text:
Before enrolling in an online course, you should first assess your readiness for stepping into the online learning environment. Spend some time thinking about yourself as a learner and see whether your characteristics would help you be a successful online learner. Your answers to the following questions will help you determine what you need to do to succeed at online learning. Feedback provided after completing the self-assessment survey will also provide you with some information in terms of what you should expect from an online course.
Instructions: Click on the appropriate button after each statement. After answering all questions, click on the Am I Ready? button below and your results will appear.
|1. I am good at setting goals and deadlines for myself.
|2. I have a really good reason for taking an online course.
|3. I finish the projects I start.
|4. I do not quit just because things get difficult.
|5. I can keep myself on track and on time.
|6. I learn fairly easily.
|7. I can learn from things I hear, like lectures, audio recordings or podcasts.
|8. I have to read something to learn it best.
|9. I have developed good ways to solve problems I run into.
|10. I learn best figuring things out for myself.
|11. I like to learn in a group, but I can learn on my own as well.
|12. I am willing to send e-mail or have discussions with people I might never see.
|13. I usually work in a place where I can read and work on assignments without distractions.
|14. I can ignore distractions around me when I study.
|15. I am willing to spend 10-20 hours each week on an online course.
|16. I keep a record of what my assignments are and when they are due.
|17. I plan my work in advance so that I can turn in my assignment on time.
|18. People around me will help me study and not try to distract me.
|19. I am willing to use e-mail and other online tools to ask my classmates and instructors questions.
|20. I am fairly good at using the computer.
|21. I am comfortable surfing the internet.
|22. I am comfortable with doing things like searches, setting bookmarks, and downloading files.
|23. I am comfortable with things like installing software and changing configuration settings on my computer.
|24. I know someone who can help me if I have computer problems.
|25. My computer runs reliably on Windows 7 or newer or on Mac OS 10.10 or higher.
|26. I have a printer.
|27. I am connected to the internet with a fairly fast, reliable connection such as DSL or cable modem.
|28. I have virus protection software running on my computer.
|29. I have headphones or speakers and a microphone to use if a class has a videoconference.
|30. My browser will play several common multimedia (video and audio) formats.
The results of your survey will appear here.
Online Readiness Questionnaire by Penn State University is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License and adapted to link Ferris State University student resources.


text:
There so many magazines for your kids out there these days. Some of them aren't very good quality, others are as elaborate and informative as their grown-up counterparts. If you are a reader yourself chances are your child will be willing to sit down and copy your behaviour. This is when you can slip him a beautiful magazine.
A wonderfully illustrated example is National Geographic Little Kids Magazine. It is a gorgeous publication that will attract kids from ages three to six. It features exciting animal stories that will develop your child's pre-reading and reading skills and broaden his or her knowledge about the animal kingdom. Another important feature is its multicultural philosophy and numerous stories about different cultures, countries and languages. This will give your child a tolerance and understanding of difference so essential in the modern world. The idea of children reading skills development with the help of special kids magazines is supported by Childengagementconference participants.
Interactive experiments introduce simple science, fun puzzles and development games teach logic, counting, and so on. This is a beautiful journey for your little one to grow, learn and experiment. Coloring pages are also there, as well as lyrics to favourite kids' songs and rhymes. You and your child can also explore arts by using tips on crafts and hobbies, or you can avail of the recipes designed especially for young preschoolers.
This magazine offers a great range of intellectual activities for your child. Check it out and the chances are you will be coming back for more.
Every mom knows all the difficulties of pregnancy period. That is why they agree with the specialists that wearing maternity clothes can simplify this period and easily boost the comfort! If you are a future mom do not hesitate to buy maternity tops and enjoy the cozy but still stylish and elegant looks!
We are happy to present a new section of our magazine devoted to children's health. The information will be very useful for kids, as well as for their parents. In the next issue of our magazine you will find interesting interview with the specialist from the well-known clinic, providing effective treatment of teeth in Toronto. The doctor will talk about the main aspects of child's dental care and provide a lot of useful tips for parents, who want to teach their children follow all the rules of oral hygiene and take care of their teeth properly. Find out more about the ways to help your child not feel toothache any more and not have problems with it in the future. More and more parents use the services of TowerHillDental.ca family dentist in Richmond Hill who takes care of the whole family and can prevent problems with teeth which may happen. This is even more important.
Want to win a professional photo session from a well-known newborn photographer in Oakville? Send photos of your baby to our editors. The most original and funny pictures will be published on the pages of our magazine! Winners will get family photo session!
When you are preparing your kid for a camping trip, there are so many things to remember. First of all it is important to select the proper type of footwear like Hunter shoes presented in Walkingonacloud.com store if he/she is going to the woods, make sure that you have a sleeping bag, compass and a torch. And if all the important things are in the backpack you do not have to worry about anything!
Interesting things to give your child for a birthday read more
January 06, 2015
Choose the best stories about animals for junior school pupils read more
January 08, 2015
The first steps to take if your child caught a cold read more
February 20, 2015
How to increase your child's immunity? read more
February 22, 2015
Useful and simple dishes to cook with children read more
February 26, 2015
How to prepare a healthy breakfast for your child in 5 minutes read more
February 27, 2015
Technology and Children: Interesting Facts read more
May 25, 2015
Facts about technologies read more
May 27, 2015
How to develop imagination and self-confidence of your baby read more
July 01, 2015
How reading can affect your kid read more
July 02, 2015
Benefits of karate for kids' health read more
December 11, 2015
Little Kids Magazine
Music is the best teacher, it presents a ready knowledge and learns to think read more
December 10, 2013
Educational games to help your kid's development read more
May 28, 2014
How kids magazines allow kids to perceive the world around them read more
June 03, 2014
Where to spend holidays with children read more
Julu 23, 2014
Tips from moms to moms: how to treat nail fungus in kids read more
September 21, 2014
Laser technology helps in getting rid of fungus on the nails read more
September 22, 2014
Kids health: how to effectively fight with acne in teens read more
December 20, 2014
How to prevent the occurrence of acne in adolescents read more
December 23, 2014
How to prevent nail fungus in kids read more
December 26, 2014
Main symptoms of fungal infection in kids read more
December 28, 2014
Watch a great video about toddler bows and create unique hair styles for your little princess.
Child Magazine for Kids has been developed by a group of software development companies and some of the modules have been revised. Customized by seo Toronto companies. Site is powered by WellnessLiving software solution for health clubs.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Skyline Chili - No Beans - 3/13 oz.
Item #: 896122 | Model #: 14393 |
Non-members pay 10% surchargeJoin now!
- Free Pickup
Delivery estimates, taxes, and fees are based on ZIP Code. Club Pickup orders are based on your club's current price and item availability on the day of payment.
About this item


text:
Man captures record-setting python with his bare hands
(Liz Klimas) Not only does the 18-foot, 8-inch Burmese python caught by Jason Leon this month weighing 128 pounds beat the state record in Florida, but the story of how he brought down the female snake is pretty impressive as well.
Picture by: FWC/Splash News
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Leon was driving in a rural area of Miami-Dade County with a passenger when they spotted just three feet of the snake sticking out alongside the road. While many would have kept driving upon seeing the massive python, Leon stopped, grabbed it behind the head and began dragging it out of the brush. Leon had previously owned Burmese pythons, which are not venomous, and had some experience handling them.


text:
Your shopping cart is empty!
Nike Boca Juniors 2007 official away gold long sleeve Copa Toyota Japan shirt.Embroidered badge and logo ,nike fit dry,100% polyester.The Shirt comes with players n&n of Palacio #14 in flock letters ,numbers and Toyota badge on the sleeve.V-neck design with dark blue trim.Scripted the years of the championship years that is won by Boca Juniors in small letters all over the shirt.Inside the neck reads`La mita mas Uno`.
Note All of our products are Official,brand new with tags regardless which year they come from.
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:
Brevard, N.C. - Due to weather concerns, the weekly Brevard College Coaches' Show has been moved to WSQL Radio this afternoon, as Dwayne Summers and Coach Michael Jones recap the season so far, and provide insight to the opponents the Tornados will face this coming week.
The show starts at 12:30 p.m. and will be broadcast through WSQL Radio 1240 AM and you can listen live at www.wsqlradio.com.
The show will take a two-week hiatus following the show, before coming back in January with a new date and new location as the show will make the transition on Tuesday, January 4th, to Rockafellas Sports Pub & Grill located near Rodeway Inn in Brevard. As always, members of the community and media are invited to attend the Coaches' Show and interact with Coach Jones and Coach Shannon Reid for the remainder of the Basketball Season.
For more information, contact the BC Sports Information Department at (828) 884-8288.


text:
The GOP's Kamikazes Are Back
The Republican Party in the last month has taken a sharp turn to the right,confounding more moderate voices urging the party re-brand itself after last year's election loss. A Tea Party rally outside the Capitol Thursday captured the defiant mood with the far right maligning the merely right. Talk-show host Glenn Beck called the GOP "the Whig party," with John Boehner the head Whig for appearing open to compromise. There were cries of "learn English" when Florida Republican Mario Diaz-Balart spoke a few words of Spanish from the podium. Florida Senator Marco Rubio, once a Tea Party favorite, didn't attend the rally. Part of the Gang of Eight working on a bipartisan immigration bill, his name drew loud boos.
What's going on? Does the GOP have a death wish? Any voter watching this freak show must wonder what happened to all those declarations about reaching out toHispanics and women, and being more inclusive now that the 21-century is well underway. Recent events suggest that the GOP's outreach strategy has been shelved, overtaken by a wave of recent polling combined with historical trends that has Republicans convinced that the path to victory lies in—drum roll—doing exactly what they were doing, only more so.
For a glimpse inside the workings of the GOP, I turned to Ohio Republican Steve LaTourette, who left Congress in January after serving 18 years in the House. He thought his party was on the right path when Republican Chairman Reince Priebus issued a soul-searching report after the 2012 election. "Then the last month something bad happened," LaTourette said, blaming a flood of new data from Republican pollsters sketching out the stakes for 2014.
In addition to being an historically challenging "six-year itch" midterm election for an incumbent president, the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, is more unpopular now than it's ever been with close to half of Americans 49 percent believing it's a bad idea according to an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll in early June. The message to Republicans, says LaTourette, "Now is not the time to be more moderate, to shift gears, to be welcoming—now's the time to double down."
He thinks it's the wrong strategic choice. "I agree with Priebus. There are not enough 50-year-old white guys who are mad (at the world) to win elections." Yet that's the audience House Republicans are playing to in the way they craft legislation, and in the votes they hold. Thursday's defeat of a farm bill that in ordinary times would easily pass with bipartisan support is the latest example of Republicans at war with themselves, and with much of the country. The bill's deep reductions in SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, drew a veto threat from the White House and prompted all but 24 Democrats to vote no. Sixty-two Republicans who voted no will go home and tell their constituents that the legislation still spent too much on food stamps, leaving a weakened and embarrassed Speaker Boehner scrambling to salvage the bill.
Read The Full Article On The Daily Beast
More articles from The Daily Beast:
- Showdown Week at the Court
- When Journalists Attack
- As WikiLeaks Takes on the Roles of a State, America Must Treat It as One
© 2013 Newsweek/Daily Beast Company LLC


text:
By Jon Saperstein Herald Writer
A year ago, the Snohomish boys soccer team did not enter the season shooting for the Wesco North crown.
Instead the Panthers had their sights set on the Class 4A state championship — and they looked very much like a title contender with a 16-0-1 record heading into the state playoffs.
Unfortunately for the Panthers, a 2-1 loss at the hands of eventual third-place finisher Bellarmine Prep in the first round ended what had otherwise been a special season.
"It was a lesson learned," Snohomish coach Dan Pingrey said. "We had a really good season, but we were young. We were a very technical team and did a nice job, but when we ran (up) against physical play, it was a struggle for us and that's what we ran up against."
This spring, the Panthers are trying a different approach. They still want to return to the state tournament, but gone is The Herald's 2012 player of the year, Reilly Cross, who graduated. Also not returning is first-team All-Wesco honoree John Magnus, who is prevented from playing high school soccer by being a part of the national academy league.
This year's Panthers will again be one of the local favorites, but they will be play a different style than last year's squad, which prevailed in tough, low-scoring games.
"This year we have a different mix," Pingrey said. "We have some big strong players that can make an impact. It's a nice mix."
The offense will be lead by Juan Machuca, Tyler Mayer and Uriel Herrera, who all have impressed Pingrey so far.
"It's fun to watch," he said. "In training we look at it and say, 'Maybe we'll win a lot of games 5-4.' But I truly believe that these guys can score."
Pingrey has challenged his team to shoot for the Snohomish single-season goal record, which the long-time Panthers coach said is 99.
"I threw that out to these guys. I said, '99 goals is the record. See what you can do.'"
What Snohomish does likely will determine the Wesco North race, and if the Panthers score 99 goals, it's unlikely anyone will be able to keep up with them.
'Finish the job'
The seniors at Archbishop Murphy have one goal this season: The 2A state championship.
In coach Mike Bartley's first season at the helm of the Wildcats, the team got off to a blistering start. Murphy rattled off 20 victories to start the season — giving up just two goals in the process — only to have everything go wrong in a 4-3 shootout loss to Cheney in the state semifinals.
"Last year was my first year, so it was just try to get as far as we could and play as well as we could," said Bartley, who also coaches the Murphy girls and has been coaching in the area for years. "Overall that is their goal: to try to finish the job."
Murphy likely will concede more goals this season after losing its senior goalkeeper and replacing two of four players on the back line. Minding the net is the biggest hiccup on a team that has numerous solid returnees.
"We're not sure who's going to get it right now," Bartley said of the goalie competition between three players. "So, that's a part we are a little worried about."
Scoring shouldn't be a concern in part thanks to first-team All-Cascade Conference honoree Josh Bartley, who just happens to be the coach's son.
Father and son plan to wipe away the bitter taste of last season's finish in their final season together.
"I've been (to the state quarterfinals) several times and (Josh) understands that to," the coach said. "We're both we're trying to win something together.
"It's the one thing I haven't done. I've got a lot of thirds and fourths over the years. It's something we've both talked about. We want to do it together."
Bulldogs return to Wesco
After six years in the Northwest League, the Mount Vernon Bulldogs' are back in the Wesco 4A — with mixed results.
One team that figures to adjust well to its surroundings is the boys soccer team. The Bulldogs finished 16-4-2 a year ago, losing in the Class 3A state tournament to eventual runner-up Mercer Island. In fact, ending the season against top teams has become somewhat of a habit for Mount Vernon, which lost to the 3A state champions the previous three years.
Bulldog coach Tony Dabbs, who is in his eighth year, was at the helm when the team played in Wesco before and he sees positives and negatives to the change.
"Wesco pretty much every game you play is a big game," Dabbs said. "Northwest (Conference) there are some teams that aren't as challenging as others. I think this is going to prep us for postseason probably a little better."
Dabbs said his team may be one of the smaller squads in Wesco 4A, but the players will make up for the size disadvantage with their field vision, skills and defensive intensity. Despite all those tangible strengths, Dabbs said intangibles may determine how far his Bulldogs.
"The chemistry with this team is better than it has been in the past," the coach said. "They work hard for each other and our preseason trainings were pretty impressive. The more I said 'Work', the harder they worked and that's not always the case."
Dabbs would like to know more about his opponents in the new league, but he realizes the uncertainty works both ways.
"I do like that we are somewhat of a mystery to the other teams," he said.


text:
Musical Theater movement/dance workshop
When Saturday February 23, 2013 @ 11:00 AM (1611 days ago)
Where University Commons, MainStage Theater
Duration 2 hours
The theater's guest director, Andrea Andresakis, is a musical theater performer, choreographer and director. She has traveled with Broadway shows all over the world and here in the U.S.
She will offer a musical theater movement/dance workshop for EMU students this coming Saturday from 11am-1pm. If you are thinking about auditioning next spring for our musical (or just love doing musicals), this is for you.
It will take place in the MainStage theater.
Intended Audience General Public
Contact Information
Name Theater Dept
Phone # 540.432.4360


text:
Genuinely believe it's god given.
Genuinely believe it's god given.
You know when you've been gripped
'Go read a fucking book, you piece of shit.'
I believe it was the finest mind of the empiricist tradition, Emmanuel Kant who once pontificated that the supreme being who created time and the universe itself, is indeed a rabid fight fan - never misses a podcast or anything.
'Go read a fucking book, you piece of shit.'
tbh i couldnt even begin to put a number to it. some clubs thered be about two or three a night, others one a month sometimes less. allthough im quite proud of the fact compared to a lot of boys on the doors in my area ive had a lot less than them. ive been able on most occasions to talk people down rather than fight them.
Ok id like to congratulate everybody who has this gift would be nice if others could possibly start to give those who have it a nod or some other form of acknowledgement just as you do when you see a Royal or a long serving vet.
Retired 2k and out.
I also find age has a lot to do with it.
For instance, its a lot easier to spark out a 5 year old than a 25 year old with one punch.
Jimmy, I'm jealous, Babycakes no longer messages me
Sig awaiting witty quote from someone.


text:
'"Last year, we worked really hard at trying to be the team that was on the cutting edge of not taking undisciplined penalties," he said. "On the other end, we worked really hard on special teams because it was going to be such a big part of our team. We have an extremely talented group up front that can operate a power play and, at the same time, they have great hands to snuff out the other team's power play."'
Ruff chalks up hot start to Sabres' special teams
October 27, 2006 Submitted by
Via: New York Newsday


text:
Other Online Certificates and Courses
Call us at:
855-UGotClass or 715-503-4592
Send email to:
Learn about the online instructional environment, envisioning your online course, developing a web course, phases of design and development, design guidelines, and more.
Discover the principles behind the adoption of technology innovation and the nature of the online learning environment. Then get tips for planning your online course, identifying resources and design guidelines.
Discuss the phases of design and development and models, motivating student-student interaction, and managing interaction. Get the latest information on copyright issues, assessment and evaluation.
Your instructor is co-author of the book "The Online Teaching Survival Guide," which you will receive in the mail with this course.
Two week course, includes book, Rita Marie Conrad, instructor.
optional additional $40 USD paid later for graduate credit from the University of South Dakota.
Course Outline
Unit 2
Envisioning Your Online Course
Unit 3
Developing a Web course
Unit 4
Online Interaction
Unit 5
Issues in the Web Environment
Assessment and Evaluation
About online learning
Online learning is a fun, enjoyable and very productive way to learn. Millions of people are learning online each year. You will engage with the instructor and other participants. You will get to know your instructor and other participants. You may make friends. It's easy. It's fun.
How the Course Works
It is easy to participate in your online course. After you register, you will be given a web address to go to get into your online classroom. You will have a password and use your email address and password to gain access.
Once inside the online classroom, here's what you can expect.
Participate when you want
You can participate any time of day or evening. The online classroom is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
There are no live real-time requirements or meetings. You decide when you participate.
For the best learning, participants should log into the course on 2-3 different days of the week.
What you will do
The content (readings, audio lectures, slides) and self quizzes are accessible for the entire course, so you can work ahead, or go back and review again, at your convenience.
The Discussion for each Unit lasts one week. All comments are made in writing and can be made at any time of the day or night.
Your instructor will log into the Discussion area at least once a day and answer questions, make comments, and respond to comments by you and the other participants.
We encourage you to make 2-3 comments each day to maximize your learning and enjoyment of the course.
It's easy. It's fun.
Ave. hours 16, 1.6 CEUs/ILUs
About Your Instructors
Rita has consulted on the design and implementation of online learning courses, evaluated online programs, managed technology-related projects, and provided educational technology consulting and training to K-12 teachers and higher education faculty. She interacts with hundreds of faculty as an online instructor for courses such as Designing Online Instruction sponsored by the Learning Resources Network (LERN). She has presented at conferences sponsored by the International Council for Distance Education (ICDE), the University of Wisconsin, the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, League of Innovation, and the Association for Educational Communication and Technology (AECT) on a variety of online learning topics.
She co-authored two books with Judith Boettcher, Faculty Guide for Moving Teaching and Learning to the Web in 1999 and 2004,and The Online Teaching Survival Guide: Simple and Practical Pedagogical Tips (2010). She wrote Engaging the Online Learner in 2004 with J. Ana Donaldson, and Assessing Learners Online in 2008 with Albert Oosterhof and Donald Ely. Rita has a Ph.D. in instructional systems from Florida State University and a Master's degree in educational media and computers from Arizona State University.
What some students say:
"I learned a lot from this experience and feel that I gained from the class what I had hoped to, a better understanding of online instruction." - Keith Johnson
"This course deepened my understanding of several aspects of on line learning. Thank you for your support, Rita." - Kathleen Cintavey
Course Objectives
Course Outcomes
At the end of the course, you will:


text:
Retail sales up
in December
U.S. consumers increased their spending at retail businesses in December, buying more autos, furniture and clothing. Steady job growth and lower gas prices kept consumers shopping for the holidays. The Commerce Department said retail sales rose 0.5 percent in December from November, slightly better than November's 0.4 percent increase and the best showing since September.
Fitch threatens
U.S. downgrade
A failure by Congress to raise the debt limit "in a timely manner" could lead to a downgrade of the nation's AAA credit rating, Fitch Ratings said. It said a repeat of the bitter 2011 brinkmanship that led to a last-minute increase of the debt ceiling would trigger a formal review of the U.S. credit rating because it would raise doubts about the ability of policymakers to agree on ways to reduce the deficit.
Wholesale prices
down last month
Falling food and gas costs pushed down U.S. wholesale prices last month for the third month in a row, the latest evidence inflation is tame. The Labor Department says the producer price index dropped 0.2 percent in December, following a decline of 0.8 percent in November. The index measures price changes before they reach the consumer.
Business stockpiles
rose in November
U.S. companies increased their inventories at steady pace in November from October, responding to a solid increase in sales. Business stockpiles grew 0.3 percent in November, matching the October gain, the Commerce Department said. Sales rose 1 percent in November, the best showing since September's 1.2 percent rise. In October, sales fall 0.3 percent, reflecting in part disruptions by Superstorm Sandy.
Bank to report on
"London Whale"
The board of JPMorgan Chase voted to release a report detailing the bad bet and related management missteps that cost the bank more than $6 billion. Since announcing the losses in May, JPMorgan Chase has worked to move beyond the fiasco. The losses stemmed from a bungled derivatives bet by the bank's Chief Investment Office, a little-known unit with offices in London and New York.
S. Africa platinum
mine to shut down
The world's largest platinum producer said it will close some operations, sell one mine in South Africa and cut 14,000 jobs, just months after mining strikes killed dozens of people. Anglo American Platinum said a yearlong review found four mine shafts needed to be closed and one mine sold because of unprofitable operations. The National Union of Mineworkers expressed shock at the announcement.
Apple shares
below $500
Apple shares fell $15.83, or 3.2 percent, on Tuesday to close at $485.92. It was the first time in almost a year that Apple shares traded below $500. The company's stock slumped 3.6 percent a day earlier over concern that demand for its newly released iPhone 5 is slowing.


text:
Reading Level: Grade 4-6
An unwanted orphan girl...an unhappy man...a forbidding estate...a secret...a neglected garden. Is this a description of Burnett's Sercet Garden? No, but it is a literary reflection of that beloved classic.
Check availability of this book
More books by Ellen Potter
Other tales of orphan girls include:
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Maggie & Oliver, or, A Bone of One's Own by Valerie Hobbs
Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver and
Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan


text:
After his sophomore year at Banning High in Wilmington, Oscar Natividad pretty much stopped attending, opting to stay home and draw - or do a little tagging, truth be told.
This summer, the 17-year-old found a second chance in the Harbor YouthSource Center, a new entity located on the Los Angeles Harbor College campus whose small staff of tutors and counselors helps high school dropouts ages 14-21 get back on track.
Now, Oscar is catching up on credits and using his talents productively: his artwork hangs on the center's wall, and he has designs on becoming an architect.
On Thursday, a host of dignitaries, including Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, gathered at Harbor College to celebrate the opening and officially name the center in honor of Assemblyman Warren Furutani.
The Warren T. Furutani Harbor Area YouthSource Center is among 13 such centers for dropouts and other struggling students that opened July 1 throughout the city of Los Angeles.
Villaraigosa said the new center offers wayward youths the same second chance he received as a youngster growing up in East Los Angeles. For a while, Villaraigosa - who was raised in a broken home without a father figure - was a high school dropout. He later finished but not with high marks.
"I'm not proud of this," he told an audience of about 100 during Thursday's ceremony, "but I graduated with a 1.4 grade point average."
He found his second chance at East Los Angeles College, which, like Harbor College, is part of the Los Angeles Community College District.
"That was the experience that taught me, `I can make it,"' said Villaraigosa, who later attended UCLA.
The 13 YouthSource centers were funded by a Workforce Investment Act grant won by the city of Los Angeles. (The Harbor College center costs $900,000 a year to operate.) They are run in collaboration with the Los Angeles Unified School District, whose dropout-prevention unit works directly out of the 13 new centers.
The idea is to tackle a crisis still plaguing LAUSD, where the dropout rate, though improving, remains too high at 21 percent.
Seventy percent of the students served at the centers are either high school dropouts or out-of-school students, meaning recent graduates who lack basic academic skills.
The center at Harbor College currently serves about 40 students, but executive director Sandra Sanchez said she'd like to boost that number to 200.
All 13 YouthSource centers are operated by subcontractors. Harbor YouthSource Center is run by Harbor College itself, and thus far is the only one of the bunch that exists on the campus of a college. Others are run by nonprofit groups, or UCLA, which administers two centers off campus, one downtown and the other in the West Los Angeles area.
Follow Rob Kuznia on Twitter at http://twitter.com/robkuznia


text:
Tuesday, February 16 2010 - Get Involved
The Conference:
Hosted by:
$40 - "At the door" regular weekend pass.
$25 - "At the door" one-day pass. No pre-order prices available for one-day passes.
Richard Gage, AIA, San Francisco Bay Area architect, founder of Architects
& Engineers for 9/11 Truth, with a membership of over 1,000 architectural
& engineering professionals. (www.ae911truth.org)
Cindy Sheehan, US peace activist, Soapbox radio host, Peace of the Action founder
& author. (www.CindySheehansSoapbox.com www.peaceoftheaction.org)
Coleen Rowley, center, former FBI agent & whistleblower, re FBI's internal
organization and mishandling of information related to the September 11, 2001,
attacks. Time Magazine Person of the Year, 2002. www.coleenrowley.com
Jack Blood, Radio Host, Deadline Live, American Freedom Radio
Luke Rudkowski, Activist & We Are Change Founder
Daniel Sunjata, Activist & Actor (F/X, 'Rescue Me')
Dylan Avery, Filmmaker, 'Loose Change' series
Korey Rowe, Filmmaker, 'Loose Change' series
John Albanese, Filmmaker, 'Eveybody's Gotta Learn Sometime'
Ray Nowosielski, Filmmaker, '9/11: Press for Truth'
John Duffy, Filmmaker, '9/11: Press For Truth'
Jonathan Elinoff, Filmmaker, 'Core of Corruption' series
Bob McIlvaine, 9/11 Family Member
Manny Badillo, 9/11 Family Member & NYC CAN member (www.nyccan.org)
Jon Gold, 9/11 Truth Activist, Writer, Researcher & Master of Ceremonies
MAJ Michael McCormack, 9/11 Toxic Dust Whistleblower
Heather La Mastro, NYC CAN member (www.nyccan.org)
Charles Giles, 9/11 First Responder
Please help promote this conference:
Publice Service Announcement (Radio Spot):
Flyer/Mini Poster:
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author, who is solely responsible for its content, and do not necessarily reflect those of 911Truth.org. 911Truth.org will not be responsible or liable for any inaccurate or incorrect statements contained in this article.
|home | about us | contact | research | grassroots | calendar | links | search


text:
National Review Joins Breitbart's Flawed Anti-Pigford Crusade
Research ››› ››› MATT GERTZ
National Review is the latest right-wing publication to join serial fabricator Andrew Breitbart's campaign attacking the Pigford settlement for black farmers who were allegedly discriminated against by the Agriculture Department. National Review's Dan Foster mimics many of Breitbart's errors, including using flawed data to claim that "the vast majority" of Pigford claims are "frivolous at best and fraudulent at worst"; hiding the broad Republican support in recent years for reopening the settlement; and attacking Shirley Sherrod's Pigford settlement as part of a "feeding frenzy of claimants."
NR Relies On Faulty Data To Claim "Vast Majority" Of Claims May Be "Fraudulent"
NR CLAIM: Discrepancy Between Number Of Claimants And Census Figures On Black Farmers At The Time Indicates "Vast Majority" Of Claims May Be "Fraudulent." Foster writes:
Even after the deadline for submission passed in 1999, claims kept -- and to this day, keep -- pouring in, such that the number of claimants now stands at nearly 100,000. But there is a curious thing: A 1997 agricultural census found only 18,500 black farmers nationwide, and even the most liberal third-party estimates suggest that there never were more than about 33,000 at any point during the period of eligibility between 1981 and 1996. Even if you accept as sound the decree's reasoning that persons are entitled to compensation for "attempting to farm," the numbers force the conclusion that for every black farmer actually working the land there were four or five who'd been prevented from speeding the plow.
If the queerness of those numbers doesn't stand out on its own, consider that while the USDA's credit and benefit programs are federally funded, decisions on individual applications are made at the county level, usually by small committees of local farmers and ranchers elected by their peers. The Pigford settlement would have you believe that racism was universal, not just inside the institution of the USDA but across all those semi-autonomous county offices: even in places like Jefferson County, Ark., where numerous discrimination claims came in despite the fact that all the supervisors at that office were black.
Parsimony demands a simpler explanation: that the majority, even the vast majority, of Pigford claims are frivolous at best and fraudulent at worst. That is the case being made by perhaps the loudest critic of Pigford: journalistic gadfly Andrew Breitbart. [National Review, 2/21/11, via Nexis, emphasis added]
BREITBART ECHO: Discrepancy Indicates "Massive Fraud." In his December 2010 Pigford report, Breitbart similarly claimed:
The original estimate on both sides of the lawsuit was that the number of claimants would total between 1,000-4,000. But what started out, as a relatively small case of perhaps 4,000 claimants at most, is today a multi-billion dollar settlement with over 94,000 claimants.
What makes that figure so problematic is that during the years the alleged racial discrimination took place (1981-1996), there were never more than 33,000 black farmers total in the entire United States according to the census bureau. What these numbers speak to is massive fraud. [BigGovernment.com, "The Pigford Shakedown," 12/6/10]
CRS: Census Bureau Count "Failed To Recognize" Full Number Of African Americans Engaged In Farming By Only Including "Farm Operators." From a December 2010 Congressional Research Service (CRS) report:
Questions have been raised about the number of black farmers who were or are eligible for a settlement under Pigford or Pigford II. Determining the number of African American farm operators who farmed during the period of January 1, 1981, and December 31, 1996, is difficult because of the way in which the Census of Agriculture defined farm operator. Prior to the 2002 Census of Agriculture, only principal farm operators were counted. In the 1982 Census of Agriculture, there were 33,250 African American-operated farms; in 1987, 22,954; in 1992, 18,816; and in 1997, 18,451. Essentially, the number of African American farms was treated as synonymous with the number of African American operators.
These statistics, however, failed to recognize that many farms are operated by more than one farm operator. In 2002, the Census of Agriculture collected data for a maximum of three principal operators per farm. The 2002 Census enumerated 29,090 African American farm operators. This statistical change more accurately captured the actual number of operators, that is, those who are actually engaged in farming. For example, a single farm may be operated by four or more operators, each of whom could have conceivably made loan applications to USDA agencies. In addition, a farm operator might operate rented or leased land owned by a principal operator. In such a case, that operator renting or leasing farmland would not have been counted as the operator of that farm. Under the term of the consent decree, however, such a farmer could be an eligible claimant because he or she farmed or tried to farm during the requisite time period. The varying Census definitions of farm, farm operator, and farm owner help explain why the number of initial claimants in the Pigford case (approximately 94,000) was higher than the number of farms/farm operators enumerated by the Census of Agriculture between 1982 and 1997 and why the estimated number of potential Pigford II claimants may be greater than the number of farms/farm operators enumerated in those or subsequent Census counts. [Congressional Research Service, "The Pigford Cases: USDA Settlement of Discrimination Suits by Black Farmers," 12/10/10, emphasis added]
CRS: Census Count Also Does Not Include Eligible Claimants Who Attempted To Farm Or The Estates Of Deceased Farmers. From the CRS report:
In addition, it is important to note that there may be other reasons for discrepancies between the number of farmers reflected in farm Census data and the number of claimants under Pigford or Pigford II. For example, individuals who attempted to farm but who were denied loans or other farm assistance would not be counted as farmers but may have been or may be eligible to file a claim under the terms of the two settlement agreements. Likewise, the estate of a deceased individual who farmed or attempted to farm during the eligibility period may be entitled to relief under either settlement, but such persons would not be counted as farm operators. [Congressional Research Service, "The Pigford Cases: USDA Settlement of Discrimination Suits by Black Farmers," 12/10/10]
NR Disappears Broad Bipartisan Support For Reopening And Funding Pigford Settlement
NR CLAIM: Obama "Single Sponsor" Of Legislation Reopening Pigford, "Reluctant Lame-Duck Session" Provided Funding. From the article:
But even the largest scam against taxpayers eventually runs its course. By 2007, with every filing deadline having passed, the consent decree in mothballs, and tens of thousands of unpaid claimants lingering on the rolls, Pigford advocates knew they needed new judicial action, or help from Congress, to get paid. They got the latter in the form of the Pigford Claims Remedy Act of 2007, which came, as so much legislative mischief does, as an amendment to that year's farm bill. It had a single sponsor: Sen. Barack Obama, Democrat of Illinois (where, incidentally, only 98 out of 77,000 farms are operated primarily by blacks). The bill, which became known as Pigford II, extended the filing deadline by more than ten years, through June 19, 2008. It also continued the Track A and Track B routes, appropriated an additional $1.25 billion for payouts, and added a provision that prevented claimants' homes from being foreclosed on while their cases were being adjudicated.
Obama's championing of Pigford II was seen by some as part of an effort to run up the score against Hillary Clinton with rural black voters in tough southern primaries. Whatever its purpose, the bill languished in committee through the 110th Congress. But Obama didn't forget. As president, he signed the Pigford II legislation, and charged agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack and attorney general Eric Holder with negotiating a new settlement for unpaid claimants. It came in February 2010, with Vilsack's announcement that the federal government would no longer stand vis-à-vis Pigford claimants "as an adversary, but as a partner."
The settlement made use of $100 million in funds already available for unsettled claims, and in December 2010, Congress added substantially to the kitty, appropriating $1.2 billion after a last-minute blitz by Vilsack to wring votes out of a reluctant lame-duck session. [National Review, 2/21/11, via Nexis]
BREITBART ECHO: "6 Months After He Announced His Presidential Run," Obama Sponsored Pigford Bill With "No Co-Sponsors." From Breitbart's report:
To get Pigford II funding after reopening the application process, BFAA founder Gary Grant reached out to then Senator Obama who had just sponsored a bill to get the Pigford suit re-opened. Pigford II, as it is now called, re-opened the settlement to include 60,000 additional late claimants at a cost to American taxpayers of approximately $1.25 billion. Coincidentally, then Senator Obama, who had been in Congress since January 2005, waited 6 months after he announced his presidential run to introduce S.1989: the Pigford Claims Remedy Act of 2007. It had no co-sponsors when introduced on August 3, 2007. The issue had little application in his state. Illinois had a grand total of 171 black farmers in 2007, it seems like an interesting choice of issues to champion.
When President Obama came into office, one of his first acts was to advocate a settlement for Pigford II. Along with Secretary of the Agriculture Tom Vilsack, the new administration announced in February 2010 that a settlement had been reached on Pigford II. Attorney General Eric Holder was also involved in this decision. Vilsack said, "I'm going to focus all my time and resources to making [Pigford] happen." Holder declared, "The plaintiffs can move forward and have their claims heard--with the federal government standing not as an adversary, but as a partner." [BigGovernment.com, "The Pigford Shakedown," 12/6/10]
Obama Co-Sponsored GOP Sen. Grassley's Legislation Reopening Pigford. From a Time magazine report:
[A]s a Senator Obama had championed the black farmers' lawsuit against the USDA.
Along with Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Obama introduced legislation to reopen the case (that was initially settled in 1999) to allow more black farmers to join and to provide more funding to settle claims. The legislative language was added to the Farm Bill passed in 2008 and its inclusion led to a second Administration-negotiated settlement in February of this year for $1.15 billion. [Time, 7/23/10]
- S.515: "Pigford Claims Remedy Act Of 2007." [S.515, 2/7/07]
Six Months After Grassley Filed His Bill, Obama Became Sole Sponsor Of Similar Legislation. [S.1989, 8/3/2007]
- CRS Summary Of Obama Bill. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) summary of S.1989:
Pigford Claims Remedy Act of 2007 - Declares that any Pigford claimant (relating to a racial discrimination action against the Department of Agriculture) who has not previously obtained a determination on the merits of a Pigford claim may, in a civil action, obtain that determination.
Asserts that it is Congress's intent that this Act be liberally construed so as to effectuate its remedial purpose of giving a full determination on the merits for each denied Pigford claim.
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to provide a claimant with a report on farm credit loans made within the claimant's county or adjacent county during a specified period which shall contain information on all accepted applicants (but without any personally identifiable information), including: (1) the applicant's race; (2) the application and loan decision dates; and (3) the location of the office making the loan decision.
Sets forth provisions respecting: (1) expedited claim resolution; and (2) foreclosure limitation.
Defines: (1) "Pigford claimant" as an individual who previously submitted a late-filing request under the consent decree in the case of Pigfordv. Glickman (1999); and (2) "Pigford claim" as a discrimination complaint as defined and documented by such consent decree. [CRS Summary, S.1989, 8/3/2007]
- CRS Summary Of Grassley Bill. The CRS summary of S.515:
Pigford Claims Remedy Act of 2007 - Declares that any Pigford claimant (relating to a racial discrimination action against the Department of Agriculture) who has not obtained a determination on the merits of a Pigford claim before enactment of this Act may, in a civil action, obtain that determination.
Asserts that it is Congress' intent that this Act be liberally construed so as to effectuate its remedial purpose of giving a full determination on the merits for each denied Pigford claim.
Defines: (1) "Pigford claimant" as an individual who submitted, before enactment of this Act, a late-filing request under the consent decree in the case of Pigford v. Glickman (1999); and (2) "Pigford claim" as a discrimination complaint as defined and documented by such consent decree. [CRS Summary, S.515, 2/7/07]
GOP House Members Also Backed Pigford Legislation.
- Republican Reps. Steve Chabot (OH) and James Sensenbrenner (IL) Co-Sponsored H.R. 3073: "Pigford Claims Remedy Act of 2007." [H.R. 3073, 2/7/07]
- Chabot Also Sponsored H.R. 899: "Pigford Claims Remedy Act of 2007." [H.R. 899, 2/7/07]
Obama Missed All Three Votes On Bill Reopening Pigford.
- Obama Did Not Vote On Senate Version Of 2008 Farm Bill, Which Reopened Pigford. [H.R.2419, Vote #434, 12/14/07]
- Obama Did Not Vote On Farm Bill Conference Report. [H.R.2419, Vote #130, 5/15/08]
- Obama Did Not Vote On Override Of President Bush's Veto Of Farm Bill. [H.R.2419, Vote #140, 5/22/08]
Legislation Funding Pigford II Settlement Passed Senate By Unanimous Consent. From the CRS report: "Finally, on November 19, 2010, by unanimous consent, the Senate passed the Claims Resolution Act of 2010 (H.R. 4783) to provide the $1.15 billion appropriation. The Senate bill was then passed by the House on November 30 and signed by the President on December 8." [Congressional Research Service, "The Pigford Cases: USDA Settlement of Discrimination Suits by Black Farmers," 12/10/10]
16 House Republicans Voted For Funding Legislation. [H.R. 4783, Vote #584, 11/30/10]
NR Links Sherrod Settlement To "Feeding Frenzy Of Claimants"
NR CLAIM: "What Followed Was A Feeding Frenzy Of Claimants" And "The Largest Single Settlement" Went To Sherrod's Farm. From the article:
What followed was a feeding frenzy of claimants egged on by fee-seeking tractor-chasers. The original 400 members of the Pigford class had swelled to 14,000, and a total of $1.25 billion had been paid out. The largest single settlement -- some $13,000,000 -- went to a communal farm in Georgia called New Communities, Inc., headed by Charles Sherrod and his wife, Shirley, who would be hired by the USDA, where she would gain a measure of notoriety, just three days after she received her settlement. [National Review, 2/21/11, via Nexis]
BREITBART ECHO: Sherrod Hiring After Settlement Was "A Remarkable Turn Of Events." From Breitbart's report:
[The Pigford settlement] allowed farmers to have a hearing before a court-appointed independent arbitrator to seek larger damages. Shirley Sherrod and her husband Charles chose this route. They had at one point operated New Communities Inc., a communal farm in Georgia, which was originally incorporated in 1969. By 1985 it was going broke and they suspended operations. By 1990 the farm had dissolved. But shortly after the consent decree authorizing payments was issued in 1999, New Communities was reformed, with Shirley Sherrod placed on the Board of Directors. Claiming discrimination, New Communities filed suit against the USDA and through arbitration they were awarded an almost $13,000,000 settlement, the largest amount ever won through Pigford. (The second largest award, at least according to the public record, was $675,000.) This included $150,000 each for Charles and Shirley for "pain and suffering," as well as $1.5 million in debt forgiveness.
On July 22, 2009, they received approval of their settlement. Three days the USDA later hired Shirley Sherrod. This was a remarkable turn of events. When was the last time you heard of a litigant hiring a plaintiff after the case was resolved? [BigGovernment.com, "The Pigford Shakedown," 12/6/10]
Sherrod Received Payout From Pigford Because An Arbitrator Found That Sherrod And Her Partners Had Been Subject To An "Outrageous Act" And Likened It To The Way A "Feudal Baron" Treated His Serfs. An arbitrator appointed to review the claims by Sherrod, her partners, and her organization New Communities, Inc., found that the claimants had provided numerous instances in which they had been treated differently from white farmers following a major drought in the early 1980s and that the USDA "offered no nondiscriminatory reason for its conduct." Specifically, with regard to a demand by the Farmers Home Administration that New Communities pay $50,000 from the sale of timber in order to secure an emergency loan, the arbitrator found:
Claimant testified that "Farmer B, a white farm located in Lee County sold timber in 1981 ... and the sale proceeds [were] treated like normal income. He didn't have to give the proceeds of the timber sale to FmHA." Claimant's expert testified that the "County Supervisor accepted that timber attached to real property is normal farm income." As a result, the Chief Arbitrator finds that FmHA did treat a similarly situated white farmer more favorably than New Communities.
Respondent alleges that it had a nondiscriminatory reason for making the $50,000 demand as a precondition to obtaining the Emergency Loan - that "since it was part of the real estate and reduced the value of the real estate, the FSA policy is that the borrower has to pay toward the liens of the real estate from the proceeds of, in this case, the timber sale." However, the arbitrator found that the Respondent did not have a security interest in the Dewey Gowan property. Accordingly, the Chief Arbitrator finds the USDA's explanation for why it made a $50,000 demand on New Communities as a precondition to obtain a loan was a pretext. The demand for the $50,000 realized from property in which Respondent had no interest, was an outrageous act -- one totally unsupported by FmHA policy or regulation. In fact, the County Supervisor, in his deposition testified that he could not think of any circumstances under which FmHA would require such a payment. The payment smacks of nothing more than a feudal baron demanding additional crops from his serfs. The Chief Arbitrator finds no legitimate nondiscriminatory reasons for the demand. [In re: The Arbitration of New Communities, Inc., 7/22/2009, emphasis added]
NR Downplays Circumstances That Led To Low "Bar For Evidence" For Claimants
NR CLAIM: Settlement Allowed That Most Claimants Lacked Documentation Of Discrimination, "Purportedly Owing To Poor Record-Keeping By The USDA." From the article:
The "Pigford class" -- the range of individuals eligible to claim settlement money -- originally was defined as all African-American farmers who (1) farmed between January 1, 1983, and Feb. 21, 1997; and (2) applied, during that time period, for participation in a federal farm program with USDA, and as a direct result of a determination by USDA in response to said application, believed that they were discriminated against on the basis of race, and filed a written discrimination complaint with USDA in that time period. Both sides acknowledged that the class size wasn't likely to exceed 2,500. But the seeds of abuse were already sown. Despite the fact that the class was at first strictly limited to those who had "filed a written discrimination complaint" with the USDA, the settlement crucially allowed that most members of the class lacked any documentation of these complaints, purportedly owing to poor record-keeping by the USDA. So the resolution mechanism offered potential claimants two "tracks" toward settlement money. Track B required a higher bar for evidence -- the "preponderance" standard traditional in civil actions, demonstrated during one-day "mini-trials" before court-appointed arbitrators -- but it came with no cap on potential awards. Track A provided, in the words of the case's judge, "those class members with little or no documentary evidence with a virtually automatic cash payment of $50,000, and forgiveness of debt owed to the USDA." Track A claimants would also get their taxes on that debt paid directly to the IRS for them, and priority consideration on their next USDA loan application. [National Review, 2/21/11, via Nexis, emphasis added]
Judge: Both Parties Acknowledged Lack Of Documentation Was Not The Fault Of Claimants. From Judge Paul Friedman's opinion in Pigford v. Glickman:
The ultimate settlement of this action envisions the creation of a mechanism on a class-wide basis that will then be utilized to resolve the individual claims of class members outside the traditional litigation process, most of them (Track A) in a rather formulaic way. Most members of the class lack documentation of the allegedly discriminatory transactions at issue. Without any documentation of those transactions, it would be difficult if not impossible for an individual farmer to prevail in a suit in federal court under a traditional preponderance of the evidence standard. The parties acknowledge, however, that it is not the fault of class members that they lack records. Since class members' lack of documentation is at least in part attributable to the passage of time which has been exacerbated by the USDA's failure to timely process complaints of discrimination, there is a common issue of whether and how best to provide relief to class members who lack documentation, and that common issue "predominate[s] over any questions affecting only individual members." See Rule 23(b)(3), Fed. R. Civ. P. This class action and its settlement as proposed in the Consent Decree provide a mechanism to address that common issue. [Opinion, Pigford v. Glickman, 5/14/99, via PigfordMonitor.org]
Judge: Staff At USDA Office Of Civil Rights "Simply Threw Discrimination Complaints In The Trash" In Some Cases. From Judge Friedman's opinion:
Any farmer who believed that his application to those programs was denied on the basis of his race or for other discriminatory reasons theoretically had open to him a process for filing a civil rights complaint either with the Secretary of Agriculture or with the Office of Civil Rights Enforcement and Adjudication ("OCREA") at USDA. USDA regulations set forth a detailed process by which these complaints were supposed to be investigated and conciliated, and ultimately a farmer who was unhappy with the outcome was entitled to sue in federal court under ECOA. See Pigford v. Glickman, 182 F.R.D. 341, 342-44 (D.D.C. 1998).
All the evidence developed by the USDA and presented to the Court indicates, however, that this system was functionally nonexistent for well over a decade. In 1983, OCREA essentially was dismantled and complaints that were filed were never processed, investigated or forwarded to the appropriate agencies for conciliation. As a result, farmers who filed complaints of discrimination never received a response, or if they did receive a response it was a cursory denial of relief. In some cases, OCREA staff simply threw discrimination complaints in the trash without ever responding to or investigating them. In other cases, even if there was a finding of discrimination, the farmer never received any relief. [Opinion, Pigford v. Glickman, 5/14/99, via PigfordMonitor.org]
NR Pushes Breitbart's Anonymously Sourced Claim That FBI Shut Down Pigford Investigation To Avoid "Racial Politics"
NR CLAIM: According To Breitbart's Anonymous Source, FBI Investigation "Never Went Anywhere" Because Prosecutors Wanted To Avoid "Racial Politics." From the article:
The government is not unaware of the widespread fraud. According to an anonymous FBI source quoted in Breitbart's report, a preliminary investigation into Pigford suggested that at least half the claims filed had been falsified -- but the investigation never went anywhere, because federal prosecutors had no taste for the racial politics that would have attended it. [National Review, 2/21/11, via Nexis]
BREITBART ECHO: FBI Investigation Was "Thwarted" And "Shut Down -- But Not Because Of Lack Of Evidence." From Breitbart's report:
It is the story of an FBI investigation thwarted, and USDA workers threatened and silenced. It is a tale of trial attorneys getting rich, activist groups using it for their political gain, and politicians using the settlement as a means of buying votes.
There was an FBI investigation launched, which included supervisory agents in Washington as well as agents in the field. One individual who participated in these FBI investigations, who prefers to stay anonymous (but is willing to cooperate openly with a congressional investigation), told us that they found numerous instances of fraud carried out under Pigford. This individual estimates that based on the FBI investigation, at least half of the claims filed under Pigford were false. But when U.S. attorneys were contacted with the information, they were reluctant to pursue them because of the politics involved. They were also concerned, according to this source, that they might be accused of engaging in "selective prosecution." (Of course any prosecution of crime is in some instances selective because not all individuals who commit them will face justice.) The investigation of Pigford fraud was eventually shut down -- but not because of a lack of evidence. [BigGovernment.com, "The Pigford Shakedown," 12/6/10]
USDA: Allegations Of Fraud Were Prosecuted By The Justice Department. In an article about House conservatives' complaints that the Pigford II settlement is "rife with fraud," the National Journal reported:
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is firing back at a group of House conservatives who continue [to] assert that the $1.25 billion discrimination settlement with black farmers included in legislation passed Friday by the Senate is rife with fraud.
The USDA points out that allegations of fraud in connection with [the first Pigford] settlement program all were forwarded to the department's inspector general, who then passed them to the FBI. Ultimately, according to the department, the FBI prosecuted a total of 3 individuals -- out of a total of 20,000 claimants.
In his statement today, Vilsack said the Obama administration is "committed to ensuring that anyone receiving a payment under Pigford II was the victim of discrimination and has a valid claim that deserves compensation by following the very specific criteria outlined in the 2008 farm bill." [National Journal, 11/22/10]
NR Report Itself Acknowledges Cases Successfully Investigated And Prosecuted By Justice Department. From the article:
Though Breitbart says the biggest revelations are yet to come, he has coauthored a report detailing some of the crime that has been directly tied to Pigford. The most sensational example comes from 2006, when a Mississippi couple was sentenced to life in prison on conspiracy charges in the murder of Clovis Reed, who had plotted with the couple to make fraudulent Pigford claims and who they feared would testify against them in court. The year before, two college administrators in Arkansas were convicted of attempting to fraudulently claim $400,000 after they attended a meeting whose organizers told them the settlement was a "veiled way to collect reparations for centuries-old grievances." [National Review, 2/21/11, via Nexis]
- Posted In
- Diversity & Discrimination, Race & Ethnicity, Government, The Presidency & White House
- Network/Outlet
- National Review
- Person
- Andrew Breitbart, Pigford, Dan Foster
Instructions for signing up and claiming your comment history are located here.
Updated rules for commenting are here.


text: Hey some of us northerners, myself included, love chilly air and water temps...I think fall in New England is the best weather one could experience, hands down, but that's just my opinion. I also don't think the water's "cold" till it hits about 45, and it's a fair trade off for lack of crowds. I also avoid NYC like the plague, w/ the exception of the occassional museum trip, it makes me nervous down there, just too many ppl not enough space. Just a random northern perspective, I'll let you guys get back to hating each other.


text:
On a hot August day in 2011, visitors to the Oakland Zoo became much more than visitors, they became wildlife heroes! Each time a visitor entered the zoo, a twenty-five cent conservation donation was contributed in support of several Oakland Zoo conservation projects. With thousands of visitors each year, these quarters have added up to a significant help for animals. Our slogan for Quarters for Conservation project is "Saving Wildlife with Each Visit" and it has proven true.
Guests even determined where the funding went. Each visitor was able to vote for their favorite project out of our featured three with their token they received at the gate and their spare change.
Zoo visitors love Quarters for Conservation for many reasons: the opportunity to teach children about voting, the chance to learn about wildlife conservation, the feeling of pride in their visit, and their ability to easily help the species they have grown to love. Zoo staff also experienced an increase in pride in their job, and the animals in the wild benefited most of all. Here are the results:
From August 2011- September 2012, Quarters for Conservation raised $102,499!
50% of Quarters for Conservation went to our three featured projects and was divided by visitor votes.
There were 222,722 votes total.
38% went to Amboseli Fund for Elephants for total of $19,475
36% went to The Budongo Snare Removal Project for a total of $18,450
26% went to Ventana Wildlife Society's Condor Recovery Project for a total of $13,325
25 % of Quarters for Conservation went to various Oakland Zoo Conservation Field Partners, decided by the Conservation Committee:
EWASO Lion Project $2000
Giraffe Conservation Foundation $5000
Project Golden Frog $1500
Animals Asia $1500
Hornbill Nest Project $1500
Lubee Bat Conservancy $5000
Africa Matters $1500
Bay Area Puma Project $2500
Bornean Sunbear
Conservation Centre $2500
American Bird Conservancy $100
The remaining 25% went to on-site conservation at the zoo, such as our work with condors and western pond turtles.
Here is what zoo visitors had to say about our first year of Quarters for Conservation:
- I feel good that I am helping wildlife
- It makes sense that we should all contribute
- I'm glad I chose this zoo
- Quarters for Conservation makes the zoo a better place
- This donation enhances my experience at the zoo
- I did my good deed for the day!
Here is what some of our conservation field partners had to say:
"The greatest threats condors face in California are ingestion of lead, primarily from spent ammunition, and eggshell thinning caused by past DDT discharges into the marine environment. The Oakland Zoo's Quarters for Conservation program is assisting Ventana Wildlife Society with both of these issues and is an excellent example of how a zoo can directly recover endangered animals in the field through partnerships and engaging their visitors."
Kelly Sorenson, Director – Ventana Wildlife Society
"The unique opportunity that Oakland Zoo has given us is the long term vision of saving chimpanzees by eliminating the threat of hunting. It has been a truly amazing story of a project that simply started as a snare removal campaign but led to the development of wildlife clubs in schools and provision of nanny goats for the ex-hunters associations. We would like to thank Oakland Zoo staff and visitors for believing in our initiatives. Together we should be proud that we piloted a scheme that has yielded dividends beyond our expectations."
Fred Babweterra of The Budongo Snare Removal Project
"The Amboseli Trust for Elephants just received their Quarters for Conservation donation from the Oakland Zoo and it made us very happy indeed. We were thrilled that the public voted for the money raised to go to elephants, specifically ATE. We will use these funds to help protect and to continue to learn more about the Amboseli elephants. Thank you Oakland Zoo and all the people who care for wildlife."
Cynthia Moss, Founder Amboseli Trust for Elephants
As a community, we have a great power to not only enjoy the zoo and learn from the animals, but to genuinely help their plight in the wild. Quarters for Conservation represents a true shift in the way the Oakland Zoo and our fantastic visitors engage with animals. We celebrate the wildlife hero in us all.


text:
Huell Howser made me proud to be a Californian. More importantly, he made me proud to be a resident of the Inland Empire.
Howser, who died Sunday, explored every corner of the Golden State as host of the beloved public TV show "California's Gold," but he always returned home to the place he called home, the Southern California desert.
Howser was a Californian who could have lived anywhere, but he chose to live here with us Inlandians. He kept homes in Twentynine Palms in San Bernardino County and in Palm Springs in Riverside County.
Very affirming.
I am going to miss Huell Howser very much. Oh, I still will tell my favorite Huell Howser stories, but now they will be tinged with sadness. I probably still will imitate his unrestrained Tennessean accent, but it won't seem as funny anymore.
Lots of people love to imitate Huell Howser's voice and expressions. I read once that he had expressed modest surprise at being invited to perform a guest voice role on a "Simpsons" TV episode. Matt Groening, the show's creator, said, " Are you kidding? Everyone loves your voice. We imitate it all the time in our writers meetings."
Here's my own personal favorite Huell Howser story:
I had the rare privilege of imitating him to his face.
Many summers ago, he and I were among the faces in the crowd at the annual Big Bear Discovery Center Gala on the north shore of Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains.
He was there with a gentleman friend, and I approached the two of them at one point, with my hand extended, and announced, "I have ALWAYS wanted to shake the hand..."
His friend took a step forward, extending his hand to meet mine. Without missing a beat I continued, "...of the guy standing next to Huell Howser!"
They both laughed. Now that I had Huell Howser's attention, I went on to to gush, starstruck fashion, about how much I enoyed the "California's Gold" series.
And darn it if I didn't lapse into Hower's accent and speech patterns, with lots of hillbilly exuberance and huge exclamation points: "Golly!" "Oh my gosh!" "This is unbeLIEVEable!"
He reproved me, good-naturedly: "Well, I don't think it's very nice to make fun of my accent!"
Chastened, I assured him it was involuntary and that it was a form of homage, not disrespect. It was a lame apology, perhaps, but he accepted it, I think, and he did laugh heartily.
Believe me, it was an honor to make Huell Howser laugh those couple of times. Heaven knows, he made me laugh and smile and cry and thrill and chill and ooh and ahh a million times with his storybook adventure trips around California.
Over the years he shot many, many episodes in the Inland Empire. The Graber Olive House in Ontario, the Lincoln Shrine in Redlands, the old Kaiser Steel works in Fontana
Doing shows here made sense, after all. This is where he lived.
Plus, his intrepid longtime videographer, Luis Fuerte, also is a resident of the Inland Empire. In fact, the two of us have become buddies. We're due for lunch soon. I think it's my treat this time.
Once upon a long time ago, I was in a visitor center at Joshua Tree National Park. I got into a conversation about Huell Howser with one of the rangers there. I think it started with remarks I made upon finding a couple of DVD "California's Gold" episodes available for sale there.
Well, the ranger, perhaps inappropriately, gave me precise directions to Huell Howser's house in nearby 29 Palms. Of course, I drove out there.
I was surprised by while I saw. It wasn't really a house. It was a compound, a fortress, surroundeded by an outlandishly intimidating fence of dire wrought iron.
The sight of it disappointed me at first. Huell Howser was all about the beauties of Califoria, but this place was ugly.
Then, I changed my mind. This was distinctive, one-of-a-kind, like Howser himself. He did so many episodes about Californians who built homes out of trash, or in underground caves, or on cliffs among the clouds.
It seemed appropriate that his own house would be stamped with a very individualistic signature.
And, I must say, I have heard early rumors that, at his own behest, it may be transformed into a public place, a vistors center of its own, where everyone can enjoy the memories and artifacts of Huell Howser's thousands of sojourns throughout the Golden State.
If true, such a place would definately become considered, and let me phrase this just right, with just the right accent, "a PART of CaliFORNia's GOLD!"
Read more John Weeks at http://sbsun.com/johnweeks. Contact him by email at email@example.com.


text: ERROR: ID is not valid ThinkPad by Lenovo - T series: T450, T450s with Linux pre-installed. / systems by mfgr / lenovo / toucan News FAQ About Contact Home Why? Quality Hardware Support Systems by Type Systems by Mfgr Dell Lenovo Panasonic Compare Systems Accessories Order / Sales Depot Install Jobs /etc Overview Details Accessories Customize [Go Up] [Print] All systems come with Linux Pre-Configured using the empkernel to provide full hardware support (dual boot available), our user's manual, and one year of toll-free phone and email tech support. Please select the model you would like to see the details of: SystemCPULCDRAMDiskOpticalBtBattFngrPrice Toucan T4502.3 I5D14" @ 1600x9004 G500 -- Y6 CN$1800.00 C Toucan T4502.6 I7D14" @ 1600x90016 G256 -- Y6 CN$2430.00 C Toucan T450s2.3 I5D14" @ 1600x9008 G500 -- Y6 CN$2000.00 C Toucan T450s2.6 I7D14" @ 1920x10808 G256 -- Y6 CN$2660.00 C Toucan T460s2.6 I7D14" @ 2560x144012 G512 -- Y6 CN$2800.00 C Toucan T5602.4 I5D15.6" @ 1920x10808 G500 -- Y6 CN$1950.00 C Compare Selected Side-by-SideS: Stock, Order Today O: Order ships in 3-5 days C: Configurable, 7-10 days L: Ltd. Avail., Call Testimonials "I'll continue to recommend you and will purchase my next laptop from you." Recommended Accessories ThinkPad 90W AC adapter $80.00 External SATA drive caddy $60.00 4GB 1600 MHz $70.00 8GB 1600 MHz $150.00 view all ... Comments to our WebElf. ©1999-2017 EmperorLinux Privacy and other policies. Tux by Larry Ewing. Linux © Linus Torvalds.


text:
Bookmark this site
SEATTLE -- Byndl Inc., a mobile transaction services company based here, and Sprout Retail, a vending-focused consumer marketing firm, have teamed up to deliver mobile payments, digital coupons and surveys.
Byndl's "Vending Cloud" enables vending technology providers to offer operators digital services to sell through both their machines and consumers' mobile devices. "The consumer relationship with their favorite brands and products will start at the vending machine and travel everywhere with them on their phones now through relevant apps or games," said Lori Salow Marshall, Byndl founder and chief executive.
"We see an opportunity for new, dynamic services associated with mobility in vending, driving up revenues and making solutions more cost effective," added Jim English, chief executive of Sprout Retail. "We believe Byndl's platform approach combined with the Bluetooth capabilities of the MDBlue device will add value to the market by letting each vending operator tailor services for their customer base."
MDBlue, with which Byndl has partnered, is a hardware and connectivity platform that leverages a user's smartphone to support cashless payments, sales telemetry, promotions and digital media. It can support multiple third-party apps through one hardware connection.
English launched Bridgewater, NJ-based Sprout Retail in 2009 to deliver new solutions to enhance the vending shopping experience while increasing loyalty and sales for the operator. Sprout Retail is a partner of the Vending Marketing Institute, a group of 17 regional operators that serve more than one million consumers in 14,000 locations in 35 states. The network includes more than 85,000 vending machines and over 200 foodservice facilities.
Byndl's team includes enterprise software professionals who bring a combination of data architecture and management experience to vending. The company said it will launch with additional beta partners over the summer ahead of its commercial rollout planned for fall.


text:
McMenamins to Offer Refund After Canceled Show
A concert at Crystal Ballroom Sunday night was canceled mid way through, after a McMenamins employee saw a crack in a support beam. Staff was worried about safety and they evacuated the crowd. Between 1,200 and 1,500 people spilled out onto West Burnside and 14th. Portland Police were called to help control the crowd.
McMenamins says structural engineers and city inspectors are evaluating the crack. After inspections, McMenamins will determine if future shows will be impacted. As for people attending the Schoolboy Q show Sunday night, they will get a refund. McMenamins says ticket holders need to send their confirmation email to email@example.com. If you bought tickets through StubHub or another outlet, you will need to contact that company directly.


text: One of the best books I've read in recent months is the Gothic Enterprise, by Robert A. Scott (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2003). The Gothic Enterprise views Europe's great cathedrals of the High Middle Ages as windows into the Medieval mind, as embodiments of the human spirit that reveal more about society, economics, politics, . . . → Read More: New Deal Cathedrals


text:
Reflections on the Use of Grounded Theory to Uncover Patterns of Exclusion in an Online Discussion Forum at an Institution of Higher Education
This article reports on an example of grounded theory methodology used in a case study to describe power inequalities among participants in an online forum at a higher education institution in South Africa. Critical poststructuralist theory informs the study as it investigates how hegemony influences the strategic interaction of participants. An interpretive analysis through coding procedures uncovered elements of intensified exclusion, inequality, and oppression. This took place within a virtual space which is theoretically idealized as an equalizer and promoter of freedom of speech. The process involved in the eliciting of voices and in the analysing and interpreting of subjective accounts is described to give an account of disillusioned experiences with a potentially liberating form of technology. The article contributes to qualitative methodology in applying the generic paradigmatic conditions within grounded theory and illustrates both the interrelatedness and the cyclic nature of the conditions within the specific paradigms of participants.


text:
Mike McKelly
Mike McKelly has been the host of The Rocker Morning Show in Kalamazoo, MI for nearly 25 years which means hundreds of thousands have woken up with Mike and didn't have to chew their arm off. In addition to his wake up duties, Mike is the Operations Manager overseeing programming for the 4 Townsquare Media stations. He enjoys all sports, playing golf, movies that make him cry and an occasional Brandy Old Fashion. Mike and his wife Karla live in Portage,MI and are the proud parents of 4 great kids Ryan, Kaitlyn, Erin, Lauren and granddaughter Peyton.


text:
Following retirement, options open up — including reconnecting with childhood dreams.
We may get older, but we don't have to lose our freedom to dream about what we can become when we "grow up."
The airwaves are flooded with aspirational investment and financial services ads depicting empty nesters starting their own wineries, traveling the globe or whiling away on the golf course. However, the reality for many older Philadelphians is that you don't have to go too far to become what you feel you were meant to be.
Beyond the Madison Avenue dream factory, there are people making their new life count, adding depth, dimension and excitement. According to three working seniors in Philadelphia, as well as a couple of authors and a financial planner versed in the topic, life can begin again when you put yourself in a new vocation that keeps the brain working.
While some people will continue to work out of financial necessity, the potential in one's "Life 2.0" can be the adventure of a lifetime.
When you talk with longtime friends and colleagues Dr. Richard Goldberg and Dr. Joseph Markoff, it becomes clear that a sound prescription for a successful second act after 50 is to nourish your passions and interests well in advance.
"If you don't have a plan to figure out your life beyond a certain point, you're in trouble," warned Markoff. "I planned my future very carefully. I set goals for myself, I got myself into the best physical shape of my life, losing 40 pounds. With colleagues in medicine who told me they couldn't wait to retire, I warned them that they may have gone into medicine for the wrong reasons. Once they retired, because they did not plan their life after retirement, some felt they lost direction."
Even with responsibilities and financial concerns you happen to be nursing at the moment, the good doctors also strongly suggested keeping the mind open to new opportunities and offshoots and start finding links between what you do for a living now and interests you may have now or have had in the past.
"During my 30-year-career as a vitreo-retinal surgeon, I never forgot my childhood interests in painting and drawing," said Goldberg, who has made a name for himself in recent years as a painter, notably for his collaborative work in helping pull together the Creative Spirit Symposium at the James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, uniting medical, scientific and fine arts communities to explore how the merging of these three areas of study ultimately benefit patients with a variety of health issues.
He is involved, he said, because "we need to put the humanities back into medicine. There are definite similarities between art and medicine. Both the artist and the physician have to be keen observers, and they also have to pay steady attention to details."
Goldberg added that "the physician spends a good deal of time away from a patient but still thinking about the patient. The artist spends a good deal of time away from his canvas, but still thinks about the painting. It was an easy progression and seamless transition, going from medicine to art. Just as a physician leaves a part of himself with each patient, the artist leaves a part of himself with each painting."
While some people Goldberg meets are astounded with all he's accomplished as an artist and with the Creative Spirit Symposium, others comment "this is a lot of work" and ask him why he has not retired. He pointed out that his wife Arlene, a former special education teacher working as a docent at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, feels the exact same way about keeping her mind and body vigorously active.
"What other people may not grasp is that I am the ultimate beneficiary by giving something special to others, and it's been a good thing for my wife as well," Goldberg continued.
"Furthermore, the emotional connection between paintings and patients is a big reason why so many physicians and health-related professionals also moved on to work in the arts."
During his 35-year medical career, Markoff, like his friend, Goldberg, has sustained a concurrent professional trumpet-playing career, performing with groups in Philadelphia and other cities. What makes his dual-career path compelling is that although he's no longer in a practice, he's still involved with medicine as a consultant.
At age 65, when some of his peers traded in their lab coats for golf attire, he was hired as global director for scientific affairs in ophthalmology at Merck, Inc., to head up their ophthalmology department. Today, he consults for Philadelphia Eye Associates.
"I feel it's very important to stay active throughout your life, and for this, I had great role models in my parents," Markoff noted.
"My mother is 97, has a radio show, writes newspaper columns and drives a car. She is the personification of how staying active can keep you young. My father remained active until he passed away at 90."
As Markoff sees it, acting on your desire to work and stay busy with activities you love will keep you in the swing: His work as a trumpeter keeps him busier and sharper than ever.
"You need a real set of goals to plan to handle this phase of your life, physically and mentally," he stated. "This is not a time to catch up, but a time to continue to pursue your passion, or to pursue it if you did not have an opportunity to do so before."
Veteran entertainer/band leader Eddie Bruce, 60, said that rather than retiring or scaling back, he simply looked to branch out into other areas of his field that would allow him to continue to fulfill his financial and artistic needs.
"Retiring from either band leading or performing was not an option for me, so I changed my focus over the course of my career," Bruce said. "I experienced a definite second wind when I moved from strictly being a band leader at various parties, to a parallel cabaret and concert career. Even with the way I have expanded my horizons, I still do parties as my band is better than ever and there's a demand for what we do."
Although both lines of work involve similar musical skill sets and an ability to connect with the audience, he found cabaret was a creative outlet that enriched his soul.
A regular cabaret performer at the SugarHouse Casino here who has also been signed for concert dates at New York clubs, Bruce said that to be the most successful you can be, you need to find outlets that will fulfill you on different levels.
If you follow the love, then the money will follow, he concluded.
And speaking of money…
According to PNC Wealth Management senior wealth planner Meaghan Hogan, as more Americans are living longer, it is inevitable that many of them will seek meaningful engagement in their older years. Her clients have also expressed an interest in leaving a legacy to their families that reflects their values, not just the realities of tax laws.
Furthermore, when Social Security was first passed, the average American male life expectancy was 65. Today, 90 and up is no longer out of reach.
"Defined contribution plans, subject to market risk, replaced the promised and reliable pensions that our parents and grandparents relied on in retirement," Hogan affirmed. "For personal and practical reasons, Americans are far more involved in planning their retirement years than ever. Our savings must last far longer than most of us ever thought.
"With the noted change from company and government pensions to personal retirement plans, and the ongoing discussion about Social Security benefits, people must be sure to save enough for a long, long life."
She added that the "passion- driven" careers many people create for themselves after leaving corporate jobs may not offer the same benefits or salary to which they are accustomed. "If you're considering making a career move to do something you love, you should work with a wealth management group to be sure you've taken the right steps, financially and personally."
"What happens to many people after 50 is that they experience a major shift or several major shifts," observed former Bank of America executive George Schofield, dedicating his second career to enlightening others via his book. After 50 It's Up to Us: Developing the Skills and Agility We'll Need.
What are they needed for? To face children moving out of the house, the "relationship" with one's first career changing, aging parents and divorce. Instead of these events triggering a mid-life crisis, however, he said they can be treated as opportunities.
"These are wake-up calls for us to organize and reorganize our lives for the next phase," Schofield said. "At some point," those affected "are going to realize that to move forward, they may have to leave some old things behind that are no longer serving them."
One apt observation Schofield made during his own transition phase (starting his second life in Sarasota, Fla., after a successful first career in San Francisco), is that the concept of "The Golden Years" can turn out to be a rude awakening. This is partially rooted in the fact that many people can now expect to live well into their 80s and 90s. This means you have to account for 15-20 additional years' worth of income. From there, how do you make ends meet and feel fulfilled in the process?
"The most important thing I learned when my wife and I relocated was the importance of bringing the best and most useful aspects of my past relationships, skills, personal interests and hobbies into my present and future," said Schofield. "We had to let go things that no longer served us so we could create open spaces for new opportunities to fall into our lives."
In her consulting practice and her book, The Joy of Strategy: A Business Plan for Life, Boston-based Allison Rimm addresses the reality that life after 55, 60 or 65 should be approached much like starting one's own business by keeping finances and personal fulfillment balanced.
"A lot of problems" her senior clients "experience is that as they get to the end of their careers, they are finding that the structure they got used to is now gone from their lives," said Rimm.
"This can be a loss, as people may find they don't feel relevant or have that ready-made social structure. I encourage them to take a step back and look at what they accomplished during the course of their career so they can identify, appreciate and articulate their strengths and gifts. Once you do that and appreciate your strengths, you can move forward."
Rimm said that once people determine their personal definition of success, they then can assess what is needed to bring that second act to life.
She recalled one client, an accountant, telling her, "I cannot die with the music still inside me," when he voiced his intentions to pursue a musical career. Indeed, there are many examples of those who were bound and determined to get that song out.
Elyse Glickman is a writer based on the West Coast. This article originally appeared in The Good Life, a Jewish Exponent supplement.


text:
Get care any time from your smart phone, computer or tablet. With no appointment – only an internet connection – you can see one of our medical professionals for virtually any minor illness, including cough, cold, flu, rash or other non-urgent medical issues.
*All patients must be in North Carolina at the time of visit.


text:
Miranda Lambert sets name & release date for next album
Listen to Miranda Lambert on iHeartRadio
Miranda Lambert is calling her upcoming album Platinum.
The country star says her next studio project is "about a lifestyle," which for her is captured in that word. She explains that it's the color of her hair, her wedding ring, and her Airstream, and it's also the name of one of her favorite beers.
Lambert adds that the material reflects her life as a 30-year-old woman who's "more settled in life." But "settled" doesn't mean less fiery. She says she'll "still blaze around -- but in a less chaotic way."
Lambert's Platinum features her current single, "Automatic." The album will be in stores on June 3rd.
Photo Credit Getty Images


text:
Thanks for the report, http://backtrack.offensive-security....s#Unicorn-scan
Unicorn scan doesn't to work properly on BackTrack3 Beta. Here is the command I tried and its resulting output:
bt ~ # unicornscan
Main [Error parse.l:158] error opening file `/usr/local/etc/unicornscan/unicorn.conf`: No such file or directory
Main exiting unable to get configuration: system error No such file or directory
EDIT: Oh, and this is on a MacBook 2.0 ghz.
Μολὼν λαβέ - Great spirits encounter heavy opposition from mediocre minds.


text:
Agile birds will have a swinging time with this hanging seed cake treat! Kaytee Fiesta Tropical Swing-a-Treat for Parakeets & Cockatiels adds excitement to foraging activity thanks to its clever hanging method. Simply suspend the treat wheel with the included leather string and watch the excitement begin. To dine on delicious seeds, grains, fruits with a kiss of sweet honey, your bird will need to display avian acrobatics and feathered tenacity.
Hang Swing-a-Treat in bird cage corner, near a perch or right in the center to put your bird's problem-solving skills to the test. Swing-a-Treat for Parakeets & Cockatiels measures 2-1/4" diameter x 1" thick and features a reinforced center hole for included 18" leather strip hanger. 2-pack.
Kaytee Fiesta Tropical Swing-a-Treat for Parakeets & Cockatiels is recommended for Parakeets, Cockatiels, Conures, Lovebirds and similar-size birds.
Please click on "More Information" for ingredients and guaranteed analysis.


text:
Theatre South Carolina presents 'The Comedy of Errors'
Theatre South Carolina at USC keeps the comedy coming in its final main-stage production of the season with William Shakespeare's "The Comedy of Errors" April 15-23 at Drayton Hall.
Tickets are $16 for adults, $14 for military, USC faculty, staff and seniors and $10 for students and will be sold at the Longstreet Theater box office.
Show times are 8 p.m. opening night and April 20-22, 7 p.m. on April 16, 3 p.m. on April 17 and 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. on April 23. Half-price tickets will be available for the 11 p.m. performance.
Directed by Helen Hayes nominee Robert Richmond, associate professor in the department of theatre and dance, "The Comedy of Errors" follows Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant, Dromio, to the foreign land of Ephesus, where they are mistaken for two others with the same names who turn out to be their identical twins. The play follows the sets of brothers as the mix-up leads to mayhem while their families and friends sort out the confusion.
Playing the roles of Antipholus will be senior theater major Jeffrey Earl and Joe Mallon, a first-year MFA student in acting. The roles of Dromio will be played by freshman theater major Liam McDougall and sophomore theater major William Vaughn. Also in the production are Andy Hernandez, Samuel Kinsman, Jessi Noel, Catherine Friesen, Yvonne Senat, Amanda Forstrom and Don Russell -- all first-year MFA students in acting -- and senior theater majors John Rhodes and Sam Traquina.
Richmond directed "The Comedy of Errors" for the Aquila Theatre Company at the East 13th Street Theatre in New York City in 2002. The production toured the country from the late 1990s to the mid-2000s.
In 2005, a review in the Los Angeles Times called the production "unmistakable fun," adding that it "invites the mind to play."
For more information on Theatre South Carolina's production of "The Comedy of Errors," contact Kevin Bush at 803-777-9353 or email@example.com. The Longstreet box office can be reached at 803-777-2551.
'The Comedy of Errors'
- What: Theatre South Carolina production of Shakespearean classic
- Who: Robert Richmond, associate professor in the department of theatre and dance, to direct
- When: April 15-23
- Where: Drayton Hall


text:
Why use -c 1 when one pass is the default. If you want just one pass, don't use the -c option. I'm not sure that's the source of your problem, but you don't need the -c option in the default settings.
i try to encode and bind with msfencode. iam using this command:
msfencode -i /root/Desktop/daten/myfile.exe -e x86/shikata_ga_nai -c 3 -x /root/Desktop/daten/calc.exe -k -o /root/Desktop/daten/myNEWfile.exe
when i got it right then is -i my file which i want to encode, -e which encoder i wanna use, -c x describes how many times -x describes what other process will be spawned and -o is just the output file.
iam aware of the fact that .exe files can be currpted at the encoding process, but when iam using -c 1 it seems to be broken. when i copy the output file which is 1x encoded with shikata to my windows lab computer, i get the message " Program to big to fit in memory ".
then i thought ok, we dont bind, just encode, same result -> " Program to big to fit in memory ".
Can anybody help ?
thx in advance
ps: the myfile.exe is a self written tool, its very robust..normaly.
Why use -c 1 when one pass is the default. If you want just one pass, don't use the -c option. I'm not sure that's the source of your problem, but you don't need the -c option in the default settings.
the -c 1 was just left cause i tried -c 5 first, then i went down from 5 to one. also without -c 1 it doesnt work. i know that normaly you would not use .exe files for that but i know that it works, but sadly all my inbox messages got sensless deleted without any information....havent done it for ages ....
Have you tried msfvenom, rather than msfencode? Msfvenom combines msfpayload & msfencode; some things likely changed in that, which may help resolve your problem.
If I could figure out how to scuba dive & hack at the same time, there would be nothing I couldn't do...
Dear friends,
I write some program with Microsoft Visual C# and .NET. i want to encode this program...so i use the more crypts tools....but i have not a good result. the Antivirus are all times catch it.so finally i use the shikata_ga_nai tool.
yes it is working well. The all antivirus are bypassing well.that's my command.......
sudo cat /root/Desktop/test1.exe | msfencode -c 1 -e x86/shikata_ga_nai > /test2.exe
but problem is :
The program is not working........
I try is windows XP 32 bit and 64 bit OS.....but same problem......
The error massage is:
" Program too big to fit into memory "
how to fix this problems?
that problem only with shikata_ga_nai tool......plz help me.....


text:
Have you tried installing the nvidia drivers first ?
So I bought a new laptop with windows 7 and I want to dual boot it with BT.. So I downloaded the latest backtrack distribution (BT 4 R2)
This is the laptop I bought:
So an XPS 17
Graphics card:
1GB NVIDIA GeForce GT 550M Graphics Card
I've found 3 possible fixes, which all failed for me:
* fixvesa
* fix-vesa (which is the same thing..?)
* dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg
None of these worked,
I know the 'startx' question must be asked a lot, and I did use the search button.
Hope someone can help
Kind regards
Have you tried installing the nvidia drivers first ?
Back|track giving machine guns to monkeys since 2007 !
Do not read the Wiki, most your questions will not be answered there !
Do not take a look at the: Forum Rules !


text:
This really is the ultimate answer to life, the universe and everything -- all five radio series of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy collected together for the first time. From the original Primary and Secondary Phases through to the more recent Tertiary, Quandary, and Quintessential Phases, these are the adventures of Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect, Zaphod Beeblebrox, and their assorted human, robotic, and alien companions. These full cast BBC Radio 4 dramas star Simon Jones, Peter Jones, Geoffrey McGivern, Mark Wing-Davey, Stephen Moore, and Susan Sheridan, with a stellar guest cast including John le Mesurier, Joanna Lumley, Christian Slater, Jackie Mason, Sandra Dickinson, Rula Lenska, Griff Rhys Jones, and Jonathan Pryce.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Within U.S.A.
Book Description BBC Audiobooks America 2008-10-14, 2008. Audio CD. Book Condition: good. Unabridged Edition. 1602834792. Bookseller Inventory # 544326
More Information About This Seller | Ask Bookseller a Question