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My friend Sarah Moglia has written an essay, titled Why I Don't Call Myself a Skeptic, that's been making waves in the atheist blogosphere. She's got a thought-provoking argument with which I agree in part and disagree in part, and I thought I'd share my reaction to it.
But first, let me echo her disclaimer: I'm not promoting what follows as a normative view that everyone should hold. I'm talking about why I choose to identify in a specific way. Actually, I tend to use "atheist" as my descriptive term of choice in most situations, but there are times when I think identifying myself as a skeptic is appropriate - usually, when I'm debating pseudoscience in general rather than religion specifically - and I want to talk about why I find this to be the case.
Here's the crucial passage from Sarah's post:
Being a skeptic is not a hard and fast definition-- no one is ever 100% skeptical all the time. I know lots of people who identify as skeptics who don't behave in a skeptical manner most of the time. And I know lots of people who don't identify as skeptics who question and critically think about things. It isn't like the term 'atheist,' which is something you either are or are not. You can't be both a theist and an atheist at the same time-- but you can act skeptically in one situation and not in another.
Now, the point is well-taken that no one can be perfectly skeptical all the time. As Sarah says, atheism is a binary condition, but skepticism isn't. Human behavior is driven by emotion, subconscious bias, and other deep-seated and not necessarily truth-seeking instincts. Unless you're a mythical being who's achieved the ideal of flawless rationality, we all have blind spots about some things, and we all act irrationally at certain times.
But that's precisely the point: if you genuinely desire "skepticism" to be part of your identity, you can't dismiss these lapses as unimportant. Nor, when someone poses an evidence-based challenge to a view you hold, can you just ignore it and assert your dogmatic allegiance to a ideology that's immune from reconsideration. (By contrast, this is something that religious believers can and do engage in.) In short, the most valuable thing about calling yourself a skeptic is that it's a public commitment, one that encourages people to hold you to a higher standard.
The same is true of "rationalist". If I call myself that, it doesn't mean that I'm perfectly rational about everything all the time, but rather that I take reason as my aspiration, as my ideal. And when I do act irrationally, when I use faulty reasoning or make a decision on bad or insufficient evidence, I hope and expect that people will call me out on it.
That doesn't mean that these terms can never be misapplied. There are many people who are just bad skeptics: people who persist in disbelief long after enough evidence is in to convince any reasonable observer, or people who treat their personal views as sacrosanct dogma, or who simply view "skepticism" as a marker of tribal identity rather than a substantive statement about their worldview. Like this guy, for example:
When it comes to people like this (yes, I know that account is a parody), I think we face a similar problem as we do with the term "democracy". There are many countries in the world that claim to be democracies, but in reality, have only blatantly rigged or inconsequential elections. We could demand that these countries be consistent and stop calling themselves democracies, but I think a better tactic is to shame them, to point out that their rulers are betraying their own stated ideal. In just the same way, even in the worst case when people misrepresent the term "skepticism" or use it badly, it can still provide a potential toehold for new evidence and new ideas to get into their belief system.
Image credit: Shutterstock.com


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Numeric.js v1.2.5
I just released numeric.js version 1.2.5. This bugfix release only adds two lines to fix two bugs found by Michael J. in numeric.solveLP(). One bug was an undeclared local variable. The other bug was an exception getting thrown when the problem had an equality constraint and was infeasible.
I also added a whole bunch of issues to github (see here) to document what needs to be done or fixed in the future (this was prompted by an email from Davy Wybiral). I've also ranked them by difficulty, as follows:
- Easy: can be done without even hacking numeric.js; for example, by providing new examples, tests or documentation.
- Medium: requires some small modification to an existing numeric.js function, or requires programming a "straightforward" new algorithm or tool that's not too intimately connected with the rest of numeric.js.
- Hard: requires detailed understanding of the existing implementation; algorithm is difficult to implement; algorithm is difficult to test; some difficult decisions must be made on the right approach.
One Response to "Numeric.js v1.2.5"
I think you mean for 'see here' to point to https://github.com/sloisel/numeric/issues

subset: commoncrawl


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BENGHAZI, Libya — Libya's rebels on Monday welcomed the death of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and said it would be a great "gift" if the United States now killed Libyan strongman Moamer Qadhafi.
"It would be a great gift if the US killed Kadhafi," he added.
Originally posted by quinneyr
You are not lying, it really does take the piece. It sounds kind of believable if I'm honest, sounds a lot like the revolution in Africa's continent, one country at a time, once Egypt had a revolution everyone followed. They saw the US killed OBL and now they want Qadafi dead.


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If you caught yesterday's installment of 80s Ladies Week, you know that I'm pretty handy with the pom-poms. So it should come as no surprise that one of my childhood idols was singer/choreographer/fellow Philadelphian, Toni Basil.
For today's 80s-inspired product review, I'm going to steal a line from Toni's pop music classic…
Oh, Cargo you're so fine,
You're so fine you blow my mind.
Hey Cargo!
Hey Cargo!
On the 4th of July, I was invited to a late-evening barbecue not too far from my own apartment. I had to hoof it because there was no chance of finding parking anywhere in the vicinity of the art museum, which serves as backdrop for the city's Independence Day festivities. The weather was pretty typical for July – hot and humid – with a light drizzle.
So before heading out the door, I finger painted with Cargo's Melt-proof 3 in 1 Eye-Cheek-Lip Palette and swiped on some . Eight city blocks later, I showed up at the party looking perfectly polished – and you know how shiny I can get. And when I returned home late that night, my makeup still looked freshly applied!!!
The Cargo Melt-proof Make-up Collection, which also includes a Melt-proof Bronzer, is limited-edition and costs $39 (retail value is $90). Pick this up immediately, you'll thank me later. You will be absolutely amazed at the staying power – it'll blow your mind!
Cargo products are available at Sephora, Amazon.com, and cargocosmetics.com.
Isn't 80s Ladies Week totally rad? Be sure to check out Amber's 80s inspired product review over at Beauty Blogging Junkie.


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April 19, 2012
Are we approaching a tipping point in the modern-day sex offender panic?
The question in the title of this post is prompted by this new piece in Stateline, which is headlined "Are sex offense laws too broad?." Here are excerpts from the piece:
Over eight years in the Missouri House, Republican Representative Rodney Schad has gotten numerous phone calls, letters, and emails from registered sex offenders and their families about the damage the registry has caused in their lives — the harassment, persistent unemployment, and community ostracism. Three years ago, Schad decided to start researching the state's registration policy, and what he found surprised him.
"There's no way to tell who's dangerous and who isn't," says Schad. "[People] look up their address and see 10 offenders living or working near their house." In his view, the list is becoming bloated and less helpful to ordinary citizens than it should be.
To try and refine who actually shows up on the public registry, Schad crafted legislation to create a tier system so that only the most dangerous offenders are listed publicly. Currently, anyone convicted of any type of sex crime, from public urination to child molestation, is placed on the list. The bill also creates an appeals process, so that offenders can petition to be removed from the registry after 10 or 20 years, depending on their crime, and removes all juvenile sex offenders tried in juvenile court from the public registry....
Missouri is not the only state pushing back against the strictest registry requirements. Georgia, which had one of the toughest sex offender laws in the nation, scaled back its registration requirements in 2010 for people who had committed crimes such as false imprisonment or non-sexual kidnapping. This immediately removed 819 people from the registry, according to the Atlanta Journal- Constitution.
In Ohio, which was the first state to go along with the Adam Walsh Act in 2007, the state Supreme Court has struck down three controversial portions of SORNA compliance legislation in the last two years: the lifetime registration of some juveniles, the application of the more restrictive Adam Walsh Act penalties to offenders sentenced under previous, less strict laws, and community re-notification requirements for offenders previously sentenced.
Even though opposition to the harshest sex offender policies is brewing, the more common story is still more punishment, not less. The Louisiana House passed a billl this week to exclude sex offenders convicted of computer-related offenses from social networking sites. The Arkansas parole board is considering banning registered sex offenders from using the Internet, and New York has recently distributed sex offenders' email addresses to online gaming companies which are then disabling offenders' accounts.
April 19, 2012 at 10:37 PM | Permalink
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I'm hopeful that more states will follow in suit. The nature of these charges are so debilitating.. I am personally in a situation where I have a pending felony charge against me for possession of child pornography.. with an apparent very small amount of images that came across my computer. 9 months into the investigation I was fired from my job for time and attendance issues.. I now cannot find a job anywhere because my background check shows pending charges. Although we are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty it seems this isn't the case.. furthermore if I cannot find work I will eventually lose my house, my car and may end up homeless. It seems these cases also take a long time to process and if I was to be convicted it seems that I can simply forget about most work in my field (retail). I recently read an article called "65 million need not apply" and found it fascinating. As a society we need to learn forgiveness and allowing people a second chance when it is possible and realistic to rehabilitate.
Posted by: "Adam" | Apr 20, 2012 2:30:59 AM
"Are we approaching a tipping point in the modern-day sex offender panic?"
No one ever has a legitimate concern about sex offenders -- it's just a punitive, emotive "panic."
Personally, I'm not in a panic about sex offenders. Indeed, virtually the only time I think about them is when I read this site. I strongly suspect the great majority of the rest of the population isn't in a "panic" either, although I understand the utility of using that loaded word to belittle those who disagree.
Posted by: Bill Otis | Apr 20, 2012 9:04:08 AM
Adam stated: ".. with an apparent very small amount of images that came across my computer."
And statements like the one above are what create such a stygma against sex offenders. I have been riding the internet train since the beginning and not once did child porn ever just "come across my computer."
People are generally forgiving of those who take responsibility and admit to their actions. Less so to weasels who blame others or portray themselves as victims of "the system."
Adam stated: "As a society we need to learn forgiveness and allowing people a second chance when it is possible and realistic to rehabilitate."
As someone who worked teaching sex offenders for more than a decade, I need to tell you that it is virtually impossible and unrealistic to "rehabilitate" someone who takes no responsibility for his actions. Your statement, "with an apparent very small amount of images that came across my computer" reeks of someone who blames society for your own choices.
If you cannot get a job, it is because of your choices, not society's.
If you lose your house, it is because of your choices, not society's.
Posted by: TarlsQtr | Apr 20, 2012 9:50:06 AM
Panic is not just a word blithely bandied about. I think a panic is an ever-escalating fear, not rooted in evidence, of some perceived harm. It's one thing to want a rational, just, and evidence-based response to a problem like sexual offending--that is what I think society should demand. But the proliferation of punitive law after punitive law, typically for political gamesmanship and with no hearings or study whatsoever, and the hysteria and disgust that now and historically attends anything sexually deviant, make this a classic panic. If we didn't panic, but approached the matter rationally, we would not have bloated, useless registries, homeless sex offenders incapable of tracking, swarms of people nedlessly excluded from the job market, and families destroyed. Moreoever, we'd actually improve public safety and reduce sexual offending, as many studies have found. This panic, while it may satisfy our desire for revenge and outrage, actualy harms both offenders and victims.
Posted by: AnonymousOne | Apr 20, 2012 10:28:27 AM
all i can say is "NO SHIT"!
you noticed this three years ago! Hell 1,000's of us realized it a hell of a lot longer ago.
Posted by: rodsmith | Apr 20, 2012 1:22:14 PM
My favorite article on the subject:
Posted by: Bill K | Apr 20, 2012 2:26:51 PM
Sorry, have to disagree with the majority of what the former treatment provider for sex offenders has to say. If anything, your experience probably makes you more biased than anyone else.
Specifically regarding child pornography, the arrests and convictions for CP-related charges have increased by thousands of percentage points in the last several years. No, this isn't because we're experiencing some kind of mass increase in pedophiles. It is because of the prevalence of peer to peer networking and file-sharing programs. Are some convicted of CP charges actively/knowingly seeking these images? Of course. All? Absolutely not.
I also have to agree wholeheartedly with the blog author in terms of the public panic. Why else would society blindly accept myths as facts, when the information is so readily available? Why is the nickname for the registry the "pedo list" or the "perv list", when the majority of sex offenders have not committed crimes against children? When people are scared they will believe anything that promises to make them safe. What better way to do that than a magical list of "bad guys"?
Posted by: Shana Rowan | Apr 20, 2012 5:51:41 PM
Bill --
I would disagree with you, especially when, for examples, legislators in states like Louisiana are almost tripping over themselves to pass legislation that they know damn well to be unconstitutional all in the name of hating on the sex offenders, which is a sure-fire way to win votes.
Of course it's all about fear. Stranger danger and punishing people for what they might or might not do to the tune of "if it saves just one child" is still very much the order of the day. If people, and politicians, thought rationally about these laws then we could perhaps have a system that is much more focused and beneficial for society.
People aren't thinking rationally about it, of course, because it's hard to think rationally about something when you're smack dab in the middle of a witch hunt / sex panic.
That's not to say that sex offenders aren't blameless, but neither is any other criminal. But SOs serve their time for the crime and are then themselves on the receiving end of ever-changing and ever-tougher legislation that has no bearing on actually protecting anyone, but just makes people feel better.
So...as I said, I'd have to disagree with you. It's still very much a "panic." A very good friend of mine is a SO -- he had a consensual relationship with a 17 year old girl. He had a good job in the hospitality industry, and was a hard worker. He even recently won employee of the year. Then someone found out about his SO status and he was fired, even though he never lied about it and never tried to hide it, it's just he was never asked.
Of course it's a panic, Bill. People thinking rationally don't do those sorts of things.
Posted by: Guy | Apr 20, 2012 10:53:26 PM
To add to my own prior comment and to Guy's, the Kafkaesque nature of constantly changing and increasingly--and draconianly--punitive measures taken against sex offenders, typicall with no empirical basis whatsoever, is precisely what a panic is.
Posted by: AnonymousOne | Apr 20, 2012 11:11:19 PM
Now I wonder what it will take for the witch hunt to end.. and for the panic to end... eventually we need to fix our society or we're doomed!
Posted by: "Adam" | Apr 21, 2012 12:32:48 AM
Well, it is natural to react negatively to "Adam"'s lack of responsibility, but he is pre-trial, it would be idiotic for him to admit guilt on the internet. If he was convicted and still trying to speak so passively, that would be a different story.
The problem with child porn charges is that the punishments are severe, even for people who have never harmed anyone. Scientific research and statistics have shown that, contrary to the public perception that all pedophiles are predators, and all persons with CP are pedophiles, that neither is true. While a large majority of people with CP are probably pedophiles, some people just have morbid curiosity and like to look at taboo things, whether that be snuff videos or CP. Secondly, studies have shown that there is a large body of pedophiles out there who have not sought out real victims. While it is natural to find pedophiles to be repulsive, as long as they don't prey on children, we shouldn't be destroying their lives. Our current system is built on false assumptions.
As far as other sex crimes, the problem with sex offender registration lists is simply that they are overly broad. All 50 states NEED to have the right to a judicial weighing of the facts, with appellate review, before people can be listed. There should be tiers with non-public registrants for limited times, versus serious offenders on public lists. Instead, what we have now is automatic registration for long lists of crimes, many of which involve no predatory behavior or threat to society. People with child victims (under 14) and actual rapists should be on these lists, but instead we get (1) teens and guys in their 20s in consensual relationships with teens, (2) people who are drunk in public and take a whiz, (3) people who masturbate in public restrooms or their car with no desire to be caught/seen, and (4) exhibitionist couples who have sex in public or semi-public places.
It is easy to pretend like there is no problem because it doesn't affect you personally. But a lot of people who have done far less than "Adam" have had lives destroyed. Even in "Adam"s case, even if he is a pedophile, the real question is whether he is the kind of person (generally sociopathic) who would ever attempt to victimize a real child. If there is no evidence that he is, if there is no evidence that he is a threat to society, why is clogging the registration list with his name helpful to anyone?
Posted by: lawguy | Apr 21, 2012 11:35:07 AM
I don't think the terrorists behind the SEX OFFENDER witch hunt are in a "panic". Do they really sit around and worry about people who are living down the street from them? Maybe. They are morons.
No, I think they are just pathetic, un-Americans d-bags. That's all. I have been wondering more and more lately if there are any rational people left who are actually speaking in favor of the Registries, etc. Doesn't seem like it.
I also don't really care for the discussion that the Registries are "bloated", that only the truly "dangerous" people should be on there. No, since the Registries are counter-productive, those are exactly the people who should not be on a Registries. We shouldn't have Registries. Informed people know that.
Lastly, I can't believe Georgia decided not to Register people who were only convicted of holding people against their will, sometimes at gunpoint. That alone is enough proof that the Registries are moronic. You seriously think we should Register people who might try to "groom" someone and not someone who would point a gun at someone. Really? That's what the Registry Terrorists think, apparently.
Posted by: FRegistryTerrorists | Apr 21, 2012 11:28:59 PM
The witch hunt against "sex" offenders is becoming preposterous.
All stemming from a mother who, 31 years ago, decided shopping for lamps was more important than keeping tabs on her son in a Sears department store, and another "victim" mom in Ohio that whined and moaned to lawmakers because she didn't know her neighbors and her child was murdered while she sat watching soaps most likely. Now we have the 33-year-old Etan Patz case back in the spotlight stirring up dust and indirectly pointing fingers at sex offenders.
I find it truly sad that America has become a nation of sheep and
cowards that will sacrifice the rights and basic humanity of others in order to garner a false promise of security.
This is not about protecting or "safeguarding" children, it's about fear mongering and profiting from it. Registration and community notification laws are ineffectual when it comes to protecting society and enhancing public safety. Knowing where someone lives does NOT prevent crime; nor does it protect ANYONE, much less save lives. Millions wasted on laws that amount to little more than security theater and the illusion of safety and awareness.
Posted by: hadenuff | Apr 22, 2012 12:59:36 AM
"Sex Offender Panic" has been created by the Politician's. Why don't you people wake up. The whole Adam Walsh Act is a front so the Politician's can keep their jobs and look like they are concerned about YOUR and YOUR CHILD's safety.
Your stupid if you have not figured that out by now !!
Posted by: Book38 | Apr 22, 2012 1:48:28 AM
Sex offender identification and conviction has also become a money maker for the Government. In US V Hull (8th circuit, 2010) a man who used his computer for a child porn offense lost his 19 acre farm to the Gov. The court found that because the computer was in the house, and the house was on the farm,that the entire farm facilitated his crime, therefore he lost the farm to the Government. The court also found that this did not violate the 8th amendment. In looking at if "punishment is too broad" this should be considered---again against the varying degrees of conduct. I'm not against appropriately punishing sexual offenders, per se, but I am against the every broadening application of Forfeiture Laws. This forfeiture sanction was WAY too much!!!
Posted by: folly | Apr 22, 2012 8:47:48 AM
Well, slap my face and call me flabbergasted. A rational red coat?
Posted by: Truth | Jun 11, 2012 10:24:03 PM
Lawguy: The problem with child porn charges is that the punishments are severe, even for people who have never harmed anyone. Scientific research and statistics have shown that, contrary to the public perception that all pedophiles are predators, and all persons with CP are pedophiles, that neither is true.
There is also no evidence whatsoever that suggests viewing pornography of any kind will make someone commit a sex crime. Which is why some federal judges don't like the mandatory minimums, and some have sentenced well below the guidelines.
Posted by: Truth | Jun 11, 2012 10:35:24 PM


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Professions Wanted
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Take a look at the benefits of being a member of Grapevine, or if you are ready to apply for your place in our group find out how to join.


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Samsung Galaxy Note owners will be able to update their phablet to the latest version of Android any day now, reports suggest, adding some triffic new features to the handset.
Conjecture that Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean) will be available to download for Samsung's original smartphone-tablet hybrid stems from the eagle-eyed sorts at Sam Mobile, who noticed that a service manual for Note has been posted on Samsung's official site.
Mindful that when Samsung put up the manual for the Galaxy S2, Jelly Bean began rolling out shortly after, the site posits that it's fairly safe bet that the new software will be along for the Note very soon too.
Before you get too excited, however, it's worth remembering that the revamped OS will initially solely be available for Note handsets bought off-contract and SIM free.
Those of you who own network-branded kits that you picked up on a monthly contract are likely to face a longer wait while your carriers conducts tests to ensure Android 4.1.2 works with its proprietary services, apps and whatever else.
Samsung's Galaxy Note Jelly Bean rollout started earlier this month in Poland, before seeming to come to some kind of hiatus.
Features it adds to the handset include Multi-View functionality to allow owners to open up multiple apps separately and use them in different windows simultaneously.


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Engaged Justin Timberlake celebrated a final night out as a single man during a raging bachelor party in Las Vegas on Thursday (20Sep12).
The N'Sync star, who is set to wed fiancee Jessica Biel in the coming weeks, toasted his upcoming nuptials with about 20 pals at the Wynn Las Vegas and "took over the dance floor" at Tryst nightclub.
Wearing a bow tie and a fedora, the pop star and his friends sipped on tequila while listening to tunes by DJ Spider.
A representative for the venue tells UsMagazine.com, "The group was very polite."
Biel is not believed to have held her own bachelorette bash yet.


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PGA Tour...these guys are good, is a great tag line, because, they are, and there is a lot we can learn from watching them play. In fact we can learn from them anytime through the power of TV coverage and Youtube!
I have taken many of today's top players (and even a couple of surprise players) and written about the best aspects of their game. Simply click on the link of the player, read about the best aspects of their swing and how they can benefit your game.
There are two key ways to take advantage of this method. The first is to choose the PGA Tour players from the list that are in contention in the event you are watching. That way you are sure to see a lot of their swings during the round. If you have a PVR and you can stop the action, rewind and play in slow motion, all the better to learn from their great moves.
The other method is to study a player that either has a similar body build as you, or a similar swing. This way you will learn and emulate a player that is natural built or naturally swings like you.
You can learn a lot by watching everything from their swing, their pre-shot routine, putting, course management...everything. Watching golf on TV is entertaining, but it can also lower your scores.
Do you want to learn about a particular player's game? Please share it here.
Please click on a player below to start learning with me, through the best players and golf swings in the world.
In this section I will provide swing analysis of the top players in the world. The point is to be able to show you what the best players do so that you will be able to emulate the moves that they make.
The key to success will be to understand the lessons and then practice the moves that are most suitable for your own game development.
I hope you enjoy the analysis and that it helps you gain a better understanding of your own game. Hopefully you will be better able to recognize the moves they are making during a tournament to help you hit better shots and lower your scores.
Good luck with your practicing and playing…and watching. May you 'Play Your Golf Dreams' sooner with the help of Free-Golf-Lessons.com.Free Golf Lessons › PGA Tour Pro Swings
Jun 23, 17 08:04 PM
The Putter Stroke Length Drill is great for developing a stroke for consistent distance control.


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India's Spice Group is ready to invest about 20 billion rupees ($408 million) in Satyam Computer Services and wants to buy a 51% stake in the fraud-scarred outsourcer, Spice Chairman B.K. Modi said.
"That is our desire," Modi told Reuters on Friday. "We want the money to go inside the company. For that they will have to make a preferential issue. If I buy shares from the market, the money will not go into the company."
Modi said the group had submitted on Thursday its proposal to the government-appointed new board of Satyam.
"We have also talked to two, three board members informally."
Spice Group has diversified operations including mobile handset manufacturing, mobile software development, back-office operations, entertainment and retail.
Last year, it sold its mobile telecoms services business to Idea Cellularfor 21.76 billion rupees.
"That is one of the sources (for funding). But we have other channels," Modi said, adding that the group was capable to fund a possible deal internally. (Reuters)


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What if a gallon of gasoline cost $2 in the middle of the night, was free at lunch and set you back $8 in the afternoon? Welcome to the world of electric cars. If you buy one, the cost of a fill-up will largely depend on when and where you recharge it, not to mention the rates your utility company offers.
In the U.S., the cost of electricity varies far more than the cost of gasoline, from a kilowatt-hour average of 8.6 cents in Washington state to 37 cents in Hawaii. (A kilowatt-hour [kWh] is the amount of electrical energy consumed when 1,000 watts are used for one hour.) Depending on the availability of public charging, you might be able to recharge your electric vehicle (EV) for free during a lunch stop at the mall. But if the EV is going to be filled up at home, your rate could be much higher than the national average of 12 cents that the EPA uses on its fuel economy label for EVs.
Because of the variety of utility rates in the U.S., a 2013 Nissan Leaf that's a bargain to drive at average electricity rates in Washington (approximately $25 for 1,000 miles) is pricey in Hawaii, where those 1,000 miles would cost about $107. A conventional car would have to be getting 140 mpg to make that trip for the same money in Washington, while in Hawaii, a 38.5-mpg gasoline vehicle would do the trick.
For consumers primarily interested in driving an EV to save money, it's critical to know actual electricity rates (and the current cost of gasoline, for comparison purposes) instead of relying on national averages.
To figure out the cost of fueling an EV, start with the electric car's energy consumption rate, which is expressed as kWh per 100 miles (kWh/100m). This figure is listed on the EPA's EV fuel economy label and the government's fueleconomy.gov Web site. The next figure is your home electricity rate, assuming that home is your primary charging site. Multiply the kWh/100m figure by the electric rate to get the cost per 100 miles.
For instance, the 2013 Leaf's kWh/100m figure is 29. If electricity is 12 cents per kWh — the national average — it would cost $3.48 to go 100 miles.
Another way to calculate cost is to use the number of kilowatt-hours it takes to recharge the EV's battery. If an EV requires 20 kWh to fully recharge and the rate is 12 cents per kWh, that's $2.40 to fill up the car. What does that equal in mpg? See that equation discussed here. Rather than worry about mpg, cost-conscious EV buyers should focus on how to get car-charging kWh at the lowest rates.
Rate Schedules
The cost of electricity is based on the rates set by utility companies, time of use and level of use. The more electricity you use, the more you pay for it. And consumers generally pay more per kWh for electricity that's used at peak hours. Unless EV buyers do some planning, they could find themselves paying rates much higher than the national average of 12 cents per kWh.
In California, for example, Southern California Edison (SCE) has four rate tiers for residential users, largely based on usage, and they range from 13 cents per kWh to 31 cents. The cost of electric-vehicle charging could easily fall into the most expensive tier, since the electric car is being added to a household's existing demands for powering such things as heating, cooling, lighting and entertainment systems.
SCE is offering EV owners two plans to avoid kWh sticker shock, says Edward Kjaer, director of plug-in-vehicle readiness at SCE.
The "Home and Electric Vehicle Plan" divides the day into three periods. Two daytime periods each have two tiers of pricing, based on usage, while the midnight-to-6 a.m. "super off-peak" period has a flat rate of 9 cents for kWh in the summer months and 10 cents per kWh in the winter. That's because the utility wants EV owners to do most of their charging after midnight, when power usage overall is very low. The peak rate during the day, which is when SCE is supplying power to its business customers, is 47 cents per kWh.
SCE's other plan is an EV-only plan that requires consumers to pay to have a second meter installed. It only measures electricity used to charge the EV. They'll then be billed at a separate rate from the rest of the home. The rates for this plan are discounted to 11 cents per kWh for charging that occurs off-peak — before noon and after 9 p.m. SCE says the time-of-use option can give customers more flexibility for EV charging at very low rates, but it also involves more initial setup cost and time.
Kjaer suggests that consumers who are serious about buying EVs should contact their local utility companies as early in the vehicle-shopping process as possible to get guidance in choosing the rate that's best for them. SCE has resources that are specific to its customers, but there's also good general information there on EV readiness.
Real-World Experience
New Jersey restaurant owner Tom Moloughney has been driving electric cars for more than four years. He started with a Mini E in BMW's first EV test program and graduated in a new test to a BMW ActiveE, which is an electric version of the 1 Series coupe. He intends to be among the first purchasers of the new BMW i3 when it hits the U.S. market in 2014.
Moloughney put more than 73,000 miles on the Mini E, and so far has logged nearly 60,000 miles in the two ActiveE cars he's had (his first was retired after a traffic accident). He has been fanatical about logging data about his driving experiences and writing about them on blogs devoted to the Mini E and the ActiveE.
Moloughney's ActiveE has an energy consumption rate of 33 kWh per 100 miles: less efficient than the Leaf's 29 kWh/100m. But the ActiveE also has 170 horsepower versus the Leaf's 107. Moloughney said that when he gets his BMW i3, the numbers will be even better. "It's expected to be rated at around 25-26 kilowatt-hours per 100 miles," he said.
Until he added a solar system at this home, Moloughney could choose between two electricity rates for his EV charging: 18 cents per kWh at home and a commercial rate of 15 cents at his restaurant in Montclair, New Jersey, where he installed a 220-volt charger. Now he pays next to nothing for the juice for his car when he charges at home.
But if he paid full price at the residential rate of 18 cents per kWh, "it would have cost me about $3,000 to drive the Active E the past 20 months and 57,000 miles," Moloughney says.
At the average New Jersey rate of about $3.75 a gallon, "a gas car would have to get 71 miles per gallon to be comparable in cost per mile," he says. "And at my work rate of 15 cents per kWh, the gas car would have to get 85 miles per gallon."
As a point of comparison, take the BMW 128i, which is the gasoline version of the ActiveE. The BMW 128i has a combined city-highway fuel consumption of 22 mpg. Moloughney says he'd have paid $9,750 for the gasoline to travel the same distance he covered in the all-electric ActiveE for $3,000.
On the other side of the country, Tom and Cathy Saxton, computer programmers who live in Sammamish, Washington, are a three-EV family: They have a 2002 Toyota RAV4 EV, a 2008 Tesla Roadster and a 2011 Nissan Leaf.
The Saxtons installed separate electric meters for their EVs in July 2009 and have been tracking energy use since then. The Saxtons' Tesla is consuming at a rate of 33 kWh/100m. The RAV4 and the Nissan Leaf each average about 35 kWh/100m. The Saxtons pay 11 cents per kWh for their fill-ups.
But rather than describing their energy costs in terms of kWh per 100 miles, Saxton said he and his wife tell friends that their vehicles travel about 27 miles on a dollar's worth of electricity. Of course, that is a dollar's worth at 11 cents per kWh. If they were paying the 3.5 cents per kWh that some Washington residents pay, they'd be getting about 84 miles to the dollar. And if they were in Hawaii, where electricity is 37 cents per kWh, it would be a much more expensive drive.
As the EPA mileage sticker for EVs reminds us, your results may vary, depending not only on the efficiency of the EV you're driving but also where and when you're charging it.


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BRUSSELS — A summit meeting of European leaders collapsed Friday amid bitter discord over a new budget for the European Union, delivering a further blow to a 27-nation grouping already struggling to contain a debt crisis, social discontent fueled by rising unemployment, and doubts about the long-term viability of the euro currency.
Leaders abandoned efforts to set the shape of a trillion-euro long-term budget and called for a new round of talks early next year to try to reach a deal.
Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain, who along with the leaders of the Netherlands, Sweden and several other countries had pushed hard for deep cuts, criticized proposals that left spending on the union's administrative machinery intact.
This, he said at a news conference, showed that "Brussels continues to exist as if in a parallel universe," referring to the headquarters for the European Union, which employs about 33,000 people in the European Commission, the union's main administrative arm.
Mr. Cameron complained that "more than 200 commission staff earn more than I do."
The refusal to trim bureaucratic costs, which amount to about 6 percent of total spending, is "insulting to European taxpayers" as many governments are slashing spending, Mr. Cameron said.Continue reading the main story
The European Commission had no immediate comment on Mr. Cameron's remarks, but officials noted that the commission last year announced a number of civil service overhauls. These include plans to reduce the staff by 5 percent between 2013 and 2017 through "normal turnover," to raise the minimum working week to 40 hours from 37.5, and to increase the retirement age to 65 from 63.
The impasse after two days of negotiations was the second failure this week in Brussels. Finance ministers met all night on Monday without reaching an agreement on whether to release the next round of emergency aid to Greece, where unemployment is around 25 percent.
Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European Council, which represents the leaders of European Union member states, convened the summit meeting and called off the negotiations rather than prolonging them through the weekend. He said that the European Union's budget "has to be balanced and well prepared, not in the mood of improvisation, because we are touching upon jobs, we are touching upon sensitive issues."
"We should be able to bridge existing divergences" in the new year, Mr. Van Rompuy said.
Much of the attention at the meeting focused on Mr. Cameron, who rallied a group of countries in favor of deep cuts to the Multiannual Financial Framework, a seven-year spending plan.
Disagreements over where the ax should fall left France and Germany on different sides, disrupting a French-German tandem without which significant deals in Europe rarely happen. Germany pushed for cuts, though not as insistently as Britain.
France defended payments to farmers, which make up around 40 percent of the current budget, but insisted that there was no rupture with Germany. "I don't only defend the position of France, but the position of Europe as a whole," President François Hollande said.
The negotiating marathon over the budget is held every seven years. The focus on hard cash tends to push national interests to the fore and swamp talk of European harmony, a cause for which the Norwegian Nobel Committee last month named the European Union as the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.
The budget, which amounts to about $168 billion per year, goes mostly to subsidize farmers and support regional projects in poorer member states. These policies were originally intended to help bind Europe together and mute the economic discord that in the past fueled bloody wars.
But differences in economic performance and in priorities between member states are huge, pushing them to embrace divergent agendas in budget talks.
In large measure, this is because what began as an economic bloc comprising six similarly developed market economies in Western Europe is now a 27-member body that includes 10 much poorer Eastern and Central European nations that were part of the socialist bloc.
As well as divisions between east and west, there is also a big gulf between northern countries, especially Germany, and so-called Club Med states in the south like Greece, which, burdened with huge debts, is struggling to keep its economy afloat and avoid social unrest.
"There are still important differences on a number of key issues, especially the overall size of the budget and the fairness of distributions between member states," José Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission, told reporters as the summit meeting broke up on Friday afternoon.Continue reading the main story


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Skip to comments.Oblabla Makes the Thunderbirds Wait
Posted on 06/11/2012 5:15:55 PM PDT by Sequoyah101
Got this from a friend in the Aggie network and it is confirmed. Of course you never heard this from the press. It did appear in one paper.
Received this from a retired U.S.A.F. fighter pilot who flew F-105s in Vietnam with my brother Ted:
From an Academy grad - 204 missions over North Vietnam in an F-4.
I just wanted to pass on a little info in case some of you were not aware of this. Yesterday was the Air force Academy graduation ceremony.
My friend from Texas had just arrived and we drove down the road to watch the Thunderbirds air show after the ceremony was finished. Most of you know President Obama spoke at the ceremony and handed out the diploma's. When this finished it was time for the Thunderbirds to fly. There was one maneuver then they disappeared. A man standing by me called a friend at Peterson Field and found out that the air show was halted because Obama wanted to leave. A helicopter soon appeared and flew around in a circular pattern above where we were - basically doing reconnaissance as Obama's motor-cade was exiting the Air Force Academy. He was going to Denver to do some more campaigning since Colorado is a swing state. After he left the Thunderbirds came back and continued the show for the graduates.
Think about this. Obama comes to a graduation, speaks etc. then decides to leave before the Thunderbirds can complete their air show. They had to fly around, & waste fuel. Thousands of people - the graduating cadets, parents, friends, observers in the vicinity parked in lots waiting to see them fly, inconvenienced, so Obama - his "highness' could leave to go campaign in Denver ! How disrespectful of EVERYONE in attendance. It would have taken only about 20-30 minutes more time to stay until the fly-over was finished thereby honoring the graduates, Thunderbirds and the military in general. However, this narcissistic disgrace of a 'Commander -in-Chief" had to inconvenience everyone and leave interrupting the ceremony fly-over because everything is about him. I was disgusted by this and so was everyone else standing around near us. I hope this info gets passed on so others can learn how disrespectful this President is toward the military. Not too many who witnessed this will be voting for him.
He was offended. Nothing about the national security damage that occurred. More importantly, it's NOT "HIS WHITEHOUSE!!!!!!!!!!" He's just a temporary resident. And the shorter the duration, the better!
Most of the Amish think Hisself should rule by (abuse of) executive order, i.e. decree.
Correct me if I'm wrong. I thought aerial acrobatics teams run their shows at the same time of the day that they practice. They do this to ensure sun glare both direct and indirect isnt an issue. Delaying the show puts the pilots at risk. No problem, everyone on the ground and in the air can eat cake because the Kenyan has a tee time.
It's "his White House" because he took it, not because he was voted in as a guest for 4 years. They're "entitled" you know.
If they don't know by now.
Communist Barry the Bastard, Wee Wee salutes our Flag.
President Dumb@$$ is too stupid, shallow, insensitive to realize what an effing jerk he is. IOW, he is a typical ignorant arrogant Dummycrat. Arrogance and ignorance is a dreadful mix in the POTUS.
As mentioned in this regard before...
Leaving early is better than staying late in FUBO's case...
Better yet, would have been FUBO not attending at all; doubt the Cadets would have minded or even noticed his total abscence...
After watching FUBO in action for 3 1/2 years, the big surprise is anyone still expects manners from the little fairy...
Hes about himself first, last and always...
Agreed, it would have been better if he were not there at all. It was just a lame excuse for fund raising.
He is beyond that now, doesn't need any reason to jet off in our airplanes at our expense to further his own ambitions.
Personally I think Obama is paranoid around anything from the military that can be used to take him out, even if it meant a suicide mission of an unarmed Blue Angels FA 18.
How many times are soldiers allowed to have weapons when he visits any branch of the Armed Forces?
Not in Colorado Springs! He got 39% in 2008, no way will he get that this time around.
My daughter went home with the kids from their vantage spot, after waiting a very very long time, she deducted that for some reason the show had been canceled.
I am thinking a bit more broadly than Colorado Springs.
More like nationally.
I might buy into your theory.
I mean, who walks out before the 'Birds do their thing? What a nitwit. I've never seen the Thunderbirds but saw the Blue Angels once. Wouldn't miss a second of either team for any reason short of a heart attack.
"It was just a lame excuse for fund raising."
Bingo, Obama needed a non-campaign stop on the fund raising trip to be able to bill the whole trip travel to we tax payers. so he scooted down to this AF Academy graduation.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


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SOURCE: Advanced Micro Devices
April 13, 2015 08:00 ET
Customers of Industry-Leading Video Editing Application Gain Increased Productivity With Cross-Platform AMD FirePro Professional Graphics Support
Customers of Industry-Leading Video Editing Application Gain Increased Productivity With Cross-Platform AMD FirePro Professional Graphics Support
LAS VEGAS, NV--(Marketwired - Apr 13, 2015) - AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) announced certification for Avid Media Composer® 8.4 to support broadcast and digital content creation customers for successful HD and 4K workflows powered by AMD FirePro™ professional graphics, both for Microsoft Windows® and the Mac Pro workstations. The new support for Avid Media Composer offers AMD FirePro professional graphics customers outstanding 4K display, media management and editing capabilities throughout the video production process.
Avid Media Composer is recognized as a leading nonlinear video editing software application, used extensively by professional editors in moviemaking, television, broadcast, and streaming media. AMD FirePro professional graphics enable Avid Media Composer to efficiently support editing of high volumes of disparate file-based media for accelerated high-res and HD workflows, real-time collaboration, and well-managed media management.
"We are excited to empower Avid Media Composer customers via our award winning AMD FirePro professional graphics family by delivering the right tools for broadcast and digital content," said Karl Freund, general manager, Professional Graphics at AMD. "AMD professional graphics are designed to enable high quality 4K workflows backed by qualified drivers and exceptional software support. Avid Media Composer customers will benefit from AMD FirePro GPU memory and superior multi-display 4K capabilities."
"Today's digital content creators demand rock solid support from their tools to tackle their workflows with ease. Now Avid Media Composer customers gain additional support for their creative tasks with the processing power of the AMD FirePro professional graphics family," said Dana Ruzicka, VP Segment and Product Marketing, Avid. "We're excited to combine our leading editing software with AMD's professional graphics products. Movie makers, broadcast professionals and digital content creators have even more tools at their disposal to let their imaginations fly without limits."
Attendees at the 2015 NAB Show have the opportunity to experience Avid Media Composer powered on AMD FirePro professional graphics at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada at booth #SL9324 (south hall lower level).
Supporting Resources
About AMD
AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) designs and integrates technology that powers millions of intelligent devices, including personal computers, tablets, game consoles and cloud servers that define the new era of surround computing. AMD solutions enable people everywhere to realize the full potential of their favorite devices and applications to push the boundaries of what is possible. For more information, visit www.amd.com.
AMD, the AMD Arrow logo and FirePro are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Avid and Media Composer are trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc.
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Customers of industry-leading video editing application gain increased productivity with
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As a public company and a global corporate citizens, we focus on the sustainability areas where we can make significant positive contributions. They relate to our core business and expertise, and are interconnected, which helps ensure a sustainable future for our people, customers and communities.
Through the strong industrial advantages from upstream to downstream built in the past years, we have provided products and services to more than 60 countries to make energy extraction and production safe, reliable, efficient and environment-friendly.
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Leveraging on our independently researched and developed equipment and high value-added services, we provide an array of solutions related to oil, soil and water to promote the development of a circular economy.
Established in 1999
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More than 5,000 employees
Branches or offices in more than 50 cities worldwide
By making the full of our assets, we provide integrated solutions in the following domains: oil and gas, power, and environmental management. We develop and implement innovative solutions for complex assignments. Our exceptional people, relentless adherence to our values and vast network of resources enables Jereh to help customers effectively and flexibly resolve issues and challenges they face.
At Jereh, people are our greatest asset. We value, encourage and reward those who not only deliver good results but also recognize our values. With operations in more than 60 countries, we look for more talents in all areas with different backgrounds to lead the industry development.View more


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3 November 2016
Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant raised the issue of the future of Lochaber's Rio Tinto aluminium smelter in the Scottish Parliament today.
She has also lodged several Parliamentary Questions and has written to the company after raising concerns over the lack of detail coming from Rio Tinto following its long awaited review.
Mrs Grant asked the Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity, Fergus Ewing:
"Can I ask what discussions he has had with the company, does he know who the proposed buyer is and what support can he offer them and the employees in Fort William at this difficult time?"
The MSP, who is Labour's Rural Economy and Connectivity spokeswoman, also highlighted that the firm was a crucial industry in Lochaber with 150 jobs directly employed and many more supported in the wider community.
Mr Ewing replied that the smelter was a national asset and he wanted the best outcome for the workers and the community, adding that he was hopeful aluminium smelting would continue in the area for many generations to come.
Mrs Grant added: "Mr Ewing also stated the smelter should be 'top priority for Lochaber'.
"This certainly sounds hopeful for the continuation of the plant and I look forward to an early announcement that the smelter will remain in Fort William."
Last week Mrs Grant said:
"I am concerned about the lack of transparency, especially as there are so many skilled jobs reliant on Rio Tinto remaining in Lochaber.
"It has been many months since the firm started this process and, although I have had a number of meetings with the local management and found them very approachable, the amount of information on the table is now very scant."


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JBU Scholarship Fund
The JBU Scholarship Fund helps reduce financial barriers for students and bridges the gap in financial aid to make it possible for students to attend JBU. Every dollar given to the JBU Scholarship Fund is awarded directly to students each year.
$4.6 MillionGIVEN AND PLEDGED
Discover how every gift makes a direct impact on a student's life
Immediate Impact
The JBUSF makes a direct investment in the lives of students by making JBU more affordable. Generous support from alumni, parents and friends helps students receive this annual financial assistance they need to pursue a Christ-centered education at JBU.
Significant Support
One hundred percent of gifts to the JBUSF go directly to need-based scholarships or work-study positions. Today, approximately one-half of the student body receives an average award of $1,750 each year from the JBUSF.
Founder's Circle
The Founder's Circle is comprised of 335 alumni, friends and parents who commit to pray for JBU, promote the University's mission and provide an unrestricted gift of $1,000 or more annually to the JBUSF. Click here for information on becoming a member of this integral support system for the JBUSF.
Donor Perspective
Diane & Mark Willits
Founder's Circle Members
"Scholarships made it possible for us to attend JBU. We give to the JBUSF because we want to invest in students like those who invested in us. We care very much about this university. JBU gave us so much, and we're blessed to give."
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Donor Perspective
Rachel Bannert
Founder's Circle Member
"When I was a student, I met so many people who gave to JBU because they wanted students to have the gift of Christian higher education. Now that I've graduated, I want to do the same. I believe in the work that JBU is doing, and I know I'm called to be faithful to give in my excess or need."
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Supercharging Robocraft!
For around 4 weeks now Freejam have been working in the wings to add some HUGE optimizations to the game engine which will allow us to take Robocraft to the next level. This new Supercharged Robocraft engine represents a lot of blood, sweat and tears and this Tech Demo video shows the result: This... Read On
Ice Planet – progress report
Ric's probably going to moan at me about this post as he hates me posting about any new content before its finished, and he also hates my artwork (well he does do it a lot better than me), so i'm going out on a limb here and i'm going to take the rap for it as i'm excited abo... Read On
Is this the future of Robocraft?
Freejam have been working hard on some awesome technology that will allow us to relax the CPU limits and really allow you to create Robots of fantastic scale and power early in 2014. These megabots will be rare in game and their owners will be infamous, as the dedication and skills required to build... Read On
HOLY FLOATER by B1GB0YK1LL3R
Even angels flee from this bible bashing monster, its silhouette is burned into my retina and I find myself praying as it thunders overhead. It is very well constructed creation than can take a lot of punishment before it goes down, a masterful build. There is only one word to describe B1GB0YK1LL3R&... Read On


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PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Former dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier returned to Haiti yesterday nearly 25 years after an uprising against his brutal regime forced him into exile in France.
It was surprising move that came as his country struggles with a political crisis and stalled efforts to recover from last year's earthquake.
Duvalier, 59, part of a father-and-son dynasty that presided over one of the darkest chapters in Haitian history, arrived to hugs from supporters at the airport.
"He is happy to be back in this country, back in his home," said Mona Beruaveau, a candidate for Senate in a Duvalierist party who spoke to the former dictator in the immigration office.
In 2007, President Rene Preval said Duvalier could return but would face justice for the deaths of thousands of people and the theft of millions of dollars.
The country is struggling through a dire political crisis following the problematic Nov. 28 first-round presidential election.
Three candidates want to go on to a second round. An Organization of American States panel recommended Preval's candidate be excluded.


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Littler Ranked #1 In Employment Litigation
Littler Mendelson took on 580 new federal labor and employment cases in 2006, an increase of 114% from the 271 such cases it was retained in during 2005. Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak and Stewart, P.C. ranked second in our survey, tackling 489 new federal labor and employment filings, and Jackson Lewis LLP wasn't far behind,...
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Idle Friday speculations
>> Friday, June 16, 2017
It depends on what you mean by "collusion," doesn't it? No, I don't think there were secretive meetings where Trump and/or his surrogates sat down in shadowy rooms and discussed swinging the 2016 Presidential election to the Republicans, mostly because I don't believe for a second that very many people (if any) in the Trump campaign or in Moscow seriously thought for a minute, or even a second, that Trump had any chance whatsoever of winning.
On the other hand, I think there's an extraordinarily good chance that the bottom feeders Trump associates with--and perhaps even the Bottom-Feeder-in-Chief himself, personally or through mouthpieces--and some folks in Russia talked about the opportunities inherent in the whole situation. Financial, obviously, with all the opportunities for money laundering inherent to the messy books of even a not-corrupt political campaign, and all the opportunities for graft and kickbacks and future transactions and personal favors owed. Political, to the extent that Vladimir Putin allegedly has a special loathing for Hillary Clinton and that it would be in Russia's national interest more broadly for the next American President-Elect to arrive in Washington D.C. bleeding, compromised, and in a buzzing cloud of questions of electoral legitimacy. Personal, to the extent that the Russians likely have leverage over Trump and maybe some of his associates and family members in terms of blackmail or extortion options; and I don't necessarily mean the more salacious details of the Steele Dossier--it's not at all unlikely that the Russians are in a position to start calling in debts Trump owes him and/or could cancel building negotiations and/or contracts with Trump, and (in short) could ruin and humiliate the man.
So no, I don't expect any investigations of Trump, Kushner, and the whole lousy lot will expose a grand scheme to throw the Electoral College to Donald Trump. Does anyone seriously think this? I feel like I'm laying out some obvious points here. The idea that the Russians really planned to install Trump in office seems like the kind of plan that only works in movies, the kind of plan where an hour after walking out of the theatre, it's really, really bugging you that the entire third act of the film depended on the hero or villain knowing that someone would perform (or not perform) some very specific act in some very specific manner; the kind of plots the old Batman TV show regularly lampooned with Batman and Robin just happening to have predicted they'd need to implement some arcane countermeasure before the final face-off. But you hear this word, "collusion," and it depends on what you mean by "collusion," right?
Things that are just running through the head, probably obvious to you, Dear Reader, and telling you nothing at all you weren't already thinking. But sometimes one feels compelled to lay it bare, you know.
And so I do think Trump is in a bit of trouble. And this is why he certainly needs to be feeling something ominous creeping around the corners of the eye and up over his shoulder. In a sense, the "Russia Investigation" is likely to come up empty in certain respects; I don't think we're talking about treason in any kind of formal sense. But I think we're talking about corruption, which may be a better word than "collusion," which is why I sort of wish some folks would stop using the one c-word and swap it out for the other. What I think people were most likely meeting about wasn't what Trump could do for if he became President; I think they were meeting about how everybody could get ahead exploiting the circumstances.
Y'know, there's a kicker to this, obviously (obviously?) in that Trump getting elected President may actually be the whole thing failing catastrophically. Irony, yeah? In that if Trump had done as well in the election as everybody was expecting he would back in October of last year, people might be getting comfortably rich without a whole lot of scrutiny, or very much consequence. It's a political norm in this country for Presidents-Elect to be magnanimous in victory: there's nearly no chance President Clinton would have sicced DOJ on the Trump campaign, it just isn't done. Besides which, President Clinton doubtlessly would have been too busy with Congressional hearings over e-mail servers and Benghazi and whatever else Congress could come up with besides to pay much notice to Trump coincidentally signing a bunch of Russian contracts or Manafort suddenly getting a good lobbying deal or whatever. And, hell, if anybody did notice or care, probably it could all be handwaved away as the Russians opportunistically bestowing favors and sowing chaos. Losers, anyway, rarely (if ever) are subject to the same scrutiny that you're suddenly under when you become head of state to a great world power, and in a democracy with a free press, to boot.
Well, we'll see where the investigations go. I think we all know there's something to be found. I'm pretty certain the President knows it, too.


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This year's Super Bowl Ads go truly digital with many brands releasing their best segments before the game via social media.
Fortune comes out with a spread today on the best car ads (see our previous mention of the Honda commercial featuring Matthew Broderick reprising Ferris Bueller). Check out the Reinvented Camry commercial from Toyota. It already has over 359,000 views on Youtube.
And Entertainment Weekly has the skinny on the plethora of car commercials sure to hit the screen this Sunday. Watch this Twilight/True Blood ref with the Audi Vampire Party ad:
See EW's guide to all the most notable Super Bowl ads this year, starting with Will Arnett's evil Hulu plot to take over the world:
For a look back at one of the most famous Super Bowl ads of all time take a look at this Apple Macintosh Commercial from 1984. It aired only once to a global audience:
Today's commercials cost 3.5 million each for a 30 second spot. Watch for more interactivity online and with your mobile device during the game as well.


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The Town of Cutler Bay and Village of Palmetto Bay are for the first time hosting a joint event for bicycling enthusiasts of all ages on Sunday, Apr. 21.
Family oriented, the bike ride and "rodeo" will connect the two cities and have food vendors, bike vendors, music, giveaways, kids' activities and free water.
Registration begins at 8 a.m. at Lakes by the Bay Park, 8551 SW 216 St. in Cutler Bay, after which cyclists will go on a 3.5-mile bike ride escorted by police to Ludovici Park, 17641 Old Cutler Rd. in Palmetto Bay, according to Cutler Bay Parks and Recreation director Alan Ricke.
"We will be handing out bike helmets for anybody that needs them for the ride," Ricke said. "It's registration and point of beginning. When we do our rides that are just in Cutler Bay we've had between 75 and 100 riders. I think we can expect the same if not more because this is a joint effort.
"We've done a bike ride in Cutler Bay for about five years and Palmetto Bay has done one for a number of years, but this will be the first time we've done one together."
Ricke said that there's plenty of parking at Lakes by the Bay for people who want to take their bikes there in their cars before the ride
The Bike Rodeo event runs from 9 to 11 a.m. at Ludovici Park and will feature obstacle courses for everyone to participate in as well as the food and bike vendors, according to Palmetto Bay Parks and Recreation director Fanny Carmona-Gonzalez.
"We're going to have different raffles throughout the event," Carmona-Gonzalez said. "We're going to have music. It's just a fun family day. It's open to anybody. The thought is to get people from Palmetto Bay to visit Cutler Bay parks and to get residents from Cutler Bay to visit Palmetto Bay parks.
"The bike rodeo is part of the 'Bike305 Connecting Communities' that we've been working on with the county. That's how this came about, as we've been meeting with municipalities from Cutler Bay all the way to Key Biscayne."
Miami-Dade County's Bike305 program is intended to promote using the Old Cutler Trail bike path that actually runs from Black Point Park all the way north to Bill Baggs State Park on Key Biscayne, and to encourage people to visit all the attractions along the way.
"We're going to be handing out the little maps the county provided us with," Carmona-Gonzalez said. "They can be used not just for Earth Week but year round."
At 11 a.m. riders will begin the return 3.5-mile bike trip, also escorted by police, back to Lakes by the Bay Park where the event will conclude.
The county website, www.Bike305.com, displays the entire Old Cutler Trail with all the different attractions.
For information, call the Village of Palmetto Bay at 305-259-1234 or visit www.palmettobay-fl.gov, or call the Town of Cutler Bay at 305-234-4262 or visit www.cutlerbay-fl.gov


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1300 - 1400 masl
Lampahan, Bener Meriah, Aceh
Catimor, Timor Hybrid
Cooperative Members
November - May
December - June
Takengon is a remote town situated in the region of Aceh, deep in the Gayo Highlands of northern Sumatra. It is an area famed for coffee production: the highlands are the largest producing area of Arabica in Indonesia, with a vast area of 84,000 hectares planted in three districts - Aceh Tengah, Bener Meriah and Gayo Lues. It has beautiful scenery, and is known for the lush mountainous terrain that surround small fishing communities around the landmark of Lake Taut Tawar, at around 1100 metres above sea level.
In the rural areas that lie north-west of the lake is Lampahan, a small coffee producing town that sits between 1300 and 1400 masl. There are 372 smallholder producers in the area, each cultivating coffee on farms an average size of 1 hectare each. Varieties grown include Catimor, Caturra and Timor Hybrid (also known as "Tim Tim"). A shade canopy and companion planting of staple food crops is found throughout the area, along with diverse indigenous wildlife.
During harvest season, only ripe, red cherries are picked and processed within 8 hours of picking. It is then pulped and dry fermented for 24-48 hours, before being washed and moved to raised beds where it is dried for 3-5 days, or until moisture content reaches 40%. The coffee is hulled to remove the parchment, and then dried again down to 12% moisture. It is this attention to detail wth picking and processing that sets the Lake Takengon apart, in terms of its resulting profile when cupped alongside other Sumatrans.


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Andy Grammer: Artists To Watch 2011
Andy Grammer
Genre: Pop
Discovered while busking on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, Calif., Andy Grammer is described as a cross between Maroon 5 and John Legend. His interactive video for "Keep Your Head Up" has received more than 1.5 million views, and Grammer's S-Curve Records debut album will be released in April.
|Best Bets 2011 Main
|next: Two Door Cinema Club


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I have an XHTML page with SVG embedded into it as an
<svg> element. I need to implement scaling, but there is a requirement that inner
<text> elements must not scale. An obvious solution is
<svg ...>
<!-- Root <g> to programmatically `setAttribute("transform", ...)` -->
<g transform="scale(0.5)">
<!-- Various inner elements here -->
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Additional <g> is to apply text position which
*must* depend on the scaling factor set above -->
<g transform="translate(100 50)">
<!-- Apply the opposite scaling factor.
Must be done for every `<text>` element on each change of the scaling factor... -->
<text x="0" y="0" transform="scale(2)">Hello, World!</text>
Is there a better solution than that? Maybe, there is a way to "reset" the resulting scaling factor on inner
<text> elements? The code must work in Firefox and Chrome.
UPD. There is also an option to place text elements outside the element being scaled and manually control text elements' positions. It avoids visual glitches appearing on the text because of scaling. Currently I use this method.


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Fess Parker Winery
2014 Bien Nacido Pinot Noir
Santa Barbara County
Pinot Noir
"Deep but elegant lilac and rose petal aromas meet loamy soil, river stone and tangy cranberry on the nose of this bottling from this historic vineyard. There is great depth to its flavors—a layering of dark raspberry thyme, anise and dill—while showing plenty of turned earth notes throughout." ~ Wine Enthusiast
"A big, ripe effort that offers lots of black raspberry, licorice, toasted spice and scorched earth, the 2014 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard is rich, mouth-filling and textured on the palate, with plenty of fruit. It's an outstanding wine to drink over the coming 4-5 years. This cuvee sees a touch of whole cluster (20%) and 18 months in onethird new French oak." ~ Wine Advocate


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Recent marker data looking at the hits and misses in Bollywood during the first quarter of 2008 suggests that the distinction between International and domestic markets for Bollywood is rapidly declining. The news is that what works best in the West is also what works best in India. With the advent of mass television, the cinema audience in India is increasingly a young audience and they increasingly share the same consumer values as their western counterparts. This trend is likely to continue with as rapid economic growth of India slowly reaches out to more and more people.
The big earners so far in 2008 have been 'Jodhaa Akbar' with its marvellous sense of spectacle and 'Race' with it marvellous sense of the spectacular. Both of these films were produced under the UTV banner. Siddharth Roy Kapur of UTV said, "It has been an exciting and rewarding time for all of us at UTV Motion Pictures, having had the opportunity to market and distribute two of the biggest successes in recent times. Our line up for the next 3 quarters of the year also promises to live up to the benchmark we have set for ourselves." Jodhaa Akbar has made 45 lacs so far and Race has made 20 lacs — nothing else has come close.
There's a message here: Big movies mean big risk but potential big income — Bollywood just became even more exciting!


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Looks like Charlie Sheen's days of partying hard might not really be behind him.
According to a new report published today, the "Anger Management" actor ditched ex-wife Denise Richards and their two daughters during a trip to New York City and proceeded to trash a Ritz hotel room — as well as entertain a bevy of escorts.
A source tells US Weekly that Sheen "totally trashed the hotel room!"
"Escorts were seen coming and leaving," the source notes. "In the end, Charlie was told that he wasn't welcome at another Ritz property ever again."
Sheen's manager denied the report.
"Charlie enjoyed quality time with his family this weekend including the Yankee/Met baseball game Friday night. He hosted a dinner Monday night for family and friends in his hotel suite with food delivered by Da Tommaso on 8th Avenue."


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Tired of giving money away to so many companies, I decided to look for ways to make my company more professional in a much cheaper way. Much of the things we need for the office are things I've received advice on from other business owners who make a lot more money than I do. I then blindly rushed out to buy what I needed, without doing any price comparisons. So, I decided to make a change with that. Just recently, I went looking for some paystub generator software, and I found that I don't need to buy software at all. Instead, I found a site where I can generate a stub on my own without having to pay anything!
My change in the way I handle things for my company has come about thanks to necessity. I was always someone who just went out and bought whatever I wanted long before I was my own boss. I was that way at home. My husband can attest to that, and he begged me for years to straighten up when it comes to finances. I always thought that was nonsense, and I wanted to do things my way. But when I realized that it was affecting my work budget, I finally understood what being such a spendthrift was doing. I have since apologized to my husband profusely about doing it in our home life as well.
So, the little site that I found online is just genius! All I have to do is to enter employee and payment information, and press a button. Immediately, the site jumps to life and creates a paystub for me. My employees love it and it helps them keep a better record for their own financial needs. There is no cost at all, and that makes me very happy.


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5 K-pop idols who turned into amazing songwriters
There are many idols who have probably flirted with the idea of composing their own songs. Year after year, we see brand new groups emerge and wonder which songs represent their life experiences. Out of those idols, a few have actually ventured into becoming respected songwriters in the K-Pop industry. Whether it be for themselves, their band, or other singers, the five singers on this list have brought their talent to the forefront.
1. BIGBANG's G-Dragon
The fashion king is not only a songwriter, but is also a record producer as well. Since 2006, he has been a part of the music making process for BIGBANG's albums. The G-Dragon: 'One of a Kind in Seoul' star was also instrumental in writing music and lyrics for his debut solo album Heartbreaker.
2. SHINee's Jonghyun
A year after SHINee made their debut, lead singer Jonghyun teamed up with fellow member Minho to pen the lyrics to their hit single "Juliette." The I AM star continues to compose his own songs and debuted as a solo artist early last year.
3. Wonder Girls' Yenny
The JYP Nation idol sits in the songwriter chair when opportunity knocks. In addition to composing and singing the single "Hello To Myself" for the Dream High 2 OST, she helped write the lyrics and create the music for every song on her solo mini album "Me?". She also composed the songs "Saying I Love You" and "For Wonderful."
The beloved girl group member was 100% part of the production process for her debut solo mini-album Beautiful. The Song For You host wrote the lyrics, put together the music, and arranged almost all of the tracks on the project.
5. BtoB's Jung Il Hoon
Since his debut with his Cube Entertainment boy band in 2012, the young idol has been a part of the songwriting, music and arrangement for BtoB, CLC, Dal Shabet, HyunA and G.NA albums. That is very impressive for a 21-year-old!
Which songwriter has impressed you the most?
Click Your Heart
Starring Kwon Min Ah (Min A) and Baek Ju HoAdd to Queue Remove from Queue Watch Now
Shelly M is an author and blogger. Follow her personal blog at BTSCelebs.com.


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Did You Know?
Why waste your money looking up your family tree? Just go into politics and your opponents will do it for you.
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- Innovation Hub Celebrates 300,000th Page Uploaded to Catalog
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- Moon Collectors, LLC Partnership Agreement for Public Comment
- Why do we engage Citizen Archivists?


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IMD Guest House IMD Guest House
Here's a sample of our volunteer opportunities:VIEW AS
Mission Statement
Founded in 1999, the IMD Guest House meets the critical need for affordable accommodations for outpatients and loved ones of patients seeking treatment away from home. Providing the comforts of home and the care of community, we are conveniently located in the Illinois Medical District on the campus of the University of Illinois at Chicago giving our guests easy access to our partner hospitals: John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Rush University Medical Center and University of Illinois Hospitals.
The IMD Guest House offers safe, comfortable lodging to family and caregivers or patients themselves, receiving medical care in Chicago near the Illinois Medical District.


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A summary of the 24 finalists and winners of the 2010 Showcase Awards for Excellence in Schools is now available to all schools. The document, State Finalist and Winner Profiles 178K, shares award-winning programs.
Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy | Right to information | Access keys | Other languages
© The State of Queensland 2018.


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The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles and the Republic of Korea have struck a driver's license reciprocity agreement that promises to aid international business and the military.
The agreement will allow S.C. residents with a Republic of Korea driver's license to forgo written and driving tests to receive a Palmetto State driver's license. South Carolina drivers also will be able to exchange their state licenses with those issued by the Republic of Korea.
The identification requirements will be the same as those required for anyone seeking a driver's license in South Carolina. The reciprocity agreement applies only to noncommercial licenses and will not include motorcycle licenses.
The Republic of Korea joins France and Germany, which have reciprocity agreements with South Carolina.
"Our experience with other countries has been very positive and we expect it will be with the Republic of Korea," DMV Kevin Shwedo said in a news release. "The reciprocity agreements make it easier to attract international business to the Palmetto State and much easier to conduct business when the citizens of participating countries can drive freely."
He Beom Kim, Consul General of the Republic of Korea, and Shwedo signed a Memorandum of Agreement this week at DMV headquarters in Blythewood.
"The Republic of Korea approached us less than a year ago about a reciprocity agreement and we spent six months comparing and contrasting the driving standards for licensing," Shwedo said. "We have confirmed they were so similar that additional testing was not required."


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Epillyss Cotton Waxing Roll 150' X 3"
Product Overview
Epillyss Cotton Waxing Roll 150' X 3"
Epillyss Cotton Waxing Roll
Epillyss Cotton Waxing Rolls are perfect for bikini waxing.150' x 3" (50 yards x 3" Wide) is a large enough roll to get done any type of body waxing you may need to do. This roll is included in our starter kits and since it is made of cotton you can even do facial and eyebrow waxing.
Place Your Order Here
Epillyss Cotton Waxing Roll 150' X 3"
Epillyss Cotton Waxing Roll 150' X 3" Reviews Summary
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Epillyss Cotton Waxing Roll 150' X 3"
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Part Number(s): 276 0230
Mfg Part Number(s): COT3121
Scrip Part Number(s): 276 0230
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Fremont Oktoberfest 2016
Fri, Sept 23 - Sun, Sept 25
- Friday and Saturday - 21+ only
- Sunday - All Ages
This event has passed.
Hailed as one of the Top 10 places in the World to Celebrate Oktoberfest, the 2016 Fremont Oktoberfest runs September 23, 24, and 25.
Friday and Saturday is strictly 21+ only.
Sunday, guests under 21 years of age are welcome and free when accompanied by a paying adult.
Tickets are valid for any one day at 2016 Fremont Oktoberfest....


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French mathematician Bernard Lassimone is credited with the invention of which stationery item?
You are right:
- Pencil sharpener
For years, the knife was the most commonly used tool to sharpen the wooden writing instrument known as a pencil (which historians believe was invented in the 15th or 16th century). But whittling the wood away to eventually produce a point was a time-consuming, tedious, and inexact process. As pencils became more ubiquitous in everyday life, it became apparent that a faster and more efficient way was needed to sharpen them. Luckily, two Frenchmen were up to the challenge.
On October 20, 1828, Parisian mathematician Bernard Lassimone applied for and was issued French patent number 2444 for his invention of the "taille crayon," translated to English as "pencil sharpener." A year after receiving a patent, the "taille crayon" was advertised in the Le Constitutionnel, an influential political and literary newspaper out of Paris, as the preferable way to sharpen pencils. It employed two small metal files tilted at ninety degrees in a block of wood that worked to whittle, scrape, and grind the wood off the pencil to create a tip. Though this was the first mechanical pencil sharpener, it wasn't much faster, nor less work, than just using a knife.
More Info:


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WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal judge overseeing the case of a Somali man accused of negotiating a ransom payment during a 2008 pirate takeover of a Danish merchant ship told prosecutors they had engaged in "inexcusable behavior," and suggested they will have a hard time winning a conviction.
U.S. District Judge Ellen Huvelle was furious when prosecutors told her at a status hearing last week that the alleged pirate, Ali Mohamed Ali, had been in international waters for only 24 to 28 minutes and they can't specify how he facilitated piracy during that time.
"It's astounding to me," Huvelle told a prosecutor at Friday's hearing, according to a court transcript. "I have the pleading where they (prosecutors) said this is no problem, you're going to prove that he was on international waters. I didn't know that you'd prove it for less than 24 hours."
Ali's trial is scheduled to begin next week.
"Now with five days to go and the guy's liberty at stake, I am told that we don't — he didn't do anything that we can specify on the high seas," Huvelle said. "That to me is unbelievably inexcusable behavior."
The judge got angrier as the hearing continued and bluntly dressed down prosecutors.
She said she wanted it "known to whoever reviews this in your office or the Court of Appeals that I feel the government has misled me badly."
"The criminal law does not exist to go to push something to the outer limits," Huvelle added. "That's not what a criminal case is about. You should not be prosecuting a case that you cannot win. It is an outrage."
Prosecutor Gregg A. Maisel tried to assuage Huvelle: "We have made our best honest efforts. We have not misled the court."
Ali was arrested last year at Dulles International Airport, en route from Somalia to an educational conference in Raleigh, N.C. According to a filing Monday by Ali's lawyer, Matthew J. Peed, federal agents had invited Ali to the country and purchased a roundtrip plane ticket for him.
Ali was charged with conspiracy to commit piracy; piracy under the law of nations; conspiracy to commit hostage taking; and hostage taking. On July 13, Huvelle dismissed the conspiracy to commit piracy count, but Ali still faces up to life in prison if convicted on the remaining counts.
The judge also ruled that for the other piracy count, the government would have to prove that Ali "intentionally facilitated acts of piracy while he was on the high seas" — and not in Somalia's territorial waters or somewhere else. Last week, the government filed a motion asking her to reconsider that ruling. Prosecutors said Huvelle didn't have the benefit of United Nations legal experts and independent scholars whom the government said have declared that a U.N. convention on law of the sea is not restricted to a particular "geographic scope."
Huvelle told a prosecutor to "have a seat" as she announced she would not reconsider her ruling.
"This guy has been held on your representations since April 2011; is that correct?" she said. "And now you think that there's a legal problem. If you had any concern about it, you should have raised it before now."
Huvelle said she might still reconsider the hostage-taking counts too. She said her July 13 opinion was "premised on factual representations made by the government that now turn out to be pretty weak."
Prosecutors say Somali pirates seized the CEC Future on Nov. 7, 2008, in the Gulf of Aden, and forced the captain to sail to locations where Ali and others got on. Ali then demanded $7 million from the ship's owners for release of the vessel and crew, the indictment said. Prosecutors say that more than two months later the pirates were paid a $1.7 million ransom and the 13 crew members, vessel and cargo were released.
Prosecutors say that Jama Idle Ibrahim, sentenced last year to 25 years for his role in the attack, will be a government witness against Ali.
Huvelle demanded to know what Ibrahim had on Ali.
"I don't want to spend up to two months and use up the taxpayers' money for a case that won't have the legs to stand on," she said.
She told prosecutors that, among other choices, they could go to trial on the remaining three counts or appeal her ruling, but if they appealed, she would release Ali.
Prosecutor Maisel countered that, lacking legal status, Ali would have to remain in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody.
"Not if I can stop it," Huvelle said.
She added: "You brought him here. You bamboozled him here.... So you fought tooth and nail to lock him up. You brought him here under false pretenses, now you tell me he can't be free while you take up an extremely novel difficult legal principle."
Follow Fred Frommer on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ffrommer


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Bathroom Door Solid Lever Handle Series: 2 Helpful Tips For Making The Best Choice
Bathroom Door Solid Lever Handle Series: 2 Helpful Tips For Making The Best Choice
The Solid Lever Handle Series is made to be strong and lengthy-lasting. Installing such accessories won't increase the visual appeal in your bathing space, but probably make sure that you will not require any replacements for any very lengthy time. The lever would hardly sustain any dents in situation of accidental knocks, which will help to retain its intricately sculptured finish.
However, before you enjoy such exemplary benefits, you need to decide on the right door lever within this series for the bathroom. Listed here are a couple of helpful guidelines to help you do that.
Right Or Left Handed
In addition to the design, opt for the functionality associated with a selected item. Many of the essential when thinking about the direction where the lever curves. You have to use a appropriate lever that curves downwards when installed, with respect to the direction that the door swings. With this, you've two options: right and left handed varieties. Bathroom Door Solid Lever Handle can be a key feature in lots of lever designs. However, modern styles would incorporate reversible handling, which makes them really simple to set up.
Selecting The Best Shade of Bathroom Door Solid Lever Handle
You'll certainly require a full-proof strategy if you would like all of the accessories featuring inside your bathroom to complement colored. Fortunately, accessories for example towel rails, Bathroom Door Solid Lever Handle and taps can be simply matched, given that they could be labeled accordingly.
However, matching the accessories along with other features, for example vanities and wall panels, may need a little more resourcefulness. You will need to identify the perfect shade of color from an array of options available for you. What this means is returning home having a sample of numerous shade options (you could have chart with all of these options) and literally evaluating using the features inside your bathroom. A 2013 study, entitled "Shade Selection" recommends that you simply have a distance of 28 to 33 cm from an item for the greatest view.
There's more into it than merely evaluating one shade to a different. Time if you do this also affects your decision. If you want to help make the best selection, you want to do it between 10 am and a pair of pm, under natural sunlight. This should help you take advantage accurate choice, because mid-day light is easily the most balanced.
Furthermore, you just put the two objects you are evaluating above and beneath one another, rather of alongside. The 2013 study shade selection signifies that placing two objects alongside for shade comparison can result in a binocular aftereffect of your eyes. This means that light impulses from right and left eyes get merged. Since each separate object is much more carefully aligned to 1 eye, it is simple to confuse the colours (Ever wondered why ladies can't pick any clothes after evaluating the entire closet alongside – this may be exactly why. The next time, just place one on the top from the other and you will be ready for the date very quickly).
Despite figuring out probably the most functional option and also the right shade of color for the bathroom door handle, you must still identify a good option to make your decision. What this means is selecting trustworthy suppliers of toilet fittings. Only then will you be assured of having a top quality and sturdy product. thats is the Bathroom Door Solid Lever Handle reviews.lol