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It's spring. The birds are singing, the bees are strumming their little guitars, and in the petition-happy town of Berthoud, the locals are headed for another special election, locked in the throes of what Yogi Berra calls "déjà vu all over again."
For the fourth time in less than three years, Berthoud voters are being asked to decide whether they want a growth cap. The question has been asked and answered repeatedly in the affirmative; but like the Divine Yogi says, it ain't over till it's over.
Alarmed by a 60 percent growth rate over the course of the 1990s, voters approved the cap -- which limits new housing permits to around 100 a year, 5 percent of the existing total -- by a solid margin in November 2000. But the measure has come under relentless attack ever since, as various factions within the Front Range community and outside development interests vie to shape the future of the town. In a recent column in the Loveland Daily Reporter-Herald, Berthoud mayor Milan Karspeck called the cap "the most controversial and divisive issue during the 15 years I have lived here."
"It's been such a struggle to keep the cap from day one," says Karen Stockley, one of the leaders of the growth-cap campaign. "I don't think we had any idea it would be like this. We thought we'd get it in place and go on with our lives."
The growth cap was tested twice at the polls in 2001. The first initiative was backed by McWhinney Enterprises of Loveland, which had sought an exemption from the cap for a 4,200-acre parcel of land along the northern I-25 corridor; McWhinney hopes to build at least 4,000 homes over the next forty years on a 1,600-acre portion of that land ("Scenes From a Sprawl," August 9, 2001). Despite being outspent nearly ten to one in the campaign, supporters of the cap prevailed. The following month, an attempt to scrap the cap altogether, led by a local mortgage broker, was defeated by just 37 votes.
The latest effort to repeal the cap represents a different kind of challenge. The campaign is being spearheaded by a group of current and former town officials who've pledged to take no money from development or real estate interests. And it comes at a time when once-booming Berthoud is wrestling with a sharp decline in revenues and rising fees to local property owners -- an economic plunge that's being blamed in large part on the growth cap.
Like many Colorado communities, Berthoud has seen residential construction sputter over the past two years, but its downturn has been more drastic than most. In 2000, the town issued 104 building permits, in 2001 just 21, and last year only eight. Critics of the cap say that it's scaring away builders and their financing, that the 100-permit limit is too inflexible and doesn't allow sufficient economies of scale in planning larger developments. In addition, the cap prompted the McWhinney brothers to de-annex their I-25 property from Berthoud and seek to develop it in conjunction with Johnstown.
"All of the negative impacts of the growth cap are now becoming clear," says Jeff Hindman, a former mayor pro tem who's become one of the principal crusaders against the cap. "It's like a dark cloud over the town. It stops new businesses from coming, and it definitely stops large, master-planned projects."
Hindman notes that the drop-off in revenues from building permits has compelled the current town board to hike water fees. Berthoud is facing mounting bond obligations for new water and sewer facilities, which is expected to hike the fees even further. But campaign leader Stockley says the cap is being unfairly scapegoated for a bad economy and what amounts to poor planning by the town board.
"They're using a lot of scare tactics," she says. "They're going to have to raise the fees because of the huge indebtedness they brought on themselves paying for past growth and because of the drought. Somehow, I'm sure, that's going to be blamed on the growth cap, too."
Brian Anderson, another key advocate of the cap, also rejects the argument that growth limits have led to the town getting soaked with higher water bills. "They knew what was coming, but the prior board chose to go against the suggested [water] rates in the hopes that there would be an onslaught of permits," he says. "They could have spread this out over more time and then rebated it if the permits came through."
To defray the rising costs, the current board has scrambled to modify the growth cap by pre-selling water taps to builders for future homes and coming up with an allocation system that allows builders to "roll over" unused permits from the previous year as part of their assigned total. Anderson says that a 5 percent annual growth rate is a "reasonable" goal -- even at the height of the boom, Berthoud's growth hovered around that figure -- and that the allocation system should be given a chance to work: "Several of the developers in town have said that they can work with the growth cap if they know what the allocation is going to be."
Ken Weibel, one of the local developers, says that turnover in the city administration -- the town has had three planning directors and three city managers over the past four years -- and rising impact fees have contributed to the uncertain climate for construction. The allocation system has helped, he says, but so has the pre-selling of water taps, which has allowed him to double the number of permits he's obtained for his 69-home project.
"There's no way I could have started with just the 25 permits I had under the cap," Weibel says. "Most bankers don't want to put the money up to buy raw land if you're not sure you have the permits to complete the project."
Revenues from building permits are only a small percentage of the town's budget. Both sides agree that the town needs more retail and commercial development, boosting sales and use-tax revenues, but Hindman's group contends that the town needs more housing to attract major businesses such as Safeway, which has been considering building a store there. Their campaign literature stresses "growth management" rather than a growth cap, arguing that the "negative perceptions" associated with a cap may be more critical than how much building it actually allows.
"The cap gives lenders the feeling that Berthoud is totally anti-growth," says Tom Patterson, a former town board trustee who's working with Hindman on the repeal campaign. "As a consequence, you're not going to get a favorable loan if you want to open a business in Berthoud. If you want to start a subdivision, the fear is you won't be able to amortize your investment. Perception is reality."
Only six permits have been pulled so far this year in Berthoud. While dozens of more homes may come on line, town planner Wayne Reed is reluctant to predict how many of the projects will actually get done soon. The cap has forced builders to compete for a limited number of permits, but the number of homes getting built isn't the only consideration for the planning staff.
"I spend a lot of time crunching numbers that could otherwise have been devoted to quality issues," Reed says. "The growth cap alone has not made staff look at other tools to manage growth."
But supporters of the cap say that it was never intended to be the town's only tool for controlling development and that annihilating it won't magically lift Berthoud out of its current slump. Its removal, though, could invite more large-scale projects that will end up straining town services even further. "If you look five years out, there could be substantial growth," Stockley says. "There are 500- and 700-home developments waiting to come in if the cap goes away."
Hindman counters that larger projects are the best way to ensure quality and affordability of housing: "The larger chunk of land you're planning, the better."
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Hindman, Patterson and other former town leaders involved in the repeal effort are urging their neighbors to have more confidence in their elected officials' ability to manage growth. But Berthoud's confidence in its leaders has taken a few hits lately. Last year, months after voters rejected the proposal to exempt the McWhinney project by the highway from the growth cap, Hindman and other town board members granted the project an additional 100 permits a year anyway. It wasn't enough to keep the McWhinneys from de-annexing their property and flirting with Johnstown; now, however, the developers are talking to Berthoud officials about another annexation, an elaborate mating ritual that may yet allow the town to control its I-25 gateway while getting the project out from under the cap at last.
"I see the McWhinneys putting their houses in and maybe putting in commercial development in twenty years," Stockley says. "They're drawing up their own development agreement, writing their own development codes. They want to make their own rules. I think it's crazy that Berthoud would let them do that, but it looks to me like the town board is leaning toward that."
The board has put off a final decision on the McWhinneys' latest annexation proposal until after the May 20 special election. Stockley believes there's a political motive for the delay: If voters know that 4,000 homes are going up along the highway, she reasons, they'll be less likely to vote to repeal the cap. But her greatest concern is whether people will bother to vote at all, after having to revisit the cap issue in one election after another.
"The development interests keep bringing it back over and over again, until they wear you down and you end up saying that growth is inevitable," Stockley says. "We don't have an answer for the voters, except to get angry and get out and vote again."


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As you read this, Jim Lasko and his family, which includes his wife, two children and a dog named Beckett, are in a car heading east.
Or they might have already arrived and are now unpacking boxes of clothes and all the other things that will fill their new home in Massachusetts.
Lasko, who has been associated with Redmoon Theater since shortly after its founding in 1990 and has been a creative force on the city's arts and cultural scene ever since, is the recipient of a prestigious Loeb Fellowship, which means he and his family will be spending a year in Cambridge. Few artists get this kind of chance to stop and take stock of their careers, and so this seemed a good time to have Lasko talk about where he's been and where he might be going as an artist, and how that has and might affect the city.
"It's very exciting, an honor to have been nominated and selected," he says. "It gives me the opportunity and resources to reflect on my last two decades with Redmoon. I am looking to understand our work as a form of ephemeral urban design, a unique theater practice that alters people's experiences of public spaces and, in doing so, expands their vision of what is possible within the urban environment."
The Loeb is annually awarded to only a handful of people (nine this year): international architects, urban designers, landscape architects and, but occasionally, artists. These are professionals "in the middle of promising careers shaping the built and natural environment."
Loeb fellows are based at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design and have access to all classes, events, and facilities at both Harvard and MIT. It is what is called a "lifetime fellowship," providing a community of fellows practicing in the field. (Former local fellows include Tim Samuelson, the city's cultural historian, and Theaster Gates, an artist and cultural planner.)
"I have been told that this will be the best year of my life," says Lasko.
It's a good deal for his wife too.
Tria, with a long history as actress/writer/director with Redmoon, is a Loeb Affiliate, and thus will have access to all classes and events and facilities at Harvard.
The couple's daughter, Talia, who will enter second grade in a few weeks, is, Lasko says, "ready for anything, bless her heart."
The son, Owen, preparing to enter eighth grade, not so much.
"When I broke the news to him, his immediate response was to cry," says Lasko.
"That was and is understandable," Lasko says. "He dreads leaving his friends and baseball team. But we have arranged for Red Sox tickets and are searching out a good youth baseball program. He also has cousins in the area, and it's a comfort for him that his best friend, Beckett, will be with him every step of the way.
"As a father, I am confident that he will look back on this year as a great thing."
And what does Lasko expect for himself?
"I will be keeping my ties to Redmoon," he says. "My commitment is steadfast. I'll continue to work with Frank (Maugeri, the company's co-artistic director) through regular communication. Our plan accommodates my distance away as both an artist and manager. In this no-longer-so-new digital world, distance is not the obstacle it once was."
Even if you have never been to a theater (Redmoon has performed at Court, Chicago Shakespeare and Steppenwolf, among many spaces), it is possible that you have seen a Redmoon show.
Over the last two decades, in keeping with its mission to present a "public art form that is equal parts pageantry, gadgetry, puppetry, robust physical performance and visual art," the company has produced all manner of outdoor events, from its annual (until 2005) "All Hallow's Eve Ritual Celebration" in Logan Square, to "Sink, Sank, Sunk," performed in Chinatown in 2004, to its current Urban Interventions (see redmoon.org for details).
"Redmoon is synonymous with innovation, spectacle and cutting-edge culture in Chicago," says Dorothy Coyle, executive director at the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture, who has worked closely with the company for years. "They — Jim and Frank and all the others — have been able to activate spaces across the city in completely new ways and, as a result, others see new possibility in those same spaces. Redmoon pushes, opens and expands the imagination."
Lasko says that he views his Loeb Fellowship "as a validation of Redmoon's commitment to creating work that activates public spaces and augments community. We are proud of our theater pieces, but the work that has demanded most from us, the work that we've had to invent and reinvent entire systems to be able to support, is the outdoor, neighborhood-based spectacle work. There is no precedent for this work in Chicago and not really one in the U.S. in general."
Earlier this summer, Redmoon's custom-made vehicle traveled around the city, with an opera singer on an elevated platform. Her songs were hooked through a computer interface to fuel-injected organ pipes, and so notes of her songs released bursts of propane, creating a visual representation of the music in fire.
"One evening we followed the Night Ministry Bus through Pilsen and parts of Bridgeport creating spontaneous dance parties. There were no reviews of this 'show,'" says Lasko. "No cultural mavens validating the enterprise. But it's that experience that powers our work. It's the source.
"The cultural conversation has turned to embrace the integral role that the arts play in creating a vital community, whether city or neighborhood. This is clearly reflected in Chicago's new cultural plan, but also in national arts initiatives like Arts Place and NEA's Our Town program. One of the major pushes in the cultural plan is to get culture into the neighborhoods. What things can be done to make the arts part of people's actual lives, their everyday, lived lives?
"We've been in the great houses of theater and I feel incredibly blessed to have had those collaborations, to have worked in those venues. The reason we get those opportunities, I believe, is that the currency of our work, the heat and attitude and value of it, is all derived from our other work, the work that happens in communities, that interrupts people's everyday routines and asks them to see one another and their environments and even themselves anew."
I asked Lasko to reflect on the men in charge of the city that has been his canvas.
"Mayor Daley had a big vision, but it was a downtown vision," he says. "No one can deny his impact on creating a vital and exciting cultural community downtown. Millennium Park has got to be one of the greatest public works initiatives in the last 50, 100 years. The museum campus. And whatever you want to say about the process, Northerly Island is a gift to this city's future that people haven't begun to comprehend."
He and Redmoon were part of some of that, performing on the museum campus, creating an opening event for Millennium Park.
"But the work that we are particularly charged by, and capable of, is to take some of those same artistic goals and standards and apply them to the neighborhoods, to the under-recognized areas of the city, like the river."
Ah, the river.
It was in 2009 that Lasko took a leave from Redmoon to become the first artist in residence for the Chicago Office of Tourism, which was then a division of the city's Department of Cultural Affairs. His initial wild and wonderful plans starred the river.
He envisioned neighborhoods and their residents coming together over the summer of 2011 to help internationally known artists create massive towers filled with lights and other huge sculptures that would then be paraded downtown and placed on display on barges in the river.
"And all the bridges rising at the same time and revealing undersides painted or lit, who knows?" he told me at the time.
Six months later his job vanished and dreams were tabled in the face of city budget cuts.
But back to our mayors.
"I believe in Mayor Emanuel. And I believe in Amy (Rule, the mayor's wife)," Lasko said. "I see their genuine love and appreciation of our city and its arts community. I can't tell you how often I've seen them at a show or event. When he was first elected, I spent some time talking with him and he shared his history of Redmoon's events. He had seen work dating back to his days as a congressman, Halloween shows, winter pageants. He remembered them better than I did. He's the real thing."
Others have different opinions of the mayor, but there is little doubt that Lasko will return to Chicago full of ideas he will want the mayor to hear.
In the meantime his family will settle in and find a nice place to walk the dog.
There are some who might reasonably guess that the Laskos' playful, 2-year-old goldendoodle is named for playwright Samuel Beckett.
He is not. He is named for Josh Beckett, who pitches for the Red Sox in Fenway Park, now conveniently located about four miles from the Laskos' new home.
Listen to writers Allan Cox, Julia Keller and Jimmy Greenfield, anti-smoking specialist Carol Southard and actor/impresario Bob Swan on "The Sunday Papers With Rick Kogan," 6:30-9 a.m. Sunday on WGN-AM 720.
A look at some memorable shows produced by Jim Lasko and Redmoon Theater during their more than 20 years of mounting large, innovative spectacles, often in public spaces throughout the city.

subset: commoncrawl


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Lately I haven't felt the desire to sit on the computer all day and perfect my latest illustration using retouch tools, filters and different brushes. The desire to mix mediums and experiment with brushstrokes and the natural, energetic feeling of painting has been much stronger. These pieces are stripped down to just the essential drawing, I guess, almost primal, with no corrections - working with error and accident. I've used no Photoshop on these, only just to scan and reduce to present here. These are just acrylic, ink, watercolour, pencil, pen and marker and the basis of each illustration is created using a H pencil and a Kuretake Pen Brush. I'm planning to post each page from my new notebook n my new blog, these simple pieces will feature amongst my usual highly detailed work. I haven't turned my back on working digitally, I love completing a complex digital piece - I think it's important at some point each year to reground and get back to basics. I hope these simple energetic images will help to add to my style and start to construct something exciting for the future.
- Our Work Chapters of Sights,
Sounds & Intrigue
- Labs Studies,
in brief
- Our Artists Nerds, Knaves
& Broads
- News & Updates Latest Projects,
Plans & Plots
- About Us History, Fables &
Life Lessons


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10 Grilling Gifts for Dad
It's Father's Day this weekend, and if your dad loves to grill, then we have some great gift suggestions. How about a new set of monogrammed tools? Or a bottle of killer bourbon smoked spice for his steak? If he's a vegetarian, perhaps a cookbook on grilling vegetables? Here are a few favorite ideas:
• Monogrammed Grill Tools Set with Storage Case, $92 from Williams-Sonoma
• Grill Lovers Steak Pack, $319 from Gilt Taste
• Wüsthof Classic 4-Piece Steak Knife Set, $179.95 from Williams-Sonoma
• Steven Raichlen Leather BBQ Gloves, Set of 2, $23.96 from Sur La Table
• Bourbon Smoked Sea Salt, $10 from New York Mouth
• Swedish Firesteel, $14.99 from Amazon
• Mushroom Alchemy, $16 from Wine Forest Foods
• Rare, Medium, Well Classic Branding Iron Gift Set, $59.95 from Texas Irons
• The Gardener & the Grill, $12.60 from Amazon
• Hot Pot BBQ by Black + Blum, $124 from Horne
Related: Help Me Plan a Seasonal Father's Day Menu!
(Images: as linked)


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Here comes Samantha Jones
SJP and Cynthia Nixon are back at work on the set of Sex & the City 2. Today it was Kim Cattrall's turn. She looks great.
I keep hearing Kim's voice every night this week during the US Open. Love watching evening tennis. And she's been narrating these intro pieces including player profiles and opening sequences. In that breathy sex voice. Love her, but it's not working for me. Half the time I can't hear her over the graphics.
Kim is coming to receive her star on Canada's Walk of Fame on September 12th.Busy weekend in Toronto next week. TIFF, parties, Clooney, chaos.
Kim and Clooney. Have they met?
Photos from Asadorian-Mejia/Splashnewsonline.com


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Dream bike + New kit
In one easy finance package
Finance couldn't be easier to arrange, enabling you to spread the cost of your new bike or equipment and pay nothing in interest. Simply use the handy calculator to get an indication of your repayments. At checkout, fill in the online application form and we'll sort the rest.
Add bike + kit to your basket
Checkout with V12 Finance with online acceptance
We contact you to confirm order and arrange shipping
Please use our calculator below to help you see what finance options are available. To apply for finance, please select this option at the checkout.
Step 1:Choose your finance option
Please specify the finance option that you wish to choose.
From just £207.95 per month.
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Please specify the deposit amount that you wish to pay.
The accepted value is between £0.00 and £4,500.00
Please view the available finance details below.
|Installment Amount
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|24 months
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The iHAS524 is LiteOn's latest drive supporting 24X burning of DVD±R media. Compared to the company's previous 24x internal DVD burner, the LiteOn iHAS324, the new drive offers the same read/write speeds but it also supports LabelTag disc labeling technology.
The iHAS524 supports burning of DVD±R media at 24X, DVD±R DL media at 12X, DVD+RW at 8X, DVD-RW at 6X and DVD-RAM at 12X.
The drive came in in a black retail box:
The package includes:
The rear panel is typical and has a power and SATA interfaces.
Let's take a look at the drive's internal board. It is recommended not to open the case of your drive since that would void the warranty.
You can click on each picture for a larger view:
The drive is based on the MediaTek MT1879LE chipset.
The drive was connected to the PC via a typical SATA interface and was identified as "ATAPI IHAS524".
In the following pages we compare the LiteOn iHAS524 with its brother iHas324 and the Optiarc AD-7240S drives.


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|HIV or AIDS can't keep me from getting a green card?
Nov 13, 2012
I have 3 years already working in USA (L-1 visa) and i would like to apply for the "Green Card". I am HIV positive (not in meds yet), can I still get a green card? (what are my chances, how feasible/realistic do you think my possibilities are?).
Thanks in advance for all your help and support, we truly appreciated.
Response from Mr. Chambers
HIV is no longer a barrier to entering the US nor becoming a legal permanent resident or citizen.
Good luck, Jacques
loose soft yellow stools nausea loss of appetite
Low platelets and HIV
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Science Professor is polling her readers to see whether they'd consider hiring a half-time postdoc.
...and receive Daily News bulletins.
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The New York Times and ProPublica look into the close relationship between a startup and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Yahoo News reports millions of dollars are being transferred from NIH, CDC, and other programs to pay for the housing of detained undocumented immigrant children.
In Science this week: in vitro generation of human reproductive cells, and more.
Researchers gave a handful of octopuses MDMA to find that they too act more social on the drug, Gizmodo reports.
Privacy Policy. Terms & Conditions. Copyright © 2018 GenomeWeb LLC. All Rights Reserved.


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Evolution Hoax
The lovelessness, unhappiness and conflict in society are increasing day by day. A report concerning children in Britain has set out how they are being "DEMONIZED" by society. The report states that attitudes toward youngsters generally are hardening, and that a great number are in detention. This once again reveals how crucially important it is for society to live by the moral values of the Qur'an. People who abide by the moral virtues of the Qur'an have very great compassion for one another. It is impossible for there to be lovelessness, unhappiness or conflict among such people. Our Almighty Lord reveals this in verses:
A Light has come to you from Allah and a Clear Book. By it, Allah guides those who follow what pleases Him to the ways of Peace. He will bring them from the darkness to the light by His permission, and guide them to a straight path. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 15-16)
Other Muslims have closer ties to the Muslims than their own selves. They protect, elevate and value each other before themselves. When it comes to children needing protection, they set themselves to one side and enthusiastically and affectionately help them for Allah's (God's) approval. That is why there is always peace in Muslim societies. There is no conflict or crime because everyone behaves in a manner of which Allah will approve. Believers who fear Allah treat one another with enormous loyalty and compassion. By Allah's will, they are able to live together in peace, happiness and love. There can be no lovelessness or unhappiness among people who possess an intense love and fear of Allah. In the Qur'an, Allah praises love and solidarity and commands people to have moral virtues. Human nature is predisposed to love and beauty. Human beings want to be happy. But when they seek happiness through worldly means they fall into a great error and are totally unable to find the peace, security and love they seek.
Allah reveals in a verse that human nature is created to be compatible with Qur'anic moral values:
So set your face firmly towards the Religion, as a pure natural believer, Allah's natural pattern on which He made mankind. There is no changing Allah's creation. That is the true Religion – but most people do not know it. (Surat ar-Rum, 30)
Greed for money or material possessions is one of satan's snares. When people live without thinking of the Hereafter, without faith, solely for their own worldly interests, they literally become friends of satan. But in doing this, they are heedless of the following verse of the Qur'an:
… Satan always leaves man in the lurch. (Surat al-Furqan, 29)
That is why it has become almost nothing out of the ordinary to come across increasing numbers of reports of "demonization" in the press. The numbers of children committing crimes, and aggressive people, murderers and perverts, have reached terrifying proportions. The solution is to live in full compliance with the moral values of the Qur'an, and to act out of a love and fear of Allah.


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NBR Reports are occasional papers on special topics conducted by the world's leading experts in Asian affairs. Print copies are available upon request. Please contact email@example.com for price and availability.
This NBR Special Report examines case studies and recent scholarly literature on trilateralism and offers concrete recommendations for strengthening U.S.-ROK-Japan cooperation in four key areas: regional security, nontraditional security, energy security, and the emerging domains of space and cybersecurity.
The Case for U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateralism: Strengths and Limitations
Roy Kamphausen, John S. Park, Ryo Sahashi and Alison Szalwinski
China-Russia Relations: Strategic Implications and U.S. Policy Options
Robert Sutter
(Sep 18)
Tenets of a Regional Defense Strategy: Considerations for the Indo-Pacific
Jonathan W. Greenert
(Aug 18)
Innovative Asia: Innovation Policy and the Implications for Healthcare and the Life Sciences
Sean Connell, Shuhei Nomura, Kenji Shibuya and Benjamin Shobert
(Mar 18)
The Case for U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateralism: Strengths and Limitations
Roy Kamphausen, John S. Park, Ryo Sahashi and Alison Szalwinski
(Feb 18)
Reconstructing Taiwan's Military Strategy: Achieving Forward Defense through Multi-Domain Deterrence
David An
(Feb 18)
Asia's Energy Security and China's Belt and Road Initiative
Erica Downs, Mikkal E. Herberg, Michael Kugelman, Christopher Len and Kaho Yu
(Nov 17)
North Korea and Asia's Evolving Nuclear Landscape: Challenges to Regional Stability
Aaron L. Friedberg, Robert Jervis, J. James Kim, Jina Kim, Matthew Kroenig, Sugio Takahashi, Michito Tsuruoka and Christopher P. Twomey
(Aug 17)
Russia-China Relations: Assessing Common Ground and Strategic Fault Lines
Michael S. Chase, Evan S. Medeiros, J. Stapleton Roy, Eugene Rumer, Robert Sutter and Richard Weitz
(Jul 17)
The Future of the U.S.-ROK Alliance: Change and Continuity in North Korea Policy
Nam Hoon Cho, Kuyoun Chung, Roberta Cohen, Patrick M. Cronin, Yong-sup Han, Bruce Klingner, Kongdan Oh, Andrew Injoo Park and Hun Joo Park
(Apr 17)
Japan and the Sino-Russian Entente: The Future of Major-Power Relations in Northeast Asia
Shoichi Itoh, Ken Jimbo, Michito Tsuruoka and Michael Yahuda
(Apr 17)
Asia's Energy Security amid Global Market Change
Muhamad Izham Abd. Shukor, Clara Gillispie, Antoine Halff, Mikkal E. Herberg, Meghan L. O'Sullivan, Leslie Palti-Guzman and Cecilia Tam
(Dec 16)
Taiwan: Asia's Orphan?
Steven M. Goldstein
(Dec 16)
Australia's Strategic Culture and Asia's Changing Regional Order
Nick Bisley
(Dec 16)
Pakistan's Strategic Culture: Implications for How Pakistan Perceives and Counters Threats
C. Christine Fair
(Dec 16)
U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateralism: Building Bridges and Strengthening Cooperation
Daniel Sneider, Yul Sohn and Yoshihide Soeya
(Jul 16)
Approaching Critical Mass: Asia's Multipolar Nuclear Future
Matthew Kroenig
(Jun 16)
U.S.-China Relations in Strategic Domains
Christopher Yung, Wang Dong, Elbridge A. Colby, Wu Riqiang, Adam Segal, Tang Lan, Brian Weeden, Xiao He, Travis Tanner, Zhao Minghao, Roy Kamphausen and Jessica Drun
(Apr 16)
The Rise of Chinese Innovation in the Life Sciences
Xiaoru Fei, Benjamin Shobert and Joseph Wong
(Apr 16)
Mapping Pakistan's Internal Dynamics: Implications for State Stability and Regional Security
Mumtaz Ahmad, Dipankar Banerjee, Aryaman Bhatnagar, C. Christine Fair, Vanda Felbab-Brown, Husain Haqqani, Mahin Karim, Tariq A. Karim , Vivek Katju, C. Raja Mohan, Matthew J. Nelson and Jayadeva Ranade
(Feb 16)
Taiwan's Strong but Stifled Foundations of National Power
David Gitter and Robert Sutter
(Jan 16)


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I'm not sure quite how it happened, but September is upon us. Soon the streets will seem a bit quieter at midday, while weekends will fill with the sounds of night football games. Right now—despite being on the verge of turning 40—I find myself struck by the urge to head out to an office supply store and stock up on all manner of pens, notebooks and binders. There's no doubt about it: school is about to begin.
Because I've always been something of a nerd, this was my favorite time of year. New classes awaited, with new books ready to be cracked. New faces, new friends, new chances. Every September was essentially a chance at reinvention. It's no wonder, really, that Hollywood has long made the back-to-school movie a staple; no matter how many times the story is told, the audience is always coming of age.
So before the first bell rings, find some time to relax and enjoy a few of these small classics, some old and some new. It's by no means an exhaustive selection—I'm not much for lists anyway, and in a genre like this, one's favorites are almost always decided by age—but it's a good start, and a nice change of pace from some of that summer reading that still isn't finished.
Brick: A high-school noir told in the hard-boiled patois of Dashiell Hammett (The Maltese Falcon), writer/director Rian Johnson's award-winning 2005 film stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Brendan, a teenage loner who finds a cause when his ex-girlfriend Emily goes missing. As he delves deeper into the world of high-school criminals, he encounters shady characters with names like The Pin, Tangles, and Tugger—none of whom are eager for him to discover the secret behind Emily's last message.
Election: Possibly overshadowed by the release of Wes Anderson's Rushmore just a few months earlier, Alexander Payne's (Sideways) 1999 film is less stylized but every bit as biting. Reese Witherspoon stars as Tracy Enid Flick, a high-strung overachiever bent on winning the class presidency of her Nebraska high school. Matthew Broderick is Jim McAllister, the teacher who is just as set on tripping her up, for reasons he doesn't quite grasp—Broderick plays him here as a version of his famous Ferris Bueller, if that teenager's charmed life had turned out to be a little less than he had hoped for. Speaking of which: grab Ferris Bueller's Day Off and make it a double header.
There is no shortage of other titles if comedy is your game: Amy Heckerling's Fast Times at Ridgemont High (starring a young Sean Penn as a stoned-out surfer) provided the template for any number of school romps, while Better Off Dead did the same for a newer, more introspective generation that made John Cusack their Moses. If you're looking for something more dramatic, it's tough to beat Elephant, the 2003 Gus Van Sant film inspired by the tragedy of the Columbine school shootings a few years earlier. It was filmed with a cast of mostly non-professional actors, and the lack of pretense or polish to the proceedings gives the work an everyday air that makes its message all the more affecting.
Also this week: A very different kind of buddy film arrives when Robot & Frank comes to area screens. Frank Langella stars as Frank, a retired cat burglar whose grown children—worried for his health—provide him with a robot companion. In this near-future story, Frank and his kind (including Susan Sarandon as Frank's librarian love interest) are seen as dusty relics of an outpaced past. Which only fires up the old dog to teach his friend some new tricks—like how to pick locks.
Jack Brown can be reached at email@example.com.


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I was doing some ego surfing recently to see who has been linking to my site and found an interesting article titled Training Ethical Hackers: Training the Enemy? at http://www.infosecwriters.com/texts....display&id=185
Here is the part that got my attention:
Is making such tutorials a bad thing ethically? I dont personally think so, but what are your thoughts?However, there are free and portable resources on the Internet as well. Websites such as IronGeek.com [9] provide free videos that lead the viewer through step-by-step attacks. Almost anyone who can watch a video can perform these attacks with the added convenience of rewinding and viewing them over and over if needed or even downloading them. This format also allows for easy distribution of this knowledge even if the viewer speaks a different language, a simple monkey-see, monkey-do situation.


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Browsing Clinical Inquiries, 2001 by Title
Now showing items 6-25 of 25
Now showing items 6-25 of 25
|Is surgery effective for reducing symptoms in adults with obstructive sleep apnea?
|Is there any benefit to Papanicolaou (Pap) test screening in women who have had a hysterectomy for benign disease?
|Should induction of labor be considered in a woman with a macrosomic baby?
|Should we change formula for a formula-fed infant with persistent spitting up, but with adequate weight gain?
|What are the benefits of treating sleep apnea?
|What are the current treatment and monitoring recommendations for hepatitis C virus (HCV)?
|What are the indications for treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors in patients with diabetes?
|What are the most effective treatments for bacterial vaginosis in nonpregnant women?
|What is a reasonable initial approach to the patient with fatigue?
|What is the best approach to prevention and treatment of osteoporosis?
|What is the best approach to the evaluation and treatment of chronic cough?
|What is the best diagnostic approach to postmenopausal vaginal bleeding in women taking hormone replacement therapy?
|What is the best oral antifungal medication for tinea capitis?
|What is the best strategy for monitoring the lipid-lowering effects of medical therapy used for the primary prevention of coronary artery disease (CAD)?
|What is the best test to diagnose urinary tract stones?
|What is the value of screening for heart disease with an exercise stress test (EST) in an asymptomatic person?
|What laboratory monitoring is appropriate to detect adverse drug reactions in patients on cholesterol-lowering agents?
|What medications are safe and effective for heartburn during pregnancy?
|When should we stop mammography screening for breast cancer in elderly women?
|Which patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) should have esophagogastroduoudenoscopy (EGD)?


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After the Chiefs pared their roster down from 75 to 53 men on Saturday, the second part of a busy weekend the close of the waiver claim period commenced on Sunday.
The Chiefs were plenty active, too, as they claimed San Diego tight end Brian Parker off waivers, a source confirmed to The Star. The Chiefs also claimed offensive tackle Jah Reid, according to a source. Reid (6-7, 325) was cut by the Ravens on Saturday.
A corresponding move will have to be made, but has not been announced.
Parker, 23, is listed at 6 feet 4 and 265 pounds. He is a rookie who played college football at Albany. He caught one pass for 14 yards this preseason.


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The way the Cardinals tell it, they haven't just this week decided to listen to trade offers for receiver Anquan Boldin. They just decided to tell the world they are listening.
Why? Well, they appear to be tiring of the unhappy act they keep getting from Boldin and agent Drew Rosenhaus. Boldin is signed for two more seasons -- at a total of $5.75 million -- but puts his uniform pants on one leg at a time next to Larry Fitzgerald, who makes $10 million a season.
As the coach and general manager point out in the story from the Arizona Republic, their preference is to keep Boldin, but recognize that making him happy might not be possible.
The team has more pressing contract extensions to complete with linebacker Karlos Dansby and strong safety Adrian Wilson, and just shelled out a $15 million signing bonus to quarterback Kurt Warner. Even if the Cards wanted to make Boldin a very rich man, they might not have the cash lying around. Or so they intimate.
What would it cost for another team to lift Boldin from the Cards? He turns 29 in October and has something of an injury history, playing a full 16-game schedule just twice in his six NFL seasons. Last year, if it matters, he also criticized the team and the coach and got into a sideline squabble with the offensive coordinator during the conference championship game against the Eagles, and departed the stadium before celebrating with his teammates. Perhaps that's all a product of the contract unhappiness and would disappear in a new setting with a new deal. Perhaps.
What would it cost? Beat writer Kent Somers, who is very plugged in out there, guesstimated in his blog that a first-round and a third-round pick would probably satisfy the Cardinals. Taking that at face value, would the Eagles make that deal? They hold two first-round picks and 12 draft picks overall, and fully admit they don't intend to use all those picks themselves.
If they did make the trade, they would have to do the contract upgrade, putting Boldin in that 4-year/$40 million range he's seeking. That could have a domino effect on the contract status of Donovan McNabb, who also has two years left on his deal and might think he'd be in line for a bump from the organization before an outsider gets one.
So, do you make the deal for a first and a third to get Boldin? Your thoughts.


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This name is used for some completly hardware different cheap clones of this USB analogue audio- and videocapturedevice which are vastly sold in onlineshops.
This article describes, how to identify the chipset of the known EasyCAP devices and if they are supported/ working on Linux.
- 1 Common technical features of all EasyCAP devices
- 2 Indentify your device before buying
- 3 Known EasyCAP devices
- 4 Links
Common technical features of all EasyCAP devices
- All the EasyCAP devices and clones need a USB 2.0 connection (USB 1.1 is too slow).
- They can capture analogue video up to 720x576 px (PAL) or 720x480 px (NTSC) and
- stereosound up to 48000 Hz sampling rate (or only 8000 Hz mono on some models where the ac97 chip is missing)
- Most of them have input cables labelled CVBS, S-VIDEO, AUDIO(L), AUDIO(R).
- Some models do have 4 yellow input cables (CVBS) labelled 1, 2, 3, 4 and one white unlabelled audio cable.
Indentify your device before buying
It is hard to identify the chipset of any EasyCAP device before buying because most onlineshops (ebay, amazon) do not mention in the provided technical data the chipset of the device. Example from logilik.de where the chipset is declared
Installationinstructions for Windows
Screenshots of the windowsinstaller often reveal the devicename.
- STK1160 EasyCAP is in Windows: (Syntek) STK1160 or STK1150
- Empia EasyCAP is in Windows: USB 2861 Device or EMP
- Somagic EasyCAP is in Windows: SM-USB 007 or SMI Grabber Device
Known EasyCAP devices
STK1160 EasyCAP
For the stk1160 based EasyCAPs exists another article on this wiki with further information!
It is assumed that the stk1160 based "EasyCAP DC60" ist the "originally" EasyCAP device. This device is sold in different varieties (models) and even under different names like: EzCap, LogiLink, Mumbi, Weltbild, and some more.
Indentify after buying
USB ID 05e1:0408
lsusb reports:
Bus 001 Device 002: ID Syntek Semiconductor Co., Ltd STK1160 Video Capture Device
Linux support
STK1160 based devices are supported (video and audio) on Linux (kernel 2.6.38 and later). More information on this wiki: stk1160
Empia EasyCAP
The Empia EasyCAP is based on the EM2860 chip from empia.
Indentify after buying
USB ID eb1a:2861
lsusb reports:
Bus XXX Device XXX: ID eb1a:2861 eMPIA Technology, Inc.
Linux support
EM2860 based devices are supported on Linux. More information on this wiki: Em28xx_devices
Somagic EasyCAP
The Somagic EasyCAP is based on the SMI-2021 chip from somagic. It needs a firmware for operation.
Indentify after buying
USB ID 1c88:0007 (before loading the firmware)
USB ID 1c88:003c (after loading the firmware)
lsusb reports:
Bus XXX Device XXX: ID 1c88:0007 Somagic, Inc. and after loading the firmware Bus XXX Device XXX: ID 1c88:003c Somagic, Inc. or Bus XXX Device XXX: ID 1c88:003f Somagic, Inc.
Linux support
For SMI-2021 based devices exists a proceeding Linux-driver project:
More information on this wiki: somagic
Jashi's ROOM User information about the three different EasyCAPs with hardware pictures (Japanese site translated with Google)
www.usbeasycap.info Site of a chinese EasyCAP manufacturer/ retailer.


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The Moog Guitar: winner of Guitar Player Magazine's 2009 Reader's Choice Award, Electronic Musician Magazine's 2009 Editor's Choice Award; 2008 Summer NAMM "Best In Show"; a 2008 "Best of What's New Award" from Popular Science Magazine and a 2009 Mix Foundation TEC Award. More importantly, it has inspired players to new creative heights, and opened the door to totally new forms of expression with a guitar.
- Products
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- Sight & Sound
- Dealers
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When IRS agents raided the house of rapper Young Buck, they seized all his things: his white leather dining chairs, his watches, his craps table, his tattoo kit. Even his refrigerator. The Nashville artist, who was once part of 50 Cent's G-Unit, owed hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes.
His lawyer, Robin Mitchell Joyce, said he thought Young Buck's taxes were being handled by his business manager. They weren't.
I went to another business manager to see what might have gone awry-- Horace Madison, who manages music moguls like Lil Wayne. "This is not a hip hop thing," he points out. "This is a music industry thing."
Musicians, unlike most people, don't get a regular paycheck, with taxes withheld for them. "Most entertainers and musicians receive their money on a gross level, with no taxes taken out."
Big stars can earn more than a million dollars in a couple of months. But they have a lot of expenses — lights, stage, tour bus, entourage.
And after expenses, of course, there's taxes. Every quarter. Madison says that if you made a half a million dollars in 3 months, "You need to make an estimated tax payment of $200,000."
On top of that, if you're an entertainer, what qualifies as a business expense can seem really murky. Your whole lifestyle is not tax deductible.
Madison has tried to deduct watches, arguing that it's a necessary business expense for his client to have a certain look. The CPAs at his company threw it back.
The IRS loaned Young Buck his refrigerator back, along with a few other things. But most of his stuff is still stored in an undisclosed location. His music catalog is up for sale on May 14. Even the rights to the name "Young Buck" might be sold.
Many musicians have been in his situation. After Willie Nelson's home was raided by the IRS 20 years ago, Nelson made an album called "The IRS tapes." He paid back some of the debt that way.
For More: Listen to our playlist of musicians who didn't pay their taxes.
NPR researchers JoElla Straley and Barbie Keiser contributed to this report.
Back to today and everyone else's tax deadline. For those Americans feeling inclined to take a chance and just not pay, NPR's Zoe Chace, of our Planet Money team, has this cautionary tale.
ZOE CHACE, BYLINE: Some musicians like to brag they have a lot of nice stuff.
YOUNG BUCK: (Singing) Shorty want to ride with me, ride with me.
CHACE: This is Young Buck, and he did have nice stuff, like nice wheels on his car.
BUCK: (Singing) I could show you I'm a rider, the 600 coupe with the old-school wires, Giovanni rims, with Pirellis on the tires.
CHACE: Young Buck used to be a part of G-Unit, the very successful label founded by rapper 50 Cent. As part of that group, he sold millions of records. He's from Nashville. And in his dining room he had eight white leather dining chairs. In his bedroom he had some blue cufflinks, some skull chains; in the basement a poster of "Scarface," a craps table, a tattoo kit. What do all these things have in common? Ask the Internal Revenue Service.
BRANDON GEE: I think the common denominator for all of them is they're things that the IRS believed could have been easily liquidated.
CHACE: Brandon Gee reported on Young Buck's situation for The Tennessean newspaper. He says one Saturday morning, IRS agents showed up at Young Buck's house. He owed six figures in back taxes.
GEE: It's very methodical. As things are being boxed up and taken out, they're being inventoried on a list.
CHACE: And then stored nearby at Young Buck's expense. His lawyer, Robin Mitchell Joyce, told me he thought his taxes were being handled by his business manager. They weren't.
ROBIN MITCHELL JOYCE: Is it just a hip-hop problem? No. It's an entertainment, a music industry problem.
CHACE: Horace Madison is the business manager for stars like Lil Wayne.
LIL WAYNE: (Singing) I'm a millionaire. I'm a young money millionaire, tougher than Nigerian hair. My criteria...
HORACE MADISON: I wish my clients bought 35 or even 50 thousand dollar cars. That's what they spend on watches.
CHACE: I asked Madison about Young Buck's situation. Why would someone who makes a ton of money get behind on their taxes?
MADISON: Most entertainers and musicians, they receive their money on a gross level with no taxes taken out of.
CHACE: Even athletes, Horace Madison says, they're paid a salary. Musicians aren't. And big entertainers make big money - 25,000, 50,000, 100,000 dollars a show, sometimes much more. In a couple of months, you're a millionaire, right? Nope. Madison says about half of what big stars earn goes to pay people that work with them, not to mention the lights, the sound, the tour buses. And then...
MADISON: On that half a million dollars, you need to make an estimated tax payment of $200,000.
CHACE: Quarterly. That's no joke. And on top of that, if you're an entertainer, what's a business expense can seem really murky.
MADISON: You're living this lifestyle where you're spending money that you think is tax deductible, and no, it's not.
CHACE: Madison has tried to deduct the watches, saying it's a necessary business expense for his client to have a certain look. The CPAs at his company threw it back. The IRS loaned Young Buck his refrigerator back and a few other things. But most of his stuff is still stored in an undisclosed location. His music catalogue is up for sale May 14th. Even his moniker, Young Buck, that might be sold too. There could be a new Young Buck running around. Willie Nelson, he had the same kind of problem.
WILLIE NELSON: (Singing) Who'll buy my memories of things that used to be?
CHACE: So he released an album to pay back the IRS. He called it "The IRS Tapes." Zoe Chace, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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In reflecting on both President Obama's speech in the aftermath of the Boston bombings and President Bush's speeches following the horrific attacks on Sept. 11, I have come to understand better the different ways each man conveys their faith and how this reflects on something going on in America today.
Both men speak of God and the Bible and faith in many of their speeches and conversations. And both men are self-professed Christians, but for some reason many doubt the faith and commitment of President Obama while never doubting the same of President Bush. Why is that?
I think much has to do with how faith is reflected in their lives and practice. President Bush seems primarily religious in outlook, while President Obama seems primarily spiritual. And because of this, President Bush sees the world in more black-and-white terms, while President Obama sees the world as more gray. President Bush conveyed more bravado and an easier time coming to clear judgment, while President Obama seems to weigh things in a more nuanced way and approach things more slowly.
This difference of religious vs. spiritual between the two presidents represents a tension that has emerged in the faith and political environment of America. On one side is a growing group of devout religious folks who see traditional and definitive roles of family and faith as under attack and in need of defending. On the other side is a fast growing group of unaffiliated faith folks who, while still believing in God or some universal presence, see tradition and certain religions as holding back progress of society.
The religious folks believe if you don't have a black-and-white, right/wrong view of the universe, then you hold no values and are untethered to principles. This group feels that the moral failures of today's society are a direct result of religious and family institutions having been undermined, and that the lessening of adherence to strict faith practice has caused our country to lose its way.
The spiritual folks believe that traditional religious institutions have failed to keep pace with a changing world and that the black-and-white view of the world has increased the level of conflict and violence in our society -- that it is the judgmental ways of the religious folks that have prevented the progress needed to move forward and evolve as a species.
This past election played out in many ways with each side lining up behind who they thought was the candidate who best represented their view of faith and the world. Conservative religious folks overwhelmingly supported the devote Mormon in the race, Mitt Romney, while the spiritual folks favored President Obama by huge margins.
This distinct difference in faith adherence also reflects what consumer products folks purchase and where folks live and the communities they put together to live. Our country is becoming more and more one of homogenous enclaves that highlight demographic differences as well as faith distinctions.
Because of all this, it is not surprising that the devout folks don't see President Obama as a "real Christian" even though he is a man who is highly spiritual and faithful. Attacks on him, even ones purely political, have a religious, zealous feel to them. And when we have seen that kind of attack in world history, it is very hard to have an intellectual discussion and reach common understanding.
The perceptions of President Bush by the unaffiliated group have a similar dynamic. Because he has a tendency to see things as more black and white, there was an assumption he was "dumb" and didn't give thought to any of his policies. Attacks on him became and are visceral and as mean-spirited as attacks on President Obama.
In this polarized political environment, the religious vs. spiritual underpinning of each side's argument has created a deep gulf that cannot be bridged by intellectual arguments or "fact" presentations. As I said before the election, we need some form of our own Middle East Peace process that can bring opposing sides together to see the values that are shared in common that aren't about ritual and faith practice. The differences that exist in America today are as stark as those involving Muslims and Jews and Christians in the Middle East.
Each side believes in the power of love. Each side believes all human beings are created in the image of God. Each side believes we have an obligation to respect nature and God's creation. Each side professes to the importance of the Golden Rule of do unto others as you would have them do unto you. And interestingly, each side sees the evil that greed and materialism can have on society, though they want to blame different parties and solve it in different ways.
The first step in this peace process would be a coming together on shared core values and respect for each side in their practice of faith. If we can start there, then maybe we can all begin to move forward to build a world that we would be proud to leave our children.
President Obama and President Bush represent two distinct strains of American faith (one is religious, and the other spiritual) and both are good and decent men. Maybe after watching them come together in Dallas recently for a day of respect, we can each take a step today and try to accept someone who has a different faith view than us. It would be a good start.
Cross-posted from ABCNews.com


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I just recently listened to an interesting presentation by Tom Marangon, managing director of Baumot UK, which makes diesel particulate filters (DPF) for a variety of diesel-powered applications worldwide.
From Marangon's point of view, one of the major "cost points" in the grand global emission control debate that does NOT get discussed enough is how reducing vehicle emissions – particularly particulate matter (PM) or soot from diesel engines – reduces health care expenses while eliminating a far more potent accelerant of "climate change."
Now, I not completely sold on either of these points and remain suspicious about the government cost figures Marangon cites, but they do provide food for thought.
[You can watch some of his speech here, as he lays out the impact of diesel emissions on human health from a purely dollars-and-cents perspective.]
The big dollar number is $435 – that's the cost to human health of one kilogram of diesel soot, according to global health data. So, from that perspective, Marangon draws some interesting "return on investment" conclusions for fleets.
First, the average price tag for retrofitting a DPF on a commercial vehicle is $12,000 according to his numbers – not exactly chump change.
But over an expected life cycle of 1,000 hours of operation and/or 15 years of ownership, that diesel-powered vehicle will produce 150 kilograms of soot. Preventing that soot from entering the atmosphere, and thereby being breathed by humans, saves some $53,250 in "societal health costs," he explained.
"The issue is that PM is made up of very small particles that don't occur in nature; thus the human body is not prepared to deal with them," Marangon said.
Then there's the impact soot has on climate change. "Soot particulates have 300,000 to 840,000 times more global warming potential than carbon dioxide (CO2) per kilogram of substance," he pointed out. "So there's a major benefit to using DPFs in terms to mitigating he effects of climate change."
Now, me personally here, I am pretty skeptical here – both in terms of the "health savings" and "climate change" benefits from removing soot.
My first critique on the health side is pretty straightforward: will we see a reduction in health insurance, hospital bills, doctor bills, and the like from that $435 per kilogram of soot savings? I doubt it. Just look at efforts to reduce smoking tobacco – have health insurance costs gone down as smoking rates among the general population dropped? Hardly.
The impact of soot on "climate change," however, poses a more interesting question. Whether you believe in the phenomenon or not (for the record, I am in the "not" category), the trucking industry is taking it on the chin when it comes to this subject.
Just witness the new focus on reducing CO2, which is now translating into efforts to create fuel economy standards for commercial vehicles. This effort will entail another huge round of costs to be borne by an industry that just went through nearly a decade of stringent emission reductions already.
Here's the point, though: if soot has so much greater impact on climate change than carbon, shouldn't we be focused now on reducing it from other diesel sources – such as trains, boats, and the like? Yes, those modes of transportation are on the list for diesel emission rules similar to trucking, but their timetable is far longer and more relaxed. Should not THOSE timetables be speeded up, due to the far more "dangerous" role diesel plays in "climate change"?
For years, truckers have dealt with layers of costs being added to their operations solely to control emissions while a major competitor – the railroads – faced no similar burden in the same timeframe. And now the focus on carbon reduction threatens to add another cost layer, again without touching the railroads in the near term.
On top of that, the Obama administration is promoting "high speed rail" for passenger service for the U.S., yet no mention is made of the emission controls for such a mode.
So if soot really is the climate change accelerant Baumot's Marangon said it is, why aren't we addressing its elimination more strongly in the near term for modes that as-yet have not felt the sting of such rules? It just makes me wonder.


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ResNet, USC's residential network, provides users with network connectivity in residence halls.
- Network speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second
- Available on the University Park and Health Sciences campuses
- Configuration and troubleshooting support provided through USC Housing
All USC students are eligible to connect their computers to ResNet.
Getting Started
For instructions on connecting to ResNet, find the appropriate documentation for your operating system using the links in the documentation menu on this page.
If you live on the Health Science Campus, see the Connecting to ResNet at HSC page for additional information on connecting to ResNet on the HSC campus.
Data Security
ITS recommends that all users maintain a firewall, as well as antivirus and antispyware software. Links to free firewall and antivirus software, along with additional information, are available on the ITS Security page.
Contact USC Housing Services at 213-740-4646 for help with your ResNet connection.
This is a free service.


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One of the functions of the Wagner College Office of Communications and Marketing is to provide the College with high-quality print publications that represent the Wagner brand and values accurately and serve as effective communications tools.
We are responsible for planning, creating, and producing Wagner Magazine: The Link for Alumni and Friends, the Wagner wall calendar, and the Wagner annual report, but we also work in partnership with many offices and departments on campus to produce printed publications that you need, ranging from brochures to invitations to posters to advertisements.
If you have a need for a print publication — particularly one to communicate with audiences outside of the Wagner campus — please consult with us. This guide is intended to help you understand and navigate the process of producing a print publication. The communications office can also consult with you on your digital media and media relations needs and help steer you toward the most effective communications tools to reach your audience.
Overview of the Production Process
Generally speaking, these are the major steps that all print publications go through. This is a brief outline; you'll find out more about each step in the sections below:
- Planning meeting is held.
- Text is written and copyedited.
- Design is created and text is laid out, along with photographs and illustrations.
- You review layout, which indicates how text and art will appear on each page. If needed, we will make changes at your request.
- You approve the finalized layout.
- Publication is sent for printing.
- Proof is received and approved by the communications office.
- The publication is mailed through the U.S. Post Office or the campus mail room, or is delivered to campus.
Planning Your Publication: Before You Call Us
Before you call us, decide the purpose of and audience for your publication. If you want a reprint of a previous publication, decide which elements, if any, should be changed before reprinting. Things to consider include:
- Why is this piece needed?
- What is my budget for the printing and mailing of this piece?
- Who will read it?
- Will it be sent by itself or with other publications?
- What information must be included?
- What else would I like to include if space allows?
- How many copies do I need?
- Will it be mailed and how? (Mailing options include bulk, presorted, and 1st class.)
- When will it need to be reprinted?
- Will photographs need to be taken or other artwork produced?
- Should the publication be a particular size or shape? (For example, must it fit in a business-size envelope, be a self-mailer, or be the same size as other publications with which it will be used?)
- When and where do I want the finished publication delivered?
Timing: How Long Will It Take?
Publications can take much longer to produce than most people realize. You should contact the communications office six weeks before the desired delivery date for most publications, and more than six weeks in advance for new, lengthy, or complicated projects. It is in your best interest to give us adequate time to create a quality publication.
If you have an important project that demands a "rush" schedule, call to see if production is possible within your time limits.
The Print Production Process: A How-To
Click on the + signs below to read more about each topic.
When you require a new publication or need to revise an existing one, call Donna Sinagra, project manager, at extension 4498. She will schedule a meeting with Laura Barlament, writer/editor, and Erika Reinhart, graphic designer, to discuss your job. She will act as "traffic manager," guiding your project through the production process, and will be the office's liaison with your office.
The project manager will create a production schedule that details when each stage of production will happen. It is the joint responsibility of you and the project manager to see that each deadline is met.
If you have a project that requires reprinting (e.g., letterhead, business cards, brochures, forms), and all information on the piece remains the same, send the project directly to the project manager.
At our first meeting, we will help you clarify your ideas about which content and design are best suited for your goals and audiences.
You should come to this meeting prepared to answer the questions noted above under "Planning Your Publication." Please bring with you most of the information needed for the project. A production schedule will be prepared soon after the planning meeting.
Our editor or a person in your office may do the writing. If we do the writing, your help is needed to define the proper tone, gather information, and choose suitable people to interview.
When you send us text for the project, the most convenient method is simply attaching the text document to an email to the project manager. We prefer documents written in Microsoft Word.
All copy (text) is reviewed by our staff editor for consistency, accuracy, and conformation to College style. Minor rewriting or reorganizing may be done to improve the clarity and readability of the material, but no extensive changes will be made without your knowledge. All publications this office produces must conform to College style guidelines.
At each stage of production, the editor provides quality control by checking proofs for text and design errors. The final responsibility for accuracy, however, rests with your office.
The communications office has a list of projects scheduled for production every year. We will help you estimate how much your project will cost.
We will ask our printers to bid on your project and will get you the best cost for your project. We also verify charges made by printers for producing your piece and will process the invoices if we have your account number.
The impression given by a publication depends heavily on its design and layout: the size, shape, type of paper, colors, artwork, and arrangement of material chosen. We will work with you to make appropriate choices that fit within your budget, and to create a design and layout that reflects the Wagner brand and conforms with the Wagner College graphic identity standards.
Publications are immeasurably enhanced by artwork. Your ideas are valuable in planning the photos or illustrations that will work best in your publication. We choose most publication photos from an extensive archive of images on a wide variety of campus subjects.
Photographs can be shot when our (or your) budget allows. Our office will authorize photo shoots. Because we use freelance and staff photographers whose schedules are often tight, shooting must be arranged well in advance. In your initial planning, discuss with the project manager any events or people you would like to have photographed for the piece. When appropriate, our designer can locate stock art to enhance your publication.
You will examine and approve/make changes to your draft during production, for content and for design and layout. Our layout allows us to show you a proof that will be very close in appearance to the final publication. If revisions are needed you will see a second layout and sometimes a third.
When you give us FINAL approval, it is then sent to a printer. It is not possible to make changes except in an emergency, so you should examine this proof carefully.
Because we work on many publications simultaneously, meeting approval deadlines is important. A day's delay in approval can throw a tight production schedule as much as one week behind. Any changes consume staff time, which may delay your publication. Also, the cost of making changes and the chance of delivery being delayed by changes increase substantially as production progresses, so make changes early.
Because printers differ widely in capabilities, speed, quality, and cost, the communications office chooses the printer best suited to the design requirements, schedule, and budget of your project. Printers bid competitively for each publication, keeping costs down while maintaining quality.
Printing generally takes seven to ten days, depending on the complexity of the publication. Special services (such as spiral bindings, embossing, specialty envelopes, etc.) may take longer.
Our staff approves samples of each publication before the finished pieces are delivered to you. The project manager will arrange delivery of publications to a campus location of your choice, to the campus mail room, or directly to the U.S. Post Office. You will be notified by email when the job is being delivered.


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BRISTOL, Tenn. - King College had road race and criterium winners in the final tune up before the Southeastern Collegiate Cycling Conference Championship on the local roads over the weekend.
Ellie Ferguson (Knoxville, Tenn.) took the women's "B" road race win Saturday that covered a 22-mile loop. She then finished second in Sunday's criterium.
Casey Stallard (Bristol, Va.) took the top spot in the "C" criterium Sunday morning. Teammate Reid Yoder (Hoagland, Ind.) followed in fifth in the same crit after his third-place ride in the road race.
Brad Hughes (Gray, Tenn.) was a runner up in the "C" road race and T.J. Killelea (Chattanooga, Tenn.) came home sixth.
Brent Baker (Kingsport, Tenn.) rode to third in a "B" crit race with David Deere (Bristol, Tenn.) 10th in the "C".
King and the rest of the SECCC teams will travel to Mercer (Ga.) for the conference championship races Saturday and Sunday.


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The Norway Conference Center received its first comprehensive renovation since it was built in 1984. It is decorated utilizing the interior's original cedar boards and framework, but twisting in elements of a more modern design. The Norway Center also boasts of new wall coverings, carpet and technology.
A classic and rustic option located next to the historic Main Lodge, the Norway Center offers a quaint and nostalgic space featuring vaulted ceilings. This expansive setting is perfect for an up-north wedding.


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My wife and I are planning a vacation up the Pacific Coast Hwy. We're going to start in San Diego and end in San Francisco. We have a week to get as much in as possible. I'd like to spend 2 days in Frisco before we head back to Denver. As I've been researching this trip, I found that I'd like to see Yosemite and Death Valley if at all possible. I've never been to California so I don't know much about the distance from the coast to Yosemite and Death Valley and back. Is it even feasible for us to do the coast and the east or should we just stick to the coast part of the trip?
Any help will be greatly appreciated!


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Evening Dining
Preview this week's
menu and upcoming
special event menus
Preview this week's
menu and upcoming
special event menus
Evening Dining at our Maine coast bed and breakfast is open to the public as well as to our Inn guests and features a sumptuous five-course meal at our acclaimed Camden, Maine restaurant. Click here for more evening dining pictures and details. Click here to watch our Dining Video!
Exclusively for our Maine coast bed and breakfast guests, breakfast is included in the room rate and is decidedly different from your everyday fare. Prepared with care, our breakfasts are an enticing reason to get out of our comfy beds in the morning! Click for more breakfast pictures and details.
Wine Lists
Featuring wonderful wines from around the country and world, our Camden restaurant's wine list offers a wide range of varietals at exceptional prices. Our list has received the Wine Spectator's "Award of Excellence" award since 2005. Click here to view complete wine list.


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Pisgah State ParkApril 19. 2011 9:28PM
Pisgah State Park includes over 13,500 acres of rough forested terrain, encompassing a complete watershed north of the Ashuelot River. Within the Cheshire County towns of Winchester, Chesterfield and Hinsdale, the park protects seven ponds (popular for fishing), four highland ridges and numerous wetlands. The area's 21 square miles make it the largest property in the New Hampshire state park system.
Six trailheads around the park disperse use, reducing visitor impact and encouraging the discovery of Pisgah's natural and cultural features. Year-round trailheads for hiking, mountain biking, ATV and snowmobile use provide options for short, moderate, and long treks into the backcountry. Park staff monitor the impact of motorized and bicycle use on the park seasonally. For information about equestrian use, call the park staff.
Location: Route 119 & 10, Route 63, Hinsdale, Winchester & Chesterfield
Phone: 603-239-8153
Activities: Hiking, mountain biking, fishing, ATV, snowmobiling
Amenities: Pit toilets, visitor's center (limited schedule)
Operation Schedule: Year Round
Acreage: 13,421 acres
NH State Parks Website
NH State Parks Pet Policy
* e-Edition subscription required


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Kerry plans return to Mideast for Israeli-Palestinian talksBy JONATHAN D. SALANT
Bloomberg News
December 29. 2013 9:29PM
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State John Kerry is set to return to the Middle East on New Year's Day in his effort to bring Israeli and Palestinian leaders together and negotiate a peace agreement.
Kerry will meet in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and in Ramallah with Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, Jen Psaki, a State Department spokeswoman, said Saturday in a statement.
The top U.S. diplomat is under pressure to demonstrate tangible progress now that he's passed the halfway point of the nine-month timetable he set for a resolution to core Israeli-Palestinian differences — over borders, security, the rights of refugees and the status of Jerusalem — that have confounded U.S.-led efforts at mediation for years.
"Right now, the effort is to reach a framework agreement that will guide the negotiations in the direction of a final deal that will end the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians," U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro said Sunday in an interview on Israel's Army Radio. While "the framework agreement could be more detailed, or less detailed," it has to let the two sides know where the talks are heading, he said.Shapiro tempered expectations for Kerry's trip this week, saying, "I don't know if there will be a breakthrough in this particular visit, but he may return here later in January."
It will be Kerry's 10th visit to the Middle East as he tries to end the conflict, and one symbolic sign of movement would be a face-to-face meeting between the Israeli and Palestinian leaders.
So far, Kerry has shuttled between Netanyahu and Abbas, who haven't spoken in person since September 2010. Members of Kerry's team have conducted direct talks with negotiators for the two sides.
"We are closer than we have been in years," Kerry said of the talks earlier this month, without offering details. The peace process broke down more than three years ago in a dispute over Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.
Talk of progress should be taken "with a grain of salt," Natan Sachs, a fellow at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution in Washington, said this month. "The mood among Israelis and Palestinians is overwhelmingly sober," he said. "More than sober, it's pessimistic."
Netanyahu said this month that the burden is on the Palestinians to show they're willing to satisfy Israel's core needs for security and recognition as the "nation-state of the Jewish people." A poll released this month by the West Bank- based Palestinian Center for Public Opinion found that a majority of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip expect the Kerry-led talks to fail.
Further complicating Kerry's next visit, Israel is expected to announce that it will build additional settlements on territory that Abbas wants as a Palestinian state. At the same time, Israel is to release additional Palestinian prisoners.
Two previous rounds of prisoner releases also were accompanied by announcements of new construction.
The Israeli government's pursuit of new settlement construction is a surmountable obstacle for the Obama administration, according to U.S. analysts of the Middle East.
Kerry "should keep his powder dry" in reacting to the settlements, Aaron David Miller, a vice president at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, said.
The linking of a settlement push with a prisoner release wasn't accidental, said David Schenker, a former Pentagon policy aide on Arab politics who is now at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
"The timing of the announcement is an unfortunate, but predictable consequence of the ongoing balancing act of the Israeli government," Schenker said by e-mail. "Prisoner release — of Palestinians, many with blood on their hands — is extremely controversial and politically difficult for the government of Israel."
On July 29, when Kerry announced the accord to hold the talks, he said, "Our goal is to achieve a final-status agreement over the next nine months."
Kerry won a commitment from both sides to stick with the negotiations at least that long, regardless of the difficulties that might arise, a State Department official, who asked not to be identified discussing closed-door deliberations, said at the time.


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ST. CLOUD, Minn. (AP) – Police have arrested a 19-year-old man and three juveniles after a cab driver was robbed in St. Cloud.
The cab driver was robbed late Tuesday after he picked up two of the suspects and one pointed a gun at him, demanding money.
The suspects ran away, and police couldn't find them. Eventually investigators traced the suspects to Sartell and arrested a 19-year-old Zimmerman man, a 14-year-old girl from Sartell and a 17-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy from St. Cloud.
The man is in the Stearns County Jail awaiting charges. The three juveniles were taken to a juvenile facility.
The St. Cloud Times reports the 56-year-old man driving the cab was not hurt.


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|2013-01-30, 22:32
|Link #901
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Brazil
yes,but if is because of gasper then ise will fight in the side of the tepes family and he will have that fight against the ''girls'' of the camilla family,''girls''.and the ''when'' can be when valerie ask for help to gasper how you said(this is the opportunity for she join in ise harem,I hope for this).
in the discussion of ise against grendel,this fight show that ise is at least in maou level no,already that he fight well against a evil dragon and he nearly kill the grendel when he use ascalon.
|2013-01-30, 22:38
|Link #902
Emperor of the Expected
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Florida
About the issue of the faction, haven't heard all the information about the factions yet so best not to guess that the Tepes family is comprise of all girls. Though like I stated before, we do not know which side is good or which side is evil. The faction that may be holding onto Valerie may be trying to protect her and it progress to Civil War or it could be the opposite reason and they are evil. Unless I read vol 14, I cannot make an accurate prediction there.
|2013-01-30, 22:41
|Link #903
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Brazil
no reaper king,is the camilla family that is said to be comprise all for girls,but yes seems that ise will fight with the strongest opponent.and about the evil side of the war you have reason,maybe is the family of valerie that make she prisioner and not the camilla family.
|2013-01-30, 22:46
|Link #904
Emperor of the Expected
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Florida
Really don't expect Ise is to brutally fight girls, so I think the female faction more than likely is the good group. I don't see Ise fighting his usual way with girls, well there is the perverted powers but I think the author is trying to give Ise natural power ups than his perverted nature power ups. After all its hinted that Ise, though a pervert he will admit, he believes it very weird even for him that he is associated with all pervert encounters to the point that he has to say Oppai for the girls to believe that is Ise in vol 12.
|2013-01-30, 23:00
|Link #905
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Brazil
then probably the tepes family,the family of valerie is the evil side of the war.maybe her own family the keep her how prisioner and ise will rescue her.then if ise fight in the side of the female vampire he can have others females vampires in love with him besides valerie already that the author mentioned that ise will have local wives how kunou in vol 13.the harem increasing while the relationship with the other girls already known will developing is most that probably that the author will make.
Last edited by peinmaximus@; 2013-01-30 at 23:14.
|2013-01-30, 23:13
|Link #906
Emperor of the Expected
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Florida
.......................Also, do you know the meaning of a local wife my friend?
|2013-01-30, 23:20
|Link #907
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Brazil
I not know the meaning of local wife guy,the author only said in the afterword of the vol 13 that much guys ask to him if other girls(abe,kunou and others)how kunou will be one ise servant then he replied that they will be how ''local wives''.because it I think that more that one vampire will join in ise harem.
and guy,besides that ise defeat grendel in the next volumes I too hope that ise kick the ass of euclid and the new leader of khaos briagade.
hey n0m@n or guys,you know the meaning of local wives?
Last edited by relentlessflame; 2013-02-01 at 03:21. Reason: merge double post
|2013-01-30, 23:31
|Link #908
Emperor of the Expected
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Florida
I think there will be several girls that will fall in love with Ise, but will not be added immediately to the harem since the main harem hasn't had all girls had development with Ise yet.
|2013-01-30, 23:38
|Link #909
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Brazil
yes,probably they will be how ravel,if fell in love with ise now and added to harem after.
then is most probably ise,azazel,camilla family and gremory group vs the tepes family.ise fighting with the strongest enemy of the war.
and how I said before I really hope for ise kick the ass of the euclid and the leader of the khaos bidgade.
|2013-01-31, 00:16
|Link #910
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
|2013-01-31, 02:13
|Link #911
Join Date: Jan 2011
Ah. Sorry I forgot to mention one thing which might be important.
Angel can have sex and create babies without falling. They just have to purify themselves and do some kind of ritual doing it. And they cant have ill thoughts while doing it. I cant remember the actual detail but it was somewhere in volume 14.
So Irina joining the harem wont be a problem.....I think.
Last edited by n0m@n; 2013-01-31 at 03:10.
|2013-01-31, 03:01
|Link #912
Evil Mage
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: There...no, not there.Yes, there!
Age: 26
|2013-01-31, 04:43
|Link #914
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
I don't see why an angel wouldn't be able to have a relationship as long as it's love and not just lust, Michael would be pretty stupid not to include some way to allow sex into the card system as well unless he wants the fallen angel faction to have a population boom.
|2013-01-31, 08:17
|Link #916
Emperor of the Expected
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Florida
P.S: I know it weird, but that is what I learnt from Women studies and Humanities 20th century in college. My professor was a female and she was one of those "dedicated professors". Also, I know it may be disrespectful for those British, but I had no ill intents.
Last edited by ReaperxKingx; 2013-01-31 at 08:33.
|2013-01-31, 08:24
|Link #917
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Poland
Age: 32
Well, that's a pretty interesting piece of information you have found, but in the case of Irina and Ise, both of them have been growing up in modern times.... and I think that Irina would be having a hard time, of achieving a similar state, as the women from the past, considering her developments / moments with Ise that happened so far...
Another problem is Ise's nature, I don't think that he would be capable of doing it, without his partner enjoying it, as well, since despite his perverted thoughts, Ise is still a pretty decent guy...
|2013-01-31, 08:37
|Link #918
Emperor of the Expected
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Florida
|2013-01-31, 08:41
|Link #920
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Brazil
hey raper king,you think that after the developing of the relationship with the girls already know other angel besides irina(I hope for gabriel)can join in ise harem?
and you think that the new leader of khaos brigade is a evil dragon?
obs:no wysth,the important for the magicians is know the magic and powers of the others faction and they too make contract for protection,then whom is best for protection of that ise?
|harem, school life, shounen
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STOCKTON - A free workshop focusing on the need to stop human trafficking will be held from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Jan. 12 at Bear Creek High School, 10555 Thornton Road, Stockton.
STOCKTON - A free workshop focusing on the need to stop human trafficking will be held from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Jan. 12 at Bear Creek High School, 10555 Thornton Road, Stockton.
The workshop is sponsored by the Women's Center, Soroptimist International of Lodi and Lodi Sunrise, American Association of University Women and The Salvation Army. Speakers include Adam Cortes ("In One Voice") and Elizabet Medina ("Opening Doors") of Sacramento.
Information: Maxine Crow at (209) 474-2796. Doors open at noon.
TRACY - The San Joaquin County Bar Association will hold a free legal clinic from 4 to 6 p.m. Jan. 15 at the Tracy Branch Library, 20 E. Eaton Ave.
The Lawyers in the Library clinic provides free legal advice from licensed, practicing attorneys who are in good standing with the state bar. They are members of the county bar association.
There are no income or residency restrictions. Consultations are on a first-come, first-served basis.
Participating attorneys will be:
� Sidney Alegre, estate planning
� John Casenave, criminal law
� Dennis Noble, real property
� Millicent Guiliani, family law
Clinics are held on the third Tuesday of every other month. The next one will be on March 19 at an undetermined location.
For more information, contact Rebekah Burr-Siegel, executive director of the San Joaquin County Bar Association, at (209) 948-0125 or visit sjcbar.org.
STOCKTON - San Joaquin County Juvenile Hall and Camp recently passed a compliance inspection performed by the Corrections Standards Authority.
The purpose was to ensure facilities follow minimum standards in Title 15 and 24 of the California Code of Regulations.
Inspectors performed a walk-through, a review of its written policies and spoke with wards and staff.
"Throughout the system, we observed excellent working relationships among all elements of the system: medical, judicial, probation, mental health and administration," the November report says.
Field representatives found no areas of noncompliance.
PALO ALTO - The VA Palo Alto Health Care System's Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service, which serves veterans in San Joaquin County and the Mother Lode, was recently awarded the Veterans Health Administration's Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service of the Year Award, an honor given annually to one of 153 nationwide Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Services in the VA.
The team was judged in an array of criteria, including innovative processes, outstanding customer service, nationally recognized survey results and compliance with performance measurements.


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NEW YORK (AP) — Barnes & Noble's shares fell on Thursday after it reported a second-quarter profit but its digital content growth slowed as it faces increased competition from rivals like Amazon and Google.
The largest traditional retailer has invested heavily in its Nook e-business as consumers increasingly shop online and read e-books. Barnes & Noble said revenue from its Nook business grew, but devices sales fell due to lower average selling prices for the Nook. Digital content revenue grew 38 percent, but that was down from a 46 percent increase in the fiscal first quarter.
Investors were hoping for higher growth, and shares fell $1.50, or 9.3 percent, to $14.55 in midday trading. The stock had been up about 11 percent for the year,
Revenue from the New York company's Nook division rose 6 percent to $160 million. Barnes & Noble introduced two new Nook e-readers, a 7-inch Nook HD and 9-inch Nook HD+, during the quarter, and began shipping them just after the quarter closed.
In a call with analysts, CEO William Lynch said the company expects digital content buying to pick up after the holiday season, when Nooks are expected to be popular gifts.
The company said Nook unit sales doubled over the busy four-day shopping weekend after Thanksgiving, the so-called Black Friday weekend, as the company increased markdowns at retailers like Target and Wal-Mart Stores.
But the Nook faces tough competition from other new devices this holiday season, including Apple's iPad Mini, new Amazon Kindles and Google's Nexus tablet.
"They're maintaining their market share by way of promoting and discounting," said Morningstar analyst Peter Wahlstrom. "But it's a more competitive marketplace."
Net income totaled $2.2 million for the three months ended Oct. 27. That translates to a loss of 4 cents per share, however, after the impact of preferred stock dividends. That matched analysts' expectations, according to FactSet.
The results compare with a prior-year loss of $6.6 million, or 17 cents per share.
Revenue was nearly flat at $1.88 billion. Analysts expected revenue of $1.91 billion.
Revenue from stores fell 3 percent to $996 million. Its college bookstores' revenue rose less than 1 percent to $773 million. Revenue in stores open at least one year, excluding sales of Nook products, rose 1.8 percent.
The metric is considered a key gauge of a retailer's fiscal health because it excludes stores that open or close during the year.