text:
Submitted by admin on
10/18/2012 -- EVAW News -- "Women's Groups write urgently to BBC re Jimmy Savile Inquiries" Equality Now and partners call on the BBC to fully investigate internal cultures and practices with regard to the Jimmy Savile sex abuse inquiry.
The following letter has been sent by five leading UK women's organisations to BBC Director General George Entwistle today (18 October) regarding the two inquiries into Jimmy Savile's alleged abuse of children.
The letter asks that the inquiries work with sexual violence experts, and that they look at whether 'institutional sexism' was part of what provided a context where abuse could happen.
It asks that both inquiries look at present day as well as historical culture and practice at the BBC, including considering whether the Newsnight editor's decision to drop the programme's investigation was related to prejudicial attitudes which minimise abuse of women and girls (seeing it as having no news value in and of itself).
The letter ends by recommending that this year's Children In Need appeal make organisations which support survivors of sexual abuse a priority funding area.
The letter has been copied to the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, the leader of the Opposition, the two Inquiry leads Dame Janet Smith and Nick Pollard and Lord Leveson.
George Entwistle, Director General, BBC
18 October 2012
Dear Mr Entwistle,
Re: Jimmy Savile Inquiries
We warmly welcome your announcement of independent Inquiries into matters relating to Jimmy Savile's abuse of girls and boys over a number of decades. Your response to this matter sends a clear message about the seriousness with which you regard the abuse of women and children at the BBC.
As you are aware, the continuing disclosures from women and men who were abused by Savile at the BBC are causing serious damage to the good reputation of the BBC. They are also prompting many other survivors of sexual violence to seek support from Rape Crisis Centres around the country.
Our organisations are all specialists in the field of sexual abuse or violence against women and girls more broadly. Amongst our members, we have a wealth of expertise from frontline services supporting children and adults who have been subject to sexual violence, many of whom are adult survivors of childhood abuse. We also include academics, lawyers and policy and campaigning experts in this field.
It is important to start by setting out the facts about sexual violence and harassment. These are forms of abuse that are overwhelmingly experienced by women and girls. They are committed by men and boys and are both a cause and consequence of women's inequality. It is therefore imperative that the inquiries look at gender relations within the BBC if it is to really understand what went wrong. Sexual violence and harassment are unfortunately common in the lives of women and girls. According to the Home Office, around 60,000 women a year are raped and NSPCC research in 2011 showed that almost one in 10 children aged 11-17 (9.4%) experienced sexual abuse in the past year. Teenage girls aged between 15-17 reported the highest rates of sexual abuse. Sexual harassment is extremely common. It is still routinely experienced by many women in the workplace, including the media, and is also common in public places and in schools (YouGov). While some commentators may dismiss this as minor or trivial – referring to it as 'banter' – women and girls experience it as part of a spectrum of abuse, as evidenced by the BBC female presenters and staff members who saw their experiences of sexual harassment and Savile's behaviour as connected to a culture of sexism.
In our oral evidence to the Leveson Inquiry in January on media reporting on violence against women and girls we argued that the media has a critical democratic role to play in exposing these crimes, but that there are systemic failures across the media with the treatment of this issue, including undermining victims and minimising abuse.
We would ask that the following are considered in the establishment and work of the Inquiries:
Inquiry into the culture and practices of the BBC during the years Jimmy Savile worked there.
We welcome the appointment of a senior female judge, Dame Janet Smith, to lead this Inquiry. We believe that to have public confidence and credibility the Inquiry must also demonstrate that it is asking the right questions and drawing on expertise about sexual violence. To this end we make the following suggestions:
- Work closely with sexual violence experts. Professor Liz Kelly, Director of the Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit of the London Metropolitan University and Co-Chair of End Violence Against Women is a leading expert on sexual violence, both domestically and internationally and would bring a considerable amount of expertise to the Inquiry. We also suggest that Dame Janet Smith works with Rape Crisis England and Wales – a frontline organisation with decades of expertise in supporting women and girls who experience sexual violence, especially adults who were sexually abused as children.
- Take an evidence-based approach to looking at the culture and practices of the BBC that allowed Savile to abuse on the scale and over the period of time that he did. There is a great deal of evidence about the connections between women's representation and employment, experiences of sexual harassment, institutional sexism and sexual abuse. We believe, as do some of your presenters and staff, that this broader context must form part of the Inquiry.
- Look at the BBC's current cultures and practices, this includes, but is far broader than, child protection policies.
- Work closely with police and other investigations into the failure to protect girls and boys from Savile by other institutions including schools and the NHS. It would be beneficial to look at common factors and differences between the failures by the different institutions.
Inquiry into the decision by Newsnight to drop an investigation into why the police dropped a sexual abuse case.
We would urge that Nick Pollard, when carrying out his Inquiry, takes account of matters that we raised in our evidence to the Leveson Inquiry this year about the way that reporting and editorial decisions are made in relation to sexual and other violence against women and girls.
We note that Newsnight Editor Peter Rippon wrote in his blog of 2nd October:
…If we could establish some sort of institutional failure we would have a much stronger story.
…. Some of the factors on the other side [against continuing the investigation] were: Newsnight is not normally interested in celebrity expose. Savile was unable to defend himself. What was the public interest served by reporting it given he is dead? The nature of the allegations and the level of proof required. The fact the incidents were 40 years ago.
Peter Rippon's reasoning appears to be that (1) the discovery of 'institutional failure' would have solid news value and was therefore worth pursuing but that perhaps (2) the exposure of a prominent BBC television presenter's rape and sexual abuse of girls over decades did not in and of itself have news value and, further, that this was perhaps considered merely 'celebrity expose'. If this is the case, we find this deeply worrying. Women have campaigned for decades to expose the nature and scale of sexual violence and the media has a critical role to play in shining a light on this hidden issue. Perpetrators like Savile rely on the secrecy, shame and, in his case celebrity status, to create the impunity which allows them to keep offending.
We believe that, as a public service broadcaster, the BBC has a duty to investigate an issue such as this from an evidence based perspective, not least as Newsnight and other BBC programmes are reporting on current sexual abuse scandals such as those in Rochdale and other British towns. Like Savile, a large number of girls were abused by highly manipulative men who relied on secrecy and targeting vulnerable victims to hide their abusive behaviour.
Also, like Savile, these current cases involve systemic failures by institutions that should have protected the girls.
The ITV documentary on Savile and subsequent revelations cast serious doubt on Mr Rippon's editorial judgement as the BBC arguably missed one of the biggest stories of recent times. The context here must also include that the BBC was planning to, and did, broadcast tributes to Savile after the Newsnight investigation was dropped.
We would ask you to consider as part of this Inquiry whether prejudicial attitudes, for example that minimise violence against women, whether explicit or implicit, played any part in the editorial judgement made in this matter. We also recommend that perhaps as a consequence of this Inquiry you look into whether all those working in BBC newsrooms, from journalists through to senior editors, are acquainted with the nature, scale and law relating to all forms of violence against women. This area of policy can unfortunately be taken for granted or minimised as 'women's issues' within a culture of explicit or implicit institutional sexism. In fact these issues are as interesting and complex as any other, and we feel that many strong political and human interest stories are being missed because of a lack of insight and understanding of the prevailing forces that contribute to what might sometimes be seen as a normalisation and acceptance of the inevitability of sexual violence. This should be an issue taken seriously by society as a whole and one on which the BBC should feel an obligation to contribute better understanding.
One suggestion we would make that might restore some public confidence in the BBC would be to make specialist women's organisations who support young people and adult survivors of sexual abuse a priority funding area for Children in Need.
We appreciate your robust response to this crisis and look forward to your response.
Yours sincerely,
End Violence Against Women Coalition
Equality Now
Rape Crisis England & Wales
Prime Minister David Cameron
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg
Leader of the Opposition Ed Miliband
Nick Pollard
Dame Janet Smith
Chris Patten
John Whittingdale
Lord Leveson


text:
Manning Planning - Sept. 15
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Manning Planning
Here's your weekly schedule to follow all of the members of the Manning Award Watch List. The Manning Award, sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, published its complete preseason Watch List on Aug. 16. The list includes 33 of the top quarterbacks in the nation heading into the 2010 season, however, all quarterbacks remain eligible for the award and mid-season additions to the list are possible.
The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates' bowl performances in its balloting.
Thursday, Sept. 16 (All times are Central)
The Manning Award will be recognizing its seventh winner this year. USC's Matt Leinart was the inaugural winner of the award in 2005, followed by Texas' Vince Young in 2006. Both went on to be top 10 NFL draft picks. In 2007, LSU's JaMarcus Russell earned the award and was the NFL's No. 1 draft pick. Boston College's Matt Ryan claimed the award in 2008 and was drafted No. 3, quickly becoming the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. In 2009, Florida star Tim Tebow earned the honor - he also went on to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. Last year's winner was Texas signal-caller Colt McCoy, the winningest quarterback in college football history. McCoy was picked by the Cleveland Browns in the 2010 NFL Draft.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Please select your media player preference:
Real Player
Windows Media Player
For your convenience we have provided links to download players.
right click
on screen to choose viewing options of regular or theatre mode.
Study Session
SS1. Review of Tentative Agendas and Annotated Version of the City Council 2013 Goals & Priorities
MAYORS ANNOUNCEMENTS: Update on Assembly Bill 66 (Muratsuchi)
PUBLIC COMMENTS: (This section of the agenda is for audience comments for items NOT on the agenda.)
CITY MANAGER REPORT: Recap of 4th of July Celebration 2013
G. Establish Parking Restrictions on Crenshaw Boulevard from Seacrest Drive to Burma Road (Jules)
4. Palos Verdes Peninsula Transit Authority (PVPTA) Presentation regarding Dial-a-Ride Program (Martin Gombert/PVPTA)
1. Water Quality and Flood Protection Program Annual User Fee Rate FY13-14 (Supports 2013 City Council Goal for Public Infrastructure) (Jones/McLean)
2. Adoption of Addendum No. 5 to a Negative Declaration for Ordinance No. 510 and Introduction of an Ordinance to Amend Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code Chapter 17.76.030 Fences, Walls and Hedges (Case No. ZON2012-00346) (Rojas/Harwell)
3. Draft Western Avenue Corridor Vision Plan (Supports 2013 City Council Goal No. 7 Western Avenue Corridor Issues) (Schonborn)
5. FY 13-14 Traffic Safety Committee and Emergency Preparedness Committee Work Plans (Petru)
6. Value Engineered Contract Change Order Outlet Structure - San Ramon Project (Supports 2013 City Council Goal No. 2: San Ramon Canyon Project) (Dragoo)
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS: (This section of the agenda is designated for individual Council Members to request that an item be placed on a future City Council meeting agenda.)
CITY COUNCIL ORAL REPORTS: (This section of the agenda is designated for oral reports from Council Members, as elected officials of the City, to report action taken at intergovernmental organizations, committee, or association meetings. Council Members are required to provide a brief oral report on their attendance at any meetings where City funds have been expended. Detailed reports should be made in writing and will be posted on the Citys website.)


text:
This FAQ diagnosed the problem - I had to re-mux the AVI. Unfortunately it only had instructions for Windows.
To fix this in Ubuntu Linux I ran the following two commands:
sudo aptitude install mencoder
mencoder -ovc copy -oac copy -of avi -o "remuxed.avi" "original.avi"
The file processed for a few minutes and then it ran smoothly on XBMC.


text:
Your shopping cart is empty!
Arsenal long sleeve 2008-09 lightweight training top dark navy/gold.Embroidered team badge and screened on Nike logo .Mesh ventilarion throughout.100% polyester.
Soccerplus first opened in 1994. We were one of the first soccer websites to hit the webView more
Address: 1640 E. Washington Blvd.
Pasadena, Ca 91104, USA
Phone: 1-800-945-7291
Get Direct


text:
Submit News
GM "Electric Car is Not Dead" Despite Mediocre Sales
Jason Mick
January 17, 2013 7:19 PM
Recipient E-mail
Sender E-mail
Automaker looks ahead to Cadillac ELR, second-generation Volt
When it comes to sales General Motors Comp.'s (
) Chevy Volt has done modestly,
moving a couple thousands units
per month in good months. Compared to other entrants
such as the Nissan Leaf EV
from Nissan Motor Comp., Ltd. (
), whose sales number in the mere hundreds per month, that's not bad.
But sales have still been short of the hype that surrounded Volt, a car that was viewed by many as a "savior-car" of sorts for the automaker during its recession troubles. The Volt has suffered a 2011
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
investigation over battery fires
and more recently has been
rejected by some Chevy dealerships
over high tooling costs.
Still, GM is convinced that electric vehicles are a winning proposition. Wednesday night at the Automotive News World Conference GM's North America chief Mark Reuss boldly
, "The electric car is not dead... We couldn't be happier … with the Volt."
The Chevy Volt has seen several sales targets slip. In 2011 GM promised to sell 10,000 Volts, but only sold 7,700. In 2012 it predicted 45,000 units sold, but only moved 23,000. At times the Hamtramck Assembly Plant where the vehicle is assembled was idled.
GM is forging ahead, looking to fill the idle capacity at the Hamtramck Assembly Plant with orders of the new Cadillac ELR, which is essentially a luxury reskinned Volt. At the conference Mr. Reuss revealed that the plant would begin producing Cadillac ELRs before the end of the year.
The 2014 Cadillac ELR will begin production later this year. [Image Source: GM]
He also teased at the upcoming second generation Volt design, which he claims "will be even better". He comments, "We'll get there. We will see the day when we have an affordable electric car that offers 300 miles of range with all the comfort and utility of a conventional vehicle. We're talking about a transformation here. And transformation takes time."
He admits that pricing needs to become more competitive, stating, "The rest of them will come around when technology advances electric vehicles to the point where they offer comparable performance at comparable prices."
GM looks to get more competitive with Chevy Volt pricing when it releases its second-generation successor to its current EV. [Image Source: Autoblog Green]
The determination from the Detroit automaker runs counter to its previous approach from the 1990s, where it debuted the EV-1 only to bail, pulling the plug in 1999 after three years of poor sales. GM was oft villainized for that decision for much of the last decade; now it is celebrated by EV advocates as a key proponent of the advanced vehicle push.
The optimism also contrast sharply with the grim rhetoric of Nissan at the auto show. While Nissan is sticking with its LEAF EV, it's dropping the price (to $28,800 USD) and admitting that so far the project has been a flop. LEAF EV sales were essentially flat, up only 1.5 percent from 2011 to reach 9,819 units. Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn admitted this week; "It was a disappointment for us."
Others like Ford Motor Comp. (F) have been more restrained in their EV dive, but have
also suffered poor results
. Ford produced 1,627 2013 Ford Focus EVs, but only sold 685 (42 percent of the stock). Fiskar also suffered a rocky year with its Karma being
panned by reviewers as "overweight"
. The Karma also
suffered fire issues
leading to recalls and
320 of the pricey EVs
were destroyed when Hurricane Sandy hit.
Tesla Motor Comp. (
) also
saw slow sales for much of the year
, but like GM it also delivered a fair degree of good news,
becoming profitable again
late in the year, thanks to the
launch of the 2013 Model S
mid-range luxury electric sedan. The Model S was well received by reviewers who
gave it many awards
for its slick handling and performance.
The Detroit News
"If they're going to pirate somebody, we want it to be us rather than somebody else." -- Microsoft Business Group President Jeff Raikes
Related Articles
Some Chevrolet Dealerships Have Volt Revolt After Price Increase
January 2, 2013, 5:14 PM
Tesla CEO Tweets That EV Maker is Finally "Making Bank"
December 5, 2012, 2:27 PM
Fisker Loses 320 Karmas to Hurricane Sandy
November 7, 2012, 11:41 PM
Tesla Model S: Automobile Mag's 2013 Automobile of the Year
November 2, 2012, 2:14 PM
EV Industry Faces Hard Times, Slowed Adoption
October 18, 2012, 9:45 PM
Latest Headlines
Lyft Steps into the Autonomous Car Market
July 22, 2017, 7:02 AM
30 People will get new Tesla Model 3 vehicles on July 28
July 11, 2017, 8:24 AM
Intel is buying Car-vision Company for $15.3B
May 6, 2017, 6:10 AM
Tesla will announce electric lorry in September
April 19, 2017, 6:20 AM
Dubai announces passenger drone plans.
February 14, 2017, 7:56 AM
Lucky LA Residence
January 28, 2017, 4:00 AM
More Headlines
Most Popular Articles
Apple Watch Series 3 – Here is what we found so far.
July 23, 2017, 7:30 AM
Meet the VR ONE– Thinnest & Lightest VR Backpack PC
July 22, 2017, 6:51 AM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Gaming Z 8G – Unprecedented Performance & Power
July 24, 2017, 7:00 AM
Lyft Steps into the Autonomous Car Market
July 22, 2017, 7:02 AM
Comparison: Rock64 vs Raspberry Pi 3
July 11, 2017, 6:53 AM
Latest Blog Posts
Facebook TV shows may start in August
Saimin Nidarson
Jul 28, 2017, 6:00 AM
Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL – Say Goodbye to the Headphone Jack
Elroy Bethell
Jul 27, 2017, 7:50 AM
Nokia's First Android Phone launching in August
Nenfort Golit
Jul 26, 2017, 6:00 AM
Raspberry Pi Powered Laptop.
Nenfort Golit
Jul 25, 2017, 6:00 AM
Microsoft HoloLens 2 - Featuring custom built AI Coprocessor
Elroy Bethell
Jul 24, 2017, 7:06 AM
LG Robots – Keeping Korean Airports nice and clean
Elroy Bethell
Jul 23, 2017, 7:50 AM
Gigabyte the new Raspberry Pi competition
Nenfort Golit
Jul 22, 2017, 6:00 AM
Really into Gaming? Get Ready for the Gaming Smartphone
Elroy Bethell
Jul 21, 2017, 7:25 AM
LG G6 Plus is Now Available for Purchase on Amazon
Nenfort Golit
Jul 20, 2017, 6:00 AM
Say Hello to Google Glass for the second time.
Elroy Bethell
Jul 19, 2017, 6:00 AM
Snap Chat Releases Snap Publisher
Nenfort Golit
Jul 18, 2017, 6:00 AM
New FlatScope may Restore Eyesight.
Elroy Bethell
Jul 17, 2017, 7:35 AM
Sprint offers enticing new cell phone plans.
Elroy Bethell
Jul 16, 2017, 7:21 AM
Amazon – Developing new Messaging App called Anytime
Elroy Bethell
Jul 15, 2017, 6:55 AM
Laid-off Microsoft workers get a Saleforce chance
Elroy Bethell
Jul 14, 2017, 8:21 AM
Google Home new streaming Feature.
Nenfort Golit
Jul 13, 2017, 6:48 AM
Storm 4 – The robot that can perform a biopsy.
Elroy Bethell
Jul 12, 2017, 8:15 AM
Microsoft Plans on Bringing Better Broadband Internet to Rural America.
Nenfort Golit
Jul 11, 2017, 6:48 AM
Facebook Drops price of Oculus Rift to Match PlayStation VR
Elroy Bethell
Jul 10, 2017, 7:57 AM
Android users be cautious, CopyCat malware on the prowl
DailyTech Staff
Jul 9, 2017, 8:00 AM
More Blog Posts
Copyright 2017 DailyTech LLC. -
RSS Feed
About Us
Terms, Conditions & Privacy Information
Kristopher Kubicki


text:
Kiln Controler
Posted 04 April 2013 - 11:09 AM
Posted 04 April 2013 - 11:21 AM
Neil Estrick
Kiln Repair Tech
L&L Kilns Distributor
Owner, Neil Estrick Gallery, LLC
Posted 04 April 2013 - 11:56 AM
So let the controller function to guide the ramping and holds aspects of the firing, but use witness cones as the "final say" on your claywork until the next generation of these things is available.
John Baymore
Adjunct Professor of Ceramics; New Hampshire Insitute of Art
Former Guest Professor, Wuxi Institute of Arts and Science, Yixing, China
Former President and Past President; Potters Council
Posted 04 April 2013 - 02:55 PM
Posted 10 April 2013 - 09:48 PM
Posted 11 April 2013 - 02:56 PM
If I were to buy a controller, should I get a single zone vs multiple zone controller? How many segments? And should I get it with or without a KISS interface?:mellow:src="http://ceramicartsda...lt/mellow.gif">
Multi zone is awesome. Much more consistent firings than single zone, and firings are not really affected by how you load the kiln.
The KISS interface is a toy, in my opinion. It lets you look at all sorts of numbers pertaining to the firing, which is interesting, but kilns are not all that accurate in engineering terms, so all that really detailed information doesn't really help you out that much. Maybe if you're doing some super touchy crystalline type work, but that's it. I've had customers who demanded I fix their kilns because the KISS software showed some inconsistencies in the firings, even though the pots all looked the same, and looked like they were supposed to. They got so hung up on numbers that they couldn't see that the pots were fine.
Neil Estrick
Kiln Repair Tech
L&L Kilns Distributor
Owner, Neil Estrick Gallery, LLC
Posted 11 April 2013 - 06:09 PM
1 user(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users


text:
Notes: Im booting on an EEEPC 901 via USB
After updating using
Everything was going fine until it got to the package linux-source 3.6.34.Code:apt-get update apt-get upgrade apt-get dist-upgrade
After that it errored and said that there was already a /lib/modules/3.6.34/kernal folder. so i moved the 3.6.34 to 3.6.34.old
After that everything compiled fine.
But my main question is that I had to
because it hadn't created the soft link.Code:tar -xf /usr/src/linux-source-2.6.34 ln -s /usr/src/linux-source-2.6.34 /lib/modules/2.6.34/source
(i assume this is what it needed to boot into the new kernel)
But then i now notice that when it was installing that update-grub only updates to /boot/
But of course it needs to update on /media/cdrom0/boot/
(because it needs to update the usb)
Code:Searching for GRUB installation directory ... found: /boot/grub Searching for default file ... found: /boot/grub/default Testing for an existing GRUB menu.lst file ... found: /boot/grub/menu.lst Searching for splash image ... found: /boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz Found kernel: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.34 Found kernel: /boot/vmlinuz-18.104.22.168 Found kernel: /boot/memtest86+.bin Updating /boot/grub/menu.lst ... done
If someone can help on this i would be grateful.


text:
Although paste set jewelry was popular during the late 1600s, the 18th century brought it out into the light. Paste jewelry began to flourish and demand for it virtually quadrupled. Jewelers became expert in the cutting and setting of the sparkling stones into finely designed pieces. Warm and glittering in candlelight, paste jewelry almost replaced that of real diamonds.
The day night earring, developed during the 18th century proved to be an enduring design. Typically this is a two element earring in which the top cluster can be worn separately from the attached drop. However, with this scarce pair of silver earrings it is the bottom teardrop which may be worn solo.
Superbly made, white pastes have been foiled, placed next to one another in pavé style and set closed back. The perimeter of rub over collets is typical for the period as are the rounded backs. Earlier 18th century pieces employed a more rounded, somewhat bulbous reverse. As the years of the 18th century rolled by those backs became less and less rounded while still retaining a solid construction. Modern 10k yellow gold ear wires have been added.
Provenance: From a private collection originally purchased at Ralph Lauren New York.


text:
Boring teams, lousy quarterbacks, and namby-pamby rules are making the National Football League unwatchable.
Why did you make us walk in front, namby-pamby so, Papa dear?
She was very beautiful in her soft, foolish, namby-pamby, blue-eyed way.
He witnessed a performance—not too namby-pamby—of Punch and Judy.
Ruth Fielding was not namby-pamby, although she was far from quarrelsome.
Was this the cousin whom she had considered a sort of namby-pamby, goody-goody girl who would be easily controlled?
Any workman in the school of namby-pamby could have kept their purity.
These children were not accustomed to say papa and mamma; their mother would allow no such "namby-pamby."
She was not at all weak or namby-pamby, but she was a universal peace-maker.
Its composition is in the namby-pamby taste of Pleyels time, and will never suit the taste of the present day.
"weakly sentimental, insipidly pretty," 1745, from satiric nickname of English poet Ambrose Philips (1674-1749) mocking his sentimental pastorals addressed to infant members of the nobility. Used first in 1726 in a farce credited to Carey. Related: Namby-pambical.


text:
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 31/1/2013 (1635 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
This year, automakers will return to the Super Bowl broadcast in full force, hoping to make big impressions with their cars.
Mercedes-Benz has enlisted supermodel Kate Upton in an ad and Lincoln has employed comedian Jimmy Fallon, while Kia appears to be dumping sex appeal for family fun.
Many automakers are trying to build buzz through teaser ads and social media campaigns.
Here's a rundown of what we know so far.
For the first time in Audi's history, the brand will let the public select which Super Bowl spot they'd like to see run during the big game.
The German luxury brand, returning to the Super Bowl for the sixth consecutive year, has three versions of its 60-second ad.
Chrysler has purchased airtime, but has declined to reveal any details about the amount of time or the number of commercials it is planning.
Chrysler is coming off of back-to-back blockbuster ads. In 2011, Chrysler made its mark as the first automaker to air a two-minute Super Bowl spot featuring Eminem and the "Imported from Detroit," tagline, and in 2012 the automaker created a political stir with Clint Eastwood in "Halftime in America."
This online car shopping site wants to capture a larger number of vehicle purchasers by convincing people it offers a "no drama" way of buying a car. It has released a teaser ad that has plenty of drama.
Like last year, there is a good chance Fiat will again employ a combination of humor and sex appeal in a 30-second spot.
One option under consideration for the Fiat 500 Abarth Cabrio shows a woman on a beach with a black scorpion crawling on her back. Fiat has other options as well, an ad titled Sisters and one titled, Date.
Ford hasn't advertised in the Super Bowl for several years and won't be there this year either, but Lincoln is a different story.
Jim Farley, Ford's executive vice president of global marketing, doesn't believe the Super Bowl is a wise place for mainstream, established brands to spend their money.
Lincoln will be in the Super Bowl for the first time ever with a 60-second spot crafted by comedian Jimmy Fallon.
GM, historically one of the Super Bowl's biggest spenders, decided last spring to skip this year's big game, confusing analysts who thought it would be a great opportunity to promote the new Chevrolet Corvette or the new Chevrolet Silverado.
In its sixth consecutive year as a Super Bowl advertiser, Hyundai said it has five game-day ads, including four all-new spots, planned.
The Korean automaker has again secured a 60-second commercial just before the kickoff. Two additional 30-second commercials will air during the game and two will be broadcast during the pregame show.
Hyundai's commercials will highlight its Santa Fe crossover, Sonata Turbo full-size sedan and Genesis R-Spec luxury sedan.
Kia has purchased a 30-second and a 60-second spot. At least one of the spots will feature the redesigned Sorento crossover.
According to Kia, its Super Bowl commercial "will present an answer to an age-old question that has left generations of parents stuttering and searching carefully for words to help them escape an awkward yet truthful situation."
Mercedes-Benz has enlisted supermodel Kate Upton and music star Usher to appear in its advertisement to launch its new, entry-level CLA-Class sedan.
The 60-second ad, which will air during the fourth quarter, will reveal the price of the car.
Mercedes is using an extensive social media campaign to build buzz for its ad. The German automaker has released six different teaser ads, including a sexually suggestive commercial with Upton watching several guys wash a car.
Actress Kaley Cuoco, star of CBS show The Big Bang Theory, will be featured in Toyota's commercial for its RAV4 crossover.
Volkswagen is returning to the Super Bowl for the fifth consecutive year.
Volkswagen's The Force, in 2011, and The Dog Strikes Back, in 2012, are among the most memorable and critically-acclaimed commercials from the automotive industry in recent years.
This years' ad "will build on the brand's tradition of sharing simple, human stories," Volkswagen said.
-- Detroit Free Press


text:
I've been using unetbootin for quite some time now and never had any problems like what's going on now. The problem I'm having is when I use unetbootin to make BackTrack boot off a usb everything goes fine loading the image onto the USB stick, then it comes time to reboot, so I reboot. This is when the problem starts. I choose to boot off usb drive within the bios (like i've always done) and the computer just locks up and becomes unresponsive. At this piont the only option I have is the power button. It does this on multiple laptops. I've tried using different usb sticks, loading BackTrack via unetbootin on different computers, tried different Versions of BT (BT3, BT4-pre-release & BT4-pre-final), even reformatting the sticks to FAT and FAT32. I tried googling this problem with little results. I am out of ideas. Does anybody have any suggestions? Thank you.
BTW i'm using the windows version of unetbootin.


text:
Concerto Caledonia
Concerto Caledonia brings to life the classical and traditional music of Scotland's history.
The group's thirteen CD recordings include Robert Burns songs in their original versions, classical symphonies from Fife, early Scots fiddle music, and the unique sound of 18th-century Scottish-Italian crossover. Its contemporary recordings include music by Frank Zappa, Astor Piazzolla, Daniel Johnston and The Buzzcocks. The album Mungrel Stuff was a Sunday Times Record of the Year, and besides appearing regularly on BBC Radio 3, the group has also been broadcast on Radios 1, 2, and 4.
Live collaborations at the Edinburgh International Festival have included the story of Orpheus with extreme cabaret trio The Tiger Lillies, a programme which the group toured to Denmark and France; four concerts of historical Scottish music with guests including James Gilchrist, Martin Carthy and Katharine Fuge, which formed the basis of the live CD Late Night Sessions; and an exploration of the music of the 17th-century Scottish mercernary Tobias Hume, released in 2014. Revenge of the Folksingers, a 2010 project and recording bringing together traditional and early music at an Aldeburgh Residency, was followed in 2015 by the release of Purcell's Revenge, showcasing the diverse influences on Purcell's music. The group's current project, named after Nathaniel Gow, recreates the musical world of a Scottish dance band from the 1780s.


text:
The perfect finish to peanut butter cake, this also is delicious spread on chocolate, banana or other nut cakes!
In large bowl, beat peanut butter and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, beat well. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed, and scraping sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep icing covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerate in an airtight container. Re-whip before using.
Makes about 3 cups icing.


text:
Your shopping cart is empty!
Spain 2010-11 home shirt in red/ blue. Shoulders with the trademark Spanish gold stripes and trim. Features embroidered Spanish team badge on the left and Adidas logo at the center. The initials "R.F.E.F" is sublimated inside the neck .100% polyester.Add Adidas players N&N from the list below.
|Name and Number
Soccerplus first opened in 1994. We were one of the first soccer websites to hit the webView more
Address: 1640 E. Washington Blvd.
Pasadena, Ca 91104, USA
Phone: 1-800-945-7291
Get Direct


text:
Quinta do Lago Golf Courses
Come discover the golfer's paradise...
Quinta do Lago Golf Courses
One of the Algarve's leading golf destinations, theses courses are rated among Europe's top 20. They have hosted eight editions of the Portuguese Open and continue to be the venue for national and international tournaments.
- More information ...
Vale do Lobo Golf Courses
Vale do Lobo has two challenging courses, The Royal and the Ocean. Both take players through fig trees and fairways to the Atlantic Ocean. The Vale do Lobo courses have hosted the Portuguese Open twice.
- More information ...
Vilamoura Golf Courses
Vilamoura offers seven championship courses; including the famous Oceânico Victoria that has hosted the Portugal Masters since 2007. All seven courses have unique characteristics and superb views over lakes and pine trees.
- More information ...
Other Golf Courses
Enjoy a memorable experience in the most scenic golf courses of the Algarve. Stunning views, beautiful landscapes, ancient trees and a variety of wild flowers provide golfers with unforgettable moments.
- More information ...


text:
Thank you for visiting Hot Yoga and Massage Studio. We invite you to experience the pleasure, therapy, and general well-being that are gained from experiencing Yoga.
Hot Yoga is a form of Yoga that originated in Calcutta, India. Traditional Yoga in the hot climate of Calcutta evolved into Hot Yoga, which is practiced today at our Hampton Roads Hot Yoga Studio. The room is intentionally heated to 100 degrees re-creating these conditions, helping to relax the muscles. The postures (or asana) are very unique to these methods and focus on compressing the internal organs, forcing fresh blood and oxygen to those areas. There are distinct alignment differences between hot yoga postures and similar postures that other yoga styles teach, benefiting the mind and body through processes of detoxification, stimulation, and rejuvenation.
Every student receives our personal on hand expertise to ensure correct alignment. The postures which include breathing exercises builds strength, flexibility, tones the body, and calms the mind. With a consistent practice you will lose weight while reshaping your body naturally. We have a hot yoga class schedule that accommodates everyone's busy life style.
If yoga is not your style come in for a relaxing Swedish massage from our certified massage therapists. You will not be disappointed!!
Gift Cards available for purchase!


text:
The weather is so strange; I know… global warming. I experienced 30C (86F) in Germany last week without air-conditioning and I come back to Israel and it is 22C (72F).
Spring is in full bloom here in Israel. The bougainvillea are in bloom and the wildflowers are showing their beauty. There are about 2,800 different species of flora in Israel. A great place to see some of this flora is at Ramat Hanadiv (the Hill of the Benefactor) in Zichron Yaacov. Founded by the Rothschild family, it has been open since 1954. Baron Edmond de Rothschild and his wife Adelheid are buried there.
Friday before last I decided to make a variation of a favorite of ours, Nigella Lawson's Georgian Stuffed Chicken. This dish calls for dried cherries and rice, but I decided to add dried blueberries and substitute couscous for the rice. It was delicious. I also added a few other goodies, such as ras el hanut and pomegranate molasses.
But before I started preparing the meal, we began the late afternoon with a cocktail of Campari and freshly squeezed Jaffa orange juice.
Ingredients: I didn't have enough pinenuts, so added some sliced almonds
Adapted recipe from Nigella Lawson
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 cup couscous, cooked according to the package
1/4 cup dried sour cherries, roughly chopped
1/4 cup dried blueberries
1/4 cup pinenuts
1 tablespoon ras el hanut or cinnamon
1 2kg (approximately 4 lb) chicken
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Process or finely chop the onion and garlic, and add to the pan, frying over a medium heat until the onion softens and begins to color.
While the onion mixture is cooking, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
Add the chopped cherries, blueberries, pinenuts and ras el hanut or cinnamon and mix well. Add the fruit and nut mixture to the precooked couscous and combine well.
Spoon the fruit-studded couscous into the cavity the chickens. Place the remaining stuffing under the chicken or around the sides.
Drizzle the pomegranate molasses all over top and sides of the chicken.
Roast in the oven for approximately 1-1/2 hours. The skin should be golden and crispy and the meat cooked through; test by piercing the bird between thigh and body and if juices run clear, the chicken's ready.
If you do not have access to a Middle Eastern market, you can make your own ras el hanut.
This recipe is from Paula Wolfert's "Couscous and Other Good Food From Morocco".
Because these spices are quite strong, Paula suggests that you grind some sugar cane in your blender after making this to get rid of the strong smell.
Recipe #1 is for those of you that have access to an excellent spice shop.
4 whole nutmegs
10 dried rosebuds
12 cinnamon sticks
12 blades mace
1 tsp aniseed
8 pieces tumeric
2 small pieces orris root
2 dried cayenne peppers
1/2 tsp lavender
1 T white peppercorns
2 pieces galangal
2 T whole ginger root
6 cloves
24 allspice berries
20 white or green cardamon pods
4 black cardamon pods
1/2 oz allspice berries
1 oz black peppercorns
1/2 oz galangal
1/2 oz mace blades
1-1/2 whole nutmegs
10 cardamon pods
1-1/2 oz dried ginger root
1/2 oz stick cinnamon
1/4 oz tumeric
3 dried rosebuds
1 clove
Place all the ingredients of either recipe #1 or #2 in a blender and grind until fine. Sift the mix and place in an airtight jar.
I served steamed artichokes and roasted cauliflower with the chicken.
For dessert, I served Iraqi date biscuits called Baba Beh Tamur. I purchased these parve biscuits at a fruit and vegetable market in Ra'anana. The sweetness comes from the date filling. I will definitely buy them again or try to make them myself.


text:
Today I was poking around the internet, trying to find some info on the guy who shaped my longboard (15 years ago).
Sadly, I found this:Quote:
JAMES \"JT\" TURNBULL, 50, of the North Shore, died Nov. 24, 2000. He was a surfboard shaper for Country Surfboards on the North Shore for 32 years. Survived by parents, Frank and Helen Turnbull; sister, Cynthia Loveall. Ashes to be scattered 2 p.m. Sunday at Sunset Beach. Potluck gathering to follow at the old Country Surfboards factory across from Sunset Beach.


text:
This molded crystal Santa Claus has an interior three-dimensional holiday scene inspired by renowned holiday artist Thomas Kinkade's original artwork. The glistening Santa is holding a lantern and a list that he's checking twice. The interior holiday tableau has three Victorian homes with illuminating windows that cast a golden glow onto snowcapped evergreen trees, skaters on an "icy" pond, and a cobblestone bridge. A miniature reindeer-drawn sleigh carrying a merry Santa and glittering gifts automatically circles the base of the figurine. Each Santa is hand-numbered and comes with a certificate of authenticity. Plugs into AC. 11 1/4" H x 8 2/3" W x 8" D. (5 3/4 lbs.)
California Proposition 65 WARNING for lead crystal:
To enhance optical clarity, the crystal in this product contains lead, a chemical substance known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Lifetime Guarantee
The Thomas Kinkade Crystal Santa Claus comes with The Hammacher Schlemmer Lifetime Guarantee. If this product ever disappoints you, for any reason, you may return your Hammacher Schlemmer purchase for exchange, credit, or refund.
Should you have any questions, we are available seven days a week (8:00 am – midnight EST). Please call 1-800-321-1484 to speak with a specialist or email us at email@example.com to receive a response within three business hours or less.
May we recommend:
(based on 6 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
5 Stars
4 Stars
3 Stars
2 Stars
1 Stars
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Reviewed by 6 customers
Displaying reviews 1-6
Back to top
(3 of 3 customers found this review helpful)
Beautiful keepsake
By Grandmommy
from Chillicothe, OH
The only problem with this beautiful Xmas addition is it keeps coming with a broken arm, I am on my 3rd and last ordering of this wonderful Xmas decoration.
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Was this review helpful? Yes / No
- flag this review
The kinkade Crystal Santa Clause
By RD INOVATOR
from Great Falls, MT
Best Uses
We find a location that the Santa can be observed from three sides and high enough so little hands can't reach it.
Another unusual Santa
By TJ
from Sarasota, Florida
On time and in good condition.
(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)
By Dawn
from Midland, texas
(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)
crystal santa
By killer
from ames, ia
looks great on the f.place mantleshipping to replace the one broken in shipping was very fast!
A beautiful purchase
By Crissy
from Chillicothe, Ohio
I had to order 3 of these to finally get one that wasn't broken, glad I persevered, it is beautiful, and the company helped me and was very helpful. Thank you for that.
COPYRIGHT © 2016 HAMMACHER SCHLEMMER & COMPANY, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. W106147 E. 57th ST • NEW YORK, NY • 10022 • 1-800-_321-1484


text:
HAWTHORNE — A man was stabbed to death this morning in Hawthorne, a sheriff's deputy said.
It happened just before 3 a.m. in the 12500 block of South Cranbrook Avenue, according to Deputy Don Walker of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau.
"When officers arrived, the victim, an adult man, was lying on the stairwell at the location suffering from stab wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene, " a sheriff's department statement said.
Sheriff's homicide detectives were dispatched to assist Hawthorne police with the investigation.
Anyone with any information was asked to call the sheriff's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.


text:
This game was classified by the community with the following category scores - Violence=0/3, Sex=0/3, Mature Content=0/3. Learn Basic French is a simple tool to learn French. This app have different categories like Basic Phrases, Vocabulary and Grammar.
Buy Xbox content on Xbox.com. Your Xbox 360 console will automatically download the content next time you turn it on and connect to Xbox Live.Learn More
Click to create and send a link using your email application


text:
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
For the temperature, a small fan and the odd comment about how warm it is sounds fine to me. If everyone else comments how comfortable it is, then you're stuck, but they might be needing an opening to comment too.For the other comment, maybe "wow, that's great, I always have a high fiber breakfast and wondered what to do". It's probably over the top to suggest a competition.....and almost certainly rude.
OP, as the new kid in town, will have to tread carefully for several weeks/months before tackling the PITA. In the meantime, OP, keep your phone and other conversations short and business-like, and act like you're in a room of snakes - tread carefully.Edited to say: And wear your summer clothes.
Page created in 0.232 seconds with 17 queries.


text:
'"Everything was tough, even the penalty they took in the first part of the game, said Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff. "We knew that their power play was good, they did a really good job tonight. They were better than us. They kicked us around a little bit and took advantage of odd number situations. They got behind us, our defense got caught and our forwards didn?t cover up."'
Montreal 6, Buffalo 2
March 1, 2008 Submitted by
Via: The Sports Network


text:
First generation BMW X1 availbe as a X1 28i with either sDrive (RWD) or xDrive (AWD) or the US exclusive I6 N55 powered X1 35i xDrive.
|Thread Tools
|Display Modes
Is BMW Tire & Wheel Coveage a Good Idea?
I'm about to finalize my deal on my new 2013 X1 and the dealer has thrown several additional items in play that I can purchase. Most of them are overpriced and not worth it, so I have dismissed them BMW Tire & Wheel Replacement.
The cost is $1,149 (which I would spread over the life of the loan) and the coverage lasts for 60 months. The brochure states: "It replaces tires and/or wheels due to damage from road hazards."
Ok - we're getting RFTs on these X1s, so I'm told, and they're expensive to replace - not to mention the rims if there is damage from the potholes or whatever. And I'm told BMWs have soft rims anyway. I'm leaning towards getting this coverage.
Two concerns:
(1) Any standard wear tire replacement would be at the judgment call of the dealer (such as if you are ready for new tires at the end of the 60 months and they decide you aren't - an argument ensues.
(2) If I don't go with the coverage and a tire and/or rim gets damaged then these RFTs are expensive to replace. Two or three tires damaged in that 5 year span and I have probably covered the cost of the coverage.
Thoughts and reactions? Anyone go with this coverage or decline it and can you tell me why?
It's not a bad idea, but it sounds like your dealership is trying to gouge you. You might want to consider a counter-offer. I was quoted $600 for the coverage, and I'm leaning toward purchasing it myself. It's not just the price of the runflats that concerns me. In fact, I intend to replace the runflats with conventional rubber as soon as I can justify it. Runflats are subject to sidewall damage, and the stiff sidewalls make the wheels more vulnerable as well. I was told that any tires I purchase would be covered, as would separate winter wheels and tires. I typically don't fall for extras and add-ons, but this is very tempting. (I live in Michigan where the roads are pocked, plus I have to drive over railroad tracks on a regular basis.)
2014 Touareg TDI R Line
The 17" and 18" RFT on these X1s aren't all that expensive; if you don't mind online purchases, you can get them installed for under $200 each. It's not that easy to bend a wheel where I am.
If you do get it, make sure you know what the max payout is.
In my limited experience, dealers usually judge in the customer's favor, they have nothing to lose and all to gain by the insurance covering your tires.
I wasn't aware that it covers ANY tires put on. If that's the case, it may be worth it if you put expensive tires on.
If it only covers RFTs, pass on it. RFTs are crap. Save money and get normal tires and carry can of Fix-a-Flat and a mini electric air pump in cargo area. My mom had tons of problems with her RFTs on her 2009 328i that she bought about a year and a half ago. Just junk. You're better off going to TireRack.com and buying their tires and buying the Road Hazard protection, which is only about $15-25 per tire. Better deal and much better ride quality and handling.
If you can get it to cover any and every tire and wheel you own, regardless of make and RFT status, then get it. Just renegotiate the price.
Just my $0.02.
I have owned 3 bmw's with RFT including an extra set of snow tires. On my last car I had to replace a severely damaged rim. I have had my rims tested several times and fairly commom to be slightly out of round which do not affect balancing. Rims that are not too bent can be straightened for under $200-
Two additional consideration is that the newest (3rd generation rft) have much softer sidewalls so less ikely to bend rims on pot holes, but on the negative side would a dealer check rims on return of a leased vehicle and try to charge for abnormal wear and tear?
2007 335xi (ED 5/10/07, Redelivery 7/12/07) Gone
2010 335i-xdrive (ED 10/19/09, Redelivery 12/30/09) Gone
2013 335i xDrive (ED 9/15/12, Redelivery 11/23/12) Gone
2014 X1 xDrive28, glacier silver (ED 5/13/13, Redelivery 7/11/13)
2016 340i xDrive, mediterranean blue (ED 8/24/15, Redelivery 10/12/15)
2017 X1 xDrive28i, black sapphire (ED 8/26/16
If you buy from tirerack or even a good deal from a dealer and you buy 17" or 18" RFT, you probably won't spend much above $200 to $240 per tire including shipping and installation at a reasonably priced shop.
The worst case realistic -- but still rather unlikely -- situation is you probably blow out two wheels/tires that can't be repaired and even in that case if you are willing to buy lightly/moderately used replacement wheels off of Ebay, Craigslist etc,
you will end up spending a little less then $1150. A lot of enthusiasts don't like stock wheels so they sell them for relatively cheap 1-12 months after they buy the car.
In addition, if you have additional space in a garage, cellar etc., you could always buy a spare wheel or two if you see someone selling them since they want to replace them. This way if you end up not needing the spare wheel(s) 6 or 7 years down the line when it may be time to sell the car, you can also get most of your money back.
At a much lower price then $1150 if you aren't that careful of a driver and the roads are truly horrific were you live with lots of potholes and nails, I could see the coverage making some sense if you got truly expensive wheels
I just picked up my x1 and the dealer quoted $770 for the wheel and dent protection. I turned it down.
I might get it later or at another tire center.
Hello, I came here because I have not been on this forum for too long. I absolutely believe in the value of the forum and wanted to post a comment out of guilt for not contributing for some time. When I saw this message I knew I could provide a substantive reply to it because I was faced with a deliberate clouded presentation by the dealer when I bought our 2012 X5 diesel at end of 2011. The finance manager pushed this hard citing the need fir exoert run flat tire mounting. I took him up on it as the insurance also included rain sensing replacement. He told me my insurance company would not replace this windshield. I also bought it because he stated I could cancel the policy within 30 days. Insurance was around $3500 for the 5 year warranty provided with hte vehicle. Within a few days of purchase I rounded up a full set of undamaged current wheels with my Bridgestone run flats with 90% tires. Bought the entire set shipped from Saint Louis, Mo for $650. Wheels are perfect. I did this because this forum produced comments again and again about run flat owners being stuck all over country waiting for run flat tires to be delivered to them while on trip. I wrap up one of my spares and use the space in the rear to take the spare whenever I go on a trip over 400 miles. Regarding the windshield, the business manager was totally wrong. USAA told me that they would replace my rain sensing windshiled in kind because not doing so would alter the safety aspect of this windshiled purchased on my new vehicle. It took me 12 weeks to get my insurance refunded simply because the dealer had some sort of deal with the insurer on this. THis whole presentation was crap in my opinion......$3500 for tire insurance that would leave me stranded if I had a flat and useless windshiled insurance. Most would probably not wrap and carry a spare on long trips like I did, but I like the peace of mind knowing that if something really unusual happens and I lose a tire, I have a almost new runflat ready to mount. I even carry a compact jack and breaking bar with socket down in the rear storage well so I can do the changeout if and when it ever comes. I don't think the insurance is worth it. As you probably know they estimate about 150 miles range on a down in pressure run flat tire. When I wear these out I will look into conventional tires for my vehicle if they will mount on my wheels. I don't think the whole run flat program is user friendly. That's my position.
Just got an X1 as a loaner and my wife loved it so much, its her next car in about five months. Her interest brought me to this forum and I saw this thread and would like to offer a counter point. I have had the rim and tier insurance on my last two BMWs and it has more than paid for itself. Most recently, my dealer replace three bent rims and tires on my 5 series at no charge to me. DC has some bad roads and I hit a particularly bad stretch, which caused the problem. I also had to replace two rims and tires on my E90 about five years ago.
If you go on the F10 forum, you will get a different take ont he insurance depending on where each member is from. As a poster above points out, the value of the insurance will depend on where you live and the likelihood that ou will seriously damage the rims. Also depends ont he dealership. Mine has never had any problems with triggering the policy.
I wouldn't do it.
I just traded in my X5 with 20" wheels for the X1, where i had the bmw wheel/tire coverage. In my 2+ yrs of X5 ownership in NYC I was "fortunate" enough to have avoided any major wheel/tire damage. During my last BMW service visit, I did try to have a couple of wheels and tires replaced under the warranty, as I had curbed a wheel and tire. however, I was denied the replacement as the SA claimed that BMW has become more strict on claims, to the point where they make visits to the service facilities to inspect and verify the claimed damages. This was a big turnoff as I had bmw's with the same coverage before and they were willing to honor the free replacement in the past. I cancelled the insurance within a week after this.
Imo you don't need to get the insurance, unless you have 19" wheels and drive in heavily potholed roads. I had the 20's and drove on a fair share of bad roads, plus in a much heavier suv than the X1. $1k+ will buy a good number of wheels/tires, esp in a couple of yrs when the X1 is more common and has an established used parts mkt. on the forums.
2013 X1 28i Sport - AW/Coral Red/Ultimate/Cold/Lighting (Delivered on 12/8/12)
2011 X5 35i Sport Activity - AW/Blk/Aluminum (GONE)
2006 Subaru Legacy GT (GONE)
2001 Honda Prelude modded (GONE)
We managed to get 5 years of coverage for a very good price which made it worth while. Here in and around Austin the roads have a lot of debris on them (people in pickup trucks do not seem to care what falls off them) and it is very easy to damage both tires and rims.
I would guess it depends on where you live and how much you drive. If you live in an area with relatively clean roads and no pot holes, you would be safe in not getting the insurance. I have had 4 tires in the last 5 years damaged by nails and screws to the point where they needed replacing and the insurance picked up the cost of the new tire and balancing. The cost to replace those tires alone (had I paid for them myself) exceeded the cost of the insurance I paid.
2015 Glacier Silver 428i Gran Coupe
2015 British Racing Green Mini Cooper S 4 Door Hardtop
2012 Space Grey 528i MSport - retired
2013 Valencia Orange X1 xDrive 28i Msport - retired
The price is a total rip off, but dont be misled that RFT's are cheap. Even from tire rack. My wife owns a Mini Cooper S and she had two tires punctured. The tires were Conti sport A/S 17' and ran almost $300 per tire (not the wheel) with shipping and tpms.
The whole RFT is a major scam imo as the only one that truly benefits is BMWNA. They charge the same amount as usual with less equipment and spare tire. RFT's are uncomfortable no matter how well they tweek the suspension.
If the dealer ran it around $750 as someone else quoted for 5 years I would just pay it in cash. As long as it is a one for one replacement and not some prorated setup.
I am no fan of RFT's, in fact it is one of the reason I wont buy a new BMW. They take longer to replace then a transmission, they ride rough, and they are expensive.
Short answer no unless they come down in price. Yes, if they will drop it to around $700.
2013 S4 Loaded (and NO RFT's) Awesome is an understatement
2008 MT X3 RIP you were a faithful sidekick and will be missed.
2000 Jeep Cherokee
1997 Twin Turbo RX-7
1984 GTI Wolfsburg Edition Neuspeed and more
The RFTs were my biggest concern in buying my first BMW, a SDrive28i which should be here in another 10-14 days. In my two X1 test drives, I was very impressed by the ride on the 17s. I have 18s on my 2006 Lexus IS250, and the ride can be quite jarring over uneven pavement. And obviously they are not RFTs. They haven't exactly been cheap to replace, either. I have very slight rim damage, due to my own negligence in turning the wheels too close to the curb. Nothing like a bent rim that needed replacing, in my car-owning life. All in all, I'd say the X1 with 17s had a better ride than my IS on 18s.
On the other hand, my best friend with a BMW swears by the insurance, as she had as many as four tires replaced due to common road damage. I believe she has 18s, and her 1-series is from 2009 or so. Due to California slowly becoming a third-world country, despite our mild weather the roads can still be quite rough.
So I'll see what the warranty offer is when I go in to buy my X1. But my "tire guy" (private business, not dealer related) whom I trust, told me that the latest generation of run-flats run much better than the older ones, and the costs have come down. He told me that I should feel pretty comfortable with the 17s, in terms of ease and cost of replacement. So unless the warranty seems like a real bargain, gonna pass.
I think RFT's are a big advantage for my wife (she'll be driving the X1) for the sole reason she'll never get stranded with a flat on the side of the road when I'm out of town etc.... There's comfort in knowing that. Besides that benefit if I had my choice I'd pass on them. I had a 330 with RFT's that rode very stiff but I understand that they have mastered the RFT/Suspension setup so most of the harshness is gone from the earlier generation. As far as the OP's question, I would pass on the coverage for the sole reason I have had only one issue years ago with a bubble that developed during the first 30 days use on the sidewall of a RFT, and the dealer actually replaced the tire at n/c. Here's some interesting comments on buying Road Hazard insurance from a quick search I did:
The Economics of Tire Warranties
An article from the Washington Post by Terence O'Hara explains the economics of extended warranties and purchase protection plans in general. It is quite fitting for road hazard warranties. He writes:
The decision to buy an extended warranty...defies the recommendations of economists, consumer advocates and product quality experts, who all warn that the plans rarely benefit consumers and are nearly always a waste of money.
'[Extended warranties or purchase protection plans] make no rational sense,' Harvard economist David Cutler said. 'The implied probability [of having an issue with the product] has to be substantially greater than the risk that you can't afford to fix it or replace it. If you're buying a $400 item, for the overwhelming number of consumers that level of spending is not a risk you need to insure under any circumstances.'
In short, road hazard warranties are a waste of money. Don't insure that which you can afford to replace.
Rim Replacement and Repair
Rim replacement is becoming less frequent. With the high cost of aluminum wheels and sport wheel packages, tire insurers have opted to have them repaired. Repair will only be done if the rim does not hold air. What this means is that even if the rim is warped--enough to cause a vibration and even premature tire wear--they won't replace it. Rather, they will send it out to be straightened and repaired.
Rims are replaced only if the damage is so extensive that the new tire, when mounted on the rim, won't hold air. However, even in this case, especially if it's an expensive sport wheel, they may still attempt to repair it.
Repairing rims is a bad option. While some rim repair is acceptable, badly warped or damaged rims will in no way ever be the same.
Article Source: http://*************.com/330737
Numbers Game and Slim Chances
Like all insurance, tire insurance plans are a numbers game. However, this is a game you have a 98% chance of losing. Insider statistics show that the percentage of claims paid out by providers is as low a 2%.
Article Source: http://*************.com/330737
2005 325xiT Jet Black / Beige - current daily driver
2015 328XGT Luxury Line Black Sapphire/Saddle- on order
2010 528xi Sapphire Black/Black/Dark Poplar - retired
2008 528xi Sapphire Black / Oyster/ 6sp manual - retired
2003 330cic Jet Black / Natural Brown - retired
2001 X-5 3.0 Titanium Siver /Black - retired
BMW CCA Member
Here's an easy way to check ROI.
Go to tirerack.com and see how much the oem tires will cost to replace.
We replaced my wife's Conti Sport A/S on her mini cooper s, which uses 17"s and they were around $280.00 each. They are RFT's
My Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 17's $170.00 each. They are not RFT's.
2013 S4 Loaded (and NO RFT's) Awesome is an understatement
2008 MT X3 RIP you were a faithful sidekick and will be missed.
2000 Jeep Cherokee
1997 Twin Turbo RX-7
1984 GTI Wolfsburg Edition Neuspeed and more
|See More Related BMW Stories
|Forum Navigation
|Today's Posts Search
|Thread Tools
|Display Modes
Linear Mode


text:
Hmm, seems You double posted.
Sorry, I don't know about windows or its' programs. Good luck, Kurt
Hi to all,
I am running Windows XP SP3 on my laptop as a host pc and as guest I have installed Backtrack 3 Final under Virtual Box.
I've tried everything possible to have my Alfa 500mW AWUS036H USB wireless card to work under Virtual Box.
Do I actually need to disable the card from the host and then try to enable it under Backtrack 3 in virtual environment?
Please can someone kindly tell me what I have best to do in order to get it up and running.
Thanks in advance!
Hmm, seems You double posted.
Sorry, I don't know about windows or its' programs. Good luck, Kurt
I only posted to one of these threads, (not this one). Anyone understand how the post above this got here? And it just happened again!
No, I just posted that once.
Please can someone tell me how I can have full control of my USB wireless card under Virtual Box? Which parameters do I have to change in Virtual Box settings in order to get full control of the device?
Thanks in advance!
I think you are wrong my friend.
You still can use any of the usb wireless cards in backtrack 3 under virtual environment and I am 100% sure. This was the reason why I bought a usb card.
What I need now is to have some instructions of how to get it to work..
Thanks anyway!
Virtual Box has a setting for taking over ethernet and wireless ports
Sometimes I try to fit a 16-character string into an 8byte space, on purpose.
work out the boxon vmware click on top tool bar
1. VM > Removable Devices > *mine its said Realtek usb Device yours maybe diff* > click on "connect <disconect from host > which it's going connect to vnware
hope that's help.


text:
Dresser Palmer House is pleased to showcase a brand new website, designed and hosted by InsideOut Solutions. The new site is built around WordPress giving the innkeepers a variety of editing capabilities. The innkeepers will be able to upload new images, create photo galleries, blog, edit text, add pages and a variety of other editing features.
The new website really showcases the best qualities of this historic, 11,000 square foot Italianate townhouse in located in Savannah, GA.
At The Dresser Palmer House, you will find amenities normally found in much larger hotels coupled with the personal attention found only in the very best inns. We invite you to come and experience true southern hospitality at its finest.
Tags: Dresser Palmer House, Savannah, Southern Hospitality, Wordpress


text:
Robert Reffkin
Berkeley, California
NFTE Class of 1995
It would have been quite easy for Robert Reffkin's life to dissolve into chaos. Abandoned by his father and raised by a single mother, as a child he was often surrounded by peers who used drugs and followed negative life paths. However, in spite of the hard times his family experienced, his mother had an idealistic vision of her country- she believed in the American dream of equal opportunity- and it was due to his mother's resilience, love and resourcefulness that Robert overcame potentially destructive circumstances.
Although Robert was ambitious and a hard worker, he was having problems creating a financially sound business model for his DJing company that he started in order to help his struggling mother. He also found that he was having problems getting schools and clients to take him seriously and consider him a professional. Robert credits NFTE with helping him to create a professional contract to show he was reliable and teaching him critical business and professional skills that he lacked.
"I attribute all of my success to the support and encouragement I received from NFTE. I am therefore committed to repaying their confidence in me and have assumed teaching and leadership positions in several outreach programs, thus helping to provide hundreds of at-risk youth with resources to overcome the limits of their environments."
Robert attended Columbia University, paid for with the money he made from his successful DJ venture, followed by receiving his MBA from Columbia as well.
"My personal experiences prove that students can thrive when given proper encouragement, training and opportunities."
Robert is currently the Founder and CEO of Compass. Previously, Robert worked at Goldman Sachs as Chief of Staff to the President & COO following five years working in the firm's private equity arm. In 2005, he was appointed as a White House Fellow to serve as special assistant to the Secretary of Treasury. He started the non-profit organization, New York Needs You, and is currently in the process of starting a new business. Outside of work, Robert is running 50 marathons, one in each state, to raise $1M for nonprofits.


text:
Friends to search for Wilma Mott Barnhart Saturday
July 22, 2013
Search party to look for missing woman
A search party has been organized for today to look for Wilma Mott Barnhart, a 74-year-old Grass Valley woman who was last seen July 7.
Friends are meeting at 9:30 a.m. at Prosperity Lanes, 420 Henderson St., Grass Valley, and will be searching Grass Valley.
Barnhart lives alone at a mobile home park on Primrose Lane.
She shopped at Rite Aid at 10:52 a.m. July 7, then bought gas from Flyers on Plaza Drive at about 12:12 p.m.
Barnhart is described as 5-foot-5, 180 pounds, with gray hair and brown eyes.
She drives a brown 1999 GMC Envoy, license plate 4DMJ032.
— The Union staff


text:
This is a story about Jesus. A parable of sorts, but also, literally, a story about Jesus.
This Jesus is the 12-foot-tall Jesus of Whitefish, Montana. He's been standing on the side of Big Mountain since 1954 when the local branch of the Knights of Columbus put him up. During World War II, the Whitefish Knights who had fought in the 10th Mountain Division had seen similar shrines in the hills of Italy and decided to bring the idea home. They got a permit from the Forest Service and put a statue up in a grove of trees near what was at the time the highest lift on the mountain.
For nearly 50 years, the Jesus gazed down over the ski area, hands raised. Big Mountain, which became Whitefish Mountain Resort, grew up around him and despite the religious subtext—it's not like Jesus is a subtle icon—he became a local landmark. Couples got married under his watchful eye. When his baby blue robes got grungy, the Knights gave him coats of paint, and when his left hand fell off from overly-aggressive high fives, they reattached it.
Every 10 years Jesus' Forest Service permit came up for renewal. The statue is on public land, in the Flathead National Forest, so it needs approval, but it always cleared the renewal process without much fuss. Until last time.
In July of 2010, the Knights applied for their renewal, but in May 2011, the Forest Service got an FOIA request about the statue from the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The group, a Wisconsin-based non-profit that litigates on behalf of atheist causes, didn't think Jesus had any right to be on public property. "They're well-known for suing the government over separation of church and state," says Riley Polumbus, Whitefish Mountain's PR Manager.
FFRF argued that the statue violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The argument was convincing enough that last August the Forest Service pulled the permit and told the Knights they had to dismantle the statue. Jesus had to go.
The local community exploded. When the Forest Service opened up the decision to public comment last fall they got 95,000 responses. Less than 7,000 people live in Whitefish and only about 90,000 live in all of Flathead County.
The vast majority of the comments were in favor of the Jesus. The Knights argued that it was a tribute to veterans. Non-religious people said they had emotional connections to the statue; they'd picnicked at Jesus' feet, and met in front of him on ski days. The Forest Archeologist submitted a proposal to be included on the National Register of Historic sites. Congressman Denny Rehberg stepped in on behalf of the statue, arguing that, "Using a tiny section of public land for a war memorial with religious themes is not the same as establishing a state religion. That's true whether it's a cross or a Star of David on a headstone in the Arlington National Cemetery, an angel on the Montana Vietnam Memorial in Missoula or a statue of Jesus on Big Mountain."
So on January 31 of this year, the Forest Service reauthorized the permit on the grounds that the statue "is important to the community for its historical heritage based on its association with the early development of the Big Mountain ski area."
Nine days later, the FFRF sued. "There are plenty of skiers out there that are entitled to use this mountaintop that are not religious, or are not Christians," says Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF's co-president. "They're claiming this is a war memorial. This is bogus. This is a sham. It excludes all the brave Jews and atheists that fought in World War II."
The lawsuit is scheduled to go to trial in March. His future is up to a judge in the U.S. District Courts. "We have no expectation regarding an outcome," says Wade Muehlhof the Flathead National Forest's Public Affairs Officer.
So now Jesus stands and waits—because he can't really do anything else—arms raised, looking down over the Flathead Valley. By the end of next ski season we'll know whether or not you should eff with the Jesus.


text:
- Doctors
- California
- Westminster
- Reproductive Endocrinologists
- Dr. Gregory F. Rosen
You may also like
Ratings for Dr. Gregory F. Rosen
Dr. Rosen is the best doctor. He is knowledgeable and patient to his client. I would definitely recommend him to everyone who has fertiltiy problem.
Dr. Rosen is a one of a kind doctor, great at what he does and great with people. He's very relaxed, knows just how to talk with patients who are going through a hard time. He understands and really cares about his patients.
Dr.Rosen is a great doctor! I have been seeing him for over a year now and would recommend him to anyone looking for a overall great guy and doctor. He has a great partner Dr. haung who works with him and is just as great as him. Both Dr. Rosen and Dr. Haung are very knowledgeable in what they do. You are lucky if you go to them ::))
Best doctor ever! Incredibly knowledgeable and caring, as well as funny and able to put his patients at ease. After failing to get pregnant after three years of trying on our own, my husband and I went to Dr. Rosen. Following some tests, he suggested IVF. We got pregnant on the first try, and it was a much easier experience than I anticipated. We're so thankful for Dr. Rosen!
It is unfortunate that I could not see Dr.Rosen everytime I went to Reproductive Partners, but my transfer was done by him, and of course, I am pregnant! :-) Truly amazing doctor, alwasy pleasant, very helpful, insightful & positive, with years of experience. Dr. Rosen is the reason why I went to Reproductive Partners, and I am so happy to have him as my Dr. It was smooth-ride, stress-free IVF that got me pregnant in a few months :-) Btw, I went to Dr. Marrs (another Top IVF doctor in Los Angeles) and HE EVEN RECOMMENDED Dr. ROSEN !
My partner and I worked with Dr Rosen and his staff at the BH location two times. Dr Rosen is extremely experienced and knowledgable and I think very talented BUT he shares patients with another Dr and the office tries to handle too large of a patient load. Our appointments were typically rescheduled, appointment times were delayed typically 15-30 minutes. In addition to the chaotic appointment schedules, the front staff was unresponsive in our requests for medical records which we were requesting for use with our acupuncturist. And the most stressful part was we had two occasions in which we were told medicine directions would be given to us later in the day upon receiving lab results and no one bothered to call. Our final straw was Dr Rosen whom we had invested a considerable amount of money with out of the office over 50% of our appointments and we were never advised who we would be seeing each visit and felt we were shuffled around like cattle. The experience was too stressful.
Best doctor ever. Truly cares about you and will do anything in his power to make you feel good about the care that you get with him. He listens to all of my concerns and spends as much time with me as I need. He has offered several times for me to call him anytime I needed anything. I couldn't ask for a better doctor especially when it comes to something as sensitive as fertility. I'm really lucky to have him! His staff is amazing too, very nice, understanding. One in particular stands out, her name is Whitney, she always makes me feel more relaxed when she's there. She's very understanding and sweet!
Dr. Rosen is the best doctor in LA, i've been seeing him more than a year and am very happy with him and his office staff.
Dr Rosen is truly the best. He and Dr Huang are just wonderful. I am currently in treatment with them and couldn't imagine being in better hands. They have the best bedside manner , are thorough, spend time explaining everything and are very knowledgeable. We also love their staff. They are so friendly and on top of everything.
Dr. Rosen was compassionate and had great bedside manner. I thought I had lost my girls at about 12 weeks. The OBs in the ER said I was losing the pregnancy but when I went to see Dr. Rosen to confirm, he was very calming and found the two heart beats quickly. He was reassuring and kind. He never made me feel rushed and answered all my questions. I went to his Redondo Beach office. The staff was very friendly and I never had to worry about filing any claims with my insurance company as they took care of everything.
Dr. Gregory F. Rosen's Credentials
Facility Affiliations
Accepting New Patients
- University of Colorado
Other Specialties
Areas of Expertise
Awards & Recognitions
Publications & Research
Insurance accepted by this Doctor
Top Hospitals in Westminster, CA
Top Urgent Care Centers in Westminster, CA
Find a Doctor by Specialty
Featured News
You may also like
Top Reproductive Endocrinologists
#1 of 2
#2 of 2


text:
- What is rape?
- What are the symptoms and signs of someone who has been sexually assaulted or raped?
- What can I do to prevent sexual assault and rape?
- What do I do if someone I know or I have been sexually assaulted or raped?
- What are the physical and psychological effects of sexual assault and rape?
- Where can I get more information about sexual assault and rape?
What do I do if someone I know or I have been sexually assaulted or raped?
The primary consideration for caring for victims of rape whom has been raped or otherwise sexually assaulted is to focus on the needs of the victim during this crisis. Any intervention tends to be more effective when sensitively administered in a timely way so that the survivor of a rape or other sexual assault will not have to be subjected to more questioning or other interactions than are necessary. The primary issues addressed include medical treatment of any injuries, collection of evidence, preventing unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, and providing psychosocial support. In addition to preventing the pain or other symptoms of injuries or a sexual transmitted disease, appropriate medical interventions include preventing the additional stress of unwanted pregnancy that can lead to potentially considering abortion. Psychosocially, it is important to reassure the victim of this trauma that their victimization is in no way their fault. This is true no matter how old they are, what they do for a living, or whether or not they have ever had a rape dream or fantasy. All that matters is that unwanted sexual contact was inflicted upon them. It is noteworthy that both male and female rape victims tend to prefer being evaluated by a woman.
The sooner a victim of rape or other sexual assault gets medical and mental-health assessment and treatment, the better their recovery from the trauma. Therefore, if you or someone you know has been sexually violated in any way, you should seek care from your nearest emergency room or rape crisis center as soon as possible. In either setting, victims of sexual assault or rape are medically and mentally assessed by a doctor or nurse examiner. The medical evaluation usually includes a full physical examination, including a pelvic exam. It also typically involves lab tests, including testing for sexually transmitted diseases. While a physical examination, particularly a pelvic examination, can be disturbing to you if you have been sexually assaulted or raped, trained professionals are usually able to help survivors feel more comfortable through reassurance and skilled assessment. Specifically, the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) has specially trained professionals in how to help victims of rape or sexual assault go through this process at their own pace and to participate in the attempted prosecution of the perpetrator if and when the victim feels he or she is able. In fact, survivors of such violence have been found to report their victimization to the authorities more often when provided with SANE-trained professionals.
As the number of times as well as the number of perpetrators of rape, sexual assault, and sexual abuse has a significant impact on the victim, examiners will usually inquire about whether the victim was raped, abused, or assaulted by their mother, father, sister, brother, or other family member. The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is a federal statute that allows survivors of sexual victimization to receive a medical exam either free of charge or to be fully reimbursed for the assessment and does not require that the assault be reported to the police, charges be filed against the perpetrator, or other cooperation with the criminal justice system unless the victim so chooses. Therefore, cost or fears about reporting the crime should not deter a victim of rape or other sexual assault from getting care. In addition to attempting to provide a comprehensive response to rape and other sexual assault, the VAWA supports such a response to domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking by enhancing victim services and the criminal justice system's ability to hold sexual offenders accountable. In addition, knowing that rape shield laws prevent the identity of survivors of this trauma from being revealed may be some comfort to victims of rape or sexual assault.


text:
HEAD coach Mike Ford insist failure to qualify for the Aviva Premiership play-offs would represent a failure for his squad, despite the huge strides forward made this season.
Bath will wrap up a top-four finish and play-off semi-final place with victory over Harlequins at the Stoop tomorrow (3.15pm) – but victory for the Londoners will see them leapfrog the Rec men even if Bath earn a bonus point, because Quins will have had a greater number of wins.
From finishing outside the Heineken Cup places last term, Bath have improved dramatically this season, having held a top four slot for the majority of the campaign, but Ford says the squad are determined to turn a season of progress into something more tangible.
"Sitting three points above them (Quins) with one game to go, we'd have taken that at the beginning of the season,'' he said.
"But it's not good enough for us not to qualify. We'll feel it's a failure after what's gone on so far.
"If we want to be a top four side, we've got to go away from home and win to prove it to everyone. There is no better way than doing it against a team who are in that top four bracket.''
Ford cited the example of Liverpool in the Premier League as another side to defy expectations this season, but while the Merseysiders look like falling short of league glory, he insists Bath can deliver on their promise.
"We were talking about Liverpool and how they've potentially lost the title, while England lost three Grand Slams on the run (at the turn of the century) and how you have to go through these learning experiences,'' added Ford.
"We don't. We don't want to lose at Quins and go through that experience to do it next year. We want to do it this year and we feel we can.
"We readjusted our goals around Christmas-time. We wanted top six because privately, we thought that top four would be difficult to break into. We've been in the top four all year and third for 75 per cent of that.
"Now we feel we're a top four side and the proof will be in the pudding on Saturday.
"Maybe in years gone past, finishing fifth and sixth was acceptable. We want to challenge that and win medals. We're pretty excited where this team can go – this year.''
Bath have a conundrum at hooker, with England's Rob Webber's season almost certainly over due to the knee injury sustained against Northampton last week and Ross Batty (shoulder) struggling.
Argentinian international Eusebio Guinazu or England U20 hooker Tom Woolstencroft could be options with Academy youngster Tom Dunn also facing a citing procedure from his time while playing in the Championship for London Scottish.
FOR MORE SPORTS NEWS, REPORTS & PICTURES SEE FRIDAY'S WILTSHIRE TIMES AND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @WTSport


text:
What the NFL Has in Common With McDonald's
There are supposedly so many dialectical variants of Mandarin that people living in different provinces of China can have difficulty understanding each other, despite speaking the same language. Anyone who has spent time reporting and writing about the "health and safety issue" as it pertains to the NFL and its players would recognize the same phenomenon when speaking to the entities known as "the league" and the "union." The NFL and the NFLPA -- the National Football League Players Association -- both speak the language of health and safety, often very fluently. They both say that the health and safety of the players endangered by the game is of paramount importance to them, and that they are committed to working together for the common good of the players, the league, and football itself. They often say the same things, pointing to the collective bargaining agreement they negotiated during the lockout summer of 2011. But they never say the same thing, and so they often tell different very different stories, especially about Commissioner Roger Goodell.
In the story told by the league, Goodell is nothing less than the man who is faced with the challenge of saving football from itself, and has responded largely by attempting to save players from themselves -- by making the game safer with "evolutionary" rule changes and by being unafraid to police the players both on and off the field with fines and suspensions. In the story told by the union, Goodell comes across as nothing more than the lackey of the owners, a soft-handed front man for a bare-knuckled cartel that polices the players because it is furiously resistant to policing itself. The league and the union speak a different language about Goodell because their differences are often about language -- and because Goodell has managed to appropriate the language of player health and safety while reliably supporting initiatives inimical to it, from Thursday night games to the hiring of replacement refs to the owner's warm-water-seaport dream of an 18-game season. To listen to Roger Goodell (or to click on to the NFL's health-and-safety website, nflevolution.com) is to be asked to believe that the NFL exists primarily to keep players safe, even as as the calculated injury rate for players during the 2011 season came to about 225%.
There are even differences in how the league and the union describe their differences. The union tends to be broadly philosophical; the league, nigglingly specific. Union representatives will say that their biggest problem with the league is "the nature of management" and the fact that the league puts profit before player safety; league representatives will say their biggest problem with the union is that it is fighting testing for human-growth hormone and resisting the league's initiaves to mandate that players wear knee and thigh pads. When union leader DeMaurice Smith is asked what he wants from the league, he answers that he wants the league to acknowledge that "injuries are a necessary and foreseeable condition of employment in the NFL," and that as such the league is obliged to take care of players for the rest of their lives. When league representatives are asked if they concede Smith's point, they say that they don't want to "get into legalistic language," but that the NFL agrees that players are entitled to workmen's compensation and has striven to provide them with an "OSHA-compliant workplace" -- although of course "the workplace in question involves being tackled."
This is is not to say that the league doesn't have a philosophy. It does; it just never states it as a philosophy but instead lets it endure as an attitude. When I talked to NFL representatives about player safety, they concluded the conversation by characterizing the players themselves -- by saying that after all is said and done, football "is the profession they have chosen, for which they are very well compensated." When I talked this week to an NFL spokesman about my story on player injuries, he said, "I can't imagine that it's that bad and that they continue to do it." The NFL has evolved on what it thinks about player safety; the problem is that has remained steadfast on what it thinks about the players, which is that they are living the dream the NFL, in its largesse, has made possible -- and that they are at least as rich, as well-taken-care-of and above all as lucky as they are at risk.
Of course, this very well might be true. It might even reflect what the players think about themselves more accurately than all the well-meaning newspaper editorials that have been written since Americans realized that every player who got his "bell rung" had in fact sustained a head injury. But the NFL is so poorly served by honesty these days that it has to come by honesty almost by accident. At the peak of its popularity, profitability and cultural influence, the league finds itself not just beleaguered but endangered, not just at a turning but at a tipping point. It has responded in the time-honored way of American business -- by trying to convince American consumers that it is not really in the business it is in. Just as McDonald's answered accusations that it promotes childhood obesity by selling apple slices with its Happy Meals, the NFL is answering accusations that it condemns its players to lifetimes of irrevocable damage by promoting player safety, and indeed by spending millions of dollars to foster it. But McDonald's is not in the apple-slice business; it is in the hamburger business, the slaughtered meat business, the fat and salt and sugar business. The NFL is not in the player-safety business; it is in the violent-collision business. It is in the player safety-business to the extent that the player-safety business ensures that the violent-collision business can survive, or at least live to see another few television contracts. And so it speaks, especially through its Commissioner, the language of player-safety. But it's the players who speak the language of pain.