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August 30th, 2008 at 1:19 PM ^
I'm a bit surprised you haven't jumped on the opportunity to write "Utah Utes of Utah (We're from Utah!)."
This morning's slate of games is thoroughly un-entertaining. As Teddy KGB once said, "I feel so unsatisfied." Can 2:30 (CDT) just get here already?!
August 30th, 2008 at 1:23 PM ^
VT game and the Northwestern game aren't too bad (read close). At least it's football and Terrelle Pryor got sacked on 3rd and goal.
August 30th, 2008 at 1:33 PM ^
Watching pryor getting sacked and then giving that "what was that?" look to the ref. Sorry
August 30th, 2008 at 2:00 PM ^
Don't worry about OSU though, they'll just "Reload." All jokes aside, if it's serious that is messed up for him and should significantly affect OSU's championship run.
August 30th, 2008 at 1:58 PM ^
All - we'll have the livechat up and going in about 30 minutes. I'm just stabilizing my beer/snacks/sandwich situation.
August 30th, 2008 at 2:31 PM ^
lets get this revolution started already, get the live chat going, yo
August 30th, 2008 at 2:39 PM ^
I kinda thought you guys were sponsored by brian or something, like the superfan club or something. haloscan lubbers. jk.
August 30th, 2008 at 7:16 PM ^
Okay, so that was painful to watch. I have just doubled my Scotch budget for 2008.
August 30th, 2008 at 7:45 PM ^
25 yards total rushing isn't what I expected for a team with 4 top RBs (Shaw, McGuffie, Brown, Minor). We have serious problems on offense and it's going to take longer than I though to adjust and gel together.
August 30th, 2008 at 8:55 PM ^
I'm not so sure about us having "four top RBs." Those four have a combined total of like 600 career rushing yards.
August 31st, 2008 at 12:04 PM ^
Honestly, no BS, i don't see how anyone could have expected anything different--not as bad as that, but still a huge struggle was in order-offensive line is the most important component of offense, not skill players, and we all know we have no experience and little talent this year on the o-line
August 30th, 2008 at 8:13 PM ^
Would be cool if McGuffie didn't have more carries than Brown and Minor combined with a ypc average of 1.
August 30th, 2008 at 9:17 PM ^
I'm just really frustrated in that we can't stop any spread offenses. Every year it's the same stuff; shreaded by a spread offense with no effective plan. I thought bringing in Shafer would help solve the schematic problem, but it seems that our personnel flat out sucks in defending the spread. I'm just wondering if we will ever be able to defend a good spread team. Do we lack speed? Do we have poor fundamentals? What exactly is the problem? Why did we do better in 2nd half than 1st half defensive wise?
August 30th, 2008 at 9:48 PM ^
for the most part this was a good performance for the defense. besides having trouble at first with the vertical seams olb's too worried about contain, and not holding the vertical, and a misplay by brown on the big pass. even the first half wasnt that bad.... utah did a good job of getting the ball out early to keep the preasure from gettign there. Michigan adjusted by holdign the vertcial seams better and the secondary breaking on more first move routes.... dont let the stats foul you.. michigan defense is good.. and much better able to contain spred offenses
August 30th, 2008 at 9:51 PM ^
Or faster, anyway. More faith in their reads?
EDIT: Or jsut read what the coach said.
August 30th, 2008 at 9:58 PM ^
"Why did we do better in 2nd half than 1st half defensive wise?"
Because Michigan now makes second half adjustments - something that was never done under the previous regime.
August 31st, 2008 at 12:11 AM ^
It seemed to me that the defense looked better in the 2nd half because Utah went conservative. They stopped throwing the ball and went with a lot more runs up the middle. I'm sure some adjustments were made by Rodriguez at halftime, but I think it was more on the Utes than the Wolverines.
August 30th, 2008 at 10:53 PM ^
i couldn't see shit from row 63 in the endzone, but the defense looked phenomenal in the the second half (and like shit the first). how'd they look on tv/close enough to see? also, how did the o-line look? couldn't quite tell who sucked and who was ok from where i was. basically i was too far away to see anything. can i get a quick (or long) recap please? i don't want to have to wait to read it in the papers/here tomorrow.
edit: also, was it just me or did they not throw anything over the middle, or get it to the receivers in stride? the o just looked like shit from top to bottom from where i was.
August 30th, 2008 at 10:29 PM ^
What really impressed me was our DTs ability to run down a mobile quarterback. Also the fact that we actually seemed to have more energy on defense in the second half even with a lot of 3 and outs by the offense. Looks like the days of 4th quarter melt downs may have come to an end.
August 30th, 2008 at 10:29 PM ^
Well that sucked, but it was the first game. We have no offense. Crap. To anyone willing to answer, what is your assessment of the o-line? I thought it was more a matter of the QB and the RBs struggling, but I'm not the expert. I just wish that Carlos Brown would have played more, definitely at RB. I thought he was better than Minor last year, and he has speed and the moves.
The improvement by the D-line was spectacular, but the mistakes made in the 1st half and the beginning of the 2nd half were too big in the end, although that INT in the first half was the result of a bad decision. Brian Johnson is pretty good though.
Clemson doesn't have it. They will lose again and WF is going to win the And I called E Carolina or VTech. I am a fucking guru.
August 30th, 2008 at 10:35 PM ^
i called the ecu as well, and im picking them next week vs wvu, i have watched that program grow up before my eyes... and i am a huge wake forest guy, remember i was the leader of the jim grobe mafia....... its going to be nice to have ecu and wake dominate recruiting in nc for awhile, instead of ncstate or unc
August 30th, 2008 at 10:38 PM ^
like i said, it was a lot abou the offensive line, on runnign plays they were not gettign the push, hard to run when the los is being reset behind the place the ball was snaped.... but i blame a lot on the wr's as well, they were being covered one on one and were not able to break free very much........
August 31st, 2008 at 5:25 PM ^
I am beginning to believe that the state of NC holds part of the future of college football. WF is awesome, although Grobe needs to recruit better, but he works well with what he has. UNC has a great coach in Butch Davis, and he has been recruiting pretty well; he really will build up the program. There is App St, may they burn in hell for eternity. I think that NC State will get a little better eventually. Tom O'Brien is a pretty good coach, but I don't know how far he'll take them. And Dave Cutliffe is a pretty good coach at Duke, but how much can he do there? Maybe he'll get them to a bowl game. And of course, Skip Holtz is doing a great job at ECU. I wonder how long they can keep him before he goes to a BCS school.
August 30th, 2008 at 10:37 PM ^
I felt in terms of pass blocking the O-line was acceptable but far from good. However, with run blocking I felt they were atrocious. Too many times our RBs were tackled in the backfield by an unblocked DE or linebacker. Hopefully some of the run blocking problems can be ironed out in practice and we might have a run game by the ND game.
August 31st, 2008 at 11:29 AM ^
So f'ing right about Clemson. That performance against Alabama was so predictable. They're frauds every year.
August 30th, 2008 at 10:40 PM ^
ive actually sent several kids to play there., know alot of the coaches very well, a fine little program...
August 30th, 2008 at 10:43 PM ^
She's not a football fan, though (part of my failure to spread the WLA gospel).
August 30th, 2008 at 10:55 PM ^
TV called BG over Pitt last nite (can't remember who)...
Did anyone see that smug lil troll Holtz say he knew Michigan would lose and that they won't be that good this year? Like he was the only one in the world who had the inside info that UM was going to have a down year. No shit, Lou.
August 30th, 2008 at 11:19 PM ^
Rodriguez gets 1. A real quarterback and 2. An offensive line that doesn't resemble my first crush's gash they will never be a good football team.
I love the fact that we played so many young guys right away. This team will be great in the future... if and only IF we get a QB that can make plays (see Threet's throw on 4th down) and an O-Line that doesn't leak like a hooker on a period.
I puked after the third quarter.
August 31st, 2008 at 11:26 AM ^
Your post should take the place of the MGoBlue banner on the homepage until this offense has at least 100 rushing yards. Make it happen, Brian.
August 30th, 2008 at 11:28 PM ^
suspect Rodriguez is a better coach than Carr, and Michigan will soon contend again for national championships.
Good luck to Michigan in every game except the one that counts.
August 31st, 2008 at 12:53 AM ^
It's not fair to knock the D's second-half success by saying that Utah was playing Lloydball. We had six sacks. The Utah coach wasn't exposing Brian Johnson to that many hits just for the hell of it. The switch to a three-man front seemed to make a big difference after halftime.
August 31st, 2008 at 8:48 AM ^
Please don't priase Zoltan anymore and please take his shirt off your site. His name does not deserve to be known by anyone other than his parents.
Maybe we should recruit an actual punter next year too...
August 31st, 2008 at 1:17 PM ^
I'm not sure exactly how to feel about the game. The result is what I expected, a close game with Utah winning. However, I feel like Utah could've won by a lot more if they didn't constantly bail us out with idiot penalties.
August 31st, 2008 at 4:34 PM ^
There were a lot of good things that came in this loss. I am sure, once the players who played in the game for michigan got back to their dorms, numerous loud fbombs were heard. Then this morning, you go to church or to the cafeteria and were moving on. Because Saturday brings yet another team wanting to whoop your ass. After every win or loss you have to sit yourself down as a player, coach or fan and say,"If we do not show up next week we will lose." I think this team learned that it will have to claw and fight for every victory. Even if that means first downs. The key is that it has to get to a point where week to week more answers are found. There cannot be OR's forever on the 2deep unless players are injured. I'd imagine the coaches now have a better idea of who they can win with.


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Ella in Bloom
Ella struggles to be accepted by her mother but instead rebels and leads her own life. When she believes that her life is not up to her mother's standards she sends false letters explaining how great everything is. ...
Ella In Bloon
ELLA IN BLOOM Knopf, Dec 2000, 23.00, 259 pp. ISBN: 0375410384 In Texas, the two sisters, Terrell and Ella grew up under a steel magnolia of a mother who believed decorum and appearances are more important than substance. The older sibling Terrell learned quickly how to please their mama who places elegance and etiquette ahead of everything else in life. The younger of them Ella never really learned that lesson as she ran off with a man bene...

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On Saturday, August 23rd, a CENTURY 21 Dome Realty team got out of their comfort zone and rapelled down 20 stories of Hill Tower II for the Easter Seals™ Drop Zone.
The team of superheros, spearheaded by Kayla Gerein included Sheri Lessard, Katelyn Fox, Kevin Peter, Jamie Bashnick, Jenni Bast, Cameron Wilkes, Wanda Smith, Steve Bell and a few friends/family: Trevor Bashnick, Sherelle Abdilnour, and Billie Desrosiers.
The team is proud to have taken the #1 Team fundraising spot at Regina's Drop Zone. So far this year, CENTURY 21 Dome Realty Inc. has raised over $50,000 for Easter Seals and lots more to come.
All of the money raised stays in Saskatchewan and supports Camp Easter Seal. A fully accessible facility at Manitou Beach near Watrous which provides children living with disabilities the opportunity to go horseback riding, canoeing, or swimming, often for the first time.


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Officers Arrest Robbers; Prevent Future Crimes
October 30th, 2012 by milwaukeepolice
On Saturday, October 27, 2012 at 7:06 pm, District 5 Officers Melanie Beasley and Brendan Dolan were dispatched to the area of N. 15th and W. Keefe for an armed robbery complaint. When they arrived, they located the female victim and confirmed that an armed robbery had in fact taken place and there were about seven suspects involved in the offense. The victim said the suspects ran out of a yard in the area immediately prior to the robbery, displayed a firearm, demanded and obtained the victim's property before fleeing the scene.
During their investigation, Officer Beasley observed a suspect matching the description in the same yard and conducted a field interview of that suspect. This suspect gave several accounts as to why he was in the yard and then admitted to witnessing the robbery but denied participation. This suspect was taken into custody for several outstanding warrants and conveyed to District 5.
Officer Beasley conducted an interview in which the suspect admitted he committed this robbery and that he, along with his co-actors conspired to commit additional robberies. This suspect identified his co-actors and provided the location of the additional suspects.
After responding to that address, four more suspects were taken into custody and the weapon used in the robbery was located and recovered.
The four additional suspects admitted their involvement and wrote apology letters to the victims. Four of the suspects were juveniles and were arrested for their participation in the robbery. One suspect was an adult and also arrested for the robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Due to Officer Beasley and Officer Dolan's observation of the initial suspect and determination to locate and arrest the additional actors involved, this robbery was cleared by arrest. Additionally, their involvement in this investigation and successful interviews of the suspects prevented additional robberies that the suspects were planning. Officers Beasley and Dolan remain committed to reducing violent crime in District 5 and are commended for their keen observation and dogged investigation.


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Small birds of prey in Namibia's cities
20. November 2018, - Environment
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20. November 2018, - Environment
19. November 2018, - Environment
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Hiking in almost pristine nature, this slack packing trail only runs from April to September.


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Style # 174362
AVAILABILITY: Unavailable for immediate shipment.
Workout ready. Capri activewear pants featuring contrast trim and amazing fit designed to keep you moving. Made from a lightweight, high-performance fabric that dries 10 times faster than cotton. Inside waist drawstring.
- 88% Polyester, 12% spandex
- Machine wash
- Made in USA
- Rise: 8" (20 cm), inseam: 18" (46 cm), leg opening: 10" (25 cm)
- Model is 5'9" and wears a US size S
Butt Buster Capri Pants is rated out of 5 by 12.
Rated 4 out of 5 by Snook13 from Great workout pants, flattering and versatile Love these! I will post to help ladies pick their size. I sometimes wear a small in Bebesport, other times a medium. In these, because of the compression, I preferred the medium. I am 5'5" 130lbs, 34-27-37. They have a drawstring in the waist, which seems to me unnecessary so I just removed it.
Date published: 2014-10-28
Rated 5 out of 5 by Bebebliss from Excellent fit, high quality These capri fit very well, and always hold their shape. The construction is excellent and they contour to legs and hips perfectly. The seams are very well done and the material is the earlier Be-Fit fabric that stretches and holds up over time. Excellent choice for running or dance or the gym and stylish. These get lots of complements. I would really like these in a legging also! Go Bebe Sport!
Date published: 2013-09-03
Rated 5 out of 5 by beba from Ilove this butt buster capri THIS IS MY FAVORITE WORKOUT capri I bought two of them I like the material it's the thicker material not like the new thinner nylon. Please bebe make it in long pants for the winter with this thick material.
Date published: 2013-08-25
Rated 5 out of 5 by Sherise7 from Butt Blaster Carpi I love the fit and style. I would love to see them in more colors and maybe a tulip bottom. I would buy more!!!
Date published: 2013-08-19
Rated 5 out of 5 by Flowergirl from The Best Workout Capris! I really love these workout capris; they're my favorite from bebe sport. I'm sooo glad bebe brought these back -- I bought my first pair a couple years ago and the waist band did get twisted (as one reviewer mentioned), so I'm hoping that won't happen to this pair. The material is great (it's the thicker material, not the thinner nylon material that bebe is using for most of its newer sport clothing)...stretchy but holds you in, and absorbs sweat wonderfully! Plus, they match with almost all bebe sport tops. <3
Date published: 2013-07-08
Rated 5 out of 5 by JulieloveBBSP from LOVE LOVE IT... I been buying the same pants over and over again because it's goes with any other color and design. I also believe this is the only workout pants still hold the quality as bebe sport use to be... It does tab of lighter weight than the old one if you ask me. This workout pant perfect for any sport and not just for look, but it does make you looks much tone and show your curve well.
Date published: 2013-07-01
Rated 4 out of 5 by Sissy from sports attire This product was constructed well however, the area around the knees was too loose and baggy. If there was a small or medium I definitely would purchase the product again because of how it fits around the waist and bottom. Please bring this product back on line in smaller sizes as soon as possible.
Date published: 2013-02-10
Rated 4 out of 5 by Anonymous from twisted The pants are nice too bad the elastic band got twisted to a point it will no longer flatten out so now have no choice but to wear it that way.
Date published: 2011-10-29


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Sparks fly even before actuary reviews pension plans
Ward 9 Councilman Steve Merolla is going to get what he wants – the city's actuaries will appear before the City Council Monday night. Merolla said Tuesday he has plenty of questions, but added it might be more productive if the information they are working from is current and not three and four years old.
The latest development in what has become a debate of whether the city is capable of addressing its unfunded pension and health care liabilities, as the administration says, or is headed in the direction of some other Rhode Island municipalities, came up last Friday. On Friday, the administration scheduled its actuaries, Gabriel Roeder Smith & Company, to be in Providence to address the State Pension Review Board this coming Monday.
According to the mayor's chief of staff, Mark Carruolo, the city was given several dates to appear before the review board. When one of them coincided with a council meeting, it presented an opportunity, as he said, "to kill two birds with one stone." The mayor figured Joseph Newton from the Irving, Texas company could also be available to answer council questions.
This caught Merolla by surprise. Merolla's resolutions to have the actuaries come before the council have not been signed by the mayor. Avedisian reasons it would make more sense to have actuaries visit the city when they are here anyhow and their expenses can be shared rather than on separate dates.
"We're looking forward to them coming," Merolla said Monday, "but we don't have an actuarial report. How do we have a meaningful discussion unless that's [the administration's] intent," he said.
Merolla's claims touched a raw nerve with Avedisian, who observed Tuesday that the council has had the reports since July 2011 and that, in fact, they are also posted on the city's website.
"If suddenly he realized he has a document he hasn't looked at all this time, that's his problem," Avedisian said.
The 2011 report on public safety pensions, based on the performance of the pension plans for 2009 and 2010, projected pension contributions for the current fiscal year. Those contributions, which the administration has budgeted, are $14.2 million for Firefighters/Police I plan; $5.2 million for the Municipal Employees Retirement Plan; 26.59 percent of the employer portion of payroll for Police II and 24.67 percent of payroll for Fire II.
The reports show that the Police II pension has an unfunded liability of $21.9 million; Fire II, $7.9 million; and Municipal employees, $35.7 million. The granddaddy of the bunch is the closed Police/Fire I plan with an unfunded liability of $242.1 million.
Merolla didn't back off when informed actuaries would not be providing any new reports at this time.
"It's a cute move on their part to report on a report that's two years old," he said.
To that end, Merolla reasoned it might make more sense for the actuaries to come back when they have their most recent report in another couple of months.
"I would like to have them come back. Why pay them for now when it doesn't make sense," he said.
Merolla contends the issue of unfunded pension and retiree health benefits is a "huge" issue that has the city on the hook for "hundreds of millions."
"This is the largest expenditure the council has to look at," he said, adding that the council has not had the opportunity to question the actuaries since April of 2011.
"We haven't received any information," he said. Yet, he added, "No way are we paying to come if we're going to get up to date information in three months."
Carruolo said the actuaries would be back in the spring with their report on the municipal pension. The city schedules actuarial reviews of the pension plans on alternating years with municipal being done one year and public safety the next.
Further, Merolla says the actuaries will only be addressing the issue of unfunded pension liabilities and not the bigger issue of unfunded retiree health care costs and other post employment benefits.
Nonetheless, Merolla said he would have questions for the actuaries. For starters, he said, he wants to hear how their projections have fared. He also wants to know, with all the payments being made, why unfunded liabilities have not dropped more.
Merolla says the council questions have already paid off. He said that, following the council's questioning of the city's projected rate of return on investments of 8 percent, the actuaries dropped projections to 7.5 percent. He said that action, which triggered higher employee contributions, saved the taxpayers millions.
But Merolla says he's concerned, even though Warwick's situation can't be compared to Central Falls, Providence, West Warwick and other municipalities.
"Everyone is saying Warwick is better off. It's like saying we have stage two cancer and everybody has stage five. I don't want any cancer," said Merolla.
"If that's his perspective," Carruolo responded, "he's been on the council for 14 years and it doesn't say much for his effectiveness."
Interesting. Moody's just issued a "NEGATIVE" outlook regarding Warwick's financial viability. One of the reasons stated being the continued underfunding of the locally administered pension plan - Police and Fire 1. Oh, wait a minute, there must be something wrong here, didn't the Mayor just highlight how well the city is doing by proclaiming he had just received an "Unqualified Audit Report"? This should show everyone, employees, retirees, and property owners, that they have to pay attention and question this administration regarding how it is handling the finances of this city. Hiding the huge unfunded liabilities that this city faces will back fire. Putting the information on a web site is NOT LEADERSHIP and DOES NOT face or set a different course for this city.
If you want to see where all of the money is going and to each individual, go to this link. It lists every person collection a pension in Warwick and what the long term financial impact is. The figure is much more that is reported. What is also of interest, is how many family members are collectiong disabiity. This report clearly shows the facts, the cronyism, and devastating impact to Warwick. Link is as follows:
Please be at the meeting on Monday at 7pm.
I thought that Carruolo was the city planner for many years. What did he plan for, bankruptcy??
I went to the city website and looked at the pension studies.So the info is available. From my review it seems that they are based upon actual data with estimates going forward. By reading them I think I know more than councilman Merolla. Its hard to believe he's been on the council for 14 years and doesn't seem to have a firm grasp on the issue.
@GordianKnot. Having been at numerous Council meetings I believe that I can safely say that councilman Merolla DOES have a firm grasp of the issue. He has on numerous occasions requested the Mayor to come before the council to explain what actions he plans to take regarding the significant liabilities facing this city. By the way, the Mayor has been in city government for 20 years, 12 of those as Mayor. Bottom line, each time Mr. Merolla has questioned the sustainability of the pension and other liabilities he has been outvoted by others and the Mayor has questioned why, as if everything was good and under control. NO, councilman Merolla has provided leadership on the issue. It is the Mayor who is posing as a leader.
Time to fix police 1. Do anything with that but status quo. The rest I think can be managed better but are at least not out of control. The bond market is very bad right now with no signs of much improvement. That has to be looked at closely because the returns will be there !! Way below what has been predicited. Look at the bond market you will see the real concern that those numbers may actually be low !
correction: the returns won't be there
wow great link fenceman, thanks !!!!
just looked at what they were making..... looks like teachers retire with more of a pension. I actually thought those numbers weren't that bad for yearly pensions..... some were only like 17,000 a year.. up to 40 k for Captains and Majors..... am I missing something ?
may be just end the cola's ? then the numbers won't balloon
Councilman Merolla and Councilman Solomon have provided the leadership in terms acknowledging that this is a significant issue that will affect the long term financial health of the city and all the people who live and work in Warwick.
For years they as well as I have been seeking information regarding how the taxpayer in this city will be able to pay for these expenses. Every step of the way, Mayor Avedisian and his lackeys have put up road blocks so that the proper analysis and modeling can't be developed to forecast spending projections and revenue projections short term and long term.
Why wouldn't a CEO want to see these numbers? Maybe it's because if you're running a company like Enron, you do not want the real facts to expose the house of cards that has been built up. These numbers will expose the Avedisian fallacy and provide a real glimpse when that house of cards will come crashing down. By that time Mr. Avedisian will be gone from Warwick politics and his plan to let the time bomb explode of the next administrations watch will occur.
Will Steve D. be coming out on Monday? We have all been subjected to his rants over the years....now time to put up or shut up. He has had all the answers on pensions. Steve D...dazzles us with your brillance.
To STEVED: you really need to sound alarm to your co-workers regarding this point.
Last year I testified at the budget hearing and objected when Chief of Staff, Mark Caruolo described how the administration has been advised by the city actuarial experts that if they negotiated "frugal" contracts it could help reduce pension liabilities. The result - three years with no raises for all city employees.
My objection, and you can listen to the testimony as it is on the city council web site (refer to May 31, 2013 part III audio at position 2578) was that it shouldn't be a policy of the administration to realize pension savings at the expense of active employee.
For more proof of the deceptive tactics by this administration, here is an excerpt from the November 8, 2012 letter from Gabriel Roeder Smith & Company (GRS), city pension actuarial experts, outlining Warwick's "Funding Improvement Plan" for the Police I/Fire I pension plan. (This document will be discussed before the state pension commission and the city council on Monday March 11). "One factor that is expected to help dampen the growth of the liability is a recent agreement for minimal to no salary increases for current active members for the next three years. If the three-year pay freezes are realized in future valuations, the City contributions into all of its pension plans could be lower by as much as $5 million per year when compared to current projections".
So my final point is this: The union presidents are not going to allow the administration to continue to screw their membership by negotiating future contracts with no raises as a remediation policy to cut pension costs. So what is the possibility of this pension reform assumption continuing in the future? ZERO!
But why include it in this improvement plan? Because it provides another illusion that Mayor Avedisian and Mark Caruolo have a viable plan to fix the problem.
PURE FICTION! Bernie Madoff and ENRON executives and would be proud.
What am I gonna sound the alarm about. City already takes 15 percent of my pay a week for pension ( next year 16.5 I think), that's why our pension is second best performing in state (almost 90 percent funded). I already pay 20 percent for healthcare ( btw I don't go to the hospital). What more do you want out of the city worker?
Steve, Mayor Avedisian is asking Warwick taxpayers to pay $300 milllion more in the next thirteen years into the Police I/Fire I pension plan. The current liability is almost $311.7 million. At the end of the 13 years the liability will be $307.1 million. What kind of plan is that? What affect will this have or employment levels and all other budgetary items in the city. We do not know because Curolo and the Mayor don't want to find out the answers.
You are contributing more of your pay check to the pension and the administration policy is to not give you a raise for as long as they can. Read my last post. That's what the experts are telling them to do. And they did it in the last contract.
What group is missing from this discussion? The retirees! When are the union Presidents going to demand that the Mayor bring in the reitred members to discuss, for example, a suspension of COLA payment? If the active union members start to make some noise maybe this could happen.
The Providence Fire Union President met with the retired firefighter and they agreed to suspend the COLA's. Your COLA has been suspended for three years while Police II and Fire II retirees are getting a 3% compounded raise over the next three years. That's not fair.
I understand, again what do you want from me, I have nothing to do with Police and Fire 1 plan, I am not a retiree, nor will I be one soon. It's not my job to round up the retirees and tell them sorry we can't pay you. That's up to the mayor. Again, I'm not saying there isn't a problem. I'm not the one to solve it. I wasn't hired to figure out the cities finances, I was hired to protect people and property and that's what we do.
Steve, it will effect you in the future. No one is casting blame on you for the problem, however, seeing the facts, and the math doesnt lie, you (and your members) need to take a public stand, hold the leaders responsible and ask questions. With the tax burden going to skyrocket, there will be no money left for anything else. Also, 20% for healthcare is a gift, it should be no less than 25%.
Healthcare at 20% is a fair deal for everyone. I don't go to the hospital ever, so while the city takes its money ($280 a month) the only thing I cost them is the per person fee BCBS charges to maintain the plan. Plus and I'm not complaining, but don't you think decent health insurance for workers that get vomit, feces, blood, spit, etc.. on them is fair.
I AGREE Steve with the decent healthcare. But decent and fair are 2 different things. Everyone inthe private sector is paying much more for much less of a plan. In all honesty, when was the last time you got vomit, blood, spit or feces on you? What you need to understand is that we are not against you. Whatever promises were made to you, there was no taxpayer at the table to disemminate the info to see if it was realistic. Here is a question. Do you think that if someone contributes $25000 in pension payments during the history of their employment that they should be able to recieve 1.7 million in benefits. Yes or no. I await your response.
You are all arguing about whether the deck chairs should be blue or yellow. The fundemental question is: Why do public sector pensions exist in the first place? i.e. Why are taxpayers on the hook for public employees throughout their life expectancy? Yes, the simple answer is that it's contractual. However, until the city transitions to a defined contribution plan vs. the existing defined benefit plan, this issue will not go away. Taxpayers should be responsible to pay governmentl workers a reasonable wage. The same taxpayers should NOT be responsible for government workers fourty years after they retire.
No according to your numbers I do not think that's fair, that being said contributions are much more than $25000 and I don't know who's collecting 1.7 mil ( not saying it isn't true, I just haven't seen it. Also for the blood, crap, spit... It happens to us every day, I'm not blowing smoke up your rear, on a daily basis people are coughing directly into our face, we have multiple CPR calls a day and when your doing chest compressions while someone is aspirating all over the rescue its not pretty, we get blood on our clothes daily and you'd be very surprised at the amount of crap we see. I could tell you stories that would blow your mind and they happen all the time. Feel free to ride with us on any day and se what we get to deal with. Again not complaining just telling the facts. I think most of the public have no clue what our rescue calls consist of...
Steveie D, we understand that and appreciate it. However, you have to remove the emotional issues when talking about finance. If my child was trapped in a burning car (god forbid) and you came to the rescue, the emotional part of me would want to give you a billion dollars. However, we cannot discount the fact that after the emotion is removed, we must deal with what the tax base can afford. Now, in Warwick, the tax base istotally stressed and that is precisely why we are loosing population. Face the facts, the party is over as the math does not work. My personal opinionis that the people who raided your pension fund and set it up based on ficticious rates of return, belong in prison with Bernie Madoff. But you guys havent taken care of your own business and concerns and have let others brain wash you. What is really troubling is that you havent learned from Central Falls. Steve, Warwick is bankrupt, they are just hiding it. You guys should be the ones asking questions. Why havent I ever seen one of you ask a question?? Really, why? You get retards like Mike Matteson that go to council meetings and act like Tony Soprano, scream and yell, make fools out of the dept., but not one of you asks a legitimate question. Why?
The site I sent you to. To answer your question. I just left a meeting discussing your question. When you go to the site and click on an individual name, 3 charts come up. yOu have to add the 2011 payments to retirees by final employer, and the value under 2011 annual pensions. In other words, that value is doubled. There is some glitch that we are trying to figure out but it has been confirmed. for example, when you click on David Delbonis, the value states $24, 032 for 2011. It is actually double that for police and fire under normal retirees. Hope that helps but more info is coming.
The site I sent you to. To answer your question. I just left a meeting discussing your question. When you go to the site and click on an individual name, 3 charts come up. yOu have to add the 2011 payments to retirees by final employer, and the value under 2011 annual pensions. In other words, that value is doubled. There is some glitch that we are trying to figure out but it has been confirmed. for example, when you click on David Delbonis, the value states $24, 032 for 2011. It is actually double that for police and fire under normal retirees. Hope that helps but more info is coming.
Know what I see? This issue is finally gaining traction because of a handful of dedicated individuals! Also, I read posts by SteveD and he seems to understand the problem is real. This is real honest progress for our community. The payers, and receivers are starting to move to the same place - truth. And this is despite the mayor and most of the council hoping the issue would go away while they take care of their own priorities. Thats only human for politicians to do, but it takes others making noise to wake them up to things. The mayor and council are running out of opportunities to avoid this major, MAJOR financial burden that needs a real solution. And cutting services while raising taxes will NOT do the job. SteveD is right that 20% copay, zero raises, and 16% pension contribution is getting to be as much as we can ask from current city employees. So we may as well face facts. Taxes wont solve it. Cutting things wont solve it (or be acceptable to voters), and you cant hit current employees for much more. THE ONLY LOGICAL WAY OUT IS TO CUT PAY OUTS. No one wants that, but it is the ONLY way forward. End cola's is step #1.
Amen Taxpayer, you hit the target !!
Here are some other changes that need to be made to stop the inevitable bankruptcy of the city.
1. No one, that is no one, begins collecting a pension prior to the age of 62 - 65 ish. Currently we have hundreds of people collecting pensions after retiring in their 40's. The system was never designed for that.
2. No more free health care for ANYBODY. Everyone must pay into it.
3. People that have retired and taking a pension and working in other state or municiple jobs must forefit their penisons until the age of 65 or come up with a lump sum payout. For example, I know police officers that retired at the age of 42 - 45 began taking a pension and then went to work for another police department or the capital police. That has to end and there must be some type of remedial remedy to cut them off from the trough.
4. Sorry Steve, not personal, but minimum manning has to end.
5. NO ONE gets 14 paid holidays. Federal holiday's only should be paid. If the stock market is open its not a real holiday.
6. Sick time buy backs need to end immediately. And amount of paid sick days needs to be adjusted.
7. Accountability in every department and the fat needs to be trimmed as there is alot of it.
8. Defined benefit pensions need to end and all pensions must go to a 401k plan / annuity. The city will match 3 - 5% of the individuals contributions just like the successful business do in the real world.
9. The unfounded disability pensions that are clearly fraudulant need to be prosecuted and ended. Time to send the message. Additionally, if your hurt on a part time job that is not city related, you get no disability from the taxpayer.
Thats all I'll post for now because I know it will not sit well with everyone. But the simple fact is, is that this community is suffering urban decay, the pensions are destroying us, they are not realistic, they are based on ficticious returns, there is no money for capital improvements. The fat lady as sang boys.
One question fence man. We have mandatory retirement at 60. If we can't collect till 65 what do we do? Sounds easy to say go out any get a job for five years. Whose gonna hire a 60 year old with one area of expertise. And I'm sure you don't want a 65 year old climbing a ladder trying to pull you out of a fire. I disagree with minimum manning. We are staffed at rock bottom levels. The cities ISO rating is determined by those levels. Do the research to see what your insurance would go up if trucks were shut down. If you have info on fraudulent disabilities call the state police, until then don't call it fraud. If its fraud report it.
Ok Steve, so make it 60 before you can take the pension. I agree. Look how many guys aer getting in ther 40,s. We will always disagree on minimum manning, lets just agree to disagree. Disabilities, just listen to Oscar Sheldons comments at the last budget hearing. Thee system is plagued with fraud.
In a response to an earlier comment I was told that councilmen Merolla was providing leadership on this issue. Well, I was told leaders lead by example. He complains about pensions and healthcare for retirees while for a part time job he has full family healthcare benefits now and will have a pension and recieve full family healthcare when he leaves the council. leadership, what a joke. I've read stories when he was asked about it and he said he deserves the pay and benefits because he's a board of director of a 200+million budget. but someone who works 30 yeaes doesn't deserve it. This is what is wrong with government. Two faced self serving policians. Fulltime benfits for a paert time job and a pension with full time healthcare benefits. What a joke.
How did council members get full time health care?? Anyone know??
BY getting elected for 3 terms. If I am correct, former councilman Cushman put forth a resolution to ban that and then the unions came out against him and continued to elect individuals who benefited their agenda. Now, I certainly dont approve of ANY lifetime healthcare for anyone, part time , full time, elected official or not. So now it becomes up to the tax payer to get their council member to put forth a resolution to change the rules and cut off the healthcare benefit. Who will be first to do that?? Any union members??
Fenceman, if there are fraudulent pensions come out with the info. Don't just say there are and not have one ounce of info to back it up. I am firmly against a city coucilor getting and lifetime benefit. Do you have a number of fireman in their 40s getting pensions? Keep,in mind the city determines weather you can work or not they have three doctors that have to agree. There are guys that want to continue working but are told by the city it's too much of a liability for you to work. Please give me a number of fireman that retired in their 40s.
and they are closing a middle school and probably a high school soon as well. who'll be left to pay for all this?
Steve, maybe you didnt read correctly. Oscar Sheldon made the fraud statement publiccly. Not my allegation, however, i do know it is true, but your getting off topic. Hope to see you tomorrow .
Maybe I'm missing something, if its fraud they should be arrested. Maybe ask Oscar why no ones been charged, maybe he is just making allegations? Either way, if someone is breaking the law they should be punished. I won't be at the meeting as I will be working (or as you guys like to put it, sitting on my rear doing nothing). I want some answers also. Numbers won't lie.
Oscars public answer was that it was too costly. Since you will be working, who has the department assigned as a representative to ask questions pertaining to the liabilities. What questions will they ask? Have you guys spoken about it and come up with a plan to ask questions???? I am sure that you have read the data as it is well publicized. Do you, yourself, personally, feel that it is reasonble for the thaxpayers to pay 537 million from now until 2032, on a 311 million dollar debt, and still have a 120.1 million dollar unfinded liability. 2032 is when the fund comes out of critical status to 60% funding, IF, there are no more people hired, there are no more raises, and the fund gets 7.5 interest uniterrupted from now until then. Thats what the document states. Bear in mind since 1995, there has not been any 5 year period where the fund has realized 7.5%, let alone a 20 year period as this new "fix" proposes.
I'm not a spokesman for the department. I'm not a executive board member, if they choose to ask questions I'm sure they will be productive questions. I myself feel as though the city has an obligation to follow through on a CONTRACT. Let me reiterate to you I have nothing to do with the poorly unfunded plan, maybe you should round up the city officials that took the money and failed to put one cent into the plan. My plan is doing very well. I'm not worried about that at all. Bottom line we wouldn't be here had they followed through in the cities end.. And Oscar can complain all he wants its his rules that must be followed for a disability pension to be awarded. You haven't answered my question on how many firefighters retired in their 40s? I'm waiting....
Steve D......time to put up or shut up.....if you don't show tomorrow at city hall then you have no credibility. We're tried of your rants....show us your mastery of city issues finally.
Also in 2032 very few of those collecting from that fund will even be alive...
Reality can't read apparently...
Steve D.....I can read but I tried of reading your observations......I want to listen to you speak at city hall finally......we can all listen to your pronouncements a few days afterwards on city hall website.....put up or shut Stevie.
You sound real scary reality. I'm shaking...


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Music on Hill Festival an homage to spring
Music on the Hill will present its annual music festival opens this Thursday and continues through June 16 in the communities of Warwick, East Greenwich and North Kingstown. Music on the Hill features Rhode Island born-and-bred musicians who have established impressive music careers all over the country returning home to share their talents with the Rhode Island community they love.
The two-week festival is an homage to the season of spring. This time of metaphorical growth and rebirth has inspired wonderful music, and festival organizers have included one of these great compositions in each of our six concerts, including Beethoven's "Spring Sonata" and Robert Schumann's song "Spring Night."
Guest performers include the Apple Hill String Quartet (whose violist, Michael Kelley, is a Rhode Island native). They will perform both as a quartet and in combination with our own Music on the Hill musicians as part of our June 10 concert, "Beethoven, Borodin & Beyond." The concert will take place at St. Bernard Catholic Church in North Kingstown at 7 p.m.
The 2012 Festival is supported by grants from RI Foundation's Roitman Grant for Chamber Music, RI State Council on the Arts, the Carter Family Charitable Trust and concert sponsorship by Greewood Credit Union, Warwick.
Tickets for this or any of our other five festival performances are $20 at the door. Concert schedule and ticket information can be found on our website, http://musiconthehillri.com, or by email: email@example.com. Tickets are for purchase online or at The Savory Grape Wine Shop in East Greenwich (Dave's Plaza at Division and Route 2). Students are free. For more information, contact Craig at 401-738-5632 or Carol at 401-884-8172.
The schedule is as follows:
Thursday, June 7, 10:30 a.m. "Sextet-Set," First Baptist Church, 34-44 Main St., Wickford.
Friday, June 8, 7 p.m. "Schumann's 202nd Birthday!" St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church, 360 Cowesett Rd, Warwick.
Sunday, June 10, 7 p.m. "Beethoven, Borodin & Beyond," featuring the Apple Hill String Quartet, St. Bernard Catholic Church, 275 Tower Hill Rd, North Kingstown.
Thursday, June 14, 10:30 a.m. "Dance & Romance," Westminster Unitarian Church, 119 Kenyon Ave., East Greenwich.
Friday, June 15, 7 p.m. "German Giants," SS Rose & Clement Catholic Church, 111 Long St., Warwick. (Wine & Appetizers at 6:30 p.m.)
Saturday, June 16, 7 p.m. "European Hopscotch," Westminster Unitarian Church, 119 Kenyon Ave., East Greenwich.


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Report on the conservation status of alpine predators
The plight of Europe's large carnivores has become an issue of growing conservation concern. Wolves, bears and lynx continue to be persecuted by humans and in many cases their habitats are under considerable threat.
While the precarious status of Asia's tigers is widely known, some of Europe's own top predators are in danger of quietly disappearing. Others face an upsurge in conflict with people as they try to reclaim parts of their former ranges.


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WASHINGTON -- Billionaire Warren Buffett said raising taxes on the wealthy won't stop them from investing and called on policymakers to boost rates for income over about $500,000.
Buffett has been a staunch ally of President Obama on boosting taxes on high-income earners. But the Oracle of Omaha did not back Obama's push to raise taxes on income above $250,000, saying he preferred a "somewhat" higher cut-off point.
Still, Buffett derided suggestions that increasing tax rates, includint those on capital gains, would keep people from pursuing potentially lucrative investment opportunities and "stuffing their ample funds under their mattresses."
"Suppose that an investor you admire and trust comes to you with an investment idea," Buffett wrote in an opinion article Monday in the New York Times. " 'This is a good one,' he says enthusiastically. 'I'm in it, and I think you should be, too.' "


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The Houston Dynamo got their preseason match schedule started on Wednesday with their annual scrimmage against the Dynamo Academy U-18s, cruising to a 4-0 win with three goals in the second half.
The Dynamo put the pressure on early, with Omar Cummings forcing a pair of saves from Academy goalkeeper Andy Rios in quick succession in the 10th and 11th minute. Cummings took a first time shot after receiving a ball from Tony Cascio in the box, which Rios made a diving stop to keep the match scoreless early on. Just moments later, Cummings tested Rios again after Andrew Driver's cross from the left flank found the Jamaican's head, but the shot went right to the Academy keeper. Rios came up big again 18 minutes in, tipping a low Will Bruin shot off the post.
The senior side broke through just before the half-hour mark. Cascio picked up the ball near the halfway line and played a ball just behind the Academy defense for a diagonal run from Bruin. The fourth-year forward found himself one-on-one with Rios and provided a cool finish to open the scoring.
The Academy came away form the first half with a couple quality chances on goal. Memo Rodriguez' shot from 20 yards out forced a diving save from Dynamo first half keeper Tyler Deric in the 35th minute. The U-18s had another chance five minutes later, when Elo Ozumba freed Zachary Jackson on the right sideline, allowing the Academy midfielder to play a cross into the middle of the box. His teammates were unable to tap it in, but Justin Reyes ended up with control until he went to ground looking for a penalty that the referee did not give. Reyes had another chance just before halftime on the counterattack, but his solo attempt was smothered by Deric.
The Dynamo entered the second half with a fresh lineup, but the new faces continued to control the match. The first team had two chances cleared off the goal line before they were able to add to their tally. Off an Alexander López corner kick, Eric Brunner's header flashed on target but was deflected over the crossbar by Brian Ownby, who was on the line shielding the goalkeeper. An hour in, Mark Sherrod dribble around Rios on an individual run, but his shot was cleared by a retreating Stuart Close.
Sherrod got his revenge and his goal minutes later, however. Ownby chipped a ball from the edge of the area to the far post that was slightly deflected, but still managed to fall the Dynamo's second round SuperDraft selection for an easy blast into the back of the net.
The match was put away in the next ten minutes as the Dynamo were able to double their lead. Trialist Sito Seoane curled a left-footed free kick from just outside the penalty area past Rios to make it 3-0, and then Jason Johnson took a pass from Ownby and cut inside on his left foot for a low, hard shot to the far post to finish the scoring.
The Dynamo continue their preseason schedule this Sunday, Feb. 2, against the Colorado Rapids. The match will be played at Houston Sports Park with kickoff set for 11 a.m.
Houston Dynamo vs. Houston Dynamo Academy U-18
MLS Preseason
January 29, 2014 – Houston Sports Park, Houston, Texas
Scoring Summary:
HOU: Will Bruin (Tony Cascio) 29
HOU: Mark Sherrod (Brian Ownby) 63
HOU: Sito Seoane 67
HOU: Jason Johnson (Brian Ownby) 73
Houston Dynamo: Tyler Deric (Michael Lisch 46); Anthony Arena (AJ Cochran 46), David Horst (Eric Brunner 46), Mike Chabala (Euan Holden† 46); Servando Carrasco (Ricardo Clark 46); Tony Cascio (Brian Ownby 46), Giles Barnes (Sito Seoane* 46), Boniek García (Alexander López 46), Andrew Driver (Bryan Salazar 46); Omar Cummings (Jason Johnson 46), Will Bruin (Mark Sherrod 46)
†Guest player
Houston Dynamo Academy: Andy Rios; Louis Thomas (Garret Welch 63), Stuart Close, Albion Neziri (Jose Duarte 81), David Brown (Gabriel Camera 76); Matthew Dorsey (Daniel Rutter 63), Memo Rodriguez, Thomas Barboza (Bryce Marion 63); Zachary Jackson (Josue Palomino 53), Elo Ozumba (Emmanuel Usen 53, Giovanni Pacheco 81), Justin Reyes (Irvin Ramirez 53)
Misconduct Summary:
HOU: Servando Carrasco (caution) 33
HOU: Anthony Arena (caution) 38


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By David Bacon
Truthout Report
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (3/18/13) - On March 14, the day before the Trustees at San Francisco Community College District handed in the report that may decide the life or death of California's largest community college, student and faculty marchers headed downtown to City Hall. A sinuous line of hundreds of chanting, banner-waving people stopped traffic on Mission Street, the main artery through the city barrio. Their mood combined equal parts of desperation at the prospect of the closure of the school, and anger and defiance at the kinds of changes that authorities are demanding to keep it open.
Shanell Williams, urban studies major and president of the Associated Students at SFCC, told a rally at the march's starting point on the college's Mission campus that the required changes are part of a larger effort to turn students into commodities, and move towards the privatization of education. "Next year students will be affected by the Student Success Act," she warned. "Every student will have to have an education plan, there will be repeat limits, and a 90-credit cap on the Board of Governors fee waiver [that allows poor and working class students to petition to waive tuition fees]. Now is the time when they need more student services and support from the administration, but they're cutting part time counselors and taking other actions that will be even greater barriers."
Closing San Francisco Community College became a possibility last spring when the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges sent a team to San Francisco, as part of a 6-year accreditation cycle. The district, the largest public school system in California, had been warned earlier about deficiencies and knew there would be problems. With 85,000 students and 1650 faculty, and an annual operating budget of $200 million, SFCC had never been sanctioned. But under the impact of cuts in state funding, last year it had a deficit of $6 million.
In July, commissioners released a set of findings that found the district deficient in 14 areas, and put it on "Show Cause" status, the most serious sanction short of shutting down the college entirely. The commission gave the college credit for a very diverse faculty and high-quality libraries and counseling. Commissioners said, however, the college's governance, planning and leadership were inefficient, and that it had not documented adequately a set of assessments called "Student Learning Outcomes."
Finally, the commissioners said the district fiscal planning was poor. Over the past three years of the state's fiscal crisis San Francisco has endured a $53 million loss in revenue. Despite it, teachers and previous chancellors worked to maintain an adequate and accessible class level, and avoided layoffs through temporary cuts and concessions. But commissioners found there had not been enough cuts or cancelled classes, that too much (92%) of the budget was spent on personnel, and that too few administrators were on staff.
After the commission made its report, California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott went before the SFCC board of trustees, and as students hissed told them that "what you have to do is do less than you did three years ago. There's no other way." Scott admitted "all the community colleges have been faced with this very same problem." Statewide, community colleges have incurred $809 million in cuts since 2008-09.
But many faculty and students believe that California's multiyear economic crisis is being used to enforce a series of changes intended to move the community college system towards privatization, and attack unions as obstacles that stand in the way. "In this worldview education reformers are beginning to look at higher education like K-12, and propose similar measures," says Alisa Messer, president of the faculty union at SFCC, Local 2121 of the American Federation of Teachers.
"They see community colleges as a means to turn out hirable people, or students for four-year institutions. We see them as institutions serving the broader community. Our students move in and out, they have jobs and kids, some are learning English-as-a-Second-Language, while others are seniors interested in lifelong learning. Not everyone is coming for a degree. We need an accreditation process that takes this diversity into account."
In an effort to comply with the accreditation commission's demands, however, the district brought in the Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team (FCMAT), a quasi-state agency, to make recommendations for fiscal reforms. In a January 31, 2013 report the district lists FCMAT's demands. They dovetail with the changes demanded by the accreditation commission.
FCMAT told the district that subsidies for some education programs needed by students should be cut. Over the past several decades the district has encouraged enrollment by establishing 11 campuses and a number of other centers. FCMAT told it to "evaluate the cost effectiveness and service requirements of the college centers to determine the best future use" and to "eliminate some of the outreach locations." Overall, it said one important goal was to "reduce the number of full-time faculty through attrition."
FCMAT further told the district to take a hard line against its faculty and classified workers and their unions. For teachers it suggested "negotiating reductions to the AFT contract provisions that provide benefits and compensation that may not be sustainable in the current economic environment, including compensation for tenure review committee members and mentors and generous categories of employee leave." The district responded that it would demand "rolling back pay schedules, reducing the cost of health benefits, reducing the cost per hour for part time faculty, and/or reducing or eliminating the cost of part-time faculty health benefits."
For the janitors, instructional aides, food service workers and other non-teachers, FCMAT told SFCC to "eliminate contract provisions that are out of the ordinary, and that increase costs" including "wellness payments ... substantial paid time off, a 37..5 hour workweek, and high levels of ... vacation and compensatory time."
Last July Local 2121 and the district agreed to emergency measures to meet the fiscal crisis caused by the loss of state funding, including a 2.85% wage cut for the 2012-2013 school year. Afterwards faculty and students hit the road to campaign for state Proposition 30, to prevent further funding cuts, and citywide Proposition A, intended to plug the hole in the district budget.
The political leaders who placed the measure on the ballot, including district trustee Anne Grier, said in their ballot argument that funds from Proposition A would be used to: "maintain core academic courses, including English, math, and science; provide workforce training, including nursing, engineering, business, and technology; provide an education that prepares students for four-year universities; keep City College libraries and student support services open; keep technology and instructional support up to date, and offset State budget cuts."
The district produced budget projections, given to the union and public, that sought to show the possible results of the passage of the propositions, as well as their defeat. In the worst case, if both 30 and A failed, the district projected a shortfall of $24.5 million. But if both passed, it said, there would be a small surplus of $726,658.
In November voters responded, passing Prop. 30. Prop. A won with 73% of the vote. In December, however, district negotiators announced that the administration would impose a 4.4% "annualized" wage cut on faculty, retroactive to July, when the 2.85% cut took effect. Together they would effectively cut salaries by 8.8% through next July. The district refused to bargain, and when union negotiators persisted in demanding explanations, a new budget projection was produced. On the line where the predicted income from Proposition A had been listed previously there was nothing.
After further prodding, the district announced that all Proposition A money would be used to increase the district's reserves, and better fund pension liabilities. The administration claimed this was a mandate from the ACCJC, and what voters thought they were voting for was irrelevant.
This fulfilled another set of FCMAT demands, which included, "If the election results are positive...fund ongoing obligations such as retiree health benefits and workers' compensation." It told the district to "become more aggressive in reducing expenditures," and to "plan for and make permanent reductions."
Student enrollment has been falling as a result of the economic crisis, but began falling much faster when class cuts and a possible closure made them extremely insecure. That in turn caused the district's income to fall as well. FCMAT response was to tell the district to buy a new computer software system, called Banner software, to keep better track of enrollment.
In an effort to show its willingness to obey the accreditation commission and FCMAT dictates, in October the board hired a "special trustee" with the power to veto decisions he feels jeopardize the school's response, much as appointed "special managers" in Michigan today overrule decisions made by elected city councils. The board chose Bob Agrella, past president of Santa Rosa City College, who promptly blamed the union for opposing the cuts and concessions. Its objections were keeping the college from meeting ACCJC recommendations, he claimed, and accused it and students of trying to protect the system's nine campuses from closure.
When students and teachers marched through the city on March 14, they were protesting the way the fear of closure has been used to force through the ACCJC and FCMAT demands. Shanell Williams angrily denounced the tactic as she spoke through the bullhorn at the Mission campus, surrounded by billowing banners saying, "Stop the Privatization of Education" and "We are All City College!" "Students are scared about the future of the college," she shouted. "We need to have confidence that the administration will do what it takes to keep the college open, without squeezing out the most at-risk students or forcing extreme cuts on the faculty."
Sanctioning community colleges is growing beyond San Francisco, however - 27 districts in California (25% of the state total) are currently on the list. Two have "Show Cause" orders that threaten closure, in addition to SFCC. The accreditation commission is not a public agency, but a self-perpetuating private one, overseen by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. It is funded by educational institutions, which have no input or oversight rights.
What gives its recommendations power is the U.S. Department of Education, which will only fund financial aid at accredited institutions. Particularly for community colleges, whose student body is drawn overwhelmingly from working class communities, accreditation therefore becomes a life or death issue. During the Obama administration, the department has put pressure on accreditation commissions to take a harder line on sanctions, concerned that students aren't receiving an education that enables them to get jobs and repay student loans.
Robert Shireman, director of California Competes in San Francisco, and former deputy undersecretary of education in the Obama administration, told EdSource writer Lewis Freedberg that although the commissions need more enforcement tools other than forcing a closure, "At some point you have to let the hatchet fall." At the same time, the administration has discounted traditional measures of quality education, such as low ratios of students to faculty and improving college curricula. Instead it emphasizes making graduates attractive to corporate employers.
Faculty member and Local 2121 executive board member Allan Fisher marched with the students up Mission Street, and stood beside Shanell Williams as she denounced the cuts. "The source of the Federal government's pressure on the accreditation commissions' to sanction more colleges," he explained, "includes very wealthy activists like Bill Gates, who represent corporations and large foundations. Their efforts to 'improve accountability' through measured outcomes and the demand to push students through faster are likely to discourage students and limit educational opportunities."
Coming in 2013 from Beacon Press:
THE RIGHT TO STAY HOME: Ending Forced Migration and the Criminalization of Immigrants
DISPLACED, UNEQUAL AND CRIMINALIZED - A Report for the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation on the political economy of immigration
With Anoop Prasad on what's wrong with the current immigration reform proposals in Washington DC
With Solange Echevarria of KWMR about growers push for guest worker programs. Advance to 88 minutes for the interview.
At the Gandhi-King Youth and Community Conference, Memphis 2011
See also Illegal People -- How Globalization Creates Migration and Criminalizes Immigrants (Beacon Press, 2008)
Recipient: C.L.R. James Award, best book of 2007-2008
See also the photodocumentary on indigenous migration to the US
Communities Without Borders (Cornell University/ILR Press, 2006)
See also The Children of NAFTA, Labor Wars on the U.S./Mexico Border (University of California, 2004)
Entrevista con activistas de #yosoy132 en UNAM
Interview by activists of #yosoy132 at UNAM (in Spanish)
Two lectures on the political economy of migration
For more articles and images, see http://dbacon.igc.org
David Bacon, Photographs and Stories
David Bacon, Photographs and Stories
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Search results for: Delhi Northeast Users
Delhi Northeast Users
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Webotopia provides a business directory designed to promote Delhi Northeast Users companies, products and services whilst helping it's users find the Delhi Northeast Users information they need. Webotopia business directory, with the help of it's dedicated support specialists and reviewers, enables delivery of Delhi Northeast Users quality content, excellent customer support as well as value added services such as content publishing and press releases for it's users.


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She has 4yr in Jan. Should I start nutritional drinks till then? Someone suggested carnation breakfast drinks. She is extremely picky eater.
Her being small did come in handy at 3 1/2 we went to amusement park and she passed for under 3 ;) so got in free. We just told her not to talk lol!


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C4 NGen Mouse Pad & C4 NGen04 Mouse Pad with 3/4
The C4 NGen series of mouse pads integrates an old concept with a new design idea. The old concept is that of Teflon, the slick surface which almost everyone is familiar with, while the new design idea is, of course, applying Teflon to the mouse pad. Three separate items were sent for this review. The C4 NGen, a traditional mouse pad with the Teflon surface and a thin foam backing, as well as the C4 NGen04, which is just the Teflon surface with a non-slip coating on the back. The final product that was sent was a set of 30 "3/4 inch discs" that are also Teflon, which provide a Teflon-on-Teflon connection between the mouse and the mouse pad itself. Will this novel concept skid its way to the top of the pack? Or will it slide down to the bottom?
The CS Hyde company is relativity new and has some cool ideas, most involving the use of Teflon for mousing surfaces. They produce the mouse pads in three different configurations, the two being reviewed here today along with one with a sticky backing. They will also coat any existing mouse pad in their special Teflon top. Finally, they make several different size mouse 'feet'. CS Hyde Company seems like it has a bright future.
Closer Look:
The NGen is the mouse pad that is coated with Teflon, with the foam bottom. The Teflon is a copper color and is slick to the touch, but the surface is also slightly rough. In addition, the C4 NGen logo is placed in the lower right hand corner in gold writing. The mouse pad that I received, is the 9.5" by 8.5" and it comes in several other sizes including 8.5"x7" and 16"x10"
The packaging is very simple, just a cellophane wrapper with a sticker describing the product. As can be seen in the side shot, the profile of the mouse pad is about 1/9th of an inch. The pad is also flexible, but not to the degree the 04 is, as you will see in the following section.
The mouse pad measures 9.5 inches wide and 8.5 inches long, as can be seen below.
The NGen logo and website of the company is listed with a gold colored sticker in the bottom right of the pad. The website is very small and hard to see, but is there. The back of the pad is just black foam with no markings.


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It is the time of the season when the nerve ends are raw and the focus turns inwards. Tottenham Hotspur knew what they needed to do here. There was not a single soul connected to the club who considered this fixture as anything other than must-win. The season's final weeks will surely bring twists but it did not matter. Southampton had to be vanquished.
Thanks to Gareth Bale, who appears to be on a one-man mission to drag them into the Champions League, they got the job done. The team's performance was aimless in the first-half and not wildly better in the second; it was impossible to say that Southampton deserved to lose. André Villas-Boas conceded that the visitors ought to have been in front at half-time and they did not look like conceding in the second half.
Even Bale had not looked like scoring. Villas-Boas moved him from the centre to the left and then the right, as he grasped for the solution and, for 85 minutes, Tottenham's main man and, whisper it, their only hope, had been virtually anonymous. Southampton denied him the space wherever he tried to roam. They have hardly been imperious on home turf under Villas-Boas and their supporters had begun to steel themselves for frustration.
But Bale needs only a fleeting moment to be decisive and he found it when he picked up possession on the right wing and drifted inside, away from Luke Shaw. The shooting chance opened up and with a low left-foot drive from outside the penalty area, which flashed past Artur Boruc, he bent the script to his will. Tottenham can travel to Chelsea on Wednesday with renewed optimism.
It is the measure of Bale's influence that even on an off-day, there was no surprise and, perhaps, an element of inevitability about him turning into the matchwinner. This was his 200th game in Tottenham colours, it came against the club that had set him on the path to stardom and in the wake of his clean sweep of the Player of the Year awards.
"Maybe I made a mistake when I said that Tottenham were not a one-man team," said Mauricio Pochettino, the Southampton manager. "He is not yet at the level of Messi or Maradona but he could play for any team in the world."
It was Bale's 20th league goal of the season and he became the first Spur to reach the mark since Jurgen Klinsmann in 1994-95. In addition, he has five in the cups and five more for Wales. "Southampton gave him a split-second, which they had not done all game and he managed to put the ball in the net," Villas-Boas said. "He is scoring goals out of nothing. It was a great moment of individual brilliance. He is in outstanding form."
Tottenham had not won a Saturday 3pm league fixture here this season and there were conspiracy theories around when the kick-off was delayed by 30 minutes due to a chemical spillage on the M25. But Spurs looked laboured. Scott Parker missed out with an ankle injury while Mousa Dembélé limped off on 34 minutes to further disrupt the home side. They created next to nothing. Villas-Boas reported that Aaron Lennon's departure was also due to muscle tightness.
Southampton were composed and threatening, and they had two wonderful chances in the first half. Nathaniel Clyne, galloping into space on to Rickie Lambert's lofted through-ball, thumped wide of the far post while Lambert's low free-kick was tipped on to the post by Hugo Lloris. From the rebound, Steven Davis planted his header from Guly do Prado's cross straight at the goalkeeper.
Tottenham flickered on 68 minutes when the substitute Emmanuel Adebayor touched down for Clint Dempsey but the American snatched at the half-chance and the home team's closing push was coloured by desperation. It looked bleak for them when Bale's loud shout for a penalty following Jack Cork's swipe was ignored. "We haven't had a penalty all season, I have never seen this in football," Villas-Boas said, and Southampton looked good to clamber to 40 points. Bale, though, had other ideas.


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FACULTY RESEARCH: The Limits of Self-Control
According to new research by the Carlson School's Land O'Lakes Professor for Excellence in Marketing, Kathleen Vohs, people who bottle up emotions all day may be more at risk for aggressive behaviors .
The Limits of Self-Control
By Rick Moore
Putting a lid on emotions and impulses may lead to more aggressive behaviors, according to new research by the U's Kathleen Vohs, who has been studying self-control as a limited resource for more than a decade. And that has implications for almost everyone, especially those who must frequently deal with stress and emotional situations.
A disgusting experiment
In the study, Vohs and three colleagues from the University of Texas studied two groups of subjects--one that had been awake for 24 hours straight and another that was fully rested.
All of the research participants were shown two well-known, "disgusting" snippets from movies--the overeating scene from Monty Python's The Meaning of Life and the toilet bowl scene from Trainspotting. Half of the subjects were allowed to react to the clips naturally. The other half were told to keep a completely neutral expression on their face "and, to the best of their abilities, blunt what they're feeling on the inside," Vohs says.
All of the participants then engaged in a computerized competition, where aggression could be measured in their selection of a noise level that would be blasted at their opponents. The results showed that the people who had earlier controlled their emotions when watching the movie clips were more likely to set higher (more aggressive) levels of noise. Further, it was strictly the depletion of their self-regulatory resources that led to the aggression; the lack of sleep was not a factor, Vohs says
"It's not just the experience of negative emotions," adds Vohs, the Land O'Lakes Professor of Excellence in Marketing at the Carlson School of Management. "They're all seeing emotion-evoking information, and they're all feeling that. [But] one group is trying to squash those feelings, and it's that squashing part that's the key--not the feeling of the negative emotions, per se."
Who's at risk of depleted self-control?
Vohs says people possess self-control in finite quantities, no matter how saintly they appear. "People have a resource that exists within themselves, and they use it when they control their behaviors or their responses," she says. "We can predict that they'll be bad at self-control if they've previously used a lot of self-control earlier in that day."\
It's not hard to envision scenarios where these findings come into play. Many in society are called upon to squelch their emotions repeatedly; think police officers and military personnel; impound lot workers and even judges.
"Judges are hearing horrible tales," Vohs says. "Maybe they feel disgusted or they feel angry, maybe they feel contempt. And then, punitively, what do they do after that? Aggression doesn't have to be physical aggression. It can be verbal aggression and punitive responses in general."
Even teachers might be susceptible. Being the face of reason and exemplary deportment all day long has to take a few bites out of the self-control apple.
"There are lots of ways to be punitive and punishing and slightly aggressive, and I think we've all seen that even in our own childhood histories of teachers--maybe verbal slights or even retaliating against the insistent parents," she says. "But you can imagine, they're (the teachers) controlling their emotions all the time throughout the day, mostly in frustration."
Self-awareness of one's self-control limitations can only help. However, that's probably easier said than done. When was the last time anyone said to himself, "I've been exercising a lot of self-control today, so maybe I'm more at risk for road rage?"
And, "The very people who need to realize this effect is happening are the very people who will never realize that this effect is happening," Vohs notes.
Still, it's food for thought, maybe even an excuse for reaching for that pastry. But probably not enough reason to roll your eyes at the boss.
Kathleen Vohs teaches in the Marketing Essentials and Strategic Pricing programs for Carlson Executive Education.