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Iwi and resource management experts advise on key policy
Waikato Regional Council will incorporate a Maori viewpoint into hearing and deciding the region's most significant resource management policy framework.
Waikato Regional Council will incorporate a Maori viewpoint into hearing and deciding the region's most significant resource management policy framework.
Public consultation starts tomorrow on a $6 million funding proposal for a national cycling centre of excellence, including a velodrome, near Cambridge.
Changes to the Glenview and Mahoe bus timetables will come into effect next month, resulting in increased frequency of services to the Waikato Hospital.
A spate of recent pedestrian deaths has led to a plea from the region's safety education group for all road users to extra care.
Waikato Regional Council is concerned services will be cut or rates will have to rise as a result of plans to either reduce or remove government transport subsidies.
Close collaboration between all stakeholders – including iwi, farmers, the agriculture industry and local councils – will be the key to successfully addressing land and water quality issues in the region, says the chair of Waikato Regional Council's land and water quality subcommittee chairman Norm Barker.
Waikato Regional Council is urging members of the public to be extra vigilant around the region's swollen rivers and streams, with water levels in the larger rivers expected to rise further over the next couple of days.
The results of an annual Waikato Regional Council survey have just been released and show that too many children under 12 are still not wearing lifejackets on boats.
Waikato Regional Council scientists believe breaches of national standards for air quality at a busy northern Hamilton intersection may be linked to roadworks in the area.
Full year figures have confirmed that Waikato farmers made significant environmental gains last season as they, the agriculture industry and the regional council increased the focus on complying with dairy effluent management rules.
Waikato Regional Council's navigation safety team is urging boaties to take extreme care going out to sea today following the tsunami alert this morning and forecasts for rain, high winds and large swells off the west coast.
Waikato Regional Council is concerned about the environmental impacts of the government's proposed National Environmental Standards (NES) for plantation forestry for sensitive areas like the Coromandel Peninsula.
The Waikato Civil Defence Emergency Management Group emergency coordinating centre in Hamilton will remain activated in monitoring mode despite the cancellation of a tsunami warning.
The Waikato Civil Defence Emergency Management Group emergency coordinating centre in Hamilton says a marine tsunami threat has been confirmed after the earthquake this morning in the Tonga-Kermadec trench to the north-east of New Zealand.
The Waikato Civil Defence Emergency Management Group emergency coordinating centre in Hamilton has activated following the tsunami threat alert issued this morning.
A website launched 12 years ago to divert thousands of tonnes of waste from landfill has been revamped to make the free exchange of reusable items easier.
The changing climate and how it can affect you will be the subject of a free public seminar hosted by Waikato Regional Council and featuring weather expert Jim Salinger, Lincoln University professor Caroline Saunders and business commentator Rod Oram.
Waikato Regional Council has formally lodged a new resource consent application to undertake mangrove removal as a part of wider catchment work at Whangamata.
Waikato Regional Council has given an environmental 'tick' to beef from farms at the heart of a world-leading project to protect the excellent water quality of Lake Taupo.
Waikato residents can have their say on public transport services, with the Waikato Regional Council this week adopting its draft 10-year public transport plan for consultation.


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Kazmir's injury calls for Tribe roster shuffling
TORONTO -- The Indians planned on adding left-hander Scott Kazmir to their rotation prior to his outing on Saturday, but instead, they took that step a few days earlier than anticipated. The move comes in the wake of a minor abdominal injury suffered by the starting pitcher.
On Tuesday, Cleveland selected Kazmir's contract from Triple-A Columbus, adding the team's fifth starter to the Opening Day roster. To clear a spot on the active roster, the Indians optioned left-handed reliever Nick Hagadone to Triple-A.
Assistant general manager Mike Chernoff -- in Toronto for the season-opening set with the Blue Jays -- explained that the move was aimed at protecting the ballclub in the event that Kazmir, who tweaked an abdominal muscle while playing catch during Monday's workout, is unable to make his first scheduled start on Saturday.
"Obviously it's a little bit of a strange move coming on our opener," Chernoff said. "The reason for it is that Scott felt some discomfort. He threw his side session and felt a little discomfort in sort of the rib cage or abdomen region, so he'll be questionable. With some uncertainty about Saturday's start, we wanted to add him to the roster."
By putting Kazmir on the active roster now, they can backdate any possible stint on the disabled list to Tuesday.
Chernoff would not speculate which Triple-A starter might replace Kazmir if the lefty does need a stint on the disabled list. If he's feeling better Wednesday, Kazmir will throw a bullpen session. Following that workout, the Indians will likely have a better idea about Kazmir's status for Saturday's game against the Rays.
Potential replacements could include Daisuke Matsuzaka, Corey Kluber or Trevor Bauer, who are all at Triple-A Columbus.
"The hope is that he'll go out and throw his side [session] tomorrow and pitch Saturday," manager Terry Francona said on Tuesday. "In case that isn't the case, we have contingency plans."
Kazmir, 29, earned the fifth spot of the rotation as a non-roster invitee for the Indians this spring, allowing nine runs (eight earned) on 29 hits with 23 strikeouts and only three walks in 21 innings, which covers four Cactus League appearances and a pair of Minor League outings.
From 2005-08, Kazmir was a standout starter for Tampa Bay, going 45-34 with a 3.51 ERA over 689 2/3 innings and 742 strikeouts, including a league-leading 239 in '07. Kazmir then went 19-24 with a 5.54 ERA in 55 outings between 2009-11. After he went 0-5 with a 17.02 ERA in five starts at Triple-A Salt Lake in '11, he was released by the Angels.
Kazmir pitched for the Sugar Land Skeeters in the independent Atlantic League last season and for Carolina in the Puerto Rican Winter League over the offseason. He inked a Minor League contract with the Tribe during the winter and displayed a fastball in the 90-92-mph range this spring.
Hagadone, 27, posted a 0.93 ERA in 9 2/3 Cactus League innings this spring, helping him initially win a spot in Cleveland's bullpen.

subset: commoncrawl


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STOCKTON - Thunder president Dan Chapman is hoping for bigger crowds this week at Stockton Arena as the team tries to come back in the ECHL Kelly Cup Finals
STOCKTON - Thunder president Dan Chapman is hoping for bigger crowds this week at Stockton Arena as the team tries to come back in the ECHL Kelly Cup Finals
Though ticket prices are higher for the finals, Chapman said early sales have been positive for Game 3 in the best-of-seven series between the Thunder and Royals at 7 p.m. today at Stockton Arena. Reading leads the best-of-seven series 2-0. Tonight will be the Thunder's first-ever home game in the finals. Stockton will play at home on Friday and Saturday, if necessary.
It's not rare for ECHL teams to experience a drop in playoff attendance compared to their regular-season averages. The Thunder averaged 3,976 fans in the first three rounds of the playoffs compared to 5,485 over 36 regular-season dates, which was fifth in the league. As of Monday afternoon, Chapman said ticket sales were tracking in the low-to-mid 4,000s for tonight's game.
"I was very pleased with the pace of sales last week," Chapman said. "I think if we get the three dates, I'm confident it will surpass what we have been getting."
The Royals, which raised ticket prices for the finals, had an increase in attendance for Games 1 and 2, drawing an average of 5,093 after averaging less than 3,100 in the first three rounds.
Stockton did not raise ticket prices for the first two rounds, but bumped prices for the conference finals. Tickets for today's game at the box office are priced from $19 to $37, an increase from $10 to $28 during the regular season. Season ticket holders will pay slightly less than $4 more for their finals tickets than they did during the regular season.
Chapman said there are three primary reasons for the increase: "The biggest reason is to follow the trend of most every other sports team in America, and to be consistent. The league encourages it, and there's certainly more costs for east-west travel."
After viewing Sunday's game at the King's Room at Stockton Arena, Tim Squires of Tracy echoed the opinion of many fans, saying the price increase is to be expected.
"I understand that you are going to pay a little more as you progress through the playoffs, especially in the finals," Squires said. "That's the way it works."
Chapman said it's difficult to meet or exceed regular-season attendance averages in the postseason with little time for promotions and group sales.
"That's the way it is in the minor leagues," Chapman said. "But making it to the Kelly Cup Finals has created a lot of excitement, and I think a lot of people will come out."
Contact reporter Scott Linesburgh at (209) 546-8281 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Al Roker is headed to your neck of the woods!
NBC's 'Today' show announced that one of America's favorite weatherman is traveling out on the road to deliver the forecast in all 50 states. The catch is he has to accomplish this mammoth task in seven short days.
"Someone needs to stop him before he hurts himself," 'Today' co-host Savannah Guthrie joked in a new sneak peek. "Al, nobody else but you could do this or would even want to."
U.S. & World
Natalie Morales added, "I don't think he'll have time to shower."
Last year Roker set a Guinness World Record title by delivering the weather live for 34 hours straight. This time, however, he has his eyes set on a new record for the fastest time to report a weather forecast from all 50 US states and the District of Columbia.
Rokerthon 2 will kick off Friday morning live in Hawaii. He will then travel by planes, trains and automobiles before his final stop at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City on Nov. 13.
"Al always takes on these larger than life challenges," Matt Lauer shared. "I know Al is ready for the country. I'm not sure the country is ready for Al."
(E! and NBC are part of the NBCUniversal family)
Rokerthon 2 kicks off on "Today" Friday morning at 7 a.m. only on NBC.
PHOTOS: Remember when the 'Today' show nailed Halloween year after year?


text:
Philadelphia is a popular city for business and leisure travel all year round, but it becomes particularly crowded in the summertime. Hotel prices rocket up around the fourth of July when concerts and fireworks illuminate the city. There is also a surge in conventions during the summer which can drive up hotel prices in the downtown business area.
For the best hotel deals, consider visiting during the Fall or Spring, when the weather is still pleasant but the prices are more manageable. Do keep in mind that during the spring, school groups flood many of the tourist attractions. Winter is probably the easiest time to find cheap hotels near Philadelphia's downtown, but the frigid temperatures and icy precipitation make visiting during this period less than ideal.
The airport is only six miles from the city center. Taxis run from the airport to downtown for a flat rate of $28.50, but there are cheaper public transportation options. The subway system, SEPTA, runs a dedicated train line to and from the airport until midnight. The train stops at each terminal, as well as the AMTRAK Station and several stops downtown. Tickets are $8, cash only. There is also a public bus that costs $2.75.
While there are many beautiful hotels in the city center, visitors on a budget may want to consider staying near the airport, even if they aren't arriving via plane.. Room prices are much lower here, but visitors are still just 15 minutes away from most of the tourist attractions. Downtown is easily accessible via car, public transportation, or hotel shuttle. In addition, airport hotels often offer cheaper parking deals and sometimes include free breakfast. The downside is that there isn't a lot of atmosphere or many dining options.
There are over a dozen hotels near the airport, of varying quality. Some of the best cheap hotels near Philadelphia Airport are the Holiday Inn Express Philadelphia Airport, the Comfort Inn Philadelphia Airport, and Aloft Philadelphia Airport.
There are so many free and low-cost things to see and do in Philadelphia. Many of them center around the city's vibrant history. Most prominently, all the museums and exhibits that make up the Independence National Historic Park are free of charge, although some require reservations. This includes Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, The President's House (where the nation's first two presidents lived), and Carpenter's Hall. Other museums like the Edgar Allen Poe House and the Institute of Contemporary Art have free entry as well.
There are many city-wide events that also celebrate the city's culture and history. The most prominent of these is the previously mentioned Fourth of July Celebration, which is free for the entire city. There is also AwesomeFest, a series of free outdoor movie screenings, as well as First Friday, a monthly event where many art galleries around the city are open to the public. Public event spaces like Penn's Landing have entertainment and family friendly activities all year-long.
Philadelphia has some absolutely stunning luxury hotels, many of which are in re-purposed historical buildings. Le Meridien Philadelphia is a Georgian-revival building with a 75 foot atrium and bold decor, while Loews Philadelphia Hotel is inside the world's first art-deco skyscraper. Other hotels offer a different kind of luxury: The Rittenhouse 1715 is a cozy bed and breakfast that pampers guests with marble bathrooms and fluffy bedding. The Palomar Philadelphia is a Kimpton Hotel that offers in-room spa services and a complimentary nightly happy hour.
To find a good luxury hotel deal in Philadelphia, some flexibility and planning are necessary. Try to schedule your visit during the late fall, early spring, or winter, when tourism numbers are down. Avoid major convention and holiday dates. Oftentimes during these lulls luxury hotels will offer very low-cost last-minute deals.
Hostels are a great option for travelers on a tight budget and many offer private rooms in addition to dormitories. Philadelphia has three established hostels, all of good quality.
The Philadelphia House Hostel receives the best reviews and has the best location, within blocks of the Liberty Bell. Apple Hostels of Philadelphia is also centrally located and offers lots of extras like reading lights, hair dryers, and a game room. The last hostel, Hostelling International - Chamounix Mansion, has the lowest nightly rates but is less central, in a historic mansion in Fairmount Park.
If you are traveling as a family, or staying for several nights, an apartment rental on a site like AirBNB might save you money. Even during high season there are many entire apartments available downtown for much less per night than a hotel. Apartments in the Historic District, University City or Rittenhouse Square are available for under $150 a night.
Apartment Rentals also save you money in other ways. They can house more people comfortably than a hotel room, making them ideal for family travel. With a full apartment at your disposal it is easier to cook meals and save money on food. Many apartments also offer washing machines and other extras.
Philadelphia is a huge city with a lot to do, so it is worth doing some research before you arrive. The Philadelphia Tourism Board has an incredibly informative and detailed website that gives visitors all the information they might need for their visit, including event listings, city and subway maps, and potential itineraries. Their sister site, Philly 360, is a guide to the city's music, nightlife, and food scenes.
Other resources you can use when visiting Philadelphia include Uber, the private taxi service and SEPTA's iTransit Buddy, a smart phone app that helps you navigate the city's public transportation system. Chef's Feed is another app that gives you advice on where to eat from local chefs.
Visitors who want to truly immerse themselves in the heart of Philadelphia should choose a hotel near the historic district,where you will find most of the city's main tourist attractions. There are many hotels in this area,and while they can get quite expensive in the high season, deals are still possible.
Some hotels, like the Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District, the Penn's View Hotel, and Omni at Independence Park, are typically quite pricey but can sometimes be secured on the cheap via last-minute internet deals. Others, like the Best Western Independence Park, and the Holiday Inn Express Penn's Landing, have more reasonable prices regularly.
If you plan to stay downtown, keep in mind that parking prices in this area are exorbitant, sometimes up to $50 a day! If you are bringing a car with you, it is cheaper to stay further away from the city center, maybe near the airport, and take public transportation for sightseeing.
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Nike Womens Air Force 1 Low Trainers in Black and Pink. Staying faithful to the original, this 1982 classic still carries the signature comfortable Nike Air cushioning. Collection inspired by dance halls and clubs. Leather and synthetic.
Fabric: Leather and Synthetic upper, Textile lining and Other Materials Sole.
Product Care: To maintain appearance we recommend protecting with a suitable leather protector.
Style: Basketball.
This year's returns policy will run from Sunday 27th October, up to and including Tuesday 24th December.
Footasylum will be happy to refund or exchange any unwanted items purchased between these dates if they are returned on or before Sunday 12th January in their original condition (including tags) with a valid proof of purchase (receipt or gift receipt). Refunds from Gift Receipts will be given on a Footasylum Gift Card.
No returns will be accepted between Thursday 26th December to Saturday 28th December. Returns will re-commence from Monday 30th December.
Please note; The normal 14 day returns policy will re-commence from Thursday 26th December.More information on returns...


text:
Definition: Physical, mental, and social well-being.
Good health is an important foundation for economic growth and a thriving society. In the developing world, poor health produces a vicious cycle: the same conditions that create poverty put health at increased risk. Hazardous conditions include unsafe and unclean environments, inadequate nutrition, and lack of access to medical care. Societies emerging from conflict often have a population at increased risk of mental health problems. Individuals in any crisis situation are at increased risk of mental health problems. Read the issue brief »


text:
Looks like you are using an old version of Internet Explorer - Please update your browser
What is the best way to promote God's role for government and other authority?
No results found in .
Answers in Genesis is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.


text:
Calendar |
County Extension Unit
Ag News Elsewhere
[fresh daily from the Web]
Farmers invited to seminars on conservation cropping
Send a link to a friend
[January 21, 2014]
SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois
Department of Agriculture is sponsoring a series of one-day seminars
this winter to provide farmers the latest information about soil
conservation practices.
seminar has its own agenda. However, all three will include sessions
about cover crops and will feature a taped introductory segment with
Howard G. Buffett explaining his personal experience using cover
crops on his Illinois farm. Buffett is the CEO of the Howard G.
Buffett Foundation, a private family foundation working to improve
the standard of living and quality of life for the world's most
impoverished and marginalized populations.
"These seminars provide a significant opportunity for
agricultural producers and others to gain valuable information on
the numerous environmental and economic benefits of cover crops,"
said Steve Chard, acting bureau chief of land and water resources
for the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
Cover crops are plants, typically grasses or legumes, seeded into
farm fields either within or outside of the regular growing season.
Research suggests they have a significant competitive advantage
compared with the more traditional management practices that have
been used to control soil erosion and nutrient runoff and also may
offer production benefits.
A recent survey of Midwestern farmers by USDA's Sustainable
Agriculture Research and Education program revealed higher corn and
soybean yields in fields where cover crops had been planted. The
differences were significant, too, at 10 percent for corn and 12
percent for beans.
[to top of second column]
The seminar cost is $20 per person. To
register, go to the
Champaign County Soil and Water Conservation District website at
www.ccswcd.com and click on "Conservation
Cropping Seminars."
In addition to the Illinois Department of Agriculture, seminar
coordinators are the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service,
Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts, American Farmland
Trust and Illinois Stewardship Alliance.
Illinois Conservation Cropping Seminars
Jan. 28Mendota Civic Center1901 Tom Merwin Drive, MendotaContact: Marty McManus, 309-738-7277
Feb. 27Holiday Inn Convention Center222 Potomac Blvd., Mount VernonContact: Gary Albers, 618-476-7230
March 13Heartland Community College1500 W. Raab Road, NormalContact: Joe Bybee, 815-787-5480
[Text from
Illinois Department of
file received from the
Illinois Office of Communication and Information]
Recent articles
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text:
Under the deal, California's $8/hour minimum wage would rise to $9/hour in July of next year, then to $10/hour in January of 2016. That's a faster pace than the original bill that's been moving through the legislature this year. But it does not include automatic adjustments for inflation, as was previously proposed.
The California Chamber of Commerce, the National Federation of Independent Businesses and the California Restaurant Association all oppose a minimum wage increase. And they're not happy with this deal.
It also appears some outside pressure may have loomed over the negotiations. Labor unions have been talking about qualifying a minimum wage initiative for next year's ballot. Now, that's less likely to move forward.


text: July 28, 2014 at 6:09 AM B.C. premier vows sewage treatment for Victoria — someday Posted by Erik Smith British Columbia Premier Christy Clark. It took more than a month, but the premier of British Columbia in Canada has finally answered a letter from Washington's congressional delegation about the million gallons of raw sewage the city of Victoria flushes every hour into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. And somehow that seems fitting, since it has been more than 20 years since Washington started beating the drum about Victoria's plumbing problems. No one north of the border seems to be in any particular hurry. The Democratic members of Washington's congressional delegation wrote B.C. Premier Christy Clark June 13 to urge that the province find a sewage solution "as soon as possible." Clark's rather tardy response promises to hold the southern end of Vancouver Island to a requirement that it develop a new sewage treatment plant. But she fails to address the key question. When, exactly? Will she even be in office? Which century? More Comments | Topics: bc, congressional, poo


text:
Morel toast, ramp pasta, and Meyer-lemon pizza.
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BALTIMORE – UMBC women's soccer used a pair of goals over the final 3:25, including the game-winner with 1:00 to go from freshman forward Amanda Dailey (Howell, N.J./Freehold Township, Monmouth), to complete a 2-1 come-from-behind victory against Hartford in Thursday night's Pink Game at Retriever Soccer Park.
UMBC (10-5-2, 5-2-0 AE) hits double-digit wins for the first time since 2001 and reaches five victories for the first time since joining the league in 2003. With one game remaining in the regular season, UMBC has a chance to clinch a first round bye with a victory on Sunday, marking its highest America East finish ever. With a bye on Sunday, Hartford concludes the regular season with a 10-5-3 overall record and 5-3-0 in conference play.
With the game scoreless after 82 minutes of action the game looked destined for overtime, but it was the league's top point getter in America East play Chanel Johnson that connected on a shot from a tough wide right angle to put Hartford out in front 1-0.
The Retrievers kept the pressure on and it paid off on a corner kick from junior back Melissa Hummel (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown East), that red-shirt junior Jessy Brown (Plantation, Fla./American Heritage) headed in for her sixth goal of the season to knot the game at one with 3:25 remaining.
Just 2:25 later, Dailey struck, gathering a cross from junior back Morgan Taylor (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) and taping in the game-winner.
Senior goalkeeper Lauren Kadet (Oakville, Ontario/St. Thomas) finished with four saves in the contest, while reigning America East Rookie of the Week Jessica Jurg registered three.
Both teams had their opportunities in the opening half, with the Johnson finding herself a step in front of the defense, but Kadet knocked down her shot to keep the game scoreless 12:23 into the contest.
The Hawks had two more close calls, the first coming on a scrum in front of the net, but Kadet was able to get a hand on the ball and sophomore back Nikki Boretti (Crofton, Md./Archbishop Spalding) took care of the clear. A free kick ball by freshman back Katie Connolly tipped off the head of graduate back Amanda Hamilton and landed in front of an open junior midfielder Morgan Berry.
UMBC concludes the regular season with Senior Day on Sunday, Oct. 27 when it plays host to New Hampshire. Game time is set for 1 p.m. at Retriever Soccer Park, with seniors Stephanie Smith (Severna Park, Md./Archbishop Spalding) and Lauren Kadet (Oakville, Ontario./St. Thomas Aquinas) being honored prior to first kick.
Game Notes
-UMBC will make its third appearance in the America East Championship, with its seeding still to be determined. Its other two appearances came in 2003 and 2005.


text:
Welcome to Kabuto Japanese
House of Steaks
8052 West Broad Street - Richmond, Virginia
Now Offering
Express Lunch & Sunday Brunch
see Dining Specials page
Japanese House of Steaks has been providing traditional
Japanese cooking and sushi cuisine in Richmond, Virginia
for over 40 years. Our food is prepared with great care and
is beautifully presented at your table. Hibachi chefs
put on an exciting show of teppan-yaki cooking and
prepare your dinner right in front of you with our
carefully selected menu items of the freshest beef,
chicken, seafood and vegetables. Every meal is
customized to your particular tastes from our fresh
sushi to our unique hibachi style of cooking which
allows us to provide those with food allergies a
wonderful evening of dining.
Our very
healthy style of cooking also means that we do not use
peanut oil or MSG in our food preparation. Also if you
are on a low-sodium or low-cholesterol diet, our chefs
can accommodate your individual tastes very easily.
Just let us know.
an "enchanting touch of Japan" for
your next meeting or special occasion.
• Business meetings
Rehearsal dinners
Or any special occasion
Sunday Brunch:
In addition to our main dining rooms, we have a large
comfortable bar area complete with televisions and our
signature giant aquarium. Around the corner you will
find our spacious sushi bar that even includes its own
private dining areas, perfect for small parties that
enjoy traditional Japanese seating. We have seating
right at our sushi bar where you can watch your sushi,
sashimi or California rolls being prepared specially for
you. We also now serve udon.
We want you to enjoy your dining experience at Kabuto
and we will do everything we can to make your meal
unforgettable so you will want to come back again and
again. So relax and bring your entire family to our
restaurant and enjoy
the show for lunch or dinner, take advantage of our
spacious bar area with friends, or just sample some of
the freshest sushi in Richmond at Kabuto Japanese House
of Steaks.
Check Out
Our Specials & Menus
-- Now Offering Express Lunch --
Sushi Menu
Lunch Menu
Dinner Menu
Driving Directions: One quarter mile east of Parham
Rd. and
Broad St. and to the left of Fountain Square Shopping
| Home | Dining
Specials | Private Dining | Reservations |


text:
Loading Map....
Date(s) - 11/16/2019
9:00 am - 11:00 am
Christ United Methodist Church at Coit and Parker
3101 Coit Rd.
Plano, Texas 75074
Christ United Methodist Church at Coit and Parker
Address: 3101 Coit Rd, Plano, TX 75074
United Electronic Recycling—Named the Official Electronics Recycler for the Residents of The City of Plano!
Visit the City of Plano's website
NOTE: Disposal Fees: $10.00 for CRT Monitors, $10.00 for TVs 31 inches and smaller, $20 for TVs larger than 32 inches, $20.00 for console or Front/Rear Projection TVs.


text: Minutes of the special meeting of Wednesday, November 28, 2001. (As approved December 20, 2001). The San Francisco Public Library Commission held a special meeting called by the Commission President on Wednesday, November 28, 2001 in the Koret Auditorium, Main Library. The meeting was called to order at 1:09 PM by President Higueras. The following members were noted present: Commissioners Chin, Coulter, Higueras, and Steiman. Commissioners Bautista, Streets and, Swig were noted excused attendance. AGENDA ITEM #1 MISSION BAY BRANCH LIBRARY LETTER OF INTENT The City Librarian gave a brief overview of the proposal to create a Mission Bay Branch Library. Ms. Hildreth then introduced Ms. Marcia Rosen, Executive Director of the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency to make a presentation on the Agency's proposed terms for the development of the new branch library as an element in a proposed affordable senior housing development. Ms. Rosen reminded the Commission of her first presentation concerning this project as Director of the Mayor's Office of Housing two years ago and brought the Commissioners up to date concerning the ongoing development projects in Mission Bay. Ms. Rosen cited the work of Amy Neches, and Matt Schwartz of the Redevelopment Agency staff in bring this project forward and she outlined in some detail the housing and social infrastructure developments planned for the new branch library's neighborhood. The Executive Director of the Redevelopment Agency then described the parcel where the combined senior affordable housing development and the new branch library would be created on the corner of 4th and Berry Streets. Ms. Rosen noted that the library would have the prime corner of the building, have shared use of a community meeting facility, its own principle entry, and design elements to emphasize its presence. Ms. Rosen called this project a model of inter-agency cooperation to provide affordable housing and neighborhood social infrastructure and cultural resources for this new neighborhood. She noted that Mercy Housing would be the master developer of the site and would manage the affordable senior housing. Ms. Rosen then outlined the points of the proposed agreement between the Library and the Redevelopment Agency. She reported that restrictions imposed on Redevelopment Agency projects by the Mission Bay Plan and by agreements with Catellus limited use of the donated parcels to affordable housing and supportive uses and limited other use to non-profit uses that would not compete with Catellus' development plans. Ms. Rosen further explained that terms of the Owner Participation Agreement prohibited any real estate gain on projects developed on donated parcels. Ms. Rosen observed that the land in this case would be transferred to the Library at no cost, and that the Library would assume the costs of any tenant improvements. Ms. Rosen additionally noted the Redevelopment Agency requested that the Library commit to use of this facility as a branch library operated with certain days and hours until June 30, 2009. She noted that afterward the Library would be allowed to use the facility for limited other uses consistent with uses found in similar branch libraries. Ms. Rosen observed that the Redevelopment Agency was mandated to get a reverter clause in the proposed agreement to assure compliance with its agreements and mission. Such an agreement would give the Redevelopment Agency the right to reclaim the property and repurchase it for the Library's cost should the Library fail to comply with the terms of the agreement. The Executive Director of the Redevelopment Agency then discussed the proposed development and construction schedule for this project calling for action by the Commissions by March 2002, finalizing the financing by next Summer, and the beginning of construction in late 2002 or early 2003. The City Librarian then introduced Deputy City Attorney Donnell Choy who provided the Commissioners with a point by point description of the proposed terms of agreement ultimately to lead to a final purchase and sale agreement between the Redevelopment Agency and the Library. Mr. Choy further noted that detailed C.C. and R. agreements governing all shared uses and any needed easements as well as agreements governing access and other condominium issues would also be negotiated prior to the final agreement. Mr. Choy pointed out that under the terms of the agreement the Redevelopment Agency would divide the parcel and create two ground leases, one for the Library and one for the remainder of the building. Mr. Choy reported that the final purchase price had not been set, but that a price and arrangements concerning any change orders would be determined before the agreement was submitted to the Commission prior to its making its recommendation to the Board of Supervisors on this project. Mr. Choy additionally reported that according to the proposed agreement all change orders would be subject to the Library's approval. In addition, he noted that the Library would receive access to a shared meeting facility and ability to lease two parking spaces. Mr. Choy then outlined the issues raised by the reverter clause and addressed the Library's rights should it decide to sell its parcel. Mr. Choy reported that the proposed agreement provided that should the Redevelopment Agency fail to deliver the project, that the Library would be repaid all of its costs. City Librarian Susan Hildreth next outlined the ongoing efforts of library staff to work with the Redevelopment Agency and Mercy Housing on the preliminary designs for this project. Ms. Hildreth reported that it was anticipated that the project could be built for an amount within the $3.6 million identified in the Branch Bond program for this branch. Public comment on AGENDA ITEM #1 MISSION BAY BRANCH LIBRARY LETTER OF INTENT An anonymous member of the public recalled that other projects had been termed a visionary partnership which could serve as a model and that in this person's view this proposal was a blank check/pig in a poke. This anonymous member of the public noted that the Capital Improvement Advisory Committee had reduced the amount of the proposed branch library bond issue because the land in Mission Bay was to be donated at no cost. This individual additionally noted that the terms of the Mission Bay Agreement mandated that the developers donate the land. This person cited the bad experience of the Law Library formerly housed in the Russ Building as evidence of the problems inherent in a shared facility. The anonymous member of the public suggested that the Library was offering to create an amenity and was being charged market rate and could be being used to make up other costs of this project with Library funds. Mr. Ed Regan commented that he opposed the project because the library would be in a shared building. Mr. Regan questioned the description of the location of the proposed site, noted opposition to a proposed children's room, and agreed 4th and Berry was a good location near CalTrain. Mr. Peter Warfield found this to be a very favorable arrangement for the Redevelopment Agency and the developers but not for the Library. Mr. Warfield expressed concern with provisions that appeared to shackle the Library in its operations, use, and costs of this facility. Mr. Warfield cited a number of provisions that he believed locked the Library into levels of service without regard to use of the facility and committed the Library into the indefinite future to operate this branch with ironclad guarantees that no other branch library had. Mr. Warfield also noted a large number of other costs related to shared use with very vague description of the Library's rights to disagree. Commission comment on AGENDA ITEM #1 MISSION BAY BRANCH LIBRARY LETTER OF INTENT Ms. Rosen clarified that the mandated donations of land in Mission Bay were specifically for use as affordable housing and supportive purposes. Ms. Rosen noted that this is an "at cost" arrangement and that the Library would only be asked to pay for costs related to the branch library. Ms. Rosen additionally noted that the purpose of the Redevelopment Agency was to develop this property for the benefit of the people of San Francisco and that a branch library in a prominent location was complementary and supportive of the affordable housing development. Vice President Steiman commented that Ms. Rosen had explained the Redevelopment Agency's goals and mandate well but that she must understand that the Library Commission had a mandate as well to create assets for the library system. Vice President Steiman suggested that this arrangement was unacceptable to her as presented, noting that the use restrictions imposed limits on the Library's future options. Vice President Steiman enumerated several additional objections and problems that she saw in the proposed terms noting that in effect the Library would be paying for a long-term lease with all of the payment up front. Vice President Steiman suggested that a purpose of the bond program was to purchase assets for the Library. In response to questions by Commissioner Coulter, Mr. Charlie Dunn of the Real Estate, Division, Administrative Services Department explained the relative merits of this proposed arrangement in contrast to the condominium terms the Library Commission had approved for the Glen Park Branch Library. Mr. Dunn noted that in the case of the Glen Park condominium, the Library could sell it subject only to the usual planning and zoning controls for that neighborhood. In contrast, the reverter clause in the Mission Bay Branch Library agreement would only allow the Library to recover its costs and any depreciated tenant improvements it had made to the facility. In response to a question by President Higueras, Ms. Rosen explained that this land was limited in the uses allowed and that it was unlikely that the Library could build an 8,000 sq. ft. facility anywhere else in the neighborhood for the price of this facility. Ms. Rosen additionally observed that the Library would not face the risks inherent in the real estate market with this arrangement. Ms. Hildreth commented that she believed that this proposed facility would be large enough to meet any likely need in the neighborhood, pointing out that this would be the closest branch to the Main Library. In response to questions by Commissioner Chin, the City Librarian discussed the difficulties in trying to combine the proposed Mission Bay library with a proposed school to be developed on another parcel in a much less accessible part of the development. Ms. Hildreth further reported that the planned branch would offer the full range of children's services available at similar size branch libraries. In answer to questions by Commissioner Coulter, Ms. Rosen outlined the projected demographic development and build out of housing for Mission Bay that would form a patron base for the branch library. Ms. Rosen also highlighted the extensive public transit connections that would be located in the immediate area of the proposed branch library. The City Librarian observed that this branch could also draw significant users from the South of Market neighborhoods, South Beach, and residents using public transit in the area. Commissioner Coulter suggested revised terms only requiring the Library to operate this branch in the same manner as other similar branches would be more acceptable to him. President Higueras discussed the challenges offered by this proposal in light of the fact that the Library's option to purchase land had been largely eliminated by the decision by the Capital Improvement Advisory Committee (CIAC) to cut funds for the purchase of a Mission Bay site from the amount included in the bond issue. President Higueras noted that this could produce a very important asset for that neighborhood. He suggested that while this may not be ideal it was the best option possible. President Higueras commented that the partnership with the affordable senior housing development could be a win/win for everyone. President Higueras further observed that once the branch library was created that it would be very unlikely that it would be closed. President Higueras noted that the Library Commission had to be realistic about its options. Expressing concern with some of the terms, Commissioner Chin remarked that the Commission had a duty to define libraries use and manage its libraries. She additionally expressed concern that the common areas of the proposed facility be maintained to the highest standards and not allowed to deteriorate. President Higueras thanked Ms. Rosen, Mr. Choy, and Mr. Dunn for their hard work in developing this proposed partnership and expressed confidence the future of the cooperative effort. Agenda item #2 PUBLIC COMMENT An anonymous member of the public thanked the Commissioners for what this person felt had been a real discussion. This individual recalled the previous example of the Main Library, termed a visionary partnership that would serve as a model, suggesting that many claims were made that proved untrue. The anonymous member of the public cited a 1988 video tape produced by the Library and the telephone company which contained many inaccuracies and glittering claims and noted that even if these claims had been true they were not worth the damage to our democracy. Mr. Ed Regan requested that the Commission calendar discussion of expanded public service hours, and suggested in view of the events of September 11th that exterior fire escapes and manually operated elevators be installed in the Main Library. Ms. Deetje Boler described the proposed arrangement as a lose/lose situation. Ms. Boler underlined concerns that this would spread thin the Prop. E operating hours and that it would be preferable that this space be used to develop affordable housing given the very great need. Ms. Boler suggested that it would be wise to wait on this project and focus the Library's attention on addressing existing space needs. Mr. Peter Warfield expressed appreciation for comments offered by members of the public and the Commissioners. Mr. Warfield restated comments made by Mr. Dunn concerning the issue of ownership of this facility, and the City Librarian's comments related to the population base that is usually served by a branch library. Mr. Warfield noted that he had requested that a needs analysis and survey of who this library would serve be done. Mr. Warfield suggested that there would not even be the minimum number of people to be served by this branch in the projected future. Mr. Warfield suggested that revised versions of documents available to the public be more clearly marked to indicate which version they were and that these documents be posted on the Library's website. Agenda Item #3 ADJOURNMENT MOTION: by Commissioner Bautista, seconded by Commissioner Coulter that the meeting be adjourned. Public comment on Agenda item #3 ADJOURNMENT None offered ACTION: AYE 4-0 (Chin, Coulter, Higueras, and Steiman) The meeting was adjourned at 2:38PM. Michael Housh, Commission Secretary 12/5/01 The number of members of the public who spoke anonymously at this meeting. 1 Please note: Copies of Commission Minutes and handouts are available in the Office of the Commission Secretary, 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102


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By Connor Bamford
At lab benches and computer desks throughout the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering in Boston, researchers are attempting to solve some of humanity's most pressing problems. The questions its scientists are asking are not uncommon: How can we discover more effective drugs? How can we solve the global energy crisis? But the possible answers they're developing are atypical, such as using autonomous microrobots to diagnose and treat diseases.
Part engineer, part biologist, researchers at Wyss (pronounced "Vees") are combining the power of synthetic biology, microfabrication technology and tissue engineering principally to understand how biological systems work and to manipulate and re-engineer them in the lab in a way we could never have done before. Researchers such as Pamela Silver and George Church, both synthetic biologists, hope that their work — and their colleagues' work — will have far-reaching health, environmental and economic benefits.
Silver and Church are among 17 full-time faculty members at Wyss whose research programs are supported in part by a more than $125 million institutional gift intended to foster a very special kind of environment. "The Wyss has been instrumental in bringing the right people together and providing the right atmosphere," Silver emphasizes. The institute allows the researchers the freedom to operate in entirely new fields, and this is at the heart of the institute's mission.
What is the Wyss?The institute emerged in 2008, when it was known initially as the Harvard Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering. In a bid to blend the understanding of basic engineering and biological processes, fields that had a long and successful history at Harvard University, and apply them to the burgeoning number of medical and environmental issues in the modern world, a multidisciplinary team of Harvard-based faculty were convened by the provost to discuss the future of bioengineering in Boston.
Then, in 2009, Harvard business school alumnus and Swiss engineering magnate Hansjörg Wyss donated $125 million, and the story of the Wyss Institute began in earnest. That money from Wyss, who was then chief executive officer of the medical-implant manufacturing company Synthes, which recently was sold to Johnson & Johnson, allowed those at the institute to pursue high-risk scientific endeavors and to begin to realize the potential of a new research model, described in the institute's mission statement as one of "innovation, collaboration and technology translation."
Organs on a chipThis capital injection has allowed one of Wyss' groups to confront, head-on, one major challenge facing modern drug-discovery programs: Why do animal models so often fall short of predicting the biological effects of drugs in humans?
"Animal models often fail to predict results in human clinical trials, and this has had a devastating effect on drug development," says Don Ingber, who is the leader of the biomimetic microsystems platform and founding director of the Wyss Institute as well as a professor at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital. "Not only have costs skyrocketed, but fewer and fewer good drugs are in the pipeline, and so fewer good drugs are reaching patients."
Researchers need to model human biology accurately in the lab to develop new treatments. Think of heart disease or lung cancer: Scientists simply can't test novel drugs on human beings, yet the kinds of models they do use on a day-to-day basis (cell lines or rodents, for example) are the kinds of models that might lead them astray if they are not careful. But imagine if they were able to model human physiology without turning to rodents or nonhuman primates; this is where Wyss' researchers come in.
In 2010, the Ingber group reported in the journal Science the development of a human "lung on a chip." This in vitro model system was designed to mimic the functioning of a lung alveolus and uniquely showcases the group's focus on not just creating synthetic tissues but creating synthetic organs where multiple tissues types interact.
The team was able to co-culture the three major tissue components of the lung within a hollow channel in a single microfluidic chip composed of a clear, flexible silicone. Spanning the channel was a malleable and porous membrane coated with extracellular matrix. On one side resided human lung epithelial cells with air introduced above their surface to mimic the air sac, while on its underside grew human lung capillary endothelial cells with flowing culture medium representing blood within a pulmonary vessel. This channel was bordered on both sides by two additional hollow channels that experienced cyclic suction, which caused the neighboring tissue–tissue interface to undergo rhythmic stretching and relaxation, thus mimicking physiological breathing motions.
This device recapitulated pulmonary barrier functions normally seen only in vivo, and, when human immune cells were added to the flowing blood, they were able to respond to the addition of pathogenic bacteria to the surface of the lung by adhering to the endothelium, migrating across the two tissue layers and engulfing invaders. Moreover, because the chip is clear, all of those processes could be visualized at high resolution and in real time. It is this system that is being pioneered to study the effects of novel treatments for lung disease.
For nearly three decades, Ingber and co-workers have been championing the idea that one of the most important factors in controlling the function of a particular organ or tissue is the mechanical forces that the cells experience in their natural microenvironments. "In the early days, biologists were skeptical or had no interest" in the role of tissue mechanics, Ingber says, but now this research is showing that it clearly has an effect that scientists can harness, in this case to create new in vitro assays.
The team has another nine systems in development (including the previously published gut on a chip) and is currently pursuing ways to connect them together to generate "an instrument that can probe, manipulate and analyze multiorgan system responses to replace animal testing," Ingber says. The group recently entered into a project with the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency worth up $37 million to develop an automated human-body-on-a-chip model leveraging its organ-on-chip technologies.
Still, Danny McAuley, a clinical professor in intensive care medicine with an interest in developing novel therapies for lung disease at Queen's University in Belfast, U.K., stresses the importance of not forgetting human testing. "[We] probably need better characterization of existing models to confirm data identified in models translates to human disease rather than new models," he says. He predicts that no in vitro model will completely replace human testing, but they "might be useful as a stop point in drug development."
Furthermore, Ingber's team is actively pursuing ways to combine its cell biology work with the other projects going on at the institute, such as those being done by synthetic biologists like Silver and Church.
A synthetic way of lifeSilver's lab — along with colleagues James Collins and Church — focuses on the manipulation of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes and on developing new ways to do so. These synthetic biologists seek to engineer and build novel, man-made alternatives to our genes and pathways to construct living organisms or cells with well-defined outputs and, hence, new or improved functions.
The Church lab has been at the forefront of developing easier and cheaper genomic technologies. "We've helped lower the cost of sequencing about a million-fold and of engineering genomes using DNA from chips by similar amounts," Church says. His lab, by helping to make genomics cheaper, faster and more accessible, has advanced fields ranging from ecology to medicine via chemistry and science policy.
There is no handbook for synthetic biologists to follow; they have had to develop their own sets of principles and rules, and those at the Wyss are at the leading edge of that work. As Silver explains, "Biology is not like electrical engineering in that it works in three dimensions — no wires — and over time scales that can be long. We seek new computational strategies and to move beyond trial and error in building complex biological systems."
Meanwhile, Silver and Church recently co-headed Harvard's International Genetically Engineered Machine — or iGEM — team, a group of biology students in an annual international synthetic biology competition aimed at the creation of devices to solve a particular issue. The team's project focused on the development of a system to engineer synthetic gene circuits in plants rapidly and easily.
The team altered existing plasmid vectors to accommodate DNA modules from the Biobricks parts registry, a standardized catalogue of genes, vectors and regulatory elements. As a proof of principle, they inserted a gene encoding the protein miraculin (a peptide that makes sour tastes become sweet) into Arabidopsis to alter the taste of a bitter plant significantly without altering sugar content.
Christina Agapakis, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles, and one of the researchers supervising the iGEM team, explains that the team wasn't allowed actually to taste their plants, so officially nobody knows for sure what it tasted like. However, she emphasizes, "We hope that these tools inspire and enable other iGEM teams to work with plants so that the toolkit can grow further."
Bringing it all togetherAs Ingber looks to the future of his group's organs-on-chip model, he says, "Finally, we can start by building the simplest model that re-creates physiological functions of interest and then add back cells one by one to explore their relevance for any response of interest." But beyond cell biology, synthetic biology and genomics will have large parts to play as Wyss researchers come better to understand and manipulate human biology, which hopefully will pay off in terms of novel treatments for now-incurable diseases.
"We are collaborating with Don on enabling us to move from organs on chips to personalized and synthetic versions," Church explains. He is planning on aligning his work on personalized genomics with the Ingber group to uncover how our genetics influence cell or organ functioning. This fits nicely with Silver's vision of introducing her synthetic DNA into Ingber's systems in a way that truly reflects what the Wyss Institute is all about: innovation through collaboration.
In attracting so many successful researchers and bringing them into close contact, the Wyss Institute has addressed one key problem with modern science: How do we make it easier to make important discoveries quickly?
"It is easier to do cutting-edge science when mixed in with developing — not just buying — the most cutting-edge engineering, and vice versa," Church underscores. This is made easier at a research institute fostering the development of life-inspired materials and medical devices that can anticipate disease and correct it before it gets out of hand.
The Wyss has aligned itself with a range of medical centers around the city of Boston, including the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. "The opportunity to couple engineering expertise at the Wyss Institute with clinical investigation expertise at the Dana-Farber has dramatically accelerated the translation of exciting preclinical findings to testing in cancer patients," says Glenn Dranoff, associate faculty member at the Wyss Institute and professor of medicine at Dana-Farber, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
We may never truly understand life until we are able to reconstruct it from scratch, and, as demonstrated by the Ingber, Church and Silver labs, the researchers at the Wyss Institute are trying to get us there with the great hope of answering some of our most pressing questions.
View a video from the Wyss Institute about a new in vitro approach to drug screening by mimicking the complicated mechanical and biochemical behaviors of a human lung. Click here to check out the Wyss Institute's YouTube channel.
More from the current issue


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Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston get down and dirty for a photo spread in the new issue of W magazine.
In the photos, "The Bounty Hunter" stars braved the searing heat of the California desert for some sexy role-playing shots, based on the characters in their upcoming romantic comedy.
In the hot shots, which were taken in January on a ranch about 45 minutes outside of Los Angeles, Jen dons a few slinky outfits in the shot, with Gerard dressed up as the man hot on her heels.
And as it turns out, Jen had to take a few extra steps – or rather not take a few steps – to help add to her dirty look.
According to Jen's longtime hairdresser Chris MacMillan – the man responsible for the famous "Rachel" cut, who was by her side during the W shoot – Jen was asked to keep her hair unwashed despite the dust and dirt on the ranch.
"At the end of the first day [photographer] Steven [Klein] came up to me and goes, 'Could you please ask her if she could not wash her hair tonight and just show up tomorrow?'" MacMillan told W. "I mean, she was rolling in the dirt, it was windy and she had hairspray in her hair."
In an interesting Hollywood connection, Klein was also the photographer on Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's sexy "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" Palm Springs photo shoot in 2005.
But despite the less than posh conditions for Jen and Gerard's shoot, MacMillan said the actress was nothing but a great sport.
"Jen's always really super game," he added. "Steven's so cinematic about his photographs, and she's an actress. It's all reminiscent of an old movie."
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PLAY IT NOW: Exclusive Behind The Scenes: 'The Bounty Hunter' (Part II)
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Legislators, governor reach compromise on compassion centers
Legislative leaders and the sponsors of legislation to allow compassion centers to distribute medical marijuana reached an agreement with Gov. Lincoln Chafee that will allow the centers to finally open their doors. Sen. Rhoda E. Perry (D-Dist.3, Providence ) and Rep. Scott A. Slater (D-Dist. 10, Providence) introduced legislation that will allow the Department of Health to regulate limits on the amount of marijuana that a compassion center may grow and possess to prevent them from being shut down or raided by federal agents. The bill will also allow patients and caregivers to sell excess marijuana to the centers to prevent illegal distribution of the excess.
Click here to see news release.
§ House Finance passes bill to allow casino gaming at Newport Grand
The House Finance Committee passed a bill that would allow casino gaming at Newport Grand, subject to the approval of the voters of the state and the city of Newport at the next general election. The legislation (2012-H 7543), introduced by Rep. J. Russell Jackson (D-Dist. 73, Newport , Middletown ), is scheduled for a vote on the House floor on Tuesday, March 6. Sen. Maryellen Goodwin (D-Dist. 1, Providence ) has introduced companion legislation (2012-S 2695) in the Senate.
§ Actor James Woods testifies in favor of benevolent gestures bill
Three-time Emmy award-winner James Woods appeared before the House Judiciary Committee to throw his support behind what has been dubbed the "benevolent gestures" bill. Introduced by Rep. Joseph M. McNamara (D-Dist. 19, Warwick, Cranston), the legislation (2012-H 7290) declares any expression of sympathy, condolence, compassion or general sense of benevolence inadmissible as evidence in a civil action against a health care provider. Woods testified in favor of the bill in light of his brother Michael's death at Kent Hospital in 2006. An ensuing lawsuit claiming emergency room staff negligence was eventually settled in 2009 after the Woods family received a sincere apology from the hospital's president
Click here to see news release.
§ Bills introduced to 'Make it Easy' to do Business in Rhode Island
Building on its successful work in previous years to make it easy to do business in Rhode Island , another package of bills has been introduced in the Senate designed to improve the economic climate in the state, remove barriers to growth and encourage job creation. The various bills would create a statewide, uniform, electronic building permitting system; make the state's fire code more flexible and less costly for business; match job vacancies with unemployed citizens, and provide on-the-job training for unemployed workers who need new skills.
Click here to see news release.
§ Senate holds economic summit to discuss port bills
The Senate hosted an economic summit entitled "Expanding Jobs Through Port Resources," channeling attention to job-growth opportunities through port development. Sen. William A. Walaska (D-Dist. 30, Warwick) gave a summary of the Joint Legislative Port Commission's recommendations prior to two panel presentations and a general discussion among senators. The panels focused on business perspectives from Quonset/Davisville and the Port of Providence as potential areas for expansion.
Click here to see news release.
§ Minimum wage bills before House, Senate
Legislation to increase the state's minimum wage from its current $7.40 to $7.75 have been introduced in the House and Senate this session. The bills also provide for annual increases beginning in 2014, based on the Consumer Price Index for the Northeast Region. The House bill, (2012-H 7396), sponsored by Rep. David A. Bennett (D-Dist. 20, Warwick), was heard by the House Labor Committee. The Senate bill, (2012-S 2374), was introduced by Sen. Erin P. Lynch (D-Dist. 31, Warwick) and is before the Senate Labor Committee.
§ Senate OKs 'complete streets' bill
The Senate passed legislation (2012-S 2131) sponsored by Sen. Louis P. DiPalma (D-Dist. 12, Middletown, Newport, Little Compton, Tiverton) requiring that the state use "complete street" design features in all federal- and state-funded road construction projects, with an eye not only toward motorists, but also bicyclists, public transportation users and pedestrians of all ages and abilities. Rep. Peter F. Martin (D-Dist. 75, Newport ) has introduced companion legislation (2012-H 7352) in the House.
Click here to see news release.
§ Blazejewski bill takes aim at tip theft
Legislation (2012-H 7566) submitted by Rep. Christopher Blazejewski (D-Dist. 2, Providence, East Providence) would prohibit restaurant owners and managers from demanding that servers turn in all or part of their tips, and prohibit tip pools that are split between anyone other than service employees like servers, bartenders and those who bus tables. The legislation is aimed at helping the many Rhode Islanders working in the service industry, and requiring restaurants to distribute patrons' money as those customers intend.
Click here to see news release.
§ Legislation limits gratuity to pre-tax meal cost
Addressing an issue as to how gratuities are determined at family-style restaurants that add a tip to the bill, Rep. Brian Patrick Kennedy (D-Dist. 38, Hopkinton, Westerly) has introduced legislation (2012-H 7674) to require restaurants that add the gratuity to the final bill to calculate that tip based on the amount of the meal cost, before taxes.
Click here to see news release.
§ Assembly offers Wi-Fi access in chambers, committee rooms
As part of a continuing effort to update the General Assembly's technology and to provide a more transparent and accessible legislature, House Speaker Gordon D. Fox and Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed announced the availability of Wi-Fi in the House and Senate chambers and galleries, all committee hearing rooms and in the hallways outside the chambers and committee rooms.
Click here to see news release.


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On Tuesday, the World Bank reported that fresh water scarcity could be the biggest problem facing the economies of the world. Economies across large portions of the planet could shrink dramatically by 2050 as climate change causes fresh water scarcity issues.
A few regions may suffer particularly badly. One standout is the Middle East, where gross domestic products (GDP) could slip by as much as 14% unless the region comes up with ways to significantly reallocate the supply of fresh water.
This would require improved efficiency standards, investments in technologies to produce greater quantities of fresh water (such as desalination plants), and means of recycling water.
On the other side of the coin, climate change could lead to extreme floods and loss of snow pack. Snow may be replaced by rain that runs off, meaning no additional flow of fresh water during spring thaws.
It also creates drought and higher evaporation rates, so precipitation that does fall dries too quickly to be of use. Rising sea levels also allow saltwater to flow into aquifers and water bodies that were once filled with fresh water, salinating them and rendering them undrinkable.
During a telephone conference with reporters, World Bank Lead Economist Richard Damania said of the situation, "When we look at any of the major impacts of climate change, they one way or the other come through water, whether it's drought, floods, storms, sea level rise…Water is, of course, the center of life, but it's also at the center of economic activity."
Aside from affecting agriculture, fresh water sources could also impact every other sector of an economy. Although the impact of water scarcity would not be felt evenly across the globe, and Western Europe and North America would largely be spared, the overall damage to the global economy and political situation could be devastating. The damage would be particularly bad for developing economies, such as China, India, or Brazil.
Aside from the Middle East, the Sahel belt (the region of Africa below the Sahara) would likely dip by about 11%. A similar downturn would probably occur in Central Asia.
These conditions are not written in stone, however. Measures to reallocate fresh water could ease these conditions and even lead to economic gains in some regions, according to the World Bank. For example, it posited that carefully planned and executed reallocation could actually create an 11% rate of growth in GDP in Central Asia by 2050.
"If you're making money out of water, particularly if you're using a lot of water as a commercial user, then it's reasonable to suggest that you pay minimally enough to cover the cost of providing you with that water…This might well mean free water if you are exceedingly poor," Damania said.


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to Sideboard Online's ongoing coverage of the 1999 Magic: The Gathering
World Championships in Tokyo, Japan. Congratulations
to Kai Budde - the 1999 Magic: The Gathering World Champion!
Last update: Sunday, August 8, 1:45 AM PDT (Sunday, August 8, 5:45 PM Tokyo)
Player List
DCI Errata for Worlds
Player Information Document
Finals and Award Ceremony
Finals Stage Video Clip
Team Finals Pictures
Semifinals Pictures
Quarterfinals Pictures
Pictures from Saturday
Judge Staff Pictures
First Draft Pictures
First Draft Video Clip
Signed Worlds Playmat (Video Clip,
Pictures from Thursday
Opening Ceremony Pictures
National Flag Pictures
Pictures of the Drummers Opening Ceremony
Video Clips (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5)
After the 3 days and 18 rounds of grueling competition, the Top 8 will
playoff in a single-elimination finals using their Standard decks from
Day 1.
Finals Results
Seminfinals Results
Quarterfinals Results
Overall team performance is a combination of individual and team matches.
Each team receives 3 points for each match a team member wins during Day
1, 2 and 3. Each team receives 6 points for each match a team member wins
on Day 4. Day four features six rounds of Urza block Sealed Deck. The
Top 2 teams will playoff using Standard decks.
Finals Result
Swiss Rounds
Day three of Worlds features six rounds of Extended competition. In Extended
play, competitors may use cards from Revised and The Dark
Day two of Worlds features six rounds of Urza Block Rochester Draft.
Players draft from Urza's Saga, Urza's Legacy, and Urza's
Destiny - once before round 7 and again before round 10.
Day one of Worlds features six rounds of Standard competition. In Standard
play, competitors may use cards from Classic (Sixth Edition), Tempest,
Stronghold, Exodus, Urza's Saga, Urza's Legacy,
and Urza's Destiny.
© 1995-2003 Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Wizards is headquartered in Renton, Washington, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057.


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Every couple of months, something bizarre happens at work that convinces me I must have one of the strangest jobs on the planet.
And these moments often come in the form of a question.
Questions like, "Did One Direction's tweet just break our website?" (Sure did.); or, "Do you think you could ask Lucy Lawless if she minds dressing up as Lady Justice when she scales Shell's Arctic oil rig?" (In the end she stuck to a t-shirt and her climbing harness, but not before she dug out all kinds of costumes from her tickle trunk and we made a day of it.); or just last week, "Do you reckon we can make it to the North Pole in time to meet the Arctic Council when we're there?" (So far, it's looking good.)
So when my boss came to us and asked, "How do we take three million Arctic defenders and plant them on the seabed below the North Pole?" well, we didn't even flinch.
What she really meant was, how do we put nearly three million names into an indestructible, inert, non-toxic time capsule that can be taken by a team of international ambassadors to the geographic North Pole, to be lowered 4.3km below the sea ice and planted on the seabed until we remove it in 2050. You know, just another day at the office.
So, we got to work.
First, my colleague Adam — who did the bulk of the pod work and is now on his way to the North Pole with the team — had to find someone who could make it. Turns out the right people were from the Joris Laarman Lab and Artistproof — fortuitously just around the corner from Greenpeace International's office in Amsterdam.
Then we had to dream up how to make this a physical manifestation of our growing movement: strong, graceful, and powerful enough to withstand the forces working against us.
Then we had to make sure that however we recorded these names, they would be readable in 2050 — so compatible with technology not invented yet. We ran through a number of ideas. One involved storing the information on crystal glass discs printed with platinum. Each disc would be just 1mm thick and could hold the equivalent of 10,000 A4 pages of information. Had we gone with this option, we would've included an instrument to allow whoever retrieved it to read the discs without having to go to a museum to find some long obsolete technology from 2013 to read them with. But this didn't seem to reflect the simple message we were trying to convey.
So we played with a few more scenarios until we settled on the winner: micro-etching each and every name individually onto glass disks with a special high tech nanoform technology. Yup, we used lasers to sign each of your names. To the naked eye, each glass cassette appears to be decorated with fine, delicate designs. But under a microscope, individual names begin to appear. Sir Paul McCartney. Penelope Cruz. Thom Yorke. My mom's. My dad's. My sisters' and brother's. And of course — yours.
These 2.7 million names make up the content of the first two discs; both nestled inside their own "cassette." The third is a laser-etched illustration of how much the sea ice has receeded between 1979 and the historic sea ice minimum of 2012. The fourth and fifth include the text of our political declaration of Arctic protection. The sixth holds the names of each of the 16 members of Team Aurora, who are right now trekking across the frozen Arctic Ocean to lower the pod. The seventh cassette holds a microscope to read the first two discs, and a USB stick with all the names written on 4500 PDFs, just for good measure. And finally, folded gently inside the eight, a satin flag for the future, the same design as the Titanium flag that sits atop the capsule; a flag symbolising peace, hope and global community, designed by a 13-year-old Malaysian girl.
The final touch around the graceful sphere was a titanium band, similar to one you would find around a globe. And on it, we chose to etch one of our favourite quotes, from one of our favourite authors, Arundhati Roy: "Another world is not only possible, she's on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing."
We asked Arundhati what she thought, and her response was the final blessing on our quest:
"Dear Renny, Kiera, Josefina, Ezra and all the other members of the expedition,
I am writing to send you my love. You walk for all of us. I wish I could have come with you. I hope you will send me some photographs of your journey and the pod. Go well ye wolves. Arundhati"
"You walk for all of us … Go well, ye wolves." Together with your names, this mission statement, and the power of you all behind us, this pod embodies our movement, and symbolises our joint commitment to protect this beautiful place for all life on earth.
Right now, the pod and its keepers are on their journey North. By this time next week, it will have found its home deep beneath the fragile Arctic sea ice, nestled in the icy waters below the North Pole. And every day, we can all look North, and know that our names are there, etched carefully on delicate glass — strong, defiant, untouchable and undeterred by the pressure mounting against it; a declaration of our passion for life, our commitment to craft a different future for our children, our determination to tell a different story.
And there it will stay, until one day in a few decades, when my boss comes to us with yet another crazy question … "Now, how do we get that damn time capsule back …?!"
(Don't worry … we have a plan. Find more details on the construction of the time capsule here.)Jess Wilson is the communications manager for the Arctic campaign, working from Team Aurora Base Camp in London.


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Name Details
|Glasgow University Library
Also known, especially before 1870, as the College Library.
Established soon after the foundation of the University of Glasgow in 1451. Earliest recorded donation, 1475.
There appears to be no information about library accommodation in the original medieval College buildings. From sometime in the 1660s the College Library was housed on the attic floor of the High Street frontage of the rebuilt University - above the main entrance and the Faculty (or Fore) Hall - accessed by a turret stair in the north-west corner of the quadrangle. A separate William Adam building, known as the New Library, was completed in 1743. However some volumes appear to have remained in the old building until 1769. The Adam building was enlarged c.1782-84.
In the autumn of 1870 the library stock was moved to the new Gilbert Scott building at Hillhead. It occupied the north side of the Quad, comprising a basement, Lower Hall (ground floor, level with the Quad), Upper Hall (level with the Bute Hall) and Gallery. The ground floor main entrance was at the north-east corner of the Quad.
Preparatory work on the site of a new library in Hillhead Street began in January 1965. The building, designed by William Whitfield, was occupied from summer 1968, opening to readers on Autumn Holiday Monday. The building consisted of a core and six service towers, with further office accommodation in a two-storey annexe projecting to the west and southwest of the core.
A mirror image of the 1968 building should have been constructed on its north side immediately but was delayed by government cutbacks. A feasibility study in 1978 proposed successive extensions for a reduced version of this. The first instalment, designed by Walter Underwood and Partners, was built in 1982/83 and consisted of full-size extensions to the ground floor and floors 1 and 2. A further stage, also by Underwood, completed in 1986, consisted of progressively smaller extensions to Floors 3-8 of the core. Whitfield's original concept of a penthouse was fulfilled in 1996/97 by a completely new floor to house Special Collections on the roof of the original core.
[See: James Coutts, A history of the University of Glasgow from its foundation in 1451 to 1909 (Glasgow, 1909); W.P. Dickson, The Glasgow University Library: notes on its history, arrangements, and aims (Glasgow, 1888); John Durkan, 'The early history of Glasgow University Library', The Bibliotheck, vol. 8, nos 4/6 (1977), pp 102-126; Peter Hoare, 'The librarians of Glasgow University over 350 years, 1641-1991', Library Review, vol. 40 (1991), pp 27-43; David Murray, Memories of the Old College of Glasgow: some chapters in the history of the University (Glasgow, 1927)]


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The Dallas Cowboys are heading into their preseason opener with the distinct possibility of starting a center who had never snapped the ball before getting to training camp a couple of weeks ago.
Starting center Phil Costa missed practice Saturday because of a lower back injury that forced him out of practice the previous day.
David Arkin, a guard drafted in 2011 who didn't play last season, was playing center with the first-team offense and snapping to quarterback Tony Romo.
The Cowboys have been decimated by injuries in the interior line. Kevin Kowalski and Bill Nagy, the other players who had been expected to compete with Costa at center, were already out because of ankle injuries.
Dallas plays its preseason opener Monday night at Oakland.


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Luther Seminary is a part of the Minnesota Consortium of Theological Schools in the Twin Cities which also includes:
Under the policies and procedures of each particular school, a student enrolled in any member school may cross register into courses offered by the other schools. Go to www.mncts.net for more information on each school.
Registration is subject to whatever restrictions are indicated; add/drop policy, grading systems, incompletes, prerequisites, size limits, or agreements between the schools. Be aware of the individual consortium school's academic calendar. It is the student's responsibility to be aware of the individual consortium schools' varying academic calendars, grading systems, incomplete policies, and withdrawal policies.
Online courses are not a part of the consortium agreement. Independent studies are likewise not a part of the consortium agreement.
Unless special approval from the Luther Seminary division has been given PRIOR to registration to count the courses as core required courses, courses taken through the consortium will count as elective courses. Non-Lutheran polity options are the exception.
Registration and tuition are handled through Luther Seminary. To initiate the registration process:
Contact the Luther Seminary Registrar's Office to view consortium schools' offerings.
Go to the Minnesota Consortium of Theological Schools website, click on Universal Registration Form; print form and send it to the appropriate consortium registrar.
The consortium registrar will send a transcript to report the grade at the end of the term and the course and grade will appear on the Luther Seminary record.
If you are currently enrolled in a degree program at another seminary, this form allows ATS (Association of Theological Schools) students to request admission to enroll in a particular course at Luther Seminary.
Please fill out the following form completely and accurately.
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Posted by Barney on February 18, 2004
In Reply to: File down his sights posted by Bob on February 18, 2004
: : : : : : : What does the phrase "he filed down his sights" or "I've got to file down my sights" mean? I know it's a metaphor, and I know it's language taken from riflery. But that's as far as I can get with it. Thank you.
: : : : : : I've looked in several references and found "zero."
: : : : : The result of filing down the fore sight would be to aim lower. This corresponds to being less ambitious. Does this fit the context?
: : : : Not sure if it fits. But what about the idea of accuracy? Might the idea of filing sights have ever had to do with that?
: : : Sure sounds like "file down my sights" means to aim lower, although from the context of this article I found, it seems only the front sight would be filed down.
: : :
: : : "For windage adjustment, an armorer had to bend the front sight or whack the frame with a babbit. To bring shots higher, he would file down the front sight and, for the much tougher task of making it shoot lower, he would have to weld up the front sight higher. No wonder so many cops carried adjustable sight guns back then.
: : : Today's auto pistol is likely to have a dovetail rear sight and often a dovetailed or pinned-in front. A factory approved sight-moving tool can take care of your windage adjustment. Replacing the front sight allows you to get the elevation perfect for the load in question. No, it's not as quick or easy as simply putting a screwdriver to an adjustable sight. But once zeroed, these "semi-fixed" sights are likely to remain so."
: : Hmm, that's funny. The article actually says that filing down the front sight causes you to shoot higher, not lower.
: Natch. Think of your eye, and the target, as fixed points. Then, if you file down the sight, to keep the target on sight would require you to tilt the barrel of the gun ... higher.
I use a longbow: it's much less hassle.


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-MoB-DeeZ Legend Wednesday 12/09/2012, 04:09
Previous founder of DirtyTwo Card Pickup
Unfortunately, I do not have the time I would like to dedicate to my own guild, so I am looking to join another guild where I can be active, but do not have the pressure of ensuring guild members are active and happy.
I'm looking for a guild that can assist in acquiring CR's. I'm not looking for any hand outs, but tips would be appreciated. I am active primarily in fight club and play daily (through iPhone). I am a friendly person and will help as much as i possibly can. I would be active in message boards, assist other members, and offer advice when possible.
-MoB-DeeZ Legend Wednesday 12/09/2012, 19:48
Thank you to everyone who replied! Very much appreciated.


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Today Show: ArcLight Cinemas Hollywood
Comments (1)
I think the Arclight is the beginning of the end for movie theaters.Movie theaters keep raising their prices to make more money and keep out the "riff-raff" but what it actually does is decrease overall attendance, especially during weekdays. You might shell out the extra money on date night, but not now nobody goes to the movies during the week as a cheap alternative to watching network tv. I don't like assigned seating, movie theaters should be first come, first served. Plus, they don't enforce their "no late entry" policy alluded to in this video. Plus they do what all big chains do with "customer service". "customer Service" these days means forcing their employees to act "fake friendly" in an effort to squeeze every last dollar out of you with upselling. It's almost impossible to have a genuine conversation with a movie theater employee nowadays.


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Castro laments loss of 'best friend' Chavez
HAVANA (AP) — Retired leader Fidel Castro broke nearly a week of silence since the death of friend and ally Hugo Chavez, saying Monday that Cuba has lost its "best friend" with the late Venezuelan president's passing.
In an article published on the front page of Communist Party newspaper Granma, Castro said that while it had been clear that Chavez's life was threatened by a recurring cancer affliction that prompted four surgeries, word of his death on March 5 nonetheless came as a bitter shock.
"The best friend the Cuban people have had in the course of their history passed away. ... Although we knew of his critical state of health, the news was a strong blow," Castro wrote.
The 86-year-old Castro, who has been out of power since a near-fatal intestinal ailment forced him from office in 2006, has ceased penning his once-regular opinion pieces, known as "Reflections."
Last October, amid the latest round of rumors about his own health, Castro explained that he decided to do so not because he was ill but because they were taking up valuable space in state media that was needed for other purposes.
In life, Chavez often referred to Castro as a father figure, mentor and close friend, and after he first won election in 1998, Havana and Caracas grew increasingly close.
Chavez supplied Cuba with billions of dollars in subsidized oil to help prop up the island's listing economy, while Havana sent tens of thousands of doctors, teachers, sports trainers and political advisers to work in Venezuela.
Venezuela has become Cuba's No. 1 trading partner.
Following Chavez's latest surgery in Havana in December, Castro said he checked in on the Venezuelan president's health daily.
On Monday, he recalled that Chavez once invited him to go on a riverboat excursion in Venezuela once the two leaders' "revolutionary task" was finished.
Invoking Cuban independence hero Jose Marti and 19th century Venezuelan liberator Simon Bolivar, Castro said it had been an honor to have been Chavez's ally.
"Not even he suspected how great he was," Castro wrote. "Onward to victory always, unforgettable friend!"
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When Politico was founded in 2007, it purported to be a high-quality, non-partisan source of news about politics. But, while it does have a limited degree of diversity among its reporters, Politico has proved to be, for the most part, just another Democratic Party cheerleader, no better than the New York Times or the Washington Post.
A case in point is the "reporting"–rumor-mongering, really–that Politico's Ken Vogel has done on Koch Industries and its owners, Charles and David Koch. Vogel is a lefty who worked for George Soros's Center for Public Integrity before he joined Politico. He has used his Politico perch to smear conservative talk radio, Clarence Thomas, and other conservative figures, but his bete noire is the Koch brothers, about whom he has written one unflattering piece after another. Worse, his articles are largely based on anonymous sources that purport to have insight into the brothers' strategies and motivations. See, for example, here:
"The Koch groups are very complex in the way they do things. They're difficult to penetrate from the outside, which is smart," said one GOP operative who has worked with Koch-backed groups.
And here:
"What they did in 2010 was unique, but they started reverting to their old behavior in 2011," the operative said….
And here:
Personally, the brothers and their executives were rattled by the scrutiny, according to a conservative source who has closely tracked the Kochs' philanthropy and their meetings, but who contends the Kochs largely brought the heightened scrutiny on themselves.
Now Vogel is at it again, with Koch World Reboots, published on Wednesday. Once again, Vogel's anonymous "operative" rears his head:
"They're trying to figure out a way to benefit their causes" without becoming straw men at the same time, said a source familiar with their thinking.
Does Vogel's operative/source exist, or does Vogel just make this stuff up? That is the problem with anonymous sourcing; there is really no way to know. Moreover, this isn't just any anonymous source, this is someone who, according to Vogel, is privy to the Koch brothers' thoughts and motivations. The likelihood that anyone who is in a position to talk knowledgeably about such matters is leaking to Ken Vogel is slim. Thus, keeping the source anonymous (assuming he exists) is likely a dodge to avoid revealing the fact that he has no idea what he is talking about.
Vogel's latest salvo brought a protest from Koch Industries, which is reproduced on KochFacts. It had to do with Vogel's description of the Koch brothers' alleged involvement in California's Proposition 32, which would have prohibited both unions and corporations from using payroll deductions for political purposes. This is some of what Vogel wrote about Koch's involvement in Prop 32; I apologize for the length of the excerpt, but the length is, in part, the point:
The technique has helped the Koch network win the loyalty of donors, because it shields them from exposure, but it is now increasingly at risk thanks to an investigation by the California Fair Political Practices Commission.
The California investigation is trying to unmask the original source of a mysterious $11 million donation that was funneled through a key Koch conduit in the weeks before Election Day to a California political committee boosting a 2012 ballot measure to restrict union political activity and opposing a separate ballot proposition to raise taxes.
"What they already admitted was definitely money laundering," commission Chairwoman Ann Ravel told POLITICO.
Ravel said the groups under investigation are "raising issues and not providing everything requested" and that the agency may file a civil complaint.
But she predicted the investigation could reveal the donors by the middle of the year and potentially go after them if "the evidence shows that the donors knew or should have known that they were contributing to campaigns in California."
Ravel's commission has already forced the disclosure that, before the $11 million made its way from an Arizona nonprofit called Americans for Responsible Leadership (the originally disclosed donor) to the California committee, it passed from a Virginia-based nonprofit called Americans for Job Security to an Arizona 501(c)4 called the Center to Protect Patients Rights.
The latter group, run by the Kochs' top ad man, Sean Noble, has played a key role in steering money to other Koch-backed groups, along with another mysterious 501(c)4 group called TC4 Trust. …
Americans for Responsible Leadership — which is represented by the lawyer for Americans for Prosperity, American Commitment, the Center to Protect Patients Rights and other Koch-backed groups — contends that Ravel's commission is "bowing to political pressure," ignoring the Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision allowing unlimited corporate political expenditures and trying to scare the group and its donors.
So Koch was a major player with respect to Prop 32, in all likelihood responsible for the mysterious $11 million contribution, right? Wrong. Neither Koch Industries nor the brothers individually took a position on Prop 32 or contributed to either side of the initiative. Rob Tappan wrote to Politico on behalf of Koch:
As I mentioned to you, one inaccuracy in particular compels us to write you and request that you run a correction to the story.
As we discussed, this has to do with the false implication that Koch was involved in some way with the California Proposition 32 initiative that was up for consideration in this past November's election. That is clearly not the case, as we have been on-the-record– since November 5th, 2012, as definitively NOT involved in the Prop 32 issue. We did not support, either directly or indirectly, the recent Proposition 32 ballot initiative that would have restricted public- and private-sector employees' right to contribute to candidates. Proposition 32 would have prohibited both unions and corporations from using any payroll deductions from employees' paychecks for political purposes.
Here is the link to our Nov. 5th statement: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2012/11/koch-brothers-california.html
We have consistently fought for the protection of Americans' First Amendment right to free speech and to participate in the electoral process. We believe that government-imposed restrictions on free speech and political activity will destroy a free society.
To reiterate, we did not contribute to any group with the intent of passing or defeating Proposition 32 in California.
So, did Politico run a correction? No. Incredibly, Vogel insisted that he had neither stated nor implied that Koch contributed to Prop 32. He wrote, in a February 20 email to Tappan:
As for the concerns you expressed in your email to me, below, we did not make an "incorrect assertion" – or any kind of assertion – that the Kochs or Koch Industries took a stance on Proposition 32, nor did we make any assertion that the Kochs or Koch Industries "contribute[d] to any group with the intent of passing or defeating Proposition 32 in California."
So we don't believe a correction is appropriate.
Huh? If Vogel admits that Koch had nothing to do with Prop 32, then why is there a 10-paragraph disquisition on "money laundering" in connection with Prop 32, including references to "a key Koch conduit," a "group run by the Kochs' top ad man" that "steer[s] money to other Koch-backed groups," "Koch-linked groups," and "the lawyer for Americans for Prosperity, American Commitment, the Center to Protect Patients Rights and other Koch-backed groups," in the middle of an article that is devoted exclusively to Koch? Any reader of Vogel's smear would have understood that Koch was alleged to be involved in the "money laundering" in California. Now Vogel admits that the claim (or, at a minimum, the implication) was false.
This isn't reporting, this is left-wing political activism. Sadly, a good bit of what Politico publishes falls into that category.


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Brule (zip 54820), Wisconsin
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-11.9% since 2010
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Duluth is the world's third largest inland port located about as far as possible from an ocean on the North American continent. Superior, Wisconsin, sits to the south on the other side of the harbor. Shipping, mainly grain and, to a lesser extent, iron ore, is an important part of the economy. Some of the former heavy industry is gone today but the town still retains a decidedly commercial and industrial character.
The city has taken effective steps to turn potential decay into an attractive preservation of its heritage, and downtown today is clean and interesting and in an attractive waterfront setting. Many classic industrial buildings and features have been renovated and some house entertainment and nightlife venues in a waterfront area known as Canal Park. Outdoor recreational opportunities abound in the lake and forest country to the north, and Duluth serves as a gateway to these areas. Winters are extreme and the area is far from major air transport and other services.
Duluth in total is about 20 miles long and lies at the base of a range of hills and bluffs that rise abruptly 600 feet to 800 feet above lake level. The climate is continental with significant effects from Lake Superior. Summer days are warm, sometimes with clouds from the lake, and evenings are cool. Winters are cold and bitter when the lake doesn't moderate temperatures. The area averages 51 below-zero days a year, making it the fourth coldest in the nation. Low-pressure systems passing to the south cause easterly winds across the lake bringing significant snowfall. Easterly winds, the major weather modifier, occur almost 50% of the time in summer and up to 25% in winter. Snow is dry and persistent and ice may form in the harbor from November through April. First freeze is late September, last is mid-May.
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