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and i live in one of the mildest parts of the uk the south west, i love riding but hate the cold i think about 8 degrees is the minimum i can stand, am i a lady man or is anyone else a bit of a fairweather biker ?
Still to cold for me
I am a wimp too
has to be well into double figures with no salt on the road either.
Brrrrr wimpy rider I definitely is
Too cold?
I'm not too bothered about temperature and will usually be happy to ride even when it quite cold. Its the wet I tend to avoid as I really don't like riding in it.
agree wet is a no
I dont mind the cold too much either BUT i will avoid riding in the wet/rain at all cost's
its funny i dont mind getting muddy on the dirt etc, but on road riding i like it above 8 degrees dry and with no wind and i prefer a blue sky lol
i suppose an advantage of riding through the winter is that it's felt glorious this week. Took the very long route home from work this evening -
I don't mind riding in the wet
or the cold, but I ride most days, all year round and I'm lucky enough to have really good winter clothing, which helps a lot.
I really don't like icy roads though. Too unpredictable, and with no winter bike this year I've been quite anxious about my shiny, new baby.
Another rat bike is top of my shopping list for next winter.
Try to be a sparkly unicorn, not a miserable cow.
Kindle not a fire that you cannot extinguish.
no. Snow maybe. Cold yes but rain and cold really gets to my 27 year old joints and hurts.Right now it's getting a bit too warm in the jacket with liner in, but a bit too cold to take it out.
you lot
must be as hard as nails, I'm cold sat in front of the fire and leccy blanket on -
I'm not
I'm sat in front of the fire with a hoodie on. -
Or, maybe
the "no sense, no feeling" thing is true, after all
Try to be a sparkly unicorn, not a miserable cow.
Kindle not a fire that you cannot extinguish.
blue sky,leaves on the trees,dry road and no salt.Come on Summer,hurry up and get here.
popped out yesterday on bandit, but it was tad nippy on way back. Probably wont me out now till Easter, hoping to take bandit to Wales with us as visiting my parents..our bi yearly escape lol -
**tis 18 degrees outside **
my kitchen, it is a sun trap but looking good, although just heard a forecast and the weekend temps are set to drop like a stone and Easter is looking dire -
cold it aint
Some Aldi thermals and some heated grips and bring it on. The latest issue of bike inspired me to ride in all weather, well still wont do snow! -
brave bunny -
15 dgres minium for me
And I`m not ashamed to admit it . -
aaagh someone like me


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How to Get Rid of Damp Smell
There are houses that have a damp smell on them, especially on their basements. Homeowners may end up wondering where the unpleasant smell coming from and how to get rid of this smell. Apparently, the main usual reason behind the damp smell is the accumulated water under the house. Most households that suffer are those living near the beach or bodies of water. Most especially for them, and for others that may be suffering the same problem, here are some tips for you:
See to it that gutters are clean and unclogged
Tendency is, if the roof gutters are clogged, the water will go directly to the house. If this is the case, the water will then flow going to the basement that produces an unpleasant smell. If you can't get to the gutters yourself, you can get a professional to do it for a reasonable price.
The affected area and the house should be well ventilated
Keep your home well ventilated. A proper ventilation helps get rid of the odour by letting fresh air in and out.
Purchase a dehumidifier available in the market
An appliance like dehumidifier will take the excess humidity. It will reduce the damp smell in the house. It can be an additional expense but I am pretty sure it is worth it. There are many various makes and models that you can choose from. If you need something large, be sure that it's going to fit in your room.
Put charcoal around the house
Charcoal is known to absorb dampness and odor, so why not try this at home. Put it on the areas where the smell is intense. It may be the source. You have to replace them each month to maintain its effectiveness though.
By using an ionizer in the affected area
Ionizer is said to be an effective way of getting rid of the damp smell around the house. It releases ions into the air to combat the odor causing atoms. There are many various makes and models online that you can choose from. Be sure to choose one that works best for your room.
Cleaning out the basement and throw the unnecessary items
It is important to maintain the area and make it sure it is clean and dry. Get rid of all the possible items that may contribute to the damp smell. Throw away cardboards and newspapers. Clean the basement with soap and water. Mop the floor with disinfectants. Bleach the walls and tiles if necessary. Finish it by spraying disinfectant and air freshener all over the place.
Lemon Juice
Damp is something that triggers apprehension for anybody who's concerned for a property. Any home can undergo from damp problems. Damp areas within the household typically exhibit a unique and familiar smell. Musty ensnared air result from insufficient ventilation. When warm, damp air is shut in a narrow cramped area, like a bathroom or kitchen, moisture will upsurge giving mould and mildew the perfect breeding ground.
Lemon juice smells far better and much more pleasing. If you blend it with water it is actually not a poor cleaning solution either. It is capable of doing away with certain types of mould. It is in most cases an effective cleaning mixture and it can turn the soggy, mildewed stench in your residence to a breezy and lemony fragrance.

subset: commoncrawl


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SWANTON - Chris Keesey and Tommy Bonnette hit two free throws each in the final seconds last night to ice a 76-71 victory for Swanton against stubborn Fostoria.
Keesey led the Bulldogs with 24 points.
Swanton made 20 of 29 free throw attempts in the fourth quarter alone, compared to Redmen, who made two free throws out of three attempts.
The Bulldogs made 39 of 59 free throws in the game. The teams combined to shoot 85 free throws.
Fostoria's Treyvon McBeth led all scorers with 25 points.


text:
« Local Home |
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Smoking allowed: | Yes | Parking available: | Yes |
"Only dog friendly bar in Charlotte."
Great place to hang out!I went there last weekend with my labradoodle and my friends that have a miniature snauzer. All the dogs seemed to get along great....there were probably close to 10 dogs running and playing off leash. While all us owners had drinks and we could even bring food in with us. They also had a double gate nice outdoor area with picnic tables and toys for the dogs. I'm excited to go back with my dog. |


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New Orleans Hornets prepare to face New York Knicks: video Thursday Dec. 2
Beat writer John Reid updates Hornets' preparation for Friday night's game against the New York Knicks at the Arena.
Read the full article at NOLA.com... |
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:34 PM. |
Copyright 1997 - 2014 - BlackandGold.com


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Congress Bulletins | EuroGoTV Photos | Tournament Results
August 7, 2010
Congratulations to the European Go Champion 2010, Ilya Shikshin 7 dan from Russia!
Main Tournament and other results.
Welcome to Finland in 2010. The 54th European Go Congress will be hosted in the very center of the City of Tampere, a southern Finland city located between two beautiful lakes. With a population of 210 000 it is the most populous inland city in the Nordic countries. Tampere has been known for its textile and metal industries, nowadays for information technology. The city offers a wide range of activities for the friends of art, culture and sports.
The European Go Congress is the biggest go event outside Asia. The Congress includes the European Championship tournament, many side tournaments and other go-related events. This go congress will reach the record degree of the northern latitude but don't worry, the summer time is warm, beautiful and the summer nights are bright in Finland.
Tampere also provides good possibilities for sightseeing and trips. How about a cruise on lake Näsijärvi or visiting the amusement park Särkänniemi?
City of Tampere | Sulake | Teamware | Virte-Metalli Oromedia Group | Korean Amateur Baduk Association


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FRONTLINE reports from Iraq on the miscalculations and mistakes behind the brutal rise of ISIS.
ISIS' growing foothold in Afghanistan is captured on film.
Get Our Newsletter
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Private Warriors Produced by Marcela Gaviria and Martin Smith Written by Martin Smith
ANNOUNCER: Over the last two years, America has poured billions of dollars into Iraq. Much of it goes to private contractors. The biggest boom has happened in the security industry.
Col. THOMAS X. HAMMES, U.S. Marines (Ret.): Anybody who can start a company is piling into the country. There were security contractors over there that were just cowboys.
SECURITY BRIEFER: —suicide bomber moved in alongside the vehicle and detonated—
LAWRENCE PETER, Private Security Assn., Iraq: The demand for private security company effort was so great in Iraq that there was no competition. If you wanted a contract, you were going to get a contract.
ANNOUNCER: It's a lucrative but deadly business. Tonight on FRONTLINE, correspondent Martin Smith travels to Iraq to see the private side of war.
MARTIN SMITH, FRONTLINE Correspondent: [voice-over] There are tens of thousands of private contractors living and working in Iraq. Many of their companies are headquartered here, in Baghdad's Green Zone. This used to be the seat of Saddam's power, four square miles of palaces, villas and monuments along the Tigris River. Today, the Green Zone is the heart of occupied Iraq. Ensconced in cement, it feels like a surreal fortress, with armed guards everywhere.
The Rashid Hotel, once Iraq's finest, is now practically empty. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a tourist attraction without tourists. And the parade grounds where Saddam once reviewed his troops is now used by private security guards to practice driving under fire.
Though this is my fourth trip since the war began, this is the first time I've felt it's unsafe to travel about freely. I took a tour of the Green Zone with Lieutenant Colonel Bill Foos.
Lt. Col. BILL FOOS: It's not called the Green Zone, it's called the International Zone. People that have been here for awhile, they've stopped referring to it as the Green Zone because it's not the Green Zone. Green connotes safety, security.
MARTIN SMITH: Foos is a reservist with the Army Corps of Engineers. He is taking us to see what he calls their SUV graveyard. The Army Corps takes great risks in traveling about Iraq, trying to rebuild the country's infrastructure. These are some of the vehicles they've lost to insurgent attacks.
Lt. Col. BILL FOOS: This was in a VBIED attack. That's shrapnel from the explosion.
MARTIN SMITH: What's a little surprising is that the Army Corps doesn't rely on soldiers for protection. They've outsourced the job. The security company the Army Corps hired is not even American. The company, Erinys, was founded by ex-members of British special forces and hires an assortment of ex-soldiers and retired policemen from South Africa, America, England and Russia. The name Erinys refers to the Greek goddesses who pursue and punish evil.
Before getting in the vehicles, producer Marcela Gaviria and I are given a briefing
[on camera] Martin Smith.
JOEY JORDAN, Erinys Iraq: Blood type?
MARTIN SMITH: O-positive.
[voice-over] One of the greatest dangers Westerners face in Iraq is traveling.
JOEY JORDAN: OK, now, first thing, introduce myself. My name's Joey Jordan. I'm Team 2 CRG of GRD Team 3.
MARTIN SMITH: Most security contractors are in their 30s or 40s, but Joey here is a 23-year-old from England.
JOEY JORDAN: Safety— seatbelts, body armor and Kevlar will be worn in the vehicles at all times. GRD Team 3 is the most aggressive and well-trained team on the GRD contract, OK? The front vehicle, which is a silver Excursion over there— you may see this vehicle push other vehicles off the road, OK? If a vehicle gets in front of us, tries to slow us down, we'll give him a warning. If he doesn't adhere to that warning, we're going to hit him, get him out of the way and then get you down to your destination as fast as possible. Stay in the vehicle until myself or Mike tells you otherwise. We will tell you when and where to go at all times, OK? Everybody happy?
MARTIN SMITH: We set out in three cars. We ride in the middle, or client, car.
JOEY JORDAN: OK, all clear.
MARTIN SMITH: Just outside the gates of the Green Zone, we accelerate.
JOEY JORDAN: Increasing speed. Let's get out of here, gents.
MARTIN SMITH: The ride is jarring and nerve-wracking. As we proceed, the front and rear cars maneuver to shield us from any perceived threat. The sirens warn Iraqi drivers to steer clear.
JOEY JORDAN: Breaking, breaking, breaking!
MARTIN SMITH: If they don't, they can be forcibly cut off.
JOEY JORDAN: All vehicles follow me. Increasing speed. Let's go.
MARTIN SMITH: Our driver, Jason, is from Florida. He first came here as a U.S. soldier in 2003. After a few impossible twists and turns, we arrive at Erinys headquarters.
JOEY JORDAN: Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for an excellent day.
[www.pbs.org: More about the making of this film]
MARTIN SMITH: I'm not looking forward to the return trip.
[on camera] In a briefing, I noticed, before getting into the car, I'm told that the driving is going to be aggressive.
ANDY MELVILLE, Project Director, Erinys Iraq: Perhaps it's not the best use of terminology. The driving has to take that posture when the risk threat is high, and we do change our driving stance to meet the threat. As I said to you, the risk threat is high. You said yourself that you're aware of the suicide bombings that blew up security teams just yesterday. And we're very, very cautious of civilian vehicles approaching our motorcades.
MARTIN SMITH: Why does the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers need you? Why not just use U.S. soldiers?
ANDY MELVILLE: I can't comment on American policy, but clearly, they feel they require the services of a professional private security company. What I will allude to is the fact that the Americans would like to withdraw troop members. And perhaps it is part of their policy to reduce troop members and replace them with private security contractors.
MARTIN SMITH: [voice-over] Security work is big business. Erinys has grossed more than $150 million in Iraq. Worldwide, they've had contracts to protect USAID, Fluor, Siemens, British Petroleum and the BBC.
ERINYS GUARD: Vehicle down! Vehicle down! Vehicle down! Vehicle two is down!
MARTIN SMITH: They say they have never lost a client, but three Erinys guards have died on their Army Corps contract, a contract worth $50 million. Another 16 Erinys guards were killed protecting Iraq's oil infrastructure. They said they've killed around 70 insurgents.
ANDY MELVILLE: Unfortunately, they attack us fairly regularly. It's truthful to say that we're attacked probably once or twice a week at the current time, throughout operations through the whole of Iraq. We've got 15 security escort teams across the whole of the country. And it is very distressing that the Iraqis choose to attack us, and typically once or twice a week.
MARTIN SMITH: [on camera] Do those incidents result in the deaths of Iraqis?
ANDY MELVILLE: Unfortunately, we have had to kill anti-Iraqi forces in the pursuance of our duties, which is to protect the lives of our client.
MARTIN SMITH: Who are you accountable to in Iraq?
ANDY MELVILLE: We're accountable to the coalition forces. And we're a very, very professional and disciplined company.
MARTIN SMITH: [voice-over] On occasion, Erinys has recorded insurgent attacks using a camera mounted on the dashboard. Watch the next parked car on the right. The security detail immediately opens fire. The driver has been knocked unconscious. Then the dashboard camera is turned off. About 20 minutes later, the guards, unharmed, have secured the area. They report that one Iraqi was killed.
ANDY MELVILLE: We are only equipped to carry out defensive operations. We don't have any offensive capability at all. Essentially, we are a taxi service, and we're equipped to defend ourselves if we're attacked. Our entire doctrine, all of our policies and standard operating procedures, all revolve around getting out and getting away from the area of threat, getting out of the contact area.
[www.pbs.org: Read the extended interview]
MARTIN SMITH: The situation on the roads remains chaotic. Laws are only just being written.
The prime motive for joining a private security company is money. Guards can typically make from $400 to $600 a day, many times what a soldier makes. This is Blackwater, a high-profile American company that guarded U.S. ambassador Paul Bremer and still guards State Department personnel in Iraq. The company's guards are paid up to $1,000 a day. It causes some resentment among soldiers.
Blackwater made headlines last year when four of its contractors were killed in Fallujah. Their deaths drew attention to the high-risk contracting business and the people it attracts.
By all accounts, Scott Helvenston, who joined Blackwater in March of 2004, was well prepared for security work. He had been a Navy SEAL instructor and was a world-class athlete. He had earned the nickname "Scotty Bod." But Helvenston had fallen on hard times. He was in debt. He and his wife, Trisha, were just eking by, selling a line of exercise videos.
JAY PRICE, Raleigh News & Observer: Scotty had mainly financial problems. His video business was failing financially. He's got two kids he's got to provide for. And at one point, they were living in a small trailer on a campground, and you know, Mr. SEAL, Mr. Scotty Bod, is essentially a security guard in the campground. That couldn't have gone over well.
ED TWYFORD, Friend: I mean, that was a big impetus for him to go, from a financial standpoint. I mean, he told me one time, "If I can go over there and get a chance to make a name for myself, it'll be high-profile position, I'll be standing right in front of Paul Bremer for 60 days. And also, the financial rewards. Just think what I can provide for my kids." You know, he never said, "Hey, when I come back, I'm going to buy a new Suburban." You know, that wasn't the deal.
KATY HELVENSTON, Mother: He was going to be back home in two months. He didn't want to leave his kids. And so he said, "OK, Mom, I'm going to go over there for two months. I can make some good money." And that was the deciding factor. When you've been in Special Forces for 13, 14 years, you're trained to do one thing, and there's not a whole lot of jobs out there for people trained to kill. There really aren't. What are you going to do?
MARTIN SMITH: Helvenston was sent to the Green Zone in Baghdad. But from the start, things didn't go as he had hoped. He never met Bremer. Blackwater had a new contract with a catering company called ESS, and they were scrambling to find new guards.
JOE NEFF, Raleigh News & Observer: So they're just pulling this team together to work on this contract. Meanwhile, things were heating up in Iraq.
JAY PRICE: They certainly knew that there were risks involved in this, but they were go-getters. They were the kind of guys who accomplish missions, they're weren't guys who turned down missions and walked away.
MARTIN SMITH: But the men were uneasy. One team member, former Army Ranger Wes Batalona, complained to a friend that the team had never worked together before.
HAROLD VIDINHA, Security Contractor: Wes was very upset because you're breaking your team, and you're putting people— different people together. That's what's very upsetting. And then you are sending them in undermanned.
MARTIN SMITH: Contractually, Blackwater was to supply two SUVs with three guards per vehicle. Instead, the men set out at 8:30 in the morning with just two men per car, each short a rear gunner. They were escorting three empty trucks on their way to pick up some kitchen equipment at a base west of Fallujah. They were vulnerable— and obvious.
The commander responsible for Fallujah was Marine Colonel John Toolan.
Col. JOHN A. TOOLAN, U.S. Marines: Contractors were easily identified on the roads because they were all in brand-new SUVs— 2004 SUV, tinted windows. So they were easy to pick out. And the insurgents knew that it was a fairly easy mark.
MARTIN SMITH: Around 9:30 AM, they approached the center of town. Insurgents would ambush them from behind. All four guards were shot and killed. The insurgents made their own video of the aftermath.
HAROLD VIDINHA: The first thing that came up was a camera bouncing toward this SUV, and it went right into the car. There he was. I mean, that's— I knew it was him from his looks, everything. I mean, clear as day. You know, at least I know he wasn't burned alive. He was dead.
MARTIN SMITH: By the time the press arrived, a mob had set the cars on fire.
Col. JOHN A. TOOLAN: Unfortunately, it was going out on CNN. And we knew that this was a key component of the insurgent strategy: Get the pictures out, make it look like they're winning. It was clear.
MARTIN SMITH: Victim Jerry Zovko's family was hearing the news back in the U.S.
DONNA ZOVKO, Jerry Zovko's Mother: I was at my desk, and you know, there's the radio going on, saying that there has been four men killed in Fallujah, that they were dragged through the streets and they were burned and they were hung.
TOM ZOVKO, Jerry Zovko's Brother: There it was. The headlines hit too close to home, you know?
ED TWYFORD, Scott Helvenston's Friend: You know, I was, like, "Man, where do I go from here?" You know, "What am I supposed to do?" You know? What do you do when your best friend dies? So I immediately thought of his kids. You know, I'm going to call up Trisha. Daggummit!
KATY HELVENSTON, Scott Helvenston's Mother: They were sent into an area none of them had been to. They took out their rear gunners. They didn't have— they didn't have their armored vehicle, didn't have a map, nothing.
MARTIN SMITH: Four days later, Colonel Toolan was ordered to invade the city and find the killers. This was not his original plan for quelling hostility in Fallujah.
Col. JOHN A. TOOLAN: We had developed a pretty detailed plan on how we were going to address the problem, to the point where they understand the importance of rebuilding, reconstruction, working with the people, earning trust. And by those contractors being killed, it really forced us to put that aside and to opt for the more direct approach.
JOE NEFF: They have no control over these contractors. They go into Fallujah, they get killed, and it tosses the Marines' best-laid plans out the window.
Col. JOHN A. TOOLAN: And now we were going in as their worst enemy, and it's tough to come back from that. Certainly, the next time I'm sent some place with the Marines, the amount of control that I need to establish up front is going to be clear and more restrictive.
MARTIN SMITH: The incident created animosity towards contractors that continues today.
PETER SINGER, Brookings Institution: There's a bubbling resentment, and you're starting to sense a backlash from the military.
MARTIN SMITH: Peter Singer is author of Corporate Warriors, a study of the private security industry.
PETER SINGER: And what's happening now within the military is they're putting together an entire new doctrine, entire new package of rules and regulations as to how contractors are supposed to be used. Contractors should not be in essential roles. Contractors should not be armed. The problem is that that's slapping in the face of the reality of how they're being used.
STEVEN L. SCHOONER, George Washington University: We have tens of thousands of armed contractors in Iraq defending the Green Zone, defending military, defending contractors in and around the area, but they're not part of the military command structure.
MARTIN SMITH: Professor Steven Schooner is an expert on military contracting.
STEVEN SCHOONER: They don't communicate in the same networks. They don't get the same intelligence information. And so when things begin to develop quickly, there's an awful lot of people around with weapons who have important tactical responsibilities, who don't have the same information and aren't getting the same messages from the tactical leadership.
MARTIN SMITH: Reform has been put on hold. Private security guards are a fact of life here. Coalition authorities have tried to improve coordination between security contractors and the military, but ironically, they turned to the private sector for help.
PETER SINGER: We developed the classic Kafkaesque solution, which is we have a problem of outsourcing and coordinating outsourcing, and that we've done too much outsourcing and we don't have a control over it. So what would be the solution to it? Let's outsource the solution.
AEGIS SECURITY BRIEFING: Of reported attacks, IEDs featured strongly, with a relative increase in the use of IDF in Baghdad and in northern Iraq.
MARTIN SMITH: A British security company, Aegis, was hired for $300 million to help coordinate and track all security teams operating in Iraq, as well as to protect the Green Zone.
AEGIS SECURITY BRIEFING: —was assassinated in a drive-by yesterday—
MARTIN SMITH: Every morning at their command center, called the ROC, they brief other security company representatives.
AEGIS SECURITY BRIEFING: We had a three-vehicle PSD—
MARTIN SMITH: The problem is that participation is voluntary.
AEGIS SECURITY BRIEFING: —at which point, the suicide bomber moved in down the slip road alongside the vehicle and detonated.
MARTIN SMITH: And even companies that participate are still outside the military chain of command.
AEGIS SECURITY BRIEFING: Seven IED attacks around the city, also a few mortar attacks.
MARTIN SMITH: Most reps we spoke to said the ROC has failed to establish order in the industry.
AEGIS SECURITY BRIEFING: All right. Thank you for being here today. And as always, be safe, but if necessary, be lethal. Have a great day.
MARTIN SMITH: Several military officers we spoke to complained that there are contractors that simply shouldn't be here. Marine Colonel Thomas X. Hammes was a base commander in Iraq in early 2004.
Col. THOMAS X. HAMMES, U.S. Marines (Ret.): There were security contractors over there that were just cowboys. They clearly had neither the training nor the experience. Could I identify them? No. They wore a mixed bag of uniforms. Nobody wore nametags. They didn't have unit logos.
You'd run into these people in town with really kind of a bad attitude, and there was nothing you could do about it. How do you identify them? Well, there's no licenses plates on their car. They're driving an SUV. These people were simply unsafe.
Whether you like it or not, they represent you. To the local population, they're your hired guns. The Iraqis resent it very much and knew quite clearly that if one of these people shot an Iraqi, they were not subject to any law. They could simply be extracted from the country.
PETER SINGER: There were reports of, literally, companies hiring bouncers to do security detail duties in Iraq. That's a training issue. You also have a question of their—
MARTIN SMITH: [on camera] You got something against bouncers?
PETER SINGER: In terms of having them on the ground, carrying submachine guns that they've never learned how to use, out there getting into firefights that not only impinge upon that company but, by the way, impinge upon the entire U.S. military operation?
MARTIN SMITH: These companies have training. They have training by former you know, special forces.
PETER SINGER: Sometimes companies have let in people who have backgrounds that we would not want to be there.
[www.pbs.org: Read Singer's extended interview]
LAWRENCE PETER, Private Security Assn., Iraq: There's always going to be a small percentage of people who don't do a good job in any industry.
MARTIN SMITH: [voice-over] In 2004, Lawrence Peter was the U.S. official in charge of regulating the security business in Iraq. Now he's left government and is an industry rep.
[on camera] Is there active debate within the business as to what jobs are appropriate and which jobs are not appropriate?
LAWRENCE PETER: Right now, you've got private security companies who've been asked to do certain missions, and they're going to do those to the best of their ability within the framework in which they're provided. They operate under clearly defined rules for use of force.
MARTIN SMITH: Was there ever a time when a private security contractor was reprimanded?
LAWRENCE PETER: Well, there may have been. But that typically would be between the contracts officer who hired that private security company and the private security company.
MARTIN SMITH: You would have been in a position to know.
LAWRENCE PETER: I'm not aware of any incidents, offhand. I mean, someone could bring up something to me or something like that, but—
MARTIN SMITH: But that's the issue. There's no transparency. If there have been any kinds of reprimands, we don't know about them. And we don't even know if there have been any.
LAWRENCE PETER: Is there a responsibility for every company to tell me if they're having a difficulty or not? No. Companies are very self-reliant, independent, and they're going to do the things that they need to do. This is a business matter.
Camp Navistar, Kuwait
TELEPHONE VOICE: You have reached Kellogg, Brown and Root's overseas employment hotline for LOGCAP III.
MARTIN SMITH: [voice-over] The biggest contract in Iraq is with Halliburton subsidiary KBR, a logistics company that provides support for U.S. troops around the world.
TELEPHONE VOICE: We are hiring for operations for Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Djibouti.
MARTIN SMITH: KBR is still hiring.
TELEPHONE VOICE: Living conditions in the Middle East are extremely harsh. Iraq and Kuwait are located in a desert climate, with an average temperature of 120 degrees.
MARTIN SMITH: So far, KBR has been asked to perform nearly $12 billion worth of services.
TELEPHONE VOICE: Afghanistan and Iraq are listed as hazard zones by the Department of State. Therefore, you will receive hazard pay. To return to the main menu, press 1.
MARTIN SMITH: KBR is the military's lifeline, its main supplier. KBR's convoys don't use private security, they are provided military escorts.
SOLDIER: Any kind of contact, just keep on moving. Our gun trucks will fix and flank on those, and we should be OK. If for some reason you do get broke up, just keep on going. We'll go a couple of miles up the road, we'll rally, then we'll get everybody together.
MARTIN SMITH: We wanted to ride along with KBR's drivers, but the company told us it's too dangerous.
SOLDIER: If no one has any questions, we'll get in our trucks and get going. Let's roll!
MARTIN SMITH: One out of every three convoys comes under fire. Over 65 KBR employees, 16 of them truckers, have been killed since the beginning of the war. The biggest attack came on April 9, 2004, when insurgents ambushed a 19-truck KBR convoy. Six drivers were killed. Coming just a week after the Fallujah attack, contractors across Iraq were increasingly terrified.
INSURGENT: [subtitles] Here's our American prisoner!
THOMAS HAMILL, KBR: They attacked our convoy.
MARTIN SMITH: Lead KBR truck driver Thomas Hamill was taken hostage and held for 23 days. Another KBR trucker is still missing.
After the April 9th incident, we were told that scores of KBR truckers refused to drive until security improved. Hundreds of contractors left the country. For weeks, the military was left with dwindling stores of ammunition, fuel and water.
PETER SINGER: The contractor is not part of the chain of command, and they can decide to leave when and where they want. They can decide to leave if they get a better job offer by another private military company or by some other company back home. They can decide to leave because they're just tired of this. These are all decisions that a contractor has the discretion to make that someone within the military does not. And so what you've done is put a level of uncertainty into your military operation, and military operations are not a place that you want uncertainty.
MARTIN SMITH: The Army's after-action report for April 9th concluded that KBR's truckers needed to be trained to fire weapons, to be more like soldiers.
Camp Arifjan, Kuwait
When KBR was initially tasked to assist the U.S. military, the assumption was that the war would be short-lived and that KBR would wind down its operations quickly. Instead, it grew far beyond all expectations.
RUSSELL BAGGERLY, Movement Manager, KBR: This is huge. This is bigger than the biggest logistics operation that there is. This is world-war-scale logistics boiled down to a very refined process. All commodities in, all commodities out, personnel in, personnel out, military equipment in, military equipment out. We provide movement control reports on the movement of everything.
MARTIN SMITH: KBR's trucking hub is Camp Arifjan in Kuwait. It sprawls over 10 square miles. Through here, KBR has shipped and delivered 500 million gallons of fuel and a hundred million pounds of mail. Of the 50,000 people KBR employs, 13,000 are Americans, the rest are lower-paid workers from the Philippines, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. They work at over 60 sites throughout Iraq and Kuwait.
The first KBR employees arrived six months before the invasion of Iraq. They built the bases and maintained the equipment. While Americans debated whether to go war, KBR was hard at work.
Historically, there is nothing new about the military's use of private contractors. What's new is the scale. Jobs like air traffic control, the refueling of aircraft and the maintenance and loading of advanced weapons systems were always the sole province of soldiers.
A change in policy dates back to the end of the cold war when the Pentagon was downsizing. The then secretary of defense, Dick Cheney, first hired Halliburton as a consultant. The rest is well known. After leaving government, Cheney became the president of Halliburton, parent company of KBR.
Lt. Gen. PAUL CERJAN (Ret.), V.P. Worldwide Military Affairs, KBR: And they came up with the conclusion it's cheaper to outsource. So they outsource to KBR, and we got the contract. We do what they ask us to do. We support the military with an equivalent of over 30 battalions worth of support. That's a lot.
[www.pbs.org: Does outsourcing save money?]
Camp Victory, Baghdad
MARTIN SMITH: KBR runs dozens of Army bases in Iraq, and all the ones we visited had a food court like this one. You can have pizza, a burger or a hero. KBR set up Camp Victory inside one of Saddam's former palace complexes. It's impressive enough, but KBR was eager to show us something even bigger. We were flown 40 miles north of Baghdad, to the largest military base in Iraq.
Camp Anaconda, Balad
Located in the Sunni Triangle, some call it Fort KBR. I've never seen anything like it. Here there are vast neighborhoods set behind concrete barriers known as Bremer walls: 28,000 soldiers and 8,000 contractors live here. There's a Wild West-themed post office with a captured Iraqi anti-aircraft gun out front, a movie theater next to another Subway franchise, and a rec center where soldiers can relax away from the battlefield.
GARRY CARTER, Project Manager, KBR: We have gyms, salsa dancing, Taekwondo, and you name it. There's probably something for everybody there is.
MARTIN SMITH: KBR's Garry Carter is nicknamed "the mayor of Anaconda."
GARRY CARTER: We have the sewer system on the base. We have the water production on the base, providing about 1.3 million gallons daily. Our laundry facility here, we do about 80,000 bags of laundry a month. We have over a thousand generators on this base, running, providing power here. That's a key element, the power that will power the lights, the pumps, the air conditioners, the heaters.
MARTIN SMITH: [on camera] You're doing a lot better than a lot of the Iraqis.
GARRY CARTER: We're trying to provide that power.
We have the food service here on the base, 105,000 meals a day, feeding over 30,000 individuals.
MARTIN SMITH: So you've got 35,000 people, 105,000 meals a day you're serving here. Do you have that broken down in terms of cost?
STEPHANIE PRICE, KBR Media Relations: We don't break that out.
GARRY CARTER: We don't— we don't break it out. It's— it's—
STEPHANIE PRICE: We can't get the total definitization, but we don't break it out by individual task order.
MARTIN SMITH: [voice-over] That's Stephanie Price of KBR media relations.
[on camera] So you don't have a cost per meal?
STEPHANIE PRICE: We don't break it out that way.
MARTIN SMITH: So if I was going to try to figure out how much it was costing to serve, cook the food, how would I go about doing that?
STEPHANIE PRICE: I'll redirect you—
GARRY CARTER: She can direct you to that.
STEPHANIE PRICE: I mean, we're really here to show you the level of service. If you want to go back, then I'll take you back to Paul.
MARTIN SMITH: Can you give me some idea of how much it costs to run this city in a day?
GARRY CARTER: No. Not actually.
MARTIN SMITH: [voice-over] Stephanie continued the discussion in the car.
STEPHANIE PRICE: Marty, I'm just telling you how we release our figures per the government. No one's going to break down costs per camp for you. It's just not going to happen.
MARTIN SMITH: [on camera] You know, this is what concerns people because when it's under the military, it's public information. And once you privatize services that are provided with taxpayer dollars—
STEPHANIE PRICE: It's public information, but they don't break it down per camp. I mean, you can't.
MARTIN SMITH: Well, what if I want to find out how much it's costing to feed troops or to clean latrines, just that specific information?
STEPHANIE PRICE: Well, then, I mean, see if the military will provide you that.
[voice-over] We went to see the other mayor of Anaconda, base commander Colonel David Fitzgerald. We found him presiding over a ceremony, handing out certificates of recognition to KBR employees. I took Stephanie's advice and asked the colonel about costs. He was refreshingly open.
[on camera] Do you break costs down? Do you have an idea of how much it's costing you to feed each one of your soldiers, for instance?
Col. DAVID FITZGERALD, Base Cmndr., Camp Anaconda: Sure do. Not only do I break it down, I have a meeting every week. A number of my staff members have a meeting every week, and we look specifically at that with KBR, and we track those costs.
MARTIN SMITH: Do you know how much it costs to feed a soldier?
Col. DAVID FITZGERALD: It costs roughly— I think it's— it's probably in the neighborhood of about $20 a plate per service. And we have quite a few servings per day.
MARTIN SMITH: [voice-over] The quality and range of services KBR provides to soldiers is impressive, but cost is a real issue. An audit by the U.S. Government Accountability Office of dining hall costs for one four-month period alleges KBR charged $88 million dollars for meals they never served. And Pentagon audits allege that KBR overcharged $108 million for fuel and billed the government $1.8 billion in other unsupported costs. The Pentagon terminated the fuel contract. As for meals, KBR says workers prepared food that just wasn't consumed. And the unsupported 1.8 billion, KBR says, is a paperwork issue that's being resolved.
[on camera] You've got at least four vigorous investigations going on. Other big companies have operated in this theater — Bechtel, Parsons, in the oil sector and reconstruction — they haven't attracted as much attention. Halliburton, KBR, gets singled out as a particular target. Why?
Lt. Gen. PAUL CERJAN (Ret.), V.P. Worldwide Military Affairs, KBR: I don't know. If I knew the answer to that, I'd probably be in politics or religion.
MARTIN SMITH: Well, you must have— you must do some thinking about it.
PAUL CERJAN: Well, I've got some feelings about it. I mean, the only thing we can do is stand up and give a true and honest evaluation of what we've done, show the documentation and why we arrived at those conclusions, and let whoever is making the assessment make the assessment. We are not afraid of that process. We are not afraid of that process at all. I welcome it because I'm a taxpayer, too.
MARTIN SMITH: [voice-over] KBR has inspired a cottage industry of critics charging undue political influence and financial fraud. But for all the controversy, there are many in Wall Street and in Washington who believe KBR is making only a slim profit, that they've been simply overwhelmed by the military's needs and failed to adequately track costs.
The Pentagon never intended to keep so many troops in Iraq for so long anyway. But now Anaconda is slated to become one of four so-called "enduring bases" in Iraq. Some veteran officers complain that it's a bad idea in a war zone.
Col. THOMAS X. HAMMES, U.S. Marines (Ret.): We did it in Vietnam, too. We created these huge base isolations in Vietnam, where we set ourselves aside from the population, created great luxury for the forces that lived there. And that doesn't really get you anything in the counterinsurgency. It creates a lot of problems. If the assumption is this is a peacetime occupation and then you wanted— your bases to start to look like Germany. If you think you're still in a war zone, you build a different structure altogether.
I frankly was stunned at the level of care. I mean, the big-screen TVs, the three main courses, three kinds of ice cream with multiple flavored toppings, several kinds of pastries, and all of these sorts of things, some feeling that we have to do this because the troops won't respond otherwise. I don't think that's true. The five months I was in Somalia with the Marines, we never really had a hot meal. There were no showers built. Nobody seemed to have a problem with that. I mean, you're in a war.
So this is misguided luxury. Somebody's risking their life to deliver that luxury. Maybe you could tone down the luxury, put fewer vehicles on the road.
MARTIN SMITH: [on camera] Retired military say, "You know, our soldiers don't need three flavors of ice cream. They don't need lobster," or "They don't need cordon bleu. What they need is a safe, secure environment." What's your reaction to that?
PAUL CERJAN: Well, first of all, the American soldier loves milk and ice cream. And so if that makes him feel better, why shouldn't you provide it? I mean, there's a lot to be said about bringing an individual inside the wire and providing him these amenities that don't have to be provided by soldiers. I mean, I spent my entire career watching soldiers pull KP in the kitchen. Why do we have to do that with soldiers? Why can't we outsource that mission?
MARTIN SMITH: [voice-over] In an all-volunteer Army, no one is going sign up and clean latrines. The Army is failing to make its enlistment quotas as it is. But in Iraq, soldiers we spoke to were not sure about using private contractors, either.
SOLDIER: The thing is, is you just can't tell one of them to go man a guard tower. You can't tell one of them that they need to pull security or go out on a raid or do a different job. You can't make them do push-ups if they screw up. Basically, they just get fired, go home, and they get another person they can use for a year.
MARTIN SMITH: Before we came to Iraq and after we returned, we tried to ask top Pentagon officials responsible for acquisition, manpower, logistics and procurement questions about outsourcing. They all declined to be interviewed. Other officials told us that outsourcing is a sensitive issue in the Pentagon.
[www.pbs.org: More debate on military outsourcing]
Besides 50,000 contractors working with KBR doing troop support and 20,000 private security guards, there are another 40,000 contractors working for companies like Bechtel, Parsons and GE on reconstruction jobs at scattered sites throughout Iraq. To see them, we needed once again to travel outside the walls of the Green Zone.
PRIVATE SECURITY GUARD: We have a fully qualified medic in the rear vehicle. We have a medical bag in each vehicle. It's the blue bag behind your seat.
MARTIN SMITH: We rode along with a security company taking some personnel to a power plant outside of Baghdad. For their safety, both the security guards and the client asked not to be identified. We were told the trip would take about half an hour, but not far from the center of Baghdad, we hit traffic. The guards get out to set up a kind of security perimeter.
TEAM LEADER: OK, stay calm, guys.
MARTIN SMITH: Then the commander notices a white sedan on the right shoulder and alerts his guards over the radio.
TEAM LEADER: The one parked on the right there, little white one. Two front, one rear. That guy's still giving you the eye.
MARTIN SMITH: He thinks the car may be loaded with explosives.
TEAM LEADER: No, don't walk up on them because if they detonate, you're done.
MARTIN SMITH: Sitting still, we are vulnerable. The commander decides to reroute us back through the center of Baghdad. Eventually, we get through town, but on the way back out, we hit another traffic jam, this time on a bridge. We are boxed in. All the defensive driving in the world cannot protect you from a suicide bomber here.
TEAM LEADER: Gentlemen, I'm going to recommend we abort this mission and try it another day. Let these guys through and make a space so we can turn around.
MARTIN SMITH: We never did get to see the new power plant.
GUARD: Sorry, gentlemen. We gave it our shot.
MARTIN SMITH: Last June, a convoy of GE contractors were on their way to a power plant outside Baghdad. Three GE employees and two security guards were among 13 dead and 62 wounded in a bomb attack. The total number of contractors that have died since the war began is hard to say. More than 300 contractor deaths have been reported in the press, but not all companies report casualty numbers.
Families of contractors who've been killed in the line of duty have recently taken some companies to court in the U.S. The families of the four guards killed in Fallujah are suing Blackwater for wrongful death. But in a privatized war, it's hard to determine who can be held responsible.
DONNA ZOVKO, Jerry Zovko's Mother: I blame Blackwater, its employees. But I am very upset that our government allows companies to do business the way they do in Iraq.
KATY HELVENSTON, Scott Helvenston's Mother: Our government cannot subcontract out their wars and take no accountability for anything that happens. And that's basically what they're doing.
MARTIN SMITH: A tangled chain of contracts has so far obscured any final accountability. Blackwater was contracted through a Kuwaiti company, Regency, to a Cypriot company, ESS, the food caterer. But ESS has refused to tell FRONTLINE exactly who they were working for.
We asked ESS about a clause in its contract that references KBR. Without explaining the clause, ESS said it wasn't working for KBR on March 31st. KBR also says it wasn't involved, and that under the terms of their contract with the Army, KBR and all its subcontractors must use military security.
I asked KBR's Paul Cerjan if he could clear this up.
[on camera] Why was Blackwater involved in providing ESS trucks, security? They were picking up kitchen equipment from the 82nd Airborne.
PAUL CERJAN: I have no idea. That was a year ago. I can tell you what the situation is today contractually, but I have no idea what the contractual situation was—
MARTIN SMITH: Were you here then?
PAUL CERJAN: No.
MARTIN SMITH: Is ESS a subcontractor today?
PAUL CERJAN: Yes. They have some dining facility contracts, yes.
[www.pbs.org: More of KBR's response]
MARTIN SMITH: [voice-over] Untangling the chain is impossible without cooperation from the companies.
[on the phone] Hello? Yes. I'm looking for Alan Morgan George—
[voice-over] While we were in Kuwait, I tried to reach ESS.
[on the phone] Who could I talk to there who's managing the catering contracts in Iraq right now?
[voice-over] I had no luck. And since then, ESS has refused to discuss the language in the contract. Blackwater, which denies responsibility for the contractors' deaths, says it doesn't know who directed the March 31st mission.
The man who managed the Army's logistics contracts in spring, 2004, was also unable to clarify what happened.
[on camera] What happened in the case of the Blackwater contractors who went into Fallujah, and they— they were protecting trucks that were going to pick up kitchen equipment. It's in violation of the contract that you had, correct?
Gen. PAUL KERN, Army Material Command (Ret.): No, I can't tell you that it was a violation of the contract.
MARTIN SMITH: Why not?
PAUL KERN: Because it was— because of the— at the level at which it was being conducted, within subcontractors, both the security and the— and the sources, I can't tell you that they violated the contract.
MARTIN SMITH: Very frustrating to have that sort of lack of visibility in contracts.
PAUL KERN: True. But again, we're— we're operating— more than 42,000 people spread over, literally, millions of square miles across Southwest Asia, and our ability to look at every single thing in a contingency-type operation just doesn't exist.
MARTIN SMITH: [on camera] With so many contracts and so little transparency, we may never know what happened on March 31st, 2004, nor who is liable. With the Fallujah contractors case not yet scheduled, the families are forced to wait.
Our trip is nearly over. We have only one decision left to make: How to get to the airport. As we are deciding, we learn that there been attack on the airport road involving the team we rode with two days earlier. This man, who had protected us, was killed. That same day, there was another attack. Andy Melville at Erinys showed us an insurgents' video off the Internet.
ANDY MELVILLE, Project Director, Erinys Iraq: This clip is particularly distressing. And it shows the execution of a private security operator.
MARTIN SMITH: Skylink, a contractor that ferries people from the Green Zone to the airport, has had a helicopter shot down north of Baghdad. Ten men are killed in the crash, including six Blackwater security guards.
INSURGENT: Stand up! Stand up!
MARTIN SMITH: The Skylink pilot, a Bulgarian contractor, is the lone survivor of the crash.
INSURGENT: Go, go! Go!
MARTIN SMITH: He is also the last victim.
INSURGENT: [shooting] Allahu akbar! Allahu akbar! Allahu akbar!
MARTIN SMITH: We opt to go to the airport by road with a Russian detail from Erinys. The military calls this "Route Irish." The Iraqis call it "Death Road." In the last four months, there have been at least 150 attacks on this 10-mile stretch. The U.S. military and their partners in the private sector have been unable to secure this vital link.
America's exit from Iraq is hard to envision, but it's clear that the private contractors we met will be in business for a long time.
We've cleared the last checkpoint. An airport has never looked so good.
Private Warriors
WRITTEN BY Martin Smith
PRODUCED BY Marcela Gaviria and Martin Smith
EDITOR Ben Gold
PHOTOGRAPHY Timothy Grucza Scott Anger
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER Margarita Dragon
ORIGINAL MUSIC Miranda Hentoff
PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS Shani Meewella Mira Meghdessian
ASSISTANT EDITOR Brooks Larsen
BOOKKEEPING Stefanie Gordon
ONLINE EDITOR Michael H. Amundson
SOUND MIX Jim Sullivan
ARCHIVAL MATERIALS ABCNews VideoSource APTN CNN Imagesource Getty Images ITN Archives WPPi Film Images
Reported in collaboration with Bob Williams and Andre Verloy of The Center for Public Integrity
DIRECTOR OF BROADCAST Tim Mangini
POST PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Chris Fournelle
ON AIR PROMOTION PRODUCER Missy Frederick
SENIOR EDITOR Steve Audette
AVID EDITORS Michael H. Amundson John MacGibbon
POST PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Chetin Chabuk
SERIES MUSIC Mason Daring Martin Brody
SENIOR PUBLICISTS Diane Buxton Christopher Kelly
PUBLICIST Jessica Smith
PROMOTION DESIGNER Dennis O'Reilly
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FOUNDATION GRANT MANAGER Jessica Cashdan
SECRETARY Gabrielle MonDesire
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COORDINATING PRODUCER Robin Parmelee
SERIES EDITOR Ken Dornstein
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EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Marrie Campbell
SERIES MANAGER Jim Bracciale
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER SPECIAL PROJECTS Michael Sullivan
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EXECUTIVE PRODUCER David Fanning
A FRONTLINE co-production with RAINmedia
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ANNOUNCER: Visit FRONTLINE's Web site for more on this report, including a rundown of major private contractors operating in Iraq today and the ongoing investigations of some of them, a collection of personal photos and stories from civilian contractors in Iraq, a look at the history of civilian contractors performing security functions in a war zone, background on the making of this program from FRONTLINE's producers, and extended interviews with contractors, military officials and other experts, plus streaming video of the full program and more at pbs.org.
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text:
Natalie Angier, a Pulitzer Prize-winning science columnist for The New York Times and bestselling author, has said, "Science is the future, science is making the future, and nations large and small are busy making future scientists."
Science, technology, engineering and mathematics — the so-called STEM fields — drive a country's growth, health and well-being. It's because of people working in these fields that we have such conveniences as cars, computers and smartphones.
And they are the reason we understand the structure of DNA, which contains the biological information that makes us unique as a species and as individuals. And they are the ones helping to search for cures for cancer.
But the U.S. is falling behind in the number of people pursuing degrees and careers in these fields.
A recent report by the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee shows that the portion of students earning bachelor's degrees in STEM fields reached a high at 24 percent in 1985 but fell to 18 percent by 2009.
The same downward trend exists for master's and doctoral degrees in STEM fields. And women and ethnic minority groups make up a disproportionately small number of the students earning STEM degrees. All told, this paints a troubling picture.
One important way to reverse the trend is to instill a passion for science, engineering and math in students early and to create a strong pathway for them to pursue degrees and careers in these fields.
The Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science at the University of North Texas does just that for hundreds of students each year.
We nurture academically talented students who have both the promise and the drive to become the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers.
TAMS students complete their first two years at UNT while simultaneously finishing high school.
Mentored by faculty at UNT and from around the region and nation, TAMS students tackle complex, real-world problems, working on solutions and breakthroughs in fields ranging from health care to energy consumption.
About 85 percent of TAMS students earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in STEM fields. And our graduates end up as doctors, engineers, scientists, researchers and more.
Hands-on experience
For students such as Kurtis Carsch, TAMS is a head start to a promising career and an opportunity to do innovative research on real problems.
Under the direction of Dr. Thomas Cundari, Regents Professor of chemistry, Kurtis developed and tested catalysts that would allow natural gas to be converted into methanol, an emerging fuel alternative and valuable raw material for industrial chemicals like ethylene, a precursor to plastics.
Because of his work, Kurtis was one of 40 finalists in the 2012 Intel Science Talent Search, a prestigious competition for young researchers that has seven Nobel Prize winners among its alumni.
Kurtis was one of nine TAMS students who made it to the Intel semifinals and is now a student at the California Institute of Technology studying chemical engineering.
In 2008, TAMS student Wen Chyan captured the top prize — a $100,000 scholarship — in the national Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology for engineering a polymer coating that could help prevent common, and sometimes deadly, bacterial infections resulting during hospital stays.
Wen is at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology majoring in chemistry and will pursue graduate school in the next year.
TAMS students repeatedly stand out in these prestigious math- and science-oriented competitions because of the mentoring and opportunities they get at UNT.
They break records, with more becoming Goldwater Scholars than students at any other Texas university. Goldwater Scholarships support college students who excel in STEM fields and are on the road to becoming the best in our nation's scientific future.
A leader
Since our founding in 1987 as the nation's first accelerated residential program of its kind, TAMS has become the go-to place for gifted students to get their start. We're now one of only seven such programs in the U.S.
After enrolling our first class in 1988, we've graduated more than 3,500 students, many of whom choose to stay at UNT to earn their degree because of the strong academic and campus experience we provide.
For instance, TAMS graduate Rebecca White excelled as a student and a leader at UNT, earning her bachelor's degree in biology and serving in our leadership organization NT40. She now works as a director for an energy company.
The TAMS student body is almost equal parts male and female, and students come from a wide breadth of ethnic, cultural and economic backgrounds — facts that I'm proud of because it shows that we're excelling at making STEM education accessible to all.
As someone with a background in biology, physiology and medical research, I know how important good science education is and why starting early can make all the difference.
With a strong foundation from TAMS, many of our graduates distinguish themselves in their chosen fields. TAMS is an essential way that UNT is boosting STEM education for the good of Texas and its industries. We're busy making the future.
RICHARD J. SINCLAIR is dean of the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science at the University of North Texas.


text:
One Hand, Two Hands - eBook
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Product Description
▼▲Product Information
▼▲Format: DRM Protected ePub Vendor: Thomas Nelson Publication Date: 2010 | ISBN: 9781418562557 ISBN-13: 9781418562557 |
Publisher's Description
▼▲Written in rhyming text and illustrated with the charming art of Gaby Hansen, this simple message of Gods blessing of hands not only entertains . . . as it teaches what wonderful things our hands can do from scratching, latching, and petting a pup to washing dishes with mommy and putting toys in a box . . . but it also conveys the important message: We can use Gods gift of hands to show our love for Him by helping others. The book ends tenderly with a prayer of thanks to God for hands and asks Him to use them again:
One hand, two hands,
Five fingers, ten.
God, thanks, for my hands.
Please, use them again.
Author Bio
▼▲With more than 125 million products in print, Max Lucado is America's bestselling inspirational author. He serves the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, where he lives with his wife, Denalyn, and their mischievous mutt, Andy.
Product Reviews
acwsmomCovina, CA5 Stars Out Of 5Love it!July 13, 2011acwsmomCovina, CAQuality: 5Value: 5Meets Expectations: 5This review was written for One Hand, Two Hands.Excellent story to read to kids. Lots of fun to watch kids clap, snap, and wave their hands in the air. Also gives a very important message about what are hands are ultimately used for -- praying! Great book by a great author.
britluver20021Arnold, CAAge: 25-34Gender: female5 Stars Out Of 5A wonderful book for kids to read and enjoyNovember 29, 2010britluver20021Arnold, CAAge: 25-34Gender: femaleQuality: 5Value: 5Meets Expectations: 5This review was written for One Hand, Two Hands.This book called One Hand, Two Hand by Max Lucado was a rally good book. It was a children's book I received from booksneeze.com. The book had very small words and alot of pictures that made it entertaining and fun to read. I know for sure my niece and newphew will love this book very much. They are 3 and 5 and love to read and play games. This book mentioned a few things kids can do with their hands such as helping to clean my room, feed my pets, set and clear the table and gather the trash. Also mentions how kids have kind hands to make a card for a sick person, give a gift to the teacher at school, help a friend put a band-aid on when they have a scrap on their knee, and sharing my snack.The book also mentions loving hands that kids have to fold them to pray to GOD, clap for someone else, to wave to a friend and hug my mom or dad. This book basically is a way for kids to show their mom and dad how much they appreciate them by helping around the house and the most important thing in the book is how we can pray to GOD to give thanks for the many things around us for having GOD in our lives is so rewarding and blessed and how getting to know GOD is one of the best things we could ever have!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." -
Ellyn LeowAge: 35-44Gender: female5 Stars Out Of 5The wonderful things our hands can doOctober 15, 2010Ellyn LeowAge: 35-44Gender: femaleQuality: 5Value: 4Meets Expectations: 5This review was written for One Hand, Two Hands.I waited and waited for almost two months and finally this hard cover children storybook arrived safely in my hands. This is the first international parcel De'Little Ones received; and this book - One Hand, Two Hands, written by Max Lucado in rhyming text and illustrated with the charming art of Gaby Hansen, has traveled all the way from United States to Malaysia. I told Kylie (my 6 years old daughter) and Kylin (my 3 years old daughter) how far this book has traveled.
Kylin loves this book the most, requesting to sit on my lap and asking me to read the book aloud. She loves the interactive illustrations on every page and she even mimics the girl's action on the book when I read this:
One right.
One left.
One here and
one there.
As I read along, I showed her all the things we can do with our hands and she followed actively with Kylie and me. At the end of their bedtime story, she requested me to read this book again so that she could have fun performing all the wonderful acts with her hands. She even asked me, "Have you seen God before?" after reading this -
_we fold them
together and
happily pray:
Before reading aloud to Kylin, Kylie had the honor of reading the book first. She had no problems reading and understanding the contents, with Kylin and me sitting by her bedside. Kylin listened attentively when Kylie read aloud. At the end of the story, I asked Kylie if she loves this book and she said, "I dunno." When probed further, Kylie revealed that she prefers a pop-up book. :)
This book is a great book for children and I rate this book 5 out of 5. This book teaches children to be grateful to have hands and how they can show love, help others and be kind to others with their hands. -
CYChanMalaysiaAge: 25-34Gender: female5 Stars Out Of 5Great book that teaches good value to the childrenOctober 13, 2010CYChanMalaysiaAge: 25-34Gender: femaleQuality: 4Value: 5Meets Expectations: 4This review was written for One Hand, Two Hands.After waiting for almost 2 months, finally I received this book on last weekend. The beautiful illustrations straightaway captured the kids' attention and requested me to read for them on that night.
One Hand, Two Hands is written by Max Lucado in rhyming text and illustrated with the charming art of Gaby Hansen. The language is very simple, plus the interactive illustration, it is very easy for the children to understand. It teaches what wonderful things our hands can do from clapping, scratching, latching, squeezing, waving and petting a pup to washing dishes with mommy and putting toys in a box. As I read along, the kids will actively follow along doing all sorts of fun activities using their hands. Besides that, my 2 years old is also attracted by the beautiful and sweet illustration of the book. This is one of the few books that he will sit with me listen to me finish reading the whole book without running around. :)
I like the message of the book - To encourage the children to help others with their hands, and to encourage them to be creative and think about other ways they can use their hands to be helpful. I rate this book 5 out of 5.
Disclosure: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Book Review Blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. -
Catheryn ChuahMalaysiaAge: 25-34Gender: female4 Stars Out Of 5Wonderful Book To Grow Up WithOctober 12, 2010Catheryn ChuahMalaysiaAge: 25-34Gender: femaleQuality: 4Value: 4Meets Expectations: 4This review was written for One Hand, Two Hands.What Do I Think About The...
I love the storyline as it is about teaching children how God bless us with our hands and we can do so many wonderful things with it. From doing simple things for themselves to helping others in tiny ways. It also reminds the adults to be thankful too. The prayer at the of the book is also very heartwarming. Written in rhyming text, it is even easier and makes it more fun to read it to a 17 month old toddler. My favourite page is when Max wrote "Wipe tears. Give a gift. Write Grandma a letter. With hands and a hug, we make people feel better". It touches my heart deeply.
Book Cover:
Very sweet looking but the jacketed cover was a little flimsy so I had to remove it before my girl could get her hands on it and start tearing or chewing it away.
Perhaps a thicker material would be great for younger kids as some of them enjoy turning the pages over and over again. And with a thicker material, we can read it to even younger little ones.
My girl likes the characters especially the kitten and it reappears in most of the pages. That attracts her. I also love it that we can relate to most of the practical daily chores projected in the book : combing, holding a cup, buttoning shirts. Brilliant! Lovely pictures and soft colors. But the soft colors doesn't really appeal to little ones. Maybe pictures in sharper and bolder colors would do more magic.
I know this is a wonderful book that I can keep reading to my girl for another few years down the road and will grow together with us. Looking forward to more such awesome books in the near future and definitely will recommend this book to friends!


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New Dawn Silver and Enamel Bangle
This bangle is crafted from stirling silver with a marine enamel finish. Made in Orkney Scotland. Allow 6-10 days for delivery
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Connor Sport Court is proud to be the only ZeroWaste company in the sports flooring industry. Recycling, avoiding waste, innovative technology and a strong environmental consciousness are a major part of our corporate policy. As a ZeroWaste company, less than 1% of all our waste is sent to a landfill. We continue to explore options that will result in an even furthur reduction of waste reaching a landfill as a result of our business operations. Our commitment to the environment has resulted in industry leading products using recycled material. Connor Sport Court has a long history of environmentally conscious practices and in 2004 we were presented an award by Salt Lake City for our commitment to the environment.
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria.
First MFMA member to introduce environmentally conscious maple flooring that is FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council™) certified by the Rainforest Alliance.
First MFMA member to incorporate recycled re-bonded polyurethane foam cushioning into the construction of resilient hardwood sports floors.
First MFMA company and first Michigan company to be Zero Waste.
First MFMA member to offer continuing education credits for Architects and Designers.
First MFMA member to develop a standard STEM (Structural Testing & Engineering Measures) specifically to rate: dimensional stability, resilient fatigue, and static load capabilities.
First MFMA member to design a hardwood sports floor system to meet or exceed all the requirements of the most stringent International Athletic Floor Standard-DIN 18032, part 2, 2001.
First MFMA member to be the Official Floor Supplier of the NCAA Men's and Women's Regional and FINAL FOUR Championship Tournaments.
First MFMA member to become ISO 9001:2008 Certified for quality management, design, and manufacturing of hardwood sports floor.
The Sport Court plant in Salt Lake City, UT, has also found ways to "run green." As an example of just a few of their initiatives:
- All of the engineering-grade, virgin polypropylene used to manufacture their molded products, as well as most of the steel used in the construction of court components, are 100% recyclable. In fact, on several products such as Sport Court Dance, the entire formulation is made of recycled material.
- In 2004, Sport Court built a state-of-the-art demonstration Game Court, and replaced the landscaping with artificial turf, natural grasses and other plants suitable for the desert xeriscape. In fact, Salt Lake City presented Sport Court with an award for our conservation efforts.
- Water in the machine cooling systems runs in a closed loop, requiring only minimal additions from time to time and saving vast amounts of water that otherwise would be wasted.
- Sport Court is currently engaged in promising research to increase our use of recycled materials for high volume applications in our global markets.
- Sport Court recycles all scrap metal, plastic and cardboard, as well as all used petroleum products used in machine maintenance and lubrication. Recycling stations are positioned in convenient locations throughout the plant.
- Sport Court installed motion sensor lights throughout their 80,000 SF warehouse to cut power consumption.
- Cleaning rags used in the machine shop are washable and reusable.
- Toilet fixtures in the restrooms are equipped with low-flow valves to further conserve water, which in our desert state of Utah is an increasingly precious resource.
With the burgeoning focus on environmental initiatives and conscientious stewardship of natural resources, "building green" is becoming more than just a catch-phrase—it's a new way of looking at our business and our lives. Sport Court is proud of its industry leading environmental efforts, and looks forward to new methods and products that allow it to contribute even more to our sustainable future.


text: Faculty Research Grants and Funded Projects Discovering knowledge through research and scholarship is a key initiative at Drexel University and at the School of Education. New ideas and insights that address education issues impact change and progress locally, nationally and globally. Our faculty conduct research in disciplines that align with their areas of expertise and ultimately lead in an ever-changing world. PLEASE NOTE: Research projects listed by award date of grant; PIs and Co-PIs are listed alphabetically. Topic Date of Award Grant Title Principal Investigator (PI) Co-Principal Investigator(Co-PI) STEM 9/1/2013 EAGER: TAEMILE: Towards Automating Experience Management in Interactive Learning Environments Jichen Zhu (PI) Aroutis N. Foster Ph.D. (Co-PI) Glen Muschio (Co-PI) STEM 8/2013 Noyce Northeast Regional Conferences in 2013 and 2014 (National Science Foundation) Gregory Phelan (PI) Sheila Vaidya (Co-PI) Lisa Gonsalves (Co-PI) STEM 8/2013 EAGER: US Ignite: A Cloud Enabled Virtual Reality Based Pedagogical Ecosystem for Green Energy and Environmental Engineering Education Pramod Abichandani (PI) Aroutis N. Foster Ph.D. (Co-PI) Kapil R. Dandekar (Co-PI) STEM 3/15/13 Hypothesis-driven Computational Genomics: Engaging Students in Lab Protocols and Bioinformatics via Inquiry (National Science Foundation) Gail Rosen, Ph.D. (PI) Penny Hammrich, Ph.D. (Co-PI) Jacob A. Russell, Ph.D. (Co-PI) STEAM 1/14/13 Playing to See: A Research and Development Digital Game Based Learning Project (The Barnes Foundation) Aroutis Foster, Ph.D. (PI) Jennifer Katz-Buonincontro, Ph.D. (PI) STEAM 9/15/12 Design and Development: A Digital Play-Based Platform to Achieve Projective Reflective for 21st Century Learning (National Science Foundation) Aroutis Foster, Ph.D. (PI) STEM 9/1/12 EnCoMPASS: Emerging Communities for Mathematical Practices and Assessment (National Science Foundation) Jason Silverman, Ph.D. (PI) Carol Brandt, Ph.D. (Co-PI), Temple Univ. Valerie Klein, Ph.D. (Co-PI) Wesley Shumar, Ph.D. (Co-PI) Stephen Weimar (Co-PI) Hope Yursa (Co-PI) STEM 9/1/12 Establishing a Research Collaboration Between Engineering, Engineering Technology and Cognitive Science Faculty: Integrating Creativity into Undergraduate Course Projects (National Science Foundation) Abieyuwa Aghayere, Ph.D. (PI) Gennady Friedman, Ph.D. (Co-PI) Vladimir Genis, Ph.D. (Co-PI) Jennifer Katz-Buonincontro, Ph.D. (Co-PI) Fredricka Reisman, Ph.D. (Evaluator) STEM 9/1/12 Online Collaboration to Understand Pre-service Teachers' Developing MKT (National Science Foundation) Stephen Weimar (PI) STEM 8/22/12 Physics at the Art Museum (Subaru of America Foundation) Mary Jo Grdina, Ph.D. (PI)


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>>Contact us • firstname.lastname@example.com • 00353 71 9166152 (USA 011 353 71 9166152)
NEW: Sligo Beach Ride Riding by the sea
Galopp at the Sea Horse at the Horse Holiday Farm Trail Riding
Horse Riding Holidays in Sligo and Donegal - Ireland We can offer the superlative in Horse Riding Holidays. Horseback Riding Holidays at the Horse Holiday Farm: Riding by the sea, will take you on to the excellent beaches which line the coast in Sligo and Donegal. Horse Riding Holidays in Donegal - Trail Riding Holidays The Donegal Trails - Donegal West and Donegal South are two of our most beautiful trails to discover the North West of Ireland in a week - from the saddle, of course. Horse Riding Holidays in Sligo - Trail Riding Holidays Sligo Beach Ride Horse Riding Holidays: " It's just you, a map, your horses, the elements, the rolling, swollen hills and miles of beach." Rebecca Corbally The unguided Trails are suited to a minimum of 2 persons - but, if you really would like to ride a Trail and you don't have a riding companion we have the possibility to help you find one on our Meeting Page on the Internet.
Tilman and Colette Anhold Horse Holiday Farm Ltd. Grange County Sligo Ireland
Telephone : (071) 9166152 Fax : (071) 9166400
From Europe and the UK: Telephone : 00 353 71 9166152 Fax : 00 353 71 9166400
From the USA: Telephone : 011 353 71 9166152 Fax : 011 353 71 9166400 Email : email@example.com
Form: enquiries-reservations
Location and airports B&B and Hotels in Grange, Mullaghmore and Sligo
The Horse Holiday Farm is Bord Fáilte (Irish Tourist Board) approved and a member of A.I.R.E., the Association of Irish Riding Establishments.


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Suddenly, it began to dawn on me why we only occasionally see greatness. It's a lot of work, and most people stop long before they have something exceptional. The people we revere, are the ones who have taken the time to try and try again.
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SoundExchange is currently the #2 digital revenue source behind iTunes for most record labels in the U.S.
When you hear a recording of a song, there are actually two distinct copyrights involved, the song (also called a "musical work") and the recording of the song.
I don't actually believe that stealing my intellectual property is your constitutional right. Sorry, everybody. I get that you are used to consuming music like it's chewing gum, but those days are numbered. I'm glad that file sharing companies are getting shut down.
Villainizing the entire organization is a mistake. It ignores, and dismisses, the services Planned Parenthood provides that we all -- regardless of our political views -- can agree are important.
Randy Newman, singer/songwriter and film composer extraordinaire, when asked what one might do to attain to something near his level of artistic abili...
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If you need to remove assets from a trust during your lifetime, you have the right to do that. You can deed any real estate back out by using a deed, and you can sell the assets or use them as collateral on a loan. These assets in the trust still belong to you. Continue reading
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Due to manufacturer restrictions, Wayside cannot display our everyday low price online for this item. Please Contact Us for our best price.
Browse other items in the Dogwood collection from Wayside Furniture in the Akron, Cleveland, Canton, Medina, Youngstown, Ohio area.
The Dogwood Nightstand with Outlet by Paula Deen by Universal from Wayside Furniture. We proudly serve the Akron, Cleveland, Canton, Medina, Youngstown, Ohio area. Product availability may vary. Contact us for the most current availability on this product.
Lift up this nightstand's top to discover electrical outlets designed to help you charge and organize your electronic devices. Plug in your phone or tablet to charge while you relax in bed, knowing that it's within reach for emergency phone calls or a little late-night reading. The outlet also works to reduce clutter, offering a simple connection for your bedside lamp or alarm clock that keeps your bedroom floor free of tangled and unsightly wiring.
This item has been tagged as: Nightstand, Night Stand, Commode, Bedroom Nightstand, Bedroom End Table, Accent Table, Accent Cabinet, Bedroom Storage, Bedroom Magazine Stand, Night Table, Small End Table, Night Stand with Drawers, Nightstand with Pull-Out Shelf, Night Cabinet, Bedside Table, Bedside Nightstand, Bedside Commode, Door Nightstand, Bachelors Chest
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Billy Corgan working on his 'spiritual memoir' autobiography
by Nicole Villeneuve
May 10, 2011
Well, great. There's a 15-year-old inside of us who thinks this is the greatest thing ever and just knows it will be life-changing but the, um, older than 15-year-old version of us that really exists is just so exhausted by Billy Corgan now.
The Smashing Pumpkins singer is working on his autobiography, something he has called a 'spiritual memoir,' and reveals in an interview with Rolling Stone that it will be released next year and will be called God Is Everywhere, from Here to There. Says Corgan:
"It's a very interesting take inside my personal life and my band life. I've decided to write this on my own, which is complete insanity. I try to spend about an hour a day on the book, which is the time I would usually put towards music writing. So that means I have to find that hour, because I won't give up that music writing time. It's a journey, for sure."
Only time will tell if this book will take the same journey as his poetry book did, straight to the $2 discount bin.
Tags: Music, News, Billy Corgan, Smashing Pumpkins


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Little Ferry OEM looks to build up its fleet going forward
LITTLE FERRY - The Little Ferry Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is looking to build up its stockpile of equipment in 2014 as OEM programs throughout the state have evolved to take on a greater presence within individual communities.
With a small budget, the Little Ferry OEM does not have a large reserve of funds to work with; however, thanks to the help of state-run programs and grants, the OEM is finding ways to build up its fleet of trucks and equipment.
"I saw how important OEM became during Sandy as well as other weather events," said Councilman Thomas Sarlo, one of two deputy OEM coordinators in Little Ferry. "I wanted to focus on helping to build up our OEM. With a small budget, we needed to become a little creative in doing that."
Little Ferry was recently approved to take part in the Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO) program in which surplus property from the military is donated to police departments and OEM.
Through the LESO program, Little Ferry was approved to receive four Humvee vehicles, one of which was left behind because it was not in good condition, and three, five-ton trucks, all of which can be used for multiple purposes in the borough.
"Anything that we can get our hands on will help us a lot," said Councilwoman Peggy Steinhilber, who is also on the First Aid Squad and Ambulance Corps. "We had a bariatric patient during Sandy that we could not get out of their house and onto a rescue boat. Having trucks like these will help immensely if we are faced with that situation in the future."
Little Ferry also has an active Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program, which has also recently been awarded some new equipment through a grant.
Det. Craig Hartless, of the Little Ferry Police Department, put in an application for a grant funded through the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and it was recently approved. Expected to arrive in the first week of April, Little Ferry will be receiving a CERT Flood Response Trailer, which includes equipment such as generators, pumps, cleanup tools and other hardware. The trailer is valued at between $10,000 and $15,000.
A capital ordinance was passed on March 11 appropriating the sum of $70,000 from capital surplus for acquisition of various OEM equipment including, but not limited to, a generator for the Hook and Ladder Company and other items that have a useful life of five years.
"We put that in place, but we haven't tapped into it yet," said Sarlo. "We're going to try to avoid tapping into it. Right now, we're working on the municipal inventory and getting together and deciding what equipment we need that we cannot get through other means such as grants. We're very optimistic that this LESO program will help reduce our costs in getting equipment and becoming a self-sustaining OEM in town."
Finally, the Little Ferry OEM will also be working on finding new ways to get information out to residents as quickly as possible. Little Ferry utilizes a service called Nixle, which sends out text messages and emails from the police department and OEM to notify residents of street closing, gas leaks and other borough-wide events. However, Sarlo acknowledged that not everyone in the community uses cell phones or computers and that the OEM must find another way to reach those residents.


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Public Information Notice: IMF Executive Board Concludes 2007 Article IV Consultation with the Republic of Estonia
July 30, 2007
Public Information Notices (PINs) form part of the IMF's efforts to promote transparency of the IMF's views and analysis of economic developments and policies. With the consent of the country (or countries) concerned, PINs are issued after Executive Board discussions of Article IV consultations with member countries, of its surveillance of developments at the regional level, of post-program monitoring, and of ex post assessments of member countries with longer-term program engagements. PINs are also issued after Executive Board discussions of general policy matters, unless otherwise decided by the Executive Board in a particular case. The staff report (use the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this pdf file) for the 2007 Article IV Consultation with Estonia is also available.
July 30, 2007
On July 23, 2007, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation with the Republic of Estonia.1
Estonia's commitment to prudent macroeconomic policies and regional integration has resulted in the fastest convergence among new European Union member states and an impressive rise in living standards. After more than a decade of remarkable growth, the economy is now overheating and facing increased regional uncertainties.
Rising incomes, the favorable investment climate, and low-interest financing have fueled an investment and consumption boom that has generated double-digit real GDP growth, widened the external current account deficit, and driven inflation into the 5-6 percent range, well above the Maastricht threshold for euro adoption. Domestic growth and employment opportunities in the EU have tightened the labor market—the unemployment rate has fallen sharply in the past two years to a post-transition low of less than 6 percent—and increased labor costs. Real wage increases have overtaken productivity growth in the past year, pushing up real unit labor costs and threatening external competitiveness.
The external environment has turned less benign as pressures on the Latvian currency earlier this year put a spotlight on financial vulnerabilities in the region. To date, Estonia's track record of sound macroeconomic and prudential policies has helped it brush off contagion effects of these developments. But the intensified scrutiny from market observers has increased the cost of policy slippage.
There are some signs of an incipient moderation of demand growth. The housing market has cooled—prices are already unaffordable for many households and interest rates are rising. The flow of credit has slowed—the major banks have reassessed risks and tightened lending conditions. And, more broadly, market sentiment has shifted in apparent recognition that the recent pace of income growth is not sustainable.
Estonia's long-standing commitment to fiscal prudence—a track record of surpluses and the near-elimination of government debt—was underscored in 2006 by a large fiscal surplus and an associated negative fiscal impulse. Looking ahead, the government is committed to keeping fiscal policy tight and is targeting budget surpluses of 0.7 percent of GDP in 2007 and 0.5 percent of GDP in 2008-11.
The banking sector is strong: banks are well capitalized, profitability is high, and non-performing loans are negligible. Given that all major Estonian banks are affiliates of much larger foreign institutions, the financial supervisor and central bank are strengthening cross-border cooperation in supervising banks and developing crisis management procedures.
Executive Board Assessment
Executive Directors commended Estonia's impressive convergence toward EU living standards, underpinned by prudent macroeconomic management, far-reaching structural reforms, and strong regional integration. They noted that this solid foundation should also help Estonia address the near-term challenges of steering the economy toward a soft landing and sustaining credibility in the face of regional financial uncertainties.
Directors concurred that tight fiscal policy is needed to address macroeconomic overheating and the attendant risks. They commended the authorities for the strong fiscal outcome in 2006 but saw some need for further strengthening of the 2007 fiscal position given the continued overheating. Directors in particular recommended limiting any procyclical impulse by at least refraining from new spending in the 2007 supplementary budget.
Looking forward, Directors underscored the importance of a tight fiscal policy to contain household optimism and prepare for the costs of an aging population. They welcomed the intent to target budget surpluses instead of balanced budgets but noted that the signal sent by the budget strategy would be clearer if the specified floors were more ambitious given the significantly larger surpluses achieved in recent years. The authorities were also encouraged to implement, for the state-funded pillar of the pension system, a pension indexation rule that limits ad hoc increases in benefits while ensuring adequate living standards for pensioners relative to those of workers.
Directors noted that the banking sector appears strong and buffers in the financial system seem sufficient. Nonetheless, they cautioned that the rapid growth of credit in the past few years calls for continued vigilance in financial supervision, including a more systematic use of stress tests. Directors encouraged the authorities to extend and strengthen cross-border supervision as the region moves to Basel II in 2008. They emphasized that close cooperation with the Nordic authorities is essential, given Estonia's mostly Nordic-owned banking sector. Directors welcomed the existing good cooperation with the other Nordic and Baltic financial supervisors and the recent steps to deepen that relationship.
Directors agreed that euro adoption at the earliest possible date should remain a key objective given that, despite the robust currency board arrangement, currency risk will not be eliminated altogether until the euro is adopted. They thus welcomed the new government's reaffirmation of Estonia's commitment to euro adoption.
Noting some signs of weakening competitiveness, Directors emphasized that labor and product market flexibility are essential for macroeconomic stability under the currency board arrangement and, in time, euro area membership. In this regard, they welcomed the efforts to review and update the labor code, and encouraged the authorities to preserve Estonia's business-friendly environment by keeping administrative and operating costs low.
Republic of Estonia: Selected Economic Indicators | ||||||
2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | ||
Real Economy |
In units as indicated | |||||
Real GDP growth, in percent |
8.0 | 7.1 | 8.1 | 10.5 | 11.4 | |
Average CPI inflation, in percent |
3.6 | 1.3 | 3.0 | 4.1 | 4.4 | |
Unemployment rate (ILO definition), in percent |
10.3 | 10.0 | 9.7 | 7.9 | 5.7 | |
Domestic saving, in percent of GDP |
21.7 | 21.4 | 23.6 | 24.8 | 23.3 | |
Domestic investment, in percent of GDP |
32.4 | 33.0 | 36.2 | 35.2 | 38.2 | |
Public Finance |
In percent of GDP | |||||
General government balance |
1.1 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 3.3 | |
General government debt |
Excluding government assets held abroad |
5.6 | 5.7 | 5.2 | 4.4 | 4.1 | |
Including government assets held abroad |
0.3 | -2.5 | -2.8 | -3.1 | -5.0 | |
Money and Credit |
Changes in percent | |||||
Base money |
-1.5 | 14.6 | 24.0 | 33.0 | 30.7 | |
Broad money |
11.2 | 10.9 | 15.8 | 41.9 | 28.2 | |
Domestic credit to nongovernment |
27.8 | 27.0 | 31.2 | 33.4 | 41.6 | |
Balance of Payments |
In percent of GDP | |||||
Goods and non-factor services balance |
-7.1 | -7.7 | -8.1 | -6.2 | -10.3 | |
Current account |
-10.6 | -11.6 | -12.5 | -10.5 | -14.8 | |
Gross international reserves (euro, millions) |
958 | 1098 | 1317 | 1647 | 2128 | |
Exchange Rate |
Exchange rate regime |
Currency Board Arrangement | |||||
Exchange rate parity |
Real effective exchange rate, end of period, 2000=100 1/ |
106.8 | 109.9 | 113.9 | 113.3 | 117.2 | |
Sources: Estonian authorities, and Fund staff estimates. |
1/ From INS, export-share weighted CPI real exchange rate against 15 major trading partners. |
1 Under Article IV of the IMF's Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country's economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board. At the conclusion of the discussion, the Managing Director, as Chairman of the Board, summarizes the views of Executive Directors, and this summary is transmitted to the country's authorities.
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