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Import or export text (.txt or .csv) files
There are two ways to import data from a text file with Excel: you can open it in Excel, or you can import it as an external data range. To export data from Excel to a text file, use the Save As command and change the file type from the drop-down menu.
There are two commonly used text file formats:
Delimited text files (.txt), in which the TAB character (ASCII character code 009) typically separates each field of text.
Comma separated values text files (.csv), in which the comma character (,) typically separates each field of text.
You can change the separator character that is used in both delimited and .csv text files. This may be necessary to make sure that the import or export operation works the way that you want it to.
Note: You can import or export up to 1,048,576 rows and 16,384 columns.
Import a text file by opening it in Excel
You can open a text file that you created in another program as an Excel workbook by using the Open command. Opening a text file in Excel does not change the format of the file — you can see this in the Excel title bar, where the name of the file retains the text file name extension (for example, .txt or .csv).
Go to File > Open and browse to the location that contains the text file.
Select Text Files in the file type dropdown list in the Open dialog box.
Locate and double-click the text file that you want to open.
If the file is a text file (.txt), Excel starts the Import Text Wizard. When you are done with the steps, click Finish to complete the import operation. See: Text Import Wizard for more information about delimiters and advanced options.
If the file is a .csv file, Excel automatically opens the text file and displays the data in a new workbook.
Note: When Excel opens a .csv file, it uses the current default data format settings to interpret how to import each column of data. If you want more flexibility in converting columns to different data formats, you can use the Import Text Wizard. For example, the format of a data column in the .csv file may be MDY, but Excel's default data format is YMD, or you want to convert a column of numbers that contains leading zeros to text so you can preserve the leading zeros. To force Excel to run the Import Text Wizard, you can change the file name extension from .csv to .txt before you open it, or you can Import a text file by connecting to it.
Import a text file by connecting to it
You can import data from a text file into an existing worksheet as an external data range.
Click the cell where you want to put the data from the text file.
On the Data tab, in the Get External Data group, click From Text/CSV.
Locate and double-click the text file that you want to import.
Follow the instructions in the Text Import Wizard. Click Help on any page of the Text Import Wizard for more information about using the wizard. When you are done with the steps in the wizard, click Finish to complete the import operation.
In the Import Data dialog box, do the following:
Optionally, click Properties to set refresh, formatting, and layout options for the imported data.
Under Where do you want to put the data?, do one of the following:
To return the data to the location that you selected, click Existing worksheet.
To return the data to the upper-left corner of a new worksheet, click New worksheet.
Click OK.
Excel puts the external data range in the location that you specify.
If Excel does not convert a column of data to the format that you want, you can convert the data after you import it. For more information, see Convert numbers stored as text to numbers and Convert dates stored as text to dates.
Export data to a text file by saving it
You can convert an Excel worksheet to a text file by using the Save As command.
Go to File > Save As.
The Save As dialog box appears.
In the Save as type box, choose the text file format for the worksheet.
For example, click Text (Tab delimited) or CSV (Comma delimited).
Note: The different formats support different feature sets. For more information about the feature sets that are supported by the different text file formats, see File formats that are supported in Excel.
Browse to the location where you want to save the new text file, and then click Save.
A dialog box appears, reminding you that only the current worksheet will be saved to the new file. If you are certain that the current worksheet is the one that you want to save as a text file, click OK. You can save other worksheets as separate text files by repeating this procedure for each worksheet.
A second dialog box appears, reminding you that your worksheet may contain features that are not supported by text file formats. If you are interested only in saving the worksheet data into the new text file, click Yes. If you are unsure and would like to know more about which Excel features are not supported by text file formats, click Help for more information.
For more information about saving files in other formats, see Save a workbook in another file format.
Change the delimiter that is used in a text file
If you use the Text Import Wizard to import a text file, you can change the delimiter that is used for a delimited text file from a TAB character to another character in Step 2 of the Text Import Wizard. In this step, you can also change the way that consecutive delimiters, such as consecutive quotation marks, are handled.
See: Text Import Wizard for more information about delimiters and advanced options.
Change the separator in all .csv text files
In Microsoft Windows, click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.
Open the dialog box for changing Regional and Language settings.
Type a new separator in the List separator box.
Click OK twice.
Note: After you change the list separator character for your computer, all programs use the new character as a list separator. You can change the character back to the default character by following the same procedure.
Need more help?
You can always ask an expert in the Excel Tech Community, get support in the Answers community, or suggest a new feature or improvement on Excel User Voice.
See Also
Find and correct errors in formulas
Excel keyboard shortcuts and function keys
Excel functions (alphabetical)

subset: commoncrawl


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Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Balvenie 12 Single Barrel
Up until about a year ago, I pretty much ignored the existence of Balvenie. Some of their malts were fine, but I'd never had anything that bowled me over. Then last year, they blew one out of the ballpark with the Tun 1401. Given that success, I was pretty excited to taste their newest whiskey, a 12 year old single barrel aged in first fill bourbon casks.
Balvenie 12 year old Single Barrel First Fill, 47.8% abv, Cask 12694 ($70)
The nose is a fruit bomb with pears and fruit cocktail. The palate is fruity and malty in equal parts. The finish is mostly malty with some cereal and cocoa.
This one is bright and fruity. It's not overly complex but is nicely drinkable, a good edition to the Balvenie lineup and a perfect lighter whiskey for those hot summer months (along with Bladnoch). Keep in mind, as a single barrel release, barrels may vary.
4 comments:
- Tim Read said...
As an additional data point, I had #12696 and thought it was a little immature still - had a few punchy malt notes and some straighter alcohol notes. It was identifiably Balvenie but still seemed like a little bit more time in oak would have helped.
- May 21, 2013 at 12:09 PM
I've been seeing Balvenie 14 Caribbean Cask underselling the 12yr Single Barrel for $65 and less. The 14yr CC is also not overly complex, but definately not spirity/punchy and makes a nice enough sweet/easy Summer dram. IMHO. Although if price were a significant factor I'd not bother with either.
- May 21, 2013 at 3:36 PM
But Caribbean Cask is only 43%, I believe. I think the 12yr Single Barrel is over-priced, but, when you equate the alcohol level, it costs about the same as the 14yr Caribbean Cask (using $70 for the 12yr and $65 for the 14yr).
It just depends on whether you want the higher strength and single barrel.
- May 22, 2013 at 9:25 AM
Alex; and the CC is 2 years older with a rum cask finish and no single barrel variation. That might bore a malt geek, but might intice a malt novice. Again, if value were a significant purchase factor I'd not bother with either. Was just suggesting that CC 14 is an option worth considering as a sweet/easy/Summer malt. There are differences worth considering other than just price, ABV% and single barrelness.
- May 22, 2013 at 11:26 PM


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William A. Halter, Deputy Commissioner of Social Security's Testimony before the House Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Social Security Hearing on the Social Security Administration's Program Integrity Activities,
March 30, 2000
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee:
Thank you for the opportunity to discuss the integrity of the Social Security program and the Social Security Administration's (SSA) stewardship of the program. Since SSA became an independent agency-5 years ago tomorrow coincidentally-we have devoted significant resources and attention to strengthening and maintaining the integrity of the Social Security program.
I'd like to briefly outline the size and scope of the Social Security program. In Fiscal Year 2000, Social Security will pay almost $400 billion to 45 million beneficiaries, almost one of every four federal budget dollars. On average, each workday about 100,000 people visit one of our 1,300 field offices and over 240,000 people call our 800-telephone number. Each workday we process an average of 20,000 initial claims and hold 2,400 hearings before Administrative Law Judges. Each year, we ensure that over 250 million earnings items are correctly credited to workers' accounts.
In the field of financial management information, SSA has long been a leader among the Federal Government community. The Government Performance Project, administered by the Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, gave us the only "A" awarded to government agencies in the area of financial management. SSA has also earned an overall grade of "A", only one of two agencies to do so. In addition, SSA was issued another clean unqualified audit opinion on its financial statements for 1999 from the Office of the Inspector General for the sixth year in a row.
The public's trust in the Social Security program is absolutely critical. Even a perception of program integrity problems can threaten this trust. Because of the importance of this issue, $1 out of every $4 in SSA's administrative budget is dedicated to program stewardship and program integrity. We must remain vigilant if we are to fulfill our role as capable stewards of the public trust but SSA's ability to do so is dependent on a number of factors, one of which is adequate resources.
This testimony provides an overview of how accurate we are in Title II payments, the major causes of errors, our overpayment recovery successes and the many initiatives we've undertaken to improve payment accuracy. Our efforts currently underway to enforce a zero tolerance for program fraud and abuse are also briefly described.
Since March 1995, SSA has sent Congress 35 legislative proposals, most of which address program integrity issues. While some of these proposals are still before Congress, those that have been enacted have given SSA additional tools to improve program accuracy, to detect, prevent, and collect overpayments, and to deter fraud.
I thank the Subcommittee and the full Ways and Means Committee for your efforts in providing SSA the tools for this vital job. We will continue to seek Congress' help in providing us with additional tools and sufficient resources to maintain public confidence in the Social Security program, which protects virtually all Americans in their retirement or in the event of disability, or loss of a family wage earner.
Overall Payment Accuracy
The administrative cost of paying Social Security benefits is less than 2 percent of benefit payments in a year. The payment accuracy rate for the retirement and survivors insurance benefits was 99.9 percent for Fiscal Year 1999. When we include the disability insurance program, the accuracy rate is 99.8 percent. That is, for every $100 in program benefits, only twenty cents is either overpaid or underpaid. The accuracy rate for Social Security benefits has remained consistent over the past 10 years generally at 99.8 percent to 99.9 percent.
Another way to look at our effective and efficient management of the Social Security program is the consistency with which we detect overpayments. Over the past 10 years, the percentage of overpayment detection has consistently run between 0.4 and 0.5 percent of Social Security benefit outlays.
Leading Causes of Overpayments
In fiscal year 1999, SSA detected $1.8 billion in Social Security program overpayments-$1 billion in the retirement and survivors program, and $800 million in the disability insurance program. Nearly two-thirds of this total overpayment amount occurs for two reasons-the retirement earnings test and disability cessations.
Retirement Earnings Test
The largest portion of Social Security overpayments is caused by the difficulty that individuals have in accurately predicting their earnings for purposes of the retirement earnings test. In Fiscal Year 1999, overpayments related to the retirement earnings test totaled $670 million.
The President will sign shortly, H.R. 5, the Senior Citizens' Freedom to Work Act of 2000. This historic piece of legislation, which began in this Subcommittee, eliminates the earnings test for individuals at or above the normal retirement age, currently 65 years. The enactment of H.R. 5 will eliminate two-thirds, approximately $445 million annually, of the overpayments presently caused by the retirement earnings test. While certainly not as important a policy goal as helping individuals remain active and productive, eliminating the leading cause of erroneous Social Security benefit payments is a beneficial side effect of the legislation.
Social Security will implement this legislation as quickly as possible after the President signs the legislation. However, with the passage of this legislation, SSA will have one-time costs in Fiscal Year 2000 to make benefit adjustments, respond to inquiries, process additional claims, and modify our computer systems. We are working on a priority basis to ensure individuals receive all benefits due them as quickly as possible. In addition, our goal is to send benefits automatically so that beneficiaries do not have to take action on their own to receive higher payments. We would appreciate your support for the President's $35 million Fiscal Year 2000 supplemental appropriation request to fund one-time costs for implementation of the Senior Citizens' Freedom to Work Act of 2000. These funds are necessary to cover SSA's one-time costs to implement this important legislation and to pay out $6 billion in benefits this year as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Disability Cessations
The second leading cause of Social Security overpayments is disability cessation. Two events related to disability cessation can cause overpayments. The first has to do with disability beneficiaries going to work, and the second involves cases in which disability beneficiaries medically recover.
Overpayments due to individuals with disabilities working are often caused by their not reporting earnings to SSA timely. By the time the earnings are recorded, they may be past the point at which their benefits should have stopped, resulting in overpayments. About $294 million of the total $441million in disability cessation overpayments last year involved work. We are taking a number of actions to make sure that beneficiaries know the importance of reporting their earnings and that the earnings are posted timely to their SSA record.
Under the recently enacted Ticket To Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999, we are establishing a new position in our field offices called the Employment Support Representative. Among other duties, this individual will be responsible for explaining to beneficiaries with disabilities who are working or want to work how earnings will affect their benefits. In addition, employees in this new position will monitor the earnings of working disability beneficiaries to ensure that adjustments in benefits are timely thereby avoiding or at least reducing overpayments. Additionally, SSA will fund, in part, community-based planners who will assist disability beneficiaries in understanding the effect of work on their benefits and the requirements to report work and earnings to SSA timely.
Last summer, SSA increased the amount a disability beneficiary could earn from $500 to $700 a month without affecting their monthly benefit. Although it is too early to say with certainty that this higher amount will result in fewer overpayments caused by work, we anticipate that this will be the case.
The second primary cause of disability cessation overpayments is medical recovery. A provision in the 1984 disability amendments provides that if SSA determines through a continuing disability review (CDR) that an individual's medical condition has improved, he or she may elect to continue receiving disability benefits during appeal of a medical cessation determination. If the appeal is subsequently denied, these continued benefits are overpayments subject to recovery. Last year we estimated disability cessation overpayments due to benefit continuation totaled nearly $147 million. All overpayments that occur because an individual exercises his or her right for continued disability benefits during appeal are unpreventable.
SSA is required by law to conduct periodic Continuing Disability Reviews. The CDR process allows SSA to ensure the integrity of the disability insurance program by detecting beneficiaries' medical improvements and preventing benefit payments to individuals who are no longer disabled. In 1996, with the support of the Administration, Congress authorized an adjustment to the cap on discretionary spending for processing CDRs. As a result of this cap adjustment, SSA was able to implement a 7-year CDR plan covering 1996-2002. It is important to note that the growth in the amount of disability benefit overpayments is due almost wholly to our increased CDR efforts that actually result in future program savings.
As detailed in our annual CDR reports to Congress, the CDRs undertaken in the first 3 years of the 7-year plan are estimated to result in total savings to the disability insurance, SSI, Medicaid, and Medicare programs of nearly $6 billion by the end of 2002. The ratio of program savings to the administrative costs of CDRs is very impressive. It is estimated that over the first 3 years of the CDR plan, the overall savings to cost ratio was about 12 to 1. Further, it is estimated that over the life of our 7 year plan, the overall savings to cost ratio will be at least 6 to 1.
Other Major Causes of Overpayments
In addition to our stewardship efforts involving CDRs, SSA has undertaken significant initiatives over the past several years to prevent and detect Social Security program overpayments due to incarceration or death of beneficiaries. SSA has been involved in efforts employing data matches with prisons and States. In addition, the data collected are being shared with other Federal benefit-paying programs to help reduce their program costs.
Another area of data matching for detecting and preventing Social Security overpayments involves workers' compensation payments. As you know, Mr. Chairman, this is an extremely complicated provision of the Social Security program, and we are working to improve our administration of this issue. Although these data matches are not yet as extensive as those involving prisons and State death records, we anticipate that such matches will help us with our program stewardship responsibilities.
Prisoner Matches
Social Security benefits are not payable to certain persons incarcerated as a result of a conviction of a crime and certain other confined individuals (for example, those found not guilty by reason of insanity).
SSA began matching information with prisons as early as 1974 to prevent the payment of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits to any individual in a public institution and, in 1986, the matching program was extended to prisoners who were Social Security beneficiaries. However, these early matches did not produce information quickly enough to prevent significant amounts of overpayments.
Beginning in 1994, SSA expanded its efforts to find ways in which we could obtain data from State and local entities to quickly identify prisoners whose benefits should be suspended. By the end of 1995, SSA had established reporting agreements with more than 3,500 incarceration facilities.
Since 1995, SSA has consistently supported legislation for incentive payments to prisons, and in May 1996, SSA sent a draft bill to Congress, which included a provision for incentive payments. Such incentive payments for SSI cessations were included in the welfare reform legislation that was enacted in 1996. With the support of this subcommittee last year, under the Ticket To Work and Work Incentive Improvements Act of 1999, the requirement that confinement stem from a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than 1 year was eliminated. Also, the incentive payment provisions for prisons reporting incarcerations of beneficiaries that have been applicable in the SSI program were extended to the Social Security program. These provisions are effective for incarcerations that begin on or after April 1, 2000. Under these incentive payments, prisons that report the incarceration of beneficiaries within the first 30 days of confinement can receive $400 per report, and if they report between the 30th-90th day of confinement, they can receive $200 per report.
Today, SSA gets reports of prisoner confinements from 95 percent of correctional facilities, including the Federal Bureau of Prisons, all State prison systems, and county and local jails. These reports cover 99 percent of the inmate population in the United States. With the support of these Federal, State, and local entities, SSA has made substantial progress in ensuring that incarcerations are timely and accurately reported and that benefits are suspended promptly. In December 1999, there were approximately 45,000 individuals who were not receiving Social Security benefits because they were incarcerated. We estimate that savings to the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income program resulting from these efforts will total more than $3.5 billion during fiscal years 1995-2001. Of this total, $2.3 billion are savings to the Social Security program.
SSA is the Federal focal point for sharing prisoner information. This allows for more efficient use of Government resources and assists all Federal benefit paying agencies in enforcing statutory requirements to reduce, suspend, or terminate these benefits. SSA is already sharing prisoner data with the Department of Agriculture and will have matching agreements in effect with the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Education next month. In addition, we are in the process of completing an agreement with the Department of Labor.
Death Data Matches
In Fiscal Year 1999, we detected $84 million in overpayments due to death. We get about 95 percent of our death reports from funeral homes, family members, postal authorities and institutions. For the remaining 5 percent, we rely on information from the States. Under SSA-State agreements, States provide death information within 90 to 120 days after the month of death. When SSA receives a report of a previously unreported death from the State, an alert is issued to the field office to independently verify that the individual is, in fact, deceased, before benefits are stopped.
Two legislative proposals that were in the Supplemental Security Income Program Integrity Act of 1998, which SSA sent to Congress in May 1998, were designed to facilitate and speed up States' reporting of deaths. The first provision, which was enacted in the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999, deems SSA's data privacy standards to meet all State standards for purposes of sharing data. The second provision would have required States to provide death data within 30 days of its receipt. Congress did not adopt this provision.
In 1999, SSA entered into a contract with the National Center for Health Statistics and the National Association for Public Health Statistics and Information Systems to start developing a national electronic death registry. The objective of this initiative is to obtain death information from the States within 24 hours of receipt at the State's repository. SSA expects 10 States per year to implement electronic State death registries based on States' readiness to adopt electronic processing.
Workers' Compensation Matches
A difficult and often error prone feature of Social Security's disability insurance program involves the provision that requires disability benefits to be offset by workers' compensation benefits also being paid to the beneficiary.
Overpayments frequently occur when a final decision on workers' compensation payments is not made until after Social Security disability benefits begin. In addition, the allocation of the offset due to a lump-sum workers' compensation payment involves a manual calculation, which is time consuming and labor intensive.
SSA has ongoing, periodic computer matches with Federal agencies to obtain information regarding Federal workers' compensation payments. For purposes of checking initial claims, SSA now has on-line access, at least on a limited basis, with nine States. This on-line capability allows us to get correct workers' compensation information immediately when adjudicating the claim. We are also pursuing matching agreements with other States that will allow us to get both current and historical data about workers' compensation amounts for individual beneficiaries. Unfortunately, one of the issues associated with matching data is that not all States have the workers compensation data in a single database. A large portion of workers' compensation payments is made through insurance companies.
While we have not yet been as successful in matching workers' compensation data as we have with, for example, prison data, we will continue to explore data matches as a way to detect and prevent Social Security overpayments caused by workers' compensation payments.
While we rely on such data matches to protect the integrity of our programs, nothing is more important in the operation of our programs than ensuring that the public has confidence that the information placed in our trust is secure. This is a cornerstone of our philosophy. In fact, the very first regulation is issued by the new SSA in 1935 dealt with the confidentiality of its records.
SSA uses state-of-the art encryption software that protects data sent to us and systems firewalls that protect access to our databases. We are constantly reevaluating the security features necessary to protect the information we receive and maintain.
Overpayment Collections
In addition to detecting the causes of overpayments, we have also concentrated on recovery of those overpayments. In Fiscal Year 1999, SSA collected $1.2 billion in overpayments--$900 million in the retirement and survivors insurance program and $300 million in the disability insurance program. Based on a study conducted in the 1990's, we estimate that 60 percent of the overpayments in any given year will be recovered within 7 years. And, I would note that we recover more than 90 percent of overpayments owed by individuals who continue to be entitled to benefits. Our stewardship responsibilities require that we recover as much of the debt owed as possible. Our goal is to achieve an annual average increase of 7 percent in debt collections over the 5-year period from Fiscal Years 1998-2002. In Fiscal Year 1999, we met our goal for both the Title II and Title XVI programs. Our collections for Title II were $1.2 billion, an 8 percent increase. In the Title XVI program, we collected $640 million, an 18.7 percent increase.
How does SSA go about recovering the debt that we are owed?
The collection process is different, depending on whether individuals are continuing to receive benefits or not receiving benefits.
Overpaid individuals who continue to be eligible for benefits receive an overpayment notice informing them about the amount of the overpayment. The notice gives the overpaid individual appeal and waiver rights and discusses repayment options. Options include a full refund of the overpayment immediately, or withholding overpayments from ongoing monthly benefits. SSA has a much higher recovery rate for debts owed by individuals who are on the benefit rolls.
Overpaid individuals who are no longer entitled to Social Security benefits are notified of the overpayment, provided appeal and waiver rights, requested to repay in full, or to contact us to negotiate an installment payment agreement. For those who establish installment agreements, SSA sends automated bills and notices requesting repayment. If the overpaid individual ignores the bills and notices, SSA's debt collectors call to arrange repayment. If the individual refuses to repay, SSA uses other debt collection tools such as tax refund and other administrative offsets and credit bureau reporting.
Although we believe that the provisions described above are the most effective and productive tools for recovering overpayments, we are planning to implement administrative wage garnishment and federal salary offset. We also are planning to use private collection agencies and interest charging as methods for recovering overpayments.
Anti-Fraud Initiatives
The distinction between overpayments and fraud is very important. Social Security overpayments occur for a number of reasons, the majority of which have been described above. Program fraud, on the other hand, is an intentional act of deception, such as knowingly making a false statement in order to obtain benefits.
In spite of our continued efforts to protect U.S. taxpayers by ensuring that only individuals who are eligible for benefits receive only amounts due them, some individuals attempt to obtain benefits fraudulently. While there is no indication of widespread fraud associated with our processes, we will continue to strengthen
our ability to prevent, detect, and investigate fraud and to penalize those who misrepresent or omit facts in order to obtain benefits for which they are not eligible.
One of SSA's five strategic goals is "to make SSA program management the best in the business with zero tolerance for fraud." This wide-ranging zero tolerance effort is coordinated through the National Anti-Fraud Committee, which includes SSA senior staff and the Office of the Inspector General. In addition to developing its own anti-fraud initiatives, the National Committee oversees and supports Regional Anti-Fraud Committees, which were set up to coordinate anti-fraud strategies in each of SSA's 10 regions. The Regional Committees include regional commissioners and other senior SSA and OIG staff as well as managers of SSA district offices.
Independent agency status gave SSA its own Office of Inspector General. This staff has more than doubled in size between 1996 and 2000 and now includes over 500 employees. OIG plays a vital role in the stewardship of the Social Security program and has partnered with SSA on numerous program integrity and anti-fraud initiatives.
Another provision enacted last year in the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 requires the Commissioner to report annually on the funds needed for prevention of fraud. SSA's management plan includes goals directly related to this issue. SSA will devote $1.7 billion to program integrity and anti-fraud initiatives in Fiscal Year 2000. These budget items include funding for SSA's Office of Inspector General, continuing disability reviews, SSI redeterminations, representative payee monitoring, annual earnings posting, and debt collection. All of these efforts are resource intensive, and reductions in resources budgeted by SSA would affect our program-integrity plans and likely would result in unprevented and undetected fraud and overpayments.
Employees in 1,300 local field offices and 54 Disability Determination Services are our biggest assets in the fight against fraud. Their commitment in maintaining the integrity of the Social Security program is unswerving. Often, it is field office and DDS employees who are able to uncover suspicious or fraudulent schemes. We will continue to train them in anti-fraud practices and seek additional tools to make their anti-fraud commitment more effective. As an indication of Social Security employees dedication to the agency's anti-fraud efforts, a recent survey found that 96 percent of the Social Security workforce viewed having zero tolerance for program fraud and abuse to be a very important part of their jobs.
Cooperative Disability Investigations Teams
SSA and our Inspector General have set up investigative units --called "Cooperative Disability Investigations" (CDI) teams-consisting of an IG special agent, two investigators from a State or local law enforcement agency, and two DDS and/or SSA personnel. The purpose of this initiative is to provide greater investigative support to the State DDSs so that they may make more accurate decisions on disability claims. Fostering an exchange of information between disability decision-makers and investigators, the CDI process enhances the potential for identifying overpayments and denying fraudulent initial applications, and ensures timely investigation and termination of benefits when fraud is detected during CDRs. In addition, the CDI teams investigate and pursue criminal prosecution of doctors, lawyers, and other third parties who commit fraud against the disability program. There are currently seven CDI units operating throughout the United States.
As of February 2000, the CDI units have processed 2,231 case referrals and developed evidence to support 699 denials for a projected program savings of nearly $37 million. This reflects overpayment detections, some of which include fraud. This is more than 10 times the project's costs so far. In addition the project has produced more than $11.7 million in related State program savings. As a result of these efforts, we expect to see increases in employee morale and public confidence as SSA has another proactive tool in the fight against fraud.
Representative Payees
SSA has broad authority to appoint representative payees for those beneficiaries who are incapable of managing or directing the management of their funds. In fact, direct payment is prohibited to beneficiaries who are legally incompetent, children under age 15 and for those disabled beneficiaries where alcoholism or drug addiction is a contributing factor material to the determination of disability.
There are 4.7 million Social Security beneficiaries who require representative payees. Family members serve as representative payees for over 90 percent of the beneficiaries requiring them. The remaining 10 percent are institutions, government agencies, financial organizations, and fee-for-service organizations. The vast majority of representative payees provide much needed help to beneficiaries who are the most vulnerable of our population without abusing this responsibility. Unfortunately, there have been some instances of misuse by representative payees. The amount of benefits misused by payees is a small percentage of benefits paid, an estimated $3 million per year.
To improve our ability to detect and prevent such problems, we have developed a plan for increased monitoring of organizational payees. Among other steps, we are visiting fee-for-service payees 6 months after their initial appointment as payee, requiring these payees to annually show proof of current bonding or licensing, and conducting site reviews. The OIG has pledged to work with us to improve all aspects of monitoring this program.
Finally, because administrative actions alone are not sufficient to ameliorate problems, we sent to Congress on February 22, a set of legislative proposals for that would provide additional safeguards for beneficiaries with representative payees and we urge the Subcommittee to give these prompt attention. Included in this package is a provision that would permit SSA to reissue benefit payments in all cases when an organizational payee is found to have misused a beneficiary's funds. This would enable SSA to provide prompt relief to beneficiaries victimized by unscrupulous representative payees. On September 28, 1999, SSA sent to Congress a draft bill entitled the Civil Monetary Penalty Extension Act of 1999, that would extend the civil monetary penalty provisions to representative payees that misuse benefits.
Social Security Number (SSN) Fraud
SSA issues about 16 million new and replacement cards in a typical year and there are nearly 300 million numbers currently issued. The expanded use of the Social Security number (SSN) as a personal identifier for everything from opening a bank account to listing of newborns as dependents on tax returns has given rise to obtaining SSN cards based on false information.
SSA has identified three basic types of fraud related to the Social Security number - when someone illegally obtains a new number or uses someone else's number illegally; when someone establishes an entirely new identity using illegal documents; or identity theft, when someone assumes another person's identity.
To prevent issuing a new number for fraudulent purposes, SSA maintains a "disallowed file" that contains information on every person whose application for an SSN was denied because he or she submitted fraudulent documentation. This database currently holds over 94,000 items and grows by an average of 10,000 items a year.
SSA's Comprehensive Integrity Review Process alerts field offices when multiple Social Security cards have been sent to the same address over a short period. The office then investigates to determine whether the alert reflects any fraudulent activity.
To prevent someone from establishing a new identity using illegally obtained birth documents, SSA links the SSN to the birth certificate by working with hospitals and State departments of vital statistics to facilitate enumeration at birth facilities. We are also planning changes that will suspend the issuance of SSN cards in cases involving children under 18 when the parent's age is questionable until an investigation has been conducted. Every application for an SSN is also checked against SSA's Death Master File to ensure that there is no death indicator on file for the individual or SSN.
To prevent identity theft, SSA employees who process SSN applications receive ongoing training on document authenticity that includes birth certificates and Immigration and Naturalization Service documents. In cooperation with the Department of State, we are developing a program of "enumeration at entry" which would provide SSNs at the point that a non-citizen enters the country and is eligible for a number.
If identity theft is discovered, SSA helps the victim reconcile any discrepancies that may have resulted from earnings being posted to an incorrect file. In certain cases, we assign a new SSN to the victim in order to establish a new credit record and stop the fraud from continuing.
While there are significant criminal penalties for SSN fraud, there are no provisions that authorize SSA to impose civil penalties for these offenses. The Civil Monetary Penalty Extension Act of 1999, which I mentioned earlier, would establish civil monetary penalties for offenses involving fraudulent application or misuse of numbers and Social Security cards.
Fraud Deterrence
In May 1998, SSA sent a proposal to Congress, the SSI Program Integrity Act of 1998, that authorizes SSA to impose specified periods of ineligibility for Social Security benefits on any individual who knowingly provides SSA with false or misleading information in order to qualify for benefits. This responds to situations where criminal or civil penalties may not be feasible. We are pleased that Congress enacted this provision in the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999.
In addition, the Administration fully supported another fraud deterrent provision in the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 that bars representatives and health care providers from the OASDI and SSI programs if they were found to have helped commit fraud. The penalty is for 5 years, 10 years, and permanent exclusion for the first, second, and third offenses respectively.
Again, we would like to thank the Subcommittee for its efforts over the years to maintain the integrity of the Social Security program. We wish to continue and build on quality management of the Social Security program by developing new administrative procedures to prevent and detect overpayments and fraud. We will also continue to develop legislative proposals to send to Congress whenever we see a situation that cannot be remedied administratively.
We are committed to our role as stewards of the trust fund and will strive to improve public confidence in the Social Security program. Quality stewardship and program integrity often involve labor intensive efforts. We look forward to this Subcommittee's support to ensure that SSA is adequately funded in order to maintain quality program management
Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. I will be happy to answer any questions that you may have.


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GDT Oilers 0, Kings 2 – Game 76 – 2011-03-29 @ 7:30 PM MST – TSN
Tonight the Oilers say goodbye to another huge legend.. Rod Phillips. Rod's been broadcasting Oilers games since their WHA days (since 1973). How many of us have turned down the sound on a game and flipped on the radio. Thanks to radio delay, that doesn't work so well anymore, but my dad used to do that back in the day, and it was glorious. Rod's already been inducted into the Hall of Fame.. will we see a jersey retired in his honor (or perhaps a start of a ring of honor here?). I hear the players will be wearing a specific number with Phillips on the back for the ceremony (37, to commemorate his 37 years of service). Whatever they do, I am sure it will be memorable. Phillips is a great announcer. I think he hands the mic off to a guy who will one day be seen as a great talent too, in Jack Michaels, but that guy has BIG shoes to fill. Anyways, on to the game…
The Oilers are coming off a tough loss against the Flames in which they got to a 4-1 lead before seeing it slowly chipped away. They lost it 5-4 in the shootout. What a heart breaker. But really, it was great to see this band of misfits get off to such a great start and play a hard game. But the Flames comeback was just too much for them. The Kings have won their last 3 and sit in 9th in the league right now. If you're like me, you're hoping for an Oilers win BIG TIME tonight, because the Kings are in control of one of our 2011 1st round picks. Right now it's looking to be a high 20s pick. But, given how tight the standings are, the Oilers can help try and give themselves a mid-round pick for the 2011 draft. This is a draft pick rally we can all get behind, unlike "Losin' for Larsson" and such.
That said, I have a tough time believing the Oilers can win this one.. but I'm going to spread some positive vibe and guess that they win…
Prediction 5-3 Oilers
P.S. Trogdor asks: "In true Oiler fashion, how loud will Penner be booed?"
Followed by Steve-O with: "also, how many goals will he score?"
Continue reading 'GDT Oilers 0, Kings 2 – Game 76 – 2011-03-29 @ 7:30 PM MST – TSN'»


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10 Ways to Get Free Wi-Fi
Page 1 of 1
Sure, you could pay for Wi-Fi, but follow these tips and you may not have to.
Like most commodities, Wi-Fi is usually available if youre willing to pay for it. But if youd just as soon not have to ante up a monthly, daily, or hourly charge, here are some ways you can scare up Wi-Fi access gratis.
1. Hit the books
Public libraries may be best known for providing access to information in dead tree format, but books aren't the only things they offer. Many libraries, such as those in New York City, Miami-Dade, FL, and Contra Costa County, CA--or even small towns, such as Northampton, MA--offer free Wi-Fi for visitors. Another place with lots of books and the potential for free Wi-Fi is the local college campus--check the student union and other spots for a signal when you visit.
2. Pull up stakes
Municipal Wi-Fi networks are an endangered species these days, and ones that dont charge for access are even more so. But free city-wide (or close to it) Wi-Fi does still exist. Some towns like Ponca City, OK and St. Cloud, FL, have Wi-Fi networks for things like automatic meter reading and emergency service use, and they offer free access to residents (coverage is sometimes limited to public areas, though).
If youre looking for a hipper more urbane milieu, head to San Francisco, where free Wi-Fi is available in much of the city thanks to Maraki's Free the Net project. [For more on Free the Net, click here.] Meraki products also make it relatively easy and inexpensive to add Wi-Fi to multi-unit dwellings like apartment buildings, so plant a bug in the ear of your property manager or condo board.
3. Trains, planes, and automobiles
Whether you're traveling cross-country or cross-town, free Wi-Fi is often close by. Comcast high-speed Internet customers can take advantage of free Wi-Fi available at about 100 New Jersey Transit train stations and in surrounding parking lots. Cablevision provides the same service to its customers waiting at Long Island Rail Road platforms, and all LIRR passengers can get Internet access in the LIRR's New York Penn Station waiting room.
When traveling by air, consider heading to the airport early--or lingering there for a while after arrival--since many offer free Wi-Fi in the passenger terminals. Travelpost.com has a nice rundown of such airports, (along with pricing for those airports that charge for access).
If youre on a road trip and need to pull over for a bathroom break, check and see if the roadside facilities offer free Wi-Fi. Many highway rest stops, including all 27 Travel Plazas on the New York State Thruway, do. And BP is in the midst of rolling out free Wi-Fi access at its gas stations across North America.
Whatever your mode of travel, if youre staying in a hotelor just happen to be close to onepark yourself in the lobby, where Wi-Fi is often free (even when it costs beaucoup bucks in the guest rooms).
4. Take a coffee break or grab a bite
Economic downturn notwithstanding, there are still about a billion Starbucks out there, most of which have hotspots. If you frequently visit Starbucks for your java jolt, pick up one of the company's stored-value cards, register it online and use it at least once every 30 days to make a purchase or add fundsyoull get two hours of free Starbucks Wi-Fi access per day (albeit in one contiguous block) for your trouble. Craving more than just coffee? All FirstWatch and Panera locations offer free Wi-Fi, as well.
5. Ask and ye shall receive
Sharemywifi.com hosts a database of about 800 Wi-Fi networks worldwide (mostly in the US and Europe) whose owners are willing to provide access to strangers. Although some owners request a donation for network access and others are willing to exchange it for other goods or services, a considerable number of the networks listed on the site will provide access to anyone who asks.
A tool on the site lets you consult a map to locate a network near you and view the owner's terms for access. Once you find one you want to use, use an e-mail form to contact the owner and request permission to access the network, (and in the case of secure networks, obtain the encryption key).
6. Join the crowd
We-Fi has a million or so users whove found more than sixteen million hotspots around the world. Lots of them are free, and you can use the sites maps to look up open networks near a particular address.
When you install We-Fi's software (its available for Windows and Mac systems as well as Windows Mobile and Nokia S60 mobile phones) it will find and automatically connect you to the best open access point available nearby, and if the wireless networks near you aren't already in We-Fi's database, the software will add them for the benefit of other users. We-Fi also lets you know where friends that also use the software are connected, and can update your location when you post to Facebook or Twitter. [Click here for a review.]
7. Share and share alike
With FON's $30 LaFonera access point, you can create a public hotspot on your wireless network without disturbing the protected and private network you already have. Granted $30 isn't exactly free, but if you agree to be a Linus and provide other FON users with free access to your hotspot (as opposed to Bills, who charge for it) you'll get complimentary access at all other FON hotspots in return. [Click here for a review.]
Whisher works along similar lines, but with software rather than hardware. Make your wireless network available to Whisher users, and youll get access to theirs. Whishers software is available for Mac and Windows (though the latter versions not compatible with Vista). [Click here for a review.]
8. Get a gadget
Sometimes right gadget + right place = free Wi-Fi. When you buy an iPhone, your data plan comes with free Wi-Fi access at AT&T hotspots, including those at Starbucks, Barnes & Noble, and McDonalds. The same is true of Sonys Cyber-shot DSC-G3 camera with built-in Wi-Fi (though you can only use it to upload photos from the camera, not with a PC). The Eye-Fi Explore--a Wi-Fi-enabled 2GB SD card that works with most digital cameras-- comes with one year of access at Wayport hotspots.
9. Sniff around
You dont always have time to fire up the laptop just to see if theres free Wi-Fi around, but pocket-sized gizmos like the Canary Wireless Digital Hotspotter HS20 will give you a quick read on available networks nearby, their signal strength, and whether or not theyre encrypted. The Wi-Fi capable iPod touch can also be used as a signal finder. [Click here for a review of the HS20. And click here for a review of the iPod touch.]
10. More gain, less pain
When youre looking for Wi-Fi, but can't find any open networks around, there may still be a few nearby with signals that are just out of reach. The Wi-Fi adapters built into most notebooks arent particularly adept at pulling in weak or distant signals, but a USB-based Wi-Fi adapter with a high-gain directional antenna, like hField's Wi-Fire or one from Hawking Technologies (it has units that support 11g and 11n, on both Mac and Windows) will give you the ability to cast a wider net in search of access. [Click here for a full Wi-Fire review.]
Whenever youre trolling for free Wi-Fi, be sure to pay attention to what youre connecting to. In many public places (especially in airport terminals), scammers with laptops are known to hang around broadcasting peer-to-peer (a.k.a. ad-hoc) networks and hoping to snare inattentive passers-by with come-hither SSIDs like Free Wi-Fi or something along those lines. To avoid falling prey to one, take note of the icon next to the network. The icon should depict an antenna (in XP) or a single computer (in Vista) if it shows a pair of computers, its an ad-hoc network and you should stay away. [For more detailed help, read When Free Public Wi-Fi is Bad.]
Finally, remember that whether you pay for access not, Wi-Fi networks are shared; so whenever you use one, you are potentially exposing your computers data and your online activities to other users. To protect yourself, be sure to run a software firewall and use VPN software, such as AnchorFrees Hotspot Shield to encrypt the data you send and receive while connected. A caveat: HotSpot Shield will want to route your searches through its own search engine partner since thats how they make money (though you can still opt to stick with your own preferred search provider).
Joseph Moran is a veteran technology journalist and frequent contributor to Wi-Fi Planet.


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Wednesday, October 21, 2009
On the Street….Lino so Casual, Milano
CommentsClose comment
120 comments
What's the brand, i would like to see them more clearly. Lino looks great as always :)
What are they?!
those kicks are cool
Yes, you guys do need to get a bit more experimental, look how much fun he's having in the two tone shoes!
NIce, I also love the unbutton cuffs of the shirt under with the one open button on the suit cuff as well. Relax and Cool!
I like in one tone , two no.
Love this look, very stylish!
Here is Marcelo from Brazil.
I wanna buy some pictures from your blog.
Please contact me, thanks a lot.
What is the link to the brand?
I would like to know the brand of those shoes anybody know it?
Yes, I'm a woman and I completely agree. They look unique without being over the top.
very handsome fella!
I must be an exception, don't like these shoes… But i like the rest :-)
I LOVE these shoes in a big way
Yeah, what shoes are they? They do look real nice…
great casual shoes aside, i love how everything else is a bit off. non-matching black socks, loose fitting shirt, and just too long jacket.
it gives an air of not trying too hard where comfort prevails over dictation.
hahaha… "What are they?" someone said. They're double monk-straps. That's what they are.
I am yet to own the doubles but I have plenty of "single" monk straps.
They are Al Bazar double monk straps and they are killer. A tad pricey at $850.
Allen Edmonds makes a great version called the Mora that available for a fraction of that cost.
How does Lino do winter? It gets cold in Milan, I would love to see his outfit for an Inter game on a January evening.
I love the museum/antique finish on the brown part of the shoe. The reinforcement rivet is a nice touch.
Scott ~ Sorry I can't make it to the book signing in San Francisco. I live 90 minutes from the City and have an early meeting the next morning. Be sure to stop in Tosca Cafe in North Beach afterwards for a drink. It's an atmospheric old San Francisco bar and is across the street from City Lights Bookstore. They're famous for their "cappuchino".
Blaumax (Larry)
I do love the shoes, the one thing that mistifies me is I would never wear such peaked lapels with a polo collar, and yet it looks awesome on him. I just cant explain it. I guess like someone said "Fashion, one can buy. Style one must own" or something like that? Jorge from WPB
nice shoes, you are lucky!
I used to wear a black version of these everyday back in high school!
Shoes look great. However, what he is wearing could be better. I am reminded of the detectives in NYPD Blue, where they would wear D/B jackets from old suits with jeans. This never looks right. As for the shoes, Edward Green? Although the styling looks more Italian than British.
Like the pose!
I absolutely adore the shoes! And I love the jacket/jeans combo..
i love them! i would get them for the bf if he wasnt a size 14. he'd look like big bird.
lekisskiss.blogspot.com <–check it out, two girls living in nyc and chi blogging all things fashion!
I'll be buying a pair. Scott, see you in SF tonight!
he is as always very relaxed and cool looking – and he has socks on!
He looks good, handsome guy, and I wish I could get those shoes onto my husband's feet. But Lino's natural hair color would be so much more flattering to him–I hope he'll consider trying it.
I do really love the shoes he is wearing. I am curious about the double buttoned jacket; can you possibly wear it opened like that? Great picture of that man otherwise, although I would not like to see him drinking and smoking at the same time!
As usual, the man's good looks makes the picture…not the clothes. This site is getting cliche very fast.
I'm pretty sure double monks were 1st sold by Edward Green….
They look great with jeans here but can look a bit cumbersome due to having 2 buckles. Berluti do a nice single monk where the strap and buckle are higer up so more hidden as you walk. Gives a very sleek looking shoe as all you can see in lovely leather!
If you want toe caps to look like that on tan shoes use black polish.
Meh, I've always disliked monk-straps.
I love them as well Sart. I would love to see a suede double monk. You have captured Lino's sartorial acumen for the casual. Little things like unbuttoned sleeves with jeans make the difference.
I've got double monk straps from Crockett & Jones.
Double monks were first put on the scene by John Lobb. I have a pair of Edward Green, thinner soles than the Lobb but great grainy leather and aged superbly.
Great shoes, but the DB suit jacket with the polo shirt is …well, its not my cup of tea
Love this shoes and the natural hair!
look great!
My darling husband has worn E.Green Double Monks forever… they never ceases to get him complements -from airport security guards to shoe salesmen at Neiman's, everyone oohs and ahhs over his shoes. In fact, they ohh and ahh over him… I think he might be the best dressed man in Fort Worth. xx
my signature shoes since college days. – but don't leave buckle open for looks – if you forget.. – ok … but not every day.
actually these – the lobb ones – loafers or chelsea boots… – that's it.
actually in my formative years i asked a cobbler in the south of france what all the hot shot guys are bringing in for repair. – anything, he said. anything that comes without shoe strings. – that cote d'azur cobbler defined my style.
i <3 it!
I wish my boyfriend would wear those. They are so innocent and sweet!
Just wonderful! You always catch such life and emotion in your photos…
oh and beautiful shoes.
how can I get a pair of your #1 favourites?
WOW! Solely FABULULOUS soles!
They're certainly nice shoes, I just don't know if I'd recommend them for a guy under 35.
Yes, those shoes are fantastic! First thing I noticed. http://www.nickiefrye.etsy.com
wow! finally…a real man. he is perfect in every way.
Lino is the man; nice shop in Milano!
Those are great shoes for sure but the personality oozing out of them doesn't hurt the eyes either…
he looks like the man
Realy cool!
The first thing I said when I saw the picture was, "Love the shoes!"
love him. want to hang out. looks fun and stylish and interesting.
Love the shoes. And for some reason even with a beer in hand, he still looks classy!
i think they are simple hand made berlutti…
eh–I'm a woman but I never went for these.
hes aweesome, great picture. he looks like such a nice guy
Bastard! He looks better every time I see him. Al Bazar will be my first stop in Milan in March. Can not wait!
rachel comey did a very nice black, soft leater double monk strap last spring. Sadly, I missed out on my size, but I'm still hopeful I'll run into them one day!!
it really doesn't matter what he's wearing. his confidence and ease would show through in any outfit (at least that's what all of your pictures seem to suggest)
As several people have pointed out these are John Lobb shoes. John Lobb has made them first years ago and everyone else has followed.
I am pretty sure that the model work are the ones of Lobb as Lobb makes a model with a double sole (check the pic and u will that the thickness is unsual). The model is called WILLIAM, and is made in Buffalo leather.
They are not two toned. Just polish the tan buffalo with a daker shoe paste and you will get a front of the shoe in a darker tan.
Not my favorite beer but love everything else! Especially the wayfarers and the best shoes ever.
The double monk is John Lobb if you do get them there is a slight difference between the ones made for Lobb in France which are sleeker and a bit narrow, than the English ones made in North Hanmpton which are sturdier.They are expencive but they re certainly worth it as Lobb can resole and repair them to almost perfect condition relacing the leather inside also.Looks gret on you Sart in Mr Mort's posting with Grance
Very cool shoes!
Liking the Heineken bottle aswell! Casual!
Al Bazar?! I stopped in the store earlier this summer whilst in Milan and had one of the employees try these shoes on for me, for I had never seen such handsome shoes for men! Such a delight seeing them on your blog.
And in response to one of the comments left stating: "I don't think anyone under 35 should wear those." I do not agree, however for a look that runs parallel to this one but would be more age-appropriate, if you will, Lacoste made a double-monk sneaker in the same colour as the shoe in the photo. Best sneaker I have ever seen. I tried finding it on the website to no prevail, as it isn't in with the current season. If interested, I'm sure you could contact Lacoste or go into a store and they would help you locate a pair.
I have never ever seen Heineken look this classy!
Always Lino!! This look is perfect!! This shoes is Frattelli Rossetti?! I think yes!! Place your bets!!
I want to buy them and I'm a girl obsessed…..
yeah,i love this shoes too!!
Gianni completely understands: "I got it"! Yo Gianni and Lord Tucker?
ditto on the shoes.
Yep, those shoes are great. Please tell us who makes them.
Nice shoes. I think they might be Santoni….
P.S. I am a girl :)
I like those shoes too. You can wear them with a casual outfit or with a more classic one.
When I went back to Italy last month I saw a lot of young men wearing these shoes without socks though. That's a big NO, NO to me. They are not mocassins.
Bravo Lino. Always cool!
Lino always looks great – he expresses pure masculinity and joy of life! One of my top role models concerning "ageing in style with grandeur"…
I always think that Lino is one of the best dressed men, but:
1) 2 tone shoes……. NO!! Please!
2) DuobleB Jacket with jeans and without tie? NO!! Please!
In this pic Lino have a stunning Patek Philippe Nautilus red gold wristwatch ! That PP is really cool and AMAZING!
Perfect shape and color! Works wonderfully with dark denim…
Lottusse makes shoes like this as well. I haven´t, however, seen them make them in a two tone.
Love good shoes on men. They lift the man. He should of worn brown socks, though!
Sorry, Scott, Im a woman and I hate those shoes.
Yes, they are lovely and not hideous like the new women's shoes!
Go to
Not sure if Gianpaolois the owner of the model for the store, but he is in all the pics. Very hsarp!
try to boot new york for a similar style.
My grandpa has been wearing these for as long as I can remember. Very chic and timeless.
Jeans & db jacket are a no-no!!!
like his shoes though
But Heineken…Really?
Everytime I see this man I think the same thing: 'Now there's good-trouble!' He just always looks like he's having so much fun. I think he'd be happy to lead you astray and you'd be happy to let him.
Omigosh, this guy just oozes cool. If Heineken had any sense at all, they'd use your photo for their next ad campaign.
Don't worry Franco, "Lo abbiamo", We got it!
Those are indeed great shoes. I'm distracted, though, by the chain that I believe is from a pocket watch or something. It's hanging down below the Heineken like it's attached. Maybe he has a secret pocket for beer? To hell with a flask!
OH!!!!!!big time.
the patina on the toes looks too affected for me… unless of course, it's not
fair warning, guys, not all women love these shoes!
Well, if women love these shoes… women really are from Mars and men from Venus (or something like that)…
I just cannot understand what is the appeal of these shoes?!?
Do you actually like the shoes or are they your new favorites because women like them and you want to be liked by women???
(Excuse my english)
best part of it is how NOTHING stands out and screams at you! If you don't consciously dissect his look, all you see is a well dressed man who is having a great time. Makes me wish I was the one he's talking with. The clothing may make the man, but this man is wearing his clothes.
That's my sartorial aspiration!
For Stefica:
"fair warning, guys, not all women love these shoes!" – does real MAN do care if women dont understand his stylish shoes???? – that's their problem, not his!
i lost count how many pairs of monk-straps i had in my life, and still have 3, in black, smoke grey(brand new) and brown – I dont like much laced-up shoes!
The pair Lino wears are really classy…
omg! those shoes are what got my immediate attencion!! they are to-die-for. footwear that is sophisticated with top notch quality and that are unique are ones to take notice of. i am a women and love them.
no worries, not all guys love women.
I however think shoes are great and two tone especially like this is great way to have variety.
Look at this guy in his natty outfit, clearly doesn't use sunscreen, with beer and cigarette in hand—and he looks a helluva lot happier and healthier than anybody I've seen in my upper midwest city of the USA lately!
Haha, the first thing I said to myself when I saw this was "AWESOME shoes". Then I scrolled down to the caption and laughed out loud.
I used to wear a few pairs of monk straps back in high school (1984-89). I loved the clean, no-laces look.
But now I just think they look weird and pretentious somehow. (Not that they weren't when I was wearing them!)
I think wearing them unbuckled is a bit bizarre. Too busy to do up two measly buckles? I dunno.
The first double monks are the Williams from John Lobb Paris. Many imitations are around by the most famous maklers british and Italian.. Edward Green does make them of course but we can't call them imitation since they're of a more refined last and of outstanding quality.
Lino is consistently cool. I do love his shoes. My husband impressed me on our first outings by wearing gorgeous shoes. Women do notice.
I would tell Lino, as I told my then-boyfriend-now-husband, to quit the tanning–too much is too much. And I think he can let his hair go natural; I am sure it will be more seductive than the orangey tones.
Still, Lino is just awesome. Gorgeous smile and wonderful presence.
Well I'll be damned…for a moment I thought, "Oh wow, that's Jean Paul Belmondo." Although Belmondo was never into nice fashion:)
seriously… the shoes are awesome! i also love the way he wears that blazer with classic blue jeans. he is totally gorgeous!
I like to think this is what I look like drinking a Heineken as well. But I suspect I'm a little more on the cutoff shorts and visible bra straps side of things.
This man is yummy! oh can he dress, just what I would like to get a hold of for while!
This guy is a mixed bag. He is successfully working that white shirt against his soon-to-be-faded tan. But how tapered are those jeans? The leg opening looks too narrow. And brown shoes but black socks? I cannot sanction that combo, signore.
Lino iz deffinetly one of the coolest gentz i've seen on thiz blog so far. becauze he playz by hiz own set of rulez. Pocket watch chain, pink allegator beltz, monk strap shoez. If Scott decided to do dedicate hiz whole blog to Lino, I would be the happiest!!!!!
Shoes look great, jeans and shirt as well. But doublebreasted jacket NEVER works with something casual, I think.
The best version of these shoes is from John Lobb, called William…
I'm a woman and I love these shoes!
they'r PRADA if I'm not mistaken…
Lino is the epitome of natural elegance,that one which many posh around any conservative town would die for and will never have.Being ellegant with attitude,a well trained taste…that is in Lino´s ADN
Perfect choise for shoes :)
coolest heineken add ever!


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BOSTON (AP) — Boston emergency medical authorities say many people who attended an electronic dance music show featuring Swedish disc jockey Avicii at the TD Garden arena showed up intoxicated and several have been hospitalized.
TD Garden spokeswoman Tricia McCorkle says at Wednesday night's Avicii concert "there were a number of transports due to medical issues."
Emergency Medical Service Deputy Superintendent Mike Bosse tells the Boston Herald that EMS took 22 people to the hospital and a dozen more were under evaluation. He says he contacted the Boston Police Licensing Division, which cited the TD Garden for allowing lots of intoxicated concertgoers to enter.
Avicii spokeswoman Diana Baron says she's waiting for a full report from the venue and promoter.


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Moderator: Otto Vondrak
drobertson wrote:The plan was for this line to go onto Arkville
The visible grade is in a field on the uphill side of Rt. 10
just east of Peters Rd. Does anyone know if any other gradework was
done or is still visible for this intended line?
drobertson wrote:A couple of efforts were made to run a railroad up the Little Delaware out of Delhi and to Margaretville. I believe one was in the 1870s and one in the 1890s. Some of the gradework on the south side of the Little Delaware River, near the community of Lake Delaware, is (or was - as of 15 years ago) visible from State Rt 28. What were these railroads? Did they have anything to do with the NYO&W in Delhi? The topography gets a little tougher east of Lake Delaware. Is there any evidence of gradework beyond Lake Delaware or the plans to get through the hills to Margaretville?
drobertson wrote:The easiest topography to work with coming out of Delhi would seem to be up the West Branch of the Delaware River to Bloomville. I recently saw a map for the NYC (I think – maybe a predecessor) drawn in 1893 in a book titled Railroad Atlas of North America . This map also included the Ulster & Delaware. At that time the U&D ended in Bloomville but this map showed it continuing on to Delhi and not Oneonta. Were there any plans or efforts to connect the U&D and the NYO&W along the West Branch?
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text: I didn't really know what to expect from this. I assumed that it might be kind of Kitschy, as its a really popular tourist destination, (THREE hours in line) but it was anything but. You descend down a spiral staircase deep below the surface of Paris. Once down there you you are in a series of tunnels. This went on for several hundred meters, then all of a sudden, you are surrounded by the dead. This was no touristy gimmick, just the remains of millions of Parisians dating back hundred of years. I felt almost like Indiana Jones. Before you enter the Ossuary you are met with an ancient stone marker that says: "ARRETE! C'EST ICI L'EMPIRE DE LA MORT". (STOP! THIS IS THE EMPIRE OF THE DEAD) This was one of the creepiest, most fascinating things I have ever done. Thanks to Michael Spyres for going with me... The Catacombs of Paris are underground ossuaries in Paris, France, which hold the remains of more than six million people in a small part of a tunnel network built to consolidate Paris' ancient stone mines. Extending south from the Barrière d'Enfer ("Gate of Hell") former city gate, this ossuary was created as part of the effort to eliminate the city's overflowing cemeteries. Preparation work began not long after a 1774 series of gruesome Saint Innocents-cemetery-quarter basement wall collapses added a sense of urgency to the cemetery-eliminating measure, and from 1786, nightly processions of covered wagons transferred remains from most of Paris' cemeteries to a mine shaft opened near the Rue de la Tombe-Issoire. The ossuary remained largely forgotten until it became a novelty-place for concerts and other private events in the early 19th century; after further renovations and the construction of accesses around Place Denfert-Rochereau, it was open to public visitation from 1874. Since January 1, 2013, the Catacombs number among the 14 City of Paris Museums managed by Paris Musées. Although the ossuary comprises only a small section of the underground "carrières de Paris" ("quarries of Paris"), Parisians presently often refer to the entire tunnel network as "the catacombs". Fun Trivia: In 2004, police discovered a fully equipped movie theater in one of the caverns. It was equipped with a giant cinema screen, seats for the audience, projection equipment, film reels of recent thrillers and film noir classics, a fully stocked bar, and a complete restaurant with tables and chairs. The source of its electrical power and the identity of those responsible remain unknown... #LIFEATEXPEDIA. #PARISCATACOMBS #TRAVEL #HILLBILLYINPARIS #IHEARTPARIS


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A year ago, I did a guest lecture gig at my alma matter, Columbia College in Chicago, for a graduate writing class.
One of the students, a guy named Marcus Sakey, offered to buy me a beer after class. We went to a nearby watering hole and began to talk shop.
Marcus wrote lit fiction, and was pursuing his Masters in the hope that one day he'd be able to write and sell a book.
I gave him my opinion--an MFA won't sell a book. Only a good book will sell a book. School and study is something you do INSTEAD of write.
I also told him that the market for lit fiction isn't very large, and asked if there were any genres he liked to read.
Marcus liked Dennis Lehane, who writes crime fiction.
"Then you need to drop out of school and write a crime novel," I said.
He picked up the check, and I promptly forgot about him. Until he showed up at an event of mine a few weeks later.
"I did it," he told me.
"Did what?" I asked. I couldn't remember who he was.
"I did what you suggested."
"Which was...?"
"I dropped out of school, stopped writing lit fiction, and am working on a thriller."
"Oh. Uh... that's great."
I'd hear from Marcus occasionally, and every so often our paths would cross. We'd talk about writing, and the publishing business, and the importance of self-promotion, and more often than not Marcus would pick up the check.
I began to like this guy a lot, not just because he kept buying me beer. He was smart, funny, and really dedicated to making it in this business. I soon considered him a friend.
Two months ago, my friend finished his first novel, called THE BLADE ITSELF.
It was good. Damn good.
Marcus queried some agents, and got two big ones interested. He signed with a great agency, who went out with his book a few weeks ago.
A few days ago, Marcus called, saying he'd gotten a modest offer.
The next day, he'd gotten a counter-offer, which was considerably better.
The day after that, he had a two book deal and was earning more money than I am.
I couldn't have been happier than if it had happened to me.
Are you a new writer, unable to break into the publishing world? Take heart. It is possible. Marcus is proof. Within a year, he went from college student to earning a living as a writer.
Look for THE BLADE ITSELF to be released by St. Martin's in January 2007.
Look for Marcus at a writing convention near you. Offer to buy him a beer, and then pick his brain about the publishing business. But don't be surprised if he tries to talk you out of getting that MFA...
Saturday, October 22, 2005
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We've had a favorite movie thread; it's only fitting that we do favorite books too!
Here are some of my favorites, in no particular order:
The Lord of the Rings, J. R. R. Tolkien: Duh. Probably the masterpiece of 20th century literature, by a man who loved language enough to invent his own and make up a history to match it.
The Chronicles of Narnia, C. S. Lewis: Must-read for any fantasy fan.
The Chronicles of Prydain, Lloyd Alexander: Great young adult fiction, where grown up means wishing to be a planter of turnips over a great warrior.
The Deed of Paksenarrion, Elizabeth Moon: Great description of life as a mercenary and the training of a paladin.
The Deryni Cycle, Katherine Kurtz: Reads like it could be real history.
The first and second Dragonlance Chronicles, Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman: The best swords-and-sorcery, D&D-type epic written. One of the few times that I've been choked up reading a book is Sturm Brightblade's death.
The Riftwar Saga, Raymond Feist: Swords-and-sorcery with a twist--a great Oriental feel to it. "My place is not here."
Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling: Duh. The books that gave many budding readers their first all-nighters--"just one more chapter!"
The Eyes of the Dragon, Stephen King: Good solid yarn--just imagine all those napkins...
The Unlikely Ones, Mary Brown: Unusual fantasy, one of those books that will stick with you through the years.
Magic Kingdom for Sale, Terry Brooks: Witty without being slapstick, a good-hearted knock on the genre.
Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser series, Fritz Leiber: Think "Lethal Weapon" set in a fantasy world; hijinks and high adventure!
Have I left out your favorite? (I'm sure I'm neglecting some too.) Post away!


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The English and Comparative Literature curriculum at HWS begins with traditional coverage of great literature, renowned authors and classic genres. The English department not only focuses on the conventional, it encourages students to explore special concentrations through programs in critical theory, film, theatre, and particular century or national tradition.
English offers a disciplinary major, a B.A., and a disciplinary minor.
Course List
If you'd like to view a full listing of our course options in English or any other subject, please visit the Online Course Catalogue.
Requirements for the Major (B.A.)
disciplinary, 12 courses
ENG 200; 10 courses; a capstone experience. Of the 10 electives, four should be at the 300-level or above. Up to three courses may be taken outside the department and may count towards the major and the fulfillment of requirements, with permission of the adviser. Requirements include the following areas: one Early Period course; one American Literature; one Global Literature; one UK/European Literature; two Literary History. (A single course may fulfill more than one requirement.)
Concentrations may be defined by literary history, genre or field of study. A genre concentration could, for example, include three courses on poetry, while a literary history concentration might provide an overview of literary history, or focus on one particular era. Field of study concentrations in creative writing, film studies or theory are options for students with particular interest in those areas.
Requirements for the Minor
disciplinary, 6 courses
Introductory Requirement (ENG 200); two courses at the 300-level or above; three elective courses, only one of which may be at the 100-level. With permission of student's adviser, one elective may be a literature or writing course from outside of the department.
Our students choose from a variety of introductory and advanced courses, each designed to provide students with an understanding of critical literary, textual analysis and writing.
Below, you'll find a sampling of some of our most popular classes, as well as suggestions for making English a part of your larger interdisciplinary experience at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
ENG 238 Flexing Sex
Explore the issue of whether an author's gender defines his or her voice, through a series of theoretical and literary readings by authors who challenge prevailing notions of gendered authorship, and complete a series of analytical and creative writing assignments in response to these works. Continue examining the role that gender plays in society by enrolling in SOC 226, Sociology of Sex and Gender.
ENG 233 The Art of the Screenplay
Read screenplays and study the films that have been made from them, while paying special attention to elements of story, structure, character development and techniques for turning written text into moving images. Discover the art involved with the methods, materials and history of imaging in ART 165 Introduction to Imaging.
ENG 357 Shakespearean Adaptation
Study Shakespeare from an evolutionary perspective and explore how Shakespeare plays have been appropriated and repurposed over the past four hundred years. What makes Shakespeare so adaptable? How do different cultures and different eras make their mark on Shakespeare by means of adaptation? And how can we determine where "Shakespeare" stops and where "adaptation" begins on this continuum? Learn more about how adaptation relates to people groups by enrolling in ANTH 205 Race, Class and Ethnicity.