text:
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Posts Tagged running races
Golf, Fish, Float, Hike, Tour and Run
Posted by admin in Golf Packages, Running Camp in Teton, Summer Stay and Play Packages, Yellowstone Endurance Races on September 11th, 2012
Golf, Fish, Float, Hike, Tour and Run – Must be Fall in the Tetons
O.K., let's face it. Some of the real fun happens after Labor Day when most of the out-of-towners have squeezed in the last few days of fun and have headed home. Everyone knows how special this Yellowstone-Teton area is during the throes of summer season, but this is actually the time of year when visitors should really set their travel sites on this corner of the Rockies, and many do. We all feel a new crispness in the air and we almost need a sweater until the sun heads high over the Tetons. Ah, but the temperatures rise quickly, the days remain sun-splashed and we still need to lather on the sunblock. It's September in the Tetons, undoubtedly the most gorgeous time of year in the mountains.
The only dilemma with travel to Teton Springs in September and October is that there's almost too much to do. It's a good problem to have. It's a virtual sea of green in Teton Valley and the views are staggering. We count our blessings, this year in particular. We somehow escaped the dreaded drought conditions that plagued much of the nation. We also didn't have the dreaded forest fires that tragically plagued many of our western neighbors. The rain fell in the Tetons and seemingly at optimum intervals throughout the summer. Wildflowers are still in brilliant view on mountaintops throughout the valley and the aspens are starting to show off their brilliant hues.
Golf Rules!
One can indulge in an action-packed trip or simply delight in the solitude that comes with a summer's end trip to Teton Springs. The Headwaters Golf Course in Victor, Idaho (at Teton Springs Lodge) is showing its true colors and it's nothing but green! Boy oh boy is this course in unbelievable shape going into fall. Legendary golfer Byron Nelson, the designer of this world-class course and also the entertaining Par 3 course, would be duly impressed.
Playing the links right now one would almost swear that it's spring time in the Rockies given the lushness of the fairways. The lakes surrounding the course glisten and the trout filled ponds stand ready to challenge the fisherman and his fly. Not that anyone would need more incentive but the rates for STAY & PLAY PACKAGES at this time of year are easy on the pocketbook too!
Even for the seasoned runner, this event is definitely no walk in the park, except for perhaps the relay option added this year. Choose between a 100-mile, 50-mile, or 100-mile relay race presented by running legends Lisa Smith-Batchen and her husband Jay Batchen of Dreamchasers Outdoor Adventures. Check off the 100 miler and you'll begin your quest in West Yellowstone, Montana. I personally envy the 50 milers as they'll don their running shoes in the spectacular and thundering Mesa Falls area, outside of Ashton, Idaho.
Participants will follow one of the "Top 10 MOST SCENIC DRIVES IN AMERICA," as they cover ground linking them to eastern Idaho's Highway 32. Racers can expect dramatic scenery every step of the way, enhanced with magnificent fall colors. This race course winds through a landscape of lodgepole pine, spruce and fir, as well as golden wheat fields and potato farms as runners follow this scenic loop thru the quaint town of Tetonia and then on to the finish on Main Street in downtown Driggs. You'll be so blown away by your surroundings you may not even notice you've just accomplished something extraordinary.
The two folks leading this charge know something about running and race events so you'll be in good hands. Lisa is considered one of the best ultra-marathoners and top endurance athletes in the world. She is the only American to win the Marathon des Sables stage-race through the Moroccan Desert and has twice won the Badwater Ultra marathon, considered one of the toughest races in the world. Lisa also happens to be the head honcho at the Teton Springs Sports Club. Jay Batchen, a 9 time Marathon des Sables competitor, is not only recognized for his running accomplishments but also for his expertise as a seasoned race director.
Who wouldn't need a tune up before running endurance races? A camp for the novice endurance runner, or experienced ultra runner, will be held October 1-4th in conjunction with this event. You'll not only have the benefit of Lisa's profound wisdom and experience but also two of the most accomplished ultra marathoners and adventure runners in the world, Marshall Ulrich and Ray Zahab. If you're a runner, you know who these guys are!
Of course there's always the less strenuous hiking, biking, wildlife safaris, swimming, fitness classes and enjoying a scrumptious treatment in the Stillwaters Spa
The Best Trout Fishing in the Nation
Speaking of fishing. If snagging the big browns or fighting the rainbows is your passion, then the time is now! Lots of guests at Teton Springs Lodge & Spa this time of year have early-morning wake-up calls, and the South Fork of the Snake is the seductive force.
There are lots of ways to skin this fishing cat but the ultimate is taking a guided trip down the Snake with the area's most seasoned guides, and, coming back at night to a casually elegant one bedroom suite in the lodge. The locals are giving the nod to how good the South Fork and all the local rivers are fishing right now – that's all the proof you need. Check out all our Summer Vacation Getaway Packages!
Great Food & Relaxing, and Scenery at Teton Springs
Savor a relaxing breakfast at the Headwaters Restaurant. Somehow pancakes always taste better when served with spectacular golf course views. It's a great place to plan your day. If your tee time is later or this is a non golf day, you have tough decisions to make. My idea of a perfect September day is cruising through Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park. There are actually more animals than humans in the parks this time of year. You'll share the hiking trails with savvy locals who head to the backcountry when temperatures cool and solitude is returned to the mountains. Consider a raft trip down the wild and scenic Snake River, definitely the best way to view the Tetons in all their grandeur. Bald Eagles are spotted frequently along this excursion & a fun history lesson on the historic Jackson Hole area from your seasoned guide is included in the price of admission.
Jackson Hole Arts Festival
Another good reason to schedule a trip to the Tetons in September is a chance to take in the JACKSON HOLE ARTS FESTIVAL. This event has moved far beyond just being a nationally acclaimed event. Art lovers are coming from across the pond for a chance to eyeball exquisite art, take in gallery walks, live music, and cowboy poetry. Of course, a day or two exploring Yellowstone is part of the agenda.
The nice folks at Teton Springs offer a terrific package thru the month of September that offers free admission to the area's national parks, as well as multiple days soaking up the luxury that comes with staying at Teton Springs Lodge & Spa.
Park Pass Package
- Only $129* per person per night
- http://www.tetonspringslodge.com/packages/summer-packages
Or, simply relax by the pool at Teton Springs and do absolutely nothing at all! Ah, Fall in the Tetons. Where would you rather be?!
Call the experts at Teton Springs Lodge & Spa for your fall adventure! 208.787.7888


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Subject: Re: [OMPI devel] Fwd: [OMPI users] Onesided + derived datatypes
From: Brian Barrett (brbarret_at_[hidden])
Date: 2008-12-13 15:11:08
Sorry, I really won't have time to look until after Christmas. I'll
put it on the to-do list, but that's as soon as it has a prayer of
reaching the top.
On Dec 13, 2008, at 1:02 PM, George Bosilca wrote:
> Brian,
> I found a second problem with rebuilding the datatype on the remote.
> Originally, the displacement were wrongly computed. This is now
> fixed. However, the data at the end of the fence is still not
> correct on the remote.
> I can confirm that the packed message contains only 0 instead of the
> real value, but I couldn't figure out how these 0 got there. The
> pack function works correctly for the MPI_Send function, I don't see
> any reason not to do the same for the MPI_Put. As you're the one-
> sided guy in ompi, can you take a look at the MPI_Put to see why the
> data is incorrect?
> george.
> On Dec 11, 2008, at 19:14 , Brian Barrett wrote:
>> I think that's a reasonable solution. However, the words "not it"
>> come to mind. Sorry, but I have way too much on my plate this
>> month. By the way, in case no one noticed, I had e-mailed my
>> findings to devel. Someone might want to reply to Dorian's e-mail
>> on users.
>> Brian
>> On Dec 11, 2008, at 2:31 PM, George Bosilca wrote:
>>> Brian,
>>> You're right, the datatype is being too cautious with the
>>> boundaries when detecting the overlap. There is no good solution
>>> to detect the overlap except parsing the whole memory layout to
>>> check the status of every predefined type. As one can imagine this
>>> is a very expensive operation. This is reason I preferred to use
>>> the true extent and the size of the data to try to detect the
>>> overlap. This approach is a lot faster, but has a poor accuracy.
>>> The best solution I can think of in short term is to remove
>>> completely the overlap check. This will have absolutely no impact
>>> on the way we pack the data, but can lead to unexpected results
>>> when we unpack and the data overlap. But I guess this can be
>>> considered as a user error, as the MPI standard clearly state that
>>> the result of such an operation is ... unexpected.
>>> george.
>>> On Dec 10, 2008, at 22:20 , Brian Barrett wrote:
>>>> Hi all -
>>>> I looked into this, and it appears to be datatype related. If
>>>> the displacements are set t o 3, 2, 1, 0, there the datatype will
>>>> fail the type checks for one-sided because is_overlapped()
>>>> returns 1 for the datatype. My reading of the standard seems to
>>>> indicate this should not be. I haven't looked into the problems
>>>> with displacement set to 0, 1, 2, 3, but I'm guessing it has
>>>> something to do with the reverse problem.
>>>> This looks like a datatype issue, so it's out of my realm of
>>>> expertise. Can someone else take a look?
>>>> Brian
>>>> Begin forwarded message:
>>>>> From: doriankrause <doriankrause_at_[hidden]>
>>>>> Date: December 10, 2008 4:07:55 PM MST
>>>>> To: users_at_[hidden]
>>>>> Subject: [OMPI users] Onesided + derived datatypes
>>>>> Reply-To: Open MPI Users <users_at_[hidden]>
>>>>> Hi List,
>>>>> I have a MPI program which uses one sided communication with
>>>>> derived
>>>>> datatypes (MPI_Type_create_indexed_block). I developed the code
>>>>> with
>>>>> MPICH2 and unfortunately didn't thought about trying it out with
>>>>> OpenMPI. Now that I'm "porting" the Application to OpenMPI I'm
>>>>> facing
>>>>> some problems. On the most machines I get an SIGSEGV in
>>>>> MPI_Win_fence,
>>>>> sometimes an invalid datatype shows up. I ran the program in
>>>>> Valgrind
>>>>> and didn't get anything valuable. Since I can't see a reason for
>>>>> this
>>>>> problem (at least if I understand the standard correctly), I
>>>>> wrote the
>>>>> attached testprogram.
>>>>> Here are my experiences:
>>>>> * If I compile without ONESIDED defined, everything works and V1
>>>>> and V2
>>>>> give the same results
>>>>> * If I compile with ONESIDED and V2 defined
>>>>> (MPI_Type_contiguous) it works.
>>>>> * ONESIDED + V1 + O2: No errors but obviously nothing is send?
>>>>> (Am I in
>>>>> assuming that V1+O2 and V2 should be equivalent?)
>>>>> [m02:03115] *** An error occurred in MPI_Put
>>>>> [m02:03115] *** on win
>>>>> [m02:03115] *** MPI_ERR_TYPE: invalid datatype
>>>>> [m02:03115] *** MPI_ERRORS_ARE_FATAL (goodbye)
>>>>> I didn't get a segfault as in the "real life example" but if
>>>>> ompitest.cc
>>>>> is correct it means that OpenMPI is buggy when it comes to
>>>>> onesided
>>>>> communication and (some) derived datatypes, so that it is
>>>>> probably not
>>>>> of problem in my code.
>>>>> I'm using OpenMPI-1.2.8 with the newest gcc 4.3.2 but the same
>>>>> behaviour
>>>>> can be be seen with gcc-3.3.1 and intel 10.1.
>>>>> Please correct me if ompitest.cc contains errors. Otherwise I
>>>>> would be
>>>>> glad to hear how I should report these problems to the
>>>>> develepors (if
>>>>> they don't read this).
>>>>> Thanks + best regards
>>>>> Dorian
>>>> <ompitest.tar.gz>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> users mailing list
>>>>> users_at_[hidden]
>>>>> http://www.open-mpi.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/users
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> devel mailing list
>>>> devel_at_[hidden]
>>>> http://www.open-mpi.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/devel
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> devel mailing list
>>> devel_at_[hidden]
>>> http://www.open-mpi.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/devel
>> _______________________________________________
>> devel mailing list
>> devel_at_[hidden]
>> http://www.open-mpi.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/devel
> _______________________________________________
> devel mailing list
> devel_at_[hidden]
> http://www.open-mpi.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/devel

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Groot Constantia
South Africa's oldest wine producing estate boasting 330 years of legendary wines! Explore the beautiful old manor house, enjoy a cellar tour and wine tasting and eat in one of the two top-notch restaurants. Groot Constantia, a member of the Cape Town Big 6 attractions, offers award winning wines, rich history and friendly people.
Read more
Mangwanani Spa
Mangwanani African Day Spa provides an unrivalled African wellness and relaxation experience. Since opening its first spa in 2002 near the Hartebeespoort dam - the company has grown in leaps and bounds. Today there are 16 different offerings across the country with two more scheduled to open in December – one of which will be a boutique spa at the exclusive, world-class Cullinan hotel.
Read more
Cape Point
The most south-westerly tip of Africa, covered in endemic fynbos and home to breathtaking bays, beaches and rolling green hills and valleys, just 60km outside of Cape Town.
Cape Point is an Executive Partner of Cape Town Tourism
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V&A Waterfront
This bustling shopping, dining and entertainment area flanking the Table Bay harbour is synonymous with a visit to Cape Town.
The V&A Waterfront is an Executive Partner of Cape Town Tourism.
Read more
Table Mountain Cableway
The Table Mountain Cableway which provides one with a gentle, quick and vista-full trip up to the top of the mountain.
Table Mountain Cableway is an Executive Partner of Cape Town Tourism.
Read more
Tsogo Sun
Stylishly grand and perfectly majestic, Southern Sun The Cullinan offers business and leisure travellers easy access to most of Cape Town's exclusive business and leisure venues.
Tsogo Sun is an Executive Partner of Cape Town Tourism.
Read more
City Sightseeing
The open-top double-decker buses of City Sightseeing are one of the best ways to take in the highlights of Cape Town.
With the sun on your shoulders, and an elevated view of your surroundings, you'll see why the CitySightseeing Bus is the popular official tour of Cape Town and is enjoyed by visitors and locals alike.
Read more
Cape Town Attractions
Table Mountain Aerial Cableway
Views: 339190
Boulders penguin colony
Views: 287323
Robben Island
Views: 266042
City Sightseeing Bus Tours
Views: 154934
V&A Waterfront
Views: 146131
Durbanville Rose Garden
When blooms on thousands of rose bushes in Cape Town's Durbanville Rose Garden unfurl their tender petals to the warming sun, the profusion of colour makes for a truly beautiful and uplifting spectacle.Read more
Edith Stephens Wetland Park
The Edith Stephens Wetland Park is a place where the natural biodiversity of the Cape Flats and the needs of the local communities are brought together.Read more
False Bay
False Bay has one of the Cape Peninsula's most tranquil and picturesque stretches of coastline. Known for its scenic beauty, it encompasses small seaside villages from Hangklip, near Pringle Bay, to Cape Point.Read more
Fish Hoek
Fish Hoek is a quaint coastal town set between ocean and mountain at the mouth of the Silvermine River on the False Bay side of the Cape Peninsula.Read more
Fish Hoek Man
There are some very old residents in Cape Town's coastal village, Fish Hoek, which lies in a valley on the False Bay side of the Cape Peninsula. There's one particular resident who's been around for the past 12 000 years!Read more
Fynbos and the Cape Floral Kingdom
Fynbos: — n
"a type of vegetation unique to the Mediterranean-climate region of southern and southwestern South Africa, characterized by evergreen hard-leaved shrubs and almost no trees". Meaning "fine bush", fynbos is a unique and strikingly beautiful group of flora endemic to a small section of the Western Cape of South Africa.
Giraffe House Wildlife Awareness Centre
Not planning your safari for this trip to Cape Town? Well fear not, there is a solution on offer just a short drive from the city that will allow you to fulfill many of your African wildlife needs.Read more
Gordon's Bay
Gordon's Bay is a harbour town with excellent beaches, which lies against the Helderberg.Read more
Groot Constantia Wine Estate
For traditional Cape food, to experience the early history of the city, and sample fine wines, then a visit to Groot Constantia is a must. The beautifully preserved manor house has been turned into a museum.Read more
Gugulethu is a colourful, vibrant and lively township on the outskirts of the city, home to many of the city's working population.Read more


text:
There's no better way to learn about Loyola than to experience it firsthand. We invite you to get a feel for our beautiful campus, gather information, and meet members of our community.
For this event, parking and shuttle service will be provided from the Cathedral of Mary our Queen, one mile north of Loyola's campus. If you are using GPS, please program this address: 5200 N. Charles St., Baltimore, Md. 21210. Please allow an additional 15 minutes for shuttle service to campus.


text:
What is a bug?
A problem is classified as a bug if a Bb Learn feature is intended to work a certain way and it does not work the way it is supposed to. It is not considered a bug if the product is functioning as designed and you don't like the way it functions. The latter can be addressed as a "feature request." The e-Learning Center cannot fix bugs, although sometimes we can suggest a workaround or an alternative approach. Most bugs must be fixed by the company that develops Bb Learn. Occasionally ITS is able to fix bugs if they stem from work that ITS has done to integrate Bb Learn with other NAU systems, such as Peoplesoft (LOUIE). But actual Bb Learn bugs must be fixed by Blackboard. Blackboard typically issues groups of bug fixes, known as service packs, about 3 to 4 times a year.
Before the e-Learning Center can submit a bug report to Blackboard, we must document the steps to reproduce the problem. A problem that happens only once or one that cannot be reproduced cannot be submitted as a bug to Blackboard.


text:
A Safe Workout for the Second Trimester
The following workout is effective and safe in the second trimester and can be done around three times a week to maintain tone and fitness. For exercises with weights, use 5 lb (2 kg) weights. To warm up, move your legs side to side in a step and touch movement for one minute. Continue for another minute but add the arms: each time you step-touch, lift your arms to shoulder height then down. Next, with hands on hips lift your knees up to your stomach. Alternate the left and right legs for two minutes. Finally, take your left arm in a circle across the body and back to the side; repeat with the other arm. Continue this movement for a minute.
1 of 7
Forward Pull Ups
Stand with your left leg in front of you and both knees slightly bent; slowly lower your upper body toward your left knee and rest your left hand on the knee for support. Start with your right arm straight down, then lift your arm up, keeping your elbow close to your body. Your elbow should end pointing toward the ceiling. Repeat 20 times on each arm.
Next: Forward Lunges
excerpted from:
Excerpted from Pregnancy Day by Day.
Copyright © 2008 Dorling Kindersley Limited.
Buy this book now!


text:
I have got some mathematical difficulties in the following exercise :
Calculate the potential of the polarized sphere along the z-axis. There are no free charges.
For this, we need to solve Laplace's equation, by using the method of separation of variables.
$\phi (r, \theta, \phi) = R(r) \Theta(\theta) $
We obtain a partial differential equation on $r$ and $\theta$ :
$\frac{1}{R} \frac{\partial}{\partial r} r^2 \frac{\partial}{\partial r} R = l(l+1) $
$\frac{1}{\Theta} \frac{1}{\sin \theta} \frac{\partial}{\partial \theta} \sin \theta \frac{\partial}{\partial \theta} \Theta = - l(l+1) $
My question is : "Why is $l$ to be a positive integer?" The solution I got in some course takes it for granted, but I do not know why.


text:
Bowling Green's longtime City Manager Chuck Coates announced Thursday he will resign, effective April 30th.
In a prepared statement, a tearful Coates said: "I've been asked by the Bowling Green city board of commissioners to resign, and have tendered my resignation, effective April 30th. The stated reason was the apparent lack of oversight and control of the revenue collection system in the Finance Department."
Mayor Elaine Walker says the recent arrest of CFO Davis Cooper for allegedly embezzling at least $2.3 million in city funds isn't the only reason the Board asked Coates to step down.
"To say that it's just this one may be a little bit inaccurate, and clearly this has been devastating," Walker said.
"He's done some great things. He brought Bowling Green to a place that it might not otherwise be. At the same time, here have been some failures in management style. Davis Cooper is only one," City Commissioner Brian "Slim" Nash said.
Nash and fellow commissioner Mark Alcott went to Coates and asked him to resign, then relayed their conversation to the rest of the Commission. Nash says there were no objections.
"I always thought doing the right thing would be the easy thing to do, and this case it isn't. I believe what we've done is the right thing. but it's not an easy process. And it's probably not going to get any easier for a while," Nash said.
Coates read his statement in front of a standing-room-only crowd of city staff and supporters gathered in the City Commission Chambers.
"I am proud of the diligent and hard working employees who perform the city's work and have appreciated their assistance in making BG a better place to work and live during my 28 years here," Coates said.
In an effort to move the city forward, Nash and Walker say they will meet with each department to allow angry or disappointed employees to vent their frustrations. Several city staff were moved to tears during Coates' press conference, and the outgoing city manager received a standing ovation as he walked out.
Former Mayor Sandy Jones and former City Commissioner Joe Denning attended the event in support of Coates. Denning, who left office in December, said had he been in office, he would not have asked Coates to resign.
"No. What happened here could have happened anywhere in the United States. I have all the respect in the world for Chuck Coates. Chuck is a professional. This city couldn't have asked for anyone to be the CEO of a city anywhere better than Chuck Coates," Denning said.
Mayor Walker says the city will name an interim city manager to take over on May 1st, but the commission may take as long as 6 months to search for and name a successor.


text:
Fact Sheets
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Arab World
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Foreign Aid
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Saudi Arabia In Focus
no King Abdullah chairs Cabinet session King Abdullah chairs Cabinet session in Riyadh
King Abdullah chairs Cabinet session (3/12/12)
March 12, 2012
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz chaired the Cabinet session at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh today. At the outset, the Cabinet wished Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz, who underwent routine medical tests in Cleveland, Ohio last week, continuing good health. Then, King Abdullah gave a briefing on his recent consultations with Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani and Sudanese President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir.
Discussing the latest developments in the Arab world, the Cabinet hailed the decisions issued by 137th session of the Arab League Foreign Ministers Council regarding joint Arab action in the political, economic, and security fields. The ministers reiterated the Kingdom's position that the Syrian crisis has reached a point requiring quick and serious action that will offer the Syrian people a glimmer of hope that their cruel ordeal, which escalates every day, will soon end. They also condemned the latest Israeli massacres in the besieged Gaza Strip that have killed more than 20 people and injured dozens more, appealing to the international community deter Israel from continuing to violate the human rights of the Palestinian people.
Turning to local issues, the Cabinet reviewed the economic and scientific activities that took place in the Kingdom last week, including the awarding of the King Faisal International Prize for 2012 and the holding of the Second Saudi Industrial Manufacturing Forum. The ministers were also briefed on a number of development projects that have been launched in various parts of the country. They welcomed the completion of the first phase of the project of the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Development Housing in Jazan Province, which involved the construction of 2,000 housing units.
Addressing its remaining agenda items, the Cabinet approved a number of measures involving the organization and responsibilities of the Civil Defense Council; authorized the Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority to sign a draft Memorandum of Cooperation between the Saudi General Commission for Civil Aviation and the U.S. Transport Security Administration (TSA) in the field of civil aviation security; approved a Memorandum of Understanding for integration and exchange of information in the field of Urban Planning between the Saudi Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and the Moroccan Ministry of Housing, Construction and Scope Development; approved extending for a period of three years, beginning from fiscal year 1433/1434H., the enforcement of Paragraph (1) of the arrangements taken to address the obstacles facing the contracting sector according to Cabinet decision No. (23); and extended for a period of three years, beginning from fiscal year 1433/1434H., the enforcement of Paragraph (1) of the rules and procedures for addressing the delay in implementing government projects according to Cabinet decision No. (155).
The Cabinet approved the appointments of Dr. Musaed Al-Faryan as Director General of Consultations at the Institute of Public Administration (15th rank); Abdulrahman bin Mohammed Ameen Ahmad as Director General of Financial Affairs at the General Directorate of the Armed Forces Medical Services at the Ministry of Defense (14th rank); Dr. Hamad Al-Hajri as Minister Plenipotentiary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Abdullah Al-Arfaj as Undersecretary of the Mayor for Construction and Projects at the Ahsa Governorate (14th rank); and Abdullah Al-Abdulsalam as Assistant Undersecretary of Support Programs at the Ministry of Social Affairs (14th rank).
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Lourdes took first place in the boys' division and scored fourth place on the girls' side during action at the Turkey Creek Relays in Friend on Tuesday.
The Knight boys team scored five gold medals in a meet where all the events were contested as relays.
Included in the events were Iowa high school track staples, such as the shuttle hurdle and distance medley relays. Field event winners were determined by combining the results of all competitors from a school.
The Lourdes track team will return to action on Tuesday for the Johnson County Central Invite at Tecumseh. Start time is 9:30 a.m.
*** For complete team standings as well as a list of gold medal winners, see the Friday News-Press.
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Location, ST | website.com


text:
Silverlight 4 Beta Networking. Part 3 - HTTP POST
- Posted: Feb 16, 2010 at 12:37AM
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- 2 comments
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Right click "Save as…"
A set of short screencasts providing a "tour" of the network capabilites in the Silverlight 4 beta. We'll look at raw HTTP access, socket access and WCF capabilities.
In this video, we take a look at doing a simple HTTP POST with both the WebClient and HttpWebRequest/Response APIs.
The next video in this series is here and the previous videos are;
Part 1 - WebClient and HTTP GET, XML
Part 2 - WebClient and HTTP GET, RSS, ATOM, JSON
Oops, something didn't work.
Am I thinking right? I can ues the HttpWebRequest/Response APIs to send a querry to the server, run the querry over a large XML file on the server and returns just the xml nodes I wish to display/manupulte on the client. A poor mans data base call? Is there anything really wrong with doing this?
Yes, you can do that if you like. Or you can use WCF and do a similar thing via SOAP services and get a nicer programming model. Or you can use a framework like WCF Data Services to expose a data model ( Entity Framework/LINQ to SQL/Custom ) from the server side over easy to access RESTful services including a standard for how a URI can represent the query over that data. WCF RIA Services would be another choice at a higher level of abstraction stil..
Lots of choices...
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text:
Former DA Ken Kratz, alleged victim settle damage lawsuit
Green Bay - A settlement has been reached in lawsuit against a former Calumet County district attorney accused of sending racy text messages to a domestic abuse victim, federal court records show.
Stephanie Van Groll accused former prosecutor Ken Kratz of sexual harassment for allegedly sending her a barrage of messages, including some propositioning her, while he was prosecuting her ex-boyfriend in 2009. Kratz resigned as DA in 2010 after The Associated Press reported he had tried to spark an affair with the woman. More women later came forward and accused Kratz of sexual harassment.
No details of the settlement were released, WLUK-TV reported Tuesday. Van Groll was seeking unspecified damages in her lawsuit. The trial had been scheduled to begin next week in Green Bay. »Read Full Article(2)
Man seriously injured in Milwaukee traffic accident
A man suffered serious injuries in a crash at 1:05 p.m. Saturday at N. 76th St. and W. Dean Road, Milwaukee police said.
The man, in his 60s, was injured after another driver failed to stop at a traffic signal. The other driver also was injured. Both were treated at a hospital. Their conditions were not provided.
In a separate crash, a car rolled over at 8:34 p.m. at N. 45th St. and W. Capitol Drive. The driver and two passengers sustained minor injuries. The driver was taken into custody on charges unrelated to the collision, police said.
Sheriff's deputy struck on I-43
A Milwaukee County sheriff's deputy was struck by a car at 7 p.m. Saturday as he set out cones for lane closures, according to a department spokeswoman.
The incident occurred on I-43 southbound near W. Greenfield Ave. The deputy was transported to the hospital but only as a precaution, said spokeswoman Fran McLaughlin.
Milwaukee police will investigate the crash because it was in the city, McLaughlin said. She did not have any information on the driver of the vehicle. (1)
ATF's 'Fearless' storefront had little to ward off burglars
The door had no deadbolt. The few scratches and marks told police the men had little trouble prying it open. Hard to believe it was all that stood between the burglars and a storefront full of goods belonging to federal agents running an undercover gun sting.
And who would imagine the thieves would have unfettered access to the place for three days, propping open the door with a shoe and returning the next day with a moving truck to finish the job?
But that's what happened as burglars hit the ATF's Fearless Distributing storefront in Milwaukee's Riverwest neighborhood in October, making off with nearly $40,000 worth of merchandise - maybe more, according to interviews with neighbors and police reports newly obtained by the Journal Sentinel. »Read Full Article(65)
Garage fire closes Waukesha Road in Town of Raymond
Firefighters are on the scene of what is being reported as a garage fire in the 1200 block of Waukesha Road in the Town of Raymond, according to the Racine County Sheriff's Department.
The road is shut down from 6 Mile Road to 76th St. The fire was reported at 9:30 p.m.
Pistons 105, Bucks 100
Charlie Villanueva applied the finishing touch as the Detroit Pistons defeated the Bucks, 105-100, in a tense game at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on Saturday night.
Villanueva's straight-on three-pointer with 9.7 seconds left broke a tie at 100 and lifted the Pistons to their third victory in four meetings with the Bucks this season.
Milwaukee (25-24) lost its third in a row as it opened a three-game home stand prior to the NBA all-star break.
Jose Calderon paced the Pistons (20-32) with 23 points and 10 assists. Villanueva, the former Bucks player, added 18 points and 13 rebounds and Rodney Stuckey had 19 points off the bench.
Brandon Jennings gave the Bucks their last lead with a fadeaway 17-footer, putting Milwaukee in front, 100-98, with 47.7 seconds left. But Calderon made a strong drive to the basket and tied the score just 6 seconds later.
After Jennings missed a three, Villanueva hit his clutch shot.
Jennings led the Bucks with 26 points while Ersan Ilyasova added 15 points and 10 rebounds and Samuel Dalembert had 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Review the game blog and box score. Plus, get complete coverage of the game later tonight at JSOnline.com and in tomorrow's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. (77)
Dorothy Seeley was advocate for women, senior citizen rights
Dorothy Seeley ran a 60-ton crane for nearly 30 years at Nordberg, was one of the first women to run for state Senate and founded United Seniors of Wisconsin to fight for the rights of seniors.
Her voice was known to rise and shake with anger when she testified about issues affecting seniors.
One newspaper said she went after problems facing seniors "like a Doberman after a burglar." She was 70 at the time. »Read Full Article
Firefighters rescue dog from frozen river
A runaway dog was rescued by firefighters Saturday from the frozen Milwaukee River, reports WTMJ-TV (Channel 4).
For more on the story, click here.
Ben Brust's clutch threes help Badgers sink Wolverines
Madison - Minutes after splashing two of the more important three-pointers he has made at Wisconsin - the first from just inside midcourt to force overtime and the second from the right wing to close the scoring in the extra period - junior guard Ben Brust disappeared in a sea of red-clad UW fans on the floor of the Kohl Center.
"It was awesome," Brust said after scoring 14 points in UW's exhilarating 65-62 Big Ten victory over No. 3 Michigan on Saturday. "Something I will remember forever and I'm sure a lot of people will."
The crowd was listed as a sellout (17,249), but in the days and weeks to come thousands more UW fans will insist they were courtside and will gladly share tales of what they witnessed. »Read Full Article(63)
Conquering DePaul Blue Demons, Marquette eyes March Madness
On the occasion of Marquette's 17th victory, its 22nd straight at home and its hold on first place in the Big East, it's time to ask a simple question.
How good are these No. 24 Golden Eagles, and how far can they go in March?
"I think the sky's the limit," guard Vander Blue said Saturday after the 89-78 victory against DePaul. "I think we have everything we need. »Read Full Article(12)
Flight schedule returning to normal at Mitchell
Flights from Mitchell International Airport to the east coast began to return to normal Saturday in the wake of the major snowstorm that snarled airports from Newark, N.J., to Toronto.
While flights made it to and from New York's LaGuardia Airport and Newark International, all service was canceled to Boston's Logan International Airport.
The Boston airport bore the brunt of the storm that roared across the northeast Friday. Officials there were hopeful they could open a runway by 11 p.m. Saturday. »Read Full Article
200 at Ashland listening session on proposed mine
Ashland - At least 200 people jammed a hearing in Ashland on Saturday to tell legislators how they feel about legislation to streamline the state's mining laws.
A Wisconsin State Journal report says most of the attendees spoke against changing the state's permitting process. They say they're concerned about environmental damage that could take decades or longer to repair.
The listening session was organized in response to proposed legislation that would help a mining company open a massive iron mine in far northern Wisconsin. Republicans say the bill will help it create hundreds of jobs. »Read Full Article(53)
Iowa man dies in Bayfield County snowmobile crash
Bell - An Iowa man who was snowmobiling in northern Wisconsin has died after he crashed into a tree.
A Duluth News Tribune report says the crash was reported Friday about 3 p.m. on a snowmobile trail in the town of Bell in Bayfield County.
Rescue officials say the man died on impact. The state Department of Natural Resources is continuing to investigate, but the sheriff's office said Saturday that speed and alcohol appear to have been contributing factors.
The man's name hasn't been released.
Reservist killed on highway remembered for selflessness
Green Bay - A U.S. Army reservist who was killed after he tried to help victims of a minor Brown County car crash is being remembered as someone who always thought about others first.
A Green Bay Press-Gazette report says 26-year-old Andrew Steiner died last week from injuries he suffered a week earlier. His funeral Friday featured a full military send-off.
Brown County authorities say Steiner and a friend came upon a minor crash Jan. 27 just after midnight. As they checked on the vehicle occupants another vehicle slammed into the wreckage, launching Steiner over an overpass.
His father, Douglas Steiner of Howard, says his son was doing what he always did - helping other people. Douglas Steiner says what happened was horrifying but the family will always be proud of him.
Staffers for Abele, Dimitrijevic spar over downsizing memo
This is how bad things have gotten at the county:
Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele sent out a letter to some 50 county board leaders around the state trying to dispell rumors and misinformation about the legislation to cut the pay of Milwaukee County supervisors.
One person who didn't receive a copy of Abele's memo: Milwaukee County Board Chairwoman Marina Dimitrijevic. »Read Full Blog Post(32)
Fire victim was legal counsel at conservative think tank
Green Lake - A body found at the scene of house fire last week is believed to be that of 66-year-old Maureen A. Martin, the homeowner and longtime legal counsel at the Heartland Institute, a conservative think tank.
The fire at Martin's rural home on Judy Lane was reported about 4 a.m. Tuesday. An autopsy by the Fond du Lac County medical examiner showed the cause of death was fire and heat related, the Green Lake Sheriff's Department said in a statement.
The fire remains under investigation. »Read Full Article
Lottery winnings bring little joy to play's characters - or its audience
For all its obvious faults, goulash communism - featuring modest economic reforms and more liberal social policies - seemingly positioned Hungary for a more successful and humane transition from Stalinism.
Guess again.
At the beginning of Hungarian playwright György Spiró's "Dust" - now receiving its regional premiere in a Theatre Gigante production, under Mark Anderson's direction - it's clear that even goulash is a bygone luxury. An unnamed woman (Isabelle Kralj) is peeling potatoes for the thin soup that must serve as dinner for her family. »Read Full Article
MSO, Solzhenitsyn present stirring sounds of Russia
Russian classical music sounds Russian.
Writers write about it, scholars think about it, but no one has really managed to explain why the music written over the 200-or-so year history of Russian classical music sounds so absolutely Russian.
The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra presented a stirring program rich in Russian music of the 20th century on Friday evening, joined by guest conductor and pianist Ignat Solzhenitsyn. »Read Full Article
Sun Prairie man charged with fourth OWI after car fire
Sun Prairie - A 49-year-old man faces his fourth charge of operating while intoxicated after a car fire in which he sustained minor injuries early Saturday.
Police determined that Gregory L. Ruff had been operating the vehicle at the time the fire started and arrested him on the felony offense, Sun Prairie Police Sgt. Larry Moen said in a statement.
The car was engulfed in flames when police arrived at the scene shortly before 4 a.m. in the 1300 block of Sunfield St.
Ruff was injured when he got out of the vehicle. The Sun Prairie Fire Department put out the blaze, which is under investigation. (2)
Lt. Gov. Kleefisch's spouse backs three Republicans in race
Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch is standing by her former chief of staff, Jeanne Tarantino, even though the one-time aide said under oath that she felt she was bounced from her state job because of age and gender discrimination.
Tarantino is now running for an open seat in the conservative 98th Assembly District.
"I agreed to endorse Jeanne in this race long before I learned of her comments, and although I was outraged, I gave her time to realize her error and apologize," Kleefisch, a Republican, said in an email to conservative talk show host Mark Belling. "She's done both." »Read Full Blog Post(41)
Low 30s Saturday, freezing rain and warmer Sunday
Expect a mild, partly cloudy day Saturday, and freezing rain followed by warming Sunday, says WTMJ-TV meteorologist Jesse Ritka.
This after a freezing fog advisory expired at 9 a.m.
Ed Townsend, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Sullivan, said fog was thick before 9 Saturday morning in some parts of southeastern Wisconsin, with visibilities near zero in West Bend and Kenosha at one point. »Read Full Article
Two men injured in overnight shootings
Milwaukee police were investigating two separate shootings that left two people injured early Saturday.
In the first case, a man in his late 20s suffered a gunshot wound to the left calf in a shooting about 12:20 a.m. in the 3900 block of W. Villard Ave.
A man in his late teens was shot in the abdomen at 2:45 a.m. in the 800 block of S. 6th St., police said.
Both victims are being treated at area hospitals. Their injuries were described as non-life-threatening. Both incidents are being investigated, according to Police Capt. Regina M. Howard. (4)
Tift Merritt blends best of country styles in Shank Hall show
The direct distance from Milwaukee to Nashville is about 480 miles. The distance from Milwaukee to Bakersfield is about 1,735 miles.
Friday night at Shank Hall, Tift Merritt brought all three cities a little closer together.
The North Carolina resident and her three-man band took some of the best elements from the country music of the classic Tennessee and California scenes and combined them with her own special skills. »Read Full Article
7 Wisconsin college presidents sign letter in support of gun control, bans on campus
Presidents of seven private Wisconsin colleges among the hundreds of college presidents who have signed a letter asking lawmakers for more gun control, and specifically to keep weapons off campus and out of schools.
Officials from Cardinal Stritch University, Carthage College, Lawrence University, Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, Northland College, Ripon College and Sliver Lake Collge are on the growing list of signatories.
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan endorsed the letter at a Capitol Hill press event on Monday. (37)
Factory fire in Oconomowoc, no one reported injured
According to reports there was a two-alarm fire at a plow factory in Oconomowoc. No injuries reported, many departments responded, fire appears to be contained.
Authorities say they believe that no one was in the building at Theine Grading, 37213 Sunset Drive when the fire broke out around 10 p.m. on Friday.
More on this as it develops.


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Getting Here
The Sonesta Hotel Osorno is located close to downtown Osorno, overlooking the Rahue River and attached to the Plaza de los Lagos which includes the Casino Sol, a bowling center, Sportlife Gymm Mittos Pub and 20 local boutiques. Osorno is called the gateway to the lakes region, located in Patagonia about 500 miles south of Santiago. The area is serviced by Canal Bajo Carlos H Siebert Airport (ZOS). Sonesta Hotel Osorno is just five miles from the airport.
Sonesta Hotel Osorno
Ejercito 395 Rahue
Osorno, Chile
Telephone: 056.64.555 000
Fax: 056.64.555 011
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: Sonesta.com
Sonesta Hotel Osorno
Ejercito 395 Rahue
Osorno, Chile
800.SONESTA (U.S. & Canada) or 56.64.2555000


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6 Places That Are Shockingly Easy to Break Into
#3. The Home of the British Prime Minister (10 Downing Street)
Obadiah Marius is probably the worst cat burglar in England, having been arrested 78 times in 30 years for his serial inability to break into things and get away with it.
While most people would probably just switch to a hobby more suited to their skills, like collecting whiskey bottles, Marius decided for some reason to actually up the ante on his criminal antics and break into the home of the British Prime Minister, 10 Downing Street. We presume nobody was more surprised than Marius that he succeeded.
Via Wikimedia Commons
But first, he had to get through scores of security guards and ... oh.
In 2008, Marius entered the British center of government with his Lithuanian girlfriend, armed only with her Lithuanian national ID card, which he flashed at security. They let him through without reading it, because apparently the only condition needed to see the Prime Minister is that you have a card of any description.
"Very well, you may enter five times."
Weirder, Marius was a drug addict, and not really one of those drug addicts who could pass easily for a foreign diplomat on his way to a delegate conference. Nevertheless, he had the run of the building, unchecked, for almost an hour. So this petty criminal was just randomly going through top minister offices before security staff decided that the track-suit-wearing man with the shaved head who was stuffing things into his pockets was probably not a visiting world leader. At least not from any first-world nation.
Via Daily Mail
That's him on the right ... walking around in not-prison after 78 arrests.
#2. Red Square During the Cold War
During the Cold War, you couldn't get further behind the iron curtain than Red Square, the heart of Moscow that's bordered by the Kremlin, the Soviet seat of government. A Westerner infiltrating Red Square would have been like Stalin strolling onto the White House lawn. But it totally happened in 1987, when a West German teenager landed a plane in Red Square as though it was the tarmac of LAX.
After an arms reduction deal between the USA and the USSR went awry, 19-year-old Mathias Rust decided for some reason it was up to him to help reduce tension between the Soviets and the West. His plan? Fly a small Cessna from Finland across the Baltic and into Russia, just so the two sides would have something to talk about again.
Via Wikipedia
That's him, leaning against his plane like it ain't no thang.
It's not at all clear why a small airplane getting shot down by a dozen Soviet fighter jets would end the Cold War, but whatever. Much to everyone's surprise, he didn't get shot down. And in fact, Rust's ill-advised journey actually did help to end the Cold War, if only because his success proved to the Russians that their defenses were utterly hopeless.
When Rust's tiny little plane came in contact with Russian radar, the system proved surprisingly shoddy, with the plane flickering on and off the radar screen. At the same time, the military couldn't decide whether the aircraft was an enemy or not, so they delayed the order to shoot it the hell out of the sky.
Via Obviousmag.org
"I apologize for my balls not being here. They required a larger courtroom."
Amazed that he had survived his suicidal journey this far, Rust decided to go the whole nine yards and land in Red Square, which he did, while Soviet authorities wringed their hands and tried to decide what to do about it. After Rust disembarked and chatted to people for a few minutes, Moscow police finally decided to arrest him.
But the damage was done, and Gorbachev fired his defense minister, as well as several other Soviet military leaders whose job it was to prevent something like this from happening. Today, the plane is in a museum and Rust is a professional poker player, as he obviously knows a thing or two about gambling, or at least about the art of not giving a shit.
#1. Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace is the home of the Queen of Britain, and because frail old ladies are rarely known for their self-defense mastery, it should be about the most secure building in the country. Indeed, the palace has almost never been broken into. It just turns out that it's because nobody has ever tried.
Not until 1982, anyway, when an unemployed drunk named Michael Fagan simply strolled in and woke the queen up to have a chat.
Via Daily Mail
"I needed to know if she had any Grey Poupon."
As if that weren't brazen enough, Fagan's unscheduled audience with the queen occurred on his second intrusion into the Royal Palace. Both times, Fagan evaded security cameras, servants, James Bonds and all those guards with the big furry hats in what should have looked like the climactic scene from the next Mission: Impossible movie. And what was his genius plan? Well, he didn't have one. He just jumped over a fence, climbed a drainpipe and slipped through an open window.
So the guy just lucked out, right? Well, here's where the story gets weirder. On his first attempt, Fagan was spotted by a maid while he was shimmying up the drainpipe. The maid called security, and security "decided not to act," presumably arguing that if they investigated every report of drainpipe-climbing hobos they would never get any work done. Once he actually got inside, all the alarms turned out to be broken. Finding himself in the kind of fantasy situation that thousands of British anarchists masturbate over, Fagan simply stole a bottle of wine. It wasn't even good wine. He was in the queen's house and he took a bottle of $6 plonk, then left.
"Oh, honey, that's nice. What is that, Mad Dog 20/20?"
One month later, Fagan came back. Climbing back up the drainpipe, he found the window still unlocked and decided to visit the queen. And although they'd fixed the alarms this time, the guards again didn't respond, assuming it was a bunch of false alarms. At this point we have to wonder what these guys actually do for a living.
"Masturbate, mostly."
This time Fagan managed to cut his hand on a broken ashtray before entering the queen's bedroom. When the queen awoke to find a stranger at her bedside, ominously dripping blood on her duvet, she made the reasonable decision to call security. And surely they came running at the queen's personal behest, right?
Nope. From her calm tone of voice, they assumed that her situation wasn't urgent. And we like to think that, when she called the police and identified herself as the queen, they replied "Right, lady, and I'm Napoleon."
Via Wikimedia Commons
And that the officer was, in fact, Napoleon.
Queen Elizabeth was forced to engage Fagan in banal conversation for 10 minutes until a maid entered the bedroom and asked what he was doing there, to which the queen presumably replied, "You fucking tell me." Even after all that, Fagan couldn't actually be charged for his adventure because it turned out the justice system forgot to make breaking into Buckingham Palace a crime. The only thing they could arrest him for? Stealing that cheap bottle of wine.
For more places that you want to break into, check out 6 Incredible Real-World Supervillain Lairs and 6 Massive Secret Operations That Are Hidden All Around You.


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The Bunk About Bonding
Touch Simply Works
Yet, there are two compelling reasons for softening your position, as Catherine discovered and went on to implement with her second baby. One, infants and children respond to touch. Letting little Russell into your bed may very well mean that you get all-important REM sleep. Carrying Chloe in a Snugli® may mean dinner gets prepared and you and your husband aren't wigged out during those stressful evening hours. In other words, by allowing the baby into your personal space, you may gain more sanity than you surrender.
Secondly, if you give in to skin-to-skin to any degree, you'll experience the loveliest, and I would say holiest, aspects of parenting. Indeed, more than half of the women I interviewed said their most contented moments of motherhood occurred when they were snuggling with their kids. Seeing your husband skin-to-skin, tiny fingers resting on a wide chest, is spine-tingling, too.
Kim, the mother of three in Maryland, says she loves to rub her children's hair and heads. Never again will Kim resist a head rub from her mom, now that she knows how immensely full of love and delight that gesture is.
Kisses on the Lips
Another mom was embarrassed to admit that she likes when her kids kiss her on the mouth. If you didn't grow up in a demonstrative Italian or Greek family, or even if you did, you may of late have reserved kisses on the lips for romantic life. Then the closeness of family calls out to be expressed, and your lips become healing to boo-boos and pink targets for little puckered mouths that want to tell you they love you.
When I was first married I was amazed that my husband's first impulse, even before consciousness in the morning, was to reach for me. Now my four-year-old, Liam, cannot start the day without making body contact. Though I can't sleep while spooning with my husband, Liam and I meld in these perfectly comfortable ways. If his face is not touching mine, he sleepily shifts to make it so. And even his morning breath is sweet-smelling to me in this predawn sanctuary of mom and child.
Later in the day, Liam will get up on my lap and lift his T-shirt and mine to expose our stomachs so we sit together, skin to skin. In this incredibly literal way, he reminds me that we once shared my belly, and that I will always be the origin of love for him.
This proximity was so off-putting and scary in the beginning. Now, between preschool and soccer practice, dinner preparation and homework, I just can't get enough.
Strangely, by surrendering boundaries and adopting a language of touch, you discover your uncanny, innate power for healing, molding, and emboldening your young. Cheek to cheek, hand to tummy, or warm feet to Popsicle toes with your little one, you will feel a connection to mothers and sons/mothers and daughters the planet through.
Once you get comfortable with the closeness, I guarantee you will be addicted, too. Any anxieties you have over bumbling the bonding process can be healed with hugs and more hugs.
A Delay in Bonding Is Not Harmful
Moms are prevented from immediate, full-fledged bonding for all sorts of reasons. Try forging natural connections when you've been released from the hospital and only get to visit your preemie in a neonatal intensive care unit. Parents who've endured arduous fertility treatments, or those who elected to terminate a previous pregnancy due to birth defects, sometimes have trouble adjusting to a happy outcome.
Krista of Savannah, Georgia, is a thirty-seven-year old adoptive mother who didn't truly connect with her son for about six months. "In large part," Krista says, "I didn't bond right away because I was overwhelmed by gratitude toward his birthmother, and guilty that I was better prepared to raise him than she was." Nothing written about bonding can prepare moms for feelings such as Krista's, which are complex and not easily whisked away, even in the presence of a miracle baby.
excerpted from:
From What No One Tells the Mom by Marg Stark. Copyright © 2005. Used by arrangement with Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
To order this book, visit Amazon or click on the book cover.


text:
2160 I-35 Service Rd
Moore, OK 73160
Ricky's Mexican Cafe in Moore serves up tasty, authentic Mexican food seven days a week. Stop by for lunch or dinner and ... read more...
931 SW 25th St
Moore, OK 73160
McAlister's Deli in Moore offers a wide variety of cold, hot and grilled sandwiches, as well as baked potatoes, salad ... read more...
2709 S I-35 Service Rd
Moore, OK 73160
Jimmy's Egg in Moore is the go-to place to score all your favorite breakfast foods. Whether you're looking for a ... read more...
301 W Main St
Moore, OK 73069
For a hearty lunch or dinner, look no further than Del Rancho. "Home of the famous steak sandwich," Del Rancho in ... read more...
American, Diners & Drive-Ins
811 SW 19th St
Moore, OK 73160
When hunger cravings strike, make the drive to Moore for a generous helping of Mediterranean fare. At Hummus ... read more...
Asian, Other International
1317 N Moore Ave
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Since the first opening of Western Sizzlin in 1962, steaks have never been the same. Visit the Western Sizzlin in Moore ... read more...
825 NW 12th St
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If you're looking for bold Latin American flavors and want to expand a bit beyond standard Tex-Mex fare, visit the ... read more...
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630 S 19th St
Moore, OK 73160
For a casual dining experience, delicious food and satisfying drinks, look no further than Chili's in Moore. On the ... read more...
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1611 S I-35 Service Rd
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Go Go Sushi in Moore offers tasty sushi, hibachi, bento boxes and more. On the menu you'll find appetizers ... read more...
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Head over to Catfish Cove in Moore for what many are calling the cleanest, freshest buffet in the OKC metro area. ... read more...
American, Seafood
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Honda's Renaissance of Radical Reasonableness
LET'S BEGIN WITH your state of mind: You want to buy a sedan, mid- to full-size, good gas mileage, nice cabin. You want it to look good, but you're averse to showy displays. Safety is important, so, seat belts.
A sedan! What a splendidly calculated choice. Let me be the first t
o congratulate you on your sense of equilibrium. Four doors, four seasons, four winds blowing. Makes you think.
You have lots of company. Four of the 10 best-selling vehicles in the U.S. are front-drive, four-door, five-seat, C- or D-segment sedans, about a half-million annually, representing nearly 20% of the total light-vehicle market. These are the sturdy milkmaids of the middle class.
But perhaps you're wondering why a sedan seems so inevitable, given that there are so many other kinds of vehicles, from a Mini Cooper Countryman to a Ford F-350 Club Cab (long bed, fifth wheel), and every coupe, cabrio and compact that flies or crawls? Family sedans do sort of have a penitential air to them. You don't own them so much as do time in them.
It's because you're rational. You've taken a very complex set of vehicle attributes, plotted them as coordinates in three-axis space—the axes being money, performance, commodity—and concluded the classic, three-box family sedan represents, altogether, the best compromise on all fronts. Sedans have great-looking number clouds.
People shopping for family sedans are therefore predisposed to extreme reasonableness. It is here that the Honda Accord has the segment by the throat.
Has there ever been a more radically reasonable automobile than the Honda Accord? Even its name means consensus. Big, but not too big; attractive, but too familiar to be provocative; well-appointed, but incapable of igniting sustained envy. The car's trademarked engine note—sweet, high, isolated—is flirtatious, never carnal. Across a host of comparative metrics, from trunk space to fuel economy, from horsepower to stopping power, year after year, the Accord strives not for superlatives in any one category but a portfolio of general excellence in all.
Example: The segment bogey at the moment is the great Hyundai Sonata with a 2.0-liter, 274-horsepower turbo four-cylinder. The new Accord EX-L and Sonata Turbo are almost identical in price (around $28,500), size, interior room and cabin amenities. The Accord's new direct-injection 2.4-liter four gives up 89 hp (185 hp) but is lighter, quieter and returns a whopping 4 miles per gallon better in combined fuel economy with a new continuously variable transmission.
Since fuel economy matters all of the time and marginal advantages in acceleration matter almost none of the time, reasonable people agree that's a constructive compromise. And while big horsepower is nice, so is a refined, pleasant powertrain sound. The Sonata's shimmering turbo thrash is fun but not exactly family-friendly.
Plus, the Sonata…dear, don't you think that's too flashy to go out in? Flashy is for other people.
It's no secret that Honda has had a miserable couple of years. Like the rest of Japan, the company was deeply affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Production was also disrupted by flooding in Thailand last year. The yen has been strong and European demand weak.
And in the midst of all that, the U.S.-market products have slumped, drifting into mediocrity, which is the stupid stepbrother of reasonableness. Honda lost market share. The press was unkind to the redesigned Civic—it's possible I might have used the word "treason"—and the company is now embarked upon what its chief executive last month called nothing less than "global reform." Please have him swing by the U.N. when he's done.
'The new Honda Accord—even the name means consensus—sorts out some of the disappointments of the previous generation.'
The early results can be felt in the Accord redesign, which returns the nameplate to its usual holistic excellence. Actually, this car feels less like a ninth-gen redesign than a proper sorting out of Gen 8. Even though the car is 3.5 inches shorter overall, and even though the front suspension has gone from double A-arm to McPherson strut, it looks as though the team of stylists barely changed pens. The Accord is still a deliberate, substantial hunk of sedan, with a spacious greenhouse, thick flanks and large doors. A bit bovine, really. It's an optical wonder the way so large a car can seem to disappear before your eyes.
In the upper trim levels you can get LED headlamps that tuck under the headlamp assembly like beaded eyelashes. That jazzes up the look quite a bit. There's more brightwork and definition around the car's grille—but not unreasonably so.
As I count them, the new Accord had three priorities, all achieved: to regain competitiveness in fuel economy and powertrain sophistication; to re-establish the brand's advantage in refinement and noise abatement; and to correct—even overcorrect, if possible—the impression left by recent Hondas that management cheaped out on materials.
As for the first, the Accord will be available with three powertrains: the 2.4-liter (185 hp, 181 pound-feet) with either CVT, auto or manual transmission; the carry-over 3.5-liter V6, now with 278 hp (21/34 mpg) buttoned to the six-speed automatic only (the Accord Coupe V6 will be available with a six-speed manual); and a 196-hp, plug-capable hybrid powertrain arriving next year with a marquee economy number of more than 100 mpg-e (gasoline-gallon equivalent).
2013 Honda Accord V6 Touring
Price as tested: $34,220
Powertrain: Naturally aspirated 3.5-liter, multipoint fuel-injected, 24-valve, DOHC V6 engine with variable valve timing; six-speed automatic transmission; front-wheel drive
Horsepower/torque: 278 hp at 6,200 rpm; 252 pound-feet at 4,900 rpm
Length/weight: 191.4 inches/3,559 pounds
Wheelbase: 109.3 inches
0-60 mph: <6 seconds
EPA fuel economy: 21/34/25 mpg, city/highway/combined
Cargo capacity: 15.5 cubic feet
I know the 2.4-liter is the newsy powertrain—the Accord's first direct-injection engine—but I have to tell you, after recently driving big, clattery DI engines like the one in the Cadillac ATS[?], I was glad to drive the Accord with the V6, which is still port fuel-injected and still a spools to the 7,000-rpm redline with an easy athleticism and aerospace smoothness. With the six-speed automatic pulled down into Sport mode, the V6 cracks off a 5.6-second 0-60 mph time and pours midrange torque over the first four gears. If the Sport mode feels a bit too antsy, the transmission regular Drive mode is almost too calm (balance, see?). If you engage the Accord's ECON mode—the bezel of the speedometer glows an encouraging green when you do—the Accord's powertrain gets downright aggressive in the fuel saving. I was seeing almost 25 mpg on a couple-hundred-mile interstate drive.
By stick and rudder, the Accord feels direct, agile and capable, with quick reflexes summoned through the electric power steering system and an appealing tendency to stay planted in corners. The light, lofting ride compliance on the highway gives way to a surprisingly muscular cornering on country lanes.
But the biggest improvement of the car brings together the second and third priorities. This is a resoundingly more solid and satisfying car than before, an impression of substance that extends from the door handles to the seat frames. Wind noise at 70 mph is just about nil, for instance. The cabin materials of our full-dresser V6—with fine-grain leather seats, door gussets and steering wheel, as well as lovely gloss-black resins and alloy trim—step way up from last year's car.
Look, people who shop for family sedans are Vulcans, driven by logic, denying the temptations of emotion. They constitute a self-selected audience of the deeply reasonable and intensely practical. The new Accord will resonate with them. I predict it will live long and prosper.
Corrections & Amplifications
The Honda Accord got almost 25 mpg with the ECON mode engaged. An earlier version of this article incorrectly said it was almost 25 mph.
Email Dan at email@example.com.
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What computer games are available to help low-intermediate learners to practice reading and listening? I'm looking for games that I can download, buy, or play On-line.
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closed as off topic by xiaohouzi79♦ Jan 18 '12 at 21:59
Questions on Chinese Language Stack Exchange are expected to relate to Chinese language 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.
As far as I know, there isn't any great computer game just for reading and listening practice, especially in Chinese. I recommend that you can just play some famous and traditional computer games in China, such as THE CHINESE LOVE STORY(Chinese name is: 仙剑奇侠传). Many young Chinese people grown up with this game.


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There are 35 of Hong Kong Hotels near the Tsim Sha Tsui. Choose from the list below or just send us an email to email@example.com and get a quick reply within 2-12 hours.
Lastest Review:"Room was small but service is quite well. Service was quite warm compared to other staff in other hotels "
Location: Victoria Harbor(1.85KM)
Location: Kowloon Peninsula(3.31KM)
Lastest Review:"This is a decent hotel if you're traveling solo. The room is tiny and too small for more than one person. "
Location: Kowloon Peninsula(1.72KM)
Lastest Review:"Great location, nice and clean room. Very small, like being in a large closet. The bathroom was large "
Location: Causeway Bay(881M)
Lastest Review:"We stayed at Metropark for 3 days and were very happy. The service is great, the staff are very helpful. "


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21 Jul 2010 12:36 PM #1
[CLOSED] Bug with TimePicker (Comboboxes in general)
I think I found a bug in the combobox widget.
To make a long story short, please just have a look at your own example under:
1.) Just select any time.
2.) Click outside, so the timepicker has no focus.
3.) Click on the little arrow of the timepicker. You cannot select any other times any more.
(I found this problem with various comboboxes in my project too, but the timepicker in your example is just the perfect thing to show you the problem, so I am not posting any custom code here)
Thank you,
Bernhard Schulz
21 Jul 2010 11:36 PM #2
Simple set the TriggerAction to TriggerAction.ALL. PLease use the forum serach before posting.
This is anything, but not a bug as the triggeraction defaults to TriggerAction.Query as documented
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text:
Palladino: Hoop star adjusts to football
High school football games are still one month away. Practice for some teams gets underway next week. But the game is going strong right now for youth players, and if you wander over to a Pop Warner practice at Hamilton Park, you may see a familiar figure on the sidelines.


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Sleepwear & Pajamas
At Sportsman's Guide we know you work hard. That's why you should be comfortable with every minute you get to relax. Our Women's Sleepwear and Pajamas offer maximum comfort at minimal cost. You'll rest easy knowing you got the best deals around on all of our quality sleepwear including Lounge Pants and Women's Robes. Show your love for the outdoors with camo pjs in many colors. Once you try the Sleepwear and Pajamas from Sportsman's Guide you'll never want to change out of them! All Pajamas are at the lowest prices, guaranteed!
Related Products
- Guide Gear


text:
News Release (Back to Menu)
Junius Williams, Attorney, Educator and Community Activist, to Speak at Rutgers Law–Newark on February 17
In his new political memoir, Junius Williams, director of the Abbott Leadership Institute at Rutgers University–Newark, writes about his journey from the segregated South of the 1950s to his achievements as a black lawyer and community activist in Newark in the 1970s and 1980s. Williams will discuss his life as chronicled in Unfinished Agenda: Urban Politics in the Era of Black Power (North Atlantic Books, 2014), at 11:30 am on Monday, February 17, 2014 at Rutgers School of Law–Newark.
|Junius Williams
The event is free and open to the public. Following the lecture, Unfinished Agenda will be available for purchase and signing by the author.
Listed among Ebony magazine's "100 Most Influential Blacks in America," Williams began his journey in the Jim Crow South of Richmond, Virginia where he grew up in a supportive family that emphasized academics. He attended Amherst College and received his J.D. from Yale Law School.
Williams provides an inside look at the Black Power movement that emerged during the civil rights movement and his own participation every step of the way, including years of service in Newark politics as a community organizer and leader.
Nell Irwin Painter, Edwards Professor of American History, Emerita, Princeton University, says of Unfinished Agenda: "This absolutely riveting story resonates well beyond the emblematic city of Newark, New Jersey . . . Williams still inspires and instructs a new generation for whom this should be recommended reading."
|"Unfinished Agenda: Urban Politics in the Era of Black Power"
|Junius Williams, attorney, community activist, and author of the new memoir Unfinished Agenda: Urban Politics in the Era of Black Power
|11:30 am – 12:30 pm, Monday, February 17, 2014
|Baker Trial Courtroom, Rutgers School of Law–Newark


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I have an application (specifically ASP.NET MVC) that allows members to register using their Facebook accounts. So I'm trying to keep the sessions in sync, and if Facebook users sign out of FB after being active on my site, I want them to know that they will need to sign back in prior to doing any FB-specific actions. Likewise, if they sign in to FB after having been signed out of my site, I want the site to detect this and sign back in.
I know how to sign a user in and out of FB, and have this working. What I don't have working, is how to detect the above. It seems like FB.getLoginStatus would do the trick, but I need a server-side way to do this. I've messed with graph.facebook.com/oauth, but I don't think this is meant for doing what I'm trying to accomplish.
Is this possible, and if so, how?
Thanks in advance.


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You have an entity A that you want to turn towards another entity B. One way to determine the direction to turn is to compute the cross-product of the direction vector of A with the vector from AB. If the value of z is positive, then you turn right. If the value of z is negative, you turn left. Is this the only way of determining which way to turn?
If you're storing your rotations as quaternions (which you probably should), you could use a quaternion lerp function to lerp from your initial rotation to the rotation you want to be at (i.e the rotation given by the vector AB with whatever your up vector is).
It sounds like this is essentially a 2D problem; if it's truly a 3D problem (one spaceship face another spaceship in free space) then you should definitely use quaternions. Traditional vectors will have odd turn patterns. But according to your question, you're just turning left or right. If you can simplify the problem down to two (x,y) positions and the angle that entity A is facing, then you can use simple 2D math:
tan((yB-yA)/(xB-xA)) is the desired angle (of A facing B). Turn towards that.
You need to account for crossing 0 degrees; for example, if the target angle is 359 degrees and you're currently looking at a 1 degree angle, you want to just turn 2 degrees clockwise rather than turning 358 degrees counterclockwise.


text:
I'm running Fedora 17 and I want to give several users access to files on my secondary hard drives on /run/media/haukur/. This is what I initially did:
chmod -R 755 /run/media/
But every time I turn the computer off these permissions are reset to:
ls -l /run/media/
drwxr-x---+ 4 root root 80 Jul 5 17:42 haukur
The same applies to /run/media/haukur/. I made a symbolic link in every user's home directory pointing to /run/media/haukur/ but they stop working (permission errors) all the time.
What can I do to make these changes permanent?
Edit: I solved the problem by adding the devices to
/dev/sdc1 /media/a ext4 defaults 0 0
/dev/sdb1 /media/b ext4 defaults 0 0


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Bb Learn - Messages
Working with Messages
In this scenario, you will
- Log in to Blackboard Learn
- Navigate to the correct course
- Configure Blackboard Learn for editing
- Select Tools link
- Create Message
Although Blackboard Learn offers a number of options to choose from when you create an assignment, the steps listed in this scenario address only a few of them. You are encouraged to explore the other options on your own.
Log in to Blackboard Learn
To log in to Blackboard Learn (if you are not already logged in), follow these steps:
- Go to bblearn.nau.edu.
- Click the Log in to Bb Learn button.
- On the Central Authentication Service page, in the UserID field type your NAU login ID, and in the Password field, type your password.
(NOTE: If you have already authenticated through CAS from some other campus website, you might not have to complete this step or the next. Instead, you automatically will be routed to the Blackboard Learn My Institution tab.)
- Click the Login button.
Navigate to the Correct Course
After you have logged in, make sure you are on the My Institution tab, and then from the My Courses block, select a listed course.
Configure Blackboard Learn for Editing
Near the upper right corner of the window, you can have the Edit Mode button set to ON or OFF . Click the button to toggle between ON and OFF.
Select Tools link
- From the left navigation menu, click the Tools link.
Tools page will be displayed.
On the Tools page, click on Messages link .
Create Message
- To create a Message click on the Create Messsage button.
- Compose Message page is Displayed.
- Click Recipient button to choose the individual(s) on the list you are sending message to.
Highlight student under Select Recipient: To Line. Click on the > button to add individual the Recipients list.
Hold down Shift key to select multiple recipients. Click on the > button to add individuals the Recipients list.
Do the same steps for sending carbon copies (CC) and blind copies (BC) to others.
- Under Compose Message fill in the required field for the Subject line.
Type message in the Body textbox.
- To add an Attachment, click on the Browse button.
Navigate to a file on your computer and then select it. This step might look a little different, depending on which browser and operating system you are using.
- After attaching your file, click on Submit button.


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The Estate Tax Mess
The so-called "death tax" on estate transfers was repealed at the start of 2010 but is scheduled to spring back to life in January. The 12-month window for tax-free estate gifts raises some interesting questions—and a whole host of hypotheticals. Billions are at stake, but uncertainty reigns. What is going on?
In 2010, signs of dysfunction in Washington, D.C., have been as abundant as the cherry blossoms alongside the Tidal Basin each spring. There have been the relentless filibusters, the rancorous debate over health care, and the unbecoming shouting episodes on the floor of the House. But for its sheer unpredictability and bizarreness, you can't help but be impressed by the situation surrounding the
estate tax.
In big-picture terms, the estate tax—the federal tax levied on the value of property left to the designated heirs of a few thousand extremely wealthy Americans—is small change. Falling on only one in every 400 estates, it brought in about $23.4 billion in 2009, only 1.1 percent of federal revenue. But the estate tax has long occupied an outsized place in the debate over taxation. In 2001, Congress passed, and President Bush approved, a law that would decrease the tax gradually over eight years
before repealing it entirely in 2010—only to stipulate that it return from the dead, zombie-like, in its pre-2001 form in 2011 to menace the accounting and
legal professions.
Even in a practice area known for its complexity and occasional irrationality, the estate tax conundrum stands out. "Many tax provisions are passed on a temporary basis; many last for one or two years; some have retroactive provisions," says Alex Raskolnikov, the Charles Evans Gerber Professor of Law at Columbia Law School. "But this one has a twist: In addition to a tax cut that stays for 10 years, in the last year it disappears altogether." The upshot: A citizen slipping her earthly coil at 11:59 p.m. on December 31, 2010, can leave her entire $10 million estate to her heirs, tax free. But if she were to live just two more days, the total value of the gift would be only $6.4 million—a 36 percent difference. The same hypothetical person expiring on December 31, 2009, would have left about $7.1 million to her heirs.
This legislative train wreck could be seen coming a mile—and nine years—away. When the law containing the estate tax's death sentence and revival was passed in May 2001, New York Times columnist and economist Paul Krugman dubbed it the "Throw Momma from the Train Act," since it would provide powerful incentives for people to kill off wealthy elderly relatives in 2010. And yet no evasive action was taken. "Everybody was confident in 2009 that nobody would allow January 1, 2010, to arrive without having done something to fix this crazy situation," says Michael J. Graetz, the Isidor and Seville Sulzbacher Professor of Law and the Columbia Alumni Professor of Tax Law. The strange tale of the long-awaited demise and impending resurrection of the estate tax, known to its critics as the "death tax," is a case study in the triumph and ultimate failure of interest group politics.
The estate tax's long history is largely bound up with efforts to finance national security. Congress enacted the first direct tax on inheritances during the Civil War; it was repealed five years after Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox. In 1916, as the nation was gearing up for World War I, the Revenue Act of 1916 levied taxes ranging from 1 percent—after a $50,000 exemption—up to 10 percent for estates valued at more than $5 million. During the New Deal era, Franklin D. Roosevelt repeatedly raised the estate tax, partly in an attempt to lessen the impact of the Great Depression. The levy stuck and lived on for the next several decades, although it was frequently tweaked.
"A lot of things had to come together for the estate tax to be repealed," says Michael Graetz. In Death by A Thousand Cuts: The Fight Over Taxing Inherited Wealth, the 2005 book he co-authored with Yale political scientist Ian Shapiro, Graetz describes how advocates worked for nearly 25 years to cobble together an extremely unlikely coalition—African-American tree farmers and billionaires, conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats—that turned a tax that only affected elites into a populist cause. The booming stock market led many Americans to believe they would inevitably amass large, taxable fortunes, and on the campaign trail in 2000, George W. Bush "found that when he talked about killing the 'death tax,' which is the way he phrased it, it was one of his biggest applause lines," says Graetz.
But the coalition of lobbyist-backed small businesses and very wealthy families had somewhat divergent interests. There are two vital components of the estate tax—the exemption (the amount that can be passed down free of tax) and the tax rate (the percentage levied on the value of the estate above the exemption). Very wealthy families cared less about the exemption and much more about reducing tax rates. (For an estate of $300 million, the difference between being taxed at 35 percent and 45 percent comes to $30 million.) For small business owners, however, whether the exemption rate stood at $3 million or $5 million meant the difference between avoiding the tax and being subject to it. As a result, says Graetz, "the only thing they could agree upon was repealing the tax altogether."
The same rules that forced the Senate to pass President Obama's health care reform proposal through the so-called "reconciliation" process pushed President Bush and his congressional allies to make the estate tax repeal—and all the other tax cuts—essentially temporary. Measures that cause revenue loss beyond the 10-year budget window must be approved by 60 votes. But there were only 58 votes in the Senate in support of the package. To delay its fiscal impact, the plan was structured to be phased in slowly. The rate would fall from 55 percent in 2000 to 45 percent in 2009, with the exemption rising from $1 million in 2002 to $3.5 million in 2009. Then the tax would vanish altogether in 2010, only to bounce back to the 2001 level—a $1 million exemption and maximum rate of 55 percent—in 2011. The theory, says Alex Raskolnikov, was that Washington wouldn't allow the law simply to expire, "because the expiration would be sold as a big tax hike." When the tax cuts passed, a White House official told CNN, "We can't envision a scenario in which the U.S. Congress will want to re-impose" the tax on married couples and the tax on estates.
Famous last words.
"I don't think anybody thought Congress would be so irresponsible to let this situation arise without a resolution," says Alan Halperin '85, a partner and co-chair of the personal representation department at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. Over the past decade, the changes were phased in, and collections generally fell—from about $29 billion in 2000 to $23.4 billion in 2009. But Congress routinely misses its own deadlines and has difficulty focusing beyond the next news cycle. While the Republican-controlled House voted for permanent repeal of the estate tax several times, it never got through the Senate.
Then the culture, the politics, fiscal dynamics, and the zeitgeist began to shift—and fast—against permanent repeal. The 2008 election swept Democrats into control of the White House, as well as into large majorities in both chambers of Congress. Few Democrats favored outright repeal. Given the bailouts on Wall Street, the outrage over executive compensation, and rising income inequality, measures that appeared to favor the wealthy grew increasingly unpopular. In addition, the return of massive deficits clouded the prospect for the continuation of all the Bush-era tax cuts.
The larger narrative was changing, too. Early 20th-century proponents of the estate tax, such as Theodore Roosevelt, had argued that the idea of multigenerational inherited wealth was contrary to the idea of American equality. "Andrew Carnegie thought that if you left too much money to a child, you would ruin him or her," says Graetz. But modern-day critics had tagged the estate tax as a penalty on hard work, owning your own business or firm, and thrift. In their book, Graetz and Shapiro suggested the conversation focus on beneficiaries. "We said it's not a tax on Conrad Hilton; it's a tax on Paris Hilton," Graetz notes. As pundits and politicians ran with this meme, the "death tax" repeal began to be framed as a measure that benefitted a spoiled reality-TV star.
Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., congressional Republicans, the chief advocates for estate tax reduction, adopted an all-or-nothing mentality that frequently proved self-defeating. And the coalition that had formed around repeal 10 years earlier began to split. It became clear over the course of last year that an extension of the 2009 regime—a 45 percent rate and a $3.5 million exemption—was the most likely outcome for the estate tax going forward. But, Graetz notes, wealthy families held out for a lower rate, while the small business advocates were pushing for a higher exemption. The House of Representatives voted in December of last year to make the 2009 law permanent, but advocates in the Senate were unable to produce 60 votes for a long-term solution, and Senate Republicans refused to allow a vote on
the measure.
When the ball dropped in Times Square at the end of 2009, a new vista emerged. Wealthy Americans were suddenly given a 12-month window in which they could, in effect, massively increase their net worth if they were to die in the coming year. The idea sounds laughable. But, as Alex Raskolnikov notes, it's an accepted fact in economics and finance that the tax code can be a powerful spur to behavior. Investors sell stocks to lock in tax losses in December; babies are more likely to be born in late December than early January, as parents try to take advantage of the tax credit in the current year.
Wojciech Kopczuk, a professor of economics at Columbia University, has charted how mortality rates of the wealthy changed when estate tax modifications were looming. The conclusion of a 2003 paper he co-authored with Joel Slemrod of the University of Michigan, titled "Dying to Save Taxes: Evidence from Estate Tax Returns on the Death Elasticity," notes: "Evidence from estate tax returns suggests that some people will themselves to survive a bit longer if it will enrich their heirs."
Kopczuk says that since the data was old and the effect may reflect ex post doctoring of the reported date of death, it is not possible to draw a strong conclusion from that paper. But the idea that heaven can be made to wait is not all that far-fetched. In the first week of 2000, hospitals in New York saw 50.8 percent more deaths than they had in the last week of 1999—the theory was that people were essentially willing themselves to live a few extra days in order to see the new millennium. Ceasing to live, though, would seem to be a radical, irreversible effort to avoid taxation. "I wouldn't expect to see a lot of rich people prematurely dying in 2010," says Kopczuk.
Nonetheless, the volatility and uncertainty has resulted in additional work for estate lawyers throughout the nation. Some clients have taken the temporary disappearance of the generation-skipping transfer tax to make large outright gifts to grandchildren, and the need to inform clients of the current state of the law has been paramount. "One of the areas of some concern is the use of formula clauses in wills," says Frank P. Reiche '59, of counsel at the Haddonfield, N.J.-based law firm Archer & Greiner. For instance, standard provisions in wills may stipulate that assets pass to children to the extent the Internal Revenue Service allows them to do so tax free, while the rest goes to the spouse. In a regime where there is no estate tax, notes Raskolnikov, "a will with this language could effectively disinherit a spouse."
Meanwhile, lawyers and clients have to brace themselves for the possibility that, on January 1, 2011, rates will return to the much higher levels of 2001. With one quarter of the year gone, Washington hasn't acted. As things stand, the entire package of 2001 tax cuts—on income tax, capital gains, and estates—is slated to expire next January. The Obama administration and its congressional allies have placed a premium on extending some of the cuts—e.g., the lower income tax rates on households making less than $250,000—and on cushioning the rise of taxes on capital gains. But the administration's budget calls for the estate tax to be extended at its 2009 rate for several years—a move that would bring in $274 billion in revenues over the next 10 years. Repeal, which would decrease federal revenues by $630 billion between 2012 and 2021, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, would seem to be off the table. "We are dying for revenues," says Raskolnikov. "It's just a question of how high the rates are going to be next year."
More significantly, the coalition that was so successful in eliminating the death tax—if only for a year—may have split for good. "The small business crowd is focused on the exemption, and others are focused on the rates," says Michael Graetz. "And Democrats are much more attuned to arguments about the need for progressivity in the tax code today than they were a couple of years ago." Plus, in an age when many Americans are feeling much poorer than they were a few years ago, there is likely to be little sympathy for the few affected by the tax. If the 2009 rates are extended, only one in 400 Americans who die, or .25 percent, will owe any estate tax in 2011, according to the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. It's entirely possible, of course, that rates will simply revert to their pre-2001 levels. Then it would be as if the whole decade simply didn't happen. "Everybody assumes that this will all get fixed in 2010," says Graetz. "Of course, that's what everybody thought last year."


text:
I'm trying to learn Scala (I have previously glanced at Erlang, Haskell, Ruby and had similar issues). I do enjoy it, but I feel bad about some things it does and I wonder if that's just due to all the time I've spent with C++.
1. Keeping it clean
I'll start with a problem of my own. With anonymous functions and loops hidden in foreach I feel encouraged to put everything in one line. I quickly end up with something hideous. It's even worse in Ruby where variables don't need to be declared. It's a mess. I wonder if there are any guidelines that can be followed to improve readability or if this is something one just has to get use to when programming in a concise language?
2. Basic control structures
While foreach, map, etc. methods work great in simple cases they fail me in more complex ones. Containers preserve order of objects, and in a way, these methods hide that order form me. Let's say, I want to build an array B from the elements of array A with prime indices. I could do
var i = 0
val B = A.filter( e => { i+=1; is_prime( i ) } )
but it doesn't feel right. There is a duplication of counters - one inside filter, and one of my own. I see no reason why there wouldn't be a function which knows the position of the element it is processing. Am I missing something or is there some logic behind it? Now I just feel encouraged to use the usual C style loops.
3. Scala's hidden inconsistency
Scala seems to boast having so much of it declared in it's libraries. With all the rules Scala needs to make those libraries feel comfortable, the language becomes as big as any other, which seems like missing the point, but that isn't what bothers me. What I dislike is Tuple. With it's special syntax, it acts like a language construct rather than an ordinary class. It feels like Scala is denying that many things are built into it. I'd appreciate it if someone could explain to me why such synthesis of library and language is so often implemented (not only in Scala).
4. Efficiency
Firstly, I understand the benefit of having immutable objects in parallel algorithms, but how often do you actually need the concurrency? There are issues with it other than shared mutable objects. My point is that concurrent design has it's limitations and using it everywhere, like functional languages seem to do, must be terribly inefficient.
Secondly, even if we do consider immutable state a necessity, some algorithms I've seen are ludicrous. I'm thinking about the ones that work with lists as head::tail. I find it hard to believe that an algorithm, described in that way can be efficient. Again, I feel encouraged to write more imperative code. Am I underestimating optimizations or should sensitive algorithms really avoid some concepts?