text:
Demonstration of Spray Ocean Gliders for Basin Scale Climate Monitoring: Greenland to the Iberian Peninsula Sections
OCCI Funded Project: 2005 and 2006
Proposed ResearchThis grant is intended to test the ability of spray ocean gliders to make long-range ocean sections across ocean basins for use in monitoring the major parts of the meridional overturning circulation. To this end, we had planned to make two sections from the east coast of Greenland to Vigo, Spain. These sections are planned to repeat one of the CLIVAR repeat sections that are occupied on an approximate 2-year repeat schedule. The glider sections were to be made in the early summer and mid-Fall to examine two different seasons. The glider sections would sample the upper 1 kilometer of the ocean. Variations between the glider and shipboard measurements will be used to characterize the variability in the transports of mass, heat, and fresh water. Two cruises on European research ships were identified and arrangements were made to deploy the glider in June 2006 and September 2006.
The June 2006 deployment was organized with INFREMER scientists as part of their OVIDE project that supports the CLIVAR repeat section between Greenland and the Iberian Peninsula. The Principle Investigator for the cruise was Pascale Lherminier. The cruise plan is shown in Figure 1. This cruise was on the R.V. Maria S. Merian, a new German research ship departing Lisbon, Portugal. In addition to making the CLIVAR repeat section, they were also going to launch their own spray glider to make repeated sections across the East Greenland Boundary Current. We were able to take delivery of a new spray glider that was purchased through Bluefin, Inc. The glider was delivered to WHOI with only a few weeks to prepare it for sea, but Brian Guest was able to prepare the glider and have it delivered to Lisbon, Portugal in time for the cruise. Owens went to Lisbon and working with Thierry Terre who was the engineer in charge of the INFREMER spray glider the glider was prepared for deployment. There appear to be some irregularities with the glider flux-gate compass, but eventually it seemed to work. Fortunately, during the cruise, the technician in charge of the gliders sent an incorrect command to our glider that erased the compass calibration data. Despite heroic attempts on their part, they were unable to get the compass to recalibrate. The glider was eventually shipped back to WHOI. During testing at WHOI, it was determined that the flux-gate compass had failed and it was probably fortuitous that it was not deployed. The compass was replaced and the glider prepared for sea. More careful checks of the compass are now routinely carried out before deployment.
A second cruise on the R.V. Discovery to the region to the east coast of Greenland was carried out in September-October 2006, lead by Detlef Quadfasel with Peter Winsor from WHOI as part of the scientific party. Winsor was trained in the deployment of the glider and Guest went to Reykjavik to prepare the glider for deployment. The glider was successfully deployed off Greenland. However, a few hours after deployment it was discovered that the glider was aborting every two hours. We determined that the watchdog timer that aborts the glider if the glider computer fails was not being properly reset. We were eventually able to program the glider to make two dives to a little more than 100 m depth before it would abort. Software was written at WHOI to automatically send resets to the glider every two hours and the glider was diverted to Iceland. Through colleagues in Iceland, we were able to arrange for the recovery of the glider offshore of Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland that are small volcanic islands off the south coast of Iceland where there is a small marine research facility. After nearly 3 months, the glider successfully navigated to Vestmannaeyjar (Figure 2). Owens and Ben Carr were able to carry out a successful recovery of the glider on 6, December. The glider is now in shipment back to WHOI.
We are now investigating other deployment opportunities for 2007 and hope to carry out the planned deployments next year. We have also been working closely with Jeff Sherman of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography who is the designer of the Spray glider to modify the standard preparation procedures to identify the problems that we encountered during the last year. All though these problems were unfortunate, they are part of the normal process of bringing a new vehicle into service.


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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama would veto a stop-gap government funding plan from Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives that defunds Obamacare health reforms, the White House said on Thursday.
In a brief statement, the White House Office of Management and Budget said Obama would veto the bill "because it advances a narrow ideological agenda that threatens our economy and the interests of the middle class."
(Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Vicki Allen)

subset: commoncrawl


text: Garland Power & Light customers experiencing power outages should call the Emergency Outage line at 972-205-3000 to report the problem and initiate service restoration. If a customer has a phone number or drivers license associated with their City of Garland utility account, they can enter that number over the phone. Another option is to have the utility account number in hand when the call is made and enter that number. These methods will quickly enter the outage notification into the outage management system. GP&L line and tree trimming crews are in the field and every effort is being made to restore power as quickly as possible. Due to the nature of the work and weather conditions, we are unable to provide exact restoration times. Following standard utility industry practice for outage restoration, repairs are first being made to problem areas that can bring electricity back on for the largest groups of customers, such as feeders or lateral lines that serve entire neighborhoods. Next, smaller groups of customers are brought on line, such as a group of homes served on the same transformer. Finally, service lines to individual homes will be repaired. For a list of weather-related impacts on City services, click here. Additional information is also available on the City's Emergency Management page.


text:
By Andrea Shalal-Esa
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Defense Department may fund initial work on a new military helicopter in a year or two to preserve the industry's critical design capabilities for that sector, the Pentagon's chief weapons buyer said on Wednesday.
Defense Undersecretary Frank Kendall told an investor conference he was concerned that the U.S. defense industry could lose the capacity to generate new designs for military helicopters because the Pentagon had not funded development of a new attack helicopter for many years.
"We really need to do something in some cases to preserve our design teams, which once they're gone away, are very hard to bring back," Kendall told a conference hosted by Credit Suisse.
Kendall invited weapons makers last month to participate in an 18-month initiative led by the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) that will look at the next era in U.S. air combat superiority after the F-35 and F-22 fighters are retired decades from now.
He said the department could launch a similar initiative for helicopters in a year or two.
"You get several things from that - you move the technology forward, you reduce the lead time to the next product, you preserve your industrial base capacity," he said.
The U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy have launched new competitions for two different helicopter programs, but both services are looking for aircraft that already exist - not "clean sheet" designs built specifically for the military.
The U.S. Army is also considering a competition to replace its aging OH-58 Kiowa Warrior armed scout helicopters, although officials may still opt to extend the life of the existing aircraft, which were built by Bell Helicopter, a unit of Textron Inc.
Kendall said Army officials believed they could afford a new procurement program, but the answer would depend on the service's future budget levels.
"They think they can still get that in, depending upon what the cost cap is," he said. "But there is an affordability constraint, so I don't know what's going to happen there."
Future Pentagon budget levels are uncertain, since Congress has not passed a budget for fiscal 2013, which began October 1, and lawmakers may yet avert $600 billion in U.S. budget reductions that are due to kick in at the beginning of January.
Sikorsky, a unit of United Technologies Corp, as well as Boeing Co and Europe's EADS have urged the Army to buy new helicopters, instead of extending the life of the old ones.
Army spokesman Dov Schwartz said the Army was evaluating the results of flight demonstrations completed by several helicopter makers earlier this year.
"No decision is expected prior to the first of the year,' he said.
(Reporting By Andrea Shalal-Esa; Editing by Leslie Adler and Jan Paschal)


text:
For a guy who's supposed to be in delicate health, Nathan Horton is an awful scary looking physical specimen.
Muscular and heavily tattooed, the Bruins' 6-foot-2, 230-pound right wing is a hard body right off the pages of "Flex" magazine.
And happy, too. Flashing that 1,000-watt smile, Horton can't mask his bubbly enthusiasm over being able to play hockey again.
"Yeah, definitely — especially with what's happened before, I feel real thankful to be here and be part of this team," said Horton, who went 363 days between games after a pair of debilitating concussions. "I'm having fun and I'm enjoying myself."
Horton used part of that time off from hockey to lift weights and add even more muscle to his already intimidating frame. Now he's stronger than ever and determined to play the game his way — physically — even though it's pretty likely that his next concussion will be his last.
"That's the way I've always played," Horton said, insisting he won't shy away from contact and, in fact, will initiate it whenever possible. "When I play physical, I get more into the game and it brings out everything else. It makes me feel better. When I get more involved, that's when I'm at my best."
A former No. 3 overall pick in the NHL draft, Horton came to the Bruins from the Florida Panthers, along with Gregory Campbell, in a 2010 deal for defenseman Dennis Wideman and two draft picks, a first- and third-rounder. Not bad considering Horton had averaged 24 goals a season for his first six NHL seasons.
He scored 26 goals (with a plus-29 rating) in his first season in Boston — the Stanley Cup year of 2010-11 — but then disaster struck. A cheap shot by Vancouver's Aaron Rome in Game 3 of the Cup finals ended Horton's great playoff run, which included 8 goals and 17 points in 21 games, including three game-winners, two in overtime.
He made it to the 46th game of the following season, Jan. 22, when the Flyers' Tom Sestito delivered a check that resulted in a second concussion. Though Horton made several comeback attempts, he didn't play again until the opener of this truncated season — three days shy of a full year later.
At times, some were wondering if Horton — like Marc Savard before him — might never play again. Horton, though, wasn't one of those people, saying an early forced retirement "never crossed my mind."
Horton chose not to play during the lockout, even though he had been cleared for contact, and the rust has been obvious in the finesse parts of his game — stickhandling, passing, and the smooth skating moves. But he has been aggressive and his wrist shot is as dangerous as ever.
Horton snapped off a laser to score the tying goal against the Rangers in New York on Wednesday as the Bruins salvaged a point by rallying from a 2-0 deficit to force overtime before losing.
"It feels good," Horton said about his first goal. "I haven't been thinking about it, but it's definitely nice to get it out of the way. I don't want to stop at just one."
Horton cranked out a team-high four shots on goal Friday night. He also had one blocked in front and two others missed the net. But when he gets zeroed in, watch out. He scored on 18.9 percent of his shots last season — that's about one goal every five shots —- which ranked sixth in the NHL.
"He's a beast right now," teammate Brad Marchand said. "He knew that to get back to his top game, he had to work hard and that's what he did. You've really got to credit him for that. He's more determined now. He came back in phenomenal shape."
Horton and his linemates, Milan Lucic and David Krejci, have spent long stretches swarming around in the offensive end. With just a little good fortune, Lucic (two goals) and Krejci (none) also could have a bunch of points.
"Really, they're scary out there," Marchand said. "They're not guys I would want to play against, and I think that goes for most defensemen. When they're on top of their game, they really carry our team."
The Bruins have come from behind four times in their last three games, much like they did during their Stanley Cup drive in 2011. "That's exactly how it feels," Horton said.
Horton is in the final year of his $4 million-a-year contract, and there's rampant speculation that if he has a good season, he'll price himself right out of Boston. The salary cap will go down drastically next season, which would make it difficult to re-sign Horton anyway. Besides, the Bruins also have to worry about negotiating new deals with goalie Tuukka Rask and defenseman Andrew Ference.
"I'm not even thinking about it," Horton said. "I'm just happy to be back in Boston with such a great team. We could really do something special this year again, and it's going to take a lot of work. That's all I'm thinking about, is winning games and having fun."
Their power play continues to sputter (1 for 17), but at least there's something special about Boston's special teams — penalty killing.
The Bruins have skated off all 17 short-handed situations they've faced so far, including a pair of 5-on-3s totaling 2:43 -— one of them without Zdeno Chara, a key figure in their three-man defense — and more than two minutes of 4-on-3 in overtime.
There's a reason, too.
"We made some adjustments with our PK this year," coach Claude Julien said. "We really wanted to be a little bit more aggressive and proactive versus passive. It's been really good, and I think it's certainly helped us get some wins.
"Against Winnpeg, they did a great job killing. The 5-on-3s that we've had to kill, and the 4-on-3 obviously in the overtime period, are kills that were at crucial times, that could have given us a different ending (if unsuccessful). It's been really, really good and we hope it continues that way."
Patrice Bergeron, Chris Kelly, Rich Peverley and Marchand especially have been sharp on the short-handed unit.
During their championship season, the Bruins were just 16th in the league penalty killing, but sixth during the playoffs. Last season, they ranked 11th during the regular season and ninth in the postseason.
Some of this talk about games being more important in a 48-game season is actually a lot of propaganda. Coaches are singing that tune in an effort to wring better efforts out of their players, but the truth is that in terms of the playoffs — and isn't that what it's all about? — the first 48 games were almost as important during 82-game seasons.
At least that's what the numbers indicate. Last season, for instance, on the day after the Bruins played their 48th game, seven of the eight teams that were in playoff position in the Eastern Conference were still in the top eight on the final day of the regular season. There was only one change — Toronto fell out of the top eight and was replaced by Florida, which had been ninth.
In the four seasons before that, this is how much the top eight in the East changed from Game 48 to Game 82: 2010-11, one change; 2009-10, two changes; 2008-09, two changes; 2007-08, two changes.
The one difference in a 48-game season: There's no need for players to pace themselves, or "save" themselves for the playoffs, because the start of the postseason is equivalent to late January of a normal season.
History shows that if you're going to get to Rask, do it early. Rask gave up a pair of goals to the Rangers in the first period on Wednesday, and that — early goals — actually has been his trademark since he has been with Boston.
Conversely, he usually is terrific late — in the third period and overtime. Through the first four games, Rask has turned aside all 35 shots he has faced in the final 20 minutes, one of two shots in overtime (Martin Gaborik batted a rebound out of midair for the goal), and three of four shots in the one shootout against Winnipeg.
The next time there's an NHL lockout — and there will be a next time, whether it's in 2020 or 2022 — let's not hear any more nonsense from fans about their anger with owners and players or their threats to not watch the games anymore.
After the third lockout since 1994-95, the NHL returned on Jan. 19 by selling out all 13 openers — even the Florida Panthers packed 'em in with a crowd of 19,204 — and establishing record TV ratings locally and nationally.
Twenty-one of the 30 franchises are at or over 100 percent capacity for their arenas after almost a week. Even Columbus drew a crowd of 19,206 for its home opener, which was 105.9 percent of capacity at Nationwide Arena.
The Bruins have sold out 131 consecutive games at TD Garden, including regular season and playoffs. The NBC Sports Network said its ratings for the first week were up 27 percent over last season's opening week. Ratings for the first four games were up 53 percent over last season's average regular-season ratings.
Maybe the sport keeps dumping on them, but the fans still can't get enough.
Contact Bud Barth at email@example.com.


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Dipodomys ingens
|Scope: Global
Language: English
|Scientific Name:
|Dipodomys ingens (Merriam, 1904)
Common Name(s):
|Red List Category & Criteria:
|Endangered B1ab(i,ii,iii) ver 3.1
|Year Published:
|Date Assessed:
|Linzey, A.V. & NatureServe (Williams, D.F. & Hammerson, G.)
|Amori, G. (Small Nonvolant Mammal Red List Authority) & Chanson, J. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)
Listed as Endangered because its extent of occurrence is less than 5,000 km2, its range is severely fragmented, and there is an ongoing decline in the extent of occurrence, area of occupancy, and extent and quality of the species' habitat.
|Previously published Red List assessments:
|Range Description:
|The species' range is endemic to California in the United States and is confined to a narrow strip along the southwestern border of the San Joaquin Valley and a few nearby valleys to the west, including the Carrizo and Elkhorn plains and upper Cuyama Valley, with scattered colonies in the Ciervo, Kettleman, Panoche, and Turney Hills, and the Panoche Valley (Grinnell 1922, Hall 1981, Williams and Kilburn 1991, Williams et al. 1993). Its historical range extended from Merced County south to the base of the Tehachapi Mountain in Kern County, and west to eastern San Luis Obispo County and extreme northern Santa Barbara County (Williams et al. 1993). Its elevational range extends to about 868 m asl (400-2,850 feet).
The population is currently fragmented into six major geographic units: 1) the Panoche region in western Fresno and eastern San Benito counties; 2) Kettleman Hills in Kings County; 3) San Juan Creek Valley in San Luis Obispo County; 4) western Kern County in the area of the Lokern, Elk Hills, and other uplands around McKittrick, Taft, and Maricopa; 5) Carrizo Plain in eastern San Luis Obispo County; and 6) Cuyama Valley in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties (see USFWS 1998). These major units are fragmented into more than 100 smaller populations, many of which are isolated by several miles of barriers such as steep terrain with plant communities unsuitable as habitat, or agricultural, industrial, or urban land without habitat for this species (USFWS 1998).
|Countries occurrence:
Native:United States (California)
|Additional data:
|Range Map:
|Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.
|The huge colonies of this species described in historical literature no longer exist. Extant habitat comprises only about 1.8 percent of the historical habitat (Williams 1992, USFWS 1998).The extant distribution includes more than 100 more or less distinct populations, but most of these represent fragments of a formerly more continuous distribution. There are six major geographic units, each of which could be regarded as a single occurrence or subpopulation. Total adult population size is unknown but probably exceeds 100,000 during average conditions. Adult population size varies substantially with drought and plant productivity (USFWS 1998); density ranges from one to 110 individuals per hectare (see USFWS 1998).
Within the area of currently occupied habitat, populations have expanded and declined with changing weather patterns since 1979; at their peak in 1992 to 1993, there probably were about six to 10 times more individuals than at their low point in spring of 1991, when a majority of the 11,145 hectares probably was uninhabited and most of the rest was inhabited by less than 10 percent of peak numbers (see USFWS 1998 for sources). Population density is five to 50 per hectare (18-69/ha in the larger and denser colonies; Williams and Kilburn 1991). Extant population sizes are small; from fewer than 10 to several hundred individuals (Braun 1985).
|Current Population Trend:
|Additional data:
|Habitat and Ecology:
|The habitat of giant kangaroo rats consists of gently sloping and level piedmont plains and (formerly) areas supporting saltbush and perennial grasses; habitat now is dominated by introduced annuals, with many shrubs in some areas. The species occupies areas of sparse vegetative cover and well-drained soils and slope generally less than 9% (Williams and Kilburn 1991) (sometimes up to 22%; USFWS 1998), often in areas that are heavily grazed by cattle and sheep (Williams and Kilburn 1991). They prefer semi-arid slopes at the head of draws in barren shrubless areas, with loose, easily diggable, sandy loam soils. Found in underground burrows when inactive. They are absent from areas continuously in dry-land cultivation and from irrigated fields but may recolonize fallow dry-land grain fields if there are colonies on uncultivated land nearby (Williams and Kilburn 1991). Habitats listed in order of decreasing favorability: 1) annual grassland association in areas with less than five to six inches annual rain, and level to gently sloping ground, 2) alkali desert scrub association in areas with less than five to six inches annual rain, sandy loam soils, and level to gently sloping ground, 3) friable soils of sand, loam, clay loam or gravelly in areas with the above characteristics, and 4) slopes of 10-15 degrees with the above characteristics and located near colonies in more favorable habitats (D. Williams pers. comm.).
Home range is about 60-350 m2. This species is basically solitary and territorial, with strict intrasexual avoidance indicated. In spring, areas around occupied burrows have a more lush growth of herbaceous vegetation than do areas between burrow systems; this growth is eventually removed by grazing by livestock and/or kangaroo rats (Williams and Kilburn 1991). Digging and feeding activity promote the establishment of exotic weeds, which in turn are a favoured food source (Schiffman 1994). Giant kangaroo rats feed on seeds, especially those of Lepidium nitidum, oenothera, Bromus rubens, and Erodium cicutarium. They also eat some green herbaceous vegetation and occasionally insects. In some localities. They gather dry grass into "haystacks" to cure, later removing seeds for storage in underground burrows. They also temporarily bury seeds in the ground before storing in burrows. Giant kangaroo rats emerge to forage soon after sunset in spring. They spend a little less than two hours per night above ground actively foraging in spring-summer (Braun 1985).
Limited data indicate that the reproductive season may extend from January through May (Williams and Kilburn 1991) (February to June or perhaps later according to Biosystems Analysis 1989). Gestation lasts about one month. Litter size is three to six (Biosystems Analysis 1989); average litter size is probably four (Williams and Kilburn 1991). Young are weaned at four weeks (Matthews and Moseley 1990).
|Major Threat(s):
The decline is largely a result of conversion of habitat to agricultural uses, combined with additional loss of habitat to industrial uses (e.g., petroleum exploration and extraction) and urbanization, and population reductions and extirpations from rodenticide use (aimed at California ground squirrel and historically at kangaroo rats) (Williams 1992, USFWS 1998). Possibly excessive livestock grazing may have contributed to the decline in some areas (livestock may crush near-surface burrows and compete for food with kangaroo rats) (see USFWS 1998). Between 1972 and 1980 most of the remaining habitat was converted from native vegetation to cultivated agricultural crops due in part to an abundance of irrigation water supplied by recently completed water delivery systems.
More recently, the conversion of habitat to agricultural uses has slowed substantially, but urban and industrial developments, petroleum and mineral exploration and extraction, new energy and water conveyance facilities, and construction of communication and transportation infrastructures continue to destroy habitat and increase the threats to the species by reducing and further fragmenting populations (USFWS 1998). Habitat degradation due to lack of appropriate habitat management on conservation lands, especially lack of grazing or fire to control density of vegetation (including shrubs) may be a threat (Williams and Germano 1993).
|Conservation Actions:
Dipodomys ingens was listed as Endangered by both the California Fish and Game Commission (in 1980) and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (in 1987). Habitat is protected to varying degrees at Carrizo Plain National Monument, U.S. Department of Energy Naval Petroleum Reserves in western Kern County, and certain BLM lands. Parcels in the Lokern area of western Kern County have been protected by the California Energy Commission, California Department of Fish and Game, and The Nature Conservancy.
Habitat for three of the six regional populations (Cuyama Valley, Kettleman Hills, and San Juan Creek Valley) include no public or conservation lands; all are small and vulnerable to extirpation from demographic and random catastrophic events (e.g., drought, flooding, fire), and inappropriate land uses that would degrade or destroy habitat (USFWS 1998).
Future conservation actions require an adequate understanding of compatible land uses and management prescriptions that provide optimum habitat conditions (Williams and Germano 1993). Data should be collected on demography, dispersal, and reproduction, as well as the status of populations occurring on private lands in the Cuyama Valley, San Juan Creek area, and Ciervo/Tumey Hills. See USFWS (1998) for specific protection, management, and monitoring needs.
|Linzey, A.V. & NatureServe (Williams, D.F. & Hammerson, G.). 2008. Dipodomys ingens. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2008: e.T6678A12794494. . Downloaded on 24 September 2018.
|To make use of this information, please check the <Terms of Use>.
|If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please provide us with feedback so that we can correct or extend the information provided


text:
Obama administration missed clues on Fisker
Apr. 25, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Energy Department did not realize for four months that troubled automaker Fisker Automotive Inc. had missed a crucial production target that was required as part of a half-billion dollar government loan, documents released Wednesday show. The mistake allowed Fisker to obtain an additional $32 million in government funding before the loan was suspended in June 2011.
The Obama administration did not make the suspension of the $529 million loan public until early last year, nearly eight months after it stopped making payments to Fisker and long after the Energy Department first warned that Fisker was not meeting milestones to protect taxpayers.
The administration's actions - or failure to act - came under sharp criticism from Republicans Wednesday at a hearing before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. GOP lawmakers accused the Obama administration of negligence and worse while Democrats dismissed the hearing as a "show trial" intended to embarrass the president.
"The committee's efforts to stoke false controversy by selectively leaking a few out-of-context documents just do not stand up to scrutiny," White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters Wednesday.
But Rep. Jim Jordan, chairman of the Oversight subcommittee on economic growth and regulation, said it was hard to understand why the Energy Department ever thought Fisker was a viable company that should receive taxpayer money.
"The Obama administration owes the American taxpayer an explanation as to why this bad loan was made in the first place, and what they are going to do to minimize the loss that taxpayers face," said Jordan, R-Ohio.
Jordan called the loan program "one of the most disastrously mismanaged and corrupt programs in U.S. history," a claim that committee Democrats scoffed at.
The potential loss of $171 million would be largest loss of federal loan money since the 2011 failure of solar panel maker Solyndra. That company's collapse, which came despite a $528 million loan from the Energy Department, has triggered GOP criticism of the Obama administration's green energy program. Fisker received money from a similar loan program started under the Bush administration.
The Energy Department seized $21 million from Fisker this month as it continued to seek repayment from the car maker for the 2009 loan. A payment from Fisker was due Monday but was not made, an Energy Department official said.
Nicholas Whitcombe, former acting director of the car loan program, said the Energy Department acted "decisively" to protect taxpayers' interests after the company failed to meet required milestones.
Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Pa., said the $192 million received by Fisker before the loan was suspended represents just 2 percent of an $8 billion loan program to boost electric cars and other advanced vehicles.
Even if Fisker goes bankrupt, as many expect, the loan program is on track to recoup 98 percent of its investment, Cartwright said.
"In the world outside the Beltway, anybody who exceeds expectations 98 percent of the time gets an A-plus, Cartwright said.
"Only in Washington would a $200 million loss be viewed as a success," Jordan shot back.
The oversight panel is looking into the federal loan to the troubled carmaker, which has laid off three-fourths of its workers amid continuing financial and production problems. Fisker has not built a vehicle since last summer and has failed to secure a buyer as its cash reserves have dwindled.
Despite those losses and widespread reports that bankruptcy is imminent, the company's founder and namesake said Wednesday he is proud of its achievements.
Henrik Fisker told the House panel that "cutting edge technology" developed by the Anaheim, Calif.-based company could "pave the way for a new generation of American car manufacturing." Fisker said he is especially proud of the $100,000 Karma hybrid, which Time Magazine called one of the 50 best inventions of 2011.
Fisker has sold fewer than 2,000 Karmas, despite early projections of 11,000 sales per year.
Fisker, who resigned as board chairman in March, disputed claims by some critics that the company needed the federal loan to survive. He said a high-ranking Energy Department official approached him in 2008 and asked him to apply for the loan, which is intended to boost electric cars and other advanced vehicles.
"At that time, we already had significant financial backing from private investors," Fisker said. In all, the company received more than $1 billion in private financing, he said.
Fisker denied that any political influence was used to obtain the loan or in negotiations over its terms. "I am not aware and do not believe that any improper political influence was used in connection with the company's loan application or subsequent negotiations with the Department of Energy," Fisker said.
Republicans called the claim dubious and noted that Fisker investors include the actor Leonardo DiCaprio and at the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins. John Doerr, a partner at the firm, has served on an economic advisory board appointed by President Barack Obama.
Republicans also questioned why the company agreed to reopen a shuttered former General Motors factory in Wilmington, Del., to produce plug-in, electric hybrid vehicles. The plant was never completed and never produced any cars.
Vice President Joe Biden touted the plant in 2009 as a boon to his home state and predicted it would create billions of dollars in jobs.
Fisker told the panel that he chose the Delaware site because the GM plant was in good shape and had access to skilled workers and East Coast ports. As many as 60 percent of the cars the plant was to produce were targeted for export, Fisker said. The choice of Delaware "had nothing to do with the loan" or Biden, Fisker said.
Earlier, the committee released a document showing that the administration was warned as early as 2010 that Fisker was not meeting milestones set up by the government.
An Energy Department official said in a June 2010 email that Fisker's bid to draw on the federal loan may be jeopardized for failure to meet the goals.
Despite that warning, Fisker continued to receive money until June 2011, when the Energy Department halted further funding. The agency did so after Fisker presented new information that called into question whether key milestones - including launch of the Karma hybrid - had been achieved, according to a credit report prepared by the Energy Department.
The December 2011 credit report said "DOE staff asked questions about the delays" in the Karma's launch "and received varied and incomplete explanations," leading to the suspension of the loan.
Aoife McCarthy, a spokeswoman for the Energy Department, said the June 2010 email was taken out of context.
"The document shows that one person at a meeting discussed the possibility that Fisker might not meet a financial commitment" required by the Energy Department, McCarthy said in an email. The department received the needed certification five days later and subsequently made the loan payment, she said.
Follow Matthew Daly on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MatthewDalyWDC


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I was inspired by a photo of beautiful eagle ray, and I wanted to create an artwork that includes the eagle ray underwater, and the sky above him, with stars shining. So, the artwork will include the following parts: - underwater; - sky with stars; - eagle ray. Let's start with the water. Set foreground color to saturated blue. Select Pen tool (P), and create a shape that fills bottom half of image, with wave on top, similar to shown here.
We need to add some depth to our water, and here is how. Create new layer, switch to Gradient tool (G), set background color to dark blue (almost black). In toolbar on top, switch to Radial gradient. Click-and drag the mouse from top-center of image to bottom-right (or bottom-left, does not matter). The result should look similar to this.
Create another new layer, switch to Linear gradient, and fill this new layer with gradient similar to this.
Now set this layer's opacity to 50%. Now, 2 gradients (radial and linear) are equally visible, and it adds nice depth to the image (not as primitive as only 1 gradient would look). Merge 2 layers with gradients into one (Ctrl-E).
Go to Layer menu - 'Create clipping mask' with previous (wave shape layer). You'll notice that selected layer now has an arrow pointing to the layer below. Now we have shape of water with nice gradient, but we need something more - light reflections. Let's do that!
Create new layer, set foreground color to white and background color to black (or vice versa). with Selection tool (M), select narrow horizontal area in the middle of the image (similar to shown here). Go to Filter menu - Render - Clouds.
Transform selection (Ctrl-T or Edit menu - Transform), and scale it vertically, holding Alt key (so that it is scaled up and down). Hit Enter to apply resizing.
I decided I want even more distortion so I made selection again...
...and resized it again.
Go to Edit menu - Transform - Warp. In toolbar menu, open dropdown menu and select Arc. Next to it, there is Bend setting (50 by default). Change it to -50 (or adjust to your liking) and hit Enter to apply changes.
Here is how the result should look.
Go to Layer menu - create clipping mask (this way we group 'rays of light' with shapee of water), set layer blend mode to Overlay and opacity to 5-10%. Woo-hoo! Our water looks very good now.
Let's create the sky now (maybe I should have done it first, because the sky is behind the water). Anyway, create new layer, and move it down the layer palette (so that it is behind all other layers). Set foreground color or lighter blue, and background color to slightly darker blue. Select gradient tool (G), switch to Radial gradient, and fill layer with gradient, clicking-and-dragging your mouse from about middle of artwork to top-left or top-right edge.
Switch to Brush tool (B), select very large soft brush, set foreground to very dark blue, set Brush opacity (on top toolbar) to 10%, and with accurate long movements, fill top of layer with dark areas. You can also set forecolor to completely black and add a little of black to top edges of the image.
Create new layer, set forecolor to white, and back color to black. With Selection tool (M), create selection similar to shown here (narrow vertical area in the middle of image). Go to Filter menu - Render - Clouds.
Similarly to what we did several steps before, resize layer (Ctrl-T, resize horizontally holding Alt).
Go to Edit menu - Transform - Warp, the dropdown menu will appear on toolbar. Open it, select Arch (not Arc :-) Set Bend to around 8-10, hit Enter to apply changes.
Finally, set layer's blend mode to Overlay, and opacity to 5-10%.
Now, both water and sky are good!
Let's draw the eagle ray now. I used the reference photo that I found in Internet (I removed parts of photo outside the eagle, so that they do not disturb me). Find the photo for reference (I encourage you to not copy my photo, I already copied it :-) Create new layer on top of layers palette. Paste the reference photo, resize and move as you wish.
set opacity of layer with reference photo to 20%. Create new layer 'under' (below) layer with reference photo (so that reference layer is on very top). Set fore color to black, select Pen tool (P). Looking at the photo of eagle ray, notice how it can be 'divided' into 2 parts: top (black with white spots) and bottom (part of bottom is visible on left wing of the ray). We'll start with top (black) part. With accurate movements, create a silhouette of the ray. Working with Pen tool is the subject for separate tutorial. In short, you create a shape from 'anchor points', where each point is created by mouse click, and curve of shape around this point is created by dragging-and-releasing mouse after you clicked mouse to create a point. You'll need to practice a lot :-)
The tail of the ray is easier to do. Select Rounded rectangle tool (hit U, then select Rounded rectangle from toolbar on top). Create long and very narrow rectangle (a 'line'). Switch to Path selection tool (A), select the shape you just created, go to Edit menu - Transform - Warp, then select Arc from dropdown list. Set Bend to 8-10, hit Enter to apply changes.
Transform shape (Ctrl-T) to move and rotate as necessary.
The top part of eagle ray is almost entirely black, except there is a little highlight going through the middle of ray's body. Here is how to do it: create new layer, set forecolor to grey, switch to Pen tool, and create a shape similar to shown here (only top part of shape is important, other sides will be clipped).
Go to Layer menu - Create clipping mask.
To to Layer menu - Layer mask - Hide all. You'll notice that 'mask' icon was added to selected layer in layers palette. Switch to Brush tool, select small soft brush, set fore color to white, and with gentle movements, draw where you want grey highlight to appear.
Now let's complete the ray's shape by adding 'bottom' part of its left wing. Create new layer, set fore color to bright blue, switch to Pen tool and create a shape similar to that (you can show and hide reference layer to make sure you match the shape of actual ray).
Create another new layer, switch to Brush (B), add white highlights (smaller brush) and black shadows (larger brush).
Go to Layer menu - create clipping mask, set layer's blend mode to Overlay. Bingo!
Creating spots is very easy but a bit monotonous. Create new layer, switch to very small hard brush, set fore color to light-greyish-blue, and draw spots. Don't forget to turn on reference layer, it will help you.
Here is how it looks with spots.
Now we need to add some little details to the border between water and air (You know, when you look at the photos taken half-underwater, the water border is not a plain line, it always has some twirls and bubbles). I decided to go quick way :-) and simply add some minimalistic curves. Before starting, switch to Path selection tool (A), select the shape of water that you created in the beginning, and copy it to clipboard (Ctrl-C).
Create new layer, set forecolor to white, switch to Pen (P), and create a shape similar to shown here (only top curve will remain visible).
Paste path from clipboard into this layer (Ctrl-V). Change this path mode to 'Substract' (second button in the row of 4 buttons in toolbar).
Set layer's blend mode to Overlay, and layer's opacity to 10-30%. What we just did looks almost invisible, but...
make another 'wave' (overlapping with previous), then again and again, until entire water line is filled with little waves on top of it.
The final touch is the stars. They are very easy to do. The main trick is setting of Brush tool. As always, create new layer. Set fore color to very light blue (almost white), and back color to darker blue. Select Brush tool (B), open Brush settings (Window menu - Brushes). Click Brush Tip Shape section, select 9px (or 13px) preset. Now, modify the following settings: - spacing: 1000 (maximum); - click Shape dynamics; - set Size Jitter = 100%, minimum diameter = 50%; - click Color dynamics; - set Foreground/Background jitter to 100%. Now, simply click randomly on top of image, and you will see how stars of various size and colors are added!
Once again, here is the final image.
← Design a colorful Northern Lights landscape Lion - making of →


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U.S. stocks finished lower on Friday after a Republican plan to avoid the "fiscal cliff" failed to gain sufficient support on Thursday night, draining hopes that a deal would be reached before 2013.
Still, stocks managed to rebound from the day's lows near the end of the session, and for the week, major averages still ended higher, with the S&P 500 gaining 1.2 percent.
Continue Reading Below
Trading was volatile as confidence eroded in the prospect of a deal out of Washington, and in part due to quarterly expiration of options and futures contracts. The CBOE Volatility Index or VIX, the market's favored anxiety measure, finished below its high of the day.
Republican House Speaker John Boehner failed to garner enough votes from even his own party to pass his "Plan B" tax bill late on Thursday. It was the latest setback in negotiations to avoid $600 billion in tax hikes and spending cuts that some say could tip the U.S. economy into recession.
"The failure with Plan B was disappointing, if not terribly surprising, but now there's a real lack of clarity about what will happen, and markets hate that," said Mike Hennessy, managing director of investments for Morgan Creek in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Herbalife dropped for an eighth straight session. Investor Bill Ackman recently ramped up his campaign against the company. The company skidded 19 percent to $27.27 and has lost more than 35 percent this week.
Plan B, which called for tax increases on those who earn $1 million or more a year, was not going to pass the Democratic-led Senate or win acceptance from the White House anyway. But it exposed the reality that it will be difficult to get Republican support for the more expansive tax increases that President Barack Obama has urged.
Still, the declines of less than 1 percent in the three major U.S. stock indexes suggest that investors do not believe the economy will be unduly damaged by the absence of a deal, said Mark Lehmann, president of JMP Securities, in San Francisco.
"You could have easily woken up today and seen the market down 300 or 400 points, and everyone would have said, 'That's telling you this is really dire,'" Lehmann said.
"I think if you get into mid-January and (the talks) keep going like this, you get worried, but I don't think we're going to get there."
Banking shares, which outperform during economic expansion and have led the market on signs of progress on resolving the fiscal impasse, led declines. Citigroup Inc fell 1.6 percent to $39.49, while Bank of America slid 1.9 percent to $11.29. The KBW Banks index lost 1.19 percent.
Volatility on Friday was exacerbated in part by "quadruple witching," the quarterly expiration of stock index futures and options, stock options and single stock futures contracts.
About 8.59 billion shares changed hands on major U.S. exchanges, more than the daily average of 6.47 billion daily in 2012, in part due to expiration.
The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 120.72 points, or 0.91 percent, to 13,191.00. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index fell 13.52 points, or 0.94 percent, to 1,430.17. The Nasdaq Composite Index lost 29.38 points, or 0.96 percent, to 3,021.01.
"Amazingly, this sharp decline today may not actually change the technical picture much - unless the decline gets worse," said Larry McMillan, president of options research firm McMillan Analysis Corp, in a research note.
The day's round of data indicated the economy was surprisingly resilient in November; consumer spending rose by the most in three years and a gauge of business investment jumped.
But separate data showed consumer sentiment slumped in December. The S&P Retail Index fell 1.2 percent.
U.S.-listed shares of Research in Motion sank 22.7 percent to $10.91 after the Canadian company, known as the BlackBerry maker, reported its first-ever decline in its subscriber numbers on Thursday alongside a new fee structure for its high-margin services segment.
(Additional reporting by Ryan Vlastelica and Leah Schnurr; Editing by Bernadette Baum, Jan Paschal and Nick Zieminski)


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Link Copied!
Police kill gunman in Brussels raid
Opening Sequence
Deal reached for Kavanaugh accuser to testify Thursday
U.S. to demand U.N. keep sanctions on Pyongyang
Florence-hit areas still under threat: officials
VERBATIM: Michelle Obama is 'sick of the chaos'
Iran "ready" to confront U.S. - Rouhani
Survivor pulled from Tanzanian ferry wreck
Germany's far-right is winning the battle online
Israel sets deadline to evacuate West Bank village
Comcast outbids Fox in battle for Sky
Tiger Woods wins first title in five years
Closing Sequence


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• Size: 7"
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Total Extreme Wrestling 2010 Cheats :
This page contains Total Extreme Wrestling 2010 cheats list for PC version. Now we have 1 cheats in our list, which includes 1 cheats code. We hope information that you'll find at this page help you in playing Total Extreme Wrestling 2010 on PC platform. If you didn't find needed cheats put request or ask question about this at special section of the game. Also you can subscribe on all new cheats that we'll find for you in the future!
Code - Randomize Traits.
If you go into the Remote Assistance section (in Options), you can type in the following code: joker This will give every character a completely new personality by randomizing all eleven of their behavioral traits, adding a new layer of unpredictability to your game.
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Muir Skate
About Muir Skate Longboard Shop
We're a bunch of San Diego skaters in a warehouse, assembling your longboards by hand, making sure you get the best ride under your feet. Yes, we need to pay the rent, but we're in this to spread the stoke of skating as far and wide as we can.
Founded back in 2005, Muir Skate started out as a 400 sqft shop at UCSD's John Muir College. Now located in a 7,000 sqft warehouse, just 10 minutes away from our birthplace, Muir Skate sells high quality longboard skateboard gear and sets the bar for best customer service. And we pronounce it "me-ew-er".


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The RatingBuster-r34033.1007.zip file you have requested: World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade / Modifications / RatingBuster-r34033.1007 - 444KB is not available. Perhaps try browsing all files for the game World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade and upload any files you want to share or are missing.
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"Let me remind you that credit is the lifeblood of business, the lifeblood of prices and jobs." -President Herbert Hoover, from a speech given at Des Moines, Iowa, October 4, 1932
Scary, I know, quoting President Herbert Hoover at a time when our economy is lurching from crisis to crisis (NOT that we are in danger of repeating the Great Depression of the 1930s ... though it really feels like it some days.) He also probably wouldn't be considered the best person to draw fiscal wisdom from, either.
But as Professor Jerry Osteryoung with the college of business at Florida State University notes, Hoover hit on a very important linchpin for any company, whether you're involved in trucking, retail, construction, etc. - you need a steady supply of credit to stay in operation.
Lines of credit, however, are getting hard to come by nowadays, as banks continue to reel from their extremely reckless mortgage lending patterns of the recent past. Even stalwart trucking clients are finding their credit lines cut short as banks scramble to increase available capital to cover their losses. Finding new sources of credit is tough, but not impossible, no matter what sector of the economy you're in, as Professor Osteryoung explains:
"Financial institutions are in such a precarious position. With the economy slowing down and significant losses in their real estate portfolios, so many banks are cutting back credit to both new and established accounts.
With unknown losses from the sub-prime mortgage melt down still to come, plus the financial difficulties of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, it is not a good year for banks. With stock values declining by more than 40% and continuing to slide, many national, regional and local banks have taken a beating. The bottom line is that financial institutions are in trouble with both share price and regulators. Losses are going up and share prices are going down.
What is happening? Financial institutions have been incurring losses, and they just cannot afford to be exposed to any further losses. Banks operate on such thin margins, and because losses jeopardize the health of banks, the regulators and banking executives are being very cautious about lending any additional funds. They are even looking at existing loans as well.
We were helping a firm that had been banking at the same bank for over 15 years. This firm went to draw additional funds on their line of credit, and the bank said 'No' - a response that was clearly within their rights, but totally unexpected. This firm had to scramble to find another source of funding to help pay for its season increase in inventory. They are now looking for a new financial institution.
With so much happening in the financial world, each firm must protect its ability to acquire the funds it needs to operate. Firms in need of additional financing will find that there are three alternatives. First, they will get additional funding from their existing financial institution. Second, they will not get the funding they need from their financial institution and will find an alternative source of funding. Finally, they will not get the needed funding and will not be able to find alternative sources of financing.
Obviously, if your existing financial institution is willing to provide additional funding, then you really do not have a problem. However, if your existing financial institutions will not provide the necessary funding, you will have to look elsewhere. I believe that the best place to find replacement funding is local financial institutions. With the exception of Wells Fargo, big national banks are being hit hard and are just not willing to extend themselves. However, local financial institutions typically have much better financials than their national counterparts.
When hunting for local financial institutions, look for those that have the knowledge and experience to make business loans. You might get several turn downs, but you must persevere. SBA guaranteed loans, although more expensive, are another type of loan that local banks can offer. These loans reduce the bank's risk.
If you cannot find an alternative source of funding, you will need to consider slowing down your business commensurate with the amount of financing that you have. While this is not pleasant, it may be necessary just to survive. Using a spreadsheet, you can easily model how much sales you can support with a fixed amount of debt. It really is worth going through this process.
Regardless of the level of funding you are able get, it is important to be prepared with a plan in the case that you are unable to get the required financing."
Indeed, tough medicine to swallow, especially for the small trucking operators out there. But there's not much one can do when the financial sector is in such upheaval.
As usual, you can reach Professor Jerry Osteryoung by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at 850-644-3372.


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Ra'Shad James, who played at White Plains High School, St. Thomas Aquinas, and at Iona College, could next be wearing the red, white and blue.
James is one of 16 players who will participate in the USA Basketball Men's AmeriCup Team training camp to participate in the FIBA AmeriCup 2017. The camp will be held from Aug. 17 to Aug. 24 in Houston and 12 players will be selected from the camp.
The tournament begins on Aug. 28. Team USA is being coached by former Chappaqua resident Jeff Van Gundy.
Ra'Shad James last played for Cedevita Zagreb in Croatia and previously played for the Westchester Knicks.
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text: Study: Nearly a quarter of major brands use online video advertising Published on December 11, 2012. New York—Twenty-three percent of brands are now using online video advertising as part of their marketing arsenal, according to a study by Kantar Media. The media research company in October analyzed the advertising of more than 4,100 brands. The study found 12% of brands used both online video and national TV in their advertising, 11% used online-video advertising exclusively and 77% of brands used national TV advertising exclusively. The restaurant and automotive industries were the most likely to use both video and TV advertising,at 43% and 30% respectively. Kantar Media has also rolled out an online video measurement service, which captures pre-roll, mid-roll and post-roll video ads playing within videos shown on more than 90 video websites. Most Popular In this article: BtoB


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5/24/2011 4:05pm,
BJJ Black Belt James Clingerman (under Mario Roberto) of The Fight Hub and Indiana Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy will be posting periodic training videos that are hosted on and exclusive to Bullshido. He's graciously posted two already. Check out the FightHub Exclusive Training Videos Forum (http://www.bullshido.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=144). Feel free to post questions in the threads. James will be on periodically to check in and answer them.


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Gift to enhance access to rare books
A Lennox Foundation gift will improve access to rare volumes in the Iowa State library and enhance preservation efforts.
Vice provost for Extension search begins
The search is under way for the next leader of Iowa State University Extension, an organization with a network of educational services in all 99 Iowa counties.
Glacier geology still cleaning Iowa groundwater
The last glacier to advance into Iowa left behind a system that is still cleaning Iowa groundwater.
Plant Sciences funds to seven projects
Iowa State's Plant Sciences Institute has awarded start-up funding to seven innovative research projects.
On-farm research program begins
An on-farm research pilot program is under way in northwest Iowa.
Englin to direct residence department
Pete Englin, Iowa State dean of students since 2000, has been named director of ISU's Department of Residence effective July 1. His appointment is pending approval by the Board of Regents, State of Iowa.
Students build shelters for tsunami victims
Bucket by bucket, two Iowa State students and two University of Northern Iowa students recently spent 10 weeks building shelters in Thailand for tsunami victims.
ISU-developed virtual reality tool works on Apples
VR Juggler, an ISU-developed software tool that makes it easier to build virtual reality systems, now works on Apple computers.
Researchers working on technology to detect WMDs
Robert Lipert has developed a technology that can detect a single spore of simulated anthrax or a single bacterium cell of simulated plague. Now the trick will be to figure out a way to capture and detect a spore or cell in something as big as a city's water supply.
Bloedel will step down from vice provost post
Dr. James Bloedel, who has been Iowa State's vice provost for research since 2000, will leave that position Sept. 1 to return to the professorate and continue his research in the area of motor learning and motor control.
Farmers' markets help economy
Farmers' markets generate an estimated $20.8 million annually in sales and more than 325 jobs for the Iowa economy.
Critters on campus
ISU student and photographer Jasper Raven recently snapped shots of some of the small critters that abound on the ISU campus in the spring.
In the news
Merge services, reduce costs
Cincinnati Enquirer
More local governments are interested in consolidation in the face of federal and state funding cutbacks and taxpayer revolts, says Kurt Thurmaier, professor and director of ISU's public policy and administration program. Thurmaier co-edited a collection of case studies on city-county consolidations.
Hog farmers eye breeds for tastier pork
Forbes (Associated Press)
The niche pork market is small, but experts, including ISU animal science professor M. Peter Hoffman, say it's expanding because consumers are willing to pay more for a premium product. Japanese demand sparked a comeback for the heirloom Berkshire breed, which has a higher fat content but is juicier and more flavorful, chefs say.
World-class wrestlers
Cyclone wrestlers plentiful among world trials contenders.


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The literary genre of the emblem book was initiated in 1531 with the publication of the Emblematum liber by Andrea Alciato (1492-1550). This book, which was published in over 170 editions, is a collection of up to 212 small pictures accompanied by a short, often cryptic, motto and an explanatory poem; each emblem relates a human moral state to an aspect of nature, an incident from history or an observation on society. Alciato took his inspiration for this book from several sources, including his Latin translation of the Greek Anthology, a collection of late Hellenistic and medieval Christian poetry. Most authors of emblem books follow the three-part structure of image, motto and poem used in the Emblematum liber. However, there are instances of unillustrated emblem books (emblemata nuda), and later editions of many books include extensive scholarly commentary on each emblem. In any of its forms, the emblem book provided its reader with both the pleasure of puzzling over the encoded message and the moral instruction derived from its deciphered meaning.
The books were especially popular in England, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain through the end of the eighteenth century. Many were tailored to meet the various educational needs of specific religious, professional or social groups. Exegetical emblem books written for Catholics or Protestants reinforced scriptural teachings while asserting their differing views on Christian practice. Other religious emblem books, such as those written by the Jesuits, were intended for use in private meditation and prayer. Emblem books could serve as an aid in the moral education of children, reinforce gender roles, provide ethical guidelines for statesmen or serve as sheer entertainment. Emblem books also provided guidelines for the legible expression of abstract ideas for artists, writers, rhetoriticians, dramatists, pagaent designers and architects. The language thereby established continued to influence these fields even after the books slid into relative obscurity after the eighteenth century.
During the nineteenth century, emblem books continued to be produced in England, the Netherlands, and the United States, but they were no longer read or produced in most countries. A small revival of scholarly interest in the genre began in mid-nineteenth century England, initiated by the Oxford Movements interest in traditional Catholicism, by the Pre-Raphaelite groups search for a symbolic language of expression, and by individual scholars like the Presbyterian minister and bibliophile Henry Green (1801-1873). New fields of inquiry were opened in the mid-twentieth century when scholars found that complex meanings could be deciphered in previously undecipherable or cryptic literature, paintings or theatrical works if one used a contemporary document, like an emblem book, as a guide.
Bryn Mawr College Library Special Collections holds approximately seventy emblem books printed before 1800. The collection includes several editions of Alciatos Emblematum liber. Some of these include the 1571 commentary by the humanist Claude Mignault (1536-1606). Alciato's intended audience was well-educated and possessed knowledge of classical history, mythology and literature. Other emblem book authors tailored their books to meet the educational needs of specific religious, social or professional groups. Cesare Ripas (ca.1555-1622) Iconologia was intended for and widely used by painters, for whom it provided an index of allegorical figures, attributes and gestures. The Iconologia was originally published in 1593, and this collection holds 1613, 1644, 1645, and 1779 editions. Emblem books have been especially crucial in the twentieth century reevaluation of sixteenth and seventeenth century Dutch art. The library holds a very early edition of the popular Amorum emblemata (originally published in 1608, the copy in this collection dates from the same year) by Otto van Veen (1556-1629), teacher of the painter Peter Paul Rubens. The work of Jacob Cats (1577-1660) and his prolific follower Jan Luiken (1649-1712) is also present in the collection, including Luikens important Protestant emblem books Jezus en de Ziel, originally published in 1678 and Voncken der liefde Jesu, originally published in 1687. Luiken designed and engraved over six hundred pictura in the eleven emblem books he wrote in addition to those he provided for emblem books by other authors. The first Protestant emblem book, Emblemmes, ou, Devises chrestiennes was written by Georgette de Montenay (1540-ca.1581), a Huguenot exile in England. That book was first published in 1571; this collection holds a 1584 edition. Because of the importance of visual imagery to the Counter-Reformation, Catholic emblem books were more numerous than their Protestant counterparts, and the collection also includes several of these. The Imago primi saecvli Societatis Iesu a provincia Flandro-Belgica (originally published in 1640; this collection's copy dates from 1740) represents the Jesuit contribution to the genre, and El sabio instruido de la naturaleza(originally published in 1675; this collection holds a copy of the 1691 edition) is an emblem book by a Spanish member of the Catholic clergy, Francisco Garau (1640-1701) of the Compañia de Iesus.
Campa, Pedro F. Emblemata Hispanica: an annotated bibliography of Spanish emblem literature to the year 1700. Durham: Duke University Press, 1990.
Daly, Peter M., ed. The European emblem: Towards an Index Emblematicus. Waterloo, Ont.: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, c1980.
Landwehr, John. Emblem and Fable Books Printed in the Low Countries, 1542-1813: A Bibliography. Utrecht: HES Publishers, 1988.
by Claire E. Pingel
Web implementation: Jean Lacovera,
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Last updated June 13, 2001.


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COLUMBIA - An immediate-care center planned for Bluffton is likely to enjoy a relatively smooth path to completion. It's one that would mark a change from the recent conflicts between health care systems in the region, which frequently challenge their rivals' expansions.
For Georgia Emergency Associates, working with St. Joseph's/Candler to open a 4,700-square-foot walk-in clinic, no certificate of need is required, said SJC spokesman Scott Larson.
The goals of "CON" regulation are to control health care costs, prevent duplicate offerings, and to make sure medical facilities aren't concentrated in wealthy communities while leaving government-assisted residents in a health care desert. Competing health systems frequently jockey for CONs, in order to claim the area's swelling volumes of patients.
The law requires health systems to first win a CON, depending on various circumstances. One case is when a company is building a new health care facility. State permission is also called for when a provider wants to install more than $600,000 in medical equipment or provide patients with a new service that costs more than $1 million to operate annually.
But some facilities, including the proposed Bluffton walk-in, may go up without state permission. On Thursday, Jim Beasley, spokesman for the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, said urgent care centers do not require a certificate of need.
SJC's own challenge of Hilton Head Hospital's proposed $18 million, approximately 60,000-square-foot Bluffton Outpatient Center, which holds a hard-fought CON, has yet to have a hearing before the S.C. Administrative Law Court. The court has about half a dozen contested CONs on tap for various medical projects statewide, according to a recent count.
Meanwhile, the Georgia group is moving forward with the regulatory groundwork to build its Buckwalter Place clinic.
DHEC's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management has received project details, which officials assess before determining if the work falls within the state Coastal Zone Management Program. And the agency's Bureau of Water is considering the permitting piece that involves land disturbance.
The work, proposed for a site on the northwest corner of Buckwalter Parkway and Progressive Street in Bluffton, includes the usual dirt-moving: grading, placing fill material and putting in sewer utilities and infrastructure to manage storm water. It also covers a retention pool, paving a parking lot and access road, and the facility's construction.
In August, Bluffton Today reported that Georgia Emergency Associates, a group of physicians that owns and operates two immediate care centers in Georgia, was planning to build the walk-in facility in affiliation with Savannah's St. Joseph's/Candler. The facility will provide patients with physicians performing lab work, X-rays, extended hours and industrial medicine. There will also be workers' compensation and occupational medical services.
Nov. 15 is listed as the start date for the construction of the project, and April 15, 2013 is the completion date, according to an application for a pollutant-discharge system permit on file with the state agency.
An Aug. 30 description on file with regulators says the immediate care center will be the fifth of its kind undertaken by developer GEA Statesboro. It will come with 16 parking spots and be situated on 0.7 acres within Buckwalter Place, a 94-acre commercial/residential community. A Bluewater Convenience Center and a McDonald's are also in the works just south of the future medical facility.
Public comments on the site activities proposed for the Bluffton facility must be received by Sept. 17. The address is 1362 McMillan Ave. Suite 400; Charleston, S.C. 29405.


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January is typically a time for fitness centers to boost membership as people make New Year's resolutions to get in shape. For All Pro Fitness on State Road 200, it was time to close its doors.
January is typically a time for fitness centers to boost membership as people make New Year's resolutions to get in shape.
For All Pro Fitness on State Road 200, it was time to close its doors.
Owner Bryan Myers said the business had been losing money ever since he took it over from Lee Farkas, former chairman of the now-bankrupt Taylor Bean & Whitaker Mortgage Corp. Farkas is now in prison. Myers said that Farkas owed him money and handed over the gym to pay off his debt.
"I stuck with it as long as we could," Myers said, standing in the middle of the 12,000-square-foot facility as moving men cleared the business. "It's not the members' fault."
Myers said the lease on the space was finished and he couldn't negotiate a better lease deal with building's owners.
He said the gym, which he bought in 2010, had between 450-500 members.
Myers said he could have stayed open during January, "but what was I going to do, take people's money for two months and then close it?"
Myers has made arrangements with Too Your Health Spa and the Marion County YMCA to give his All Pro Fitness members discounts if they join those gyms.
Fred Schweitz, owner of Too Your Health Spa in Ocala and Dunnellon, said many fitness centers were opened before the recession, when Ocala enjoyed better economic times. He said many people thought such businesses ran themselves.
"It's not an easy business," he said, adding that some months they don't generate enough revenue to pay the bills.
"But you have to have a passion for the business and you have to understand people," he said.
Schweitz said he's always been fiscally conservative in operating, improving and expanding his fitness centers.
He said that if an All Pro member joins his gym, he will also give them credit for the time they still had remaining at their previous gym.
"People that come to a health club, it's also their home. They like the people," he said. "We want them to feel comfortable."
Contact Fred Hiers at email@example.com or 867-4157.


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Suppose four events are supposed to always happen in sequence:
First attempt, we write always { true[*]; A; B; C; D }
Basic pattern matcher applied to { A;B;C;D } generates:
DFF(g0, A, clk); AND2(g1, g0, B); DFF(g2, g1, clk); AND2(g3, g2, C); DFF(g4, g3, clk); AND2(g5, g4, D); // Hmmm D must always hold then ? // Not what we wanted! > val it = x_net "g5" : hexp_t
Although correct, distributive laws mean that all four signals must hold constantly (ignoring start up).
Hence SERES on their own are not much use. Need to embed in temporal layer.
Also, let's create an output that holds when a safety predicate fails.
|17: (C) 2012-18, DJ Greaves, University of Cambridge, Computer Laboratory.


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While there is some method behind the magic of retirement accounts, the phenomenal growth of your savings may seem mystical without too much of your own doing. It's never too late to start, but if you aren't taking advantage of these lucrative options by making regular contributions, you are missing out on tax-free growth of your retirement nest egg.
There are many retirement accounts to choose from. Employer sponsored plans, like 401(k) and 403(b) plans, Individual Retirement Accounts (see What Are the Benefits of an IRA) including traditional, Roth, and Education, now called Education Savings Accounts, only name a few. Each offers unique benefits that can help you prepare for those anticipated "golden years." Retirement savings accounts prevail because they combine the benefits of four enormously successful principals of saving:
Tax-free compounding interest is one of the most significant benefits of investing through a retirement plan. Compounding is a cumulative effect of interest accruing over time. Consider that if you start making contributions early on, your earnings can compound for 20 or more years. The more you contribute, the faster it grows. Earnings also compound more rapidly because they are growing tax free, and thus able to accumulate without taxation on dividends or capital gains until withdrawal.
Consistent saving through regular contributions can have a substantial impact on increasing your wealth. When contributions are deducted directly from your paycheck, as with employer-sponsored plans, saving is a lot less painful. You often overlook the missing funds, yet are making significant progress towards growing your retirement. Many tend to put off saving for retirement, and allow precious time to pass without the benefit of their money compounding. Money in your hands is often spent quickly. Pocketing that extra cash can be very costly in the long run. This is especially true with employer-sponsored plans that offer matching contributions. The typical match is between 50%-100% for contributing between 3%-6% of your salary. You benefit from matching contributions at no cost, and upon completion of your company's vesting period, the total amount including matched funds belongs to you.
Contributions to specific retirement accounts, primarily employer-sponsored plans such as 401(k)s and 403(b)s are made pre tax and reduce your overall taxable income. The higher your tax rate, the more you profit from this benefit. The end result can sometimes supply the same amount of money in your pocket having invested what you would have paid in taxes. If you are not covered by an employer retirement plan, contributions made to a traditional IRA are tax deductible Tax deferred growth is another key advantage to investing in retirement accounts. With typical investments, you must pay capital gains tax when assets are sold at a gain or dividends are distributed (see Capital Gains Tax). Through tax-deferred retirement accounts, you pay no tax until you make withdrawals. By the time many qualify to take distributions, they have the added advantage of being in a lower tax bracket. The powers of compounding will more than make up for tax paid on withdrawals, especially if your tax rate has been reduced.
The only thing better than tax deferral is outright tax evasion (legal, that is). Roth IRAs offer this enormously lucrative advantage. With a Roth IRA you contribute after-tax dollars unlike the pretax contributions made to a 401(k). However, while taxed on withdrawals from a 401(k) or a regular IRA, Roth withdrawals are generally tax-free after age 59 1/2. So, if you qualify, it pays to begin making contributions now. Imagine reaching retirement and being able to withdraw your profits without having to give uncle Uncle Sam any cut.
One word of caution. All tax-deferred accounts carry a heavy penalty for withdrawing money before age 591/2. While some offer specific exceptions, such as if the money is being utilized to buy a home, or pay for a college education, if you don't meet the exceptions, you can pay a 10% penalty on funds withdrawn on top of your ordinary income tax rate for the distribution.
|INFORMATIONAL DISCLAIMER The information contained on or provided through this site is intended for general consumer understanding and education only and is not intended to be and is not a substitute for professional financial or accounting advice. Always seek the advice of your accountant or other qualified personal finance advisor for answers to any related questions you may have. Use of this site and any information contained on or provided through this site is at your own risk and any information contained on or provided through this site is provided on an "as is" basis without any representations or warranties.
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Protect your investment in Mobile Computing with our in-vehicle charging holder The charging holder is device-specific and designed for in-vehicle use. The slender lightweight profile of the holder allows the user to conveniently mount it within the vehicle optimizing accessibility and operation. This increases user efficiency and reduces the potential for damage to the device. The charging holder provides a safe and secure fit when docking and maintains a reliable connection. Constructed to high- quality standards, the design can withstand the most severe road conditions and temperature extremes. The charging holder reduces concern of the device bouncing around the vehicle or running out of battery before the day is done!


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DeKalb senior Danielle Dlabal was on the fence a couple weeks ago about continuing her running career in college. But after seeing the Northern Illinois cross country team running together through a rain storm recently, Dlabal decided to give it a go.
On Wednesday, Dlabal sent her national letter of intent to NIU and will join the Huskies' cross country and track programs as a freshman walk-on next year.
"The team, they just seem like a family," Dlabal said. "I just liked that whole aspect of being together as a team and having to go through the same things."
Dlabal visited campus a couple weeks ago and met the team and coaching staff, noting that NIU coach Greg Hipp reminded her of DeKalb coach Mike Wolf.
Dlabal ran a personal-best 18:35 for three miles in the Class 3A St. Charles East Sectional last fall as a senior and has a career-best time of 2:20 in the 800 going into her final track season of high school.
"For a walk-on, [2:20] is actually really strong," Hipp said. "Three years ago, with where the program was here, that's a pretty good scholarship, and things have come a long way. She's going to be one of the better walk-ons I have ever had coming in the door at anywhere I've been."
Dlabal, who also played soccer for DeKalb, will run both cross country and track for NIU. Hipp said Dlabal has potential to be a solid contributor in the middle distances.
"I am really excited. After cross country season this year I was really sad to think I wouldn't be running another cross country race," Dlabal said. "This gives me another opportunity to keep getting better."
Cole named offensive coordinator, other coaching changes: NIU quarterbacks coach Bob Cole has been promoted to offensive coordinator, and will continue to work with the quarterbacks, while defensive line coach Brett Diersen will serve as the Huskies' recruiting coordinator. Diersen came to NIU from Florida Atlantic, where he served as the Owls' defensive line coach and special teams coordinator.
Linebackers coach Kevin Kane has added special teams coordinator to his duties, while tight ends/fullbacks coach Joe Tripodi will coach the offensive line, a group he worked with during Orange Bowl preparation.
NIU announced Tim Polasek as the new tight ends/fullbacks coach back in January.
Any instant impact? An obvious question on any recruiting class is how many players can get on the field right away.
Out of last year's signees, linebacker Mike Cotton, running back Perez Ford, running back Keith Harris Jr., tight end Desroy Maxwell and cornerback Marlon Moore played as true freshmen. Walk-on wideout Jacob Brinlee also received playing time.
Carey said incoming freshmen should be ready to get on the field immediately.
"We tell them all that you've got to expect to play," he said. "With the way numbers are in college football with 85 scholarships now, every young man that you recruit and you get to know, tell them, expect to play, train to play. And then from there, we adjust.
"Used to be when I was going through it (at Indiana), coach (Bill) Mallory told me, 'You're going to redshirt.' Right now, I'm not telling these guys [to plan on redshirting]. I'm saying expect to play."
Carey says coaching change has positive impact: One would think the coaching switch from Dave Doeren to Carey would hurt NIU's recruiting class.
Carey thought the change ended up being positive. Two of the Huskies' new coaches — running backs coach Roy Manning and wide receivers coach Thad Ward, played a big part in bringing in two key recruits.
Manning recruited Aregeros Turner, who NIU lists as an athlete, while he was at Cincinnati. Turner ran for 1,378 yards and 19 touchdowns for Copley (Ohio) High School his senior year, and had 17 catches for 249 yards and two touchdowns.
Turner originally committed to Cincinnati but backed out when Butch Jones took the Tennessee job, and Manning's relationship with the Rivals.com three-star recruit helped bring Turner to DeKalb.
Ward recruited wide receiver 6-4, 181-pound wide receiver Malik Mitchell when he was at Western Michigan, and Ward helped the Huskies land the Alpharetta, Ga. product.
"Aregeros is not here if the coaching change doesn't happen. Malik Mitchell is not here if the coaching change doesn't happen. Are those positives? You bet," Carey said. "Way bigger positive than any negative we encountered."
Soccer programs bring in new classes: NIU's men's soccer program added seven signees Wednesday, while the women's program brought in six.
Eric Luzzi's men's class includes two Illinois products — goalkeeper Michael Pavliga (Naperville) and defender Cody Witkowski (Batavia).
Second-year women's soccer coach John Ross brought in a class that includes players from six different states. The lone Illinois product is defender Margaret Rivera (Lake in the Hills).


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I guess the Mackinaw Center For Public Policy has nothing better to do than to invade people's professional and personal life. The Raw Story has the story of this conservative "think tank"…cough, spit, vomit, that has just filed a Freedom of Information request to find out if those left-wing professors at those "labor-centric" universities were sending emails from "government" issued email addresses on school time. They're coming for your privacy, be afraid, be very afraid. With complete control of Michigan's legislature and governorship, these right-wing assholes are on an all out crusade to cleanse the state of all those damn hippies. I can just imagine what our wing-nut nerd of a governor will do if they find something, just close all the public universities or some stupid shit like that. I'm only half joking, too.
Now, I attended Michigan State University's Eli Broad College of Business and trust me people, it was not "labor-centric" at all. In fact, it was very "business-centric". I can't speak to the other two schools targeted by them, the University of Michigan and Wayne State University, but I can imagine that those business programs are also "business-centric". I've taken a few MBA classes at yet another Michigan university and it was not pro labor either. I didn't have a single economics professor, and I took about 6 econ classes, that was liberal at all. In fact, I usually had arguments with them whenever they trashed on liberals. And I had a professor for a General Business Law class, which I'm sure falls into that extreme liberal category, who had been one of Ronald Reagan's speechwriters in the early 1980's. We used to re-argue the 1984 election, he would always bad mouth Walter Mondale and I would stand up to him. It was all in good fun, we ended up being pretty good friends by the end of the class and he gave me an A. But trust me, the business program I was in for my first bachelors degree was not "labor-centric" at all.
And then of course there is the whole issue of invading people's privacy, whether it is there work email or personal, neither should be accessible to the public, unless it is subpoenaed. What the hell, they're going on a fishing expedition at the tax payers expense. From The Raw Story…
The Mackinac Center for Public Policy, a think tank backed by some big-name conservatives, has submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to professors at labor-centric schools, asking to see any emails containing certain key words, Talking Points Memo reports. The subjects mostly relate to the Wisconsin union protests: "Scott Walker," "Wisconsin," "Madison," and "any other emails dealing with the collective bargaining situation in Wisconsin." There's one other, outlying subject the think tank would like to see emails about — the FOIA request also seeks emails that mention "Maddow."
As in, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow.
Is it any wonder they are targeting Rachel Maddow, about the only great journalist on television (just a little exaggeration). Rachel must really scare these people on the right, because she is so damn good at exposing them and has such a great staff.
"Some days my job is weirder than others," Maddow told TPM in response to her name being among the topics of interest to the Mackinac Center.


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(visited by MBN Club)
23-Sep-2007 -- A nice Sunday afternoon with comfortable temperature around 20C. After a rather difficult approach from UB through some ger districts we simply followed an almost dry river bed towards North. We approached the confluence slowly bud steadily in this river bed. Once we reached below 3km we turned left up to the valley. While going up the hill the path became easier as gravel gave way to dirt. We managed to approach until 400 meters where we had to park the car and do the rest by foot. In the meantime there were only a few cows and yes some pigs to be seen, no human being, no gers, no civilisation, although we were only 10km outside of Mongolia's capital.
A short hike across the hill and we have reached our very first confluence at 48N 107E.
The MBN.Club


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Game One
RENO, Nev. – On the second day of the Nevada Classic, UC Santa Barbara (13-5) defeated Seattle University (10-12) by the final score of 2-0. The Gauchos have won seven of their last nine games and they snapped the Redhawks seven game win streak.
UCSB was led by Andriana Collins (5-1) who was essentially unhittable throughout the game. Collins held Seattle hitless through the first three innings and only allowed four total hits in the game. She finished with a complete game shutout while tallying four strikeouts.
In the midst of a scoreless tie heading into the bottom of the third inning, the Gauchos sent reigning Big West Player of the Week Kristen Clark to the plate. Clark continued her torrid streak and showed off her speed as she reached on an infield single and promptly stole second base for her 13th swipe of the year.
Arianna Palomares, who carries a .431 batting average, hit an RBI single to center to score Clark to give the Gauchos a 1-0 lead. MeShalon Moore continued the rally with a double down the left field line to bring in Palomares to take a 2-0 lead.
Collins was able to hold the Redhawks at bay for the rest of the game and the Gauchos would hold on to the 2-0 victory.
Offensively, Palomares and Moore led the way each going 2-for-3 on the day with an RBI. Clark and Kathryn Pilpil each had a hit for the Gauchos.
Game Two
An epic 5 run comeback by UC Santa Barbara (14-5) ended in a 9-5 victory over Nevada (11-9), the second win of the day for the Gauchos. UCSB is now 3-0 in the Nevada classic and has beaten the Wolf Pack for the third time in three games this season.
The Gauchos scored 4 runs in the top of the fourth inning to bring their deficit down to 1. After a walk and an error, three singles by MeShalon Moore, Kathryn Pilpil, and Shelby Wisdom drove in 2 runs. Then, the Nevada first baseman made an error with two outs that allowed 2 more runs to come across.
UCSB took the lead and never let it go in the sixth, as a one out double by Shelby Wisdom pushed across two runs to make the score 6-5. Then, a two out 2 RBI single by Arianna Palomares gave the Gauchos a comfortable margin to work with.
Santa Barbara tacked on a 9th run in the seventh, as Wisdom collected her 4th RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly.
The Gauchos fell behind early, giving up all 5 runs in the first three innings. Wisdom struggled in the circle after a stellar performance yesterday, as a Wolf Pack rally in the bottom of the third knocked her out of the game.
Luckily for Santa Barbara, Alex Pingree was able to cool off the Nevada bats, pitching two and a third innings of shutout ball to give the Gauchos batters the opportunity to mount their comeback. Ashlee Ludlow and Andrianna Collins pitched scoreless innings as well.
The Gauchos finish play in the Nevada Classic with a rematch against Seattle at 9:00 am Pacific Standard Time.


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Caring Puppy Works As Seeing Eye Dog for His Brother
Siblings look out for each other.
These two pit bull puppies, Jeffrey and Jermaine, are brothers who were rescued in Pennsylvania by Operation Ava.
The shelter said they've received several applications for adoption, but what makes this story truly touching is the fact Jeffrey is blind and Jermaine has taken upon itself to serve as his guide dog.
Operation Ava says Jeffrey and Jermaine should be adopted together, which sure looks like it would be the best thing for them.
This actually isn't the first time there's been a guide dog for another pooch, either, which just goes to prove man's best friend is also dog's best friend.


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Former President Jimmy Carter's new book, Palestine Peace Not Apartheid, provoked an uproar even before its publication. The reason for the controversy was the book's title more than its content, for it seemed to suggest that the avatar of democracy in the Middle East may be on its way to creating a political order that resembles South Africa's apartheid model of discrimination and repression, albeit on ethnic-religious rather than racial grounds.
Since the appearance of the book coincided with the recent Congressional elections, leaders of the Democratic Party went into near panic and fell over one another disassociating themselves from Carter's book and his criticisms of certain Israeli policies. Indeed, the panic was so intense that so independent-minded a man as Howard Dean, chair of the party, who in the past has had the courage to challenge the conventional wisdom of the party's establishment on a whole range of issues, joined the herd as well.
None of this, of course, is in the least surprising. In the face of overwhelming international criticism of President Bush for his failure to engage in the Middle East peace process and for his unbalanced support of Israel, the Democratic Party's Congressional leadership has managed to criticize Bush for being too soft on the Palestinians and not sufficiently supportive of Israel. So the criticism of President Carter is noteworthy only for what it reveals about the ignorance of the American political establishment, both Democrat and Republican, on the subject of the Israel-Palestine conflict.
I would challenge the incoming Democratic chair of the House International Relations Committee, Tom Lantos (not to mention the outgoing chair, Henry Hyde), to identify the author of the following comment, made at the time when Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir was about to bring Rehavam Ze'evi, head of Israel's Moledet Party, into his Cabinet. Ze'evi and his party were advocates of "transfer," a euphemism for the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in the West Bank and in other parts of "Greater Israel":
The transfer party's joining the government is a profound political, moral and social stain, a dangerous infection penetrating [Israel's] government. Anyone who includes the transfer [party] among the Zionist parties of the coalition is in effect confirming the UN Resolution that says Zionism is racism.
Had an American made such a statement, he would unquestionably have been accused of hostility to the State of Israel, if not anti-Semitism. If the person had been Jewish, he would have been branded a self-hating Jew.
In fact, the author of this statement was Benny Begin, the right-wing son of former Prime Minister Menachem Begin, a Likud "prince" who relentlessly attacked the Labor Party for recognizing the PLO, which he insisted, even after Oslo, was nothing more than a terrorist organization. And the man who was described at the time in the Jerusalem Post as "the most vociferous among the cabinet ministers opposing the appointment, saying it was inconceivable that a man with Ze'evi's ideology should serve as a minister," was none other than Ehud Olmert, another Likud prince.


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Bill would allow traffic stops for texting
Bill would allow traffic stops for texting
LINCOLN, Neb. —
A Nebraska lawmaker has introduced a bill that would give police the authority to pull over motorists who are texting while driving.
The bill introduced Friday by Scottsbluff Sen. John Harms would make texting while driving a primary offense. Current Nebraska law only allows police to cite drivers who have been stopped for another traffic offense.
Lawmakers have introduced 155 bills and three proposed constitutional amendments since the session began on Wednesday.
Another measure introduced on Friday would require schools to enact tobacco-free policies, and still another bill would lower the state's voter registration age from 18 to 16. The voting age would stay at 18.