text:
The following op-ed by Mr. Schwarzman ran in the Financial Times.
President Barack Obama's unusual address on America's economic woes to a joint session of Congress is vivid evidence of the problems we face. Growth in the first half of 2011 has almost stalled and we could slip into another recession. If that happens, the pain could last far longer than in the prior downturn because many weapons used then are no longer available. The Federal Reserve has exhausted its conventional resources and another huge stimulus package is politically unachievable. For the first time in my 40-year career in finance, I am genuinely concerned by our long-term economic prospects.
My concern is compounded because our ability to make economic decisions has become paralysed by political and social divisions. This problem began when the administration sought to attribute blame for the financial and economic crisis and alienated large segments of the business and banking community. They cast them as villains regardless of their culpability. Predictably, business reacted with fear and limited economic expansion, hiring and new lending. A second response to this was the rise of the Tea Party, which in turn attacked the administration and the Democrats. Unless we end targeted class warfare in the US, we cannot solve our economic problems or stop a long period of potential decline.
The US economy resembles a business badly needing turnround. Its growth is anaemic. Like many a faltering business, it has too much debt. No one, least of all S&P, believes that the latest deficit reduction package will solve this. There is too little investment. Corporations and consumers are cautious about spending, while the recent sharp drop in equity prices shows that investors do not want to risk capital in the market.
My firm has invested in, and advised on, hundreds of businesses in the past 25 years and we've seen companies successfully overcome such challenges. In each case, management had to meet three preconditions: a clear-eyed assessment, a decisive action plan, and the ability to pull together a cohesive team. While our economy is larger and far more complex than any one business, these preconditions still apply.
We have still not agreed how serious our financial situation is, let alone agreed on a plan to create jobs and ignite economic growth. For a start, we need to explain that federal spending has climbed from 20 to 25 per cent of gross domestic product, while revenues have declined from 18 per cent to about 15 per cent. To restore fiscal balance, we need over time to return to these historical ratios, some of which will occur with economic growth. Every American also needs to appreciate the gravity of having the federal government borrow 40 cents of every dollar it spends. But it is the third precondition – forming a united front – that is the key. This united front needs to include everyone – from business leaders, to hardworking hourly wage earners, to retirees, to farmers, to small business owners.
A united front is difficult when our leaders cannot even agree within their own parties, much less between Republicans and Democrats – witness the embarrassing spectacle of the debt ceiling impasse that the world watched with astonishment, and in fear of the consequences of a US default. Positions are inflexible and the debate has taken on a bitter and personal tone.
There are many possible ways to restart the economy and achieve fiscal balance, but any solution, no matter how sensible, including what the president proposed on Thursday, will be mostly dead on arrival unless we can move forward together to avert another recession. Just raising taxes on the wealthiest two per cent, for example, will not reduce a $1,300bn annual deficit enough to restore fiscal balance. For any future budget adjustments to be effective, we cannot exempt any group or special interest, except for the poor and disadvantaged.
"Shared sacrifice" sounds like cheap political rhetoric. But if we are to reform taxes and cut spending sufficiently to make a difference, virtually everyone will be affected. Broad-based tax reform will put everything on the table, from the rates we pay at every bracket to serious thinking about a flat tax regime with few or no deductions. Entitlement reform of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security will affect the benefits we receive and the amounts we all have to contribute. There will probably not be a single American untouched by the spending cuts needed in the rest of the federal budget.
I believe that most Americans will be willing to sacrifice for economic stability and a bright future for our children, if the deal falls equitably on all shoulders. I know I'd prefer the short-term pain while working together towards a shared solution to the long-term pain of another recession, social unrest, or worse.
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text:
Gibson will be cautious with Chavez, Montero
By Tyler Emerick / MLB.com
PHOENIX -- Back home following a strenuous 10-game East Coast road trip, the D-backs received a couple of reinforcements Monday, as Miguel Montero and Eric Chavez were activated from the 15-day disabled list and inserted into the starting lineup against the Padres.
For Montero, Monday marked the catcher's first action since July 28, when a lingering lower back strain forced the D-backs to put him on the shelf. In preparation for his return, the 30-year-old played six rehab games in the Arizona League (Rookie) and most recently caught nine innings on back-to-back days Friday and Saturday.
"It's definitely good to be back. It feels like I've missed a year," Montero said. "My back feels great. I played a couple games, and it feels good. I'm just excited to be back with the team."
As for Chavez, he was on the DL with left knee and right hip discomfort since Aug. 11 (retroactive to Aug. 10). The third baseman appeared in three rehab games in the Arizona League last week.
"Everything feels good, and hopefully I can come in and help the team," Chavez said. "I played a couple games while the team was on the road trip, and at that point, I knew I was ready."
Moving forward, Arizona will be cautious with Montero and Chavez to help prevent future injuries.
D-backs manager Kirk Gibson said Monday that he'll rotate backup catcher Wil Nieves in more frequently for Montero, who only missed nine games all year before hurting his back.
"Wil is going to get some catching time. Miggy won't play every day, like he was," Gibson said. "I have to be smart about that. We'll read his condition and react to it. We don't want to have him in trouble again, health-wise."
The same goes for Chavez, who has been extremely productive when healthy, but has been on the DL twice this season. In 62 games entering Monday, the 35-year-old is batting .299 with nine homers and 40 RBIs.
"I can't play him that much," Gibson said. "With his age, all the injuries and the wear and tear, you just can't play him that much. He'll say he's ready and good to go, but it seems like it always bites us. I'm going to have to be more proactive with that."
D-backs tab prospect Holmberg for spot start
PHOENIX -- Needing a spot starter in place of Trevor Cahill, who worked four innings in Arizona's 18-inning marathon game Saturday against the Phillies, the D-backs will turn to David Holmberg on Tuesday vs. the Padres. The left-hander will be called up from Double-A Mobile to make his Major League debut.
Ranked by MLB.com as the D-backs' No. 5 prospect, Holmberg is 5-7 this year with a 2.66 ERA and 115 strikeouts over 25 starts for Mobile. Arizona named the 22-year-old its Minor League Pitcher of the Month for June after he posted a 3-1 record with a 1.73 ERA in five outings. More recently, Holmberg has been even better. Through his last six starts, he boasts a 1.57 ERA.
"He has been throwing the ball good," D-backs manager Kirk Gibson said. "He has the ability to throw any pitch at any time. That's kind of who he is. He's not David Wells yet, but the way he throws, he' got a good curveball, slider, changeup, and he moves his fastball around. He just knows how to pitch. If he can keep the ball in play and let us take care of it, I like our chances."
Asked whether or not Holmberg will stay with the team past Tuesday, Gibson replied, "I don't know yet."
The D-backs acquired Holmberg along with Daniel Hudson in exchange for Edwin Jackson back in 2010 in a trade with the White Sox. He was Chicago's second-round pick in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft.
The D-backs will announce the corresponding move for Holmberg on Tuesday afternoon. The club will also have to make room for him on the 40-man roster, meaning Cody Ross (hip surgery) will likely be moved to the 60-day disabled list.
Gosewisch, Davidson sent down, could return soon
PHOENIX -- As the D-backs got a couple of veteran players back from the disabled list Monday in Eric Chavez and Miguel Montero, a pair of first-time Major Leaguers were sent back to the Minors to make room on the roster. After making their big league debuts earlier this month, Matt Davidson and Tuffy Gosewisch were optioned to Triple-A Reno on Monday.
Davidson, ranked by MLB.com as the D-backs' No. 2 prospect, hit .179 (5-for-28) with two RBIs in 12 games with Arizona, while Gosewisch batted .185 (5-for-27) with one RBI in eight games.
With rosters set to expand from 25 to 40 on Sept. 1, Davidson and Gosewisch could be back with the D-backs sooner rather than later. If and when they get their second callup, both players will return to the Majors armed with the validation that they can compete at the highest level.
"One hundred percent, I know I can play here," Gosewisch said. "I feel like I played well. I felt a lot more comfortable at the plate the last few days, and I felt comfortable catching. I got a lot of good feedback from the pitchers. They said I was doing a good job. That's good to hear, and it reaffirms that I can play in the big leagues."
"It's kind of like I got that first initial hit and felt it out," Davidson said. "Now I know I can compete up here, and I will. I saw how it's done, and it was fun. It makes you want to get back."
Hill held out of starting lineup Monday
PHOENIX -- D-backs second baseman Aaron Hill was out of the lineup Monday for the second consecutive game after leaving Saturday night's contest in Philadelphia in the bottom of the seventh due to mild tightness in his groin.
To fill the void, the D-backs moved Martin Prado to second and started Eric Chavez at third. Hill was available to pinch-hit, however, and the club expects the veteran infielder to return to action Tuesday.
"We're just going to give him another day," D-backs manager Kirk Gibson said. "We think that's the smart thing to do. He probably could play today. He was available yesterday and he's available today."
Hill has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball this month, batting .378 with four homers and 15 RBIs in 82 August at-bats.
Snake bites
• After hitting .500 (6-for-12) in four games with the Arizona League (Rookie) D-backs, Willie Bloomquist was sent to Triple-A Reno on Monday to continue his Minor League rehab assignment. The Aces are currently in Tucson for a series with the Padres' affiliate. Bloomquist (broken left hand) has been on the shelf since June 28.
Tyler Emerick is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
NBC earned a 4.0 overnight rating for the LA Kings' Stanley Cup-clinching Game 6 win over the New Jersey Devils last night, up slightly from a 3.9 for Bruins-Canucks Game 6 last year.
The 4.0 marks the best overnight for the Kings-Devils series. The game earned a 13.6 local rating in L.A.
That makes it the highest-rated hockey game on record in Los Angeles, surpassing Game 7 of the 2003 finals between the Devils and Anaheim Ducks in 2003 (10.0).
As noted by SB Nation's Steve Lepore, it was the first game of the series to see bigger numbers than the corresponding game in 2011. The 4.0 overnight, though, was the lowest for a clinching game since the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Edmonton Oilers in Game of the 2006 finals, which was the first of the post-lockout era. Boston-Vancouver wound up going to Game 7 and receiving a 5.7 overnight.
For the first time, thanks to the league's new deal with NBC Sports, every postseason game was televised nationally—either on NBC, NBC Sports, CNBC or MSNBC. Total television ratings were up for all four rounds of the playoffs; According to NBC, the average of 1.03 million viewers for all games on NBC Sports Network, over four rounds, is up 12 percent from last year. In the 18-49 age group, the viewership increase is 14 percent.
The Kings jumped out to a 3-0 first-period lead on the Devils and wound up winning 6-1. Goalie Jonathan Quick won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the postseason's most valuable player.


text: RN will be broadcasted by NTV-plus Sport, or NTV-plus Online, or Sport Plus (the detail schedule will show up a week before the event). All those channels belong to NTV and got shut down online due to copyrights restrictions. Maybe some link will show up right before the event. The said channels are available on paysite http://tvteka.com . Pissev said tickets for RN will not be in sale for public. The event will be a test event for Olympics security reasons. So, only those who applied and got 'checked' will get a 'guest card' to attend the event, whatever that all means.


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I only get 242mi on fully charged Model S (85kWh)!
I only get 242mi on fully charged Model S (85kWh)!
I believe the rating is somewhat based on your driving habits. If you're always on accelerator pedal the number will go down. If you drive slow and use cruise control that number will go way up. Ive heard guys getting 280-310 miles but my guess is they are not driving it like they stole it.
Are you referring to a standard charge or a range charge?
sharam - Welcome to the Model S family. Normally, you will select "Standard Charge" and the display will show a rated range of 242 miles. On rare occasion you will select "Range Charge" and the display will show a rated range of about 272 miles. You will find these settings in your infotainment screen under "Charging". Regardless of what the rated range shows, the actual range you get will be based on how, and where you drive, along with the comfort settings you select.
In order to maintain (extend) the life of the battery, it will never accept a 100% charge. The rated range that you initially see on a "full" charge aligns with an 81% or 91% charge. Hope my explanation helps.
240-245 is the normal number for 85kwh battery. The variance is due to when the charge finishes to when you check the next day.
It's confusing at first. I've had mine about four months and have driven about 5,000 miles. Awesome car.
Rated range = EPA estimated range which is 265 miles (vs. "300" under ideal, 55 mph, no acceleration, no hills, etc... You can set which one is shown in the dash in the preferences - personally I don't care about the "ideal" range, the rated range is closer to reality, though I get about 85-90% of the rated range in real life.
The "Standard Charge" setting charges to 90% of full capacity which is about
240 miles +/- of "rated" range, or about 240 miles. Your actual range will probably be less. I seem to use about 320-350 Wh / mile, which means at 90% capacity of 76.5 KWh (0.9 x 85 KWh) I should expect a range of 220 miles which is about what I get.
Remember that the car uses power when it's not moving, so if you charged it overnight, but didn't drive it until the following evening, instead of 240, you might see 230 miles of rated range displayed. I think it uses up power equal to about 8-15 miles of range per day (0.8 to 1.5 KW) just sitting there.
I have charged it to 100% a few times and I'd say then I got about 240-250 miles of actual range which is consistent. I'm sure I could get more range if I drove more carefully, accelerated more slowly, didn't live in hilly city, etc...
The car does a pretty good job showing power consumption but I wish they had a better display to show you range based on a few different scenarios simultaneously (ideal, rated, actual, instantaneous, etc...) Now you have to click around on the power screen a bunch to see the car's different range estimates.
One caveat - electricity is a lot more expensive when you use 30-40 KWh / day!! I think my weighted average cost is probably $0.20 - $0.25 / KWh (not the $0.06 / KWh which is PG&E's low, overnight rate - that only applies to your baseline usage which is the first 7-10 KWh per day - after that the price per KWh goes up steeply in bands... My several-days-per-week round trip is about 80 miles each time, which uses about 28 KWh. At $0.20 / KWh that's $5.60; at $0.25 / KWh that's $7.00.
Gas would cost me about $15.00 for the same trip (80 miles / 22 mpg = 3.6 gallons; x 4.20 / gal = ~ $15.00. So it's about 1/3 to 1/2 the price of gas for me.
In sane jurisdictions, price per kWh is stable or declining as you buy more. CA wants to discourage electricity use, apparently.
Brian, don't you live in Vancouver? It's not as big a jump, but BC is tiered too. Or are you saying that BC isn't a sane jurisdiction? I could go with that.
I feel for you California guys. With rates close to 0.25/kwh, the incentive to go electric is pretty reduced.
As a new California guy of 8 days, there are some ups and downs. Yes, electricity is expensive, but gas is bad as well (don't buy, just saw). On the other hand, just to confuse things, in many places electricity for EV's is free. For example, I have a parking garage immediatly on the other side of the street from my appartment garage. On the weekend, I can pull her in and get a complete charge. Tonight I needed 173 miles to get to full. Free charing, just pay the parking of 7 bucks weekend rate. Much cheaper than gas. There are a number of places where you can charge for free and it's kind a town project to provide more of them.
I got solar PV on the roof last year (in anticipation of getting thrown into higher tiered pricing with PG&E)
Currently generating around 27 KWh/day
Keeps me under baseline usage most of the time
Cost me 15K but should pay for itself in about 5 yrs; then it's all gravy
With rates of 25c/kwh the incentive to go solar is enormous. At those rates you are talking about a 4-5 year payoff followed by 20+ years of effectively free power.
Yeah, that's new. It didn't usta be like that. At least BCHydro uses the excuse of "new sources are more expensive" than their legacy dams, etc. At least the "Step 2" is only 50% higher than base, not multiples.
It's only about 10¢ max, and is averaged across the whole billing period, not in "real time". Still pretty reasonable, considering the dividing line is 22kWh/day, which is about 160% of the provincial average of about 14kWh/day, IIRC.
Also note that the 10¢ rate applies only to the excess over the allowance: "customers pay 10.34 cents per kWh for the balance of the electricity used during the billing period." It is not retro-billed for all usage. It's not "punishment" for "over-use".
Those, btw, are residential only. Commercial and industrial are structured very differently, and are much lower, AFAIK.
Here's an excerpt from the Business user pages:
"Minimum Energy Charge
$0.0285 per kWh applies when the Energy Charge (Part 1 and 2) divided by the total kWh is less than $0.0285 per kWh". The bulk of the difference comes from a $0.25/kWh credit for taking hi-voltage feed and using their own transformer(s) to knock it down.
So I've had my Model S for just over 6,000 miles now and I've observed that when I charge it in Standard mode it charges to about 238 miles of rated range. It used to charge to 242 miles of rated range in Standard mode. This is not due to overnight drain or whatever. I've actually watched it on the mobile app and noted the range when it changes from Charging to Charging complete.
Tesla says it's normal for the Standard charging mode to hit values range values inside a 10 mile range but it was a little disconcerting. I'll keep an eye on it to see if it starts degrading more.
I'm sure that over time the range will decrease a little but I wasn't expecting it to start showing up after 6K miles.
5500 miles and no degredation noticed.. still getting right around 242 daily.
Had mine now for 6 months, 4000+ miles, still 242-243 on standard charge, no appreciable degradation.
@ Brian H "CA wants to discourage electricity use, apparently."
Absolutely true. Whereas most utilities are incentivized to sell more electricity, in CA they are not. Per capita electricity usage in California has been flat for 30 years, while the rest of USA consumption has increased 50%. This is known as the "Rosenfeld Effect" after the UC Berkeley physicist and California Energy Commissioner who pioneered energy conservation policy. California ranks 48/50 in per-capita energy consumption. Another reason for high price of electricity here is that CA does not have much cheap coal nor abundant hydropower.
3500 miles -- still exactly 242 at completion of standard charge
I've gone 4000 miles and I only see about 237 mi after a standard charge. Note, I have babied the car, charged nearly every night, never charged in range mode and I'm in mild climate (North CA). I've been waiting to hear others questions this, but it sounds my car is an outlier :( (P85 FWIW).
Post Scriptum: this decline has been steady and predictable across my mileage. I hope it'll stop soon, but I'm glad that I'm under warrenty.
I will say that we do wish we had gotten the 85 rather than the 60, but only on occasion. It really depends on where you live and how you drive. We are in the foothills outside of Sacramento; therefore, trips to S.F. Napa, Stockton area are doable but not comfortably. We have to plan for charging where we're headed. Whereas with the 85, we would be able to travel without babying it and/or spending time charging. It really just depends on where you live and where you want to go. Of course, the 60 is great, we just end up taking another car when we'd really like to take the Tesla.
What I noticed from my Tesla Roadster, std charge range varies from 187-191 (that's equivalent to Model S: 237-242 - std charge). Yes mine goes up, down, up etc. In fact, I purposely go a couple of days to use up the battery (low SOC) and then charge and usually the std charge goes back up to 190-191. I've got 9500 miles on my roadster.
I don't know if Model S will react the same way. Though you might want to give it a try and report back to the forum.
3000 miles: 240-242 miles depending on day (it doesn't seem consistent at all). I did have one at 236, but that was an outlier.
What is happening on a fix for the "vampire" effect? Is that still in the works, or has Tesla abandoned it? Does anyone have any info???
Awaiting the return of sleep.
Understand; but does anyone know when the long awaited sleep will occur?
Before the Euro cars arrive in July.
Would it be too much to opine that there could be a couple of less than stellar battery cells in the almost 7000 that make up the battery pack?
I mean even just 7 cells being "bad" would only be a tenth of a percent of failed cells (if use the 7000 number)... Its not unheard of...
and that's why you could see "a little less" range after a charge...


text:
I went to college at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, a place where Tar Heels basketball fans dominate the local sports scene, but they pale in comparison to Red Sox Nation. I don't think there's a city anywhere where fans support a team as well as the Red Sox.
Playing in Boston has been an eye-opening experience in that respect. I had played my whole career in Kansas City prior to joining Boston. K.C. is a football-town first, while, despite the Patriots' great success, baseball still rules Boston.
I say that for a number of reasons, foremost being the fan base in Boston and throughout New England. Then you factor in the Red Sox long history and the fact that we play at Fenway Park -- the game's most nostalgic stadium. But I think the biggest difference from a player's standpoint is that the team and the fans expect you to win every game.
When I first heard the news in 2006 that I was joining the Red Sox, I was extremely excited. It was great to know that I was going to a place where the games were suddenly meaningful. Prior to coming to Boston, I had never played for a club in a city that basically revolves around the ballclub.
When you play in an intense baseball city like Boston, I think the key is to just be yourself. That is the best advice that I can give someone who is coming here because that is the approach I take out there every night.
After spending parts of three seasons with the Royals, Kyle Snyder joined the Red Sox in the latter half of the '06 season. At 6-foot-8 -- the tallest player on the club -- Snyder appeared in 46 games for Boston in 2007, posting a 3.81 ERA over 54 1/3 innings.
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Pacers and Bulls are a threat because of their defensive abilities but struggle on offense. Miami beat Indy with out Bosh last year. Bulls are the same way. Even with a 100% Rose they couldnt beat Miami. At the end of the day the power of Wade and James, and the added effort of others will defeat those teams.
Now with the knicks, if the knicks were the same team they were in Nov/Dec and Miami was playing lack luster, then yeah I can agree but the Knicks have declined in every category defensively since the end of December. They're last in assist which means there is more iso ball and team ball. Playing like that is no threat to Miami. The only legitimate defensive threat is Tyson and when he is on the bench it's basically a lay up line. (Clippers game prime example). No hard feelings tho. I am just talking basketball
and cute flip flop joke at the end too bro


text: If you have purchased a dog from Wizard of Claws in Florida, the following press release may be helpful to you Media Release CONTACTS: MI K. KIM, ESQ. MARCY I. LAHART, ESQ Feldman & Getz, LLP Marcy I. LaHart, PA. 155 NW 167th Street 711 Talladega Street Penthouse West Palm Beach, FL 33405 (305) 770-0003 (561) 655-9537 email@example.com email@example.com December 12, 2003 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PUPPY STORE SUED FOR MISLEADING CUSTOMERS, SELLING SICK PUPPIES (Pembroke Pines, FL) Two South Florida attorneys have filed a lawsuit on behalf of customers that bought puppies from Wizard of Claws Inc., alleging that the Pembroke Pines pet store defrauds customers by intentionally misrepresenting the origin of the puppies sold, and by selling puppies that suffer from a wide array of health problems, including contagious diseases and genetic disorders. Although Wizard of Claws has told customers that their puppies were imported from "reputable" breeders in South America, according to the complaint filed yesterday Broward County Circuit Court, in reality the puppies were obtained from large scale commercial breeding facilities in Missouri, commonly known as a "puppy mills", where animal welfare concerns are wholly secondary to profits. Plaintiff Shannah Diaz of Miami purchased a Maltese puppy, "Prince," from Wizard of Claws on September 6, 2002 for $950.00. Prince suffered from a congenital bleeding disorder, and died from internal hemorrhaging when he was less than a year old. After Prince died, Diaz began to suspect that Prince had come from a puppy mill, and asked a Wizard of Claws. "They assured me that my puppy had come from a reputable private breeder " Diaz .said, "but I later discovered that my puppy had been shipped to Florida from a commercial breeder in Missouri. " Wizard of Claws refused to reimburse any of Diaz's vet bills. According to the Humane Society of the United States, the documented problems of puppy mills include overbreeding, inbreeding, minimal veterinary care, poor quality of food and shelter, lack of socialization with humans, overcrowded cages, and the killing of unwanted animals. To the unsuspecting consumer, this often means buying a puppy facing an array of immediate veterinary problems or harboring genetically borne diseases that may not be detected until much later. Wizard of Claws, which claims to specialize in "tiny, tea-cup size puppies" sells puppies from its Pembroke Pines store and over the Internet. Plaintiff Mary Ibarra of San Antonio, Texas ordered an English Bulldog from Wizard of Claws, and knew that something was very wrong with her new puppy moments after "Gracie" arrived from at the San Antonio International Airport. Gracie, who had received a clean bill of health from Wizard of Claws veterinarian of choice Dr. Jan Bellows, walked on her wrists and she kept falling down on her back legs. Gracie was soon diagnosed as suffering from severe hip dysplasia with early onset arthritis. Gracie's hip sockets are so bad that they do not have a cup to hold the ball of the joint, and she needs at least two surgeries. If the surgeries are not successful Gracie will have to be euthanized. Wizard of Claws refuses to assist with the costs of the surgeries, or to even reimburse the $1200.00 Ibarra paid for the pup. The lawsuit, which alleges fraud, breach of warranty and multiple counts of violating the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, asks that the plaintiffs be reimbursed for the purchase price of their puppies as well as the veterinary expenses incurred as a result of the purchase an unhealthy pup. NOTE: Some of the victims of Wizard of Claws and other animal lovers will be demonstrating outside the store at 9101Taft Street, Pembroke Pines tommorow, Saturday, December 13th starting at 11:00 am. Attorneys Mi Kim and Marcy LaHart will be present to answer any questions concerning the case.


text: Hello I have a 1959 R60 that I want to if not restore than at least get running well and fixed up a little. The thing is that, while I can handle some of the basic things, I am not equipped with the knowledge or the tools needed to restore the engine. I rode it to my garage so it will run; however, it was a bear to start and runs really rough (been sitting for years in my mother-in-law's garage) and also is prone to serious tank slapper attacks! I have started to re-build the steering column and a few other items. Now I will get to the point...what I am wondering is if there is anyone in OHIO, other than Re-Psycle, that would be interested in helping with this project. I am not asking for free help I would pay for any labor and parts or whatever is needed. Just wondering if anyone does this or knows anybody who might be interested. Thanks


text:
Apomorphine is used to treat ''off'' episodes (times of difficulty moving, walking, and speaking that may happen as medication wears off or at random) in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD; a disorder of the nervous system that causes difficulties with movement, muscle control, and balance) who are taking other medications for their disorder. Apomorphine will not work to prevent ''off'' episodes, but will help improve symptoms when an ''off'' episode has already begun. Apomorphine is in a class of medications called dopamine agonists. Apomorphine works by mimicking the action of dopamine, a natural substance in the brain that is lacking in patients with PD.
Apomorphine comes as a solution to inject subcutaneously (just under the skin) and not into a vein. Apomorphine is usually injected when needed, according to your doctor's directions. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Use apomorphine exactly as directed. Do not use more or less of it or use it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Your doctor will give you another medication to take when you are using apomorphine. This medication will help decrease your chance of developing upset stomach and vomiting while you are using apomorphine, especially during the beginning of treatment. Your doctor will ask you to begin taking the other medication a few days before you begin to use apomorphine, and to continue taking the other medication for a few months. Do not stop taking the other medication until your doctor tells you to stop.
Your doctor will probably start you on a low dose of apomorphine and gradually increase your dose, not more than once every few days. Ask your doctor what to do if you do not use apomorphine for longer than 1 week. Your doctor will probably tell you to use a low dose and gradually increase your dose again.
Apomorphine solution comes in a glass cartridge to use with an injector pen. Some needles are provided with your pen and additional needles are sold separately. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about the type of needle you need. Always use a new, sterile needle for each injection. Never reuse needles and never let a needle touch any surface except the place where you will inject the medicine. Throw away used needles in a puncture-resistant container kept out of reach of children. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about how to throw away the puncture-resistant container.
You will receive your first dose of apomorphine in your doctor's office. After that, you can inject apomorphine yourself or have a friend or relative perform the injections. Your doctor will train the person who will be injecting the medication, and will test him to be sure he can give the injection correctly. Be sure that you and the person who will be giving the injections read the manufacturer's information for the patient that comes with apomorphine before you use it for the first time at home.
Be sure you know what numbers on the injector pen show your dose. Your doctor may have told you how many milligrams you need to use, but the pen is marked with milliliters. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure how to find your dose on the injector pen.
The apomorphine injector pen is only for use by one person. Do not share your pen with anyone.
Be careful not to get apomorphine solution on your skin or in your eyes. If apomorphine does get on your skin or in your eyes, immediately wash your skin or flush your eyes with cold water.
You can inject apomorphine in your stomach area, upper arm, or upper leg. Do not inject into an area where the skin is sore, red, bruised, scarred, infected, or abnormal in any way. Use a different spot for each injection, choosing from among the spots you have been told to use. Keep a record of the date and spot of each injection. Do not use the same spot two times in a row.
To use the apomorphine injector pen, follow these steps:
This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Before using apomorphine,
Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.
This medication is usually taken as needed.
Apomorphine may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
Some side effects can be serious. The following symptoms are uncommon, but if you experience any of them, call your doctor immediately:
Some laboratory animals who were given apomorphine developed eye disease. It is not known if apomorphine increases the risk of eye disease in humans. Talk to your doctor about the risks of using this medication.
Apomorphine may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.
If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online ( Web Site) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).
Keep this medication in the cartridge it came in and out of reach of children. Store the cartridge and injector pen in the carrying case, at room temperature away from dust, moisture (not in the bathroom) and cold or hot temperatures. Never store the pen with a needle attached. Throw away any medication cartridge that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication.
In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.
Symptoms of overdose may include:
Keep all appointments with your doctor.
Do not let anyone else use your medication or injector pen. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.
Apomorphine solution may stain fabric and other surfaces. If you do spill or drip apomorphine solution on a surface, you may wash it with lemon juice to prevent a stain from forming. Bleach will remove apomorphine stains, but should not be used on upholstery.
You may clean your apomorphine pen with a damp cloth as needed. Never use strong disinfectants or wash your pen under running water.
It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.
AHFS® Consumer Medication Information. © Copyright, The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc., 7272 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland. All Rights Reserved. Duplication for commercial use must be authorized by ASHP.
Last Reviewed: February 1, 2009.
EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Copyright © EBSCO Information Services. All rights reserved.


text: Biology , Integrated Freshman Learning Experience H111 and H112 Ellison, V, and Rebec, G Acceptance to IFLE project. Two semester intensive seminar/laboratory experience exploring the interdisciplinary nature of modern life sciences. The course involves a 6 week Summer research experience followed by 3 consecutive 10 week intensive courses exploring biochemistry,cellular/molecular biology, and neuroscience through lectures and participation in laboratory exercises.


text:
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text:
State police say officers were called to a disturbance Thursday night at an apartment in Paragould. State police spokesman Bill Sadler says that officers were met by a man holding a butcher knife.
Sadler says police opened fire when the man refused to drop the knife and came toward the officers.
State police identified the man as 37-year-old Timmy Dewayne Myrick. Paragould police say he was pronounced dead at the scene by the Greene County coroner.
Special agents with Arkansas State Police are investigating the fatal shooting and will forward their findings to prosecutors.


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IT'S never easy to silence school children, but there's one event which silences millions.
Grey clouds may be building over Central Queensland, but at 11am, thousands of Queenslanders will lower their heads and hush for just one minute at more than 130 Remembrance Day services across the state.
But students at Allenstown State School marked the moment early on Friday, joining in a World Record Attempt to have the most children reading at one time.
The students participated in the national 'Read2Remember' event which aimed to have students from all over Australia read a Remembrance Day poem at 11am on Friday.
The poem was Queensland poet Rupert McCall's 'Pledge of Remembrance'.
Before the reading, children also spent time learning about the significance of Remembrance Day by viewing displays from the CQ Military and Artefacts Museum.
Remembrance Day pays tributes to the ANZACs who have died or suffered through wars, conflicts and peace keeping operations around the world.
RSL Queensland CEO Chris McHugh said it was particularly important this year to remember the seven Australian soldiers killed while on duty in 2012.
"In the past decade, 39 Australian Defence Force personnel aged from 21 to 41 have been killed on duty in Afghanistan," Mr McHugh said.
"More than 240 other soldiers and sailors have suffered amputations, fractures, gunshot wounds, hearing loss or brain injury.
"While their losses cannot be remedied, we can honour their sacrifices by ensuring that their mission and their families are not forgotten or neglected."
The Australian Minister for Veterans' Affairs Warren Snowdon also urged Australians to support the RSL Poppy Day Appeal by wearing a poppy on Remembrance Day.
The Poppy Appeal raises funds to help current and former serving personnel and their families in times of crisis, illness or distress.
"On the eve of Remembrance Day 2012, 94 years after the guns fell silent on the Western Front, it is important that we remember the more than 60,000 Australians who died in World War I, those who have died since and those who continue to risk their lives in the service of our nation," Mr Snowdon said on Friday.
The red Flanders Poppy was among the first plants to grow on the battlefields of the First World War following the conflict.
Mr Snowdon urged Australians to support the RSL's Poppy Day Appeal and wear a poppy on Remembrance Day. .
A service will be held at 11am at the John Leak Memorial on Huish Drive opposite Victoria Park.
The community is invited to a service at Gracemere & District RSL Cenotaph in James St, Gracemere from 10.35am.
PLEDGE OF REMEMBRANCE - By Rupert McCall
The Australian soldier grows not old, the flame still lights his eyesAlthough his body lays to rest, his flag forever fliesOn the green and gold horizon where the wattles sweep and swayIt flies amongst the gardens and the classrooms of today
Over ocean streams and backyard dreams, above the sunburnt plainThrough harvest yields, on sporting fields, in rainbows after rainIt defines a life worth living and a day that must be wonFor every father's daughter and for every mother's son
But more than that, the honour claimed in fighting for the freeThe pride of the Australian soldier burns in you and meWhen the night is dark and dangerous with the rumble of the stormHis courage calls the sunrise and his spirit makes it warm
We will not forget their sacrifice - the strength of their endeavourFor the choices we are gifted with, that flame will burn foreverWith a smile that lights the future shining brightly in our scopeWe will stand as one, together - we will carry on with hope
But as we go, we take the words that rightfully belong
"I am young and I am worthy, I am brave and I am strongIn the face of any challenge, I will strive to rise aboveI deserve this opportunity to live, to learn, to loveI can truly make a difference; my path is up to meAnd this is my commitment - be the best that I can be."
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He's a dud in the bedroom
Happy Leap Day.
We have an extra day this month, so shouldn't we have an extra letter?
We won't chat today, but check back at 1 p.m. for a link (right here) to a Leap Letter.
Hi Meredith,
I've been dating my boyfriend for a little more than a year and a half. He's 33; I'm 27. We were casual acquaintances for about two years before we started dating, and are fairly serious now. I love him for many reasons, including his sense of humor, his love of sports, his intelligence, his love of dogs, his sociable and extroverted nature, and his unconditional support of me in whatever endeavor I've undertaken. However (and of course there is a however), he is terrible in bed. Our sex life is an absolute dud.
It was incredibly underwhelming right from the start, but he had enough good qualities for me to want to work through this issue. He is a former frat boy and spent his college (and post-college) years with a variety of ladies who he obviously did not try to please. Before me, as he admitted himself, his standard operating procedure was to take, take, take, not give. I told him the status quo was not going to cut it with me, and he has since tried very hard to be a giving partner. At first he complained a lot about back pain, and he blamed that for why our sex life had to be very simple. But then he and I got to exercising together, and dropped a significant amount of weight. His performance got significantly better for months, but the last couple have seen us right back where we started. He's been blaming back/hip/leg pain for his inability to perform, or whatever other physical excuse he can find, and it's making me feel awful. He plays a competitive sport a few times a week and he runs regularly with me, but nothing changes in the bedroom.
I feel ugly and undesirable most of the time we are intimate because I'm not getting what I need from him in this setting, and no matter how many conversations we have about it (outside of the bedroom, usually, when things are calm and there's no pressure to perform at hand), no lasting changes have been made. I'm tired of breaking down in tears after yet another failed attempt, and this is becoming a deal-breaker. I don't know how to fix it. I am out of ideas. Please help.
– Tears in the Bedroom
There are many variations of "simple," TITB. Try to figure out other ways that "simple" can work for both of you. I mean, I can't run on pavement or flat surfaces for more than a few minutes, but that doesn't mean I have to stick to the elliptical machine at the gym. I can also do that stair climber machine, and I can walk at an incline on a treadmill. I can also do the elliptical machine backwards without aggravating with my shin splits. Catch my drift?
I'm sure that a sex therapist would have a lot to say about this, but as a brain-focused person, I'm mostly worried about your self-esteem, his apathy, and what the bedroom issue means about your relationship. So much of great physical intimacy is about eye contact, emotional bonding, and the ability to be playful with a partner. It sounds like you're missing some of that big stuff, and maybe not just in the bedroom.
As you try to redefine "simple," please spend some time thinking about whether you feel intimacy in your daily emotional life. Yes, he's a great guy with a dog and a sense of humor, but is there real chemistry in your relationship? Is there a romantic, intimate bond? Or is he basically a fantastic friend who signed on to be your boyfriend? Something tells me that the tears are about the big picture. Please take some time to think about all of it before you decide what counts as a deal-breaker.
Readers? It sounds like she's already approached this guy about their bedroom problems in a thoughtful way. What else can she do? And what's the other side of the story here? Is this just about their sex life? Discuss.
– Meredith


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I was born in Richmond Hill, Ontario, but I actually grew up in a town about 20 minutes away called Newmarket.
There's nobody else from my town playing here in the big leagues. There was Minor League baseball there when I was growing up, and great coaches, but nobody else from the area has advanced to the Major Leagues.
There are more baseball players than you might imagine in the greater Toronto area. Other than British Columbia, the Toronto area probably has more kids playing ball than any other place in Canada.
Wanting to play baseball in college, I decided to attend Galveston Community College in Texas. Other Canadian players had gone to Galveston and the school had a good reputation. I figured that Galveston was a good fit for me.
After my second year there, I thought I would be drafted, but unfortunately, it just didn't work out. After that, I reverted to that "scared" mode. I wasn't sure whether I would ever be drafted.
I seriously considered going to the University of Nebraska to play, but then I got an opportunity to sign with the Braves and decided to take it rather than going through the uncertainty of going to college and trying to be drafted again.
It wasn't a huge contract. One of the Braves' bird-dog scouts, Bill Clark, saw me play and offered me a deal, but it didn't let me play until the following summer. It was hard to take because that was a lot of time to give up.
Looking back, had I known what the contract specifically entailed, I might not have gone through with it. I don't think I would advise my kid to do it. But, hey, it worked out in the end, so I can't really complain. I did get kind of lucky, though.
When you're a Canadian, getting seen by scouts often enough to be drafted can be difficult. You're at the mercy of whether the clubs' northern-based scouts make the time to travel to Canada to see you play. By attending school in the southern part of the United States, you increase your chances of being seen.
You also battle the perception that because you live in the North, you're rawer than other prospects. A lot of people don't realize that most of us play a full college schedule and then another 70 games in the summer.
Someone just needs to stick their neck out for us to get a chance. I know of a lot of great players up in Canada who just didn't get an opportunity because no one was willing to take a chance on them.
Pete Orr, a utility infielder for the Braves, completed his second season in 2006, hitting .253 in 102 games. Orr, who played for Team Canada in the 2006 World Baseball Classic, makes his offseason home in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada.
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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by Jamie Buckingham
Every year, for the last 15 years, a group of us—dressed in old clothes, carrying shotguns, rifles and sleeping bags—have gathered in a little hunting cabin deep in the swamps of south Florida.
We come from different towns and states. Each year we add or subtract someone, but the core group has remained the same. The four days are spent in the woods southwest of Lake Okeechobee on the edge of the Florida Everglades—30 miles from the nearest phone.
Early mornings and late evenings, we wait in deer stands in trees or walk through the woods with our guns. Nights, we gather in the little cabin with its tin roof, nestled deep in a hammock—a thick stand of oak, cypress and palm trees surrounded by a slough.
This year was different from all the other years. Months earlier, when news spread that I might be dying of cancer, the men had prayed for me. When I arrived, there were genuine tears of thanksgiving. My old friends, you see, had wondered if my cot might be the one left vacant.
Something else was different. The thrill of the hunt was still there; but rather than taking life, my purpose had changed. I had come to get quiet—and talk to God. Martin Buber, the Jewish theologian, once described God as "wholly other." I used to think of Him that way. Distant. Apart, A Creator removed from His creation.
Last summer, though, I discovered Him as Abba. He's my Daddy, and He loves me far more than I loved my sons who accompanied me on the trip. The last morning of the hunt, the alarm went off at 4 a.m. Rather than going out. I opted to stay in camp alone. I snuggled into my sleeping bag and listened as the men dressed, checked their weapons and quietly made their way outside.
I heard someone start the big swamp buggy. Minutes later, men aboard, it rumbled out into the darkness, its oversized airplane tires squishing across the swamp, taking the men to their tree stands.
Just before dawn, I got up, dressed and walked outside. The brilliant stars provided light as I found a huge oak that formed a natural chapel. I sat on a low branch, my back against the rough bark of the trunk, watching as the sun resurrected the world. Few things on earth match the beauty of a Florida sunrise over the Everglades.
Slowly the sky turned from blue-velvet to a brilliant rose. The forest shook off its sleep, wakening its inhabitants. A squirrel barked. Birds chirped. In the pond to my left, herons stretched and strutted. A hawk swept through the sky, screeching his warning.
A mother raccoon, followed by three little ones, ambled by—pausing now and then to scratch at the earth. Somewhere behind me a bull alligator bellowed his hunger. An armadillo rustled in the high grass, and squirrels chased each other up and down the rafters of my oaken chapel.
Across the glade, veiled in the early morning mist, I knew my sons—high in their tree stands—were sharing what I was experiencing. It was then I realized I had been talking to God. Nothing profound. Just "thanks talk" for all the little things around me—spider webs and inchworms.
It had been going on for almost an hour. Now it was time to leave. I had agreed to fix the coffee and have breakfast ready when the hunters returned. "Father, I have to go." For the first time that morning, He spoke back. His plaintive words were those of my 93-year-old mother, who always says the same thing when I leave after visiting her in the nursing home. "Don't go yet. I miss you so!"
Before me was the picture of a Father who is lonely. His children seldom stop by to see Him—and if they do, it's always to complain or beg. I felt tears forming and sat back down on my rough pew.
The words of an old song came to mind. My God and I go through the fields together. We walk and talk as good friends should and do. We clasp oar hands, our voices ring with laughter.
My God and walk through the meadow's hue. My life, it seems, is filled with "kitchen things"—fixing food for others. That morning, however, I understood what Jesus meant when He said to Martha, "Mary has chosen what is better." Nothing is as important as wasting time with God.
From 1979 until his death, Jamie Buckingham (1932-1992) wrote the "Last Word" column for Charisma magazine, which originally published this article. He was the editor of Ministry Today magazine at his untimely death in February 1992—20 years ago.
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text: Is coming out on Nov 3 and this link has the details on the bonus features. Not as expensive as I thought it would be and is out about a month earlier than I expected too. I'm getting this...held off on buying the DVD when it came out a couple months ago. http://www.mania.com/alexander-cast-sif-thor_article_117798.html


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Last jutsu learned;
(Doton: Doro Ookami) - Earth Release: Mud Wolves
Rank: B
Type: Offensive, Supplementary
Range: Short
Chakra cost: 20 (+10 per reformed wolf)
Damage points: 10 damage per wolf attack
Description: A trap technique in which the user will place somewhere and is activated upon contact with the opponent's chakra. The user uses a scroll to lay the trap in which releases mud that forms into the shape of wolves that will attack the enemy target/s. Despite being damaged the wolves can reform which can keep the enemy occupied to allow the enemy make a getaway. (Can only create a maximum of 3 mud wolves)
Note: Takes one turn to set the trap up and wolves only last two turns
last training thread for doton;
Thx for training me! :D


text:
Expect a strange sight on the sidelines Friday night at Fort Lewis College.
Much less of the familiar foot-stomping floor general of the Skyhawks. None, in fact.
Fort Lewis head mens basketball coach Bob Hofmans familiar face wont be present for the first time in a long time.
Hofman, currently in his 16th season with the Skyhawks, will take a medical leave of absence from the Skyhawks, pending approval from the schools human resources department, for an undetermined amount of time.
Fortunately, the absence has nothing to do with his heart, which he had problems with within the last 18 months. The issue is with his left shoulder, which hes had surgery on in the last year, and his ear.
It was a decision made after discussions over the course of the last several weeks with FLC athletic director Gary Hunter, who voiced his support for the move. Hofmans return date will be determined by how quickly he can overcome those two issues, so the hiatus could last as little as a couple weeks or as long as the rest of the season.
The goal, regardless of how long it takes, is to ensure Hofmans health.
I need to, as quickly as possible, go away and get better, Hofman said. Meaning finding various doctors that can diagnose the correlation with the shoulder and my ear.
In the meantime, associate head coach Bob Pietrack will assume head coaching duties on an interim basis. Pietrack played for Hofman at Fort Lewis and currently is in his ninth season as an assistant with the Skyhawks.
And while these arent the circumstances under which he wanted to assume the head coaching role, Pietrack said hes confident both he and the team will be able to adjust ahead of todays game with New Mexico Highlands.
Just like anything, we have a slogan in our program that the great ones adjust, Pietrack said. Its one of Coach Hofmans favorites. And this is just an example of having to adjust, and we plan on adjusting.
Senior center Torrey Udall echoed the same sentiments. And Udall, Pietrack and Hofman all pointed out that this years senior leadership is strong enough to help shoulder the burden.
I think with our senior leadership a lot of guys have spent a good amount of time here were not going to miss a beat, Udall said.
Hunter said he has plenty of confidence in Pietracks ability to keep the team on an upward trajectory and in contention for a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title, no matter how long Hofman is sidelined.
Our first concern and our first obligation is to Bob and his health, and its convenient that we have an experienced assistant coach in Bob Pietrack, who I have a tremendous amount of confidence in, and Dan Steffensen is coming along very nicely as an assistant, Hunter said.
The timing of the maladies is unfortunate, as the No. 25 Skyhawks are in the midst of the best start in program history at 9-1, and they sit just one game behind in the loss column in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
To foster the easiest transition possible, Hofman will remove himself entirely from the situation to focus on his health. No dropping in on practice; no watching games from the bleachers. Only getting healthy as soon as possible.
You cant be half in and half out. Im going to be seeing various doctors at various places at various times as soon as possible, Hofman said. So its not fair to the program to be a little bit here and a little bit not. And its been basically mandated, and I totally concur, that I have to get better and get back. But I cant do both while Im doing the job.
A complete break is key for another reason. Itll help determine whether coaching is exacerbating any of the issues.
If that isnt the case, dont expect this move to be permanent. If hes physically able to resume his duties, Hofman, owner of a 424-273 overall record as a college coach, has no plans to retire anytime soon.
After all, hes been involved with basketball for nearly 50 years. That kind of basketball jones isnt easy to kick overnight.
To be determined. Hopefully sooner rather than later, Hofman said.


text:
Egypt hits 'new low' on NGO restrictions
|Amnesty International
|Publication Date
|21 February 2013
|Cite as
|Amnesty International, Egypt hits 'new low' on NGO restrictions, 21 February 2013, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/512737832.html [accessed 23 January 2018]
|This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
A move by Egyptian authorities to prohibit national NGOs' contact with foreign organizations without prior permission from security bodies represents a new low for freedom of association, said Amnesty International.
In a letter to the NGO the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights, Egypt's Ministry of Insurance and Social Affairs stated that no "local entity" is permitted to engage with "international entities" in any way without the permission of the "security bodies", referring to instructions issued by the Prime Minister.
Amnesty International has obtained a copy of the letter. The vague language on "international entities" is likely to include both international human rights organizations and UN bodies.
"NGOs in Egypt already face staggering restrictions, but this instruction is a new low," said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International's Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa. "It is a disturbing indicator of what may lie ahead for human rights groups in the government's new law."
Under current legislation the numerous obstacles faced by NGOs include restrictions on registration and obtaining foreign funding. Drafts of new laws seen by Amnesty International tighten restrictions even more in some cases severely limiting the ability of NGOs to conduct fact-finding visits and other essential activities, as well as further restricting funding.
"We fear that the authorities are yet again trying to push through legislation to stifle civil society to prevent criticism," said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui.
Since the 25 January Revolution' of 2011 the Egyptian authorities have continued cracking down on international organizations and human rights groups.
In July 2011, the Egyptian government launched an investigation into the foreign funding of NGOs, leading to an unprecedented series of raids on both international and local civil society groups in December of that year.
Following the raids, 43 staff members of international organizations were put on trial on charges of operating without official registration and obtaining foreign funding without the authorities' permission. Amnesty International has urged the authorities to drop the charges.
"The authorities must stop using independent civil society organizations as scapegoats for all the ills of Egypt," said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui. "Banning contacts with international entities' invokes Mubarak-era practices that the current President had pledged to break with."
"We're urging the Egyptian authorities to ensure that any legislation to replace the NGO law is in line with international law, respects the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of association, and is based on transparent consultations with human rights organizations and other NGO."
Egypt's government has recently faced criticism over another new draft law limiting freedom of assembly, amid reports of other restrictive laws being on their way.
The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights was refused government permission last year to work on a freedom of association project.


text:
Examining Muddy Waters' Track Record
Singapore commodities firm Olam International came out fighting on Wednesday with a detailed rebuttal against allegations from short-seller Muddy Waters, questioning the company's accounting practices and solvency.
Muddy Waters raised eyebrows with its latest target because it has traditionally picked on Chinese companies listed in North America. Olam also counts Singaporean state investment fund Temasek Holdings Pte Ltd. as a large shareholder.
Olam's shares have suffered since Muddy Waters founder Carson Block raised questions about the company at a conference in London last week. A look back at Muddy Waters' past targets shows that while some have been all but totally decimated by the accusations, others have fared better, at times finding new leases on life as private companies.
A paper manufacturer and distributor based in Hebei province and listed on NYSE Euronext's American Stock Exchange, Orient Paper was Muddy Waters' first target. A report on the company was issued in June 2010. The report said Orient Paper had overstated its 2009 revenue by about 40 times, and that it overvalued its assets by at least 10 times. Orient Paper commissioned an independent investigation into the allegations, led by its audit committee, and rebutted all of Muddy Waters' allegations. A spokeswoman later told the WSJ the company's business wasn't hurt in the long run, but its stock price is still suffering. The stock is trading at $1.97, down from above $8 before Muddy Waters' report was published.
Muddy Waters published a report on the Chinese equipment maker in November 2010, alleging that the company overinflated its revenue and that many of its customer relationships don't exist. It also said RINO was "draining cash from the company" for personal uses. RINO's chief executive acknowledged later to the board and the company's auditor that RINO "did not in fact enter into two of the six" customer contracts that Muddy Waters said were false, and that there "might be problems" with 20% to 40% of the company's other contracts. The Securities and Exchange Commission suspended its trading in April 2011 at $1.71 for failing to disclose to shareholders that investigators looking into fraud allegations at RINO had resigned.
China Media Express Holdings
Muddy Waters released a report on the advertising firm, which sells ad space on video screens installed in buses, in February 2011. So did another short-seller, Citron Research; both short sellers said they acted independently of each other. Muddy Waters alleged that MediaExpress had fewer than half the 27,200 buses it said it had in its network, a charge the company denied. The company counted former American International Group Inc. head Maurice "Hank" Greenberg as an investor. His investment vehicle later sued MediaExpress. MediaExpress's auditor, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, resigned in March, and the company was suspended from trading in March. In May, Nasdaq delisted its shares, having dropped to $1.70 from about $23 in January.
Muddy Waters claimed in a report in April 2011 that the water-treatment equipment supplier had forged its audit report, and that it severely overstated its revenues. Trading in the company's shares were halted that month, after four of the six independent members of its board resigned, citing dissatisfaction with company's management in the independent review of the company's internal controls. The New York Stock Exchange delisted its depositary shares in June this year, and said the company was no longer suitable to be listed after it failed to file on a time basis its annual report with the SEC.
Sino-Forest Corp.
This is the one that put Muddy Waters on the map, with a report released in June 2011. Muddy Waters took aim at the Toronto-listed timber company, saying it grossly exaggerated the value of its plantation assets. Sino-Forest denied the allegations. Canadian regulators imposed a cease trade order on Sino-Forest in August last year, alleging the company may have "misrepresented" some of its timber holdings. Sino-Forest filed for creditor protection in March this year, after the Toronto Stock Exchange said it would delist the common shares of the company for failure to meet listing requirements. The delisting came after Ernst & Young LLP resigned as Sino-Forest's auditor. In July, Sino-Forest said it had failed to find a buyer.
There was a marked difference in Muddy Waters' approach to this company compared with previous targets. Rather than releasing a full-blown report, Muddy Waters merely published an open letter to the company's chairman in June 2011, based on public filings. Mr. Block said in a TV interview he wasn't a "ninja assassin" trying to take the stock down, but simply tried to raise questions regarding the company's accounting and management changes. It sent the stock down more than 30%, but Spreadtrum's stock price has since recovered, trading higher than before Muddy Waters published the report.
Muddy Waters issued a report on another advertising firm in November last year, accusing Focus Media of overstating the number of liquid-crystal-display screens it uses to display ads in China, and overpaying for acquisitions to hide losses. Focus Media's shares plunged, but recovered somewhat after the report was released, as the company tried to restore confidence in the company by announcing shortly after that its top executive would purchase shares in a block trade, and paid out a quarterly dividend in January. Focus Media denied the accusations. Focus Media is now in the process of being taken private, after a consortium including its chief executive and chairman, and private-equity firms including Carlyle Group and FountainVest Partners, offered $27 a share for the company, valuing it at roughly $3.66 billion.
Muddy Waters released a report on the Nasdaq-listed maker of metallic wire in April, but it didn't have quite the same effect on the company's stock as in previous cases. After dropping 11%, Fushi Copperweld's share price quickly bounced back the next day. Like Spreadtrum, Muddy Waters also didn't publish a detailed report on the company, but released a video in which founder Carson Block discussed the company. Fushi Copperweld agreed to a $364 million offer to be taken private by its chairman and co-chief executive, as well as private-equity firm Abax Global Capital in June.
New Oriental Education & Technology Group
In July, Muddy Waters claimed in a report that the company, the largest provider of private educational services in China, that not all of the company's 664 schools were self-operated, but were operated by franchisees, which New Oriental consolidated into its earnings as its own. New Oriental maintained that all of its schools and learning centers belonged to the company. The report sent New Oriental's shares down 37% immediately, and though the shares quickly climbed back up, they haven't returned to the level before which the report was published. The company announced a stock purchase in July and agreed not to sell any of its shares for six months.


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I'd be glad if someone could help me to identify a fossil I've purchased in an online auction. It's a cetacean vertebra which belonged to an older German collection, sadly I don't know where the object was found. However most fossils in the collection originate from northeastern Germany, so I suppose the vertebra might also come from the same area. The vertebra is approximately 42cm wide, 31cm high and 13,5 cm deep and the seller suggested the species could be Orcinus citoniensis but he also wasn't sure of that.
Many thanks in advance.
M. Koellner
This to me looks like a modern whale vertebra, it certainly is very different to the bone structure of Orchinus citoniensis fossils which are 2-5 million years old:-
Morphology would suggest a Roqual whale early lumabr vertebra and size is consitent with an adult Minke whale.
Thank you for your reply. You could be right since the biggest part of the fossil collection the vertebra belonged to came from late Pleistocene deposits, not Pliocene layers as Orcinus citoniensis would suggest. So maybe it belongs to a Pleistocene or early Holocene minke whale.


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Explore California's Central Coast from Santa Maria
Radisson Hotel Santa Maria welcomes you with an inviting location close to Santa Barbara Wine Country and Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX), which is adjacent to the hotel. Just half a mile from SR-135, our pet-friendly hotel also offers convenient access to nearby golf courses, Vandenberg Air Force Base and the Santa Maria Airport Business Park. Take advantage of our free Wi-Fi to stay in touch with home or the office, and be sure to soak up the sun as you unwind in our outdoor pool.
See what our guests are saying about us.
|Proud recipient of the
2016 President's Award
Hotel amenities & services
Start your morning with an energizing workout in our fitness center or let the stress of the day melt away in the hotel sauna. Need to finalize a project for work? Visit our 24-hour business center. Additional amenities and services include:
- Free Wi-Fi
- Two restaurants
- Outdoor heated pool
- Whirlpool tub
- Complimentary parking
Learn more about our hotel's amenities and services.
Our rooms & suites
Each of our 184 hotel rooms and suites provides spacious accommodations that feature calming color palettes and modern conveniences like free Wi-Fi, an in-room coffeemaker and a 37-inch flat-screen TV. Standard room amenities also include:
- Complimentary high-speed Internet access
- Executive workstations
- Refrigerator
- Pet-friendly rooms available
If you're visiting for work or you're on an extended stay, reserve one of our Executive-level Suites for extra space. In addition to all standard amenities, these suites include:
- Separate living area
- Sleeper sofa
- Kitchen
- Microwave
- Wet bar
Where to eat while you're here
Treat yourself to some of the area's most delicious dishes without ever leaving the hotel. Begin your day with a hearty breakfast at Atrium Bistro and spend your evening savoring mouthwatering meals and fine wines at Vintner's Grill. When you need a caffeine boost or something to satisfy your sweet tooth, stop by Bob & Hardy's Cafe Corner for a gourmet coffee or espresso creation on site.
Things to do in Santa Maria
With Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) located next door, guests of all ages can enjoy watching planes take off and land just yards from our hotel. Visit the nearby Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes to experience the natural beauty that borders the Pacific Ocean, and step back in time with a tour of the expertly restored buildings at the La Purisima Mission. Don't miss these favorites:
Santa Maria Museum of Flight – Only half a mile from our hotel, this museum hosts a regular schedule of airshows and provides an up-close look at vintage aircraft.
Rancho Maria Golf Course – Located a 15-minute drive to the south, the rolling fairways and manicured greens of Rancho Maria are the perfect place to test your golf game.
Cottonwood Canyon Winery – A favorite stop on Santa Maria wine tours, Cottonwood Canyon offers vineyard tours and wine tastings at their 78-acre estate, which is situated less than 10 miles east of our location.
Read more about our hotel's location.
Groups & meetings
With more than 9,000 square feet of versatile event space and professional amenities like free high-speed Internet access, audiovisual equipment and on-site catering options, the Radisson provides an ideal venue for business or social gatherings. Work with one of our expert event planners to cater an elegant wedding reception for up to 320 guests in our Enterprise Ballroom, or conduct a strategy session with your team in the professional setting of our Challenger Room.
Learn more about our meeting rooms and floor plans.100% non-smoking facility
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The André Leon Talley Report Card: Your Grades Are Slipping
Yes, Vogue's man-about-town brings some class to America's Next Top Model, but even he couldn't escape the ridiculous little game Tyra played to tell the girls they're all going to New Zealand. The shame!
Outfit: A vermilion tent structure over a white shirt. This is a repeat.
Accessory: A magical amulet that wards off the spirits of "dreckitude."
Education: This week, when the girls were modeling dresses made of hair, ALT was all about Alexander McQueen, mentioning his name twice.
Agreeableness: He played along with Tyra's stupid gag where everyone on the panel pretended to be sleepy so that they could count sheep and catch some Zs. Somehow this translates into the girls traveling to New Zealand. If that's not agreeable, then we don't know what is. He continued to ignore the guest judge, but since this week it was The City's Whitney Port, we don't really blame him.
Uses of Dreckitude: Five—but only one was André's. It was used earlier in the episode during the challenge, Nigel used it once, and Tyra used it twice. He has lost control over his own creation.
Grade: This week we got two lessons on the same thing, no random French words, and people using ALT's catchphrase more than he did. He was practically boring. It's like he caught some Z's and sleepwalked through this one. Bring back the fire, André. (C+)
It is now more apparent than ever that André Leon Talley needs to have a parent-teacher conference with us if he wants to become a better judge. We've been inviting him to lunch for weeks now and he still won't bite. Lunch with us is a small price to pay for reality show greatness.


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Hefner buckles down as Mets rally to top Phils
PHILADELPHIA -- Six days ago, the Mets stood accused by manager Terry Collins of surrendering quietly to deficits.
"There's silence in the dugout," Collins said last Saturday after the Mets went down for the 10th time in 12 games. "Silence, like, 'Oh, here we go again.' And you've got to be careful of that. Losing can become as big a habit as winning. That's not how we're going to play here."Full Game Coverage
PHILADELPHIA -- Six days ago, the Mets stood accused by manager Terry Collins of surrendering quietly to deficits.
"There's silence in the dugout," Collins said last Saturday after the Mets went down for the 10th time in 12 games. "Silence, like, 'Oh, here we go again.' And you've got to be careful of that. Losing can become as big a habit as winning. That's not how we're going to play here."Full Game Coverage
Apparently not. After two rallies from 3-0 deficits -- and a third from 3-1 -- in a week, this is a different Mets team. Friday night's 4-3 victory over the Phillies was not nearly as dramatic as Sunday's four-run ninth that beat Chicago, but it was no less resolute.
Juan Lagares' two-out double in the sixth off Phillies starter Cole Hamels chased home Lucas Duda for a go-ahead run that relievers Scott Rice, Carlos Torres and Bobby Parnell made stand up for Jeremy Hefner's second victory of the season. The Mets, who rallied from two runs down to win a five-game series in Atlanta on Thursday night, won for the fifth time in seven games.
"I didn't make a big stink," said Collins. "I think David [Wright] went around before the [Sunday] game and said, 'Let's just play nine innings, leave it on the field.'
"I think they have responded to that."
Whoever lit the fire, player or manager, the Mets suddenly are hot to do whatever it takes, whenever it is needed. Hefner, helped by a fine running catch by Lagares on Carlos Ruiz's two-out drive with the bases loaded and the game tied at 3-3 in the fifth, gave up 10 hits but no more runs after a three-run second inning. And the Mets went to work on Cole Hamels.
"I just wasn't getting ahead of hitters," said Hamels. "Ultimately, you have to be able to get the quick outs against those guys. Not having them turn over the lineup as quickly. I had a couple of walks that came back to hurt me."
Wright started the comeback by singling in Eric Young Jr. in the fourth, then Young's two-out single up the middle in the fifth off Hamels drove in Lagares and Omar Quintanilla to knot the game.
"Take your time, breathe," Young said about his approach. "Breathing is the big focus there.
"You try to take the same swing early in the count you would take later in the count. Sometimes you put a lot of pressure on yourself, and I am guilty of that a bunch. I was able to calm myself."
In the sixth, Duda drew a one-out walk and chugged around from first on Lagares' double up the left-center-field gap, sliding barely under the relay. The Mets led, 4-3, and Hefner, never mind his close call in the fifth, was sent out to protect it through the sixth. After Jon Niese had to leave in the fourth inning Thursday night with shoulder problems, the Mets had burned much of their bullpen in Atlanta.
"I knew I had a minimum of six innings tonight, whether that was even 140 pitches," Hefner said.
After Jimmy Rollins' one-out single, Chase Utley lined out hard to Lagares and Michael Young struck out on a foul tip. After six innings and 107 pitches, Hefner called it a good night.
"He had to get through the sixth inning in order for us to be a successful club," said Collins. "You have to learn how to battle through sometimes. Jeremy didn't let us get too far behind."
Hefner was almost out of the second with only two runs, until a Daniel Murphy bobble on Rollins' grounder produced a third. But three runs are no longer insurmountable to the Mets these days, and a one-run lead suddenly seems plenty to a team with the 27th-highest bullpen ERA in baseball. The three scoreless innings Friday night extended its streak to 8 2/3 innings.
Rice struck out Ryan Howard and Domonic Brown consecutively in pitching a scoreless seventh. And Torres and Parnell pitched 1-2-3 frames in the eighth and ninth to shut the Phillies down and give the Mets the opener of the three-game series.
"I thought it was a great win for us," said Collins. "We are down, 3-0, to Cole Hamels, and to come back and win this one was big, especially for the shape our bullpen is in."
Jay Greenberg is a contributor to MLB.com.


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Two Vermonters meet up in Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan -- Sitting on an airplane and traveling for work, some people read the latest paperwork bestseller, take a nap or chat with their neighbors. Most of the time, when the plane empties its travelers, they will leave their terminal never to be seen again. That wasn't the case for Air Force Captains Michael Huegerich and Rich Marchetti.
The two traveled from Norfolk, Va., to their deployment in Kabul, Afghanistan, and ended up in the same office.
"It wasn't until we were in the same office that we began getting to know one another," Huegerich wrote in an email. "I overheard him talking about his home in Vermont and naturally I was drawn in and began asking questions.
When I asked whether he was from Manchester or Manchester Center, he realized quickly that I must be from the area."
Marchetti is a Vermont native, growing up in Manchester, attending Manchester Elementary Middle School and Burr and Burton Academy. Huegerich also attended BBA, after his family moved to Vermont from North Carolina for his father's job, Jane Huegerich, his mother, said. "This is just a tremendous fate," she said.
It was in a BBA classroom that the two originally met. In Mr. Chris Kochenour's advisory room, where he was placed as a freshman, Marchetti wrote, Huegerich was a senior leader, who helped provide guidance to the younger students.
"It was actually from Mike that I first heard about the September 11th attacks. I remember him stopping into Mr. Kochenour's room to let him know that a plane had just crashed into the World Trade Center," he wrote. "I would have never imagined at the time that I would be serving with him 13 years later in the war that followed those events."
Both chose to serve in the Air Force, but took different routes. Huegerich attended the Air Force Academy spurred by the events of Sept. 11, where he played Division 1 soccer and accumulated 600 military skydives. He even jumped into the 2006 National Championship Rose Bowl Game, he wrote.
Including his four years in college, he has served for 12 years in the military. He chose this branch over others because he wanted to do something different than his family members -- who had served in the U.S. Navy -- and they told him Air Force people always treated them well. Marchetti joined the Air Force four years ago. He had always wanted to serve and saw what his brother Evan, a Combat Search and Rescue helicopter pilot has accomplished in the Air Force, he wrote.
"I originally joined the Air Force because I was and continue to be fascinated with flight, rocketry and the engineering behind them," he wrote. "I remember spending hours with my dad, a brilliant engineer himself, as we built and perfected our own rocket engines, launched rockets at Manchester Parks and Rec, and went over the math and physics behind what we had done."
As part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), both are responsible for facilitating the hand over of security operations to the Afghan military and police as the U.S. withdraws most of its troops from the region at the end of the year, Marchetti wrote. As commodity managers, Huegerich wrote they are both responsible for portfolios in excess of $1 billion a piece. They help identify what the Afghan army and police need to maintain their operations, and purchase the equipment.
"Ultimately, our goal is to allow them to one day sustain and defend themselves," he wrote.
While both expressed their love for serving their country, being deployed and away from home is not easy. Barbara Marchetti, Rich's mother, said Facetime and other technology has made it easier.
"It's almost as if they're right there," she said. "It makes you feel that even though they're not as safe as you wish, you can see them and see that they're healthy."
When the two first realized they both had Manchester connections, food was one of the topics of discussion. Huegerich wrote they talked about the "unforgettable pizza from Christo's" and "the fantastic subs from Zoey's." Both said the food in Afghanistan is not the best they've ever had.
"The cook at the dining facility apparently has a deep-seated love for curry and finds a way to incorporate it into everything he cooks, regardless of cuisine," Marchetti wrote.
However, horrible cuisine aside, missing loved ones is the most difficult part of being deployed. Marchetti said, like his mother, video chatting helps, but it's not the same as being home. For Huegerich, his deployment is especially hard. His wife just had twins.
"I have newborn twins at home and I wish more than anything that I was there with them," he wrote. "Literally, we had just discovered that we were having twins when I was told that I would have to go to Afghanistan. I am counting the days until I return home."
While it is difficult being away from family, deployment also allows for incredible experiences. Huegerich wrote for him, the best part is seeing the unwavering commitment and service those he's serving with exhibit. He wrote they work long hours, seven days a week, away from family and in dangerous situations.
"It has truly been an honor to serve alongside them," he wrote.
Marchetti also said all the people he's met and worked with is also the best part of deployment. ISAF is made up of personnel from 42 countries, he wrote, and because of this he has been able to meet people from all walks of life, while experiencing a part of the world many don't get a chance to.
"My own life the experience has given me a greater appreciation for where I come from," he wrote. "Life for the people here can harsh and at times brutal, and I hope Vermonters realize how blessed they are to live in such a beautiful and peaceful place."
When their deployments end in the fall, both men will be able to return home and see their families. Marchetti plans to leave the military behind and return to Vermont, where he'll join the family engineering business. For Huegerich, he is still exploring what he would like to do for the rest of his career.
Meeting in a freshman classroom and again later is coincidence enough, but halfway across the world in Kabul means someone is looking out for them, Jane Huegerich said.
"I know that he's being watched over," she said. "You know that he has someone watching over him and brought him into company with people he knew years ago."
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.


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Thinners & Solvents
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Recommened to use before painting bare fiberglass gel coats.


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The following commentary does not necessarily reflect the views of AgWeb or Farm Journal Media. The opinions expressed below are the author's own.
Kevin Van Trump has over 20 years of experience in the grain and livestock industry.
Previewing the USDA Report:
All eyes will obviously be on this week's USDA stocks report. I included a few numbers and estimates that will be discussed leading up to Thursday big release (7:30am CST).
With the extreme weather patterns and difficulty the USDA and other agencies have had the past couple of years predicting and estimating the crop, there could certainly be some surprise and adjustments coming down the pipe. Rather than trying to "predict," I urge you to try and "position" ahead of this report. Just two short years ago this exact report cost many producers a small, or in some cases, large fortune.
If you remember many of you were hoping for "bullish" numbers from this report, but that didn't happen, the numbers came out "bearish." It was early 2010 and we proceeded to break from around $4.25 to a low of around $3.25 during the next six-months. We then bounced and several analyst advised many of you to lock in sales for the next two or three years at around the $4.00 to $4.50 range. This, in turn, ended up costing many producers an absolute fortune.
My advice, just as my grandfather had always taught me, is to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. We can't blame the USDA, we have to blame ourselves if we fail to properly prepare or position ourselves. We know the difficulties involved in estimating such a large crop, and we also know the adverse weather conditions and problems that we all faced in our own fields. In fact, many of us couldn't even estimate or gauge our own yields in the fields we have farmed for the past 30 years.
I urge you this time around to be "proactive" and not "reactive" to the numbers. Have a game plan and strategy mapped out prior to the release, then follow your guidelines. The market will become extremely emotional for several days as it sorts through the numbers, it is extremely important that during this time period you stick to your guns and follow your plan. Expect the market to do the unexpected and anticipate "limit type moves in either direction. Keep in mind last year this report produced a "limit-up" move in the March corn contract. Where as in 2009 and in 2010 it produced a "limit down" move in the March corn contract.
I Hope these numbers give you a better idea about what could becoming our direction Thursday morning:
Remember, this is only a small portion of my Daily Report that comes out every morning. For more information on Risk Management and Profitability, go ahead an sign-up for the 30 Day trial of my report. There's no obligation! Simply sign-up by clicking here at the Van Trump Report
Remember, this is only a small portion of my Daily Report that comes out every morning. For more information on Risk Management and Profitability, go ahead an sign-up for the 30 Day trial of my report. There's no obligation! Simply sign-up by clicking here at the Van Trump Report
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