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Ryan on poverty & dependency
Yesterday Paul Ryan gave a speech about poverty in Cleveland, Ohio. The title of the speech was Restoring the Promise of Upward Mobility in America's Economy. As Jonathan Chait points out in his response, the biggest obstacle to upward mobility in this country is not welfare, regulation, high taxes, or any of the other things Ryan worries about; it's income inequality. Countries that have less of that have more social mobility, even if they also have a more generous social safety net and higher taxes.Fiscal hawks sometimes speak as if they regret having to cut federal spending for things like Medicaid and food stamps; such cuts are routinely described as painful but necessary. In his Cleveland speech, Ryan insists that what's good for the budget is also good for the poor: by cutting programs that only encourage dependency, we're actually doing the poor a favor. We're like repentant codependents finally cutting off an addict's supply. As Chait writes,
Ryan paints a picture in which we face an impending debt crisis but also have the good fortune of spending vast sums on poor people in a way that harms them, allowing us to reap large budgetary savings while giving the poor a helping hand. What an incredible stroke of good fortune!But is it true that these programs foster dependency? Ryan avoids fleshing out this implication with any specifics, perhaps because to do so would quickly expose the vapidity of his claims. For one thing, welfare reform was undertaken during the nineties boom, when a red-hot employment market made it possible for people to transition from welfare to low-rung jobs. The notion that there are jobs today going unfilled but for the laziness of the poor has no relationship to reality.Second, welfare was designed to replace the role of a male breadwinner and thus created a family model in which a single mother could expect to receive a basic income in lieu of work. That isnt true of the programs Ryan wants to slash.There is one ironic exception here, though: Medicaid. Medicaid offers health care for the very poor, along with nursing-home care and other special medical needs. It is possible that the availability of Medicaid could reduce a persons incentive to earn more money, because at some point, they would earn enough to no longer qualify for Medicaid and then theyd lose their health insurance. But this would only hold true if we enact Ryans proposal to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Otherwise, people will have access to health insurance at every income level.
About the Author
Matthew Boudway is an associate editor of Commonweal.
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So what Ryan is saying is that because of programs to aid the poor, poverty is no longer a tragedy in America; it's an aspiration? Especially if one is poor and ill since one gets more? That seems like a rather immoral way to look at things.
First, kudos to Ryan for making a speech about poverty in America. I, for one, would not have bet on him to be the first major candidate for national office this year to give such a speech.But....it's hard to decide whether laughter, tears or rending of garments is a more appropriate response to the content of Ryan's speech.As Ed Kilgore observes, "In other words, Medicaid and food stamps will be block-granted, which in the former case will (along with the repeal of ObamaCare) eliminate health insurance for 31 to 37 million poor people, and in the latter eliminate food assistance for a mere 10 million." http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal-a/2012_10/a_war_of_pov... for further rebuttal of Ryan's policy proposals, there's Charlie Pierce who remembers his history: "The fact is that, for all Ryan's blather about how poverty was "winning" the war on poverty a line he copped from Ronald Reagan, by the way the programs of LBJ's Great Society did far more good than they did harm. Medicare went a long way toward eliminating poverty among the elderly, and Medicaid did much the same thing for the rest of the people in poverty. Between 1963 and 1970, the poverty rate in this country dropped from 22 percent to 12 percent. Head Start has been an unqualified success, so much so that the Republicans have tried to chloroform it for going on 40 years now. Life expectancy increased and there was a precipitous drop in infant mortality. And all that didn't happen because our churches got better at running soup kitchens, as noble as the people who work in them are. " http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/paul-ryan-poverty-speech-14091290If government support for families in need is such a bad thing, one would think Rep. Ryan would have a powerful testimony on the soul-crushing impact of the Social Security survivors' benefits that helped keep his family together and allowed him to go to college after the death of his father. In the absence of such testimony, and in the absence of any evidence that Mr. Ryan's human nature is fundamentally different from that of any other humans, I guess we'll just have to wait a while longer before feeling obliged to take Mr. Ryan seriously when he talks about how cutting benefits for the poor to pay for tax cuts for the rich is an act of Christian charity and justice.
Such a big lie. But as Hitler said if you tell it often enough it will seem true. Like the outsized amount of lobbyists who inhabit the halls of congress getting more dollars for their companies and organizations. If the poor had one tenth the amount of advocates they would get their due. So the banks and the auto industry are bailed out while the poor are "too dependent." All those lobbyists in Washington are not there to get government off the backs of the people but to get government to cover their backs. One of those stupendous lies.
Is Ryan's speech available?
I would find criticism of what Paul Ryan said in his speech more compelling if the criticism pertained to what he actually said, rather than piggy-backing on other people's criticism.
So you find Jonathan Chait's criticism of Ryan's speech more compelling than mine. That's fine with me. And now that we have that meta-criticism out of the way, how about you respond to Chait's criticism, which is the subject of this post.
"As Jonathan Chait points out in his response, the biggest obstacle to upward mobility in this country is not welfare, regulation, high taxes, or any of the other things Ryan worries about; its income inequality. "That's like saying the biggest obstacle to not being tall is being short. It's not an argument; it's a tautology.So no, Matthew, I did not find Mr. Chait's criticism compelling. And I did not find yours at all.
No, Mark, it's not a tautology, as Ryan and Romney would be the first to tell you: that some people have a lot more money than others does not mean that the people who start out with the most money will end up with the most money. But this is not the place to offer a course in elementary logic.
Chait says:"For one thing, welfare reform was undertaken during the nineties boom, when a red-hot employment market made it possible for people to transition from welfare to low-rung jobs."Did Chait support the welfare reform pushed through by Congressional Republicans in the 1990s? If not, he does not have the moral standing to make this argument. Yet, I don't see where he claims he supported it. Hmmm
Question: How many of the far left who frequent this blog will not give more to feed the hungry and clothe the naked if your tax rates are lowered, and you keep more of what you earn?
SOMEWHAT OFF-TOPIC, BUT YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT THESE TWO SITES SOMETIME:I'm not sure whether anyone has referred dotCWL to these sites already or not. They'r about how Rand's selfishness is clearly no different in kind from that of some psychotics.. This site concerns how she based her hero Robert Galt on an actual serial killer named Hickman, whom she idolized. (I kid you not. I don't really know how good the scholarship is, but I have read some Rand.)http://atheism.about.com/b/2011/05/11/ayn-rand-sociopath-who-admired-a-s... this site for the parallel if not total identity of Rand's "objectivism" and that of Anton LeVay, the founder of the Church of Satan. LeVay has been quoted as saying that Satanism is just objectivism with ritual. There are other relevant quotations at the site which condemn Rand, e.g., from Fr. Richard John Neuhaus, founder of First Things, and from Bill Buckley, plus a lot more damning material from Rand (she like to replace the Cross with the dollar sign!)http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/27/1124666/-The-Paul-Ryan-Ayn-Rand...'m starting to think that what Ryan is, is dumb or naive beyond belief. Or is Ryan psychotic too?
Mark P. --A person doesn't have to be a saint to speak the truth. And sometimes sinners are right and it's the saints who are wrong. Sanctity is not the same thing as wisdom.
Chait's analysis confuses me. Either he's trying to perpetrate an enormous sleight-of-hand, or he's seriously confused himself. The confusion is this: Chait seems to be arguing from details of the Ryan budget. But Ryan isn't talking here about the Ryan budget. Ryan is talking about his running mate's policies. Here is a passage from Chait's analysis that seems to illustrate this:"Mostly, [Ryan] talks about welfare reform. There is a consensus that welfare as we knew it did create serious cultural pathologies. Ryan cites the case of welfare reform frequently. To him, it proves that large cuts to programs that help poor people of any kind at all are not only harmless but will help the poor. The welfare-reform mindset hasnt been applied with equal vigor across the spectrum of anti-poverty programs, he says. Thus he proposes enormous cuts to childrens health-insurance grants, Head Start, food stamps, and, especially, Medicaid, which would have to throw about half its current beneficiaries off their coverage under his proposal."Note that Chait, as though summarizing Ryan's speech about Romney's policies, refers to "large cuts to programs that help poor people", and implies that Ryan "proposes enormous cuts" to a variety of social programs. But in fact, nowhere in Ryan's speech does he propose cuts of any size to any of these programs - and in fact he promises, "Where government is entrusted with providing a safety net, Mitt Romney and I have our own vision for how to keep it strong."And what is that vision? Assuming that Romney's own official web site accurately states his policies, here it is as it pertains to Medicaid and healthcare:"* Block grant Medicaid and other payments to states* Limit federal standards and requirements on both private insurance and Medicaid coverage* Ensure flexibility to help the uninsured, including public-private partnerships, exchanges, and subsidies* Ensure flexibility to help the chronically ill, including high-risk pools, reinsurance, and risk adjustment* Offer innovation grants to explore non-litigation alternatives to dispute resolution""Block grant Medicaid" doesn't sound radically different from Medicaid in its current form. And as for exchanges, subsidies, reinsurance, risk adjustment and so on - those are all elements that are already incorporated into Obamacare. The big difference between Romney's vision and Obama's vision seems to be that Romney wants less federal regulation (the presumption being that states would fill regulatory gaps).My general view is that Romney is a moderate conservative, and his policies, to the extent they differ from those of the moderate liberal President Obama, are usually more in degree and detail than in radical departure.
@Jim Pauwels (10/26, 12:01 am) The Republican plan to block grant Medicaid may not sound radically different from Medicaid in its current form. But if that were true, then how would it save the federal government money?The answer is that Republicans would place a "hard cap" on the growth of Medicaid. That means any growth in health care costs above and beyond the "hard cap" would a) have to be made up for by the states or b) result in benefit cuts to the poor. As Ed Kilgore at the Washington Monthly noted (see link above @ 10/25, 3:59 pm), the result (along with the result of repealing Obamacare, also part of Romney's plan) would be to eliminate health insurance coverage for 31-37 million poor Americans.Likewise with Romney's plan to block grant food stamps. That would affect an estimated 10 million of the poor among us.To "limit federal standards and requirements" on health insurance would create a "race to the bottom" by making it easier for insurers to "cherry pick" relatively health people and avoid insuring those who are relatively less healthy.It's debatable whether "the big difference" between Pres. Obama and Gov. Romney is that "Romney wants less federal regulation". But even if we assume, for the sake of argument, that to be the case, then it seems to me that we have to, at a minimum, confront the fact that Romney's plans would have an enormous "adverse impact" on the poor.It may be your general view that "Romney is a moderate conservative". (Although I'm curious how you came to that conclusion, given Romney's breathtaking ability to change his views, both during this campaign and throughout the 20 years of his political career.)However, the agenda Romney and the Republican Party have embraced throughout this campaign is not a "moderate conservative" agenda. The idea that a Pres. Romney with a Republican Congress would govern as moderate conservatives is one that, as best I can tell, has no basis in fact.
See also this succinct, fact-based post by Kevin Drum which concludes "Romney's priorities really are pretty stark: He wants to cut taxes on the rich and cut spending on the poor. That's Romney's real poverty plan."http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2012/10/mitt-romneys-real-poverty-...
"The answer is that Republicans would place a hard cap on the growth of Medicaid."Drum does the same sleight-of-hand, or makes the same mistake, that Chait does: he bases his claim, not on Romney's policy as laid out by the candidate himself, but on the Ryan House budget plan.Ryan isn't the candidate. Romney is.Btw, Ryan's plan doesn't place a hard cap on the growth of Medicaid. It pegs the growth rate at the rate of inflation + one percent. It is true that the federal government will be limited, going forward, in its funding role for social programs. I say "will" rather than "would, if Romney is elected" because this will be true regardless of who wins the Presidential election. That is because the financial state of the federal government is so dire that major ratings agencies lowered its credit score recently, and are threatening to do so again; and because Congress, in the wake of the 2010 election, is now taking seriously its Constitutional and moral responsibility to steward federal spending.If we were in a situation in which the federal government had virtually unlimited funds, and the problem to be solved was merely how to most effectively distribute them to those in need, I'd be in agreement with you, Drum, Chait, et al.But that's not our situation. Our situation is one in which there won't be as much money to go around as before. The chickens are coming home to roost from decades of profligacy. All programs will be affected, including Medicaid and food stamps. And the longer we wait to acknowledge and confront this unpleasant reality, the worse it will be for all of us, including the poor who depend on federal government transfer payment programs.Romney and Ryan believe that the current Medicaid and food stamp programs are not as efficient nor effective as they could be. And so they propose to change the model: they will give states more latitude to determine how to serve those in need in their states. They believe that states, because they are closer to those in need, can use the federal monies - which won't be shrinking - to serve their people better; and with fewer federal restrictions in place, the states will have more leeway to try imaginative new ways of addressing these problems. This is a concrete instance of a pillar of Catholic social teaching: subsidiarity. Romney and Ryan also believe that their policies will result in more of the poor going to work. People who work are far less likely to need Medicaid and food stamp assistance than those who don't work. Ultimately, the best solution to the Medicaid funding crisis is for the poor to work. This vision is also consonant with Catholic social teaching, which is that humans are made to work.These are big bets. Will they work? Nobody knows. But what is certain is that the status quo is unsustainable, and if nothing is done to address the current trends, then sooner or later all programs will be cut anyway, and most likely in a much more painful and less just way than what Romney and Ryan propose (cf Greece). Romney and Ryan believe that America still has the capacity to create jobs for those who need jobs, including the poor. I don't think Obama has that faith in America. The President doesn't offer a vision of Americans who are self-sufficient and responsible.
Jim P says: "I don't think Obama has that faith in America. The President doesnt offer a vision of Americans who are self-sufficient and responsible."I see. Requiring all adults to be responsible and purchase health insurance doesn't meet your criteria?I could use your same rhetorical strategy. Let me try this: Obama believes that American entrepreneurs have sufficient patriotism and drive to respond to incentives to do the right thing and create jobs here at home, including the poor, while shouldering some additional tax burden to help the country deal with its long-standing structural debt. I don't think Romney and Ryan have that faith in American entrepreneurs. Their vision is that the teeniest imposition of additional responsibility for helping our country recover economically and deal with the long-standing structural debt will instead cause all entrepreneurs to either slack off or ship jobs overseas. The only incentive to grow a business in America is low taxes and special privileges for the wealthiest. Romney and Ryan don't offer a vision of Americans who are patriotic and grateful for the opportunities provided to them by this wonderful country.There - what do you think?
@Jim Pauwels (10/26, 11:03 am) Thanks for the response."Btw, Ryans plan doesnt place a hard cap on the growth of Medicaid. It pegs the growth rate at the rate of inflation + one percent." And the effect of that in the world as it is (combined with repealing Obamacare which Romney has pledged to do on "day one") is to create an additional 31-37 million Americans without health care coverage."...the financial state of the federal government is so dire that major ratings agencies lowered its credit score recently, and are threatening to do so again." One rating agency lowered the federal government's bond rating in the summer of 2011 in the wake of the House Republicans' refusal to raise the debt ceiling without $1 trillion in spending cuts. This demand was unprecedented in U.S. history."...Congress, in the wake of the 2010 election, is now taking seriously its Constitutional and moral responsibility to steward federal spending." I'm curious what your definition of "steward federal spending" is. The last two presidents to run budget surpluses were Johnson and Clinton. When W. Bush inherited the Clinton surpluses, he immediately passed two major income tax cuts, created an unfunded health benefit (Medicare Part D) and ran two wars "off the books" (also unprecedented in U.S. history). Most of the congressional Republican leadership (including Paul Ryan) voted for all of those measures." Our situation is one in which there wont be as much money to go around as before." Technically, with the economy growing (at a rate of 2% in the most recent quarter) there will be more money to go around. The question we face is what to do with it. " The chickens are coming home to roost from decades of profligacy. All programs will be affected, including Medicaid and food stamps." Two things here: 1) the "decades of profligacy" that have created the federal debt are the '00s and the '80s when Republican presidents led the charge for unpaid-for increases in federal spending. 2) If "all programs will be affected", then how is it that Gov. Romney is proposing $2 trillion of additional military spending above and beyond what the Pentagon is requesting?"Romney and Ryan ... believe that states, because they are closer to those in need, can use the federal monies which wont be shrinking to serve their people better; and with fewer federal restrictions in place, the states will have more leeway to try imaginative new ways of addressing these problems. " Assuming you're correct and this is their belief, what is the basis for their belief? The states failed to come up with ways of providing access to health care for the poor in the decades before Medicaid was created. Likewise, before food stamps poor people just went hungry in most states. In looking at the history of state policymaking, where is the evidence that, say, Mississippi or Texas has come up with better ways of meeting the needs of their poorest citizens?"Ultimately, the best solution to the Medicaid funding crisis is for the poor to work." The U.S. does not have a crisis about the cost of Medicaid. The U.S. has a crisis about the cost of health care. Solve that and you solve the crisis of the cost of Medicaid, Medicare and the VA health system. We have, I think, no disagreement about work. However it's worth nothing that the vast majority of nursing home residents rely on Medicaid. These are not folks who are going back into the work force."...what is certain is that the status quo is unsustainable...." Well, I suppose that depends on what one means by the status quo. Currently, the U. S. economy is growing, unemployment is falling, housing starts are increasing, federal deficits are decreasing (compared to what Pres. Obama inherited). If we take that set of parameters as a rough definition of the status quo, then there's at least a case to be made that the "status quo" is sustainable---provided we keep moving forward and don't turn back to the policies of the '00s." I dont think Obama has that faith in America. The President doesnt offer a vision of Americans who are self-sufficient and responsible." If you have time, I'd be interested to hear how and why you've come to that conclusion about Pres. Obama...and his vision. One thing I find striking, and somewhat reassuring, within the context of the "American Dream" is that both Pres. Obama and Pres. Clinton have lived it: raised largely by their mothers and grandmothers in often difficult circumstances, working hard, using education as their ticket out of poverty, believing that they could do anything they set their minds to, rising to the pinnacle of our political system. In his brief community organizing career, the young Barack Obama would have had the "Iron Rule" of organizing drilled into him by his supervisors. The Iron Rule is "NEVER, never,....never do for people what the can do for themselves." As the Iron Rule is taught in community organizing networks like the Gamaliel Foundation (with which Obama was associated), it is often referred to as the other side of the coin on which the Golden Rule appears. The two are, in that world view, inextricably linked.
Fine post, Luke. Especially the last paragraph. The American right lives off of the myth that the poor can't and won't accept responsibility for themselves. True, there are probably some deadbeats among the poor too, but the right never even bothers to offer any evidence to support that claim. They assume (illogically) that "the poor" who are always with us are always exactly the same people -- they're always there, so it must be because they're lazy, and so they just continue to live off of other peoples earnings. Sheesh.
What Luke said.
Jim,To see exactly why you're wrong about Romney's Medicaid plan, have a look at this article by Ezra Klein.
Matthew, three things about Klein's article:1. It cites a Kaiser Foundation study that studies, not Romney's plan, but the House plan that came out of Ryan's committee. Romney has not yet released a detailed plan for Medicaid reform, but has stated explicitly that Ryan's plan is not his.2. A large portion of the service cuts projected by that study are based on statements by Romney that he would 'cut Obamacare on Day 1'. (Ryan's House budget also calls for the repeal of Obamacare). This is pertinent to a Medicaid discussion because Medicaid's enrollment has spiked as a result of Obamacare; I believe it has added something on the order of 17 million - 18 million enrollees. Without getting into the question of the proper scope of Medicaid, let's just note that a President Romney, like any president, would lack the authority unilaterally to 'repeal Obamacare on Day 1'. Only Congress or a court can repeal or overturn Obamacare. Personally, I'm extremely skeptical that Congress, even a Congress with Republican majorities in both houses, which itself isn't a likely outcome of these elections, will muster the will to overturn Obamacare. Such an initiative, like a lot of initiatives, would die in the Senate.3. The non-Obamacare cuts projected by the Kaiser study, from what I can tell, seems to assume that Medicaid enrollees would be funded the same way they are now (and, I believe, have been since the program's inception). But that is precisely what Ryan states that he and Romney want to change. This article by Avik Roy, helpfully linked by Klein, does a deeper dive on why there are prospects for success, both financially and in enrollee health outcomes, from a block grant program.http://www.forbes.com/sites/aroy/2012/09/30/why-block-granting-medicaid-...


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Oracle/ITA Collegiate Tennis Division I Women's National Rankings
SKILLMAN, NJ – Sixteen straight dual match victories. Southeastern Conference regular-season and tournament champions. The Florida Gators are on a roll, and were rewarded with the nation's No. 1
Oracle/ITA Collegiate Tennis Division I Men's National Rankings
SKILLMAN, NJ – Following a busy weekend of conference championship action, Oracle and the Intercollegiate Tennis Association announced the updated Oracle/ITA Collegiate Tennis Rankings for Division I men on
Georgia Remains Perfect In SEC Play
ATHENS, Ga.— Georgia's men's tennis team kept its unblemished SEC record intact as the 11th-ranked Bulldogs took down No. 18 Kentucky by a 6-1 score Sunday afternoon at the Dan Magill Tennis
Tar Heels Win ITA National Indoors Championship
With Virginia leading 2-1, juniors Brayden Schnur and Ronnie Schneider fought to wins at the No. 1 and No. 2 spots, both pulling out third-set tie-breaker victories to pull UNC ahead. In the third set, Schneider overcame
DIV I Women's ITA All-Tournament Team Announced
MADISON, WI – Voted on by a panel of the 16 participating head coaches at the 2016 ITA Division I National Women's Team Indoor Championship, hosted by the University of Wisconsin, the Intercollegiate Tennis

subset: commoncrawl


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Dakota Wesleyan University has awarded professional excellence awards to Diane Sandhoff and Malik Stewart for the fall semester.
Sandhoff serves as the associate professor of nursing and director of the RN program at DWU. She also recently accepted the position as the dean of the College of Healthcare, Fitness and Sciences. Stewart, a 2010 DWU graduate, has been the university's talent adviser for the Center for Talent Development since summer 2012.
Sandhoff was awarded the Professional Excellence Award for faculty, nominated by her peers.
"Diane is very visionary in her thinking and has a passion to change nursing education to better meet the needs of students and health care," stated her nomination letter. "When the nursing department initiated the LPN-RN upward mobility program for LPNs, Diane, with her pioneer spirit, participated in the creation and implementation of this program."
Sandhoff's role in the DWU nursing department has increased in the years since she began in '89, and this summer she was appointed the program director of the registered nurse to Bachelor of Science nursing program at DWU and oversaw the significant changes made to the program in order to transition it to an adult learning model.
"She also initiated a mentoring program for new online adjuncts which has resulted in adjunct confidence and effectiveness. Diane is a very logical thinker, and takes time to reflect on the impact of potential decisions before they are made. She often finds humor in difficult times which assists in relieving stress of others on her team."
Stewart was selected as the Professional Excellence Award winner for staff at the university. Stewart graduated from DWU in 2010 and earned his master's degree at USD before returning to DWU as the talent adviser.
According to his nomination letter, since returning as a staff member, Stewart has partnered with the TRiO student support services staff to unite the tutoring program and strengthen the StudyStrong program.
"He has revamped the Learn Strong 101 syllabus and embraced teaching new freshmen how to understand and capitalize on their strengths. Malik has also become certified in the Strong Interest Inventory to help students understand their place in the world of work."
Stewart also volunteers on and off campus, including assisting with the DWU wresting summer camp program, assisting with transportation for the track team, and volunteering as a team leader for this spring's mission trip to Omaha. He also volunteered to participate in on-campus committees and as a co-adviser for the Multicultural Club.
The Professional Excellence Award is given throughout the year to faculty and staff members. The winners are then considered for the year-end awards for faculty and staff.
Winners are given campus recognition and a gift certificate. The award recognizes employees for "outstanding service, for exemplary commitment to the university and for making a difference in the lives of students."
The DWU Employee Recognition Committee selects the winners from nominations submitted by faculty, staff members and students.


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Showing 1 - 7 of 7 for "Christianity"
Senior Wins Prestigious Writing Award
A Calvin College senior has won the first prize in the fiction division of the 2005-2006 Conference on Christianity and Literature Student Writing Contest.
May 16, 2006 | Myrna Anderson
Christian art beyond the borders
Two Calvin professors joined colleagues from other Christian universities for a two-week trip to Indonesia that both said will impact their teaching and their scholarship for years to come.
July 18, 2008 | Phil de Haan
January Series 2009: unChristian
David Kinnaman presents his findings on young people and the church today as part of the January Series.
January 23, 2009 | Ashleigh Draft
Calvin history professor writes landmark text on Christianity in China
Daniel Bays has written the first comprehensive history of Christianity in China since 1929.
October 19, 2011 | Myrna Anderson
New Henry Chair takes a global focus
Kevin den Dulk says students must focus on Asia and the global south.
January 02, 2013 | Phil de Haan
Philosophy prof wins Christianity Today's Book of the Year Award
James K.A. Smith's book on philosopher Charles Taylor receives top honors in CT Magazine's Christianity and Culture category.
January 14, 2015 | Phil de Haan
Fostering good citizenship amidst turbulent politics
The Calvin political science department is bringing current government issues into conversation in a variety of ways.
July 28, 2016 | Jacquelyn Hubbard


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Given a conflict graph $G = (V, E)$, a man has to transport a set $V$ of items/vertices across the river. Two items are connected by an edge in $E$, if they are conflicting and thus cannot be left alone together without human supervision. The available boat has capacity $b\geq 1$, and thus can carry the man together with any subset of at most $b$ items. A feasible schedule is a finite sequence of triples $(L_1, B_1, R_1),\dots, (L_s, B_s, R_s)$ of subsets of the item set V that satisfies the following conditions (FS1)–(FS3). The odd integer $s$ is called the length of the schedule.
(FS1) For every $k$, the sets $L_k, B_k, R_k$ form a partition of V . The sets $L_k$ and $R_k$ form stable sets in $G$. The set $B_k$ contains at most $b$ elements.
(FS2) The sequence starts with $L_1 \cup B_1 = V$ and $R_1 = \emptyset$, and the sequence ends with $L_s = \emptyset$ and $B_s\cup R_s = V$.
(FS3) For even $k \geq 2$, we have $B_k\cup R_k = B_{k-1} \cup R_{k-1}$ and $L_k = L_{k-1}$. For odd $k \geq3$, we have $L_k\cup B_k= L_{k-1}\cup B_{k-1}$ and $R_k = R_{k-1}$.
Known Result: $VertexCover(G) \geq b \geq VertexCover(G)+1$.
Please help formulate this problem in MSO.


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5 Pop Culture Classics Created Out of Laziness
Inspiration can come from a variety of places: drugs, God, nature, beauty, love or even drugs. Wait, what were we talking about again?
Oh, right. Inspiration. The thing is, some timeless classics weren't made based on any of those. No, these beloved works came about for crass, petty, tasteless, spiteful, greedy or just plain lazy reasons. Like...
#5. The Simpsons
The Simpsons are like having a shitty house guest who also happens to be Mahatma Gandhi. Sure, they can't take the hint that it's time to leave, but you can't exactly kick them out. They've made some very important to contributions society- hey! Would it kill you to use a coaster, Mahatma? This is oak, man. Jesus.
But let's just be clear: this show has given us some of the funniest moments in television history. Bart was named one the 100 most important people in the 20th century. The Sunday Times once declared Homer Simpson "the greatest comic creation of our time."
But it Only Exists Because...
When producer James L. Brooks asked Matt Groening to pitch an idea for a series of animated shorts, The Simpsons wasn't his first choice. He hadn't even thought of it yet; he originally intended to adapt his Life in Hell comic strip:
Somehow "Jeff is the greatest comic creation of all time" just doesn't have the same ring.
However, while sitting in the lobby of Brooks's office, it suddenly occurred to Groening that for the shorts to be made, he would have to give up the copyright to his most beloved creation. Panicking, he picked up a yellow notepad and quickly "made up these other characters [he] didn't really care about." The result:
At first they were a family of inbred circus freaks.
Groening couldn't even be assed to come up with character names, so he just named them after his father Homer, mom Margaret and sister Lisa. Realizing he needed to get creative on the boys name lest Brooks know something was up, he changed two letters to transform "Matt" into "Bart," which was also an anagram for brat. The fact that he thought this might throw Brooks off the scent of what he'd done either implies that Brooks is criminally retarded, or Groening has all the subtlety and subterfuge of an exploding dump truck.
So in summation: The only reason The Simpsons exists is because the creator thought that some amorphous blobs he'd created years before were much more valuable than they were; he only had maybe 15 minutes in a waiting room to come up with something new; and he's not very good under pressure. And that's how you make a classic, folks!
#4. Donkey Kong and Super Mario
Donkey Kong came out in 1981, when "Nintendo" had yet to become known outside Japan. The game's success not only turned the company into a major player, it also launched the illustrious career of one of the most iconic figures of modern pop culture: Mario, the castrato plumber who is either tragically misinformed about his job duties, or has the shittiest union contract in history.
"I took a two-week night class on how to fix toilets."
The original Donkey Kong arcade also popularized platform games and paved the way for Nintendo's dominance of the videogame market, which revived the industry at a time when it was seen as nothing more than a passing fad. Without Donkey Kong, video games might have passed on to the novelty grave yard to rest forever with the hula hoop and yo-yo. And then what would you do instead of becoming a productive member of society? Read? What a bleak world that would be...
But it Only Exists Because...
Originally, Nintendo was a playing card company. Among the licenses they held was Popeye the Sailor, which was owned by King Features.
In 1981, Nintendo made one of those cheap pocket games starring Popeye, and planned to release a more elaborate one for the arcades. A first-time designer named Shigeru Miyamoto was assigned to the project and began sketching game concepts involving the classic Popeye/Olive Oyl/Bluto threesome.
Not that kind of threesome (though let's be honest; it's practically inevitable) .
After one of those concepts was approved, Miyamoto found out that King Features had denied Nintendo the rights to bring Popeye to the arcades. The characters were suddenly off limits to Nintendo, but Miyamoto went ahead with the game anyway - keeping the threesome, but arbitrarily replacing Popeye with a plumber, Olive with a princess and Bluto with an ape.
Yeah, we don't like the implication either.
Donkey Kong did incredibly well, and the plumber's profession inspired Miyamoto to create the first Mario Bros. game and the rest is history.
Yes, "the profession" itself inspired him to make Mario Bros. Of course, this makes a lot more sense when you realize the Japanese word for "plumber" shares most of its syllabic structure with the word for "man who solves abductions with leaping and ravages tiny animals beneath his boot-heel."
#3. Watchmen
Watchmen is the only comic to be included in Time Magazine's 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to present, even topping it at one time. It's widely considered to be the greatest comic ever by millions of sweaty comic fans, about half of which have actually read it. It's also said that the complex and mature nature of the story changed comics forever, and many commend DC Comics for having the balls to publish it in the first place.
The Simpsons have done an episode about every entry on this list, by the way
But it Only Exists Because...
DC Comics didn't have the balls to publish it... not with the original characters anyway. In the 80s, DC bought the rights to an entire set of superhero characters from Charlton Comics. DC was looking for something to do with their new properties, so rising star Alan Moore put together a proposal based on those characters and submitted it to his bosses. To their credit, DC approved the idea. However, they also realized the characters would be rendered useless by the end of the comic (by virtue of being dead, intergalactic nudists or chubby, lovable losers too busy bangin' chicks way out of their league to fight crime). Not willing to lose the guys they had just bought after a single story-arc, they asked Moore to change all the names and tweak the appearances. Bringing his typical respect for authority to the task, Moore put as little effort as possible into disguising the source material. So for example, the guy with the blue suit, the goggles and the ship...
Became the guy with the brown suit, the goggles and the ship:
And the guy with the fedora and no face...
Became the guy with the... fedora and no face:
One can forgive Moore for phoning it in a little; the man was nurturing a decade-spanning hobo beard and a cutting hatred for capitalism; he had other shit on his mind.


text:
I am CS major, please be patient if my question is not well-stated.
The dataset is quantitative mass spectrometry (MS) data. By labeling proteins of two different samples A and B, we get the relative abundance of 100 to thousands of proteins in A/B. Alongside with this ratio, we can estimate its variance based on the signal intensities.
Wanted: A list of proteins significantly different from the set of all protein ratios.
Most proteins remain unchanged between A and B. The population of log-ratios distributes around 1. The histogram shows a bell shape with fat tails. Two-term Gaussian mixture model has been found to provide a good fit to experimental noise. I suppose it would work good for this data - think of experimental and biological noise.
How to test for significantly different ratios on such a two-term Gaussian mixture model?
Thanks for your responses!


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text:
Seat Filler: NYC Theater Guide for February 2012
Sex and the City's Cynthia Nixon bravely commands the stage as a demanding poetry professor — conveniently well-versed in the mortality themes of John Donne's Holy Sonnets — diagnosed with late-stage ovarian cancer in Manhattan Theatre Club's surprisingly funny, tastefully heart-tugging revival of out playwright Margaret Edson's Pulitzer Prize–winning 1995 masterpiece, which is as brief and precious as life itself.
Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, through March 17.
Look Back in Anger
Brothers & Sisters star Matthew Rhys is electric as working-class idealist Jimmy in this streamlined revival of John Osborne's 1956 "angry young man" drama about four people — including Angels in America's hunky Adam Driver as Jimmy's pal — who seduce and squabble in squalor. Sam Gold directs the tense action on the stage's lip, an exhilaratingly literal interpretation of the tiny flat's description as "a very narrow strip of plain hell."
Roundabout at the Laura Pels Theatre, through April 8.
How I Learned to Drive
Twilight's Elizabeth Reaser stars in the assured 15th anniversary revival of out playwright Paula Vogel's darkly comic coming-of-age drama about a young girl whose alcoholic uncle molests her during their intimate driving lessons. Opposite the reliable Norbert Leo Butz as Uncle Peck, Reaser is touchingly understated as Li'l Bit, the Pulitzer Prize–winning memory play's abused narrator, who can easily be interpreted as a lesbian.
Second Stage Theatre, through March 18.
The Ugly One
Popular German playwright Marius von Mayenburg's 2007 black comedy is a surreal, zippy firecracker of a satire. Good-looking actor Alfredo Narciso stars as Lette, an ugly man who, upon discovering that he's ugly, undergoes successful plastic surgery that inspires scores of other men to buy the exact same irresistibly handsome face. Steven Boyer is a standout as a lustful gay man who's as attracted to Lette as Lette is to himself.
Soho Rep, through February 26.
Private Romeo's Seth Numrich is a ticking time bomb as the eldest of three poor siblings sent by their unstable gun-toting mother into the snowy woods to dig a hole deep enough to bury their neglected baby brother. Unfortunately, despite the very impressive onstage digging and some devastatingly beautiful writing by Slipping's Daniel Talbott, the thin plot quickly grows tiresome once the cat's out of the bag that it's not a cat in that bag.
Rattlestick Theater, through March 3.
Merrily We Roll Along
The legendary James Lapine directed a bittersweet and stirring City Center Encores! production of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's revised 1981 Broadway flop about the deteriorating friendship of three writers. The semistaged mounting's success bodes well for a major revival of the cult favorite, which unfolds in reverse. The 2012 Encores! continues with Pipe Dream and Smash's Megan Hilty in Gentleman Prefer Blondes.
New York City Center, closed February 19.
Russian Transport
The New Group's out artistic director, Scott Elliott, guides comic and liberal activist Janeane Garofalo in her solid stage debut as Diana, the abrasive matriarch of a Russian-Jewish immigrant family in Brooklyn, in Erika Sheffer's engaging if ultimately unsatisfying drama. Morgan Spector is quietly menacing as muscular Uncle Boris, who awakens sexual desire in his niece and ropes his nephew into a human-trafficking ring.
The Acorn Theatre, through March 24.
Inspired by the 2003 Jayson Blair plagiarism scandal at The New York Times, Gabe McKinley's drama doubles as an ad for the paper's enduring integrity. The Gay Ivy's Kobi Libii is compelling and sympathetic as the plagiarist — here named Jay Bennett — who uses his minority status and Internet savvy to get ahead at the Gray Lady, but a play defined by deadlines and coked-up ambition could use a tighter edit and snappier staging.
Atlantic Theater Company at the Peter Norton Space, through March 11.
The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
Forget all the hoopla surrounding director Diane Paulus's ballsy reworking of George and Ira Gershwin's groundbreaking folk opera about the love affair between cripple Porgy and jezebel Bess in 1930s Charleston. Powerfully and accessibly reimagined for a musical theater audience, it's a thing of beauty, proving that quality always outweighs controversy — especially when Audra McDonald and Norm Lewis sing their hearts out.
Richard Rodgers Theatre, through September 30.
The Bald Soprano, Rhinoceros, and lesser-known works of absurdist playwright Eugene Ionesco get a vaudevillian twist in the York Theater's strained revival of Robert Allan Ackerman and Mildred Kayden's 1974 revue, which features mildly amusing skits and clowning. The game cast includes Leo Ash Evans, who plays a gender-bending cabaret singer in "Everyone Is Like Me," a stale ditty suggested by Jack or The Submission.
Theatre at St. Peter's, through February 26.
Blood Knot
The phenomenal pair of Scott Shephard (Wooster Group's Vieux Carré) and out Big Gay Sketch Show alum Colman Domingo (the GLAAD Award–winning A Boy and His Soul) elevate this chilling revival of Athol Fugard's 1961 Beckettian drama about biracial brothers — one dark-skinned and one who can pass for white — who engage in dangerous games of pretend while sharing a tiny shack in apartheid-era South Africa.
The Pershing Square Signature Center, through March 11.
The Road to Mecca
Although Athol Fugard's 1987 drama can be exhaustingly slow and talky, LGBT audiences will relate to the incomparable Rosemary Harris as Miss Helen, an elderly South African artist whose neighbors are threatened by her eccentric outsider spirit and controversial sculpture garden. Carla Gugino and Jim Dale provide essential sparks as Helen's confidant and the conservative priest trying to move her into an old-age home.
American Airlines Theatre, through March 4.
Set during the 1979 opening of a floating disco-casino, this lovable spoof of '70s disaster flicks like The Poseidon Adventure and Earthquake — written by gay comedy geniuses Seth Rudetsky and Jack Plotnick — features cleverly situated and expertly sung Top 40 hits of the era. Out director-choreographer Denis Jones wrangles a huge cast of zany caricatures, which includes young dynamo Clark Oliver as boy and girl twin siblings.
The Triad, through February 26.
Homo the Musical
Created by B-movie filmmaker Lola Rock-N-Rolla with punk musician Gina Volpe and choreographer Aliane Baquerot, this outrageously campy rock musical recalls The Rocky Horror Show meets Pleasantville as fever-dreamed by John Waters. Downtown nightlife personalities like Michael Formika Jones add to the super-gay shenanigans that ensue when an alien from Planet Homo invades a Middle American suburb as a housewife.
The Wild Project, closed February 4.
Psycho Therapy
Angelica Page, daughter of the great Geraldine Page, is resplendent as L.A. sophisticate Lily in Frank Strausser's awkward, featherweight farce about a series of couples' therapy sessions gone awry when an ex-boyfriend fills in for her absent fiancé. Best known as trans lesbian Zarf on All My Children and for queer roles in Broadway's Taboo and The Goat, Jeffrey Carlson impressively plays against type as Lily's wealthy rogue of an ex.
Cherry Lane Theatre, through February 25.


text: Mingo Junction Social Services on Tuesday distributed 240 Thanksgiving food baskets to needy families. Canned goods and other food items were collected by groups and individuals representing churches and schools, including the student council and National Junior Honor Society at Indian Creek Middle School. The Wal-Mart Distribution Center donated 650 pounds of meat products and 60 boxes of dried food goods. Helping with the distribution were, from left, Beth Rupert-Warren, executive director of the United Way of Jefferson County; Sophie Schoolcraft, director of Mingo Social Services; Cynthia Torian of the Wal-Mart Distribution Center; Malinda Lewis, general manager of the Wal-Mart Distribution Center; Sean Arai, an employee of the distribution center; and Cathy DiBenedetto, adviser of the Indian Creek Middle School National Junior Honor Society. - Mark Law


text:
March 21, 2012 / Category: Fun Side of Fitness
Music is a great motivator when working out and having a fresh playlist to run to makes me excited to keep my workouts up. Plus, keeping pace with the beat gives you drive to push yourself just a little harder.
The '80s is my favorite music era for pumping up a workout because the music is upbeat, fun, a little silly and there's something for everyone. This playlist includes some of my all-time favorites.
Comment and tell us what you would add.


text:
You'll need:
Modio : http://www.game-tuts...unity/modio.php
Xtaf Usb Xplorer: http://www.mediafire.com/?omthmeyzr1k
The Flaming Helmet pack containing the helmet download and the profile : http://www.filefront.../17305976/Reach
Warning : your must need 2 or more controllers for this process.
1) You'll need to have to put the profile ( beginning with an E ) from the helmet pack in to your usb.
2) just leave it in there, next to all of your other profiles
3) also in the helmet pack there will be a download in there (something with 4D).
4) Simply place that file in the Downloads folder ( 0000000000000000 )
5) put the usb back in your xbox. IMMEDIATLY SIGN IN BOTH PROFILES FIRST. (when it says chooose your starter avatar, ignore by pressing the xbox button in the middle of the controller. ( Yours and the flaming one [ Llamita... ] )
6) Launch Halo reach.
7) when it askes for the memory you want to use - both profiles including Llamita... must choose memory unit usb. ( NOT HARD DRIVE)
8) after your done with that check your armor effects and elites and you'll have the Flaming head, which is known as " LEGENDARY ". and the elite known as OFFICER. (and if you dont have recon, you'll have it now )
if in anyway it says Failed to write just keep pressing A.
Edited by STHstudios, 17 January 2011 - 06:47 PM.


text:
California Gas Prices Could Jump 30 Cents This Week
California drivers may see gas prices jump by up to 30 cents in the next week.
Analysts said the price increases are being caused by refinery outages. California has state-specific requirements for its gasoline, so it can't borrow from other states when supplies get low.
According to gasbuddy.com, California motorists should be on alert for a 10-20 cent per gallon increase over the next few days. Some gas stations could even see as much as a 30 cent per gallon spike, following refinery outages due to excessive heat and other related issues, as well as a continued outage at a Chevron facility due to fire this past summer.
"Prices that stations pay for gasoline have already increased by as much as 73 cents per gallon over the last week in some California markets, much of which has yet to hit retail pumps," said Patrick DeHaan, Senior Petroleum Analyst for GasBuddy.com.
"While wholesale increases do not always translate directly into immediate retail increases of the same amount, they certainly point to the direction for which motorists should be prepared. This situation could be similar to that of the refinery fire earlier this year that impacted much of the West Coast except now the worst is likely to occur in California." Whether the California refineries resume operation in days or weeks remains to be determined.
Unfortunately, because California has state-specific requirements for its gasoline, the California mandates exacerbate fuel supply problems when events such as these occur. Without legislative reforms, it cannot simply borrow fuel from neighboring states when California refinery production is impeded.
Copyright 2013 by KRCRTV.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text: You didn't think I was going to submit a tutorial on a realistic cat, and not do a lesson on a realistic dog did you? After the cuteness spilled from the cat, I knew I had to draw a realistic dog too. I sketched out this lovable pet while I was live yesterday, and it was wicked fun. I love drawing for you guys, and I especially like it when I have the live-cam on too. It's feels like I'm interacting with you all. Anyway, this sketch took me about two hours to draw using just color, and strokes. Instead of making a sketch first of a realistic dog, I decided to just digitally paint the pooch instead. Even though there is no sketch for the main thumbnail or image, I still sketched out some awesome tips, and a nice version of a realistic dog witch happens to be a German Shepherd. I chose the Shepherd because I myself have two of these dogs. I have an all black one, and a silver and black one. I like my black GSD better because he is so bold, and majestic, and he reminds me of Anubis. The female is more like a nanny, which makes her sorta of boring. This lesson includes extra tips, some sketches of how the yes of a dog looks different with three separate views, and different shapes of dogs heads to help you understand the concept of shapes, and sizes. Instead of putting this tutorial under the advanced difficulty, I'll just label it intermediate, that way there everybody can give this tutorial a go on "how to draw a realistic dog", step by step. The end results will look amazing, especially if you are a big GSD lover. I also have a lesson on how to draw a puppy and a tutorial on how to draw a dog that you can check out as well if you like. I have to depart, but I will return. When I come back I will bring another lesson along with me. Peace peeps, and have fun!


text:
I have a fairly pedestrian optimization problem: Max sharpe, subject to a x% vol target. I have a set of expected returns, asset vols and a correlation matrix. I am finding that when i set the off-diagonals of my covariance matrix to 0 (ie assume zero corelation, independant views on assets) my backtested performance results are substantially better than optimization including the full covariance matrix. Its clear what is going on here - this approach removes hedge positions (ie: negative holdings in assets with a small positive expected return (and vice versa) that are highly correlated with other assets.) As a result my holdings are always aligned with my expected returns, but the individual asset volatilities still scale the holding. The conlcusion from these results is that one should max exposure to my expected returns and I should "suppress" the correlation matrix. My question is: is this valid? Would anyone really use this approach...thanks in advance for any thoughts...
I had to answer because of your name, and becaue I deal with portfolio optimization often.
In my world of equities correlation does matter a lot. If one follows the thoughts e.g. here then it matters most. I deal with minimum-variance construction (no expected return, of course some constraints on the weights) and there I often see positions that come into the min.var portfolio despite relatively high volatility due to low correlation to the rest of the portfolio. So in my mind: correlation does matter. I have more experience with long only portfolios but I have seen similar in long/short settings.
So you deal with currencies. If your optimization works with vola and expected returns then your expectations must work really good! One reason why taking correlations into account does nt improve the result even further could be because they vary too much in the long history that you use. Therefore they do not tell you enough for the coming week.
Tell us some more about the data: how many currencies? Weekly returns? Which observation period for the covariance matrix?
Edit: I found a funny maybe useful app by FOREX on currency correlations. They seem to change a lot: http://www.forexticket.co.uk/en/tools/01-01-correlation


text:
On the crucifix there is sometimes a plate above Jesus' head that has the letters INRI. What does INRI mean or stand for? Why is it there?
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According to John 19:19-20,
The phrase "Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews" was written in three languages: Hebrew (likely Aramaic), Greek, and Latin.
In Aramaic: ישוע נצריא מלכא דיהודיא (see Peshitta)
In Greek: Ἰησοῦς ὁ Ναζωραῖος ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων (See Textus Receptus)
In Latin: Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum (See Latin Vulgate)
INRI is an acronym meaning Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum, or "Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews."
It's the initial letters of the Latin inscription Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" which Pilate wrote at the Crucifixion.
The actual inscription on the Cross was written in three languages, Latin, Greek and Aramaic. We know from Scripture that what was actually written was "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews".
The Latin rendering of this has initials I.N.R.I. I know in Greek there is no "J", so "Jesus" and "Jews" is rendered with an "I". The "R" stands for King. The word in French for King is "roi", I believe, which is likely based on Latin.
So, this is the meaning:
From Elendia: Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum


text:
Latest status: Nothing new.
- Watching a lot of Japanese TV, gradually absorbing the language. Vocabulary study with Anki most every day. Working on learning to recognize and read more kanji. (I'm somewhere in the JLPT4 range.) Picked up "Japanese Core Words and Phrases" and "A Dictionary of Japanese Particles" for reference, recently.
- Still a math undergrad, about six electives away from graduating. Interested in doing mathematical physics in grad school, though I don't have much more clarity on the matter just yet. Lately I'm most curious about manifolds and things having to do with quantum information.
- Latest programming language to dabble in: python. It probably won't draw me away from perl, but that's mostly just because perl is what I've been using for the past few years.
- Still practicing the piano regularly. Currently in a state of polishing Ravel's Sonatine and learning Rachmaninoff's Etude Op. 39 No. 4.
- Still playing Skyrim, and feeling buyer's remorse over most every other video game purchase I make lately. I still enjoy a good picross puzzle (on the 3DS), though.
- Salt Lake City, UT
- plus.google.com/u/0/…
- Member for 3 years, 8 months
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- Last seen May 28 '14 at 2:24
Keeping a low profile.
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text:
Pusherman: First 100 Days (Day 20 of 100)
Posted in archive - sold,Nobody's JournalFebruary 17, 20091 comment
Pusherman – mixed media Āand collage on masonite – 18″ x 24″
"i'm your mamma, i'm your daddy i'm that nigga in the alley i'm your doctor, when in need want some coke, have some weed you know me, i'm your friend your main boy, thick and thin i'm your pusherman i'm your pusherman."- Curtis Mayfield
These are the lyrics from Curtis Mayfield's, 1972 hit Pusherman, from the Superfly soundtrack. It described an everyman, drug dealer, who understood what his people were craving and he, the pusherman was the dude with their fix.
Our nation is in a terrible recession, and our President says he has the fix for our economic woes. So he has moved with rapid speed during his first 100 days to push his stimulus package through to help the American people. And while I'm a big supporter of our President, quick fixes seldom do anything more than keep people strung out, more dependent on their pusher, man. Only time will tell if this was the right prescription. But even a nobody like me has to respect our President's hustle. He got that package off with the quickness. – TMNK


text:
KILLEEN (January 23, 2012)—An $8.2 million project at Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport will expand a waiting area and food court and improve the baggage handling system.
The second-floor waiting area will be expanded by 2,800 square feet, increasing its capacity by 130 passengers.
Electrical plugs for passengers to charge electronics will be added and the food court area will be expanded.
The baggage handling and inspection system will be redesigned to meet new Transportation Security Administration standards.
An automated tag reader will be installed for baggage, Killeen spokeswoman Hillary Shine said.
"A new baggage unit will be installed to increase baggage handling capacity," Shine said.
An additional 2,100 square feet will be added to replace space lost to the new system.
TSA and Federal Aviation Administration matching grants fund most of the project.
The city's share is $646,992, which will be paid from passenger facility charges.
The construction of new retail counters at a cost of $218,618 isn't eligible for grant funding.
American Eagle, United and Delta Airlines serve the airport, which opened in 2004.
About 30,000 people use the airport each month.


text:
I am stuck reading the proof that the size of every finite field is a power of a prime number, and want to get unstuck.
The lecturer's notes are here. On the second page of his notes, he gives the proof.
I'm OK with this part:
Assume $F$ is a finite field. Consider the canonical map $h:\mathbb{Z} \rightarrow F$, where $n \mapsto n_{F}$ (where $n_{F}$ is $1_{F} + ... + 1_{F}$ n times.) This map $h$ can't be injective so $ker(h) \neq \{0\}$, so it must be $p\mathbb{Z}$ for some prime $p$. (This has previously been established).
So the first isomorphism theorem gives us a homomorphism
$f:\mathbb{Z}/p\mathbb{Z} \hookrightarrow F$
Next, he says "This gives $F$ the structure of a vector space over the field $\mathbb{Z}/p\mathbb{Z}$" and concludes from this that, since $F$ is finite, the size of $F$ must be a power of $p$.
This assertion about the structure of a vector space seems to come out of nowhere, and I can't see what it's based on. What is the principle that justifies this that I'm missing? If you can inject field A into field B, does that mean that field B has the structure of a vector space over field A? Or what? Many thanks.
(Edited to fix mistake. Thank you Michael Albanese.)


text:
Baked Matcha DonutsOur Baked Matcha Donuts recipe uses rice flour for a more moist finished product. To preserve the Matcha's color, make sure to lower the oven temperature for the second half of baking!
Makes 5 Donuts
Rice Flour......................................... 3/4 cup
Baking Powder................................. 1 tsp
Aiya Cooking Grade Matcha.......... 1 tbsp
Butter................................................ 3 1/3 tbsp
Sugar................................................ 4 tbsp
Egg................................................... 1 egg
Milk................................................... 1/4 cup
Sweetened Azuki Beans................... 3 tbsp
Note: While this recipe calls for rice flour, it can sometimes be hard to find so you can substitute all purpose or cake flour instead. Please be aware that changing the flour will slightly alter the finished product.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and Matcha together and set aside.
- Begin pre-heating your oven to 350 degrees.
- Allow the butter to come to room temperature and stir it until it is smooth and creamy.
- Whisk the sugar into the butter until it is well incorporated and the whole mixture takes on a white color.
- Beat the egg and add it in little by little until it is well incorporated.
- Add the milk into the sifted dry ingredients, mix gently, and then add the butter and sugar.
- Tranfer the batter to a piping bag.
- Using a donut mold (or any circular mold you like), place 3-4 azuki beans into each mold and then pipe the batter over them.
- Bake in the oven for 12 minutes, lower the temperature to 325 degrees, and bake for approximately 5 more minutes.
More Matcha recipes


text:
I have finished my java course but they didnt talk about j2ee. I coudnt understand what is make differend between java and j2ee any one can explain me?
what is differend between java and j2ee
Java is a language. J2EE is a development/deployment environment for web-based enterprise applications.
Thank you. But I could not get any idea from this. Can you explain little more with a simple example. What is mean by "enterprise" here.
Enterprise as in corporate,real-world applications like logistics management, banking, etc.


text:
Travelling has never been so easy. Whether you are travelling alone, with your family, with lots of luggage or on a long-haul route, with Lufthansa eFly Services you can check in conveniently wherever it suits you best. One click is all it takes and you will receive your boarding pass before you know it: at the airport check-in machine, online to print out or on your mobile phone. And you can simply hand in your luggage at one of the Lufthansa baggage drop-off counters on the way to your flight. You therefore save valuable time and can relax properly before departure. Why not see for yourself now by viewing the Lufthansa check-in demo?
The check-in machine
Check in at the airport: simply follow the on-screen instructions and print out your boarding pass.
Save time: check in at home or at the office and print out or receive your boarding pass.
Most convenient: check in en route, have your boarding pass sent to you, and much more besides.


text:
Lindsay Chepiga weds Joseph Ferrucci Jr.
|wedding, Lindsay Chepiga and Joseph Ferrucci Jr.
Lindsay Chepiga and Joseph Ferrucci Jr. were married July 14, in St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Torrington, by Rev. Paul Sinnott.
A reception followed at The Grand Oak Villa in Oakville.
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text:
While it's well known in design that lowercase is easier to read.
I think you're confusing legibility with readability. A face can be perfectly legible without being comfortable to read in long passages of text. Most display or decorative faces (assuming they're legible in the first place) fall into that category. A good readable text face like Caslon or Garamond, by contrast, isn't always the best choice for instant legibility (on a billboard, for example).
Handwritten uppercase is more legible in small sizes, especially on newsprint, and the text in talk balloons is usually short. You'll notice that lengthy text in a talk balloon is not so easy to read, but these are very rare.
A good rule of thumb is not to have more than max 25 words/balloon and 50/panel. Printing sizes of daily newspaper comics have gone way down in the past 100 years, and some are printed on very poor quality paper.


text:
Just How Old Do Parrots Get?
MyMac Podcast #420
On September 11, 2012, in Podcast, by The MyMac Podcast
Download the show here
Subscribe in iTunes
It's Guy's birthday and he'll podcast if he wants to, but Skype seems to think it's a bad idea. Yep another Skype sucks and we hate it kind of show. We still had fun though making fun of Microsoft and wondering just how long has it been since most of the Mac line had been updated. Gaz gives a great tip and to the surprise of no one Guy hadn't heard of it before. Most be his old age kicking in.
Some Links:
Widgets on the desktop
Guy's App Pick: Linein from Rogue Amoeba FREE!
Gaz's App Pick: Menutab for FaceBook and Social for FaceBook
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Does Mojang plan to update the XBOX version of Minecraft? Can we expect to see all the features in the PC/Mac version to appear on the XBOX version someday?
closed as off topic by murgatroid99, Ronan, JohnoBoy, Jupotter, Blem May 14 '12 at 14:28
Questions on Arqade are expected to relate to gaming within the scope defined by the community. Consider editing the question or leaving comments for improvement if you believe the question can be reworded to fit within the scope. Read more about reopening questions here.If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
See Xbox 360 Edition.
The company responsible for the port is 4JStudios, and so I imagine its entirely up to them how much of the functionality that they choose to port and how frequently they choose to update it, however the Wiki does state that "Updates will be free of charge" (which implies that it will at some point be updated free of charge with new Minecraft features).
The "Gameplay" section fairly concisely lists the current gameplay differences, most notably I imagine that some of the intended differences (such as the difference in the crafting system and in the UI) will mean that some features of the PC version of Minecraft obviously won't make much sense in the XBox version.


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How can you make certain that you do everything possible to hire the right employee? Although no one can guarantee that a good hiring process will result in the "perfect hire" for any particular job, this guide can help you minimize bad hires and increase the likelihood of good hires by being prepared.
These guidelines are offered to help you in the hiring process and are subject to change. The guidelines assume you already have authorization from your HR representative to fill a job vacancy.
It is critical to have an up-to-date job description which provides clarification of the job requirements, both for the hiring manager and the prospective employee.
Make sure the job description accurately and realistically reflects the essential duties and requirements of the job.
"SKA": Think about the Skills, Knowledge and Abilities needed to perform this job successfully. They help to:
You should also consider both the current and future needs of your school or business unit.
In conjunction with your HR representative, you will develop the appropriate recruiting strategy. Your HR representative will utilize NYU's automated web-based staffing management system to identify and forward to you the applications, resumes and cover letters of qualified applicants. You may also search the PeopleAdmin database for qualified applicants even before the position is posted on the NYU website. This will help determine if it is even necessary to do additional external advertising of the job opening. However, depending on the type of position, it may be appropriate to advertise in print media and/or job boards.
When reading and evaluating resumes/applications, it is helpful to arrange them into three folders or piles, labeled:
Many resumes/applications will immediately go in the "No" pile because it is obvious that there is no fit based on the skills, knowledge and abilities required for the job, and perhaps salary requirements,. Other resumes you may place in the "no" pile are ones that have a lot of typos or are not properly organized. Errors are important to note, especially for those jobs that require good writing or proofing skills. They also show that the applicant is careless.
If you end up with too many in the "Yes" and "Maybe" piles, re-sort these two groups again, to determine which applicants will be interviewed.
You should ignore the applicant's name, address or personal information to limit any subconscious biases.
The NYU job application is an important document that must be signed by the applicant, stating that all the information on the application is true and can be verified. The NYU job application also provides critical data that may not be found on the resume, such as salary requirements, names of past supervisors and the reasons for leaving past jobs.
This additional information can be helpful in sorting through the piles of resumes. Your HR representative will send you applications, along with the resumes, of qualified applicants to you. All applicants who are interviewed in person must sign the application at the time of interview.
Job applicants often accompany their resumes with a cover letter. It can reveal important information, or it can be completely useless- - especially if the letter is "generic."
A well-crafted cover letter responds specifically to your advertised job. If it is error-free, it can be a positive sign that the applicant is detail-oriented, and can spell check and punctuate accurately. Certainly, if the applicant has not produced a cover letter free of spelling, grammar and punctuation errors, it can tell you something about their attention to detail and English language proficiency, which may be important for the job. Cover letters can also be used to explain gaps in employment, or call attention to a particular project that might otherwise appear as an easily overlooked one-liner in the resume. It can also give you a sense of the individual's overall career goals and the reason for interest in your particular job opening.
While not designed to take the place of a personal meeting, telephone interviews can be useful for getting a first impression, clarifying an applicant's educational credentials or some other essential job requirement, and confirming salary expectations, all of which would be important to establish prior to the interview.
A telephone interview provides an opportunity to talk for a few minutes informally. But, don't judge too quickly; some applicants may be too shy to "sell themselves" effectively on the phone, and, in fact, the job may not require an outgoing personality. Remember, the telephone interview is just one more information gathering step in your decision process. It can:
If the telephone interview is going well, you might decide on the spot to arrange an appointment for a face-to-face interview. It is important to give the applicant an idea of what to expect during this appointment: the length of the interview, who will be conducting the interview, and whether there will be multiple interviews. Give the applicant directions on how to get to your location. Doing things that will help applicants to arrive on time and feel relaxed help contribute to more effective interviews.
On the other hand, based on the telephone interview, you may determine that you will not arrange an in-person interview, or you may telephone interview other applicants first before scheduling in-person interviews.
You may say something like, "We are still in the process of phone screening some other applicants for the job. We will contact you should we decide to bring you in for an in-person interview." NOTE: It may be helpful to use Telephone Pre-Screen Form.
The purpose of the face-to-face interview is to further narrow your initial group of applicants by learning as much about them as you can in a relatively limited time. This is a fact-finding mission for both parties. Both parties need information to ensure a successful outcome!
Prepare interview questions in advance
Some applicants are very rehearsed. They know how to anticipate or deflect difficult questions. They know the "correct" answer to many questions, mainly because they have been asked the same questions over and over or they have a written script that anticipates questions. There is a way to limit too many "canned" answers by formulating questions that cannot be anticipated by the applicant.
You will want to formulate original questions that are less commonly asked by interviews and will lessen the possibility of getting formulaic responses. Read more below about different types of interview questions and how to develop more original questions.
Types of interview questions
There are two basic types of questions:
1. Closed questions
2. Open-ended questions
Closed questions: Require only a yes or no answer, or specific data. Examples:
"Do you like to work hard?"
"What was your title at your last job?"
Open ended questions: Require the applicant to develop an answer and provide more detailed information.
Example:"What was your most significant accomplishment?"
If you asked a closed question, then add follow-up questions using words such as "how," "what," "why," "when." Open-ended questions also lend themselves to developing follow-ups, because the applicant is telling a story with many components, each of which can lead to more questions.
In general, your interview should consist of many more open-ended than close-ended questions.
Behavioral questions
This is a type of open-ended question that allows the applicant to provide more concrete evidence of past behaviors. What you want to learn using this questioning technique is how the applicant behaved in a job situation in the past to predict how they may handle a similar situation in the future.
This can be a very effective technique- - it reveals what an applicant actually did, thought, decided, created, led, negotiated, etc., in prior jobs.
An easy way to formulate a behavioral question would be to start the question with: "Tell me about a time when…."Example: "Tell me about a time when you had to work really hard to complete a project."
Hypothetical questions
This is another type of open-ended question that tests whether applicants can think creatively under fire. Some hypothetical questions test problem-solving and reasoning skills. Ask applicants to come up with a plan by describing a scenario that echoes a real-life job situation, and see what they can do with it. Also ask hypothetical questions that help you learn about the applicants' values and people skills.
Remember: Interview questions must be focused on job-related areas only, without any reference to race, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin, marital or parental status, sexual orientation or apparent or perceived mental or physical disabilities. They must focus on the applicant's ability to do the job.
See "Sample Interview Questions" (above right) as well as questions you cannot legally ask candidates. Your HR representative can assist with developing additional interview questions as well.
Suggestions for a Successful Interview
Setting up for the Interview
It helps to give some thought ahead of time to the physical environment in which you'll conduct the interview. You'll want to find a private area where you can spend enough time without interruptions. Applicants will be more at ease and you will learn more about them in an environment that is not threatening to them.
Review the information on the applicant just before the interview so that the details are fresh in your mind. Be sure to look for and possibly ask about on the interview:
Conducting the Interview
There is no specific recipe for conducting a good interview that will work for all applicants, and you'll have to adapt your style somewhat to each applicant you meet. There are shy people who appreciate it if the interviewer makes them comfortable with a little small talk in the beginning of the interview, for example. You may want to start by commenting on a neutral subject to "break the ice" a bit (e.g., the weather). Then, you can let applicants know who you are relative to the position. Are you the immediate supervisor? Will you be making the hiring decision? Will you discuss the pay and benefits with them, or will they be talking to someone else about these issues?
Take Notes
Even though you may think that you will remember everything about an applicant you have interviewed, most of us do not. Notes are helpful when several top applicants emerge and a close comparison becomes necessary. Mention to the applicant that you will be taking notes. Telling them this up front makes them feel more comfortable. Limit note taking to short entries, because it is more important to listen. Allow time to go over the notes immediately after the interview. Refine the notes by writing a summary for each interviewed applicant for later comparison. Do not write your notes on the resume. Take notes on separate paper.
Establish a friendly tone, but stay in charge
Make certain that you control the interview; don't let forceful applicants talk incessantly or lead the interview. Use the interview time efficiently to get your most important questions answered.
Make the interview accessible to people with disabilities
But, don't question the nature, severity, cause or expected outcome of disabilities. Focus on the essential functions and attendance standards of the job. Do not make assumptions based on actual or perceived disabilities. Ask all applicants the same questions regardless of whether they have actual or perceived disabilities.
Have the applicant do most of the talking
Apply the 70/30 rule: applicant talks 70% of time; you talk 30% of the time. You'll want to provide some general information about your department, philosophy and culture, but keep your comments brief. The main purpose of the interview is to gather as much information as possible from the applicant.
Allow silence
During the interview, the applicant needs time to think. And, if an applicant seems reluctant to answer a difficult question, don't rush on to the next question to make the applicant feel more comfortable. An awkward silence can indicate that you have reached an area which you may want to probe further, or it could simply mean the applicant cannot think of an immediate answer.
If applicants have falsely represented their qualifications
End the interview early, though try to do so in a neutral rather than accusatory way. If, on the other hand, it becomes clear that you simply misunderstood the applicants' qualifications, and they are not a fit with the job's qualifications, show them the courtesy of completing the interview, although you'll probably want to shorten it somewhat.
Handling awkward responses
Applicants sometimes volunteer information that employers may not lawfully consider in evaluating an applicant for a position. For example, they may tell you: "I have two children." We are expecting a baby." "My spouse is disabled." Do not follow-up on this information even though the applicant brought it to your attention. The best way to handle this situation is to acknowledge what was said simply by nodding and saying "Oh," "I see" or another similarly neutral comment. Then continue with your next prepared question related to the position.
Hasty judgments
Many interviewers find themselves making up their minds about applicants very early on in the interview- sometimes, the minute the person walks in the door! This rush to judgment can be very detrimental to a well thought-out hiring process. Once you sense that you're forming an opinion about the applicant, either positive or negative, ask questions specifically to find out if your impression is correct. You may confirm that what you have already sensed or you may find yourself surprised to discover that the applicant has characteristics or traits that you completely missed in your initial assessment.
Tell applicant about the job and about working at NYU
Be sure to allow enough time to talk in more detail about the job opening, provide an overview of your department's structure, how it fits into the University as a whole, etc. You should also allow some time for applicants to ask you more questions based on what you say, and pay attention to the kinds of questions they ask. This can tell you a lot about their interest level in the job.
Allow some time for applicants to ask you more questions
They'll have questions about the organization, benefits, why you came to work for NYU, or your style of management. You should be prepared to answer, although briefly, questions about yourself, the department, NYU, in general, and other questions particular to the job opening. You should also be prepared to sell the job to a good applicant and show how attractive it would be to work in at NYU if the offer were ultimately made.
At the end of the interview, invite viable applicants to call you if they think of additional information or want to ask you a few more questions. Give all applicants a general idea of your timetable; i.e., when you expect to conclude the interviewing process and make a hiring decision (e.g., "We are still interviewing some other applicants for the job, but expect to wrap up the process in the next two weeks.") Of course, depending on your interest in the applicant, you may be sharing more or fewer details on next steps in the process. For example, if there is a strong interest on your part, you may say something like, "I am very impressed with your credentials and would like to schedule you to come back and meet with our Department Head. I will have a member of my staff contact you to set that up." If there is less of an interest in the applicant, you will be less likely to share any details other than he/she will hear back on the final decision.
Show them out
Escort all applicants to the entrance. Thank them for their time.
Be careful not to make promises of any kind, such as promising future promotions or benefits and perks NYU normally doesn't offer. Promises of this nature can lead to serious problems if they are ultimately not kept.
It may be appropriate to arrange interviews with other members on your hiring team, particularly if the job involves extensive interaction with people in your department or in other areas of the University. Set up meetings with staff who will work closely with the new hire, or arrange for likely applicants to talk to the next level up in the department. These "internal references" can help you get a more complete picture by picking up insights about an applicant that you might have missed.
It can be interesting to compare how the applicant's answers to the same specific questions asked by several different interviewers may have changed during the course of the interviews. But, for efficiency, many interviewing teams prefer to avoid asking the same common questions of the applicant. To prevent repetition, it is possible to do one of two things:
The latter, a panel interview, requires a lot of preparation and may be intimidating to the applicant. But, the benefit is that each member of the hiring team hears the answers to the questions firsthand. Then, the individual follow-up interviews can focus on detail, with time to pose new questions based on answers to the common ones already asked.
Now you will need to evaluate the input from the team and take into consideration that different people react differently to the same applicant, even to the same answers. Some interviewers may judge the applicant more on personality, while others are more intent on technical competency. You'll need to use your best judgment here, considering and factoring in everyone's feedback and making the best decision you can.
Hiring decisions should not be made without making an effort to check references. Making hiring decisions without complete information on candidates could lead to costly mistakes and may subject an employer to liability for its hiring decision. Reference checking should simply be regarded as a component of the interviewing process.
References help you get the full picture of the candidate's skills, work habits, and personality. Reference checking is all about making sure the candidate is right for the job.
When conducting reference checks, start by asking straightforward employment facts (dates of employment, title, etc.), then move on to more open-ended questions. Use a behavior-based approach to focus on a candidate's past behaviors in specific situations (e.g., "Tell me about a time when….").
Be friendly and conversational when talking with a reference giver to help gain that person's trust and to make him/her more comfortable.Be attentive to a person's style and tone in voice, pauses, etc.
For some types of jobs at NYU, applicants are subject to a more extensive background investigation. NYU utilizes an external service to conduct such background investigations, which include, but are not limited to, criminal, credit, identity checks and drug testing. Your HR Rep will inform you if your job opening is eligible for this type of background checking.
You've made your choice and are ready to make the offer. Contact your HR Officer at this stage, as they can assist you in determining the appropriate hiring salary and completing the necessary documentation on recruitment for the job.
For Administrator and Professional positions: your HR Offcier completes an Affirmative Action Recruitment Report, which documents the measures that were taken during the recruiting process to ensure a diverse pool of candidates, including recruitment activities, finalists interviewed, and the rationale for selecting the final candidate.
Your HR Officer can also assist you with addressing any benefits or other related inquiries the applicant may have before accepting an offer.
In your conversations with the applicant you have selected, you should:
It is a good business practice and polite to notify the other applicants that your offer was accepted by another applicant. It sends a message to applicants that NYU is professional and respectful in how we conduct business and appreciate that candidates have taken the time to apply to NYU.
In addition, the second or third choice applicant could very well be the next hire when another job becomes available, so it's important to end the process on a professional, friendly note.
A short note or telephone call informing the applicants of the decision is appropriate. If you choose to make a phone call, keep in mind that they can be difficult because the applicant may ask for reasons why he or she was not chosen. It is best to keep these conversations short and not to get into any kind of argument. The reason for not hiring someone can always be stated simply: You found an applicant whose skills and abilities you think will best fit the position, nothing more.
Once the offer has been accepted, your HR Officer will work with you on completing the necessary new hire paperwork and scheduling the new hire for orientation.
You should notify your staff of your new employee's name, title and start date.
Don't ask ANY questions related to an applicant's:
Contact your HR representative to help develop other appropriate interview questions.
Hiring decisions should not be made without making an effort to check references. Making hiring decisions without complete information on candidates could lead to costly mistakes and may subject an employer to liability for its hiring decision. Reference checking should be regarded as another form of interviewing. References help you get the full picture of the candidate's skills, work habits, and personality. Reference checking is all about making sure the candidate is right for the job. See Step 8 in the Recruiting Guidelines and License Verification Resouces, if applicable.
Release Form
The purpose of this form is for the candidate to consent to having references contacted and to release the employers and the educational institutes giving the references from liablity. This form should be given to the candidate at the begining of the reference checking process, and the candidate should be asked to complete and sign it for each reference name that he/she provides.
Reference Check Form
When a final candidate for an Office and Clerical (Local 3882), Laboratory and Technical (Local 3882), and Service Staff (Local 1, Local 810, and Non-Union) employee is selected for a position, the supervisor or Human Resources Representative must complete this form prior to extending an offer. The completed form should be included in the new hire paperwork package.
1. New York State Department of Education Office of the Professions:
This site verifies licenses in professions such as medicine, accounting, engineering, etc.
2. New York State Department of State Index of Licensing Services:
This site verifies licenses in certain trades and services industries such as security guards, real estate brokers, hearing aid dispensers, etc.
3. New York State Unified Court System:
www.courts.state.ny.us This site verifies attorney license registration.
These forms are used to hire a full-time temporary (Office and Clerical (Local 3882), Laboratory and Technical (Local 3882) for up to 3 months, Administrator and Professional for up to 6 months) or a casual (for up to 3 months) employee.