonky and we've got Democrats occupying many of the same places that Republicans once held, simply because of the state of the political landscape. The D's had to shift right to survive. Now they're able start dragging things back to the left, but we've still got a way to go before we get to the center again.
Just highlighting this bit because I don't really have a problem with anything else.Originally Posted by Aarony Mxy Yost
The thing we need to keep in mind here is that the country will always be near-evenly divided. I've mentioned this a few times in this thread, but it bears repeating: At the time of the Revolutionary War, a third of the people wanted independence, a third wanted to remain a part of Britain, and another third simply didn't care one way or the other. Historians peg the size of the forces loyal to Britain at around 500,000 (source here: http://countrystudies.us/united-states/history-33.htm) and the size of the Continental Army to have been under 400,000 (source here: http://www.history.army.mil/books/Re...sch/chpt-1.htm), figures which include men, women, and children in both combat and non-combat roles out of an estimated colonial population of 2.5 million. These divisions continued even after we won the war when the founding fathers split off into the bitter factions of the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists. We've always been a divided nation
American politics is a contest between 90% of the electorate fighting over the remaining 10%. As such, we're always going to have some Democrats who will be more conservative in conservative areas and some Republicans who will be more liberal in liberal areas. 1/5th of elected Democrats may have supported SOPA/PIPA, but 4/5ths didn't. You have to allow breathing room for members in more conservative districts in order to retain a majority in either house. We will never see 51 solid, die-hard Democrats in the Senate, nor will we see the same thing with conservative Republicans. You cannot win as a party in American politics without gravitating towards that center and towards that remaining 10% on some issues. Even Mitt Romney recognized that towards the end of his campaign.
I think that's where the Republicans have made their mistake. They invited the preachers and the John Birch crazies into their party, while for the most part the Democrats have booted their extremists out so they go Green Party or wherever. Republicans need to do the same, so we can have a center right and center left party willing to actually work together, keep each other in line, and do what's best for the country. I have a bad feeling the conservatives are going to double down instead though.
So yeah, I suppose I am speaking from a partisan point of view, and insisting that such "electoral shifts" as this one mean little if nothing of note actually gets accomplished as a result. I do not do so, however, just for the heck of it; I do so because I believe that, for the country to endure (especially if it wants to remain a superpower), it needs to at the VERY least be working off of, whenever possible, a set of tangible facts, not a slurry mixture of half-truths and outright fantasy. For the moment, at least, one side of the political equation is sticking much more closely to known factual matters to guide its policy than the other, and thus should ideally be the one to command the tone of the debate (and hopefully shame the other party into joining the "reality-based community" and actually be of some use), but the fact of the matter is that it simply hasn't, for decades now, and though things are swinging a bit back into its direction of late there's still a LOAD of misinformation and misinformers out there, and these DO, like it or not, influence a big chunk of the electorate (not sure offhand where they keep the latest statistics on who believes what...the only ones that show up above the fold are the ones about ghosts and space aliens). There will always be outliers who will latch onto any silly thing that sounds good to them, but there's no way that such blatant falsehoods should hold as significant a place in what passes for our national debate: to put it bluntly, a country in which Rush Limbaugh is awarded an honorary Congressional membership from grateful lawmakers for helping to swing elections their way (and let's not even get back into Citizens United...by the way, how goddamned daft is Alito on this?) is not a country that can continue to function, let alone lead others by example.
Yes, I'm ranting, but I find it absolutely amazing how few people seem concerned about how little factual information matters in this country: I'm not accusing you of willful ignorance here, as you definitely aren't the misinformed type, but I would argue that taking a "neutral stance" towards what this election means is not really an option under the present circumstances. One side aims to go by what it knows; the other aims to go by what it wants. I really don't see a way that any interested citizen could just stand by and say "Hmm. That's interesting" and leave it at that. Yes, the Republican party is inarguably a smaller tent than it used to be, but if that small tent is still able to exercise disproportionate influence over the nation's direction by openly misrepresenting both what it stands for and how the world works then it doesn't mean a thing.
I spoke nothing of taking a "neutral stance." If you cannot look at data from a neutral perspective, you cannot interpret it correctly. This is an entirely different thing from taking a neutral or indifferent stance on an issue.Originally Posted by BulletMagnet
This "us vs them" mentality is counterintuitive to analysis. If you're just as partisan as Sean Hannity is, then you'll end up being just as misinformed.
Again, to a point I'm in your camp on this, but it also has a whiff of the "everyone's viewpoint is always equally valid" brand of discussion that's helped so many disasters along in recent years, though I know that isn't your intention. Sure, I have pretty strong feelings when it comes to politics (though I'd stop short of labeling myself a Bizarro-Hannity...as much as I dislike Bush I never called him a Fascist, let alone nightly, live in front of millions of viewers for a fat paycheck), but as unsavory as it sounds there IS a very powerful and very determined "them" who are out to willfully muddy the waters for their own personal benefit at the expense of millions (if not billions) of others. No, most people who call themselves conservative are not "them", but are being taken advantage of on a daily basis; responding to this state of affairs by saying "I'm just analyzing things neutrally, I don't want to ruffle any feathers" is something I, for whatever it's worth, have a hard time doing. Maybe I'm too far gone, or something.This "us vs them" mentality is counterintuitive to analysis. If you're just as partisan as Sean Hannity is, then you'll end up being just as misinformed.
No it doesn't. You're reading the things I'm writing and then morphing them. I never specified how long the trend would last, only that it existed. I don't claim the ability to see into the future.Originally Posted by BulletMagnet
No it doesn't. This is again extrapolating what I've written. There's no need to assign hidden meanings to the things I write. Trust me when I say that if I want to say something, it will be said.Originally Posted by BulletMagent
Again you are extrapolating. I ruffle feathers for sport. I have no concern for egos when it comes to breaking down an issue.Originally Posted by BulletMagnet
Really? I always had you pegged as the reserved type.Trust me when I say that if I want to say something, it will be said.
In the meantime, Obama once again shows what a European-style radical he is, forcing Rupert Murdoch to take on his usual role of illuminating the situation for mere mortals like ourselves.


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When asked if I fancied a trip to Southwold I didn't have to do a lot of thinking. A chance to visit a lovely coastal town, get some fresh, sea air in my lungs, escape the madness of the festive season AND visit the fantastic Adnams distillery to taste two brand new English whiskies?!
Um, yes. I think I can probably manage that, at a push. So off I went to Waveney to meet up with Jonathan Adnams, Chairman and fourth-generation brewer, and Head Distiller John McCarthy for a bit of a shimmy around the distillery and to taste two new, unique whiskies prior to their release.
The first ever Adnams whiskies. Ever.
Tags: english whisky, Adnams, single malt, tasting notes, grain whisky, distillery, gin, fuggle, suffolk distillery, copper house, southwold
Categories : Barrel | Beer | News | Review | Tasting Notes | Whisky
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And if so, is regression more powerful if I build up my muscles from, say, the 90th percentile to the 99th percentile as compared to from the 30th percentile to the 50th percentile? As in, is the "regression" faster for higher levels of buildup?
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If I build up my muscles and then don't use them for a while, then will the "build-up" regress after a while?
migrated from biology.stackexchange.com Feb 5 '12 at 7:25
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Nearly all parts of our body will atrophy if we do not use them: muscles, ligaments, neurons. If you train to be able to deadlift 300 pounds then stop lifting, you will very quickly be unable to deadlift 300 pounds. You will eventually be unable to deadlift 250 pounds. A great while later, you might be unable to deadlift 200 pounds. Unless you are totally inactive--say, from paralysis or a coma--your atrophy will stabilize.
And Yes.
If you train hard enough to set a world record in, say, the clean & jerk, then stop training, your strength and power will rapidly fall from that peak. The regression to the mean will be rapid at first, since the last few percentile points of performance are the hardest to attain and maintain.
Other factors
One major factor to consider is that long-held physical attributes are more resistant to atrophy than briefly-held ones. If you are able to lift 300 pounds (but no more) for several years, that ability will stay longer than if you were able to lift 300 pounds only after a period of training, then stopped as soon as you got there.
Also, see this question about missing workouts, and this one on losing muscle mass.