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- You are here:
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- Overview
A unique partnership and a BOLD experiment: The Ph.D. program is offered through the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, a unique public and private partnership conferred jointly by both Georgia Tech's College of Engineering and Emory University's School of Medicine. Training the next generation of biomedical engineers to become independent, thought-provoking leaders, the graduates of this joint program leave armed with a strong foundation in engineering principles and bioscience knowledge.
No. 3 Graduate program
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
current enrolled graduates
current enrolled graduates
Ph.D. degrees
awarded in AY2017/2018
Ph.D. degrees
awarded in AY2017/2018
Primary Faculty
Primary Faculty
Program Faculty
Program Faculty
The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering is a single department that combines the world-class resources of the Georgia Tech College of Engineering and the Emory University School of Medicine.
Our students are fully funded from a range of mechanisms, through pre-doctoral fellowships from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, federal and private agencies, federally funded training grant programs, or investigator-initiated support.
In our department, students are doing cutting-edge research in highly collaborative environments which is a common element of our team-driven culture. Our research laboratories are dedicated to addressing unmet clinical challenges and have access to superior resources only found in world-class institutions.
Our students have an abundance of opportunities to work in their desired fields. Explore our faculty based on their respective research focus areas.
Training grants enhance graduate research training by promoting fundamental, interdisciplinary and innovative research training essential for future biomedical researchers. Students appointed to a training grant are financially supported for a portion of their training. Below are the current training grants available to Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. students:
The below table provides an overview of the Biomedical Engineering curriculum by category and hours required.
|Integrative Engineering-Biomedical Science
BME Problem-Based Course (3 options)
|One, 3-hour course
|Bioscience, Data Science, Engineering, and Elective Courses
|5-7 courses (21 hours total)
|Advanced Graduate Seminar Course
|One, 3-hour topical discussion-format course
|Ethics, Teaching and Professional
Developing Training Course
|Three, 1-hour courses
|Seminar Attendance
|7 seminars per semester; four semesters
BioE/BME Curriculum Comparison
Integrative Engineering-Biomedical Science BME Problem-Based Course (3 options)
|BME Requirement
|BioE-BME Requirement
|One, 3-hour course
Bioscience, Data Science, Engineering, and Elective Courses
|BME Requirement
|BioE-BME Requirement
5-7 courses (21 hours total)
11 courses (33 hours total)
Advanced Graduate Seminar Course
|BME Requirement
|BioE-BME Requirement
|One, 3-hour topical discussion-format course
Ethics, Teaching, and Professional Developing Training Courses
|BME Requirement
|BioE-BME Requirement
|Three, 1-hour courses
|Two, 1-hour courses
Seminar Attendance
|BME Requirement
|BioE-BME Requirement
|7 seminars per semester; four semesters
|7 seminars per semester; four semesters
The BME Department @ GT & Emory is a vibrant community filled with diverse individuals who come together to form innovative and groundbreaking organizations!
Graduate Organizations
The Bioengineering and Bioscience Unified Graduate Students
BBUGS is the largest, most diverse, graduate student group on the Georgia Tech campus. The BBUGS group serves as the core student group for the bioengineering and bioscience community.
Black Graduate Student Association
Dedicated to the enhancement of the graduate experience for African-American students and students of African descent at Emory University.
Graduate Student Advisory Board
GSAB provides a platform for BME graduate students to collectively give feedback to and work with the graduate program administration to help insure that the graduate program continues to improve and adapt.
Graduate Sustainability Group
To bring students together on some of humanity's most pressing problems and address them through conservation and action on and off campus.
Student-Produced Science Media
Popular science website that hosts content created, written, and produced by Emory graduate students.
Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math
A national professional development organization aimed at supporting the LGBTQIA community at Georgia Tech.
Undergraduate Mentoring Program
A competitive scholarship program that serves to develop the next generation of leading bioengineering and bioscience researchers by providing a comprehensive undergraduate research experience for a full year. Participating graduate students serve as mentors.
High School Science Education
A high school science education program developed at Georgia Tech in partnership with Coretta Scott King, B.E.S.T. Academy, and KIPP Atlanta Collegiate.
Women in Biomedical Engineering
wBME brings together female graduate students and post-doc researchers across the BME department to develop a community of successful women.
Women in Engineering
Dedicated to recruiting top female students into engineering majors and ensure the highest level of retention by fostering an environment that encourages curiosity, creativity and intellectual and personal growth.
Resources in BME
Brenda Morris is a critical resource to the career development of our BME graduate students. She serves as a sounding board to students when brainstorming their career options, and provides many other services to students, a few of which are listed here:
- Full time advisement
- Internship searching and application guidance
- Networking opportunities
- Resume/CV advice
- Career workshops as well as other career development events
Resources at Georgia Tech and Emory University
GT Center for Career Discovery and Development
- CareerBuzz: interview and job-posting management system
- Job search advice
- Online career guide
- Career counseling
- Career Fairs
- Career services workshops
Professional Development Resources at the Laney Graduate School, Emory
Center for Enhanced Teaching & Learning (CETL)
- Learning Technology Training
- Teaching workshops & consultations
- Graduate Teaching Fellows & courses
- BEST Program
- The program promotes biomedical-related career exploration and professional development for graduate students and post-docs
- BEST also sponsors career and professional development events open to all graduate students.
- Career Development Timeline for Doctoral Students
- Graduate Cooperative Education Program
- Provides opportunity to work with industry and government leaders in their respective areas of study.
- Three Minute Thesis (3MTTM)
- The Versatile PhD
- Web-based resource for graduate community interested in exploring nonacademic career options.
- Technical Innovation: Generating Economic Results (TI:GER) Program
- Combines classroom instruction, team-based activities, and real world consulting projects into a total educational experience in technology commercialization.
- Scheller College of Business Certificate Programs
Discover More About BME
Master of Biomedical Engineering (MBMED) Program
- Apply Here - DEADLINE Dec 31
Master of Biomedical Innovation and Development (MBID) Program
- Program Website
- Apply Here - DEADLINE Dec 31
Ph.D. Programs
- Apply Here - DEADLINE Dec 01


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We are so happy to be able to produce a Cabernet Franc on it's own. All too often is this beautiful varietal only used in blending. The father of Cabernet Sauvignon should get it's own bottle! (Yes, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc we hybrid together to create Cabernet Sauvignon about 800 years ago, give or take a hundred.)
The fleshy, supple nose of the exquisite wine wows you with violets, red currants and sun warmed Lincoln Rose. This flows to a mouth bursting with flavors of the deep forest glen: rich earth, deep dark black cherries and rose hips. The lush, round, velvety mouth is mixed with a tannic structure that is beginning to soften and will continue to do so for years to come.
Wine Specs:
Vintage: 2009
Varietal: Cabernet Franc
Appellation: Napa Valley
Suggested Retail Price: $36.00
Paid Sponsor

subset: commoncrawl


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TUESDAY, Feb. 16 (HealthDay News) -- An implantable heart monitor that uses a new computation method is highly accurate in detecting a common heart rhythm problem called atrial fibrillation, according to a new study.
Latest Heart News
More than 2 million Americans have the condition, in which the heart's two upper chambers quiver instead of beating effectively. This causes blood to pool and clot, leading to increased risk for stroke. About one in seven strokes occurs in people with atrial fibrillation, according to the American Heart Association.
Many people with the disorder have no symptoms, making it crucial to detect and treat the condition, Dr. Gerhard Hindricks, a professor at the Heart Center at the University of Leipzig, in Germany, and the study's lead author, said in a news release from the American Heart Association.
The study included 247 people who were implanted with the Reveal XT leadless heart monitor and followed for 46 hours. The monitor, which is about the size of a camera memory stick, is placed under the skin.
The researchers found that the monitor correctly detected atrial fibrillation in 96.1% of those who had it. The study, published online Feb. 16 in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, was funded by Medtronic, which makes the device.
Further studies are needed to assess the long-term accuracy of the monitor, according to Hindricks.
"The device has a limited data storage capacity (49.5 minutes of data), and this may be a limitation during longer follow-up periods -- especially since the presence of false positive episodes may exceed the storage capacity in some patients," he said. "Thus, long-term performance and validation studies are needed to find the optimal way of handling the device."
-- Robert Preidt
Copyright © 2010 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
SOURCE: American Heart Association, news release, Feb. 16, 2010


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94 N. Main Street, Jasper, GA - (706) 253-2457
Jewel Prather
The Akins Funeral Home of Blue Ridge announces the death of Mrs. Jewel Garrett Prather, age 89 of Blue Ridge, who passed away Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009 in Heritage Health Care of Blue Ridge.
She was a native of Pickens County, daughter of the late Jim and Sally Densmore Garrett. She had lived in Blue Ridge since 1945 and was married to N.L. Prather for 67 years. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Blue Ridge serving as a Sunday school teacher. Mrs. Prather was very active in several community organizations, including serving more than 3,000 hours as a Pink Lady in the Ladies Auxiliary at Fannin Regional Hospital, being a founding board member of the Blue Ridge Mountain Arts Association and the Mineral Springs Center, and serving as a member of the Blue Ridge Garden Club, Blue Ridge Woman?s Club, Blue Ridge ?Merry Makers,? Blue Ridge Bridge Players and Copperhill Bridge Players. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Hoyt and Lloyd Garrett; and one sister, Edna Garrett White.
Survivors include her husband, N.L. Prather; son and daughter-in-law, Bill and Layne Prather, all of Blue Ridge; grandchildren, Whitney Prather Hall, and her husband, Mark, Smyrna, Ga., and Garrett Prather, Sterling, Scotland; and niece, Marie Vaughan, and her husband, Sherlin, Cartersville.
The funeral service was held Friday, Oct. 16 at 11 a.m. from the First Baptist Church of Blue Ridge with the Rev. Rodney Stamey and Dr. Charles Howell officiating. Music was by Imogene Stewart and Ione O?Neill. Pallbearers were: Steve Eaton, Jim Ezell, Don Hall, Tim Mercier, Dr. Jack Roof and Bill Walden. Interment followed in the Chastain Memorial Park. Memorial contributions may be made to the Fannin County Scholarship Foundation at PO Box 1883, Blue Ridge, Ga., 30513.
Jarnett Wigington
Mr. Jarnett W. Wigington, age 77 of Rockdale County, Ga., died Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009.
Mr. Wigington began his career at Warren Refrigeration in Atlanta in 1952 and retired after 24 years. He was a member of Union United Methodist Church since 1961. He also served on the board of directors for Rockdale Hospital in the early 1970?s when the hospital was a 23-bed facility. Jarnett was first elected to the board of directors for Snapping Shoals EMC in 1985 and served continuously since that time. Mr. Wigington was appointed to the Oglethorpe Power Corporation Board in 1990. In 1996 he became a charter member of the Georgia System Operations Corporation Board of Directors. Mr. Wigington held the positions of secretary-treasurer and vice chairman before being elected chairman in 2005. On the community level he served on the following boards: Rockdale Cares and Friends of the Nancy Guinn Library.
He was preceded in death by his son, Larry Jarnett Wigington. He is survived by wife, Jo Yarbrough Wigington, Rockdale County; sons and daughters-in-law, Daryl and Jo Beth Wigington, Keller, Tx., and Jeff and Beth Wigington, Rockdale County; sister, Sandra Jurkiewitsch, Big Canoe, Ga.; grandchildren, Sam, Jill, Larry, Scott, Stacey and John Wigington; niece, Amanda Christy; nephews, Jason Peek and Bobby Yarbrough.
The funeral service was held Friday, Oct. 23 at 11 a.m. at Union United Methodist Church with Dr. Paul Gamber and Pastor Howard Greer officiating. Interment followed in the church cemetery. Contributions may be made to Rockdale Cares, 875 Davis Drive, Conyers, Ga. 30094 or Union United Methodist Church, 4600 Hwy. 138 SW, Stockbridge, Ga. 30281.
Silas Gaydon
Silas W. Gaydon, age 74 od Jasper, passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009 at Kindred Hospital in Atlanta.
Mr. Gaydon was preceded in death by his wife, Thelma Fay Gaydon. Survivors include his sons and daughter-in-law, William Thomas Gaydon, Lavonia, and David Ricky and Julie Gaydon, Jasper. Five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren also survive.
Mr. Gaydon was cremated and a memorial service will be held at a later date.
Sue Bray
Sue Ann Bray, age 48 of Ellijay, died Friday in Houston County.
Born in Dooly County, she was the daughter of the late Edward L. Cason. She worked as an assembler for Whitepath Fab Tech and was a member of Shiloh United Methodist Church. Sue was a loving sister, wife, mother and grandmother.
Survivors include her husband, David T. Bray, Ellijay; sons, Christopher Phillip Tippins (Tara), Jasper, Dustin Edward Tippins, Richmond, Va., and David Matthew Bray, Ellijay; mother, Vera A. Cason, Vienna; sisters, Joyce Cummins (Verlin), Hawkinsville, and Deborah Haygood (Harold) and Janis Pennington (Lex), all of Vienna; and grandchildren, Connor Phillips Tippins and Dylan and Summer Head, all of Jasper. Several nieces and nephews also survive.
The funeral service was held at 11 a.m. Tuesday from Shilow United Methodist Church. Interment was private. Memorial gifts may be made to Shilow UMC, PO Box 557, Vienna, Ga. 31092. Brannen-NeSmith Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Bonnie Heard
Ms. Bonnie Voyles Heard, age 68 of Nelson, passed away at her residence Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009.
She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Diane and Steve Harrington, Jasper; brother, Lenton Voyles, Dawsonville; sister, Marjorie Cochran, Dawsonville; and grandchildren, Jesse Richards and Danielle Walbroehl. Multiple nieces and nephews also survive.
The funeral service was held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27 from the Chapel of Cagle Funeral Home with the Rev. William Blackwell officiating. Interment followed in Mount Vernon Baptist Church Cemetery in Dawson County. Pallbearers were: Mikey Sudvarg, Hayward Cloud, Ray Beasley, Josh Mann, Matt Manny and Steve Cochran.


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Keep it weird kids!
All these shoes are awesome, sure, but only one woman went above and beyond in bringing all my wildest shoe dreams come true.
Yup, you guessed it, it was Miuccia.
Which ones were your favorite?
i saw those silver pradas in vogue and nearly keeled over from want.
damn so many good ones! i love the acne wedges and the jil sander hologram things
the yellow velvet w/wooden heels for chanel was adorable, i also loved the orange + green tree frog-esque heels at Kane, and that crazy silver platform mary janes. SO GOOD!
oh my lord I am SWOONING. Those Christopher Kane heels! The McQueen fantasy woodland gold epics!
praise dolly.
WOWWW, best post ever.
the JIL SANDERS. ahh.
I'm already planning on getting a pair of the Balenciaga's. The McQueen's even make your foot look pretty ;). I agree about the Prada oxfords, and Kane's update on the mary jane is perfection!
Meadham Kirchoff, MARRY ME. Then we can go on to create amazing and stupendous sock-shoe combinations together and travel the world, spreading enlightenment, or something. Yesss.
Sarah xx
Acne/Prada FTW!!!
This was a really good post. I loved every single Chanel shoe this season, and the Prada creepers are some of my favorites too. I hadn't noticed those Balenciaga shoes until I saw this, but now I want them.
Really love those gold butterfly ones- wonder how much they are?!
absolutely the oxfords!!
rodarte <3 everything kirkwood touches turns into gold! :)
Those rodarte x nicholas kirkwood wedges are literally killing me they are so sickly beautiful xx
The Versus Maryjanes are so perfect they make my heart hurt. It's like falling in and out of love and back in again for the first time. Please, please be mine soon!
These are sick, wow...
I am a little late to visit this post, but it is my first time visiting your site. Now a follower though! I found you after googling miu miu spring 2011 shoes, I am doing a fashion illustration on a miu miu looks and these were the perfect shoes! Check back on my blog for the finished product next week!


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{ urban outfitters jeans, ark & co. coat, JC Litas, scarf/gloves/purse all gifts via Beverly, my sisters hat, planet blue and frassy rags rings }
I went to the city today with family and had such a great day - posted a photo of my mom and her fantastic cheetah print faux coat (I tweeted about it the other day) and my sister and I with her patchwork litas ...I'm going to do a where to eat post on the restaurant we went to it was AMAZING (+ organic + healthy... YAY to new years resolutions! haha) I love this white coat, I almost look forward to winter time just so I can wear it. It's so nice going into NYC from Long Island on beautiful days like this. And tomorrow I'm back to Arizona to finish off my last semester at ASU, times they are a'changin!


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(AP) Oscar nomination date jumps ahead to Jan. 10
Academy Awards organizers have moved up a key date in the upcoming season of Hollywood film honors.
Nominations for the 85th Oscars will be announced Jan. 10 – five days earlier than the academy previously announced.
Oscar overseers say the switch will give the academy's nearly 6,000 members more time to see nominated films before the Feb. 24 awards ceremony.
The date change puts the Oscar nominations three days before Hollywood's second-biggest film awards _ the Golden Globes, whose ceremony takes place Jan. 13.
Oscar nominations typically come out after the Globes. The earlier date for Oscar nominations could steal a bit of the thunder from the Globes, which are presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.


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Rhine River, German Rhein, French Rhin, Dutch Rijn, Celtic Renos, Latin Rhenus, river and waterway of western Europe, culturally and historically one of the great rivers of the continent and among the most important arteries of industrial transport in the world. It flows from two small headways in the Alps of east-central Switzerland north and west to the North Sea, into which it drains through the Netherlands. The length of the Rhine was long given as 820 miles (1,320 km), but in 2010 a shorter distance of about 765 miles (1,230 km) was proposed. An international waterway since the Treaty of Vienna in 1815, it is navigable overall for some 540 miles (870 km), as far as Rheinfelden on the Swiss-German border. Its catchment area, including the delta area, exceeds 85,000 square miles (220,000 square km).
The Rhine has been a classic example of the alternating roles of great rivers as arteries of political and cultural unification and as political and cultural boundary lines. The river also has been enshrined in the literature of its lands, especially of Germany, as in the famous epic Nibelungenlied. Since the time when the Rhine valley became incorporated into the Roman Empire, the river has been one of Europe's leading transport routes. Until the 19th century the goods transported were of high value but relatively small in volume, but since the second half of the 19th century the volume of goods conveyed on the river has increased greatly. The fact that cheap water transport on the Rhine helped to keep prices of raw materials down was the main reason the river became a major axis of industrial production: one-fifth of the world's chemical industries are now manufacturing along the Rhine. The river was long a source of political dissension in Europe, but this has given way to international concern for ecological safeguards as pollution levels have risen; some 6,000 toxic substances have been identified in Rhine waters.
No other river in the world has so many old and famous cities on its banks—Basel, Switzerland; Strasbourg, France; and Worms, Mainz, and Cologne, Germany, to name a few—but there are also such industrial cities as Ludwigshafen and Leverkusen in Germany that pollute the waters and mar the scenic attraction of the riverbanks. Nonetheless, the middle Rhine (the section between the German cities of Bingen and Bonn), with such steep rock precipices as the Lorelei crag and numerous castles, still presents breathtaking vistas and attracts tourists. This is the Rhine of legend and myth, where the medieval Mouse Tower (Mausturm) lies at water level near Bingen and the castle of Kaub stands on an island in the river. The Alpine section of the Rhine lies in Switzerland, and below Basel the river forms the boundary between western Germany and France, as far downstream as the Lauter River. It then flows through German territory as far as Emmerich, below which its many-branched delta section epitomizes the landscapes characteristic of the Netherlands.
Physical features
The Rhine rises in two headstreams high in the Swiss Alps. The Vorderrhein emerges from Lake Toma at 7,690 feet (2,344 metres), near the Oberalp Pass in the Central Alps, and then flows eastward past Disentis to be joined by the Hinterrhein from the south at Reichenau above Chur. (The Hinterrhein rises about five miles west of San Bernardino Pass, near the Swiss–Italian border, and is joined by the Albula River below Thusis.) Below Chur, the Rhine leaves the Alps to form the boundary first between Switzerland and the principality of Liechtenstein and then between Switzerland and Austria, before forming a delta as the current slackens at the entrance to Lake Constance. In this flat-floored section the Rhine has been straightened and the banks reinforced to prevent flooding. The Rhine leaves the lake via its Untersee arm. From there to its bend at Basel, the river is called the Hochrhein ("High Rhine") and defines the Swiss-German frontier, except for the area below Stein am Rhein, where the frontier deviates so that the Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen are entirely within Switzerland. Downstream the Rhine flows swiftly between the Alpine foreland and the Black Forest region, its course interrupted by rapids, where—as at Laufenburg (Switzerland) and Säckingen and Schwörstadt (Germany)—barrages (dams) have been built. In this stretch the Rhine is joined by its Alpine tributaries, the Thur, Töss, Glatt, and Aare, and by the Wutach from the north. The Rhine has been navigable between Basel and Rheinfelden since 1934.
Below Basel the Rhine turns northward to flow across a broad, flat-floored valley, some 20 miles wide, held between, respectively, the ancient massifs of the Vosges Mountains and Black Forest uplands and the Haardt Mountains and Odenwald (Oden Forest) upland. The main tributary from Alsace is the Ill, which joins the Rhine at Strasbourg, and various shorter rivers, such as the Dreisam and the Kinzig, drain from the Black Forest. Downstream, the regulated Neckar, after crossing the Oden uplands in a spectacular gorge as far as Heidelberg, enters the Rhine at Mannheim; and the Main leaves the plain of lower Franconian Switzerland for the Rhine opposite Mainz. Until the straightening of the upper Rhine, which began in the early 19th century, the river described a series of great loops, or meanders, over its floodplain, and today their remnants, the old backwaters and cutoffs near Breisach and Karlsruhe, mark the former course of the river.
The middle Rhine is the most spectacular and romantic reach of the river. In this 90-mile (145-km) stretch the Rhine has cut a deep and winding gorge between the steep, slate-covered slopes of the Hunsrück mountains to the west and the Taunus Mountains to the east. Vineyards mantle the slopes as far as Koblenz, where the Moselle River joins the Rhine at the site the Romans called Confluentes. On the right bank, the fortress of Ehrenbreitstein dominates the Rhine where the Lahn tributary enters. Downstream the hills recede, the foothills of the volcanic Eifel region lying to the west and those of the Westerwald (Wester Forest) to the east. At Andernach, where the ancient Roman frontier left the Rhine, the basaltic Seven Hills rise steeply to the east of the river, where, as the English poet Lord Byron put it, "the castle crag of Dachenfels frowns o'er the wide and winding Rhine."
Below Bonn the valley opens out into a broad plain, where the old city of Cologne lies on the left bank of the Rhine. There the river is spanned by the modern Severin Bridge and by the rebuilt Hohenzollern railway bridge, which carries the line from Aachen to Düsseldorf and the Ruhr industrial region. Düsseldorf, on the right bank of the Rhine, is the dominant business centre of the North Rhine–Westphalia coalfield. Duisburg, which lies at the mouth of the Ruhr River, handles the bulk of the waterborne coal and coke from the Ruhr as well as imports of iron ore and oil.
The last section of the Rhine lies below the frontier town of Emmerich in the delta region of the Netherlands. There the Rhine breaks up into a number of wide branches, such as the Lek and Waal, farther downstream called the Merwede. With the completion of the huge Delta Project in 1986—constructed to prevent flooding in the southwestern coastal area of the Netherlands—all main branches of the Rhine were closed off; sluices and lateral channels now allow river water to reach the sea. Since 1872, however, the New Waterway Canal, constructed to improve access from the North Sea to Rotterdam, has been the main navigation link between the Rhine and the sea; along this canal was built Europoort, one of the world's largest ports.Alice F.A. Mutton Karl A. Sinnhuber
The Alpine Rhine—with its steep gradient, high runoff coefficient (80 percent of the precipitation in its catchment area), pronounced winter minimum, high water in spring from snowmelt, and high early summer maximum resulting from heavy summer rains—has a characteristic Alpine regime. Although variations in flow are evened out by Lake Constance, which is fed by upland streams as well as by the Rhine (and which also acts as a filter), they are increased again by the confluence with the Aare, which on an average carries more water than the Rhine. Below Basel, however, the tributaries from the uplands, with their spring maximums at higher and winter maximums at lower elevations, increasingly moderate the unbalance. Thus, at Cologne the average deviations from mean flow are slight, and the regime is favourable to navigation. Winters in the navigable regions of the river, moreover, are generally mild, and the Rhine freezes only in exceptional winters.
The economy
As a commercial artery, the Rhine is unrivaled among the world's rivers, historically as well as in the amount of traffic carried. The Romans maintained a Rhine fleet, and the importance of the river increased enormously with the rise of medieval trade, which relied on water transport wherever possible because of the poor roads. The rock barrier of the gorge at Bingen divided navigation into two sections: predominantly upstream traffic by seagoing vessels to Cologne and predominantly downstream movement of commodities—brought first across the Alpine passes—from Basel to Mainz and Frankfurt am Main. After about 1500, navigation declined because of reorientation of trade toward the Atlantic and political disintegration of the Rhineland. The rise of modern navigation began in the 19th century, and its present magnitude is attributable largely to four factors: removal of political restrictions on navigation, physical improvements to the navigation channel, canalization of the Rhine's hinterland, and increasing industrialization of the riparian countries.
The principle of free navigation on the Rhine was agreed upon by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 and was put into effect by the Mainz Convention of 1831, which also established the Central Commission of the Rhine. This first treaty was simplified and revised in the Mannheim Convention of 1868, which, with the extension in 1918 of all privileges to ships of all countries and not merely the riverine states, remains (broadly speaking) in force.
Navigational improvements
Historically, two sections presented serious handicaps to navigation: the rock barrier at Bingen and the southern upper Rhine. At Bingen two navigation channels were blasted out in 1830–32; canalization of the upper Rhine by confining it within an artificial bed and straightening its course was undertaken in 1817–74. In neither case were the resulting improvements entirely satisfactory, but the channels at Bingen were doubled in width and deepened, thus eliminating the need for a pilot. Navigation on the upper Rhine, despite the further improvements made after 1907, suffers from seasonal variations of flow and the swift current.
To improve navigation and to procure hydroelectric power, France (by the Treaty of Versailles) obtained the right to divert Rhine water below Basel into a canal that was to rejoin the Rhine at Strasbourg. Construction of the first section of this Grand Canal d'Alsace, designed to take vessels of 1,500 tons, was completed with the building of a dam at Kembs in 1932 and greatly improved navigation. Construction was resumed after World War II, but in a treaty (1956) France, in return for West German agreement to the canalization of the Moselle, consented to terminate the canal at Neu Breisach. The remaining four of a total of eight dams utilize Rhine water by the construction of canal loops only.
Below Basel the Huningue branch of the Rhine–Rhône Canal leads to Mulhouse, where it meets the main arm of that waterway, which joins the Rhine at Strasbourg. The Rhine–Rhône Canal (1810–33) is navigable by 300-ton craft and carries only moderate traffic. More important, although no larger, is the Rhine–Marne Canal (1838–53), which also joins the Rhine at Strasbourg.
The Neckar is canalized through Stuttgart as far as Plochingen and the Main as far as Bamberg. There, the completed northern portion of the Main–Danube Canal leads south to Nürnberg, which has become an important port. A treaty signed in 1956 between West Germany, France, and Luxembourg provided for canalization of the Moselle from Koblenz to Thionville (170 miles), which was completed in 1964. The Lahn also is canalized for small (200-ton) craft for 42 miles (68 km).
In the Ruhr region the Ruhr itself (except for the last seven miles) and the Lippe are not used as waterways. Their place is taken by the Rhine–Herne Canal, completed in 1916 between Duisburg and Herne and linking the Rhine through the Dortmund–Ems Canal with the German North Sea coast and through the Mittelland Canal with the waterways of central and eastern Germany and eastern Europe; and by the less important Wesel–Datteln–Hamm Canal (1930), which runs parallel to the lower course of the Lippe. The Rhine–Herne Canal's capacity for craft of 1,350 tons became the standard both for the minimum capacity of canals built since World War II and for barges. Nearer the Rhine's mouth, the Merwede Canal (enlarged 1952) south of Amsterdam provides another route to the sea for ships displacing as much as 4,300 tons.
Three factors were important in the rise of traffic on the Rhine. First, the political impediments to free navigation—particularly the approximately 200 toll stations along the course of the river—were removed by the Congress of Vienna of 1815. Second, the means of transport were improved by the introduction of steam-powered, and later diesel-powered, tugs; prior to the mid-19th century, barges moving upstream were towed either by teams of horses or gangs of men. Third, the waterway itself was improved, the stages of which are discussed above.
The first steamship voyage on the Rhine was made from London to Koblenz in 1817, but this was a solitary event. The harbour installations of Mannheim were opened in 1840, and for almost a century this was the effective head of navigation. Although Basel had been reached by a steamship by 1832, its development as a Rhine port started a century later. Despite the improvement of the navigation and means of transport, there was at first little growth in the volume of transport. Increase came with the rise of modern industry in the 19th century, which necessitated the bulk movement of coal, ore, building materials, raw material for the chemical industry, and (since about 1950) oil. Although coal and ore transport declined, there was an overall increase in the volume of transport until the mid-1960s; since then, however, freight tonnage has decreased significantly.
The mode of transport from 1840 onward was by tugs towing a number of barges. Development after 1945 involved initially the introduction of self-propelled barges and subsequently the introduction of push tugs, whereby one tug can propel four-barge units and thus save labour costs. An increase in the traffic volume was also effected by the introduction of radar navigation in the 1950s, which made round-the-clock operation possible. There is also regular passenger service on the Rhine during summer, especially the middle Rhine section and from Rotterdam to Basel, but this is almost exclusively for tourists.
The effects of rivers on the regions through which they flow tend to alternate between trends toward unifying the regions culturally and politically and making a political boundary of the river. Of this phenomenon the Rhine is a classic example. During prehistoric times the same culture groups existed on both banks; similarly, in early historic times Germanic tribes settled on either side of its lower and Celts alongside its upper course. Although bridged and crossed by Julius Caesar in 55 and 53 bce, the Rhine became for the first time, along its course from Lake Constance to its mouth at Lugdunum Batavorum (Leiden, Netherlands), a political boundary—that of Roman Gaul. This division did not endure for long, because under the emperor Augustus the provinces of Germania Superior and Germania Inferior were established on the other side of the Rhine, and south of Bonna (Bonn) the boundary of the Roman Empire was marked by the limes (Roman fortified frontier) well east of the river. Nevertheless, because the Rhine had been the boundary of Gaul for a time, it resulted in later claims by France, esteeming itself the successor to Gaul, to the Rhine as its natural boundary. When the Western Roman Empire disintegrated, the Rhine was crossed along its entire length by Germanic tribes (406 ce), and the river formed the central backbone first of the kingdom of the Franks and then of the Carolingian empire. When in 843 that empire was divided, stretches of the Rhine formed the eastern boundary of the central part, Lorraine (Lotharingia), until 870 when the Rhine again became the central axis of a political unit, the Holy Roman Empire. Subsequent events shifted the axis of this empire eastward and caused political disintegration along the Rhine. The Thirty Years' War (1618–48) ended with the final separation of the Rhine headwaters and delta area from Germany and a gradual advance of France toward the Rhine, which it reached under Louis XIV through his acquisition of Alsace.
The French Revolutionary Wars included further French advances, and the Treaty of Lunéville (1801) made the Rhine, along most of its course, France's eastern boundary. But France advanced beyond the Rhine and included northwestern Germany within its borders, and the Confederation of the Rhine, created by Napoleon, extended French control as far as the Elbe and Neisse rivers. The resultant upsurge of German nationalism was expressed by E.M. Arndt, who in 1813 wrote, "The Rhine is Germany's river, not its boundary." The Congress of Vienna, nevertheless, left France in possession of Alsace and thus with a Rhine frontier. Ambitions of Napoleon III to acquire further Rhenish territory strongly aroused German feelings. In 1840 Max Schneckenburger wrote his patriotic poem "Die Wacht am Rhein" ("The Watch on the Rhine"), which was set to music by Karl Wilhelm in 1854 and became the rousing tune of the Prussian armies in the Franco-German War of 1870–71. One result of this war was that France lost Alsace and thus its Rhine frontier, which it regained after World War I.
The fortified defensive system of the Maginot Line (built in 1927–36) adjoined the French bank of the upper Rhine from the Swiss frontier to near Lauterbourg. The opposing Westwall, or Siegfried Line (1936–39), adjoined the German bank from the Swiss frontier to near Karlsruhe.
Events after World War II suggested that the struggle for possession of the Rhine had been superseded by a trend toward economic and even political union of the riparian states. In addition, the increased pollution of the Rhine has resulted in growing international cooperation to combat the threat. One of the defining moments in the Rhine's environmental history came in November 1986, when a fire at a chemical warehouse in the Schweizerhalle industrial zone in Basel, Switzerland, released 20–30 tons of pesticides and other chemicals into the river. The spill turned the river red, contaminating the Rhine's eel fishery and killing hundreds of thousands of other fish as the toxic plume made its way downstream to the sea. That environmental disaster prompted a reexamination of safety and storage standards for industrial chemicals in the countries bordering the Rhine, and it inspired the creation of international environmental management plans that greatly improved the river's water quality by the early 21st century.Karl A. Sinnhuber
Learn More in these related Britannica articles:
France: The Rhine systemThe Rhine forms the eastern boundary of France for some 118 miles (190 km). In this section its course is dominated by the melting of snow and ice from Alpine headstreams, giving it a pronounced late spring–summer peak and often generally low water…
Germany: Drainage…flowing through Germany is the Rhine. It has its source in east-central Switzerland and flows west through Lake Constance (Bodensee), skirting the Black Forest to turn northward across the Central German Uplands. Below Bonn the Rhine emerges into a broad plain, and west of Emmerich it enters The Netherlands to…
Germany: WaterwaysThe Rhine has the great advantage of having a remarkably even flow, with a spring-summer high water from the Alpine snowmelt supplemented by autumn-winter rains in the Central German Uplands. It is navigable from its mouth to above Basel, Switzerland, with the support in its upper…
Germany: Ancient history…frontier thus stabilized on the Rhine and Danube rivers, although sporadic campaigns (notably under Domitian in
ad83 and 88) extended control over Frisia in the north and some lands between the Rhine and the upper Danube.…
RhinelandRhineland, historically controversial area of western Europe lying in western Germany along both banks of the middle Rhine River. It lies east of Germany's border with France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Apart from the strip from Karlsruhe southward to the Swiss frontier (west of…
More About Rhine River21 references found in Britannica articles
Assorted References
- administration
- comparison with Rhône River
- In Rhône River
- Devonian Period sediments
- freight traffic
- land reclamation
- Roman Empire frontier
- waterway transport
association with
- Ruhr River
- In Ruhr River


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Acoustic Wave Therapy at InnovationsMedical
Dr. Johnson discusses the discovery of Acoustic Wave Therapy Dallas as a treatment for cellulite.
Acoustic Wave Therapy (AWT) represents a new approach to cellulite treatment. AWT uses pressure waves that impact both of the major causes of cellulite: fibrous septae and protrusion of fat into the lower dermis. The acoustic wave therapy produces a pressure wave that passes through skin and fat to impact the fibrous septae. The pressure breaks up the collagen of the septae and releases the skin, allowing a smoother surface.
How does acoustic wave therapy eliminate cellulite?
Cellulite is the changes in skin texture that result in an "orange peel" or "mattress" appearance to the skin. Cellulite is much more common in women. Studies show 85-98% of women have some cellulite. Men and women organize their fat differently. In men, the connective tissue fibers that organize and support fat run primarily parallel to the skin. This means that men have minimal pulling down of the skin by fat deposits, and therefore smoother skin. Unfortunately for women, their fat is organized perpendicular to the skin. This results in a pulling down of the skin by the connective tissue support structure and an uneven surface.


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As the crowd applauded and camera flashes filled the room, Bill Clark put on a Jacksonville State hat, smiled and yelled into a microphone.
JACKSONVILLE — As the crowd applauded and camera flashes filled the room, Bill Clark put on a Jacksonville State hat, smiled and yelled into a microphone.
"First thing: Go Gamecocks!" he said.
Clark was formally introduced as the new head coach of the Jacksonville State Gamecocks at a press conference Wednesday, ending a search that lasted less than three weeks after the school fired Jack Crowe.
It's a homecoming of sorts for Clark, who spent the past five seasons as the defensive coordinator for the University of South Alabama. Clark originally is from Anniston and graduated from JSU in 1990.
"I'm going to try not to get emotional," Clark said to a packed room on the fifth floor of the Stadium Club at JSU Stadium. "I think excitement would not be a big enough term to tell you how glad we are to be back home. This has been a dream of mine, to get back home and be the coach at Jacksonville State. ... To see this come to fruition is a neat experience."
Clark, who built Prattville High School into a powerhouse and won two state championships before leaving for USA, was offered and accepted the position Tuesday, reportedly beating out West Alabama head coach Will Hall and North Alabama head coach Bobby Wallace for the position.
"I guess I can quote a famous philosopher, Phil Robertson from (the TV show) Duck Dynasty. 'We are happy, happy, happy,'" Jacksonville State president Bill Meehan said. "We truly are. We believe we've got a great fit for Jacksonville State University."
Jacksonville State athletics director Warren Koegel said he was "swarmed" with interest. Clark was contacted less than 48 hours after Crowe was fired and interviewed twice with Koegel before being offered the job. Koegel said he "drilled him for hours on football" during the first interview.
"I'm not an expert, but I have a pretty good idea of what's going on out there," Koegel said. "He didn't hesitate one time and had all the answers.
"I was really pleased with his knowledge of the game. He's a defensive guy but he knows offense, too."
Being a "defensive guy," Clark has his work cut out for him. Jacksonville State's defense ranked 105th in the Football Championship Subdivision in 2012.
The Gamecocks also were near the bottom of the rankings in scoring defense, turnover margin, sacks and tackles for loss.
Clark's defense at South Alabama was ranked second in the Sun Belt Conference in 2012. Before 2012 — which was the school's first full year in the Football Bowl Subdivison — the Jaguars used their stingy defense to post the best record of any Division I FCS independent.
Clark's defensive prowess has Robert Gray excited about his senior season.
"I can already tell I'm going to like him," said Gray, a defensive back who graduated from Collinsville High School. "When I heard they were looking for a new coach, I was wanting a defensive-minded coach over an offensive-minded coach just to help out on that side of things. As a defense, we had a pretty terrible year last year, and I think he'll come in and fix all that right away."
Offensively, expect a fast pace at Burgess-Snow Field next fall. He wants the Gamecocks to "have an exciting brand of football."
"We'll be an uptempo offense," Clark said. "We've got to develop an offense that fits the guys we got here. We're going to be recruiting real quick and we'll be bringing some guys in here, but we've got a great group of players that are already here."
One member of that group is senior quarterback Coty Blanchard, the most experienced signal caller on the roster. Blanchard, a standout on the Gamecock baseball team, will be eligible for the Major League Baseball draft after the season and could have the option of not returning to school next fall.
Blanchard was quick to dismiss that possibility after listening to Clark on Wednesday.
"I like him," said Blanchard, who split playing time with Marques Ivory last season. "He seems like a straightforward guy with a lot of energy. I was planning on coming back (and) this builds the fire even more."
The next item on Clark's agenda is putting together a staff. He said his phone has "rang off the hook" since he was announced as JSU's coach.
"There's a lot of guys that want to be here," he said. "They know the tradition is here. They know what I'm about, hopefully, and they know what we're trying to bring here. I've been in contact with a lot of good folks."
Clark has lofty expectations for the Gamecocks, saying the word "championship" multiple times during his press conference.
"We know there's championships that's been won here before," Clark said. "There's been a national championship won here in Division II; OVC championships have been won here. We want to win a national championship, and that's what we're going to be working toward.
"Somebody said, 'When are you getting started?' I said, 'We really need to start yesterday.'"


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The state of Washington has sued the owners of the Movieland.com, alleging that the company used spyware to strong-arm users into signing up for its paid movie download service.
Consumers who dowloaded Movieland.com's free three-day trial software would eventually be hit with frequent pop-up ads informing them that they were legally obliged to purchase the product, said Paula Selis, an assistant attorney general with the state. The tactics forced some consumers to give in and pay between $20 and $100 for the service, she said.
Washington State, and other organizations like the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the Better Business Bureau have received thousands of consumer complaints about Movieland.com, dating back to the end of 2005, Selis added.
"We sued them because we were getting complaints from consumers who felt that they were being harassed and held over a barrel for payments that they didn't agree to make," she said.
Company, Two Officials Named
The suit was filed yesterday in King County Superior Court in Seattle. It charges Movieland.com's parent company, Digital Enterprises, of West Hills, California, with violating the state's antispyware and consumer protection laws. Two company officials are also named in the suit: Easton Herd, and Andrew Garroni, both of Los Angeles.
Garroni and Herd's companies operated a number of video download services, including Moviepass.tv and Popcorn.net, the Washington Attorney General's office said.
Though the company's free trial software does advise users that they will be obliged to purchase a monthly license if they do not cancel, this notice does not sufficiently explain what will happen if the software is installed, Selis said.
Movieland.com's Web site offers downloads saying, "No Spyware," "Virus Free," and "No Extra Charge."
The company did not return a call seeking comment for this story.
Movieland.com is the second company to be sued under Washington's 2005 Computer Spyware Act. In January the Attorney General's office sued Secure Computer of White Plains, New York, alleging that its Spyware Cleaner software failed to work as advertised. That litigation is ongoing, Selis said.


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| A Claim to Flame!
First broadcast
English themes
Japanese themes
A Claim to Flame! (Japanese: シロガネリーグかいまく!シゲルふたたび! Shirogane League Opening! Shigeru Again!) is the 266th episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on September 19, 2002 and in the United States on September 17, 2003.
|Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
After arriving at Silver Town, Ash runs into his favorite person: Gary! Gary is set on entering the Silver Conference, and is determined that this time he will be able to make it all the way, and beat Ash!
While Gary huffs his way into the Pokémon Center, Brock leads the way to the Athlete's Village. On the way, they bump into Mr. Goodshow, who is giving out balloons to greet the and, as part of his duties as Pokémon League Torch Committee President. Ash promises Mr. Goodshow that he will give it his all in the Silver Conference, which cheers Mr. Goodshow up even further than his normal level of cheer.
Meanwhile, Team Rocket are working at a restaurant in order to try and get some money, but wind up eating their way out of a job. Ash, Misty, and Brock make it to the Athlete's Village, where they are treated to a luxury room, with a networked computer. They immediately head to the Trainer Screening, where trainers use their one best Pokémon to try and qualify for the Silver Conference.
Ash is called to the floor to take on Salvador from Cherrygrove City, and the computer determines that Ash must draw his Pokémon first. He chooses Pikachu against Salvador's Furret. Furret's Dig seems to get the best of Pikachu, and goes in for a Headbutt to finish things off. Pikachu manages to jump on top of it before Headbutt can land, and performs a powerful Thunderbolt that leaves Furret vulnerable to a Quick Attack. That is enough to win the battle, as Ash gets his first victory. Phanpy and Cyndaquil take out Ash's next two opponents, allowing Ash to move on to the Semi-Finals!
Harrison made it through the Screening as well, along with Gary. Mr. Goodshow reminds Ash that only 16 trainers will be able to move from the Semi-Finals on to the Victory Tournament, but Ash is determined to win it all, no matter what! Later that night, Ash is unable to sleep, and takes Pikachu for a walk along the shoreline.
They stumble upon Gary, who is also out to clear his head. Gary reminisces about the day he left Pallet Town, which also happened to be the day Ash got his Pikachu. Gary compliments Ash on how he was able to tame Pikachu's wild streak, to the point where they are now best friends. Who knows where they might have ended up is things turned out differently? Gary sees the possibilities awaiting both him and Ash, but that won't let him be stopped from trying to win it all in the Tournament! While continuing their friendship, the rivalry is still strong between the two trainers.
Waiting for the Silver Conference torch to arrive in Silver Town, Ash is approached by two people looking to get him to apply for the Footprint Pokémon Panel. When he goes to sign what he believes to be paperwork, the people are revealed to be Team Rocket, who tie Ash up and take Pikachu! Gary finds Ash tied up and goes to stop Team Rocket, who manage to bump into the Torch Runner along the way. Pikachu Thunderbolts Team Rocket, blasting them off, but the Torch Runner is hurt.
While Gary cares for the injury, Ash runs the torch for him, lighting the flame in the stadium, signaling the beginning of The Johto League Silver Conference!
The episode begins as Ash finishes his paperwork to formally enter the Silver Conference, Gary arrives and greets the pair, himself also finishing up on the paperwork. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Ash and his friends decide to look around town for a while. The whole place is celebrating the tournament that is about to come. While looking around, Ash notices Mr. Goodshow handing out balloons to kids. As president of the Pokémon League, he explains, he intends to greet all the fans, and the best way to do that is through handing out balloons.
Meanwhile, at a nearby restaurant, Team Rocket is having trouble serving dishes to hungry diners. Though James keeps his cool in serving dishes and Meowth is keeping his in cooking them, Jessie snaps when a young girl addresses her as "old" and demands where her hamburger meal is. Believing that "the customer is no longer right", Jessie promptly eats all the food about to be served, causing the trio to be fired.
At the Silver Conference Athlete's Village Pokémon Center, just as the group is getting accustomed to their room (a luxury suite complete with a view of a lake and a computer for analyzing other Trainers), Ash and his friends head off for the screening rounds, designed to trim the field of 200 Trainers down to 48. Brock explains that the screening rounds are a series of one-on-one battles, with match-ups entirely computer-determined, with no Trainer having to battle more than three times. Ash, though, is confident he can pass the screening round. Against his first opponent, Salvador from Cherrygrove City, Ash is disadvantaged when he is told to make the first move. Ash chooses Pikachu, while Salvador chooses Furret.
Ash is off to a bad start due to wanting to play a speed game (Furret's Double Team matching Pikachu's Quick Attacks), and Pikachu ends up being subjected to repeated Digs and Headbutts. However, Ash gains the upper hand when Pikachu latches onto Furret, who tries to get into the dug holes in order to shake Pikachu off. This allows Pikachu to Thunderbolt a trapped Furret, and a final Quick Attack seals the match for Ash. Ash has no further troubles in the screening process, as Phanpy and Cyndaquil help Ash make it through with three wins.
Back in the Pokémon Center, Ash discovers that Gary and Harrison have also passed the screening round. Though Ash is confident that he can beat 47 other Trainers to the championship, Mr. Goodshow shows up and tells them all that it wouldn't be as easy, as the 48 Trainers are grouped into groups of three in the semifinal round, where only one Trainer from each group will advance to the Victory Tournament. Ash, nevertheless, is fired up.
That night, Ash couldn't get any sleep. He gets out of bed, accidentally waking Pikachu up. They both go out for a walk, Ash talking to Pikachu about this whole thing. But down some ways, they see Gary. Gary notices them and both of them have a talk. The full moon out that night reminded Gary of his first night as a Pokémon Trainer - the same day that Ash was late in getting up and got Pikachu as his first Pokémon. Gary wonders what could have been - if Ash had been on time, if he himself had not seen the full moon... but all the contemplation is for the future - the present is all about the rivalry, and Ash and Gary make it clear to each other that they will defeat anyone who gets in their way to the top - each other included.
The next day, the Opening Ceremonies begin. Silver Stadium, the Pokémon Stadium for the Silver Conference, is filled to capacity, awaiting the arrival of the finalists, and even Professor Oak, Tracey, Professor Elm, and Delia watching from home. As the semifinalist Trainers are corralled off awaiting their entrance cue, a pair of officials approach Ash, at the back of the line, asking Ash whether he has a "Silver Pokémon Footprint Panel", and that Ash could be disqualified if he did not. Realizing this, and that he could get a last minute registration, Ash leaves the line, which makes Gary further up the line curious.
Ash, however, finds himself tied up, as the two officials reveal themselves to be Team Rocket, who has also made off with Pikachu. As the athletes enter, Brock and Misty, in the stands, notice that Ash isn't there. Professor Oak and Tracey, at the Oak Lab, also notice that Gary is curiously absent. At the same time, Ash, attempting to break a locked door down, is freed by Gary. After telling that Pikachu had been kidnapped yet again, the rivals give chase to Team Rocket, but Team Rocket eventually collides with a torch runner as he enters Silver Stadium. This causes Team Rocket to drop Pikachu (which Ash recovers) as well as causing the torch runner to drop the torch (which Gary catches out of midair). Team Rocket's attempt to flee the scene is stopped by Pikachu's Thunderbolt, which sends them flying.
Though Ash has recovered Pikachu and the torch is still in one piece, the runner had twisted his ankle after Team Rocket had collided with him. Not knowing what to do, as the Silver Conference will not start without the torch, Gary tells Ash to make the final leg of the torch relay while he himself takes care of the runner.
Now everyone in the stadium is worried, since the expected time for the runner to show up has passed. Just when things look bleak, Ash makes it to the arena and runs up to the stairs to light up the big torch. As Mr. Goodshow gives a final speech to kick off the Silver Conference, it looks like the tournament is just beginning...
Major events
- Ash, Gary, and Harrison qualify for the Silver Conference.
- Ash and Gary help to deliver the Ho-Oh flame to allow the conference to begin.
- For a list of all major events in the anime, please see the timeline of events.
Pokémon debuts
- Ash
- Misty
- Brock
- Tracey
- Jessie
- James
- Professor Oak
- Gary
- Harrison
- Charles Goodshow
- Delia
- Professor Elm
- Salvador
- Darren
- Trainers
- Restaurant owner
- Little girl
Who's That Pokémon?: Scizor (US and international), Furret (Japan)
- Pikachu (Ash's)
- Meowth (Team Rocket)
- Togepi (Misty's)
- Wobbuffet (Jessie's)
- Cyndaquil (Ash's)
- Phanpy (Ash's)
- Mr. Mime (Delia's; Mimey)
- Furret (Salvador's)
- Donphan (Darren's)
- Nidoking (Trainer's)
- Feraligatr (Trainer's)
- Ursaring (Trainer's)
- Piloswine (Trainer's)
- Girafarig (Trainer's)
- Snorlax (Trainer's)
- Meganium (Trainer's)
- Tauros (Trainer's)
- Wigglytuff (Trainer's)
- Electrode (Trainer's)
- Machoke (Trainer's)
- Exeggutor (Trainer's)
- The title for the episode is derived from the phrase "A claim to fame".
- This episode begins the seven-part Silver Conference arc.
- Harrison does not have a speaking role in this episode.
- "Dragonite Takes Flight", a song from Mewtwo Strikes Back, is used as background music.
- Aim to be a Pokémon Master is used as an insert song.
- In the Swedish DVD release on the episode selection screen, this episode was erroneously called Fäckelbäraren instead of Fackelbäraren.
- In the English dub, Misty says Furret is a Ground-type Pokémon. It is actually a Normal-type Pokémon.
- The Teddiursa teddy bear being held by the little girl in the restaurant doesn't have a crescent moon on its forehead.
- When Ash's name is announced for his first battle, his eyes look lopsided.
Dub edits
In other languages
|Mandarin Chinese
|Flammens Mester
|Het Uur van het Vuur
|Haaste on heitetty
|European French
|La cérémonie d'ouverture
|Die Flamme des Ho-Oh
|תקווה ללהבהtikva lalehava
|ओपेनिंग केरेमोनी Opening Ceremony *
|Le prime gare
|Ærens prakt
|Zapłonął znicz
|Uma Chama para a Fama!
|Atrás da Chama!
|Latin America
|¡El portador de la llama!
|Esperando la antorcha
|This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of the Pokémon anime.


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Grandma? Part 2, son.
Talon: Thanks! You, too.
Joe: This one took a lot longer to write than the first one.
Talon: If it wasn't for all the kittens I had to save, or the many babies I delivered, this would've been done a lot quicker. Hopefully, Part 3 won't be as troublesome.
Joe: We followed the same writing formula as Grandma? Part 1:
1. We talk about what's going to happen.
2. You write it.
3. I change everything in the rewrite.
Talon: Tough, but fair.
Joe: The difference between now and two years ago, when we began this project, is that we did some scenes together using Google Docs. What did you think of that experience?
Talon: It was a lot of fun, a lot of learning, and something I would come back to if I ever did another collaboration.
Joe: Were you amazed by how fast I can write, watching me do it live in a Google Doc?
Talon: I do have to admit, the professionalism and the way I excel in the art of prose is pretty amazing.
And yeah, you were good, too.
Joe: You've made a few hundred bucks off of Part 1. What did you do with the money? Investments? Stocks? Bonds? Real estate? Bitcoins? College fund?
Talon: The money went directly and safely under my bed.
Joe: Saving for something special?
Talon: All of it is going to strippers when I turn 18.
Joe: Thank god. I thought you were going to just blow it on something stupid.
Talon: What are you going to do with your half?
Joe: It already went to strippers.
Talon: I think we're getting off topic.
Joe: When can we expect to see Part 3? In another two years?
Talon: I can ask you the same question. But, if I had to estimate, I'd say, hopefully, in a month.
Joe: It's true that I've been pretty busy with other projects, and Grandma? wasn't a priority for me. But it's also true that you rewrote Part 2 about a gazillion times. So it isn't all my fault.
Talon: The more reading and writing I did, the more I realized I needed to change some things. Like, grammar, plot, characterization, suspense, POV, pace, explaining why things happened; you know, all that crap readers care about.
Joe: Yeah, readers do tend to care about that crap. Did you know Stephen King's son writes?
Talon: No way! That's cool. Man, I wish Stephen King was my dad. He has like everything you don't.
Joe: Including an appreciative son.
Talon: Let's list the things:
Good looks.
More books sold.
A nicer house.
Multiple movie deals.
Joe: You know King's son writes under the name "Joe Hill" because he doesn't want to ride on his father's coat tails.
Talon: Who would do such a thing? I could never use someone's last name in order to boost my popularity. Which is why my last name is King now.
Joe: You're funny, Talon.
Talon King: It's Mr. King, and can we hurry this interview up?
Joe: Yessir, Mr. King.
Since we're talking about Stephen King, I want to say I really loved Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace. Other famous authors would just cash in on their popularity and slap their name on any old piece of garbage.
Talon: Or create a Kindle World.
Joe: You're grounded.
Talon: Thanks, dad.
Joe: And since I now know where you hide your money, I'm now off to the strip club! Woo hoo!
Grandma Part 2 is now available on Kindle for only $0.99. Grandma Part 1 is free for a limited time.
Sunday, April 19, 2015
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text:
Winchester, First
Other Names: Bowers Hill
Location: Frederick County and Winchester
Campaign: Jackson's Shenandoah Valley Campaign (1862)
Date(s): May 25, 1862
Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks [US]; Maj. Gen. T.J. Jackson [CS]
Forces Engaged: 22,500 total (US 6,500; CS 16,000)
Estimated Casualties: 2,419 total (US 2,019; CS 400)
Description: After skirmishing with Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks's retreating army at Middletown and Newtown on May 24, Maj. Gen. T.J. Jackson's division continued north on the Valley Pike toward Winchester. There, Banks was attempting to reorganize his army to defend the town. Ewell's division converged on Winchester from the southeast using the Front Royal Pike. On May 25, Ewell attacked Camp Hill, while the Louisiana Brigade of Jackson's division outflanked and overran the Union position on Bowers Hill. Panic spread through the Federal ranks, and many fled through Winchester. Banks's army was soundly defeated and withdrew north across the Potomac River. This was a decisive battle in Jackson's Valley Campaign.
Result(s): Confederate victory
CWSAC Reference #: VA104
Preservation Priority: IV.2 (Class A)
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A measure to double Alameda County's transportaton sales tax to a full 1 cent was narrowly failing at the polls, but the outcome could change when a large number of mail-in ballots are counted.
With all precincts reporting, Measure B1 garnered 65.5 percent of the vote — short of the 66.6 percent or two-thirds majority needed to pass, according to unoffical results Tuesday.
There are many ballots yet to be counted — mail-in ballots and absentee ballots turned in at polling places Tuesday.
Alameda County election officials said the uncounted ballots could amount to as much as 25 percent of the total votes.
The measure would make the sales tax permanent and would raise $7.8 billion over 30 years to boost spending on roads, freeways, public transit, bicycle and pedestrian improvements, and transit-oriented developments.
Among its many projects, the tax increase would fund a $400 million down payment on a BART rail extension to Livermore.
The Alameda County Transportation Commission said the sales tax increase is needed to ease traffic congestion, help beleaguered transit agencies restore service cuts, and provide a more reliable source of transportation funding after years of state and federal cuts.
The biggest share of the money — 48 percent — would go to public transit and paratransit programs. A 30 percent share of the money would go to maintain local streets and roads.
Opponents said the sales tax is too much, and imposes too much of a burden on Alameda County residents.
The passing of Measure B1 would make Alameda the first county in Northern California to boost its transportation sales tax to a full 1 cent.
The current tax rate in most Alameda County cities is 8.75 cents for $1 of taxable sales — or 8.75 percent. The rate would rise to 9.25 cents if Measure B1 passes — bumping up the current half-cent for transportation to one-cent.
The Alameda County Transportation Commission, a 22-member panel of elected city, county and transit district officials, developed the tax increase proposal.
The tax increase was supported by many business, labor, and environmental groups. All 14 city councils and the Board of Supervisors in Alameda County voted to put the measure before voters.
Among the measure supporters were the Bay Area Council, chambers of commerce in Dublin, Pleasanton, Livermore and Oakland, and the Oakland-based TransForm, an environmentally oriented advocacy group for public transit.
There was little organized opposition to the measure.
Contact Denis Cuff at 925-943-8267. Follow him at Twitter.com/deniscuff


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This DVD, which is the companion piece to the book, is narrated by a delightful young Australian girl as the colorful cartoon illustrations from the book are animated. Learn the profound concepts that are taught through the entertaining rhymes as you play this tape over and over. Runtime: 15 minutes Recommended for: Ages 2 to 5


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Data is important to the success of the FCC in carrying out its responsibilities. One such responsibility is management of wireless spectrum, including the FCC's spectrum auction program. Spectrum auctions are widely recognized as the most efficient, effective, and transparent means to assign initial commercial licenses to use the nation's airwaves. They help to ensure that spectrum resources are put to their best economic use – and wireless service has taken off as a result.
CTIA, the Wireless Association, estimates that there are now over 285 million wireless subscribers in the US, generating revenue of over $150 billion annually. And, FCC spectrum auctions have generated $52 billion in revenue since the program's inception. When one considers the additional tax revenue from a growing industry, as well as the "consumer surplus" of wireless services, the benefit of auctions look even more significant as a means to facilitate wireless growth.
So what does it take to generate these economic benefits through auctions? In addition to hardworking staff, it takes data. Auction participants provide data in their applications, they provide feedback on auctions, and they provide information necessary to ensure compliance with auction rules. Without this information, the auction program could not be successful. For example, auction participants are required to disclose to the FCC any "attributable interests", or partners. This promotes transparency, protects against collusion among bidders and ensures appropriate competition for spectrum resources. It also prevents gaming of the rules, such as certain preferences provided to small businesses that enable them to compete.
Auctions also generate enormous amounts of data. For every spectrum auction, we publish who bid on what and how much at each stage. This can mean thousands of data points in any given auction, which is useful for researchers, industry-watchers, and consumers alike.
The Data Innovation Initiative is about doing business in a smarter way. The Wireless Telecommunication Bureau's Data Review WT Docket No 10-131 is a Public Notice seeking comments on how we can improve data related to auctions and other functions. In the context of auctions, this means taking a second look at the information we collect to support the program, and maximizing the public benefit of auction data. For example, by modernizing our reporting requirements, we may be able to save participants several thousand hours per year overall. Through tighter integration of our auctions and licensing data, we could more easily track auctioned licenses and provide insight on what happens to them in the secondary market. And, by clear reporting of the vast amount of data we have gained in prior auctions, we can provide the public with a window into the world of auctions.
We are eager to hear from those who have participated in FCC auctions or have expertise in auctions and spectrum to share on how we can do improve our auctions-related data. Follow this link to file comments WT Docket No-131. Official comments are due by August 13.
Join the discussion to help improve the FCC. Your suggestions, ideas and comments will be part of a public discussion that furthers FCC reform.


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Testimony of
Frederick Streckewald
Assistant Deputy Commissioner
Disability and Income Security Programs
Hearing before the
House Ways and Means
Subcommittee on Social Security
June 9, 2005
Thank you for inviting me to discuss the idea of mandatory Social Security coverage for State and Local government employees as well as the Windfall Elimination Provision, or WEP, and the Government Pension Offset, or GPO.
Mandatory Social Security Coverage
State and local government employees were excluded from Social Security coverage from 1935 until 1951 because there was a constitutional question of the Federal government's authority to tax State and local governments. Legislation enacted in 1950 provided that, beginning in 1951, States were allowed to enter into voluntary agreements with SSA to provide Social Security coverage to public employees not under a retirement system. This authority is in section 218 of the Social Security Act; thus, the agreements are referred to as section 218 agreements.
After the 1950 legislation, there were a number of changes that expanded coverage of State and local government employees. The major changes were:
- The 1954 amendments made coverage available to State and local employees covered under a retirement system, at the election of the employer and employees.
- In 1983, Congress repealed a provision that allowed States to rescind earlier decisions to elect coverage of their employees.
- Legislation enacted in 1986 provided mandatory coverage under Medicare for all State and local employees hired after March 31, 1986.
- Legislation enacted in 1990 made Social Security mandatory for State and local employees who are not under a retirement system.
Currently, all 50 States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands have a section 218 agreement with SSA. Because the coverage is voluntary, the extent of Social Security coverage varies from State to State. It is estimated that 28 percent of State and local public employees are not covered by Social Security. Most of the public employees not covered are police, firefighters, and teachers.
Extending Social Security coverage to newly hired State and local government employees favorably affects the long-range (75 year) solvency of Social Security. This change, if it were applied to new employees hired in 2005 and later, would reduce the long-range OASDI deficit by about 0.21 percent of taxable payroll. This would address about 11 percent of the 75 year program deficit. This change would initially bring in payroll tax revenue with little effect on benefit payments. However, in the longer term, because of benefit payments to these workers, the estimated improvement in the annual balance (cash flow) in the 75th year is only 0.1 percent of taxable payroll.
More than seventy percent of the people who would be affected by mandatory coverage work in seven States (California, Ohio, Texas, Massachusetts, Illinois, Colorado, and Louisiana). There are over 700 State and locally administered retirement plans in these seven States.
Supporters of this change note that extending Social Security coverage to newly hired State and local government employees would improve the protection of those who have jobs in covered employment before or after their government employment. Thus, this change would improve the portability of their pension coverage.
Further, Social Security includes a number of features that may not be found in some State and local retirement plans, such as annual cost-of-living increases, benefits for disabled workers and benefits for spouses and children of retired, disabled, and deceased workers.
However, critics of such a change note that extending mandatory Social Security coverage would adversely affect the funding of some State and local government defined benefit pension plans. This would be particularly true if the retirement plan was already underfunded (had insufficient assets to pay promised benefits) and/or relied on new employee's contributions to fund current retirees' benefits. (A 1998 GAO report found that many public pension plans have unfunded liabilities.)
State and local governments could be expected to oppose mandatory Social Security coverage of newly hired employees, especially on the grounds of cost. Concerns have been expressed that many public employers would not be able to absorb the higher costs. If that happened, State and local governments would need to raise taxes or cut spending on other services.
GPO Provision
I would like to begin by drawing a distinction between the GPO provision and the WEP. Like the WEP, the GPO affects workers who receive pensions based on employment not covered by Social Security. GPO is often confused with the WEP. For ease of discussion, when referring to government employment, I am referring to all levels of Federal or State government employment that are not covered by Social Security.
The GPO affects government retirees who are eligible for both:
- A pension based on their own work in a Federal, State, or local government job that was not covered by Social Security, and
- A Social Security spouse's or surviving spouse's benefit based on their husband's or wife's work in covered employment.
Under the GPO, a person's Social Security spouse's or surviving spouse's benefit is reduced by an amount equal to two-thirds of the amount of the person's government pension based on work not covered by Social Security. As of June 2004, about 399,000 beneficiaries had their benefits fully or partially offset due to the GPO. The GPO provision removed an advantage that some government workers had before the GPO was enacted. Before GPO, a person who worked in a government job that was not covered under Social Security could receive, in addition to a government pension based on his or her own earnings, a full Social Security spouse's or surviving spouse's benefit.
However, a person who works in a job that is covered under Social Security is subject to an offset under the dual entitlement provision. This provision, which has applied since 1940 when benefits were first payable to a worker's family members, requires that Social Security benefits payable to a person as a spouse or surviving spouse be offset by the amount of that person's own Social Security benefit. Thus, dually entitled beneficiaries receive the equivalent of their own worker's benefit or the spouse's/surviving spouse's benefit, whichever is higher.
The GPO acts as a surrogate for the dual-entitlement offset for workers receiving a government pension based on work not covered under Social Security because, if that work had been covered, any spouse's or surviving spouse's benefit would have been reduced by the person's own Social Security worker's benefit.
Legislation Affecting GPO
Several bills have been introduced that address the GPO. A bill introduced by Representative McKeon (H.R. 147) includes a provision that would completely eliminate the GPO. Over five years, this proposal would cost nearly $11.6 billion; over 10 years, the estimated cost increases to $32.2 billion. The long-range cost is estimated to be significant--0.06 percent of taxable payroll.
Representative Shaw has included, as part of the Social Security Guarantee Act of 2005, a provision that would reduce the offset from two-thirds of the amount of the person's government pension to one-third. The proposal would cost about $3.5 billion over 5 years and $9.6 billion over 10 years. This change is estimated to increase the long-range cost of the program by 0.02 percent of taxable payroll.
In the last session of Congress, Representative Jefferson introduced H.R. 887, which would have exempted an individual from GPO if his or her combined non-covered pension and Social Security benefits were less than or equal to $2,000 per month (indexed). A dollar-for-dollar offset would have applied only to the amount of combined benefits in excess of $2,000 per month, with the proviso that the offset could not be more than two-thirds of the amount of the non-covered pension. The cost of this proposal was estimated at $7.8 billion over five years, and $21.4 billion over 10 years. The long-range cost was estimated to be 0.02 percent of taxable payroll.
Windfall Elimination Provision
I would now like to discuss the WEP provision. The Social Security Amendments of 1983 (P.L. 98 21) included the WEP provision as a means to eliminate "windfall" Social Security benefits for retired and disabled workers receiving pensions from employment not covered by Social Security. Generally, while the WEP applies to any pension based on non-covered employment, it primarily affects government workers. (The WEP does not affect the Social Security benefits payable to survivors of workers who received pensions based on non-covered employment.)
The purpose of the WEP was to remove an advantage that the weighting in the regular Social Security benefit formula would otherwise provide for persons who have substantial pensions from non-covered employment. This weighting is intended to help workers who spent their lives in low paying jobs by providing them with a benefit that is relatively higher in relation to their prior earnings than the benefit that is provided for higher-paid workers.
However, benefits are based on average earnings in employment covered by Social Security over a working lifetime (35 years for retired workers). In determining average earnings for Social Security benefit purposes, years with no covered earnings are counted as years of zero earnings, as if the person had not worked at all. Without the WEP, a worker who spent a substantial part of his or her career in employment not covered by Social Security would be treated as a low-lifetime earner for Social Security benefit purposes and receive the advantage of the weighted benefit formula. The WEP provides for a different, less heavily weighted benefit formula to compute benefits for such persons.
Under the regular (non-WEP) benefit computation rules, a three step weighted benefit formula is applied to a worker's average indexed monthly earnings (AIME) to determine his or her primary insurance amount (PIA). The PIA is the monthly benefit amount payable to a retired worker first entitled at the full retirement age or a disabled worker. The PIA formula applicable to workers who reach age 62 or become disabled in 2005 is:
90 percent of the first $627 of AIME, plus
32 percent of the next $3,152 of AIME, plus
15 percent of AIME above $3,779.
Under the WEP computation, a worker who is receiving a pension from non-covered earnings generally receives 40 percent of the first $627 instead of the 90 percent provided to workers whose entire careers were in covered employment. The 32 and 15 percent factors are the same for workers affected by the WEP and those that are not.
For a worker first eligible in 2005, the maximum WEP reduction is $313.50 per month-or the difference between 90 percent and 40 percent of $627. Unlike the GPO, the WEP can never eliminate a person's Social Security benefit.
WEP does not apply at all to workers who have 30 or more years of substantial earnings under Social Security. For workers who have 21 to 29 years of substantial covered earnings under Social Security, the reduction under the WEP is phased out gradually.
The WEP provision includes a guarantee designed to help protect workers with relatively low pensions based on non-covered employment. This guarantee provides that the reduction in Social Security benefits can never exceed one half the amount of the pension based on non-covered work.
Educating the Public
As you can see, the WEP and GPO provisions are complicated and, consequently, there have been misunderstandings about who is affected. You may recall from last year's testimony that SSA has made revisions to the Social Security Statement highlighting and making clearer the potential impact of WEP and GPO on a worker's Social Security benefit if he or she receives a pension based on non-covered employment. The Statement refers individuals to SSA publications that explain how benefits can be affected by the WEP and GPO. It also refers individuals to an SSA website, which was recently revised to make sure that there is ample information and links to fact sheets that explain the impact of the GPO and WEP. The website includes benefit calculators that allow individuals to estimate the effects that WEP or GPO may have on their monthly benefit.
Additionally, SSA offices nationwide provide pre-retirement seminars to government employees who request them. If government employees request the seminar, we inform them of the potential impact that WEP and GPO may have on their monthly Social Security benefit.
As you know, the Social Security Protection Act of 2004 (SSPA) required SSA to make a disclosure form available for State and local government employers to use to notify new non-covered employees of the potential effect of this work on their Social Security benefits. This provision was effective January 1, 2005. As we considered our implementation strategy for this provision, I met with representatives of several interested groups (some of them are here today as witnesses) to get their input and hear their concerns.
SSPA also required that Social Security Statements issued after December 31, 2006 contain language to explain the maximum potential effects of the WEP and GPO to any person whose records indicate that they may be subject to those provisions. We are currently examining ways to use our administrative records of non-covered earnings to identify individuals whose benefits are likely to be affected by the GPO or WEP.
Legislation Affecting WEP
A number of bills have been introduced that would change the WEP. These proposals include:
- eliminating the WEP entirely;
- providing less of a WEP reduction (or no reduction) for government workers whose pensions from non-covered employment, in combination with their Social Security benefits, are below certain levels; and
- replacing the WEP benefit formula with an alternative computation.
Let me start with the elimination of the WEP. If the WEP were eliminated, approximately 738,000 retired and disabled workers would see their benefits increase. It is estimated that elimination of the WEP would have a 5-year cost of $10.8 billion and a 10-year cost of $29.7 billion. The long-range cost would be significant - estimated to be 0.06 percent of taxable payroll.
The second type of proposal that has been introduced would provide less of a WEP reduction, or no WEP reduction, if the combined amount of the worker's non-covered pension and Social Security benefits is below a certain threshold. Representative Frank has introduced such a bill (H.R. 1690). This bill would exempt an individual from WEP if his or her combined benefits were less than $2,500 per month (indexed) when he or she is first eligible for both Social Security and a non-covered pension. The legislation provides for graduated implementation of this provision on amounts above $2,500 monthly. Such a proposal would cost $20.4 billion over the next 10 years and increase long-range costs by 0.03 percent of taxable payroll.
The third type of bill that has been introduced would replace the current WEP formula with an alternative computation. This is the approach embodied in H.R. 1714, as introduced by Representative Brady. Under this bill, a hypothetical primary benefit would first be computed based on all of the worker's available covered and non-covered earnings after 1950. This hypothetical benefit would then be multiplied by the proportion of the worker's total earnings that were covered under Social Security to obtain the primary benefit payable to the worker.
The bill also includes a guarantee provision that would ensure that workers whose government pension is based on non-covered earnings in the year of enactment or earlier would receive no less than the benefit under the present law WEP provision. The bill would apply to beneficiaries already on the rolls, as well as to future beneficiaries.
SSA's Office of the Chief Actuary estimates that enactment of H.R. 1714 would increase program costs by $2.7 billion over the first 5 years; the 10-year cost would be $7.0 billion. The long-range cost of the program would increase by 0.01 percent of taxable payroll. These cost estimates assume that only the available non-covered earnings data on SSA's records, for years 1978 and later, would be used in calculating the proposed benefit. The actuaries used this assumption because they believed that the availability of non-covered data for years before 1978 would be problematic for many non-covered workers. To the extent that workers' pre-1978 non-covered earnings are available and could be included in the proposed benefit computation, the cost of the bill would be somewhat lower.
Let me first commend Rep. Brady for his efforts to find ways to replace the current WEP with an approach that is intended to more accurately reflect an individual's complete earnings history. And we have appreciated the opportunity to work with his and other congressional offices on legislation affecting the WEP. However, we continue to be concerned about some aspects of this bill. The primary issue is that the computation would count non-covered earnings after 1950, but SSA only has records of non-covered earnings beginning in 1978, when it began receiving Form W-2 information from employers, and some of these records are incomplete-particularly for the years soon after SSA began collecting this earnings information.
We are concerned about the availability of records documenting pre-1978 earnings. Unfortunately, the data needed for these calculations - much of it wages paid to individuals as many as 30 or more years ago - will not be available for many cases, making it difficult for SSA to equitably administer the provisions of the bill. While the bill includes provisions for "deeming" non-covered earnings when such earnings are not available, these provisions would be complex to administer, and would result in a benefit not based on the individual's true earnings. Because the bill would apply to those on the rolls as of the effective date, SSA would be required to review the benefits of more than 738,000 retired and disabled workers affected by the WEP to determine if their monthly benefits should be adjusted. In addition, the workloads that would be generated by passage of such legislation would be tremendous and take years for SSA to complete.
We are also concerned about willingness to cooperate on the part of individuals who would be affected by this provision, because we would be seeking evidence of earnings that would only serve to lower the benefit amount payable under the bill. A worker whose non-covered earnings were entirely before 1978 would fully avoid the WEP reduction under the proposed computation if those earnings were not disclosed by the worker or otherwise determined by SSA.
Because of the large volume of recomputations required and associated manual actions, the workload impact on SSA would be substantial-and would create delays in other workloads.
While we have raised a number of concerns with this bill, we look forward to working with the committee on these issues.
I want to again thank the Chairman and the Subcommittee for giving me this opportunity to discuss the Social Security coverage for State and local government employees and the related topics of WEP and GPO. As always, SSA welcomes the opportunity to work with you to provide any additional information you need as you continue to look at these complex and important issues. I would be glad to answer any questions you might have.


text:
Top round, a muscle from the leg, is starting to pop up in supermarkets around the country. (If your market doesn't carry it yet, ask your butcher.) This small, quick-cooking cut has the succulence you'd expect from lamb but is so convenient that you needn't wait for a special occasion or a large gathering to savor it.
- Yield
- Makes 4 to 6 servings
- Active Time
- 25 min
- Total Time
- 45 min
- 1 (1 3/4-pound) top round of lamb
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons thick yogurt such as Greek
- Equipment: an electric coffee/spice grinder
- Prepare a gas grill for indirect-heat cooking by preheating all burners on high, covered, 10 minutes.
- Butterfly lamb horizontally through middle (without cutting all the way through, so piece opens out like a book to double its size and is 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick). Pierce meat in several places with tip of a sharp knife (so seasoning will penetrate).
- Finely grind together cumin, coriander, and peppercorns in grinder. Mince and mash garlic to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt, then stir together with ground spices and yogurt in a bowl to make a paste.
- Rub paste all over lamb.
- Reduce grill heat to medium-high and oil grill rack. Sear lamb over middle burner, covered, turning once, until well browned, 2 to 3 minutes total.
- Turn off middle burner (burner under lamb if there are only 2) and grill, covered, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meat registers 120 to 125°F for medium-rare, 4 to 6 minutes more. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 10 minutes before slicing.
- Serve with: orzo with feta, tomatoes, and dill , corn on the cob
Cooks' note:
Lamb can be cooked in a hot lightly oiled large (2-burner) ridged grill pan over medium-high heat, turning once, 12 to 15 minutes total for medium-rare.