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Transform your photos into one-of-a-kind, hand painted masterpieces!
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Original Old Stairs by Elisabeth Derichs - 8.000" x 8.000"
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Bring your artwork to life with the texture and depth of a stretched canvas print. Your image gets printed on one of our premium canvases and then stretched on a wooden frame of 1.5" x 1.5" stretcher bars (gallery wrap) or 5/8" x 5/8" stretcher bars (museum wrap). All stretched canvases ship within 3 - 4 business days and arrive "ready to hang" with pre-attached hanging wire, mounting hooks, and nails.
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Jen Sheppard/ God's Promises For Tough Times
ISBN-10:1941317006 | ISBN-13: 978-1941317006 | List Price: kindle $2.99/ $13.49 print | Format: Kindle and Soft cover | Page Count: 80 pages
God's Promises For Tough Times is a 30-day devotional that encourages you to give praise despite your circumstances, and guides you on how to do so when you feel like you have nothing left.
Overall, this book serves as a reminder on how to remain faithful in a faithless world.
Author Bio:
Jen Sheppard is a wife, homeschooling mother, and inspirational writer. She challenges people to take up their cross, turn from worldly traditions, and get back to following the Lord in truth. She is also the author A Wise Woman Builds Her House: Encouragement for Christian Stay at Home Mothers.
Connect with Jen:
Visit her website at JenSheppard.net
Follow her on twitter at https://twitter.com/jensheppardnet
Visit her boards on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.com/jensheppardnet/
Look for her on Good Reads at https://www.goodreads.com/JenSheppard
My Review
This is a King James version Bible based, devotional. The writer encourages us to be strong, able bodied men and women of God. This is not the cuddly, feel good, and, poor pitiful me book, many look for in troubled times! It is a chin up – do what you have to – encouraging people to follow the Lord – book we all need in times of trouble.
I appreciate the scripture references and the life applications shared in this devotional. The encouragement to keep going during turmoil is a lifeline for those of us who feel like quitting during times of stress and hardship. I would encourage every Christian to buy this book!

subset: commoncrawl


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Fred Perry X Raf Simons Raglan Sleeve T-Shirt Dark Navy Fred Perry on Sale UK Stockist Sale stock
SOLD OUT (see more Fred Perry)
Editor's review
The Fred Perry X Raf Simons collection brings us this Raglan Sleeve T-Shirt in Dark Navy, an oversized silhouette constructed from a double-faced cotton jersey. This style features sporty raglan sleeves, a finely ribbed crew neck collar and broad rib-knit trims at the cuffs and hem, the former of which are contrast colour-blocked. The left breast is affixed with a dual-brand embroidered patch appliqué. The same tee is also available in Industrial Grey and Bronze.
- Fred Perry X Raf Simons Raglan Sleeve T-Shirt
- Dark Navy
- 100% Cotton
- Dual-Brand Embroidered Appliqué
- Ribbed Trims
- Made in Portugal
Our model is 6'0" with a 36" chest and a 30" waist and wears a size Medium.


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City of Nashville - Energy Works Rebate Program
Last modified on February 12, 2015.
Financial Incentive Program
| Tennessee
|City of Nashville - Energy Works Rebate Program
|Incentive Type
|Local Rebate Program
|Applicable Sector
|Eligible Technologies
|Custom/Others pending approval
|Active Incentive
|Implementing Sector
|Energy Category
|Energy Efficiency Incentive Programs
| Up to $1,000; $700 initial rebate and $50 off NES bill for 6 months
| http://www.nashvilleenergyworks.org/?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
|Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency[1]
The Nashville Energy Works Program offers residents in Nashville rebates for implementing energy efficient improvements in their homes. To qualify for this rebate, homeowners must receive an energy audit by a qualified energy advisor who will perform an analysis of possible energy efficiency improvements. This energy audit has a $150 cost that will be refunded to the homeowner after installation of energy improvements. A an initial rebate of up to $700 is paid to the homeowner after energy efficient installations along with an additional rebate of $50 off the Nashville Energy Works bill for 6 months.
See program website for more information.
This Program is part of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) BetterBuildings Program. The DOE has awarded over $500 million in federal funds to more than 40 states, local governments, and organizations to administer local programs targeting a variety of building types. Combined, these local programs are expected to improve the efficiency of more than 170,000 buildings through 2013 and save up to $65 million in energy costs annually.
Incentive Contact
|Nashville Energy Works
|Office of the Mayor, 1 Public Square
|Nashville, Tennessee
|Zip/Postal Code
| (615)-880-1888
- Incentive and policy data are reviewed and approved by the N.C. Solar Center's DSIRE project staff.[1]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency" Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "DSIRE" defined multiple times with different content


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I went 1-2 on my biggest spread picks last week, hitting on the Jaguars +9 against Indianapolis but missing on Seattle -9.5 vs. Detroit and San Francisco +8 vs. Green Bay. Here are the Week 5 5Dimes' top NFL odds.
Chicago Bears vs. Kansas City Chiefs (-10 On NFL Odds)
This is the first NFL week of the season where we have three double-digit favorites, although I must say that 5Dimes often has larger spreads than other sites. This number is 8.5 at sites like JustBet or Bookmaker. So if you are planning to give the points, obviously you should chose one of those books. Interesting that Kansas City is such a big favorite considering both clubs are 1-3. Kansas City has lost three straight, allowing at least 31 points in each and looking worse in each as well: falling by seven to Denver, 10 in Green Bay and the 15 last week at home to Cincinnati. To be fair, those are three of the six unbeaten teams in the NFL and it would surprise few to see Green Bay and either the Broncos or Bengals in the Super Bowl (obviously New England will have a say in things). The Chiefs aren't protecting Alex Smith at all as he has been sacked an NFL-high 19 times. The Bears, meanwhile, are tied for the worst scoring defense in the NFL with these Chiefs at 31.3 points per game. Chicago QB Jay Cutler will play the second straight week through a hamstring injury but is unlikely to have his two top receivers in Alshon Jeffery and Eddie Royal. So expect this game to be decided by either Jamaal Charles or Matt Forte.
NFL Pick: I don't believe Chiefs should be double-digit favorites over anyone. Take the points -- although if you went for that 8.5 line I would give them. Kansas City is just 3-7 ATS in its past 10 overall.
[/]{"component":"oddswidget", "eventId":2837009, "sportsbooksIds":[1096,19,93,92,238,349], "LineTypeId":1, "PeriodTypeId":1}[/]
St. Louis Rams vs. Green Bay Packers (-10 In NFL Betting)
Green Bay is the Super Bowl favorite entering Week 5 and looks fairly invincible at Lambeau Field, where Aaron Rodgers simply refuses to throw interceptions. Green Bay's last regular-season home loss was Week 16 of the 2013 season against Pittsburgh and Rodgers missed that game due to injury. The Pack haven't lost a home regular-season game that Rodgers started and finished since Week 1 of 2012 against the 49ers. During the current 10-game home regular-season win streak, Green Bay has scored 383 points. That's a team record for any 10-game home span and the Kurt Warner-led Rams in 1999 and 2000 (403) and the Peyton Manning-led Broncos spanning 2012 and 2013 (399) won 10 consecutive home games while scoring as many points as the Packers have. The Rams have a pretty good defense, holding the Cardinals to just 22 points last week in handing Arizona its first loss and Pittsburgh to only 12 in Week 3. Just not sure that St. Louis can keep up offensively -- expect a large dose of rookie running back Todd Gurley, who had 146 yards on 19 carries last week vs. Arizona in only his second NFL game. Green Bay is No. 22 vs. the run but has been pretty good stopping it outside of Week 1.
NFL Pick: Give the points; thus I'd use another book and do 8.5. The Rams are 2-6 ATS in their past eight after a loss. Green Bay is 8-1 ATS in its past nine October games.
[/]{"component":"oddswidget", "eventId":2837065, "sportsbooksIds":[1096,19,93,92,238,349], "LineTypeId":1, "PeriodTypeId":1}[/]
New England Patriots vs. Dallas Cowboys (-10 On NFL Picks)
This would have been one of the marquee matchups of the regular season were Tony Romo healthy and facing off against Tom Brady for perhaps the final time in their careers (doubt Brady is still around when Cowboys and Patriots play in regular season again in four more years). No two teams in the NFL these days drive the TV or betting needles more than the Patriots and Cowboys. You either love or hate them. But of course Romo remains out with a broken collarbone, as does star Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant. So now the Dallas QB is the forgettable Brandon Weeden, who has lost 10 straight starts dating to his Cleveland days, and the top receiver I suppose is Terrance Williams. Actually, one of the most effective pass-catchers on the team had been running back Lance Dunbar, who had 21 catches, but he was lost last week to a torn ACL. The heart of the Dallas defense, middle linebacker Sean Lee, suffered a concussion in Week 4 but looks like he will play. And it's the season debut of Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy and linebacker Rolando McClain off four-game suspensions. The Dallas Cowboys will need all the help they can get against a Patriots team that is well-rested off the bye week and an offense that leads the NFL in yards per game (446.3) and points per game (39.7).
NFL Pick: Patriots, but again I'd use a book that offers less than 10. The Pats are 5-2 ATS in their past seven on the road. Dallas is 1-6 ATS in its past seven at home.
[/]{"component":"oddswidget", "eventId":2837069, "sportsbooksIds":[1096,19,93,92,238,349], "LineTypeId":1, "PeriodTypeId":1}[/]


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Farm Sink Faucet
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As noun
a tract of land, usually with a house, barn, silo, etc
, on which crops and often livestock are raised for livelihood
land or water devoted to the raising of animals, fish, plants, etc
:a pig farm; an oyster farm; a tree farm
a similar, usually commercial, site where a product is manufactured or cultivated:a cheese farm; a honey farm
the system, method, or act of collecting revenue by leasing a territory in districts
a country or district leased for the collection of revenue
a fixed yearly amount accepted from a person in view of local or district taxes that he or she is authorized to collect
a tract of land on which an industrial function is carried out, as the drilling or storage of oil or the generation of electricity by solar power
English History
the rent or income from leased property
the condition of being leased at a fixed rent; possession under lease; a lease
Also called farm team, farm club
Chiefly Baseball
a team in a minor league that is owned by or affiliated with a major-league team, for training or keeping players until ready or needed
a fixed yearly amount payable in the form of rent, taxes, or the like
As verb (used with object)
to cultivate (land)
to raise (animals, fish, plants, etc
) on land or in water
to take the proceeds or profits of (a tax, undertaking, etc
) on paying a fixed sum
to let or lease (taxes, revenues, an enterprise, etc
) to another for a fixed sum or a percentage (often followed by out)
to let or lease the labor or services of (a person) for hire
to contract for the maintenance of (a person, institution, etc
):a county that farms its poor
As verb (used without object)
to cultivate the soil; operate a farm
As Verb phrases
farm out, to assign (work, privileges, or the like) to another by financial agreement; subcontract; lease: The busy shipyard farmed out two construction jobs to a smaller yard
to assign the care of (a child or dependent person) to another: She farms her elderly aunt out to a retired nurse during the workweek
Chiefly Baseball
to assign (a player) to a farm
to exhaust (farmland) by overcropping
to drill (oil or gas wells), especially by subcontract on land owned or leased by another
As Idioms
buy the farm, Slang
to die or be killed
As verb (used without object), sank or, often sunk; sunk or sunken; sinking
to displace part of the volume of a supporting substance or object and become totally or partially submerged or enveloped; fall or descend into or below the surface or to the bottom (often followed by in or into):The battleship sank within two hours
His foot sank in the mud
Her head sinks into the pillows
to fall, drop, or descend gradually to a lower level:The river sank two feet during the dry spell
to settle or fall gradually, as a heavy structure:The tower is slowly sinking
to fall or collapse slowly from weakness, fatigue, distress, etc
:He gasped and sank to his knees
to slope downward; dip:The field sinks toward the highway
to go down toward or below the horizon:the sun sinks in the west
to penetrate, permeate, or seep (usually followed by in or into):Wipe the oil off before it sinks into the wood
to become engulfed or absorbed in or gradually to enter a state (usually followed by in or into):to sink into slumber
to be or become deeply absorbed or involved in a mood or mental state (usually followed by in or into):sunk in thought
She sank into despair
to pass or fall into some lower state, as of fortune, estimation, etc
; degenerate:to sink into poverty
to decline or deteriorate in quality or worth
to fail in physical strength or health
to decrease in amount, extent, intensity, etc
:The temperature sank to ° at noon
to become lower in volume, tone, or pitch:Her voice sank to a whisper
to enter or permeate the mind; become known or understood (usually followed by in or into):He said it four times before the words really sank in
to become concave; become hollow, as the cheeks
to drop or fall gradually into a lower position:He sank down on the bench
As verb (used with object), sank or, often sunk; sunk or sunken; sinking
to cause to become submerged or enveloped; force into or below the surface; cause to plunge in or down:The submarine sank the battleship
He sank his fist into the pillow
to cause to fall, drop, or descend gradually
to cause to penetrate:to sink an ax into a tree trunk
to lower or depress the level of:They sank the roadway by five feet
to bury, plant, or lay (a pipe, conduit, etc
) into or as if into the ground
to dig, bore, or excavate (a hole, shaft, well, etc
to bring to a worse or lower state or status
to bring to utter ruin or collapse:Drinking and gambling sank him completely
to reduce in amount, extent, intensity, etc
to lower in volume, tone, or pitch
to suppress; ignore; omit
to invest in the hope of making a profit or gaining some other return:He sank all his efforts into the business
to lose (money) in an unfortunate investment, enterprise, etc
to throw, shoot, hit, or propel (a ball) so that it goes through or into the basket, hole, pocket, etc
: She sank the ball into the side pocket
to execute (a stroke or throw) so that the ball goes through or into the basket, hole, pocket, etc
: to sink a putt; to sink a free throw
As noun
a basin or receptacle, as in a kitchen or laundry, usually connected with a water supply and drainage system, for washing dishes, clothing, etc
a low-lying, poorly drained area where waters collect and sink into the ground or evaporate
sinkhole (def )
a place of vice or corruption
a drain or sewer
a device or place for disposing of energy within a system, as a power-consuming device in an electrical circuit or a condenser in a steam engine
any pond or pit for sewage or waste, as a cesspool or a pool for industrial wastes
any natural process by which contaminants are removed from the atmosphere
As Idioms
sink one's teeth into, to bite deeply or vigorously
to do or enter into with great enthusiasm, concentration, conviction, etc
: to sink my teeth into solving the problem
As noun
any device for controlling the flow of liquid from a pipe or the like by opening or closing an orifice; tap; cock
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And now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine...
Not News
The big story Monday that 43 Catholic institutions across the country have filed more than a dozen lawsuits against the Obama administration was pretty much absent from the network evening newscasts.
Neither NBC Nightly News nor ABC World News included any mention of the legal fight specifically targeting the president's health care law and the HHS contraception mandate that the plaintiffs say is a threat to religious freedom.
CBS Evening News spent 19 seconds on the subject -- a significant legal action by a cross-section of Catholic institutions against an administration in an election year.
Media Research Center President Brent Bozell said quote -- "If this isn't 'news' then there's no such thing as news."
It's Complicated
A status update for Facebook's troubled initial public offering could be described as "it's complicated."
Facebook stock fell again today, down $11-a-share from Friday's high as questions mount over the company's financial prospects and ability to grow fast enough to meet the hype surrounding its stock.
Meanwhile, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has changed his relationship status to married, tying the knot over the weekend to his college sweetheart.
However, the social networking site apparently can become a problem for couples. A recent survey out of the United Kingdom says more than a third of divorce filings last year contained the word Facebook.
To the LGBT Rescue
And has Superman been hiding a super secret?
DC Comics raised eyebrows today by announcing plans to "out" one of its major superheroes next month as openly gay.
Insiders say it will be an existing well-known character previously assumed to be straight. Some of DC Comics iconic characters include Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the Green Lantern.


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This entry was posted on Sunday, January 18th, 2009 at 3:13 pm and is filed under Linda Bilsborrow. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Beautiful quilting. Can you tell me what meanings this Celtic fish symbol connotes/has? I gave it as a birthday present a pewter brooch which has this symbol on it, but can't explain to anyone what the fish symbol "means" or its history, etc.
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.


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Search terms
"…make a wish."
Photos are more crisp than what you see on typical 17.8 cm (7") with it's digital panel. For the first time, you can actually create and tag/label your own photo albums right on the frame using a soft-keypad. See all benefits
Unfortunately this product is no longer available
Completely Reinvented with navigation scroll wheel and animated menu icons.
Preset your PhotoFrame to dim at night while the frame is not in use.
Instantly share your pictures to friends and family.


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A 9 metre mega model of what could be a new steeple for Christchurch's Anglican Cathedral has been unveiled in Cathedral Square.
Dubbed "The Peoples' Steeple", the model is a seventh of the size of the real spire, and has been built to demonstrate how a new one could be economically reconstructed.
Designer Marcus Brandt, a heritage building expert from Philadelphia, came up with the concept after watching television coverage of the earthquake in February 2011.
Christchurch heritage campaigner Ross Gray said the model steeple "represents a tremendous beacon of hope for the future of Christchurch".
"We've been through so much, as everyone knows, and in terms of heritage we've lost so much. Around 250 heritage buildings have gone. The cathedral should be saved, it's of paramount importance."
The model people's steeple was raised by two capstans, operated by eight local Christchurch children. Gray says today's demonstration showed what could easily be achieved on a bigger scale.
"We make no bones about it. We are trying to show the Anglican Diocese that this restoration, this reinstatement is perfectly possible," he said.
The Anglican Diocese will make a decision on the future of the church in two weeks' time.


text:
An alias is an alternate name for an entity. They typically contain common mispellings or variations of the name and are also used to improve search results. View the alias documentation for more details.
Cory Morrow has no aliases.
Artist credits
This is a list of all the different ways Cory Morrow is credited in the database. View the artist credit documentation for more details.
|Cory Morrow
|Gary P. Nunn & Cory Morrow
|Pat Green & Cory Morrow
|Robert Earl Keen with Cory Morrow


text:
Massachusetts Workers' Compensation
Advisory Council Minutes
August 6, 2003
Department of Industrial Accidents
600 Washington Street, 7 th Floor
Boston, MA 02111
Present: Chairman Thomas M. Jones.
CM: Robert Banks; Edmund C. Corcoran, Jr.; Jeanne-Marie Boylan; Ines Leonardo; Alan S. Pierce; Carol Falcone.
Also Present: DIA: Senior Judge Daniel O'Shea; William Taupier, Deputy Director of Administration and EDP; Gregory White, General Counsel; Karen Gibbons (WCRIBM).
Advisory Council Staff: Andrew Burton; Evelyn Flanagan; Ann Helgran.
Absent: CM: Bruce Cochrane; Stephen Sampson; Tony Frias; John Perry; Frank Fanning; Department of Economic Development; Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
DIA Update
Action Items
- Minutes - July 9, 2003
Budget Subcommittee Update
Executive Director Update
Chairman Jones conducted today's meeting and proceeded with the topics on the agenda.
Representing the Department of Industrial Accidents at today's meeting was Deputy Director of Administration & EDP William Taupier and General Counsel Greg White.
With the assistance of Mr. Taupier, the Advisory Council was given an update of all monthly statistics in the form of a PowerPoint slide presentation (please see hardcopy attached to minutes).
Judicial Update
Senior Judge Daniel O'Shea updated Council Members with the monthly statistics for Dispute Resolution. Conference Queue: 950; Hearing Queue: 2,643; Reviewing Board Inventory: 125; Impartial Exams: 369 (10 waivers).
A discussion followed with respect to the contracting of Impartial Physicians. According to the Senior Judge, there were 67 orthopedic surgeons under contract one year ago. Currently, there are 76 orthopedic surgeons under contract, which leads the Senior Judge to believe the agency is doing a better job at getting contracts back. The Senior Judge also noted that although many other occupational medicine doctors have applications pending, the DIA is unable to include them on the impartial list until the entire contract process has been completed.
Stop Work Orders (SWO)
Utilizing overhead charts and graphs, Mr. Taupier updated Council Members regarding the status of the Stop Work Orders. Total Investigations for June: 465; Total SWO's Issued: 108; Total Fines Billed: $16,400; Total Fines Collected: $38,865.
The Advisory Council asked if the Stop Work Order Pilot Program was still in affect. Gregory White, General Counsel, indicated that the pilot program is now complete and has been implemented within the Office of Investigations.
The General Counsel stated that the agency is seeing a dramatic change in the number of valid SWO's in which the fines will be collected. He noted that the agency had a 10% collection rate on SWO fines in the past, but it would be the goal of the Department to make this rate 100%. Attorney White remarked that he expected to see the amount of collections triple in the near future.
Council Member Falcone requested that the monthly Stop Work Order update include the total amount owed to the agency. Mr. Taupier stated that this information would be included in future presentations.
Council Member Banks asked about the Department's procedure for lifting a Stop Work Order. Specifically, Mr. Banks inquired as to whether a Stop Work Order is lifted after proof of insurance or when the fine has been paid.
The General Council explained that companies must pay the fine. However, Attorney White noted that the agency would no longer be utilizing a collections agency to recover Stop Work Order penalties owed. Collections would now be done internally, allowing the DIA's attorneys to adjust Stop Work Order fines on a case by case basis to ensure fairness. The General Counsel noted that the Office of Investigations had not utilized their discretion in determining fines in the past, resulting in minimal collections. Attorney White asserted that this Administration's goal was to get the message out to employers that they are required by law to have workers' compensation insurance.
Council Member Banks expressed his concern about the Department's decision to use discretion. He stated that this could leave the agency vulnerable to complaints or lawsuits from companies who might be penalized differently then their competitors.
The General Counsel stated that he had studied the statue and believed it allowed for flexibility to negotiate fines. He further stated that there is nothing in the statute saying that the fine is mandatory.
Chairman Jones stated that he was under the impression that the statute clearly defined the $100 a day fine as mandatory because it uses the language "shall." The Chairman asked Attorney White if he believed the statute allows for flexibility in determining a fine.
Attorney White asserted that his interpretation of the law allows for the negotiation of fines and that there is no language stating a fine is mandatory. The General Counsel remarked that the agency would ultimately collect more fines than under the previous administration which allowed no room for discretion. Attorney White stated that the DIA would even bring cases into the courts, seeking criminal complaints against employers who intentionally avoided purchasing insurance. The General Counsel explained that the DIA is in the process of educating the District Court Judges so that workers' compensation fraud becomes a priority.
Chairman Jones echoed the concern of Council Member Banks stating the potential problems that could arise from using discretion if applied on an inconsistent basis. The Chairman stated that the most appropriate remedy to ensure fairness might be to change the existing law.
Attorney White explained that enhancing the Stop Work Order system was a work in progress. He informed the Council that the DIA has been working with Director Bob Pozen (Office of Commerce & Labor) in drafting legislation that would address anti-fraud and whistleblower provisions.
Chairman Jones suggested that it would be helpful to have John Zimini at the next meeting to review the results of the Stop Work Order Pilot Program.
Attorney White agreed.
Budget/Personnel Issues
Mr. Taupier addressed Budget and Personnel Issues. There were no positions filled in the month of July. Total DIA Positions Filled as of June 30, 2003: 290.
Number of Claims Filed in July, 2003: 1,479. Number of Claims Filed in July, 2002: 1,653. Number of Claims Filed in Fiscal Year 2003: 17,826. Total Section 37 Claims Filed in Fiscal Year 2003: 284. Total Section 37 Claims Filed in July, 2003: 28. Total Section 37 Claims Filed in July, 2002: 28. Total Section 65 Claims Filed in Fiscal Year 2003: 201. Total Section 65 Claims Filed in July, 2003: 18. Total Section 65 Claims Filed in July 2002: 20.
Council Member Falcone asked that the Advisory Council be provided with monthly statistics regarding the amount that has been paid out on both Section 65 and Section 37 Claims.
Chairman Jones requested that the Advisory Council also be provided with a report on the number of employees who would be utilizing the early retirement package. Specifically, Mr. Jones requested that the agency provide the Council with the positions that will be affected.
Bill Taupier continued with his presentation. Collections for the Public Trust Fund in Fiscal Year 2003: $2,135,556. Collections for the Special Fund in Fiscal Year 2003: $29,373,224. Collections for the Private Trust Fund in Fiscal Year 2003: $42,062,235. Overall Expenditures for the Public Trust Fund as of June 30, 2003: $2,122,546. Overall Expenditures for the Special Fund as of June 30, 2003: $15,607,823. Overall Expenditures for the Private Trust Fund as of June 30, 2003: $47,845,059.
Chairman Jones asked for a motion to accept the minutes for the Advisory Council meeting on July 9, 2003.
Motion made to accept the minutes of July 9, 2003.
MMS - passed.
Carol Falcone updated the Council Members on the Budget Subcommittee meeting held on July 31, 2003. Those in attendance were: Chairman Tom Jones, Frank Fanning, Carol Falcone, KrisAnn O'Herron (F&A), Andrew Burton, and Evelyn Flanagan. Ms. Falcone informed Council Members that this year's budget represents only a 1.7% increase from last year's budget. She stated that the DIA's line-item included language that allows for the release of "not more than" $150,000 for electronic arbitration services. Ms. Falcone also stated that the line-item stipulates that "not less than $800,000" be expended for occupational safety training grants. Council Member Falcone explained that it would be up to the administration if this amount increased.
Council Member Falcone stated that the subcommittee was concerned with three main issues: building security, overtime expenses and consultants. Specifically, the subcommittee was concerned that language was not included in the Fiscal Year 2004 budget allowing for the Advisory Council to release funds from the Special Reserve Account to pay for "enhanced security and internal control measures." Ms. Falcone stated that the subcommittee recommend that the DIA make the enhancement of building security a priority and to reinstate the photo-identification policy that requires all staff members to wear ID badges.
The Executive Director stated that he had been informed by the Deputy Commissioner that a Security Task Force would resume meeting on Friday, August 8th. Mr. Burton stated he would keep Council Members informed on the progress of these meetings.
Council Member Falcone also stated that the subcommittee remains concerned with the use of overtime pay in Fiscal Year 2003 and its potential for abuse in Fiscal Year 2004. She stated that the subcommittee strongly believes that overtime should be strictly limited to short-term projects that cannot be conducted in the normal office hours. Ms. Falcone stated that the subcommittee recommends that the DIA develop a strict policy requiring unit managers to submit a written request for their employees to receive overtime. She stated that such requests should explain the necessity for overtime, the expected length of the project, and the employees who would be receiving the overtime pay.
Council Member Falcone also stated that the subcommittee wanted reassurance that the DIA would make every effort not to rely on consultants to do the work that could be done "in-house." Ms. Falcone stated that the reliance on consultants became problematic to the agency in Fiscal Year 1995 when 71 consultants were under contract. She stated that the subcommittee believes that consultants should only be used in situations where a short-term project requires the knowledge or skills that no one else possesses within the agency.
The Executive Director stated that he had been informed by the Deputy Commissioner that the agency intends to hire a business consultant for a 2-3 month period to identify areas of inefficiency or duplicity within each department. The consultant would focus on both the people and the process to ensure that the agency is run efficiently. Mr. Burton reassured the Council that the Deputy Commissioner had informed him that this temporary consultant would in no means take the place of a Director of Administration.
Council Member Falcone concluded by reminding Council Members that the rent for the Boston Office goes up $10.00 per/square foot next fiscal year. Ms. Falcone stated that this may be problematic for the agency if next year's budget is level-funded.
Chairman Jones thanked Council Member Falcone for her update.
The Executive Director updated Council Members on current issues.
Mr. Burton informed Council Members that on July 24 th, Chairman Jones and himself had appeared before the Joint Committee on Commerce and Labor to testify on the four bills that that were endorsed at last Council Meeting. Mr. Burton stated that Evelyn Flanagan had compiled all the testimony from the hearing and was currently rewriting her notes. He stated that a legislative summary of the hearing would be mailed to all Council Members in the next couple of weeks. The Executive Director reported that he had mailed a letter to the Joint Committee on State Administration stating the Council's endorsement of Senate Bill 1705, regarding the suspension/debarment of contractors on public bidding if they fail to secure workers' compensation insurance.
The Executive Director notified the Council that the pending insurance rate decision appears to be in a holding pattern. The Executive Director mentioned that he had spoken with several people and the general consensus was that the Insurance Commissioner will probably not make a decision until the statutory deadline approaches on September 1 st.
Mr. Burton gave a brief update on the Oracle Project. He stated that the project originally had a target date for completion of August 15 th. The Executive Director explained that it now appears that the project will not be completed until mid-September. The reason for the delay is due to a database conversion. Mr. Burton stated that Oracle has experienced difficulty during this conversion, but when completed, the Oracle system will have less bugs and will allow the DIA more options on what can be done with the data. The Executive Director invited any interested Council Members to attend the next Oracle Subcommittee meeting which is scheduled to be held next Tuesday.
The Executive Director concluded by notifying Council Members that he has tentatively scheduled the Data Processing Office to do a thorough presentation of the Oracle System at the October Advisory Council meeting.
Chairman Jones thanked all those who had participated in today's meeting and asked for a motion to adjourn.
Motion made to adjourn.
MMS - passed.
Meeting adjourned at 11:35 p.m.
The next regular meeting of the Advisory Council: September 10, 2003 at 9:00 AM, Division of Industrial Accidents, 7th Floor Conference Room, at 600 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111.


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Emirates Team New Zealand's Grant Dalton was buzzing at Auckland Airport today, describing the welcoming party of fans as "unbeliveable".
"Honestly, it's just fantastic to be home. We're so proud of being New Zealanders."
It was revealed until Team New Zealand won the cup back, Dalton had never been within 50 metres of it.
"I didn't think I'd earned that right."
Dalton said he was, "immensily proud and immensely grateful to be part of such an amazing team".
"It's an overwhelming feeling of just pride."
He was happy it was forecast to not rain on their Auckland parade tomorrow.
Follow live coverage on 1 NEWS NOW throughout Thursday afternoon, and on TVNZ1 with Wendy Petrie and Simon Dallow from 12.30pm-2.25pm


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Pet Duck Waits Excitedly for His Kid to Get off School Bus [VIDEO]
A young boy has a pet duck that goes everywhere with the family, including waiting at the school bus for his favorite boy to get home from school.
This little boy, Jonny, has a best friend that waits patiently all day for him to get out of school. Jonny's best friend is a duck named Nibbles.
Watch how excited Nibbles gets when Jonny gets in the car.
Jonny is 10 years old and "the pair has been inseparable ever since Nibbles hatched from an incubated egg in Jonny's hands."
According to YouTube, Nibbles' mother died shortly after he hatched so there is a true paternal bond between Nibbles and Jonny.
Even though in this video Jonny is more preoccupied on who gets to drive the car, those ducky kisses say it all. Jonny and Nibbles are best friends for life.
So much so that Jonny's mom even set up a Facebook page chronicling their adventures. Check out The Adventures of Jonny and Nibbles.


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Tickets for the California International Theatre Festival (CITfestival) are on sale now. The festival, whose mission is to offer a distinguished array of international presentations that broaden cultural understanding by means of community outreach, student training and cultural exchange through the performing arts, will be held September 8-18 in Los Angeles.
Action: Visit the CITfestival's website for more information, a list of events and tickets and location information.


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The following is a rush transcript (May contain errors):
If you're hoping that this summer will be nice, calm, peaceful and more laid back in regards to Trump and politics, you are mistaken. Folks, we are in for a long, hot summer between Trump and the media. The impeach Trump effort is not gonna slow down just because the summer months are here. All of the ridiculousness is gonna continue non-stop with the media working overtime and maybe even on vacation to try and have Trump gone, maybe by the 2018 midterms, but the sooner the better. James Comey, Russia, all of this stuff, it's not gonna go anywhere. In past presidencies the summer months were more laid back, with not a lot of seriously important things occurring, but with Trump, that's never gonna to happen. He goes 24/7 and so does the mediacrats that are out to have him kicked out of the White House. The temperature is gonna be rising and it's not because of the summer sun, but because of the media's blood pressure rising as they take turns bashing Trump. They really need to take a chill pill, cool down, go to the beach. I'm Chad Whittle on A Whittle Bit of Commentary.
© 2017 Chad Whittle


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Designers and Thread Companies
|Needlepoint Designers
Fibers for Needlepoint
This is a listing of needlepoint designers that we carry or to whom we have access.
Please check these websites and email or call us with your order.
If not in stock, delivery may be up to 6 -8 weeks.
All canvas orders are final sale and must be paid when ordering.
Also, please contact us with any designers that we may have omitted.
Please come in and see our extensive collection.


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by One magazine News 22/05/2015
Tessares develops software solutions that improve internet performance without deployment of new infrastructure. The principle involves bundling the available (heterogeneous) access networks. This has led to development of the Multipath TCP standard. With this, telecom operators can combine bandwidths of fixed and mobile networks using their existing network infrastructure.
A safer combination of networks
According to CEO Dominique Leroy, Proximus' investment in a technological collaboration with Tessares is in keeping with "our commitment in the area of innovation and our aim to strengthen collaboration with the academic world." The advantages for customers are more bandwidth, greater reliability, and greater security via the combination of different networks (fixed internet, 3G/4G and Wi-Fi).
Do you want to share your opinion or comment?
To comment login to Facebook.
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text:
Metabolism Health: How's Your Thyroid?
Tasty Metabolism Boosters
Metabolism and Weight Loss
Some people experience weight gain, do a little research online, and proclaim that they have self-diagnosed a disease or problem. Sometimes they are right, sometimes wrong. In the bigger picture, they are however right. When the endocrine glands are not functioning at their best the metabolism suffers. The main gland affecting your metabolism is the thyroid.
The thyroid gland is the largest gland in your endocrine system. These glands regulate a lot of bodily functions, including metabolism. Other body parts in the endocrine system are the reproductive organs, pituitary gland and pancreas.
Thyroid has a major role in regulating metabolism. If it is unhealthy in any way, the most notable result is weight gain. Once you have discussed with a physician and corrected the issue, you will need something to give a metabolism boost. A metabolism boost may be desired to shed the unwanted pounds that came with the thyroid problem.
Metabolism Boost with a Healthy Endocrine System
Vitamins and Minerals
A healthy endocrine system begins with proper nutrition. The food we eat ideally should supply those necessary nutrients. Vitamin A and D help the thyroid regulate its hormones, while the B vitamins assist the pineal gland. The thyroid regulates the metabolism but when the nutrients are low the metabolism slows down in response. Likewise the pineal gland when it is deficient affects the system and manifests itself as listlessness or low energy.
Iodine and Selenium, two little known minerals, and quite often mildly deficient, are added to foods to increase your intake. The most common form of iodine as an additive is in table salt. However if your diet does not include much salt try eating more shellfish.
It is recommended taking a multi-vitamin daily to keep vitamin and mineral levels healthy. Eat more fresh vegetables which are loaded with these nutrients.
Metabolism and Phytoestrogens
Studies have shown that chemicals called phytoestrogens give the endocrine system a boost, therefore also positively affecting the metabolism. Foods that notably contain this estrogen compound are plants. These non-human estrogen sources can be found in such foods as soy products, beans and broccoli. Studies have also linked these chemicals to increased melotonin levels which affect the tiny pineal gland.
When the thyroid gland is functioning properly several blood chemicals are used to regulate metabolism and weight gain/loss. If the endocrine system is malfunctioning in any way, metabolism and weight are affected
When the thyroid hormones are created they are circulated throughout your body. The pituitary gland makes the hormone that tells your thyroid to go to work. The thyroid then sets about producing its metabolism regulating hormones to every cell in your body to boost metabolism. If you have low levels of hormones produced by the thyroid, your metabolism drops, this is called hypothyroidism.
When the thyroid is malfunctioning on the the low side, many will have experiences that involve general weakness, over tired, blurry vision, mood swings, depression and possible hair loss.
On the other hand, hyperthyroidism is when the thyroid does too much. This too negatively affects metabolism and weight gain/loss. Sufferers of hyperthyroidism experience unhealthy weight loss and manic levels of energy. Hyperthyroid sufferers almost can't eat enough to keep up with their super charged thyroid function.
A healthy endocrine system and more importantly, healthy thyroid function is key to maintaining a healthy metabolism. People with a healthy speed metabolism, and sensible food intake will experience weight loss if over weight. A healthy metabolism also supports healthy energy levels. Consult a physician to make sure there is no disease involved. This is especially so, if you are notably obese or underweight. Construct a healthy diet, get daily exercise, get enough sleep and drink plenty of water. In the event there is disease or more serious cause, there are medications a doctor can prescribe.
Have a Happy Healthy Day


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We know every project presents its own unique set of circumstances. So we pride ourselves on working side by side with you to accomplish your design vision. We'll discuss the specifics of your project, help determine the budget and make some preliminary design suggestions. No project is too big or too small. Depending on the size of the project, we may be able to get started with just one meeting. Our initial design consultation is always complimentary. Then we coordinate everything - from measuring, product ordering and finally to installation. And the best part, we handle it all, helping to make your life easier and save you valuable time and money.
At Decorating Den Interiors it's our goal to help you make your home in Chelsea, MI all that it can be.
Contact us today at 517-750-3669 and let's work together to make your home more beautiful one room at a time.
Chelsea, Michigan is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,944 at the 2010 census.[6] In March 2004 by a 995-226 vote, residents approved a change in municipal status from a village into a city. Residents no longer pay property taxes to adjacent Lima and Sylvan townships as they had under the village government. The city provides all services formerly provided by both village and township governments
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Chelsea Historical Society is a Michigan non-profit 501c3 organization with the purpose of gathering and preserving the Chelsea area's abundant history. CAHS was organized in 1974 and since that time it has had a nomadic existence, meeting in various locations throughout Chelsea and maintaining temporary historical museums in different locations at varying times.
Chelsea Chamber of Commerce Our mission is to provide services that advance commerce to establish and maintain Chelsea, Michigan as a premier community in which to live, work, and recreate.
� 2016 Decorating Den Systems, Inc. Each franchise is independently owned and operated. Sitemap | Privacy | Legal
Website Produced by Inverse Paradox and Powered By FranConnect


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Many online services use a subscription-based model nowadays An Introduction to Office 365: Should You Buy Into the New Office Business Model? An Introduction to Office 365: Should You Buy Into the New Office Business Model? Office 365 is a subscription based package that offers access to the latest desktop Office suite, Office Online, cloud storage, and premium mobile apps. Does Office 365 provide enough value to be worth the money? Read More , starting from Spotify all the way to Microsoft Office 365. While this means you don't have to outlay a ton of cash up front, you risk forgetting about those old subscriptions that end up draining cash every month.
It used to be that just magazines and utilities billed you every month. Now it's everything
— Trim (@ask_trim) October 17, 2015
Enter Trim, a new service that intelligently scans for recurring charges on your credit card bill and alerts you of places where you might be wasting money.
Once you create an account and link your credit cards, Trim will text you a list of subscription charges it finds. You'd be surprised where all of your money is going! This might seem trivial, but a few dollars from several different services can add up quickly.
Even better, Trim does all of the canceling work for you. Just reply to its texts with "Cancel Hulu" or similar and you'll be unsubscribed from that service. It's much easier than tracking down each service manually.
Forgot about that LinkedIn Premium charge? An unused Hulu subscription? Old magazines? We'll take care of it.
— Trim (@ask_trim) October 13, 2015
The service is smart enough to ignore recurring items like coffee 7 Gift Ideas Under $150 For Coffee Lovers 7 Gift Ideas Under $150 For Coffee Lovers Read More , even if you buy them on a regular basis, and has support for adding multiple cards. The only real drawback is that it only checks for subscriptions that have charged in the last 90 days, so yearly subscriptions won't come up in your summary.
Trim is free for everyone, but currently has a waitlist for new members.
Example: Thomas signed up for Hulu to watch 1 TV show, then forgot to cancel. 30 days later, a $9 charge. Noticed & cancelled instantly.
— Trim (@ask_trim) October 13, 2015
If this left you with some extra money, check out the best subscriptions you can give as gifts Top 5 Online Subscriptions You Can Give As Gifts Top 5 Online Subscriptions You Can Give As Gifts With the ever increasing digitization of society, online subscriptions have become a valid form of gift-giving and they're often more fulfilling than a physical gift of same worth. Read More for the holidays.
Will you check out Trim to cancel some subscriptions? What do you subscribe to that could be cut out? Let us know what you think below.
Image Credit: Bacho via Shutterstock.com
Leave a Reply
Why does there always have to be one like Paul Whiner.
I'm with Tony C. Unless a service like this is offered by my bank I'm not at all likely to trust a third party with no credentials whatsoever. Sorta surprised there is an article here on it.
Or just look at your bills and stop signing up to services you will really never use
Do we know who is behind it and what security they have? We're trying like crazy to keep our info secure, and here's a site we'll give all our credit cards to?


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The USA Networks USA and Sci-Fi Channel has created a new division to explore opportunities in consumer products, new media and consumer promotion.
Overseeing the division is Ellen Kaye who was promoted from vice president, advertising and promotion to the newly created position of VP, enterprises, USA Networks.
The company wants to build its USA Network and Sci-Fi Channel brands in other media and consumer products.
Kaye, a 12-year veteran of USA Networks, will report to Andrew Besch, senior vice-president marketing and Douglas Hamilton, chief financial officer.


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Thursday, September 27, 2012
Beef Stroganoff Guest Post
I am very honored to have been able to help out and do a guest post on the wonderful blog, Musings From A Stay At Home Mom. So to check out my yummy, homemade Beef Stroganoff recipe head on over to this blog, here is the link
Musings From A Stay At Home Mom
Posted by Next Generation Stay At Home Mom at 10:27 AM
Blogging about the joys and perils of parenting for new parents.
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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This information is provided for your convenience and may no longer be valid.
Know more about this business than we do? Cool! Please submit any corrections or missing details you may have.Help us make it right
Tap, Shoes & Gifts, Jazz, Gym, Dance Wear, Cheer, Ballet
Be the first NOLA.com user to add photos or videos of Dance N Style
Dance N Style was founded in 2007, and is located at 421 Alamo St in Lake Charles. It employs 4 employees and is generating approximately $160,000.00 in annual revenue.
Dance N Style can be found at Ryan St 3113. The following is offered: Gifts. The entry is present with us since Sep 10, 2010 and was last updated on Nov 14, 2013. In Lake Charles there are 27 other Gifts. An overview can be found here.


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director Alfredo Zacarías
viewed: 07/24/2017
When a movie poster should have been a pinball machine.
Alfredo Zacarías's Demonoid is moderate fun. Dull and not too compelling, it leads from Guanajuato, Mexico (and some cool real life mummies) to Las Vegas and beyond. Really, this is a "possessed hand" movie and is at its most entertaining when the hand is doing its thing, squishing faces and attacking people.
Samantha Eggar and Stuart Whitman try to keep plausibility alive, but outside of some decent moments and flashes, Demonoid only achieves mild levels of trash fun. Not utterly unworthy, not fully worthy either.


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April 16, 2013, 6:06 p.m. ET By SIOBHAN GORMAN
WASHINGTON—The White House threatened Tuesday to veto a cybersecurity bill about to be debated in the House, presenting Congress with a new test of its ability to respond to one of the top threats to the U.S.
Legislative attempts to beef up security of computer networks in the U.S. collapsed last year in a debate over government regulation and privacy. Since then, warnings from U.S. defense and intelligence officials have grown more dire while lawmakers remain divided.
In a preview of this year's action, House lawmakers are expected to begin debate Wednesday on a bipartisan bill that aims to bolster data sharing between the government and U.S. companies about cyberthreats. Democratic senators and the White House favor a more-comprehensive approach.
The new debate comes after Director of National Intelligence James Clapper elevated cyberthreats to the top of his list of national-security concerns and a National Intelligence Estimate provided evidence of widespread infiltrations of U.S. computer networks by the Chinese military. Evidence also emerged of Chinese spying inside the computer networks of major U.S. media, including The Wall Street Journal and New York Times.
U.S. defense and intelligence officials have grown increasingly alarmed over a relentless cyberattack campaign against U.S. banks by what they say are Iranian-backed hackers. Both China and Iran have denied involvement in cyberspying or attacks.
Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R., Mich.), lead author of the House cyberbill, called cyberattacks "the most important national-security threat" the U.S. faces. But the White House said Tuesday his bill lacks sufficient privacy protections—an objection it raised to a similar bill last year.
The Obama administration is "concerned that the bill does not require private entities to take reasonable steps to remove irrelevant personal information when sending cybersecurity data to the government or other private sector entities," the White House said in a statement, adding that the administration is committed to finding "a workable solution."
If the House approves the bill, as expected, Senate Democrats and the White House would have to decide whether to negotiate with the House or press for a broader measure that also would set minimum security standards—such as updating security software on a regular basis—for computer networks serving the electric grid and other critical infrastructure.
In the Senate, lawmakers are revising a bill that stalled last year. Senate Democrats are weighing whether to try again to pass a single comprehensive bill that includes standards, or to take a more piecemeal approach, congressional aides said.
Many Senate Democrats believe that given the difficulties of passing any legislation, they should press ahead with a wide-ranging bill that includes cybersecurity standards, rather than passing separate bills for data-sharing and standards.
Republicans and business groups generally oppose setting private-sector standards, even voluntary ones. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has warned standards could become mandatory later. That opposition sank the White House-backed cybersecurity bill last year.
A key part of both parties' calculations will be whether the growing threat of cyberattacks and cyberspying will force more compromise. Another will be whether lawmakers believe an executive order President Barack Obama signed in February makes a bill more important or less so. His order established programs for sharing data with the private sector and created voluntary cybersecurity standards.
Obama administration officials say legislation is still needed to provide incentives, such as liability protection, to get businesses to participate in both programs. "Carefully-crafted information sharing legislation is essential, though not alone sufficient, to improve the nation's cybersecurity to an acceptable level," said White House spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden.
Mr. Rogers said the establishment of standards by executive order should make the White House more willing to accept his data-sharing bill. He also said the House approach could mesh this year with a data-sharing measure being written by his counterpart on the Senate intelligence committee, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.).
Mr. Rogers and Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D., Md.), the top Democrat on the intelligence panel, said they have taken several steps to improve privacy protections, including preventing improper government use of personal data. But advocates of minimum cybersecurity standards say the House bill is insufficient. Christopher Finan, a former White House cybersecurity aide, said the changes to the House bill are only "marginal privacy tweaks," and data sharing wouldn't eliminate security gaps in systems running critical infrastructure.


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Reflections on the Revolution in Ukraine
(Photo: Reuters)
After holding off to see how things went, here are my thoughts about the events in Ukraine.
On Taking Things Personally
Ok, so a lot has happened over the past couple of months, so there's plenty of things to talk about. But, just to get this out of the way: yes, I'm half-Ukrainian, second generation. Yes, that part of my family comes from Lviv and other areas in western Ukraine. And yes, my view is that further integration with the west – along with the political, economic and social implications that would come with it – would be good for Ukraine. But beyond that, my views on the subject are complicated. Because the way I feel about Ukraine is similar to how I feel about Russia. With the right mix of reforms and care for cultural nuances, I think any nation would benefit from being a secular, democratic republic with robust constitutional protections of individual liberties, along with a market-based economy coupled with a practical welfare state.
So in that sense, I would feel the same way about this even if I wasn't Ukrainian. I have no innate animosity toward individual Russians or that country in general. After all, my Irish heritage gives me no inborn resentment towards the English, just as my Sicilian roots give me no animosity toward…you know, the entire Mediterranean. I am first and foremost, an American citizen. So when it comes to judging foreign affairs, it makes more sense for me to set my criticism against my own country, because as Noam Chomsky once said:
My own concern is primarily the terror and violence carried out by my own state, for two reasons. For one thing, because it happens to be the larger component of international violence. But also for a much more important reason than that; namely, I can do something about it.
That said, I have some thoughts and reflections on what's happened in Kyiv, The Crimea and elsewhere. But first, a word on things back home.
"I told you so."
I've been following the news coming out of Ukraine very closely, mostly through the news-wire services of The Guardian and the BBC. Why use British news outlets you say? The reactions coming from the mainstream press in the United States has (with exceptions) been almost unbearable. It's true that in one of the presidential debates in 2012, Mitt Romney spoke with more testosterone-fueled bluster than Obama by calling Russia our "number one geopolitical foe." Apparently this makes him some kind of prescient hero with the powers that other people just could never fathom! And of course, former Alaska governor and political-celebrity extraordinaire Sarah Palin accuses Obama of wearing "mom jeans" and that Russia is taking "advantage of that weakness in America at this point, because our commander-in-chief does not understand the peace through strength that so many of us want to get back to." So in relation to Ukraine, we've decided to focus on who uttered the more aggressive form of rhetoric during a political campaign.
Spare me.
I guarantee you, no one on the streets of Kyiv (or Kharkiv or Donetsk for that matter) gives a damn about what one hollow US politician said to the other in 2012. And these same people have the nerve to say that "if we had only intervened in Syria, things would have been different." But as Reason's John Glaser notes:
if Obama had gone through with his promise to bomb Syria, the action would have had no international legitimacy and no Congressional consent. In fact, it would have been a war crime according to international law, which prohibits the use of force against another state without the approval of the UN Security Council or unless it preempts an imminent threat.
If anything, America's utter disregard for international law gives license to other powerful countries, like Russia, to behave similarly.
I was against American intervention in Syria in 2013 and wrote about it here and here. And I think President Obama made the right choice not to unilaterally flout American and international law by launching an attack. And I also think it was right for Obama not to take Romney's bait to lob harsh words at Russia during the 2012 debates. Romney was merely a candidate and could say whatever he wanted under the pretense of running for office. But Obama's words carry economic and diplomatic weight – it would have been irresponsible to tear into Russia at that moment. No amount of chest-beating jingoism will help the citizens of Ukraine in their current predicament (and it doesn't help us either).
Don't get me wrong, I'm no fan of Obama's Presidency. In terms of press freedoms, civil liberties and the war on whistle-blowers, he's arguably the worst president since Richard Nixon. But I think his administration (i.e. The State Department) has done what it reasonably can to act as a mediator in this situation. It was right for the February 21st agreement to be brokered by France, Germany and Poland, as the situation pertains much closer to their strategic interests than it does to ours. And its right for the administration to emphasize economics and diplomacy in trying to put pressure on the Russian Government. Even Senator John McCain (R- AZ) has admitted that there is currently "no military option" in Ukraine. George Will once said of McCain that "if it doesn't fly or explode, John doesn't care about it," something which should give McCain's fellow interventionists at least a moment of pause.
However, that does not mean it is "none of our business."
Under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum (emphasis my own):
1. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America reaffirm their commitment to Ukraine, in accordance with the principles of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, to respect the independence and sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine;
2. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America reaffirm their obligation to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine, and that none of their weapons will ever be used against Ukraine except in self-defence or otherwise in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations;
This of course, was in exchange for Ukraine relinquishing its entire nuclear weapons stockpile. This means that we, along with Russia and The United Kingdom, have an obligation to respect Ukrainian sovereignty. And though the units currently occupying the Crimean peninsula are not wearing their insignia, they are undoubtedly soldiers of the Russian military (unless the "local Crimean defense forces" suddenly acquired a bunch of modern Russian jeeps by coincidence…amazing!). This would indicate a clear violation of the 1994 agreement. But then again, what about the Crimea?
A Question of Borders
It's true that, even though the peninsula was within Ukrainian borders under its 1994 borders, it was never traditionally part of Ukraine. In fact, what actually constitutes Ukraine tends to be a slippery subject in the first place. For most of its history, its been within the sphere of influence of several nations, ones which shaped much of the cultural divisions within the country today. But in the case of the Crimea specifically, it was "given" to Ukraine by Khrushchev in 1954. Since the entire Soviet Union was really governed by Moscow anyway, what territory was "given" to one of the other states didn't really matter, even with diverse populations taken into account.
So when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Ukraine retained the peninsula as part of its territory, with a Russian naval base remaining at Sevastopol. Still, the majority of the population is ethnically Russian. And then there is the question of the nearly 300,000 Muslim Tatars who live there as well (most of them loyal to the new government by the way). So if you think about it in the abstract, why not let Russia take it back after all this time? Trade it for loan forgiveness of natural gas, or an additional purchase of government bonds, or some other economic trade off. If it defuses the situation and allows the rest of the country to orient itself as it pleases, why not?
The problem is, where does it end? After all, Donetsk has a sizable Russian-speaking population, why not let Russia take that as well? Oh, and back to the Crimea, with the Tatar population and the peninsula's history under the Ottoman Empire, why not just give it to Turkey instead? I'm sure Kyiv and Moscow would both be absolutely thrilled at that prospect! Come to think of it, why stop there? Perhaps we should give Lviv back to Poland or Lithuania. Oh wait, maybe it should go to Austria or Hungary instead. In fact, let's just carve out the territories of multiple countries to create Galicia all over again!
Wait! I've got it! Let's just give all of Ukraine, Kazakhstan and southern Russia back to Mongolia!
See what I mean?
And the argument for splitting the country up doesn't seem very helpful either. As I'm sure anyone from the British Foreign Office will tell you, splitting a country in two across cultural/ethnic lines will hardly be a guarantee of peace (e.g. Kasmir, Israel/Palestine, Sudan, Northern Ireland). How would the border even be decided on? How would you determine who would be a citizen of which version of Ukraine? How would the military be divided up? How would Ukraine's sovereign debt be distributed? Do we really want to go down this road?
The problem with Putin's argument for "protecting" ethnic Russians in the Crimea is that they did not ask for his protection. And though there are reactionary and neo-fascist elements among the revolutionaries in western Ukraine (and westerners had better be ready to acknowledge this and confront it accordingly), there has been no evidence of systematic discrimination of ethnic Russians. Many Russian-speakers in Ukraine are suspicious of the US and EU, and would prefer to retain stronger ties with Moscow. But most of them don't want Russian soldiers marching into Ukrainian territory either. There are enough negative stereotypes about Russians spinning through the western world already. All Putin's intervention has done is to make that perception even worse. If you're pretense is to protect civilians, why take an action which could only provoke violence anyway? Luckily the provisional government in Ukraine hasn't taken the bait. It saw how Georgia was embarrassed in 2008 and is not eager to have history repeat itself.
If the Crimea really wants to separate, fine- but it should be done via a referendum, or an increased level of decentralization or federalism like that among the member states of The United Kingdom (the upcoming Scottish referendum notwithstanding). And the fact that certain ethnic or linguistic minorities live within a certain country doesn't mean the neighboring state suddenly has a case for grabbing some of its land. There are certainly more English- than Gaelic-speakers in Ireland, but you wouldn't try and advocate Britain taking the remaining counties of Ulster would you?
I didn't think so.
Hoping for the Best
Despite the alarm-bells going off in American and Russian media circles, I actually feel somewhat optimistic about the situation. If the provisional government can keep its cool, it should ride out the period from now until May 25th (when elections are to be held), with international support and at least a cautious amount of confidence from the population. The Russian government is dealing with a situation of its own, as the country is a difficult place to govern even in the best of times. Like any country concerned with the security of its periphery, it feels the need to protect its interests and is loath to look weak in the face of the international community – particularly onlookers in places like Beijing and Ankara. But even with the utmost fairness given on all these counts, sending in Russian infantry and blockading Ukrainian ports only serves to inflame the tension, and I think (and I have a feeling most Russians would agree) that incursions into eastern Ukraine would be an absolute disaster. Why tarnish the reputation you worked so hard to advance at the Olympics? Why give the Poles, the Czechs and especially the Turks a reason to put their military forces on alert? Do you really think the Turks (or the Chechens for that matter) will stand idly by if a Muslim minority feels threatened? And while it's not as powerful as Russia's, Ukraine's military is still big enough to cause heavy casualties should things really escalate. There's also the not-too-distant possibility this will cause rumblings in Berlin as well.
Speaking of Germany, Angela Merkel's caution on the situation is worth noting. It shows that western economic interests are at stake and shouldn't be sacrificed just so we can "look tough." And when thinking about the cultural, political and linguistic ties that Ukraine and Russia undeniably share – and what those ties mean for the future of the two nations – perhaps Germany's post-war relationship with one of its neighbors can serve as a helpful example to follow. I am of course talking about Austria. Yes, the history between the two countries is different, but not as much as you might think. Remember, through the history of the Holy Roman Empire, Prussia, and the Austrian Hapsburgs, the nations were often rivals or at war with each other (mostly over Silesia, now part of Poland). And when they became united, it was only due to the threat of Napoleonic conquest. With the onset of pan-Germanism, the two became very close and were eventually united under The Third Reich in 1938. But since the end of The Second World War, the two countries have lived in peace – with a common heritage and language – but with a respect for each others separate political authority and national identity. Anyone who would even joke about a renewed "Anschluss" would be dismissed as either a neo-fascist or an idiot. Oh, and it's also forbidden by the Austrian constitution.
I realize the example of Germany and Austria does not exactly fit the profile of Russia and Ukraine, but it should at least illustrate the possibility for two countries with both a troubled past and a common heritage to live in peace. Austria's official neutrality wouldn't be so bad an example to follow either.
Russia needs to respect Ukrainian sovereignty and the right of the nation to pursue its interests, in whatever direction they may go. The troops that Putin and his authorities have sent into the Crimea should leave. The provisional government in Kyiv should issue – through either a law or a unified statement – the protection all ethnic and cultural minorities living in Ukraine, and should issue a forceful condemnation of all reactionary strains within the ranks of the Maidan protesters. Only then can the new order in Ukraine be taken seriously by the international community, not just by the west.
Any sane politician in Ukraine knows his or her country will always have significant economic and cultural ties with Russia, even if the country were to one day join the EU. In equal measure, Russia should be honest about the past when the subject does come up. But more nationalistic Ukrainians should bear in mind that anyone who was in the NKVD in the 1930's is now dead (…I think), and constantly stirring up the ghosts of those days will only deter a meaningful basis of respect from ever emerging. A mutual agreement that Russia be governed from Moscow and Ukraine be governed from Kyiv always seemed like a reasonable place to start the process of reconciliation.
Let's hope we don't have to wait several generations before we can finish it.
(Photo Credit: Link)