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text: For years people saw tattoos as a sign of rebellion. A middle finger salute to the rest of the world. Outlaw bikers got tattoos. Sailors on leave in Singapore got tattoos. Lifers in the joint got tattoos. But now in the United States one out of every three adults under forty has a tattoo! So what happened? How did tattoo go from something that was put on you to an expression that comes from within you? Tattoo Nation tells the story of a few people who helped transform the world of tattoo, and the way we think about tattoos, forever. This is the true story of the ink revolution.


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Diamond Rugs is one those bands that wants you to think it prizes spontaneity and sloppy good fun more than careful song construction and technical polish. And the album, also titled Diamond Rugs, almost succeeds in convincing you of its sloppy aesthetic, dispensing songs about drinking and carousing only to be left morose, in one's cups.
"Totally Lonely" is one of the few out-and-out downbeat songs on this collection. The rest of the time, even the break-up songs have propulsive power, as in "Hightail," in which a woman took a good hard look at what she was getting into with one of these guys and she "straight up and fled."
Diamond Rugs is now John McCauley's third band, after Deer Tick and Middle Brother, and I admit to a fascination with his blasted-vocal-cord voice. He takes most of the leads on Diamond Rugs, and he has a knack for making hangovers and soured romance sound convincing. I really like "I Took Note" — written by another band, Mandarin Dynasty — in which McCauley details the ways in which a budding artist might prepare to create worthwhile art, suffering for it even as it yields an endearing melody.
With song titles like "Gimme a Beer" and "Hungover and Horny," Diamond Rugs' members dare you to take them seriously. But this album is stuffed with tuneful paradoxes: fast, loud, punk-influenced instrumentation asserting a bravado that cannot disguise a broken heart, regret and pain.
Copyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.


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The Dragon capsule has successfully detached from the International Space Station and is headed toward a splashdown in the Pacific that should happen around 11:45 a.m. ET.
As we've been reporting, Dragon is the first commercial spacecraft to have successfully launched, docked and delivered a payload to the station. The unmanned spacecraft delivered supplies and is bringing back such things as scientific experiments and equipment. Designed and built by SpaceX, Dragon is pioneering what's expected to be a new era of commercial space flight.
Update at 1:05 p.m. ET: NASA has stopped webcasting about the mission, so we're taking its feed out of this post.
Update at 11:42 a.m. ET. Splashdown Confirmed:
NASA just announced that splashdown has been confirmed.
Update at 11:39 a.m. ET. Main Chutes Deployed:
NASA's cameras have picked up an image of the capsule's main chutes, which are slowing its descent.
Update at 11:34 a.m. ET. Dragon's Been Sighted:
We see on NASA-TV that long-range cameras have spotted the capsule, high in the atmosphere over the Pacific. It's set to splashdown about 560 miles west of Baja California, Mexico.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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The idea for the Miu Miu Musings salon came about when Shala Monroque realized she never got to finish any interesting conversations that began at shows or events. The absurdly quick pace of Fashion Week and growing force of online conversations left her lusting for a setting for people to discuss fashion face to face and without having to rush off in five minutes to continue being dehydrated, and so the salon took place last month at the Miu Miu store in New York.
As much as I like the democracy of fashion blogging, this kind of event was really special. It reminded me of the feeling you get reading D.V., that Diana Vreeland is telling you these stories in person at her apartment, accentuating her jokes by lightly punching you in the shoulder and bruising you with her rings, which you don't mind because one time, Diana Vreeland punched you in the shoulder. It was awesome.
Andre Leon Talley led the conversation, which means that every now and then one of us would muster up the courage to ask a question and he would take it in a whole other direction and talk for half an hour. This was a good thing. I think I could listen to him talk forever. My personal favorite was, "Pole dancers are very iiiiin!" Not many boundaries, that Miu Miu salon! Man, such a crazy night, dudebro.
Also, there were little jars of candy everywhere! It was pretty close to my idea of heaven.
Elizabeth and Laia and I introduced ourselves to him afterwords. Way nerve wracking but he was nice and funny and never dropped the extravagance he'd kept up the whole night. I swear it's genuine. He really liked my and Elizabeth's Mandy Coon bunny bags and wanted to know about our blogs. ALT 4 lyf.
Talking to Laia, probably about the candy? I was obsessed with it. You can half-see what I'm wearing here -- the folks at Miu Miu let me pick out some samples to wear so I took advantage of the possibilities and layered a top with a really pretty collar over a Sgt. Pepper t-shirt and Clueless skirt. My shoes are Pierre Hardy x Gap and my daisy Goody barrettes which I have almost worn to their breaking point.
The spring collection was out for admiring, and, I don't know, petting and rubbing your face on. At least, I interpreted it that way. Please note the star buttons above. Seeing it in real life sold me.
Photos from Elizabeth and Hanneli, I had a brain fart and forgot my camera.


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In accordance with ADA if you require assistance completing the application please email [email protected] and include your contact information.
Equal Employment Opportunity: EEO is the law | EEO is the law Supplement | Office Depot, Inc. EEO Policy Statement | Pay Transparency Non-Discrimination Provision | Employee Rights under FMLA | California Applicant Privacy Notice
Office Depot OfficeMax is committed to providing equal employment opportunities in all employment practices. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Full COVID-19 vaccination may be required.


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Monday Night Football Recap — Giants Beat Vikings, 23-7, For 1st Win
Eli Manning passed for 200 yards and a touchdown, and the New York Giants shut down Adrian Peterson and the Minnesota Vikings, 23-7, in an error-plagued game in East Rutherford, N.J. on Monday night. New York (1-6) notched its first win of the season by holding Minnesota (1-5) to just 206 yards of total offense, with most of the damage coming after the Giants were comfortably ahead.
The Vikings got their only points of the night on Marcus Sherels' 86-yard punt return for a touchdown late in the first quarter. Minnesota turned the ball over three times during the game.
Manning's 24-yard touchdown pass to Rueben Randle put the Giants ahead 10-7 with 9:33 left in the second quarter, and New York never trailed again.
Peterson managed just 28 yards on 13 carries for the Vikings. Quarterback Josh Freeman made his first start for the Minnesota, and he completed just 20 of 53 passes for 190 yards and an interception.
Newly signed running back Peyton Hillis carried 18 times for 36 yards and a score for the Giants.


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Sharkskin is a specially formulated polyester that weighs only 6.5 oz. per square yard. Still incredibly strong and durable, this cover provides outstanding protection for boats by repelling water, mildew, UV rays, and other foreign elements. Fade-resistant, breathable finish resists staining and prolongs cover life. 5-year limited warranty. Orders for Covermate Exact-Fit Covers cannot be canceled and are non-returnable and non-refundable. Please include your boat year, make, and model in your order comments, so we can verify the cover application. If you need help selecting the correct Exact-Fit Cover for your boat, please use our Live Help or call us at 1-888-OVERTON, and we will be happy to assist you. Please have your boat year, make, and model available.
We will find the best price for you.
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And you left your wallet out in your car.
So you find yourself barefoot, wearing only boxer shorts, in an unheated garage (28°F/-2°C) in the middle of winter.
And, because your wallet has slipped under the car seat, you have to kneel on the freezing concrete to try to reach around and find it.
It's hard to fall back asleep after that.


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Please be aware of important limitations concerning the information on this page:
The information on this page does not constitute, and should not be construed as, an offer to sell securities or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities. An offer to sell securities is made only through the Offering Statement, which is available here.
The information on this page is not complete. Everything on this page is qualified by the Offering Statement. Among other things, this page includes partial information about our financial track record. For more complete information, please refer to section of the Offering Circular captioned "Past Performance: Our Track Record So Far," which starts on page 19 of the Offering Circular.
This information on this page does not constitute, and should not be construed as, investment or tax advice. We do not know about your personal circumstances and are not in a position to know whether this investment is suitable for you. You should consult with your own financial advisor to determine if this investment is right for you.
American Homeowner Preservation is a website operated by American Homeowner Preservation. American Homeowner Preservation is not an investment adviser, and does not recommend this investment as suitable for any particular investor. Investors must make their own decisions either alone or in consultation with their personal advisors. By accessing this site and any pages thereof, you agree to be bound by our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. American Homeowner Preservation is intended only for persons residing in the U.S., and for persons residing abroad in jurisdictions where securities registration exemptions apply. American Homeowner Preservation does not make investment recommendations, and no communication through this website or in any other medium should be construed as such. Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any federal or state securities commission or regulatory authority has recommended or approved any investment or the accuracy or completeness of any of the information or materials provided by or through the website. Investors must be able to afford the loss of their entire investment.


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Some 3.4 million vehicles produced by four Japanese automakers are being voluntarily recalled due to faulty airbag inflators.
The inflators were installed in some of Toyota's top-selling Camry and Corolla models produced since 2000. Certain Honda Civics and Mazdas are also subject to recall, which also reportedly includes the Maxima and Cube, according to Reuters.
The defective passenger-side airbag inflators were produced by Tokyo-based Takata at a Mexican plant, Reuters says.
Toyota Motor Sales, USA says in a statement released Thursday that "improperly manufactured propellent wafers could cause the inflator to rupture and the front passenger airbag to deploy abnormally in the event of a crash."
American Honda, in a similar statement, says: "It is possible that the passenger front airbag inflators in affected vehicles may deploy with too much pressure, which may cause the inflator casing to rupture and could result in injury."
Toyota and Honda have provided some specifics of the vehicles affected:
(See update below for Nissan.)
Toyota says 1.73 million vehicles worldwide (580,000 in North America) will be recalled, including certain Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sequoia, Tundra and Lexus SC 430 models made between 2001 and 2003.
Honda says 1.14 million vehicles worldwide (561,000 in the United States) are subject to recall, including certain 2001-2003 model Civics, 2002-2003 CR-Vs and 2002 Odysseys.
Some non-Japanese automakers were also supplied with the faulty airbags, Takata spokesman Toyohiro Hishikawa was quoted by Reuters as saying. He declined to name those automakers, but The New York Times reports that Takata supplies airbags and seat belts to major automakers outside Japan, including Daimler and Ford Motor, as well as to the Japanese brands.
Bloomberg says this is the biggest recall involving Tokyo-based Takata, the world's second-largest maker of airbags and seatbelts, since 1995, "when several automakers called back almost 9 million vehicles to replace faulty seat belts ... a record for the auto industry at the time."
"It looks like the cost of the recalls may be pretty big," Satoru Takada, a Tokyo-based analyst at Toward the Infinite World told Bloomberg. "It doesn't seem like something that would be easy to identify and fix. But if the cause is clear, it shouldn't have a lasting effect."
Kohei Takahashi, an auto industry analyst at JPMorgan in Japan, told Reuters: "The inflators themselves are not so expensive, but there is the cost to cover for the hours spent to fix the problem."
Toyota says owners of vehicles subject to recall will be notified by first-class mail and that if the an airbag inflator is deemed faulty, it will be replaced free of charge.
UPDATE at 10:10 a.m. ET: Details on Nissan Recalls:
A Nissan USA spokesman tells NPR that 480,000 vehicles made by the company worldwide (265,367 in the United States) will be recalled — including the U.S. model year 2000-2003 Nissan Maxima, Infiniti FX, Infiniti QX4, Nissan Pathfinder and Nissan Sentra. The spokesman says Nissan is unaware of any incidents involving the airbags in its own vehicles and that the recall was prompted by a "handful of incidents" in competitors' vehicles.
"Nissan plans to begin notifying customers within 30 days. Nissan dealers will replace the front passenger airbag inflator with a countermeasured one at no cost to the customers for parts or labor," the company said in a statement.
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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We offer a generous return policy of 45 days with no return or restocking fees, no questions asked, with only a few restrictions. After 45 days, a restocking fee will be deducted from the refund as noted below.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging.
Any items that are returned more than 60 days after delivery are subject to a restocking fee of 20% of the value of the items or $20.00, whichever is greater.
Late or missing refunds (if applicable)
If you have not received an expected refund, please contact us using the Contact Us panel.
Closeout items are non-refundable. If they are returned to us a restocking fee will be applied.
Shipping Your Return:
To return your product, you should mail your product to: Auntie's Beads, Inc., 225 Dodge Trail, Keller, TX 76248, United States


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For families, couples and individuals aiming to borrow larger sums of money that may not be supported at the personal loan level, secured homeowner loans in Augher BT77 0 offer some of the best rates around.
A secured homeowner loan is available to those who may already own their home or who may be paying off a mortgage.
In any case, providing you are happy to secure your property or any other assets towards a larger amount, you will be able to take advantage of competitive lending rates with a local provider.
As nearby financing experts for many homes and families throughout our region and surrounding areas, we are here to support your application and ensure you receive the most practical secured loans for your situation.
It is always worth considering whether or not a secured loan is for you before you apply. It is also recommended to compare the best loans https://www.securedhomeownerloans.co.uk/compare/dungannon/augher.
Make sure to contact our team today, and we will be able to help you - fill in the contact form now, and we will get back to you.
We're proud to be able to offer some of the best secured loans and rates in Augher BT77 0 to our local applicants.
If you live nearby, you'll be able to consult with our direct team to start looking at large sums of money payable back over several years.
"We would highly recommend Secured Homeowner Loans for anyone looking for the best loan company in the UK for homeowners!"
One of the major benefits of a secured loan on a homeowner basis is that you will have broader access to larger amounts and more flexible repayment schedules.
If you are interested in sourcing finance with a local lender but are unsure what exactly comes into play, we will be happy to offer you as much guidance as you need.
The most popular way to borrow significant sums of money is through secured loans. Your home serves as security for these loans.
When you take out a secured loan, you are guaranteeing that your loan will be paid back. If you don't pay back a secured loan, the lender can sell your collateral to cover the debt.
This is why we highly recommend you to think carefully before securing other debts against your home.
Make sure to compare secured loans against unsecured loans and see if you can handle your chosen loan's interest rate.
A homeowner loan comes in all shapes and sizes, and while they may arrive in secured and non-secured varieties, secured options may be more preferential to those looking for amounts of over £15,000.
There are a few things you will need to bear in mind when borrowing secured loans, however, and these may include:
How much you wish to borrow
How and when you will be able to pay the money back
Which assets you possess – and what their value may be
Interest rates available
Your ability to tie down and secure your home or other assets as part of a deal
Your credit score and credit history
It's always worth consulting a homeowner loan calculator if you are in the process of looking up secured loans for homeowners shortly.
It is also worth bearing in mind that interest rates may vary with certain deals and rates, and additional fees may be involved along the way.
If you have a bad credit score and credit history https://www.securedhomeownerloans.co.uk/poor-credit/dungannon/augher, we would certainly recommend using the calculator prior to applying for secured loans.
We strive to advise you are comprehensive as possible on all fees and features you can expect from your secured loan with us.
We make sure to understand your situation and financial profile as closely as possible before we get started.
You must either own your home outright or have some equity in it and be paying a mortgage on the remaining value to be eligible for a homeowner loan.
The size of the homeowner loan you can get is determined by the entire worth of the property and the amount of equity you have.
Your credit score and credit history may also be taken into consideration.
While calculating your prospective secured loans, you will be able to consider your regular income, the value of your home or any applicable assets, and how much you will be expected to pay back over a certain period of time.
While there isn't a required number for what your credit score and credit history will need to be for you to qualify for a homeowner loan, we still recommend you to use the loan calculator first or consult with any of our specialists.
The usual documents that we ask for from our clients are proof of identification, schedule of expenses, credit score, credit history, and bank statements, among other things.
Supply us with a minimum of information to secure your asset and loan – and so that you can receive the money you need as soon as physically possible.
When looking for a homeowner loan, direct lenders nearby or near me are perhaps worth consulting first.
Local lenders and private firms are more likely to offer you loan advice and calculations on a more personalised basis.
You stand to receive a better fit in terms of the amount you receive and the schedule you are expected to pay it back through.
Reliable local experts will also make sure you are pleased with any processes. After all, securing your home to a loan offer means you will need to offer up your property if any repayments go unheeded.
Securing your property in Augher BT77 0 through secured homeowner loans essentially means you are offering your lender greater confidence.
They can offer you more money and more flexibility as they have a physical backup to collect money on should you default.
However, no one enters into these loans wanting to lose their home! Therefore, always be assured that we will find you a loan schedule to fit your income and needs.
If you are looking for your closest experts offering quick secured loans in your area, we can help. We support thousands of happy families and households across our region.
We also aim to set you up with a schedule and loan amount that can give you the financial freedom you need to make big purchases while remaining secure about when you'll expect to pay loan amounts back.
We are upfront on everything you can expect – from interest to asset security and more besides.
We don't believe in keeping our customers in the dark – which means you can borrow and secure with confidence from us on every occasion.
We can also offer loans for those in debt and looking to consolidate loans https://www.securedhomeownerloans.co.uk/debt-consolidation/dungannon/augher. Please enquire now for more information.
It's worth bearing in mind that not all deals offered as 'cheap secured homeowner loans' will offer you the best value for money.
It would help if you borrowed from a local team of experts who can assure security and reliability – and who are upfront on costs and repayment schedules from the very beginning of the process.
Borrowing on a secured basis may mean that additional fees arise – which we will always make you aware of before you enter into any deals with us.
Homeowner Loans for Poor Credit in Augher - https://www.securedhomeownerloans.co.uk/poor-credit/dungannon/augher
Compare Homeowner Loans in Augher - https://www.securedhomeownerloans.co.uk/compare/dungannon/augher
Homeowner Debt Consolidation Loans in Augher - https://www.securedhomeownerloans.co.uk/debt-consolidation/dungannon/augher
In need of a larger loan? Have a property or mortgage and are keen to secure it against a significant amount of finance?
Talk to a firm with confidence – let us be your nearby advisors on all things homeowner finance.
Secured homeowner loans in Augher BT77 0 are available all year round, no matter where you live – contact us today using the contact form provided.
No matter your needs, it's our job to tailor a great loan to you.
We cover Augher (Dungannon)


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Inspiration for all of the fantasy work I have done stems directly from the love my father showed when I was a tad, for he spent many hours telling me stories he made up as he went along, tales of cloaked old men who could grant wishes, of magic rings and enchanted swords, or wicked sorcerors and dauntless swordsmen. Then too, countless hundreds of comic books went down, and the long-gone EC ones certainly had their effect. Science fiction, fantasy, and horror movies were a big influence. In fact, all of us tend to get ample helpings of fantasy when we are very young, from fairy tales such as those written by the Brothers Grimm and Andrew Lang. This often leads to reading books of mythology, paging through bestiaries, and consultation of compilations of the myths of various lands and peoples. Upon such a base I built my interest in fantasy, being an avid reader of all science fiction and fantasy literature since 1950. The following authors were of particular inspiration to me. In some cases I cite specific works, in others, I simply recommend all their fantasy writing to you. From such sources, as well as just about any other imaginative writing or screenplay you will be able to pluck kernels from which grow the fruits of exciting campaigns. Good reading!If I were going to pick the single greatest impact the old school renaissance has had on the hobby since its inception, it would not be a renewed appreciation of the megadungeon or the hexcrawl, even though that is one of the OSR's great victories. Rather, I'd say it was broader knowledge of the pulp fantasies that Arneson and Gygax, especially those enshrined in Appendix N of the AD&D Dungeon Masters Guide. I say this with confidence because, prior to about 2008, I can't recall ever seeing the phrase "Appendix N" used at all on gaming forums or blogs, let alone being used as a template for designing entire games. Nowadays, though, Appendix N is talked about well beyond the confines of the old school echo chamber.
I bring this up because, the other day, I was chatting with Victor Raymond. I told Victor, as I've told anyone who will listen for years now, that, while I've probably played far more Dungeons & Dragons than any other RPG, fantasy is for me a distant second to science fiction in terms of my personal interest. I mentioned that, prior to picking up D&D in 1979, my direct experience with fantasy literature of any sort was mostly limited to what I'd read in Buffinch's Mythology and similar books. D&D was thus, for me, a primary gateway to fantasy rather than being an outgrowth of my pre-existing interest in the genre.
Conversely, by the time I picked up Traveller in 1980 or '81 (I honestly can't remember which year it was), I was already very well versed in the classics of the genre. My local library had an extensive collection of Ace Doubles that I devoured, along with many other sci-fi paperbacks from the '50s and '60s. So, when I heard about Traveller, it immediately clicked with me. I knew exactly the books and authors that had inspired Marc Miller and so Traveller made sense to me in a way it didn't to many of my friends who equated "science fiction" with Star Trek or, more likely, Star Wars. To them, Traveller was strange and not at all what they were expecting, just as I expect that D&D probably seems strange to newcomers whose understanding of "fantasy" is rooted in something other than Appendix N literature.
But there's a further wrinkle that needs to be considered. A common complaint against D&D now that Appendix N is more widely known is that the game fails to emulate its source material. What class is Conan or the Gray Mouser? What level was Gandalf ("Fifth!" Yeah, yeah ...)? Where are all the dungeons? And so on. The problem with these questions, as I see it, is that D&D was never intended to emulate its sources at all. Rather, it took inspiration from them. Read the quote from Gygax above. The fantasy of Dungeons & Dragons is its own thing, just as the sci-fi of Traveller is its own thing, even though, in both cases, their creators looked to certain authors and books for the seeds of the ideas that would blossom into their creations. So, D&D is no more meant to emulate the Hyborian Age than Traveller is meant to emulate the Technic Civilization and I think it's silly to criticize either for failing to do so. That was never the intention of their creators.
The problem, I think, is that, at some point, as RPG designers became more self-aware of what they were doing, emulation came to replace -- or at least overshadow -- inspiration. I'm honestly not sure what the first RPG was where genre emulation was explicitly a design goal. Champions perhaps? Even then, it wasn't the only goal, merely one of several, but, over the years, it seems to have become much more prevalent to the point that designers use "genre emulation" as an explanation for why certain rules work the way they do.
None of this is intended to denigrate emulation, only to point out that there's a difference between being inspired by a book or a movie and trying to emulate that book or that movie. There is no contradiction in saying that D&D was inspired by The Dying Earth and yet have a magic system that doesn't closely match the one Jack Vance describes there. Based on their own words, neither Arneson nor Gygax intended for D&D to emulate any specific work of art, which is why you get weird stuff like the cleric class, which takes bit and pieces of several different characters and ideas from multiple media and brings them together into something unlike any of its inspirations.


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text:
Exactly one year ago, I was embroiled in final edits on my first book, "Cheese for Dummies." It's a 408-page, comprehensive primer on all things cheese, including an extensive geography section.
I was reviewing the "America's" chapter, when I saw that my editor had taken the liberty of relocating Mexico from North America, and lumped it with Central America. Baffled, I spent the next hour researching, then polled my Gadling teammates; we are, after all, a well-traveled bunch. The consensus, of which I was already certain from years spent backpacking throughout Latin America: my editor was wrong, wrong, wrong.
It was at the urging of my Gadling colleagues, with whom I engaged in a lengthy discussion about the topic at hand, that I decided to write this article. They thought it raised some interesting arguments about geopolitics and cultural differences within a given region, and found it fascinating that cheese was the conduit. As Heather Poole put it, "Maybe you thought your book was about cheese, when really it's about the people who eat cheese."
Before my editor would concede, I had to present a compelling argument as to why there's no way in hell Mexico is part of Central America. That's like saying all Latin American countries are the same. Yes, there's a common language in most instances, but the dialectical differences, indigenous languages and slang are vastly different.
Colonization may also play a commonality in most Latin countries, but the indigenous cultures and various immigrants differ, which can be seen in language, art, folklore and cuisine. There are also extreme variations in geography (known as terroir, in food or wine parlance) and climate, often within the same country.
Dairy wasn't a part of traditional Mesoamerican culture. The Spanish conquistadors brought cows, sheep, and goats to the New World and introduced dairying and ranching to Mexico. Besides the Spanish influence, in more recent times, cheesemaking throughout Mexico, Central and South America is believed to have been inspired by immigrants from Italy, and Northern and Eastern Europe.With regard to cheese, the majority of Latin America (which, for the purposes of this article, refers to Mexico, Central and South America) produces and eats cheese as a subsistence food in rural areas. Most families own a single cow, or sometimes goat, and rely upon the animal's milk as an essential source of protein. Urbanites, regardless of social class, have access to the same crappy processed cheese we do here in the States; specialty cheese shops are a rarity in most of these countries, for various socioeconomic reasons.
Peru and Bolivia, which suffer from extreme poverty and are largely rural, primarily produce fresh, simple cheeses like queso fresco. These cheeses can be consumed quickly due to the lack of refrigeration, and provide an immediate source of nutrition and income. Venezuela and Brazil, with their largely tropical climates, also rely upon mostly fresh cheeses, some of them highly salted for preservation. Cheese production in Central America is also mostly about fresh cheese, the result of poverty and climate.
Argentina, a more industrialized nation, is one of the world's leading producers of Parmesan, an aged cow's milk cheese that approximates Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano. This is due to Argentina's large population of Italian immigrants. Aged cheese production is only feasible if there's a facility to store it as it matures, and, usually, an additional source of immediate income – such as fresh cheese.
Ecuador (photo at right), which has a high proportion of Swiss immigrants, also produces a handful of aged, alpine-style cheeses, in addition to fresh cheeses (being on the equator, much of the country is tropical rainforest and not conducive to aging dairy products).
Mexico is one of the few countries in the America's that has a long, distinguished cheese history, and is one of the world's largest consumers of cheese, despite a relative lack of diversity in styles and varieties. In recent decades, an artisan cheese movement has developed, and parts of Querétaro, Chiapas, Tabasco and Michoacán are major cheese-producing states. Oaxaca, Mexico's culinary capital, is the producer of one of its most famous cheeses, Queso Oaxaca, a string cheese also known as quesillo. Cotija, from Central Mexico, is the country's most renown cheese.
Any book on food, regardless of topic, is going to acknowledge differences due to the terroir and microclimates of a given region. Northern Italy, for example, produces rice and dairy in its lush pastures and fields, while drought- and poverty-stricken Southern Italy has a notable absence of cow's milk, because sheep fare better on sparse vegetation. As in the North, pasta is also a staple, but it's eggless.
Writing a book on cheese taught me far more than just how to argue with my editor about where Mexico is located. I learned more about world history, geography and politics in the year it took me to write my book than I did from 12 years of school and earning two degrees.
I think two of the most visible examples of what cheese has taught me came shortly after I submitted my manuscript. I was watching "Jeopardy!" with a friend, and answered a question – that would previously have left me scratching my head – by screaming out (correctly), "What are Visigoths, Alex!" My friend stared at me, flabbergasted.
The other incident occurred during a discussion with some friends about why Spanish cheese doesn't have a greater foothold in the U.S. (something that's rapidly changing, by the way). I explained that it was the cumulative effect of the Spanish War, two World Wars, and Franco's rule, which suppressed the country's agricultural and commercial progress.
It's not my intention to sound like an obnoxious smartypants. I'm just incredulous that something as simple (yet complex) as fermented milk made me a more educated, well-rounded person. I've always believed that travel is the best educator, but by writing a book on a seemingly limited topic, I've also learned that food is, indeed, more than just mere nourishment.
[Photo credits: cheese, Flickr user marimbalamesa; spray cheese, Flickr user xiaming; milking, Laurel Miller]


text:
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina declared sovereignty in October 1991 and independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a referendum boycotted by ethnic Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported by neighboring Serbia and Montenegro - responded with armed resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and joining Serb-held areas to form a "Greater Serbia." In March 1994, Bosniaks and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from three to two by signing an agreement creating a joint Bosniak-Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed a peace agreement that ended three years of interethnic civil strife (the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995).The Dayton Peace Accords retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's international boundaries and created a multiethnic and democratic government charged with conducting foreign, diplomatic, and fiscal policy. Also recognized was a second tier of government composed of two entities roughly equal in size: the predominantly Bosniak-Bosnian Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the predominantly Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RS governments are responsible for overseeing most government functions. Additionally, the Dayton Accords established the Office of the High Representative to oversee the implementation of the civilian aspects of the agreement. The Peace Implementation Council at its conference in Bonn in 1997 also gave the High Representative the authority to impose legislation and remove officials, the so-called "Bonn Powers." An original NATO-led international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops assembled in 1995 was succeeded over time by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR). In 2004, European Union peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced SFOR. Currently, EUFOR deploys around 600 troops in theater in a security assistance and training capacity.
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia
Geographic coordinates
Map references
total: 51,197 sq km
land: 51,187 sq km
water: 10 sq km
country comparison to the world: 129
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries
total: 1,543 km
border countries (3): Croatia 956 km, Montenegro 242 km, Serbia 345 km
20 km
Maritime claims
hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along coast
mountains and valleys
mean elevation: 500 m
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Maglic 2,386 m
Natural resources
coal, iron ore, antimony, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, timber, hydropower
Land use
agricultural land: 42.2% (2011 est.)
arable land: 19.7% (2011 est.)/permanent crops: 2% (2011 est.)/permanent pasture: 20.5% (2011 est.)
forest: 42.8% (2011 est.)
other: 15% (2011 est.)
Irrigated land
30 sq km (2012)
Population distribution
the northern and central areas of the country are the most densely populated
Natural hazards
destructive earthquakes
Environment - current issues
air pollution; deforestation and illegal logging; inadequate wastewater treatment and flood management facilities; sites for disposing of urban waste are limited; land mines left over from the 1992-95 civil strife are a hazard in some areas
Environment - international agreements
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized borders, the country is divided into a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation (about 51% of the territory) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska or RS (about 49% of the territory); the region called Herzegovina is contiguous to Croatia and Montenegro, and traditionally has been settled by an ethnic Croat majority in the west and an ethnic Serb majority in the east
People and Society
3,849,891 (July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
noun: Bosnian(s), Herzegovinian(s)
adjective: Bosnian, Herzegovinian
Ethnic groups
Bosniak 50.1%, Serb 30.8%, Croat 15.4%, other 2.7%, not declared/no answer 1% (2013 est.)
note: Republika Srpska authorities dispute the methodology and refuse to recognize the results; Bosniak has replaced Muslim as an ethnic term in part to avoid confusion with the religious term Muslim - an adherent of Islam
Bosnian (official) 52.9%, Serbian (official) 30.8%, Croatian (official) 14.6%, other 1.6%, no answer 0.2% (2013 est.)
Muslim 50.7%, Orthodox 30.7%, Roman Catholic 15.2%, atheist 0.8%, agnostic 0.3%, other 1.2%, undeclared/no answer 1.1% (2013 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 13.24%(male 263,338 /female 246,220)
15-24 years: 11.26%(male 223,824 /female 209,829)
25-54 years: 45.51%(male 881,331 /female 870,601)
55-64 years: 14.95%(male 278,460 /female 297,231)
65 years and over: 15.04%(male 229,282 /female 349,775) (2018 est.)
population pyramid:
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 43.3 (2015 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 20.7 (2015 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 22.5 (2015 est.)
potential support ratio: 4.4 (2015 est.)
Median age
total: 42.5 years (2018 est.)
male: 40.9 years
female: 43.9 years
country comparison to the world: 28
Population growth rate
-0.17% (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207
Birth rate
8.7 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 210
Death rate
10.1 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
Net migration rate
-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
Population distribution
the northern and central areas of the country are the most densely populated
urban population: 48.6% of total population(2019)
rate of urbanization: 0.55% annual rate of change(2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population
343,000 SARAJEVO (capital) (2019)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2018 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
27 years (2014 est.)
Maternal mortality rate
10 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
Infant mortality rate
total: 5.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
male: 5.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 172
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 77.1 years (2018 est.)
male: 74.1 years
female: 80.3 years
country comparison to the world: 78
Total fertility rate
1.31 children born/woman (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 217
Contraceptive prevalence rate
45.8% (2011/12)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 99.7% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 99.9% of population
unimproved: urban: 0.3% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0.1% of population (2015 est.)
Current Health Expenditure
9.2% (2016)
Physicians density
1.89 physicians/1,000 population (2013)
Hospital bed density
3.5 beds/1,000 population (2013)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 98.9% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 92% of population (2015 est.)
total: 94.8% of population (2015 est.)
unimproved: urban: 1.1% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 8% of population (2015 est.)
total: 5.2% of population (2015 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
<.1% (2018)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
<500 (2018)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
<100 (2018)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
17.9% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 118
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
1.6% (2012)
country comparison to the world: 115
Education expenditures
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.5%
male: 99.5%
female: 97.5% (2015)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 14 years
male: 14 years
female: 15 years (2014)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
total: 45.8%
male: 43.1%
female: 51.4% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
Country name
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina
local long form: none
local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina
former: People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
abbreviation: BiH
etymology: the larger northern territory is named for the Bosna River; the smaller southern section takes its name from the German word "herzog," meaning "duke," and the ending "-ovina," meaning "land," forming the combination denoting "dukedom"
Government type
parliamentary republic
name: Sarajevo
geographic coordinates: 43 52 N, 18 25 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
etymology: the name derives from the Turkish noun "saray," meaning "palace" or "mansion," and the term "ova," signifying "plain(s)," to give a meaning of "palace plains" or "the plains about the palace"
Administrative divisions
3 first-order administrative divisions - Brcko District (Brcko Distrikt) (ethnically mixed), Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federacija Bosne i Hercegovine) (predominantly Bosniak-Croat), Republika Srpska (predominantly Serb)
1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia); note - referendum for independence completed on 1 March 1992; independence declared on 3 March 1992
National holiday
Independence Day, 1 March (1992) and Statehood Day, 25 November (1943) - both observed in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity; Victory Day, 9 May (1945) and Dayton Agreement Day, 21 November (1995) - both observed in the Republika Srpska entity
note: there is no national-level holiday
history: 14 December 1995 (constitution included as part of the Dayton Peace Accords); note - each of the political entities has its own constitution
amendments: decided by the Parliamentary Assembly, including a two-thirds majority vote of members present in the House of Representatives; the constitutional article on human rights and fundamental freedoms cannot be amended; amended several times, last in 2009 (2016)
Legal system
civil law system; Constitutional Court review of legislative acts
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina
dual citizenship recognized: yes, provided there is a bilateral agreement with the other state
residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years
18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: Chairman of the Presidency Zeljko KOMSIC (chairman since 20 July 2019, presidency member since 20 November 2018 - Croat seat); Milorad DODIK (presidency member since 20 November 2018 - Serb seat); Sefik DZAFEROVIC (presidency member since 20 November 2018 - Bosniak seat)
head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Zoran TEGELTIJA (since 5 December 2019)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairman, approved by the state-level House of Representatives
elections/appointments: 3-member presidency (1 Bosniak and 1 Croat elected from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 1 Serb elected from the Republika Srpska) directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term, but then ineligible for 4 years); the presidency chairpersonship rotates every 8 months with the new member of the presidency elected with the highest number of votes starting the new mandate as chair; election last held on 7 October 2018 (next to be held in October 2022); the chairman of the Council of Ministers appointed by the presidency and confirmed by the state-level House of Representatives
election results: percent of vote - Milorad DODIK (SNSD) 53.9% - Serb seat; Zeljko KOMSIC (DF) 52.6% - Croat seat; Sefik DZAFEROVIC (SDA) 36.6% - Bosniak seat
note: President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Marinko CAVARA (since 11 February 2015); Vice Presidents Melika MAHMUTBEGOVIC (since 11 February 2015), Milan DUNOVIC (since 11 February 2015); President of the Republika Srpska Zeljka CVIJANOVIC (since 18 November 2018); Vice Presidents Ramiz SALKIC (since 24 November 2014), Josip JERKOVIC (since 24 November 2014)
Legislative branch
description: bicameral Parliamentary Assembly or Skupstina consists of:
House of Peoples or Dom Naroda (15 seats - 5 Bosniak, 5 Croat, 5 Serb; members designated by the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's House of Peoples and the Republika Srpska's National Assembly to serve 4-year terms)
House of Representatives or Predstavnicki Dom (42 seats to include 28 seats allocated to the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 14 to the Republika Srpska; members directly elected by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms); note - the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has a bicameral legislature that consists of the House of Peoples (58 seats - 17 Bosniak, 17 Croat, 17 Serb, 7 other) and the House of Representatives (98 seats; members directly elected by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms); Republika Srpska's unicameral legislature is the National Assembly (83 directly elected delegates serve 4-year terms)
elections: House of Peoples - last held on 18 October 2018 (next to be held in October 2022)
House of Representatives - last held on 7 October 2018 (next to be held in October 2022)
election results: House of Peoples - percent of vote by coalition/party - NA; seats by coalition/party - NA; composition - men 13, women 2, percent of women 13.3%
House of Representatives - percent of vote by coalition/party - SDA 17%, SNSD 16%, SDS/NDP/NS/SRS-VS 9.8%, SDP 9.1%, HDZ-BiH/HSS/HKDU/HSP-AS BiH/HDU BiH 9.1%, DF, 5.8%, PDP 5.1%, DNS 4.2%, SBB BiH 4.2%, NS/HC 2.9%, NB 2.5%, PDA 2.3%, SP 1.9%, A-SDA 1.8%, other 17.4%; seats by coalition/party - SDA 9, SNSD 6, SDP 5, HDZ-BiH/HSS/HKDU/HSP-AS BiH/HDU BiH 5, SDS/NDP/NS/SRS-VS 3, DF 3, PDP 2, SBB BiH 2, NS/HC 2, DNS 1, NB 1 PDA 1, SP 1, A-SDA 1; composition - men 33, women 9, percent of women 21.4%; note - total Parliamentary Assembly percent of women 19.3%
Judicial branch
highest courts: Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members); Court of BiH (consists of 44 national judges and 7 international judges organized into 3 divisions - Administrative, Appellate, and Criminal, which includes a War Crimes Chamber)
judge selection and term of office: BiH Constitutional Court judges - 4 selected by the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina House of Representatives, 2 selected by the Republika Srpska's National Assembly, and 3 non-Bosnian judges selected by the president of the European Court of Human Rights; Court of BiH president and national judges appointed by the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council; Court of BiH president appointed for renewable 6-year term; other national judges appointed to serve until age 70; international judges recommended by the president of the Court of BiH and appointed by the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina; international judges appointed to serve until age 70
subordinate courts: the Federation has 10 cantonal courts plus a number of municipal courts; the Republika Srpska has a supreme court, 5 district courts, and a number of municipal courts
Political parties and leaders
Alliance for a Better Future of BiH or SBB BiH [Fahrudin RADONCIC]
Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or SNSD [Milorad DODIK]
Alternative Party for Democratic Activity or A-SDA [Nermin OGRESEVIC]
Croat Peasants' Party or HSS [Mario KARAMATIC]
Croatian Christian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HKDU [Ivan MUSA]
Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HDU-BiH [Miro GRABOVAC-TITAN]
Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HDZ-BiH [Dragan COVIC]
Croatian Democratic Union 1990 or HDZ-1990 [Ilija CVITANOVIC]
Croatian Party of Rights dr. Ante Starcevic or HSP-AS Bih [Karlo STARCEVIC]
Democratic Alliance or DEMOS [Nedeljko CUBRILOVIC]
Democratic Front of DF [Zeljko KOMSIC]
Democratic Peoples' Alliance or DNS [Marko PAVIC]
Independent Bloc or NB [Senad SEPIC]
Movement for Democratic Action or PDA [Mirsad KUKIC]
Progressive Srpska or NS [Goran DORDIC]
Our Party or NS/HC [Predrag KOJOVIC]
Party for Democratic Action or SDA [Bakir IZETBEGOVIC]
Party of Democratic Progress or PDP [Branislav BORENOVIC]
People's Democratic Movement or NDP [Dragan CAVIC]
Serb Democratic Party or SDS [Vukota GOVEDARICA]
Serb Radical Party-Dr. Vojislav Seselj or SRS-VS [Vojislav SESELJ] (members joined the PDP)
Social Democratic Party or SDP [Nermin NIKSIC]
Socialist Party or SP [Petar DOKIC]
United Srpska or US [Nenad STEVANDIC]
International organization participation
BIS, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US
Ambassador Bojan VUJIC (since 16 September 2019)
chancery: 2109 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone: [1] (202) 337-1500
consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Eric NELSON (since 19 February 2019)
telephone: [387] (33) 704-000
embassy: 1 Robert C. Frasure Street, 71000 Sarajevo
mailing address: use embassy street address
branch office(s): Banja Luka, Mostar
Flag description
a wide blue vertical band on the fly side with a yellow isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top of the flag; the remainder of the flag is blue with seven full five-pointed white stars and two half stars top and bottom along the hypotenuse of the triangle; the triangle approximates the shape of the country and its three points stand for the constituent peoples - Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs; the stars represent Europe and are meant to be continuous (thus the half stars at top and bottom); the colors (white, blue, and yellow) are often associated with neutrality and peace, and traditionally are linked with Bosnia
note: one of several flags where a prominent component of the design reflects the shape of the country; other such flags are those of Brazil, Eritrea, and Vanuatu
National symbol(s)
golden lily; national colors: blue, yellow, white
National anthem
name: "Drzavna himna Bosne i Hercegovine" (The National Anthem of Bosnia and Herzegovina)
lyrics/music: none officially; Dusan SESTIC and Benjamin ISOVIC/Dusan SESTIC
note: music adopted 1999; lyrics proposed in 2009 and others in 2016 were not approved; a parliamentary committee launched a new initiative for lyrics in February 2018
Economy - overview
Bosnia and Herzegovina has a transitional economy with limited market reforms. The economy relies heavily on the export of metals, energy, textiles, and furniture as well as on remittances and foreign aid. A highly decentralized government hampers economic policy coordination and reform, while excessive bureaucracy and a segmented market discourage foreign investment. The economy is among the least competitive in the region. Foreign banks, primarily from Austria and Italy, control much of the banking sector, though the largest bank is a private domestic one. The konvertibilna marka (convertible mark) - the national currency introduced in 1998 - is pegged to the euro through a currency board arrangement, which has maintained confidence in the currency and has facilitated reliable trade links with European partners. Bosnia and Herzegovina became a full member of the Central European Free Trade Agreement in September 2007. In 2016, Bosnia began a three-year IMF loan program, but it has struggled to meet the economic reform benchmarks required to receive all funding installments.Bosnia and Herzegovina's private sector is growing slowly, but foreign investment dropped sharply after 2007 and remains low. High unemployment remains the most serious macroeconomic problem. Successful implementation of a value-added tax in 2006 provided a steady source of revenue for the government and helped rein in gray-market activity, though public perceptions of government corruption and misuse of taxpayer money has encouraged a large informal economy to persist. National-level statistics have improved over time, but a large share of economic activity remains unofficial and unrecorded.Bosnia and Herzegovina's top economic priorities are: acceleration of integration into the EU; strengthening the fiscal system; public administration reform; World Trade Organization membership; and securing economic growth by fostering a dynamic, competitive private sector.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$44.83 billion (2017 est.)
$43.54 billion (2016 est.)
$42.19 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 113
GDP (official exchange rate)
$18.17 billion (2017 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
3% (2017 est.)
3.2% (2016 est.)
3.1% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$12,800 (2017 est.)
$12,400 (2016 est.)
$11,900 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 122
Gross national saving
11% of GDP (2017 est.)
11.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
10.5% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 77.4% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 20% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 16.6% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 2.3% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 38.7% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -55.1% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 6.8% (2017 est.)
industry: 28.9% (2017 est.)
services: 64.3% (2017 est.)
Agriculture - products
wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables; livestock
steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese, bauxite, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden furniture, ammunition, domestic appliances, oil refining
Industrial production growth rate
3% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
Labor force
1.38 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 18%
industry: 30.4%
services: 51.7% (2017 est.)
Unemployment rate
20.5% (2017 est.)
25.4% (2016 est.)
note: official rate; actual rate is lower as many technically unemployed persons work in the gray economy
country comparison to the world: 188
Population below poverty line
16.9% (2015 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 25.8% (2011 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index
33.8 (2011)
33.1 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 109
revenues: 7.993 billion (2017 est.)
expenditures: 7.607 billion (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
44% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
2.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
Public debt
39.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
44.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
note: data cover general government debt and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions.
country comparison to the world: 130
Fiscal year
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.2% (2017 est.)
-1.1% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
Commercial bank prime lending rate
4.38% (31 December 2017 est.)
5.24% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
Stock of narrow money
$6.483 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$5.013 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
Stock of broad money
$6.483 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$5.013 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
Stock of domestic credit
$11.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$9.27 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
Market value of publicly traded shares
Current account balance
-$873 million (2017 est.)
-$821 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
$5.205 billion (2017 est.)
$4.288 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
Exports - partners
Germany 14.7%, Croatia 11.8%, Italy 11.1%, Serbia 10%, Slovenia 9%, Austria 8.3% (2017)
Exports - commodities
metals, clothing, wood products
$9.547 billion (2017 est.)
$8.337 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
Imports - commodities
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs
Imports - partners
Germany 11.6%, Italy 11.3%, Serbia 11.1%, Croatia 10.1%, China 6.5%, Slovenia 5%, Russia 4.7%, Turkey 4.2% (2017)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$6.474 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$5.137 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
Debt - external
$10.87 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$10.64 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
$7.332 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$7.071 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad
$0 (2014)
country comparison to the world: 121
Exchange rates
konvertibilna markas (BAM) per US dollar -
1.729 (2017 est.)
1.7674 (2016 est.)
1.7674 (2015 est.)
1.7626 (2014 est.)
1.4718 (2013 est.)
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
Electricity - production
16.99 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
Electricity - consumption
11.87 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
Electricity - exports
6.007 billion kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31
Electricity - imports
3.084 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
Electricity - installed generating capacity
4.676 million kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
Electricity - from fossil fuels
49% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
Electricity - from nuclear fuels
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
51% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
Electricity - from other renewable sources
1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
Crude oil - production
0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
Crude oil - exports
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
Crude oil - imports
18,480 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
Crude oil - proved reserves
0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
Refined petroleum products - production
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
Refined petroleum products - consumption
32,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
Refined petroleum products - exports
4,603 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
Refined petroleum products - imports
18,280 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
Natural gas - consumption
226.5 million cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
Natural gas - imports
226.5 million cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
Natural gas - proved reserves
0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
22.07 million Mt (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 759,344
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 3,440,085
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 89 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
Telephone system
general assessment: post-war reconstruction of the telecommunications network, aided by an internationally sponsored program, resulted in sharp increases in fixed-line telephone availability; integration with the EU has given stability to the present economy, additionally a regulatory framework and the market has been liberalised; DSL and cable are the chief platforms for fixed-line connectivity, there is a small market presence of fibre broadband; new mobile roaming fees come into effect similar to other EU countries; rural areas still suffer from insufficient connectivity (2018)
domestic: fixed-line teledensity roughly 20 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership has been increasing rapidly and stands at roughly 90 telephones per 100 persons (2018)
international: country code - 387; no satellite earth stations
Broadcast media
3 public TV broadcasters: Radio and TV of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Federation TV (operating 2 networks), and Republika Srpska Radio-TV; a local commercial network of 5 TV stations; 3 private, near-national TV stations and dozens of small independent TV broadcasting stations; 3 large public radio broadcasters and many private radio stations
Internet country code
Internet users
total: 2,677,502
percent of population: 69.3% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 663,670
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
Military and Security
Military expenditures
1.11% of GDP (2018)
0.91% of GDP (2017)
0.99% of GDP (2016)
1% of GDP (2015)
1.03% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 112
Military and security forces
Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Oruzanih Snaga Bosne i Hercegovine, OSBiH): Operations Command (includes Army, Air, and Air Defense units), Support Command (2019)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service; mandatory retirement at age 35 or after 15 years of service for E-1 through E-4, mandatory retirement at age 50 and 30 years of service for E-5 through E-9, mandatory retirement at age 55 and 30 years of service for all officers (2014)
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 1 (2015)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1 (2015)
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 7,070 (2015)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 87mt-km (2015)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
24 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 130
Airports - with paved runways
total: 7 (2017)
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 (2017)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2017)
under 914 m: 2 (2017)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 17 (2013)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)
914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2013)
under 914 m: 11 (2013)
6 (2013)
147 km gas, 9 km oil (2013)
total: 965 km (2014)
standard gauge: 965 km1.435-m gauge (565 km electrified) (2014)
country comparison to the world: 90
total: 22,926 km (2010)
paved: 19,426 km(4,652 km of interurban roads) (2010)
unpaved: 3,500 km (2010)
country comparison to the world: 107
(Sava River on northern border; open to shipping but use limited) (2011)
Ports and terminals
river port(s): Bosanska Gradiska, Bosanski Brod, Bosanski Samac, Brcko, Orasje (Sava River)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
Serbia delimited about half of the boundary with Bosnia and Herzegovina, but sections along the Drina River remain in dispute
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 5,120 (Croatia) (2018)
IDPs: 99,000 (Bosnian Croats, Serbs, and Bosniaks displaced by inter-ethnic violence, human rights violations, and armed conflict during the 1992-95 war) (2018)
stateless persons: 90 (2018)
note: 54,501 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-December 2019)
Illicit drugs
increasingly a transit point for heroin being trafficked to Western Europe; minor transit point for marijuana; remains highly vulnerable to money-laundering activity given a primarily cash-based and unregulated economy, weak law enforcement, and instances of corruption


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The newest fad to cookbook baking is the highly popular "The Cookie Dough Lover's Cookbook" by Lindsay Landis. Lindsay is the author of the popular food blog "Love and Olive Oil" (where the infamous chocolate chip cookie dough truffles came about), is a graphic designer/small business owner by day and a food blogger/cookie dough addict by night. She lives in Nashville with her husband, Taylor and their three crazy cats.
For those of you that simply love chocolate chip cookies just for the sole reason of eating the cookie dough, you are in luck. Here is a cookbook dedicated to all things cookie dough, egg free too. No worries of salmonella here.
Inside The Cookie Dough Lovers Cookbook you'll find over 50 recipes. These recipes aren't your run of the mill cookies, in fact, most of the recipes aren't even cookie. Each recipe features homemade (and egg free) raw cookie dough front and center.
Some cookie dough treats include:
- chocolate chip cookie dough doughnuts
- chocolate nutella cookie dough crème brulee
- brown sugar macaroons with cookie dough filling
- old-fashioned cookie dough ice cream sandwiches
- cookie dough swirl marshmallows
Visit cookiedoughlovers.com to get updates, freebies, and events.
The cookbook is laid out into different sections of what you can do with cookie dough. A candy section; cookies &, brownies; cakes, custards & pies; frozen treats; indulgent breakfasts; and fun snacks & party fare. In addition, Lindsay also gives us a section on other cookie dough flavors, vegan/dairy free, gluten free, peanut butter, oatmeal raisin, sugar, almond, gingerbread. Throughout the book you find handy guides as well as key ingredients.
The recipes I personally cannot wait to try? "Cookie dough stuffed cinnamon rolls" pg. 127 and "Cookie dough cream pie" pg. 63
My first question, naturally was going to be "why a cookbook about cookie dough?" and then I thought why not. As I was flipping though your cookbook, I read that as a child your mom was the best chocolate chip cookie maker ever. And you, on occasion, were found with your whole head in the bowl trying to eat the cookie dough. Do you remember that moment?
I remember it only because there is video proof. One of my parents apparently thought two little girls crawling all over the counter with a mixing bowl on their head was cute, and thought to break out the video camera. One of these days will have to get it converted to DVD and publicly embarrass myself by sharing it. :)
What other memorable cooking/baking moment do you remember that stayed with you sparking your career in baking?
I grew up baking, so my memories of childhood are filled with batch after batch of chocolate chip cookies. I was also quite the mini-entrepreneur, hosting regular bake sales at the top of our driveway.
With each interview I do, I love finding out about what kind of taste-testers each cookbook authors have. Who do you have? I know you have your husband. Anyone else? I can only imagine the line up of people at your door if they found out what you are creating in your kitchen for this cookbook?
It'll be no surprise that I have very well-fed friends and neighbors. I should also mention my mom, who single-handedly tested a good 2/3 of the recipes in the book. I couldn't have done it without her!
chocolate chip cookie dough truffles, pg. 19
Which recipe from the book, gave you the most challenge? Which one was the easiest?
Perhaps the fudge. I initially tried to do a traditional fudge. Let's just say me and cooked sugar don't quite get along. There were many batches of fudge that ended up in the trash. Eventually, I went with a simpler powdered-sugar based fudge, and the result is out of this world.
I'm always amazed at some of the time constraints editors put on finished cookbooks. From start to finish, how long did it take you to hand in the finished product to your editors? Was there a timeframe?
4 months, including photography. Yes, it was a stressful 4 months. We were pushing to get the book out as soon as we could, before someone else beat us to it!
Were there any recipes that didn't make the cut?
Cookie dough macarons. Perhaps one of my favorites (I love anything almond!) but the recipe was so finicky that I couldn't get it to work on a regular basis. And I figured if I couldn't even follow my own recipe, probably best if it wasn't published. I'll keep working on it, because (when they work!) they're too good not to share!
Favorite brand of chocolate to use in cookie dough? I know I'm a firm believer in the highest ratio of cacao works best.
For your standard chocolate chip cookie dough semi-sweet is my favorite, and the fact that they're available in a mini size (which gives a much better dough-to-chocolate ratio in my opinion) is key. I went through an unbelievable amount of mini chocolate chips during the testing process.
Have you ever thought about opening up a cookie shop? You know selling some of your most popular recipes?
Never. I like sleeping in too much! Baking for me is still just a hobby, and I think I'll keep it that way.
For your food blog loveandoliveoil.com, when looking at recipes to try or create next, what sparks your interest most?
My sometimes odd cravings dictate much of it, so does seasonal produce and ingredients. If I see something new and interesting at the farmer's market I'll pick it up, even if I don't have any specific plans for it yet.
Don't you love how the "cookie dough movement" is changing? Cookie dough is no longer just for cookies. It's for candy, pies, cakes, etc… I wonder why it took so long to get here?
I have no idea. When I first thought of the concept for the book, I was almost shocked no one else had done it yet.
Is there a cookie dough you have yet to experiment with?
I've covered most of the classic flavors, from peanut butter to sugar cookie to gingerbread. The majority of the recipes are chocolate chip, but with a few modifications can easily be made into a different flavor.
invisible cookie dough ice pops pg. 109
Are there certain foods you just love to experiment with and/or write about?
Desserts! I have a definite sweet tooth and I think it shows.
What country would you like to visit most for their food?
I'd love to go back to Italy (my husband and I spent our honeymoon there a few years ago), also maybe France or Spain.
Favorite junk foods (besides chocolate chip cookie dough)?
Peanut butter cups, especially the dark chocolate ones from Trader Joe's.
Is there a personal favorite recipe in your cookbook? Or do you still just love to eat the cookie dough on its own?
If I HAD to pick a favorite it'd be the cover recipe - the Old Fashioned Cookie Dough Ice Cream Sandwiches. The dark chocolate cookies are soft and slightly salty, and prove to be the perfect compliment to the rich cookie dough ice cream.
Is there a second cookbook in the works?
There IS! I haven't officially announced the topic yet, but I'll say that it's pretty much the polar opposite in terms of subject matter.
Thank you so much Lindsay!
To order a copy of this cookbook click here or the image.
If you'd like a chance to win a copy of her book, leave one comment telling us what kind of recipe/creation you'd like to see made with chocolate chip cookie dough.
One comment per person.
Please have your email address in the signature line and/or in the comment.
We'll do the drawing July 18, 2012.


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Crew Leader Certification – Changing the Game
Dr. Richard Knaub, a Project Leader in Weatherization & Workforce Development at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, has been actively participating in developing Weatherization training and standards both at the state and national levels for the last several years. In anticipation of four new Home Energy Professional Certifications (offered by BPI and funded by DOE and NREL) that are almost ready for prime time, Richard has penned a couple of articles about them and why they matter. We posted them here on the IREC website.
April 30, 2012
By Dr. Richard Knaub
Reprinted with permission from Dr. Knaub
My mother just selected a contractor to replace her front door. The low bid was half of the medium bid and the medium bid was half the high bid. She didn't like any of the salesmen and the doors were pretty much the same in construction and features. So why did she pick the medium bid? My mother is a savvy shopper and knows when she's getting a deal. She is somewhat legend for her ability to get used car dealers to come down below their rock bottom price (way down below).
So why did she pick the medium bid that was twice the low bid? Short answer: it was the installation crew. Most successful contractors realize that their crews are the face of the company. Online reviews of contractors usually focus on whether the crew did what the customer was expecting. So a customer that does any online research on a company gets a pretty good idea of whether the crew knows what it's doing. Let's face it, second to used car dealers, contractors have the most consumer complaints, and most of the time it's because the crew isn't working to the highest standard of quality.
My mother had that issue with the low bid contractor. She'd had work done by the company before and had some issues with the crew. The work was good quality, the crew was polite and hard working, but it didn't go quite as she expected. Put it down to customer expectations not being met. She was willing to consider rehiring them, but there was no immediate trust there.
She didn't know the other two companies from Adam. She didn't like either of the salesmen. In fact the middle bid salesman did something that always ticks her off – he gave her a deadline. My mother hates being pressured like that. So in spite of all of that, why did she choose the middle bid?
The answer might surprise you. It was lead safe certification. The salesman with the middle bid talked to her about how the crew was lead safe certified. He provided some of the EPA handouts on renovation where lead paint might be present. Those are what she insisted on showing me. Not the information on the door, not the bid, but those EPA fliers. She complained about the salesmen and his pressure tactics. She complained about paying twice as much, but she wrote the check because that crew was lead safe certified.
Both of the other two crews were lead safe certified as well; I checked. They are both with national companies which made it a requirement for local contractors who worked with them. Just like the company my mother chose. So the low bid company lost out just because the salesman didn't hand out the EPA fliers and assure my mother that their crew was as qualified as the middle bid crew.
It appears that my mother is not that unusual of a customer. Studies on customers and their perception of certifications show that the customer perceives a certification as being important, even if they don't know what the certification itself means. My mother had no idea what lead safe means, nor did she actually read the handouts she was given to find out. But she immediately perceived it as an important factor to the selection of a contractor.
The take home message to any contractor should be that if you have certifications, you should let the customer know. The customer may not know what they mean, but words like certified, licensed and registered signify that someone is looking over your shoulder to make sure that the work you do meets a quality standard.
This is why the Home Energy Professional Crew Leader certification is such a game changer. First, it is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funded effort. For a performance contractor, having certifications backed by DOE is a selling point for the consumer. Who better than the Department of Energy knows about energy efficiency?
Second, this is the first crew leader certification in this industry's history. Yes, there are energy auditor and installer certifications. Some jurisdictions require them. Certainly many contractors realize the value of those certifications in their marketing effort. But the crew leader is a new edge that savvy contractors are going to jump on.
"All Crew Leaders are Certified Home Energy Professionals" is a pretty powerful statement in a print ad or flyer. In a live pitch, there is a chance to add that the Home Energy Professional certification is part of DOE's national guidelines and that the company therefore follows the national Guidelines for Quality Work by using certified Home Energy Professionals.
Unlike the lead safe certification, this certification is voluntary. So there will be contractors who don't get their crew leaders certified. But when a competitor puts "All Crew Leaders are Certified Home Energy Professionals" in ads and flyers, consumers are eventually going to begin wondering if this is true with other contractors they interview.
There probably is some good tap dancing that can go into answering that question if the answer is no. But even if the customer is willing to take the risk on non-certified workers, there will always be a question about quality. The work may be just fine, and consistent with the national Guidelines for Quality Work. But if the customer has that doubt going into the project, it may make it difficult to manage the customer's expectations, simply because "certification" now means something in his or her mind.
"All crew leaders are certified Home Energy Professionals" is a sound bite that taps into some basic consumer behavior. It can make the customer more receptive to finding out what a Home Energy Professional is and what other Home Energy Professionals you employ. It opens the door to talk about the national Guidelines for Quality Work which may make the consumer feel more comfortable about the proposed work, knowing it meets DOE guidelines. The contractors that can use it are likely to have a significant advantage over those that don't.
More information on this new home energy certification can be found at: www.bpi.org/pilot.


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Colorado boasts the only for-profit medical marijuana market in the country; and a look at the offerings at Local Product of Colorado, a pot dispensary with 200 regular users, evidences a talent for marketing. Among the fast-selling strains are Golden Goat and Sour Tsunami, a genetically engineered plant that has shown anti-inflammatory properties, according to Jason Katz, head of operations at the outlet. The store also carries a host of popular marijuana-infused edibles, oils and even drinks.
Business has never been easy. If mainstream small businessmen gripe about government regulations then they shouldn't consider going into the legal marijuana trade. Every step in the growing process—"from seed to sale," says Katz—is rigorously monitored by the state. The planting, growing, and processing of plants happens under the constant view of video cameras monitored by the state's Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division. No video blind spots are allowed. Truck shipments must also detail the total weight of marijuana products, in addition to the vehicle's time of departure and arrival. And every marijuana worker must be licensed, an arduous, time-consuming process.
(MORE: From Mexico to Moscow, The World Turns on to Marijuana Legalization)
That heavily regulated system, however, may have helped win passage for Colorado's Amendment 64, the recreational marijuana measure approved by voters on Election Day. It legalizes the use and possession of marijuana for people over 21 and allows them to cultivate up to six plants. Experts say that Colorado's medical marijuana regulation provides a successful model for monitoring recreational marijuana. "The thing that Colorado really has going for it is that there is already a high level of comfort and familiarity with the state licensing, taxing and regulating the above-ground distribution of marijuana," Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, tells TIME. "People had become accustomed to the notion that this can be a source of tax revenue, and that police can play a role in insuring effective regulation rather than just arresting anyone they could."
A long-standing argument in favor of marijuana legalization in Colorado is the drug's sheer revenue-generating potential. Until now, drug cartels have enjoyed the lion's share of marijuana profits. But Amendment 64 is almost certain to take a sizeable economic bite out of the black market. The law could generate up to $60 million annually for the state in combined tax revenues and savings from reduced law enforcement costs, according to the Colorado Center on Law and Policy. The amendment also calls for a 15% excise tax on wholesale marijuana sales, with the first $40 million in revenues every year earmarked for the construction of public schools. "That was certainly part of the selling point," Sam Kamin, a law professor at the University of Denver, tells TIME. "Medical marijuana and legalization have definitely been buoyed by the fact that they are a potential tax revenue source at a time when so many of those have been drying up."
But the strict oversight of medical marijuana has done more than set up Amendment 64 for regulatory success. Colorado's strident rules have, for the most part, also kept the federal government at bay. The state's Attorney General has mostly kept his hands off hundreds of dispensaries operating in the state, only targeting some that were operating within 1,000 feet of schools. "They have a policy essentially in Colorado that if you're following state law, they will leave you alone," says Brian Vicente, executive director of the non-profit Sensible Colorado, referring to the federal government.
While opinions vary, drug policy experts say that bodes well for the future of recreational marijuana in Colorado. They point to some promising signs. When California attempted to legalize recreational marijuana two years ago, for example, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder warned the state of the consequences. In Colorado's case, though, Holder has remained silent, despite repeated calls from former DEA administrators for Holder to take a strong public stance against Amendment 64. Says Nadelmann, "There's a possibility that the Obama administration will consider refraining from intervening to the extent they are persuaded that the state has come up with a responsible regulatory model that addresses their concerns."
–With reporting by Erin Skarda in Denver, Colo.
MORE: Two U.S. States Become First to Legalize Marijuana


text:
Part of a set, with the Haze Omen.
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ROSWELL, N.M. – Extreme athlete and skydiver Felix Baumgartner has canceled his planned death-defying 23-mile free fall into the New Mexico desert because of high winds.
The 43-year-old former military parachutist from Austria had hoped to become the first skydiver to break the sound barrier and shatter three other world records.
But the weather on Tuesday forced his team to cancel his planned ascent in a 55-story, ultra-thin helium balloon that was to take him to the stratosphere.
Because the balloon is so delicate, it could only take flight if winds were 2 mph or below.


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Commentaire 1
Andy Pomplun 16/04/2007 21:36
Welcome to fotocommunity.com!
Good to see you found this place, where professionals, amateurs and rookies meet to share their views of photography, show and discuss each others work.
I hope you'll find the things you were looking for when you joined and have the same fun I have since I became a member.
Don't hesitate to ask me or any other member of the team if you have any questions!
When I thought about making it easier for new members to join our community, I had the idea to write a short tutorial which might help. You can find it here:
You might also want to gather some information in our online-help. There you can learn about the different features of fotocommunity.
To get there click here:
fotocommunity - share your passion!
Best regards