text:
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Private-sector job gains picked up speed in December, with the largest monthly increase since February to end the year on a "solid footing," according to a Thursday morning report from payrolls processing firm Automatic Data Processing Inc.
The U.S. added 215,000 private-sector jobs in December, ADP ADP, +0.49% estimated Thursday, led by a gain of 187,000 service-providing jobs, while goods producers added 28,000 jobs.
"The job market held firm in December despite the intensifying fiscal-cliff negotiations in Washington," said Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody's Analytics, which produces the report based on data from ADP. "Businesses even became somewhat more aggressive in their hiring at year end."
Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected a gain of 149,000 private-sector jobs. See economic calendar.
"The latest round of labor market data are, on balance, positive, particularly given that the looming fiscal cliff was probably having a dampening impact as 2012 drew to a close," wrote Paul Ashworth, chief U.S. economist at Capital Economics, in a research note. "It is possible that the pick-up in employment growth reflects a one-off bounce back as the disruption from Superstorm Sandy faded."
There was also good news for November: ADP upwardly revised November's result to a gain of 148,000 private-sector jobs from a prior estimate of 118,000.
Tampa, Charlotte among gainers.
• U.S. homeownership at 18-year low
Looking at industries in December, Zandi said the gain of 39,000 private-sector construction jobs was particularly encouraging, though Hurricane Sandy was likely behind the jump. There were also gains of 53,000 trade/transportation/utilities jobs, 37,000 professional/business services jobs and 14,000 financial activities jobs. Meanwhile, manufacturing lost 11,000 jobs.
By company size, small businesses added 25,000 jobs, medium businesses added 102,000 jobs and large businesses added 87,000 jobs.
Some analysts use ADP's data to provide guidance on the U.S. Department of Labor's employment report, which is due Friday and covers private-sector and government jobs. However, economists are wary of placing too much importance on ADP's December reading given past misses, though ADP recently changed its methodology.
Currently, analysts expect the government to report that nonfarm employment rose 153,000 in December, compared with a gain of 146,000 in November.
Elsewhere Thursday, outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported that layoffs announced in December plummeted from the prior month, and 2012 saw the lowest annual total for announced layoffs since 1997.
"The overall pace of downsizing was at its slowest since the end of the recession. In fact, we have not seen this level of job cutting since before the dot.com collapse and subsequent 2001 recession," said John Challenger, chief executive. Read more about layoffs.
Meanwhile, the Labor Department said first-time claims for unemployment benefits rose 10,000 to 372,000, which marks a five-week high.Read more about jobless claims.


text:
- About Company
Industrial parts washers for cleaning, degreasing and drying metal or plastic parts in small or large series. BAUFOR's parts washers can also incorporate surface treatments such as descaling, phosphating and passivation. All parts washers are tailor-made, allowing us to find the optimum solution in line with the client's needs. Industrial parts washers of solid and compact design and build. Manufactured from first-rate materials and components. Long service life and reliability even under the harshest working conditions. Simple to operate and easy to maintain. Pass-through parts washers, turntable parts washers and cabinet parts washers.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Press Kit
Promotional Photos
Related Links
Related Subjects
Visual Arts
Australia/New Zealand
Medical Ethics
click level for more info
Universities, Colleges & Institutions
DVD Sale
DVD Rental
K-12, Public Libraries & Select Groups
DVD Sale
Public Exhibition
Request a quote now
Black and White
A film by
Kirsty MacDonald
New Zealand, 2006, 17 minutes, Color, DVD, English
Order No. W07919
BLACK AND WHITE shines a sensitive light on a subject that is too often either shunned or sensationalized: the experiences of intersex people (sometimes called hermaphrodites). This beautiful and stylish film artfully explores the potent creative collaboration between Mani Bruce Mitchell and the acclaimed photographer Rebecca Swan. Portrayed through this lens, Mitchell�s story introduces viewers to notions of fluid gender identity, challenging the rigid categories of �male� and �female.�
At birth Mitchell was assigned the gender �male� but when investigative surgery subsequently revealed that �he� had ovaries, �Bruce� was renamed �Ruth� and reassigned the gender �female.� BLACK AND WHITE picks up on Mitchell�s story in 2005, weaving together her unflinching yet unexpectedly humorous insights, along with Swan�s descriptions of their creative collaboration on a book about gender identity. Documenting the way Mitchell boldly expresses her own intersex identity through the medium of art, the film challenges the viewer to see Mitchell for who s/he is. Combining intimate, present-day interviews with rich archival slides, photographs and film footage, as well as playful fragments of Super-8 stop-motion animation, BLACK AND WHITE is a stunning tribute to Mitchell�s courage and fierce commitment to change.
DOCNZ - Int�l Doc F F, New Zealand, Best Short Doc
Austin Gay & Lesbian Int�l F F, Best Short Film
Monterrey Int'l FF, Official selection, International premiere
Reelout FF, Ontario, Canada
Planet Gender FF, Maastricht, The Netherlands, World Premiere
The Int'l Women's FF, Dortmund, Cologne
Int'l Lesbian & Gay FF, Hamburg
TLV FEST, Tel Aviv Int'l LGBT FF
Athens Int'l Gay and Lesbian FF
Outtakes Int'l Gay and Lesbian FF
Int'l Festival on Gender and Sexuality,�Delhi
�Damn These Heels� Lesbian and Gay FF, Salt Lake City
Boston Gay and Lesbian FF
Turin and Bologne Int'l Lesbian and Gay FF
Pink Apple Lesbian and Gay FF, Zurich
Melbourne Queer FF
Short Fuse Programme, MIC,�New Zealand
San Diego Women FF
Seattle Gay and Lesbian FF
back to top
�BLACK AND WHITE is a rare and wonderful look into the life of an intersex person, bringing a human face to an issue most people never even think about.�
Mo Ratel
The Austin Gay & Lesbian Film Festival
�Heartfelt and candid�If you seize one voice to articulate the perils and possibilities of the in-between, it ought to be Mitchell�s testimony.�
Amy Villarejo
Dir., Feminist, Gender and Sexuality Studies Program, Cornell Univ.
�An assured and compelling work�manages to combine real insight into a difficult life while retaining a sense of optimism, humor and community.�
Annie Goldson
PhD (Trustee DOCNZ Festival)
�Recommended�Mitchell�s views and theorizing present a truly interesting, evocative, and empirical view on society�s learned binary view [of gender] and how we might reconsider it.�
Educational Media Reviews Online
�Three Stars. Recommended.�
Video Librarian
back to top
Black and White
is included in the following Special Collections.
GENDER: Transcending Gender
back to top
Rebecca Swan
Photographer featured in BLACK AND WHITE
Trailer for Kirsty MacDonald�s ASSUME NOTHING
back to top
Sign up to get our monthly newsletter delivered by email.
You'll get the latest info on WMM films, filmmakers, new releases and worldwide events.
Read the current issue and subscribe!
WMM offers film collections on a variety of specific subject areas, including the collections
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN: Ending the Silence
, and
AFRICAN-AMERICAN: Celebrate the Lives of African-American Women
Deep discounts are available when you purchase multiple films.
More details
© Women Make Movies, 2005
site map
Women Make Movies is a multicultural, multiracial, non-profit media arts organization which facilitiates the production, promotion, distribution, and exhibition of independent films and videotapes by and about women.
contact us


text:
TAMPA, Fla. - Aside from selecting a presidential nominee, it is perhaps the most vexing question in several state delegations: What to wear?
Most Republican National Convention delegates packed for humidity, heat, hurricanes and television shots. But for the handful of state delegations that coordinate their outfits among delegates, the planning went back months.
"For me, it's like camaraderie," Deirdre Harper of suburban Denver said of the custom white blouse she and her fellow Coloradans wore Wednesday night. "Like we're all a team, we're all together. It's nice."
The net result is a fascinating pan shot of an arena filled with West Virginia miner hats, Puerto Rican fedoras, cowboy hats, and Hawaiian shirts - for a panoply of matching delegations.
Hands down, the most trendsetting, organized and enthusiastic group to attend the four-day event was the Texas delegation.
As best as anyone could tell on the floor, they started the matching tradition at Bob Dole's nominating convention in 1996.
They wear straw cowboy hats every night. Some added their own creative flair to the hats, most commonly "Don't Mess With Texas" bumper stickers.
There is a different outfit planned for each convention night. State Republican activists and politicians donate the outfits. And by now, it is tradition that delegates wear Texas flag button-down shirts early in the week.
One Texas operative on the scene in Tampa grumbled about the attention his state's ritual garners.
Noting the flag shirts, he complained that it is a dated 1990s look that plays into Texas stereotypes on national television.
But within the delegation, there's nothing short of pride.
"Every state has something that says who they are," said Jon Gimble of Waco, whose ancestor fought in Texas' war of independence from Mexico.
"It can also be a positive thing to be proud of where you're from, as long as you're not using it as a bully stick to beat up someone else," he added. "We're just talking about how good Texas is."
Besides Texas, the most distinctively dressed are the Hawaiians. It is a major focal point of pre-convention planning for the delegation.
"We have a committee that decides it, so it is planned months in advance," Pepper Dombroski of Maui said.
Hawaii, like some of the other delegations, does have dissent among the fashion decisions. Some delegates complained that red, white and blue should be incorporated into their shirts.
"Everyone has an opinion," Dombroski said. The state party chair eventually made the final call on what Dombroski describes as "aloha attire." The shirts did not include patriotic colors.
"This is really a traditional aloha shirt," she explained of her Tori Richard-designed shirt. "And one that I can certainly wear after the convention, so I'm happy either way."
The Hawaiians also have orchid leis flown in daily for the convention.
Tamara Hall, a delegate from Bozeman, Mont., said there was some controversy in her delegation as well.
"We all voted on it. And I know some people said, 'Oh, we don't want to wear the same thing. That's hokey,'" she said.
"We all decided that we want to make a statement that 'Here's Montana. We are a small state, but we are important too,'" Hall said.
She mischievously twirled in the women's restroom of the arena, making sure to note the logo on the back of her denim vest that featured an elephant stomping on a donkey.
There was another reason the decision appealed to Montana delegates.
"Who from Montana wants to wear a business suit?" Hall asked. "Most of the men were like, 'Hallelujah! This is a great out!'"
The cowboy hat is also a point of contention for some delegates. For many, it is too overly associated with the Lone Star State. Several Western states opted for cowboy hats, including Colorado. But at least one of that state's delegates worried "it reminds me of Texas."
It is a similar concern of the Oklahoma crowd. They opted against a cowboy hat for that very reason.
So instead, when Rick Santorum visited the Oklahoma delegation, he was swarmed by Sooners wearing dark fitted blazers and khaki pants.
"We love Texas. They're our neighbors," Megan Winburn said. "We value their conservatism. [But] we gotta have a little bit something different."
But beyond the internal debates and intrastate worries, the idea of coordinating outfits is a point of fun amid the fiery rhetoric and ideological angst that has consumed much of the convention.
In between speeches, delegates trade pins with other states.
Cindy Sue Clark, a Hawaii delegate, took an evangelical approach to her delegation's theme.
As House Republican Conference Vice Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.) addressed the convention Wednesday night, Clark stood to the side of the aisle and cheerfully placed seashell necklaces around the necks of anyone, even reviled mainstream media reporters, who passed by the Hawaii delegation.
Her own lei was missing.
"Mine are gone," she said. "They went to Janine Turner and Cathy Gillespie this morning at the Ann Romney breakfast."


text:
Since 1903... WearEver has taken the lead in offering premium construction
and value in cookware. With our new contemporary design, we continue to provide
the quality and reliability you need. Our products are guaranteed for life.
Mirro offers an entire range of cookware, pressure cookers and canning
accessories, affordable and attractive for everyday use.
Indulge in our full line of WearEver cookware. Experience the difference excellence makes! You can expect style and innovation combined with top performance and rugged durability


text:
Stardust/Knowledge Base/Build and Change Management/Maven/Basic Setup
Maven Repository Configuration
While we are packaging up Stardust for Eclipse, you can get free access to the Infinity Process Platform - the product Stardust originates from. After you followed the instructions on how to gain access to the Maven Repository, you can authenticate against the ipp-libs repository with the username and password you picked when registering. Further repositories Stardust builds may require are Maven Central, Java.net and Jboss public. To access these repositories from Maven make sure they are configured in your Maven settings.xml as shown below.
<repositories> ... <repository> <id>ipp-libs</id> <url>https://infinity.sungard.com/repository/ipp-libs/</url> </repository> <repository> <id>mavenCentral</id> <url>http://repo1.maven.org/maven2/</url> </repository> <repository> <id>public-jboss</id> <url>http://repository.jboss.org/nexus/content/groups/public-jboss</url> </repository> <repository> <id>maven2-repository.java.net</id> <url>http://download.java.net/maven/2/</url> </repository> ... </repositories>
<servers> ... <server> <id>ipp-libs</id> <username>user.name</username> <password>clearTextPasswordOrPasswordHashFromRepository</password> </server> ... </servers>
If you don't want to specify your password in clear text, you can encode it in the repository web portal:
- Go to https://infinity.sungard.com/repository Repository and login using your credentials
- Go to your user profile (link behind user name in upper right corner)
- Enter your password and press the Unlock button
- Copy the username and password section into your settings.xml as shown above
Other helpfull repositories could be ibiblio http://www.ibiblio.org/maven or the Nuxeo Apache repository http://maven.nuxeo.org/nexus/content/groups/public.
Maven Archetype
Starting from version 6.0.3 the ipp-libs Maven repository (https://infinity.sungard.com/repository/ipp-libs) contains a Maven archetype
(https://infinity.sungard.com/repository/ipp-releases/archetype-catalog.xml) that can be use to create the following Maven projects:
- Engine runtime EAR project for JBOSS 5.1, EJB deplyoment, artefactId=ipp-archetype-jb51-ipp-ear
- Engine runtime WAR project for JBOSS 5.1, Spring deplyoment, artefactId=ipp-archetype-jb51-ipp-portal-war
- Reporting runtime WAR project for JBOSS 5.1, artefactId=ipp-archetype-jb51-reporting-war
- Engine runtime WAR project for Tomcat 6, Spring deployment, artefactId=ipp-archetype-tc6-ipp-portal-war
- Reporting runtime WAR project for Tomcat 6, artefactId=ipp-archetype-tc6-reporting-war
- Console command line tool client environment project, Spring client, artefactId=ipp-archetype-console-spring-client
- Sysconsole command lient tool client environment project (direct database access via JDBC), artefactId=ipp-archetype-sysconsole-client
For other application servers the example project coming closest to the target deployment can be adjusted. Additional archetypes for other deployment scenarios will be added soon.
- The repository ipp-community-releases already contains a beta version of the Weblogic Spring WAR archetype. Due to the WLS license restrictions this archetype requires the property wlfullclient.dir to be supplied as a parameter. The value should be the WLS folder in which the JAR wlfullclient.jar can be found.
The goals 'dependency:unpack' (for runtimes) / 'generate-resources' (for console and sysconsole) have to be executed after the corresponding projects have been successfully created. However, project creation and goal execution can be combined in one by appending a -Dgoals parameter as shown in the examples below.
Example Usage
If the repository is not configured in your settings.xml then you have to supply the repository URL as an additional parameter to the mvn command:
mvn archetype:generate -DarchetypeGroupId=com.infinity.bpm.archetypes -DarchetypeArtifactId=ipp-archetype-tc6-ipp-portal-war -DarchetypeVersion=6.0.3 -DgroupId=org.eclipse.stardust.test -DartifactId=stardust-portal-war -Dversion=1.0-SNAPSHOT -Dgoals=dependency:unpack
Command Line
mvn archetype:generate -DarchetypeGroupId=com.infinity.bpm.archetypes -DarchetypeArtifactId=ipp-archetype-console-spring-client -DarchetypeVersion=6.0.3 -DgroupId=org.eclipse.stardust.test -DartifactId=stardust-console -Dversion=1.0-SNAPSHOT -Dgoals=generate-resources
M2 Eclipse Plugin
The Maven Eclipse plugin is extremely helpful when working with maven projects under eclipse. It
- allows you to create and import Maven projects
- includes a form-based POM Editor
- manages dependencies and integrates them with the Eclipse classpath
- automatically downloads and updates dependencies
- resolves artifact Javadoc and source
- creates projects based on Maven archetypes
- supports browsing and searching of remote and local Maven repositories
- manages POMs with automatic updates to the dependency list
- adapts nested multi-module Maven projects to the Eclipse IDE
- provides integration with the Web Tools Project (WTP)
- integrates with Subclipse and Mylyn
- generates graphical displays of the dependency graph
- allows to run maven goals from the IDE
- ...
You can learn more about the plugin here: http://www.sonatype.com/books/m2eclipse-book/reference/. In Eclipse Helios (3.6) the plugin is not yet part of the distribution, but you can install it from the Eclipse marketplace. Installation instructions can be found here: http://www.sonatype.com/books/m2eclipse-book/reference/install-sect-marketplace.html


text:
The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA)Stopping SOPA and PIPA was a historic victory for digital citizens, but ACTA potentially poses a similar threat to the global Internet community. While the agreement's stated goal of strengthening intellectual property rights is one all should support, it does so by undermining individual privacy rights and by empowering an unaccountable enforcement bureaucracy. And just like SOPA and PIPA, ACTA was crafted without input from citizens and key stakeholders in a secretive, closed-door process.
Worse, ACTA appears to be an unconstitutional power grab started by President George W. Bush and completed by President Barack Obama - despite the White House's January 14 criticism of legislative solutions that harm the Internet and erode individual rights. The Constitution gives Congress the power to pass intellectual property legislation - like SOPA and PIPA - and gives the Senate the power to ratify treaties. But the Obama Administration maintains that ACTA is not even a treaty, justifying the exclusion of both American citizens and their elected representatives. It is a practice Vice President Joe Biden decried as a U.S. Senator. Closed doesn't cut it. We opened up ACTA in Madison so you can sign up, speak out and collaborate to build a better "treaty."
Selected Passage
Has User Edits/Comments
Add A Bill Edit / Comment
Grabbing Suggestions... Community Suggestions
Grabbing Comments... Community Comments
Keep me updated!


text:
Curiosity continued to work in good health during the Labor Day weekend. The rover drove 98 feet (30 meters) during the mission's Sol 26, on Sept. 1. The drive included a test of the rover's "visual odometry" capability for using onboard analysis of images to determine the distance it has driven. Sol 26 activities also included an empty-cell test analysis by the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) instrument.
The Sample Analysis at Mars instrument (SAM) analyzed a sample of Martian atmosphere as an overnight activity from Sol 27 to Sol 28 (Sept. 2 to Sept. 3).
Planned activities for Sol 29 (Sept. 4) include another drive.
Sol 28, in Mars local mean solar time at Gale Crater, ended at 1:58 a.m. Sept. 4, PDT.
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory


text: The beautiful flowe shop is located in Dragoer (Dragør), a small fishermans village located some 15-16 km. south of Copenhagen, Denmark. The town is probably best known for it's old town dating back to the early 19th. century. The flower shop lies on the outskirts of the odl town, with the harbour to the north and the fortress to the south.


text:
Scissor Skecthbook
This 212 page sketchbook is an Ask Alice favourite, It's pages are a fun mix of 7 different recycled papers, including colour, kraft, black, white and even an old page from vintage magazines that we have been collecting from Melbourne flea markets, making each sketchbook unique. the inside cover features a printed pattern as well as a library card style pocket and name card.
Made in: Melbourne, Australia
Dimensions: 17cm wide, by 19cm tall and about 1.5cm thick


text:
Conservation Projects
(1) - (4) © Nicole Gusset-Burgener
Click here to view the WAZA-branded conservation projects on a larger map.
In the years 2000/2001, WAZA organised three in situ conservation workshops searching for a strategy on how WAZA should become more involved in in situ conservation. One recommendation was that WAZA (with the goal of becoming an internationally recognised conservation organisation) should brand suitable conservation projects. The idea behind the WAZA branding is to create a win-win situation: the brand promotes the project, and the brand allows WAZA to use the project to convey what zoos and aquariums do for conservation globally.
Projects (or programmes) are branded on application, with three sets of endorsement criteria, focusing on biological, operational, and institutional and partnership issues. Applications have to meet the criteria set forth by the WAZA Executive Office. Applications may be submitted by either the project receiving support from member(s) of WAZA or a WAZA member providing support to the project. Since inception of the scheme in 2003, the number of WAZA-branded projects has steadily increased to currently 269.
Getting the WAZA brand implies:
Please contact us for further information and/or to obtain an application form.
(1) - (4) © Nicole Gusset-Burgener


text:
Datasheet Seiko S-19212B90A-E8T1U
For Automotive 125°С Operation High-Withstand Voltage Low Dropout CMOS Voltage Regulator
Docket:S-19212 Series
www.sii-ic.com © Seiko Instruments Inc., 2015 FOR AUTOMOTIVE 125°C OPERATION HIGH-WITHSTAND VOLTAGE LOW DROPOUT CMOS VOLTAGE REGULATOR
Rev.1.0_01 The S-19212 Series, developed by using high-withstand voltage CMOS process technology, is a positive voltage regulator with a high-withstand voltage, low current consumption and high-accuracy output voltage, and has a built-in ON / OFF circuit. The S-19212 Series operates at the maximum operation voltage of 36 V and a low current consumption of 6.5 A typ., and has a built-in low on-resistance transistor which provides a very small dropout voltage and a large output current. Also, a built-in overcurrent protection circuit to limit overcurrent of the output transistor and a built-in thermal shutdown circuit to limit heat are included. Caution This product can be used in vehicle equipment and in-vehicle equipment. Before using the product in the purpose, contact to SII is indispensable. Features
2.5 V to 16.0 V, selectable in 0.1 V step 3.0 V to 36 V ±2.0% (Tj = -40°C to +125°C) Duri...
Moldel LineSeries: S-19212 (52)
Manufacturer's Classification
Other Names:
Inside a huge PCB factory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XCznQFV-Mw
Related datasheets:


text:
To view parent comment, click here.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
FYI: I don't own any Blackberry hardware (based on observation, quite effective for butt-dialing, as I've been called several times that way), never have, and possibly never will, just to get that out of the way.
However, even having $3 billion cash can't change certain things about product development:
1. Where do you get people that are qualified to do the technical stuff?
2. How long does it take to get the people that are qualified to do the technical stuff?
3. Same thing goes for management droids as #1 and #2.
4. What if you're already at capacity for building space, where do you put more people, and how long does that take to make happen?
5. How long does it take people to meld into a cohesive, working team?
6. How do you cut down the communication/management overhead of trying to parallelize such development? Perhaps not all is easily parallelized. Ideally, it would be, but... there's that qualifier. It's too easy to get caught in constant meetings and not enough coding/testing.
A practical problem that occurs when you try to add headcount is that to do that, first you must suck off the resources of the group that's already doing that sort of work: in other words, before you ever add to the team, first you're effectively sapping their productivity. This all presumes that they even get meaningful applicants that stand a chance of being competent.
Next, let's assume they've finally got that squirrel: now what? It takes a certain amount of time and energy to get the sufficiently trained in at least the "tribal knowledge" that tends to exist in any such environment, and familiar with the project they're working on. All the while, all the new employees are a complete unknown for their abilities/style/etc. because, realistically, no interview process can tell you everything useful to know about a candidate.
If they're not also hiring new managers to deal with the influx of people (this is the assumption that "multiplying the number of workers cuts development time by a similar 1/n ratio where n is the multiplier of total old+new workers compared to previous workers") then that's likely not going to work well, either. However, they also need to ramp up, and hopefully, considering the environment, they're able to take the place of any of their underlings if required, otherwise, it's the blind leading the... we won't go there.
All of this happening presumes a recognition and agreement by upper management that this needs to happen to start with, including agreement that the money needs to be spent, getting the money approved, etc. all of which tends to take time. It's completely unpredictable how long it'll take to find the people that are competent, available, and accept any offers to become employees, and then have them get up to speed. Maybe they'll find them very quickly, but then again, maybe some that interviewed well are duds in practice. Maybe they'll spend many months (or longer) looking for people, but they won't be available: location is very important when it comes to finding a workforce. Could they outsource? Well, sure... but that has its own issues, too. For getting things done quickly, if they could first figure out how to coordinate all the moving parts, that may be the fastest, cheapest route (when you consider the whole package) by going to an existing firm that does whole projects for product R&D, because they already have a management team and structure in place, and the people are known quantities and are already there. Of course, that's all assuming they're not already busy on other projects
So, with all that, throwing money at things doesn't guarantee that they'll get done any faster: if that were the case, surely Microsoft wouldn't have been so far behind the schedule in getting Vista out, right? (Actually, admittedly, there's a lot more involved... that could take a whole book).
I agree, those are certainly challenges that money alone cannot overcome. Never the less, they are RIMs challenges, and if they aren't overcome, then they'll be history. A lot of people identified these problems last year, but they seem to have gotten worse, not better. RIM makes awesome products, but clearly need to gain back some credibility by delivering what they are advertising. Maybe less drone like middle managers would help....?


text:
BREAKING DAWN COMIC CON 2012 – We have great news to share. We just got our confirmation for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 TV press line at Comic-Con. So on next Thursday, July 12, we will be interviewing Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, Kellan Lutz, Nikki Reed, Jackson Rathbone, Ashley Greene and Mackenzie Foy. We will go live on ScreenSlam with each interview as fast as we can to get you the latest information. We will even have access to the panel to share with all the fans that couldn't make it to San Diego. The TV interviews start at 11:45 a.m. and the panel starts at 12:45 p.m. in Hall H.
Watch last year's Comic-Con to get in the mood:
Source: Screenslam


text:
Department of Revenue News Release
April 14, 2009Bidding Process Begins for Six More Missouri Motor Vehicle/License Offices
More than 40 percent of Missouri's local motor vehicle/license offices have been put up for bid under Gov. Jay Nixon's plan to improve accountability, efficiency and customer service at the offices. Six more locations throughout the state were added this week to the list of offices that groups or individuals will be able to bid on to operate.
"Under the old system, the management of some of the license offices was awarded to not-for-profit groups, and some of them were given to people based solely on their political beliefs," Gov. Nixon said. "Under our new program, anyone is able to bid, and the winner will be the one with the best business plan."
Since the reformed bidding process began in January of this year, 78 of the 183 local license offices have been put up for bid. The six offices that have been put up for bid this week are Kansas City, Mountain View, Pacific, Poplar Bluff, St. Louis (Eastside) and Van Buren. The Kansas City office is located in the Fletcher Daniels State Office Building at 615 E. 13th St., and the St. Louis office is located inside City Hall at 1200 Market St. Interested bidders will have five weeks (or until May 19th) to reply to the Request for Proposals (RFPs) released this week by the Office of Administration.
Karen King Mitchell, director of the Missouri Department of Revenue, noted some of the criteria that the department will evaluate when the bids are rated.
"The education and experience of the fee agent, the location, accessibility and security of the office, plans to offer good customer service, and an ability to provide a fiscal return to the state are all factors that our teams will be evaluating," she said.
Common transactions that are processed at local license offices include renewing or applying for a driver's license, renewing or applying for registration on motor vehicles, boats and outboard motors, and applying for titles and paying sales taxes on these units.
Copies of the RFPs that bidders will use to develop their bids can be viewed at https://www.moolb.mo.gov/. To review an RFP, select "Guest" on the home page, click on "Open Bids By Agency," then scroll through the list of bids until the appropriate bid is located. (Bid numbers for this week's offices are located below.) Additional information regarding the bidding process can be obtained at http://oa.mo.gov/purch/vendorinfo/DORoffices.pdf or by calling OA at (573) 751-2387.
The bidding time for 48 of Missouri's license offices has ended. For a list of bidders on offices for which the bidding time has closed, you can go to http://oa.mo.gov/purch/dorlist.pdf. For a list of winning bids for license offices, please go to http://oa.mo.gov/purch/awardedfeeoffices.pdf.
|Kansas City
|Mountain View
|Poplar Bluff
|St. Louis Eastside (City Hall)
|Van Buren


text:
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, April 8, 2011
This lawsuit has been going on now for around 14 years. I understand that the city does not want to pay and should do what it can to not pay. I would bet that if Mr. Terry Ballas owed the city of Mammoth $30 Mil they sure would not let it go this long. This is a good example of how big government can mess with someone.
The court system has more than once told the city to pay up, but still after 14 years they have not paid the man what is due him. If the city can hold out for more years, Mr. Ballas will be broke and may not be around to get what is due him.
Ted Pearson
Long Beach
Greed is what comes to mind when I read about this unfair ruling for my beloved Mammoth Lakes. I can understand the excitement of the growth of our area back in 1997. I can understand the FAA concerns but what monetary value is this Terry Ballas out besides a missed opportunity which may have failed in the Real Estate market of 2006 to now.
What a miscarriage of justice in our courts. This is morally wrong on his part. If he is out money, then it should be repaid but a breach of contract or a missed opportunity is nothing but greed on his part. We have had our second home in Mammoth on Forest Trail since 1986 and our large family of six children and 15 grandchildren enjoy it all the time. We have been coming to Mammoth since 1973 and it makes me sick to see someone like this fellow take advantage of such a wonderful place.
Millicent Kennedy
After a long and frustrating six-year battle, the Lee Vining Lady Tigers are getting dirt on their field! A huge thank you to Roger Yost, Doug Northington, Wayne Beaver, Eric Duro, Bob McCullough, Romero Flores, Enrique Perez, David Amezcua and many more students, family members and friends who picked up shovels and helped to remove feet of snow and place 140 tons of dirt on the field.
And a very special thank you to US Pumice who was instrumental in getting this huge project done. They donated the use of their loaders along with their loader operators and removed six inches of clay and gravel off the field and later laid on the new beautiful red pumice that will finally provide a safe playing surface for our kids.
The girls were so thrilled at the sight of their new dirt that they ran out and rolled in the dirt making sure to rub it on their faces and cover themselves in red. For a coach it was an amazing sight for sore eyes.
Let's Play Softball!
Rena McCullough, Coach
Lee Vining Lady Tigers
This letter was sent to DFG to express the writers' adamant opposition to the proposed radical changes to the DFG bear hunting regulations in the State of California.
We assume you have received numerous letters from other organizations and individuals expressing the same, and so we do not want to repeat what you are hearing from others.
The Department of Fish and Game needs to realize that this is a different time, with a generation of California citizens who do not want our wildlife killed. We are raising a generation or two under us that are concerned with many global issues, like warming, contamination of oceans, overpopulation, disease, pollution and on and on.
These issues are at the forefront of our minds, and protection of our wildlife is as important to us as all of the other issues. Keep in mind that many countries in Europe do have no bears remaining in the wild. This is because of over-hunting without foresight. Now they wish they had them back.
We do not want the same in the State of California. Now is the time for the DFG to consider proposing changes to the DFG code providing more protection of our wildlife, not more changes to provide hunters easier ways to kill. We understand that man has interfered with the balance of nature and there needs to be a counter-balance to keep nature within the scope of reality, which will have to be conducted by man. However, we feel there is no scientific documentation that can support the current proposed changes to the bear hunting regulations. The proposals will not help to reduce bear/human conflicts. There simply are not enough reported incidents that are attributed to bears causing problems because they just happen to be in the area. The incidents are all a result of human failure and ignorance.
Increased, inhumane hunting and outrageous hunting practices provided for more recreational opportunities to hunters is not the answer. Please, let's work together to develop better, more widely distributed educational materials for the public so that we can live in harmony with our wildlife. Don't use the excuse that hunting is needed to lessen the human/bear conflicts. It just is not justified.
Joe Parrino,
Marianne O'Connor
Mammoth Lakes
In this day and age you hear every excuse not to pay your bill. Here are the top 10:
1. I fell off the wagon.
2. I had to buy Christmas presents.
3. I am too busy doing snow removal.
4. I don't know what I owe you.
5. I have to pay my bills first.
6. My wife left me.
7. I had to go on vacation.
8. I never got an invoice.
9. No one's paying me.
10. I thought you worked for free?
H. Braden
Mammoth Lakes
Some things to consider regarding the proposed cell towers in Crowley Lake:
• The assumption that FCC standards for radio-frequency radiation (non-thermal) will protect public health is not shared by all, due to the lack of clear conclusions.
• Haven't we seen in the past that substances have been deemed safe only to later be deemed toxic, e.g., smoking, exposure to asbestos, lead-based paint, DDT... the list goes on. Indications that radio-frequency radiation will fall into the same category are mounting.
• If health issues were of no concern, why would the International Firefighters Association and the Los Angeles Unified School District oppose the future placement of cellular telecommunications towers on or immediately adjacent to their property until appropriate regulatory standards are adopted?
• Many international governments have lowered the level of acceptable radiation levels to be emitted from cell phones and towers to hundreds of times lower than the U.S.
• Many cities around the country are adopting moratorium to revise their tower ordinances tightening their restrictions on placements in residential areas and near schools and parks which have been upheld in court.
• Neighborhoods across the country are fighting the placement of towers in their neighborhoods (and winning). This is not a unique situation.
• Once local jurisdictions allow the placement of one tower, due to federal law, they are unable to discriminate against others, i.e., antenna farm in our neighborhood.
• Fake antenna tower trees are widely ridiculed as ugly and out-of-place in any natural environment, and are not a sufficient mitigation for the visual blight they will create. They do nothing to mitigate the substantial loss of views that will affect many property owners, because whether fake trees or towers, they block views and are aesthetically unpleasing.
• Cell tower radiation exposure is constant and something that nearby residents cannot control.
• Clearly someone will benefit financially in the form of a recurring revenue check – and others will lose either in property values, views, peace of mind, and/or possible health consequences.
• Cell coverage for emergencies or savings from consolidating phone services can come from any tower; it doesn't have to come only from this proposal.
• I urge the Planning Commission to vote in favor of safety, health and welfare of all local residents and deny Use Permit 10/008.
Pam Bold
Crowley Lake
Last week, my Letter to the Editor about BLM's plans to manipulate 16,000 acres in the Bodie Hills was focused on letting people know about the project and how to send in comments. Since then, I have read the study results from the experimental plots done in 2007, visited the "treatment" sites, and given it all more thought. Here are the concerns I will mention in my comments to BLM.
I would be happy to take anyone interested on a tour of the test plots, this Sunday, April 10 at 1 p.m. Meet at U.S. 395 and Hwy 167, seven miles north of Lee Vining. More info, call me at (760) 647-6431.
Wear boots and long pants and bring your 4WD vehicle.
This project needs an environ-mental impact statement: The scope is huge. Wilderness Study Areas are of special concern and perhaps should not be massively manipulated. The research is not conclusive on benefits gained. More study time is needed in the experimental plots. Three years is not enough data.
Cost: According to the reports provided by BLM, the cost of "mastication" (chewing up existing vegetation with a huge machine) is $738 per acre. Cut, pile and burn (crew with chainsaws cuts down trees, piles them up and later burns the piles) is $439 per acre. Using a conservative average of $500 per acre, this project of 16,000 acres over 10 years will burn through $8 million. Is cutting down healthy trees because they are increasing their range due to fire suppression and warming temperatures, among other things, really the best use of this public money?
Benefit: BLM has two reports available on the experimental plots. One, conducted by Point Reyes Conservation Science, looks at birds in the plots. After a three-year study two dry years and one wet) the results are inconclusive. There were more nesting birds and better nesting success in the untouched control plots than in the treated areas, according to BLM's own report.
The other report is about vegetative response to the treatments. Again, things are inconclusive. The best results overall are in the areas where the pinyon forest was not dense to begin with. Here is the link to the report: http://www.firescience.gov/JFSP_Search_Results_Detail.cfm?jdbid=%23%27J%...
Fire safety: BLM has told us that local communities will be safer from fire by "treating" thousands of acres. The fact remains, however, that most of the area proposed to be manipulated is far from communities. I asked a BLM official in 2007, "Why don't you spend this money to reduce fuel load near communities where it is really needed, not in a place five miles from the nearest houses?" His answer (paraphrased): If we start thinning near towns, everyone wants us to do their place, and if we don't, they might sue us if a fire comes. It's easier to do this stuff where there aren't a lot of people.
How about putting some of those millions into a firebreak around the town of Bodie, or buying a new fire truck for Bodie, or upgrading the fire hydrant system at Bodie?
A more reasonable approach? After visiting the test plots today, it seems that a more reasonable approach would be to focus on areas at the edge of the pinyon forest, where the trees are scattered. It would be possible to cut down the small pioneering trees on the edge of the sagebrush scrub, much like trees are thinned in Yosemite to maintain desired meadows. To cut down healthy trees on thousands of acres to return them to sagebrush, when oceans of sagebrush surround Mono Lake, seems to be a hopeless task and a waste of money. Obviously, the natural prevailing conditions are favoring the pinyons. As I said before, the trees are a carbon sink and we are lucky our pinyons aren't dying en masse like those in Arizona.
Sage grouse habitat can be targeted and perhaps some pinyon removal and prescribed burns done in the most important areas.
Please send in your comments to BLM as soon as possible. They need to hear from us, the citizens of the Eastern Sierra. Send comments to firstname.lastname@example.com. For a "Notice of Proposed Action" document with all the details, email Heather at email@example.com.
Janet Carle
Mono City


text:
NICE AND WARM? Got enough to eat? Not addled by booze or drugs, or saddled with some mental disorder? Maybe you've even got a house key on your keychain?
That's terrific. Really, it is. You might even be solvent enough to sit down this time of year and send off a few bucks to a good cause. Helping the homeless, for example.
Ever mail a check when you saw the ads in November, telling you how your $16.20 can feed 10 people for Thanksgiving? If there's any day the homeless might actually get enough to eat, it's Thanksgiving, and perhaps Christmas.
As for the other 363 here's an idea. By next Christmas, maybe the city or county or some group with chops and nerve could get a new program up and running, and you can make out your check to "Save the Homeless."
First, a little back story. You know those heart-rending charity ads: a doleful little face from Africa or Latin America or India, orphaned, ailing, illiterate, hungry, or all four, and an appeal for you to part with just $20 a month to "adopt" this child — not a Madonna adoption, but a compact to help finance a young life. The closer comes from an unthreatening guy in a sweater: "Thankfully, there's an answer. For $20 a month, less than a dollar a day, you could change someone's life."
Now imagine the kid's face morphing. It's no longer Little Juan a continent away but Big Dave a few miles down the 10 Freeway, on skid row.
"His home is a cardboard box. His car, a shopping cart. He spends his days collecting cans for the recycling money, his nights hoping he doesn't get attacked. For $50 a month — less than two bucks a day, money that can't even buy a designer coffee — you could help change his life."
I won't blow smoke up your Christmas chimney. Lifting the lot of an adult street person in Los Angeles is a complex undertaking, and certainly more expensive than helping a child in a country where five bucks a day is handsome take-home pay.
So what? The incalculable benefit would be creating ties between an Angeleno who's never laid eyes on skid row and an Angeleno whose whole universe is reduced to skid row.
There are about 90,000 homeless in Los Angeles County, maybe 10,000 on skid row. They're not space aliens, they're not overseas — they're just over a few hills from you. Save the Homeless could make them real, one at a time.
Just the way you'd save those faraway children, for your donation you'd go to a website and choose the homeless person you'd like to help. (What, you think that's demeaning? Having to defecate in a doorway because you have no alternative — that's demeaning.)
You get a photo, a life story and updates on your adoptee. Maybe he's celebrating one month of being clean and sober, and you can relay an encouraging message.
Maybe it'd become the chic thing, comparing notes and photos among your friends:
"Hal, my homeless guy, just finished his 12-step program." "Well, my homeless lady, Ellen, is moving back in with her sister and taking another shot at her GED."
And, truth be told, sometimes it'd be, "My guy Thomas got busted for crack — I think it's his third strike."
I'm not being flippant. And I know that a grown-up, messed-up homeless person doesn't have the cute pathos factor of a needy little kid. But not all homeless people are hard to bring back to life and hope.
I asked longtime skid row workers Nancy Berlin and Molly Lowery for a couple of real-life examples. Here's how I would place them on a Save the Homeless website:
"Tania worked for six years at a rent-a-car company. With her salary and her husband's, they could rent an apartment, take care of their two kids, ages 2 and 7, even buy them bikes. But when her husband abandoned the family, one salary wasn't enough. Tania's apartment? Gone. Her car? Gone. The kids' bikes? In storage, until she can bail out the bikes and bail herself out with the job. She's in training to be an X-ray technician. Your concern and your $50 a month could make a difference."
Or this: "Once his dad found out he was gay, the closest thing J.W. had to a home was the psych ward. Then he hitchhiked here from Texas and found a downtown corner to live on and men who paid him for sex. At night, people driving by threw bottles at him. One morning, someone peed on him.
"He hit bottom. Once he went into a shelter, he began taking his meds, began working in the kitchen, and finally was helping to run the place. Now he's got AIDS, and he needs your help."
We don't know how Tania's story will turn out, but the ending of JW's story has already been written. AIDS killed him. He was 29 years old.
Fifty bucks to link us one to another.
Fifty bucks to connect someone who's concerned with someone who figured that could never happen again.
That's my idea of a faith-based initiative.


text:
Chaplaincy Presents
Friday, November 3, 2017
Beit Shalom-Salam (Basement of Village A)
6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
All are invited!Every Friday evening, except during vacation periods, we meet for an informal Shabbat service at 6:30, followed by a home-cooked, vegetarian Shabbat dinner at about 7:30. The tone is friendly, the community is warm, and everyone is invited!
For more information, call 201-956-8228, or e-mail email@example.com.
Time: 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Location: Beit Shalom-Salam (Basement of Village A)


text:
- CAIT Main
- Infrastructure Areas
- Program Sites
- ANDERS - Automated Nondestructive Evaluation and Rehabilitation System
- BEAST - Bridge Evaluation and Accelerated Structural Testing
- CAES - Center for Advanced Energy Systems
- FMP - Freight and Maritime Program
- ICMP - Infrastructure Condition Monitoring Program
- IMG - Information Management Group
- LESS - Laboratory for Energy Smart Systems
- LPS - Laboratory for Port Security
- LTBP - Long-Term Bridge Performance Program
- NJ LTAP - NJ Local Technical Assistance Program
- PRP - Pavement Resource Program
- PSSP - Pipeline Safety and Security Program
- SAM - Structures and Advanced Materials
- SSML - Soil and Sediment Management Laboratory
- TSRC - Transportation Safety Resource Center
- TTG - Technology Transfer Group
- Training
- Events
- Research
- Education
NJ LTAP provides technology transfer services and trains thousands in the workforce to make our transportation systems safe, smart, and sustainable.
Think you have innovative fix to a common transportation problem?
Would you like to share it with the country? Enter the "Build a Better Mousetrap" competition where employees of local or state public agencies can share original and ingenius solutions to industry wide issues.
>> Learn more here!
The Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) and Tribal Technical Assistance Program (TTAP) are composed of a network of centers—one in every state, Puerto Rico, and regional centers serving tribal governments. LTAP/TTAP centers help local agencies improve their roads and bridges by supplying them with a variety of training programs, an information clearinghouse, new and existing technology updates, personalized technical assistance, and newsletters.
Through these core services, LTAP/TTAP centers provide access to much needed, centralized, easily accessible training and information. Centers are able to provide local road departments with:
- Workforce development services
- Resources to enhance safety and security
- Solutions to environmental, congestion, capacity, and other issues
- Technical publications and training videos and materials
The state LTAP for New Jersey is based at Rutgers' Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation and trains approximately 7,000 transportation professionals each year.


text:
When you try to make special touch in decorating master bedroom walls, you should ensure the concept of decoration and your bed is good. Color choosing is very important to decorate the master bedroom because the harmony of color wills good looking enough. Some people use the painting wall decoration in the master bedroom. They pain the wall by special material of paint, and the picture of painting will harmony with the concept of your bedroom. For example when you choose color cream color to your bed cover and combine with smooth flower patter, it would be great if you paint center of master bedroom walls with smooth green color and you let other side of wall in green coloring. You can pain arrangement of flower by cream pain on green walls. That would be great view in your bedroom decoration.
Now, it is better to have college dorm decorating ideas for girls than for boys. It is believed that girls are usually can be neater than boys. The girls also will have more awareness of its surrounding rather than break it apart like the boy's college dorm does not by all, but by some people. Let's hope that the college dorm decorating ideas for girls that you have will surely make changes in the institution decoration as well.
In the area of the house, the home occupants will also need a special place that can be used as the removal of the fatigue. It happens because most of people will spent their day in their place of work. You will also be able to put the room as the relaxation room during your free time. There are several rooms that can be modified to be comfortable and affordable to be used as the alternative area for relaxation. You can use the front area of the house as the porch room. It can be used as the area to receive guests also so you can enjoy the free time together with the guests. Meanwhile, the sizes of the porches are commonly narrow and small.
It is more appropriate to use the other type of the room that is having large areas. You can apply the wood deck designs as the alternative elements of decoration so that it will give you much empty space around the house that are builder from the natural elements. If the basic material is using the natural elements, you will be easier in improving the natural sensation for the living place especially the outside area of the house.
The wood deck designs are composed by using the various type of the material. Most people arguing the wooden deck is one of the areas that are using full of wooden materials. The wood can be delivered from the redwood or hardwood. These kind of wood are strong and sturdy so that it is appropriate to be used as the material of decking. Alternatively, you can also install the composite decking, especially if you want to apply the long lasting decorative elements in the house area. You can use this kind of material if you are having higher budget allocation to realize the wood deck designs. Do not forget also to install the hand rail of the wood deck designs so that it will protect all of your home occupants.
You will need to add several improvements to the utilities so it can be used as the sweetener of the room decoration. Take for example, you can use the pottery barn sofa slipcovers as the alternative decoration for the room. The slipcovers will be easier to be used as the protector of the sofa fabric surface. If you are applying some of items in the sofa, it will not directly touch the surface of the sofa. You can get the better performance if you can choose the model of the slipcovers that are in line with the theme and the style of the house. You can add the sofa slipcovers that have a special design or motifs.
To be attractive means to be creative. It is one of the statements that can be used to motivate all of the home occupants in making their home decoration more beautiful. The design of the house is one of the basic needs that can improve the presence and decoration of the house. You can use the basic design if it is beautiful enough to be the part of home decoration. Moreover, without the better design of the house, you will need to gain more ideas that can improve the decoration in the living place.
You can add the elements of the decoration to the living place. You can add the wall hangings that are impressive and attractive. It can be in the form of your family photos, your sweet memory and also the other things that have the strong relation with the visual view. The walls hangings are also become the focal attention in the empty room. If you are the user of minimalist home design, you can carefully install the IKE shadow box as the sweetener of the room. As you can see, the presence of the shadow box around the home interior will gain a very beautiful touch. You can put anything you want to bring in the shadow box.
Because the IKEA shadow box are made from the home decoration developer that concerning to the minimalist and modern decor, you can realize the impression of the box is closely related to the simplicity and also the practical form of the home style. As an alternative, you can also add the better performance to the room through these boxes on your wall. The presence of the IKEA shadow box will be more effective if it is combined with the lights and the color combination play. You can easily realize this kind of the decoration by using your own experiences in adding the creative decoration and color play. The use of color circle will help you so much in determining the schemes of the box colors.
Provide sort of utilities or home appliances in the living place are one of the things that the homeowners should do. It does not mean that the homeowners can put everything they love and they like. The appliances that are applied to the house must have the specific function. It is important because the home utilities without the special function will not have any advantages especially in relation to the home function.
You can make a selection of the home appliances before you really apply the items in your living place. It will also very appropriate if you can remove the old items in the house that are having less usage or function. The items with the desired function can make your daily activities much easier. One of the things that you really need in the kitchen is the kitchen islands. Commonly the presence of the kitchen islands is coming together with the set of kitchen furniture or the kitchen cabinets. It can also come separately with the kitchen set. So, you can learn the way of making a kitchen island in order to fulfill the kitchen decoration in the house. It is the sequence of step that will be useful in accordance to the way of keeping and saving budgets. In relation to the kitchen activities, making a kitchen islands is one of the activity that must be done with a full of consideration.
You should consider many things; it can be in relation to the size of the utilities, the color of the stuff and also the size of the items that will be placed in the center part of your house. You can make use the kitchen island as the area that can support your triangle kitchen works. It should be placed at the center part of the kitchen area; you can also put it at the back side of the kitchen set so it can be used as the kitchen table to afford many cooking materials.
Do not forget to put the natural light for the Martha Stewart bathrooms because the enough light supply will fulfill the room with a lot of light bounce from the soft colors that are exists. The soft colors are pink, blue white and also gray. Meanwhile, to make it much appropriate do not forget to fulfill the room with the utilities that are made from the Martha Stewart decorator. You can have the perfect design of bathroom if you really able to carry this style of decoration in your bathroom interior décor.
In this early time, the manufacturers of the house utilities are providing so many alternative of home sweetener. It can be getting in the form of various types of tools and also the various available prices. You can consider adding the different decoration elements in the house, taking for example; you can use the slip covered couches as the solution in adding the better cleanliness to the room. The use of the slipcovers as the alternative decoration will also add the presence of sweet and well arranged.
You can make use the slipcover as the way to improve a room decoration especially the rooms that are having the special decoration touch. You will also able to use the slip covered couches as the decoration of a room with a flexible themes. It happens because you can change the slipcover by using the other type of slipcovers. You can dress the couches according to the style that you want by adding the different styles of slipcovers. You will also be able to carry the different sensation in the house if you are able to choose the brand that matched well to your home performance. The clip covered couches are the best alternative of decoration that you can use to reveal the aesthetic value in the house.
You can also maintain the cleanliness because the dirt that poured in the surface of the couch will be protected and avoided by using the slipcovers. The materials that are using as the surface of the slipcovers are so various; you can use the leather, the fabric or the other syntactic items as the based materials to construct the slipcovers. Moreover, it will also be able for you to gain the better touch of decoration by change the shape of the slipcovers and also change the motifs of the slipcovers itself. It will be better if you are having more than two slipcovers, so that when one of the slipcovers is dirty, you can wash it without leaving the sofa.
For better information about sherwin williams restrained gold, I will try to give different series, sw 6129 will be the code for the latest restrained gold, with organic color collection and hexadecimal value, this series become the brand new invention from Sherwin Williams paint manufactures. Available on 19 different strips, you will be able to get different gold color combination; I will give several reference of room with restrained gold color. Combination between white and gold color surely give different atmosphere for you, that's why you need to try it, use dark gold series this time, and choose white paint as combination color.
Recent Posts
Monthly Archives
Popular Post This Week


text:
Cory Monteith's Band Bonnie Dune - New EP Details & Photo (Exclusive)
Cory Monteith has left behind a great legacy and one of the most important things in his career was his band Bonnie Dune.
The Glee actor was working on a new album and planning a tour with the band just before his untimely death over the summer. Now, the band is gearing up to finally release the music they were working on with Cory and finish the album they all started together.
"We had recorded the EP Miramar this last year working around Cory's hectic Glee schedule, tracking his drums and background vocals when ever he had free time. We were planning on touring the US and Canada summer 2014 promoting our new EP," the band's lead singer Justin Wilczynski exclusively told JustJared.com. "We never could of imagined something so tragic and devastating could happen to our bandmate, and more importantly, our close friend. Unsure of how to move on after losing Cory, we have taken our time to finish this album. We know he is an irreplaceable part of Bonnie Dune, but we will continue to make music, something he loved to do and will start playing shows again in 2014, where we made some of our greatest memories together."
Miramar comes out on February 4th and is currently available for pre-order on iTunes. You will instantly receive the new single "Endless Summer" with your purchase and you can listen to the song right now below!


text:
Deals on products Cheryl Pearson likes
My Lists
My Likes
£60.00 £18.00
Animal Print Laptop Case
French Connection animal print laptop case is a sleek statement accessory. Animal Print Laptop Case has a zip across top and gold-tone logo at front.
French Connection UK
Navy floral button dress
Navy and white floral print short sleeve dress with button front detail. 100% Cotton. Machine washable. PLEASE NOTE THIS ITEM IS PART OF OUR CONCESSION BRAND COLLECTIONS AND IS ONLY RETURNABLE TO OUR WEBSITE. STORES WILL BE UNABLE TO REFUND THIS ITEM FOR YOU.
Dorothy Perkins
Women's Therapy All over aztec print vest, Multi-Coloured
Therapy All over aztec print vestJersey vestPlainScoop neck collarSleeveless100% PolyesterMachine Wash 30°C
House of Fraser
Apple iPad 2 - 32GB Wi-Fi (Black)
Packed with all new features the iPad 2 is 33% thinner and 15% lighter than the its predecessor. Even more comfortable than before the new rounded design makes it sit easily in your hands for extended use. Take your media internet and work on the move and use the Wifi connection to keep connected wherever you are. Surf the internet watch movies check your emails write essays play games read books and a whole lot more all from one easy to use system. Apple's revolutionary iOS unlocks the true potential of your iPad allowing you to get more done on the move. The powerful energy efficient A5 Dual-Core Processor can handle up to twice the workload compared to earlier models allowing you to run multiple applications at once. Smoother applications faster loading times 9x Graphics Performance and more - all from one of the most advanced mobile computing processors around. Great design doesn't mean a compromise in performance. Even with it's lighter more compact design the iPad 2 packs in a sustainable 10 hour battery life on a single charge. Enough to keep you going on long distance flights train journeys or those days in the office that just don't seem to end. The vivid LED-backlit IPS display makes the iPad 2 perfect for viewing your photos watching a movie and even playing games. With multi-touch support you can use iOS's unique expressions to command your applications all from your finger tips. (Matt Major) Processor: Custom Designed Apple A5 1GHz Dual-CoreHigh Performance / Energy Efficient Storage: 32GB Internal Flash Storage OS: Apple iOS 4.0 - Upgradeable to iOS 5.0 Display: 9.7 LED Glossy Widescreen Display (1024 x 768)Multi-Touch with IPS TechnologyFingerprint-Resistant Oleophobic CoatingMulti-Language Display Audio: 30-Pin Apple Dock Connector Port3.5mm Headphone MinijackBuilt-In SpeakerMicrophone Sensors: Three-Axis GyroAccelerometerAmbient Light Sensor Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/nBluetooth 2.1+EDR Technology Cameras: Back Camera: 720p HD with 5x Digital ZoomVGA 30fps for Video Calling Power: 25wHr Rechargeable Lithium-Polymer BatteryUp to 10 Hours Use on Wi-Fi Dimensions: Height: 241.2mmWidth: 185.7mmDepth: 8.8mmWeight 613g
Blue Flower Espresso Cup
Need a boost?! Porcelain Espresso Cup and Saucer featuring Fuff Flower print in grey, blue, white and orange. Dishwasher and microwave safe. Height: 5.4cm, diameter: 5.5cm, saucer diameter: 12cm.


text:
Clear Path for Veterans offers Dogs2Vets, other programs to aid veterans
CHITTENANGO - Nestled high on a hill off Salt Springs Road at the edge of Madison County, three Central New Yorkers are quietly helping veterans in a way few others have.
Last year, Melinda Sorrentino, Steve Kinne and Melissa Spicer co-founded Clear Path For Veterans, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping veterans recover and reintegrate. The trio purchased a sprawling 78 acre property in Chittenango - a former recreation facility with an expansive view from atop its hill.
The group's flagship program is one that's unlike any other. Dogs2Vets partners veterans with rescue and shelter dogs, providing instructions to train them as service dogs for those dealing with post traumatic stress disorder and sexual trauma.
The owner/trainer model is unique, Kinne says. Several programs provide dogs to vets as pets or provide access to service dogs, but next to none allow the veteran to train his own dog. That participation in the training process is key to recovery, Kinne says.
While the program has been running for about a year-and-a-half, no one has completed it yet. At least a year needs to be spent honing the relationship between dog and trainer, but each person has their own pace. Many vets have left the program for several months, falling into depression and isolation, but have returned. Having patience is essential, Kinne said. Even with brief hiatuses, the veterans all come back to resume training. Recovery is a long-term process.
"We're just patient," Kinne said. "There's no time frame."
Having a service dog not only reintegrates vets back into a social setting, but it helps them with physical and psychological needs. A service dog can assist with physical disabilities by doing things like opening doors, retrieving medication or helping its owner stand up. out of a chair. The way a psychiatric service dog assists someone with PTSD is a little more complicated, Kinne said. The dog isn't just a companion or a pet; it forces the veteran to get up and take it outside, go for walks and to training. It gets them out of the house and is ultimately a bridge to interacting with others.
Another big component of the training program is eliciting the very instinctive feeling of love between a dog and its owner, to help the veteran feel emotions.
Rescued or shelter dogs, between 2-4 years old, are ideal for the program, Kinne said. While many variables may come into play with dogs from difficult backgrounds, it provides another level for veterans and dogs to connect. Veterans often feel like they don't fit in when they return from duty, or feel abandoned by society and their government, he said. Rescue and shelter dogs have been through the same thing.
Often times when soldiers return home they struggle to transition back into their lives, Sorrentino said. Having gone through such an intense experience few can relate to, she said soldiers form an unrivaled bond of unconditional love from being in combat together, from watching each others' backs. It's an intense relationship to replicate, but the relationship between a dog and its owner can come close, she said.
Most of the veterans who currently participate in Clear Path's programs are soldiers of present conflicts, but more Vietnam vets and even World War II soldiers are coming in. As word spreads about the organization, Kinne expects to see more. Recognizing that veterans of prior wars, particularly Vietnam, were treated poorly upon their return and largely lacked support to recover, carrying around a heavy burden of trauma and psychological scarring, Kinne said it's not too late for them to come "full circle."
As a community, as a nation, as the force that sent them into conflict, Kinne said it's now the community's responsibility to support them, to "make them complete" again.
Although it varies, about 16 teams are participating in training. Veterans have come from the surrounding area and as far away as Rochester, the North Country and Cortland.
Clear Path for Vets offers a host of other services that Spicer carefully emphasized are non-clinical and not affiliated with the VA or any other government group. On Saturday mornings, Combat Vet Talking Circles are held, allowing vets to share their stories and learn from each other. Similarly, a family support group also meets to talk about the struggles and coping mechanisms needed for living with someone with PTSD.
In concert with those groups, alternative medicine like auricular acupuncture and reiki are offered to help participants relax.
Creative workshops focusing on hobbies like photography and painting are also regularly held, as well as recreational outlets.
With all that the organization provides, it's looking to do more. The owners are in the process of developing a farming and culinary program and adding a playground for children and an adaptive golf course.
While Kinne is the only one of the three with a military background and a vet himself -- having served 23 years as a U.S. Air Force chief physician, flight surgeon, commander and medical residency director -- he says Sorrentino and Spicer are "as passionate and patriotic as anyone."
For Kinne, Spicer and Sorrentino, the veterans come first and the organization comes second. They've become their surrogate family, their advocates and people to help navigate through services that are available, Spicer said.
"It starts with trust and being in the right place," she said. "And to be accepted for exactly who you are when you walk through the door. We don't judge."
"It's unconditional love," Sorrentino said.
For Spicer, several defining moments in her life have led her to the co-creation of Clear Path. At 16, she saw for the first time a homeless veteran and knew she needed to do something. Along with Sorrentino, she managed the Community Care Center, a place for homeless veterans. Through her own struggles with being unable to have children and feeling like she didn't fit in, Spicer said she "found myself" in dog training. Spicer made a career out of training therapy dogs, frequently visiting veterans in trauma centers. That talent easily transferred into Clear Path's mission and by helping veterans and giving of herself, she's realized she can create and "give birth" to a different kind of life.
"This place has healed me personally," she said.
For Sorrentino, who has overseen the design and construction of several housing developments and has managed the VA Community Care Center in Syracuse, many of her friends in active duty military service have inspired her. Witnessing in others the reality of war, the pain of losing friends and the love between soldiers has made her want to make a difference, to be there for others, to be their surrogate family.
"Love, family, trust," she said. "It's the simple stuff."
The non-profit is completely run by private donations, fundraisers, grants and sponsorships.
Those interested in donating, volunteering or participating in program can call (315) 697-3300 or visit their website at:


text: HappyDaze 8,323 Posted April 4, 2013 Everything in Black Crusade seems to indicate that Chaos is all about going to extremes, but does it have to be that way? Are there any 'moderates' in the forces of Chaos? I know that most of the setting - including the Imperium - focuses on the extreme bits for the sake of the wargame, but we see it done a bit differently in the novels. Gaunt and Cain show us a more moderate view of Commissars and, from what I've read on the Only War boards, this seems to be an appealing approach to playing that game. Does a similar feeling exist in Black Crusade? Are there Chaos Space Marines that think that spikes, horns, and chains are just silly and not something that should be applied to power armour? More seriously, are there those that hate the Imperium but not their own humanity? I ask because I have some difficulty accepting some of the cartoonish evil that seems to come up with Chaos (much as the carttonish martinet bit seems silly when done with IG Commissars), and I'm wondering what takes others might have on Chaos as "the bad guys" of the 40K universe that are less gonzo. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


text:
Two Texas A&M International University students will spend this summer in research internships at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH and the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, SD.
TAMIU Student Interns
Texas A&M International University biology majors Ashley Garcia (left) and Eileen Martinez (middle) are joined by their TAMIU mentor Dr. Monica Mendez. Both students competed and were accepted for prestigious summer internship programs at the University of South Dakota and Dartmouth College respectively.
Ashley García, also a TAMIU junior and biology major, competed and was accepted into three summer research programs, selecting the Maternal Child Health Careers/Research Initiatives for Student Enhancement-Undergraduate Program (MCHC/RISE-UP) program sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and delivered at the University of South Dakota.
MCHC/RISE-UP provides opportunities for enhanced public health and related training to eliminate health disparities and promote health equity. Through this program, university partners offer learning opportunities for students, promoting a more diversified and equal health system by introducing highly qualified undergraduate students from under-represented groups to the field of public health.
García was also offered summer internship positions with the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities in its National Science Foundation Summer Scholar program and by the University of Texas' Medical Branch for its Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP), which provides research opportunities in various areas of biomedical research.
Eileen Martínez, also a TAMIU junior and biology major, competed for and was awarded an internship in the Academic Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (ASURE) at Dartmouth, sponsored by the National Science Foundation. Her 10-week program provides room and board and a stipend.
Dartmouth's ASURE prepares students for future graduate research training. The program will be hosted by Dartmouth Graduate Studies in collaboration with relevant departments around the campus, including Arts & Sciences, Thayer School of Engineering and Dartmouth Medical School.
Martínez will be working with Dartmouth's Dr. Brent Berwin whose area of expertise is Immunology and Microbiology.
Both students' TAMIU mentor, Dr. Monica O. Mendez, assistant professor of biology, said they are exceptional students.
"I have been fortunate enough to have several research students in my lab that are truly exceptional. Ashley and Eileen are two of those students that have become experts in methods that we've developed in the lab. Their diligence and dedication to their respective research projects have helped us produce publishable data, and have helped them develop the research tools they need to be successful in any research program in graduate school. Their selection into these research opportunities is an indication of their hard work and commitment to research.
"Although both Ashley and Eileen had an interest in medical fields when they began working in my lab, they will both be pursuing graduate degrees. Ashley will be entering a graduate program in Public Health, while Eileen will be pursuing a PhD in Environmental Toxicology," Dr. Mendez noted.
Both García and Martínez praised the TAMIU programs that enabled them to compete and receive the prestigious research internships.
"TAMIU has allowed me to work as an undergraduate research assistant and gain valuable research skills that are essential in the scientific field. I have worked under my mentor, Dr. Mendez, for the past year and a half and have learned the importance of hard work and perseverance. The skills that I have gained while attending TAMIU and working under my mentor has prepared me to be ready for the demands of my internship and for a future in research, " said Ashley García.
Martínez concurred.
"Here at TAMIU I have been very fortunate to have been able to work with two research professors: Dr. Mendez and Dr. Wilson. Their guidance and mentorship have taught me a lot about leadership, responsibility, and how to conduct research. My experience working with them has taught me so much about the science field and how to approach and answer scientific problems. Both taught me the laboratory skills needed to succeed in current research as well as future research that I may be a part of," Eileen Martínez explained.
TAMIU's Dr. John Kilburn, associate dean of Research and Sponsored Projects, said the students' selection speaks highly of their preparation and bodes well for their futures.
"These TAMIU students competed on a national scale for these prestigious internships that afford them truly remarkable research opportunities. Their level of preparation is impressive and we believe that these summer research experiences, coupled with their TAMIU study, will help to afford them the brightest futures possible in their chosen fields," Dr. Kilburn said.
Registration for the Summer Sessions and the Fall Semester is underway at tamiu.edu. Fall classes begin Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2013.
For additional information, contact the TAMIU Office of Research and Sponsored Projects at 956.326.3221, email Dr. Kilburn at email@example.com or visit offices in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, Suite 326.
Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests
and interviews should contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information
Services at email@example.com
Texas A&M International University
5201 University Boulevard
Laredo, TX 78041
© 2018


text:
COMMERCE CITY Colo. (From MLS Reports) – Saturday's international friendly between the Colorado Rapids and Mexico's famed Club America proved to be a well-matched affair despite the Rapids playing in the middle of their season between two league games and Club America still ramping up in their preseason.
For the Rapids the game served as something of a "reserve match with half the squad made up of bench players getting a competitive workout and making their case for playing a larger role in the remainder of the season.
The 0-0 draw was a justification of the depth that head coach Gary Smith has been working to build from before the season started watching his squad players hold their own against one of Mexico's strongest sides.
"It was a very important game in terms of offering up to those players a better physical platform and a match environment Smith said. "[Club America are] a very very experienced group. They're a very talented side and we had pretty much our second string out there for the majority of the game. I think it's been a terrific workout for a lot of the players."
Club America head coach Jesus Ramirez wasn't concerned by the makeup of the Rapids lineup as he focused on preparing his club for their upcoming season. The fact that his side survived a 28th minute ejection and kept the match competitive against a Rapids lineup that was considerably better than the second string didn't dispel his frustration at losing a man so early.
"Obviously going down a man [28] minutes into the match was tough but I felt like the team played well Ramirez said through translator Gabriel Montanez the Dick's Sporting Goods Park Security Manager. "I would have liked to see the team play at full strength. I felt like the team flowed well and mixed well but I was disappointed that the team went down a man."
Perhaps the most anticipated highlight of the match was the debut appearance of French defender Julien Baudet who has been training with the Rapids for a month but was not eligible to play with the club until the transfer window opened today.
"It's the best feeling ever Baudet said after finally getting the chance to compete with his new teammates. "I arrived here a month ago and every day has just been running and running and running and coming to the grounds and seeing my teammates playing games over there. It's so frustrating. So now to get out there and get involved with the team it's brilliant. I couldn't wait to get out there and play soccer now."
The Rapids and Baudet flirted with an even bigger frustration as Baudet had to be helped off the field in the 57th minute just shy of the 60-65 minutes Smith had targeted for him. Initial concerns about a pulled hamstring lessened as Baudet stretched it out on the sidelines.
"It's just been a bad cramp Baudet said. "It's been my first game since nearly three months. I played in a friendly last week. It was a college team but it wasn't anything like this. I don't know if it's the heat the altitude a bit of everything just a massive cramp. Hopefully it's going to settle pretty quick and I can be okay for the weekend."
In a match featuring unlimited substitutions the Rapids had six players last all 90 minutes including veteran backup goalkeeper Preston Burpo who put up a clean sheet against an attacking team that put up 14 shots to the Rapids' 13.
"Club America's a good team and man down or not we knew we were still in for a long long game Burpo said. "It's their pre-season but there's some good players over there. Those guys put us under pressure a lot of times during the game. It was nice to get the 90 minutes."
At the other end of the spectrum it was an opportunity for a rookie like Ross Schunk to play 71 minutes in a game with tremendous atmosphere as Club America's fans filled the stadium making Colorado feel like visitors in their own park and causing some Rapids to wonder when the flight home from Mexico City was.
"You hear so much about Club America growing up Schunk said. "It was a great opportunity for all of us I think. They're technically awesome even with a man down pinging it one touch two touch. Good team."
Perhaps the draw offered the best possible outcome as the fans were engaged for all 90 minutes and both sides got the kind of challenge they each needed at this stage in their respective seasons.
"I was delighted with the application Smith said of what he saw from his players. "The players outside of the starting 11 need football. We're finding more and more that the characters and the players that we're bringing through are the right ones. And in what is an exhibition game you've seen 11-15 players apply themselves terrifically. That's a big pat on the back for them. And it prepares them even more so for when they're going to be needed as the season unfolds."
Owen Perkins is a contributor to MLSnet.com
AT&T Rapids Man of the Match: Preston Burpo
Scoring Summary:
Club America: Armando Navarrette Oscar Rojas (Manuel Garcia 81) Ricardo Rojas Aquivaldo Mosquera (Rodrigo Inigo 78) Guillermo Cerda (Andres Rodriguez 87) Jaoquin Martinez (Arnhol Rivas 76) Pavel Pardo (Lampros Kontogiannis 78) Angel Reyna (Armando Sanchez 45) Salvador Cabanas (Andres Chitiva 87) Enrique Esqueda (Daniel Marquez 79) Beausejour Jean (Juan Carlos Silva 78)
Substitutes Not Used: Leonnin Pineda Renato Gonzalez
Substitutes Not Used: Leonnin Pineda Renato Gonzalez
Colorado Rapids: Preston Burpo Rob Valentino Julien Baudet (Ugo Ihemelu 57) Ty Harden Cory Gibbs (Scott Palguta 42) Terry Cooke Greg Dalby Mehdi Ballouchy (Jordan Harvey 45) Jacob Peterson (Kosuke Kimura 64) Pat Noonan Ross Schunk (Omar Cummings 71)
Substitutes Not Used: Conor Casey Matt Pickens
Substitutes Not Used: Conor Casey Matt Pickens
Misconduct Summary:
AME- Rojas (Ejection serious foul play) 28
COL- Cooke (Caution tactical foul) 43
COL- Valentino (Caution tactical foul) 69
AME- Rojas (Ejection serious foul play) 28
COL- Cooke (Caution tactical foul) 43
COL- Valentino (Caution tactical foul) 69
Referee: Mark Geiger
Referee's Assistants: Kermit Quisenberry Robert Keiffer
Fourth Official: Scott McCaslin
Attendance: 10492
Referee's Assistants: Kermit Quisenberry Robert Keiffer
Fourth Official: Scott McCaslin
Attendance: 10492


text:
Next Thursday, Lidl in Italy will offer a rice cooker for 19,98 € and I'm considering buying it. There's not much information online, so I'll have to decide whether to buy it or not when I'm in the shop.
I'm mostly interested in buying it if it has a timer, so that I can set it up in advance, however for that price I do not expect it to have many fancy functions. What should I look for in a rice cooker before buying it?
Oh, I've seen it ! (I live in eastern south france, liddl is the closest shop to my house...)
I considered buying it too, but finally decided against it for various reasons :
It doesn't have a timer, nor options for cooking anything else than white rice, has a removable lid and is in fact quite big : it didn't suit my needs since I cook only for myself, live in a smallish flat with no freezer (so I only cook 2-3 cups at a time)and would only need a rice cooker because it would be so much easier to come home or wake up with the rice already cooked...
I guess I'll make do with cooking rice on the stove for a little longer.
Now, maybe that's a good deal for you if you cook for smeone else than yourself, have enough place where you live, etc.
Hope it helped ^^
Thank you for your comment! It helped a lot :)
Well, I cook only for myself most of the time, but I have a freezer and use it a lot :) However if it has no timer at all I'll keep using my trusty pot (or experiment with the microwave) since the kitchen is small and already crowded.
I have a big rice cooker that I rarely use because it's too big. I mean we are 2 at home and the rice cooker instructions clearly say that you should cook minimum 4 cups of rice which is way too much for us.
Mine was cheap but it only has the "cook/warm" function. I've been looking for a smaller one (better with a timer) and there seem to be none in Spain.
So my advice is to buy one that suits the amount of rice you'll be comfortable with and better if it's got a timer. Good luck!
Maybe if lidl releases those in Italy they'll come to Spain soon! :D
My bento blog: http://justbento.com/blog/1305
My art blog: http://jizaacaso.deviantart.com
Thank you for your comment!
Well, I'm going to Lidl for grocery shopping anyway, so I'll check it and I will let you know if it's the same model or a new one.
I ended up not buying it because it did not have a timer. Of course for that price I did not expect a fully programmable cooker, but I hoped at least a dial timer to turn it off.
On the box it says "hold up to 1,7 l of water and rice" , so I'm not sure wheter that "up to" means that you can also put less in it. It has the cook/warm function, and it is suitable for cooking also vegetable (actually the picture on the box showed rice with vegetables being cooked in it)
Here is some general advice about what to look for in rice cookers which might be helpful.
The Big Onigiri.
- Wherever you go, there you are. -
Ooops, sorry! I should have checked before posting. I even read your article some time ago but didn't make the connection (it was before I added JB and JH to my rss feed and started to follow it regularly).
But I was secretly hoping someone had seen the actual Lidl ricecooker, and my wish has been granted :)
|Last Post
|Sesame salad dressing
|5 years 12 weeks ago
|Authentic paella?
|5 years 13 weeks ago
|IMPORTANT: If you have a blog on JustBento...
|5 years 16 weeks ago
|Shiso - uses for this herb
|5 years 18 weeks ago
|Fuki (Japanese Butterbur) Tsukemono Recipes
|5 years 18 weeks ago
@justbento - strictly site updates
@makiwi - Maki tweets at random


text:
A forum of free voices discussing today's Italian politics and its historical roots
Thursday, October 13, 2011
The Zombie Government
The reason this time is a combination of a disintegrating coalition and sloppy parliamentary management. The government was defeated on Tuesday on a division on article 1 of last year's budget account. This should be and normally is a formality; it would only be controversial if there were suggestions that the books had been cooked which there aren't. The money has been spent after all, and Parliament has to approve the account. Instead the article was turned down by one vote which means that the rest of the bill cannot be discussed.
The Italian system does not have whips so there is no one whose job it is to see that parliamentarians actually turn up to divisions and with a good majority this is usually not a problem (even though they have lost quite a few votes over the last few months). On Tuesday there were two key ministers (Tremonti and Bossi) who arrived late for the vote (the Chamber votes electronically with deputies at their own places) despite being in the building. An ex-minister Claudio Scajola who had had a long meeting with Berlusconi that morning also did not turn up.
Berlusconi called the defeat a "technical hitch" but it is much more serious than that. According to the constitutionalist, Michele Ainis, the government has put itself in a catch 22. It cannot re-present an identical bill for six months and it cannot change an account which has already been closed. And without the previous year's account approved, the government cannot move on to this year's. President Napolitano has said that the Prime Minister must sort out the puzzle so there will be some sleight of hand by lawyers and accountants in order to allow the ship of state to keep spending. It is just possible that the president will not accept whatever solution is presented, but unlikely.
That is the form and the letter of the law. On the substance, the defeat was yet more proof that the coalition is disintegrating. An increasing number of parliamentarians in Berlusconi's Popolo della Libertà (PdL)(People of Freedom) would like him to step aside and let someone else run the country and the party until the elections and his ally, Umberto Bossi and the Lega Nord (LN)(Northern League) has said explicitly that the government will not last till 2013. This morning Berlusconi gave a 19 minute speech explaining why he was going to continue and that Tuesday's defeat did not count. Bossi was sitting next to the prime minister and his body language was most eloquent – he couldn't stop yawning.
His probably successor, the Interior Minister, Roberto Maroni, went and sat on the LN benches rather than his ministerial seat, another very explicit move.
The right wing commentator, Marcello Veneziani wrote about "leaders who hadn't died and babies who haven't been born" this morning (in one of the Berlusconi family papers). He pointed out, rightly enough, that reports of Berlusconi's political death have been much exaggerated, for the last 333 days, he said (but he could have said for the last 17 years). And he points out that despite the many proclamations, the opposition leader has not been born yet. Also true. He does not add, though, that both facts are to the utter detriment of a country which is in serious economic trouble and risks dragging the rest of the euro zone down with it.
Veneziani and some other courtiers like the editor of another family paper, Il Foglio, Giuliano Ferrara do indeed criticise Berlusconi but from the role of court jester; none of his political associates have the courage to act decisively enough to end the misery. He is like a bull in the ring, weakened by the picadors and made angry by banderilleros but there is still no matador.
It is a zombie government, not clinically dead but close to being brain dead, lurching from one crisis to another, golem-like and out of control. Worse, actually, because Berlusconi is very much alive to his own appetites and aversions.
If Berlusconi loses the vote of confidence, he will have to resign but knowing his stubbornness, he will try and put together a new government. Some of the opposition and some of the majority too would like to see a "technical" interim government to see Italy through the acute moment of the financial crisis but there is no consensus yet. The other alternative is early elections.
My own guess is that he will win the vote tomorrow but that the next crisis is just round the corner and the chances that this government will run its full term to 2013 are decreasing by the minute. But I might be proved wrong tomorrow. Either way, spring elections are more and more likely and the overall prospects are not good.
2 comments:
- markwillis said...
So the government is unlikely to last its full term. Following early elections, is there any indication what a new government might look like and what the likelihood of it, be it a center-right or left administration, holding a majority in both house of parliament?
Commentators often talk of the need for an interim technocratic government headed by someone like Mario Monti. Is this constitutionally possible and would this only rule until next elections scheduled for 2013?
- Friday, 14 October, 2011
- markwillis said...
So the government is unlikely to last its full term. People often talk of the need for an interim technocratic administration headed by someone like Mario Monti. Should Berlusconi fall, what is the likelihood of a technocratic government taking its place and would this only be able to rule until the next election in spring 2013? Also, is there any indication of what sort of administration might follow early elections and could they reasonably expect to hold a majority in both house of parliament?
- Friday, 14 October, 2011