text:
Analysis: China central bank takes lead in economic reform push
China's readiness to bend retirement rules to keep arch-reformer Zhou Xiaochuan at the helm of the central bank signals clearly that new Communist Party chiefs want to speed economic reform in the country's most critical development phase in three decades.
Central bank insiders interviewed by Reuters say the People's Bank of China (PBOC) is the country's most potent force for reform in the face of powerful vested interests, echoing sources with leadership ties who last week said Zhou would keep his job despite reaching the mandatory retirement age of 65.
Keeping Zhou ensures that the PBOC will remain a trusted instrument through which China's leaders can enact financial reforms designed to boost free markets and private enterprise, rebalance the economy, reinvigorate growth and ultimately heal a socially divisive rift between the country's rich and poor.
"Governor Zhou has been rather bold in spearheading market reforms and sometimes does not care about the possible repercussions," said a PBOC official who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. "They really need someone who can sustain the reform momentum."
The reform agenda espoused by Party leaders Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang is not always popular with the local government officials, state-backed business and cosseted national lenders who would find their power bases fundamentally weakened.
Liberalizing interest rates, for example, would hit fat lending margins at state banks.
Expanding capital markets would end subsidized access to funds for state-owned enterprises and cut private sector finance costs while creating investment options beyond real estate -- cooling the property speculation that lays at the heart of local government corruption and debt risks.
The PBOC has a track record of getting the job done in the face of entrenched opposition.
It has modernized domestic bond and money markets, laid the groundwork for short-term market instruments to manage bank liquidity and credit, while simultaneously creating mechanisms that allow the PBOC to resist pressure from growth-obsessed local officials to constantly tweak interest rates.
Indeed, the last 12 months have produced the most important package of interest rate, currency and capital market reforms since the landmark July 2005 break of the yuan's peg to the dollar -- and all in a year when political change at the top of the Party was supposed to stall change elsewhere.
That's despite a clear clash with the China Banking Regulatory Commission on the liberalization of interest rates.
"Big banks were definitely against interest rate reform, but they could not openly oppose it," Zhao Qingming, senior economist at China Construction Bank, one of the so-called "Big Four" state banks.
When the PBOC proposed doubling the yuan's trading band to 1 percent last year, it worked hard to soothe fears of the Commerce Ministry that it would not harm the export sector, according to sources familiar with the situation.
"We were persuaded that further sharp appreciation was very unlikely," said a senior researcher with the Ministry.
Arguably it was Zhou's 2005 success in engineering a break of the yuan's dollar peg in the face of staunch opposition from the Commerce Ministry that most clearly states his credentials.
Yu Yongding, a respected economist and leading advocate of major currency reform, recalls the wrangling required to make the decision on a PBOC monetary policy committee stacked with senior officials from a variety of government departments.
Yu, an economist at the top government think-tank, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), sat on the policy panel from 2004 to 2006, as the PBOC went head-to-head with critics of revaluation who complained that exporters could not withstand any rise in the value of the yuan.
"Their views had to reflect the stance of their respective departments," Yu told Reuters, recalling the logjam as pro-export officials railed against the suggestion of some other committee members of a revaluation of as much as 10 percent.
Yu says Zhou's pragmatic approach defused the row, agreeing to a small initial rise of 2.1 percent in the yuan's value against the dollar, while forging a top-level consensus on the incremental annual pace of currency strengthening that has seen it gain around 33 percent in nominal terms since.
Despite the stronger yuan, China has become the world's single biggest exporting economy while its companies have been forced to make productivity and quality improvements to stay competitive.
Xi and Li, due to take over in March as President and Premier, respectively, need to engineer an even more widespread move up the value chain to deliver enough growth to support China's next stage of economic development -- and the transfer of about 400 million people into cities from the countryside.
That's no mean feat given the general conclusion that China's export-oriented, state-driven economic model that delivered three decades of breakneck double-digit expansion, has reached the outer limits of its effectiveness.
Growth in the world's second-biggest economy slowed in 2012 to a 13-year low, albeit at a 7.8 percent rate that is the envy of other major economies.
Many analysts believe China's growth will be nearer 5 percent than 10 by the end of this decade without far-reaching economic reform -- a worry for a government that has pledged to double household income over the coming decade in a bid to close a wealth gap so wide it threatens social stability.
About 13 percent of China's 1.3 billion people still live on less than $1.25 per day according to the United Nations Development Programme and average urban disposable income is just 21,810 yuan ($3,500) a year.
Meanwhile China has 2.7 million dollar millionaires and 251 billionaires, according to the Hurun Report.
Using the PBOC as a catalyst for reforms is a smart move, provided the anticipated domino-effect works as expected and relatively straightforward liberalization efforts trigger more fundamental evolution in China's economic structure.
The PBOC must make bank borrowing costs more market-driven to improve resource allocation and wean the economy off its reliance on state-led investment, analysts say.
But the financial system is dominated by big state-owned banks that channel the bulk of loans to state projects and state-owned enterprises, starving private enterprise of cash.
All of which conspires against the creation of additional investment options for Chinese households, lumbered mainly with low-yielding bank deposits that constrain consumption.
Optimists say that even if it doesn't deliver entirely as anticipated, the PBOC is likely to be more effective in the short-term than trying more politically-charged reforms, such as China's strict system of household registration, or Hukou.
A further advantage of using the PBOC as the instrument for change is that the most important decisions it disseminates are essentially edicts approved by the State Council - China's cabinet - or by the Communist Party's ruling Politburo.
Keeping a reform-oriented Zhou in the top PBOC job ensures the leadership is dealing with a like-mind.
"If we get someone who is tepid and does everything on an even keel, the reform process could be slowed," said Xu Hongcai, a former PBOC staffer and now a senior economist at China Centre for International Economic Exchanges (CCIEE), a Beijing-based think-tank. "We must ensure policy continuity while injecting a new air into reforms."
(Editing by Nick Edwards and)


text:
Tribunal affirms Abiodun's victory as Ogun Governor
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FG, states, LGs get N1.1tn as August allocation
Subsidy: NRC to introduce Apapa (Lagos)-Kajola (Ogun) express train
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Hyundai Group donates $1.1m for Moroccan, Libyan recovery, offers transportation, others
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Nissan develops E-Power to hasten electric vehicles adoption in Africa, others
BREAKING : Ilebaye wins BBNaija All Stars show, clinches N120m prize
BBNaija's Kess reacts after wife accuses him of infidelity
BBNaija: Phyna, father fight dirty online
Why I demanded s3x before collaboration with Simi – Brymo
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Thought subsidy was bad. Why is Tinubu bringing it back? – Farooq Kperogi
The humiliating troika of Obasanjo, Shettima and Bakare (1)
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The lies of Wole Soyinka by Casmir Igbokwe
PEPT's verdict and the task before the Supreme Court – Farooq Kperogi
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the final forfeiture of N775million traced to ex-Accountant General Jonah Otunla and retired Colonel Bello Fadile. Justice...
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Generic name: metronidazole [ met-roe-NYE-da-zole ]
Drug classes: Topical anti-rosacea agents, Vaginal anti-infectives
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on May 10, 2023.
Uses for Metrogel-Vaginal
Metronidazole vaginal is used to treat women with vaginal infections (eg, bacterial vaginosis).
Metronidazole belongs to the class of medicines known as antibiotics. It works by killing the bacteria or preventing their growth. However, this medicine will not work for vaginal fungus or yeast infections.
This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.
Before using Metrogel-Vaginal
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.
Appropriate studies on the relationship of age to the effects of Vandazole® have not been performed in the pediatric population. However, pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of this medication in teenagers are not expected. This medicine may be used for bacterial vaginosis in teenage females but should not be used before the start of menstruation.
Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of Nuvessa™ in children younger than 12 years of age. Safety and efficacy have not been established.
Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of metronidazole vaginal gel in the elderly.
Breast Feeding
There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.
Interactions with Medicines
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.
- Amprenavir
- Bepridil
- Cisapride
- Disulfiram
- Dronabinol
- Dronedarone
- Mesoridazine
- Pimozide
- Saquinavir
- Sparfloxacin
- Terfenadine
- Thioridazine
- Ziprasidone
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Adagrasib
- Alfuzosin
- Amiodarone
- Amitriptyline
- Anagrelide
- Apomorphine
- Aripiprazole
- Aripiprazole Lauroxil
- Arsenic Trioxide
- Asenapine
- Astemizole
- Atazanavir
- Azithromycin
- Bedaquiline
- Buprenorphine
- Bupropion
- Buserelin
- Busulfan
- Capecitabine
- Ceritinib
- Chloroquine
- Chlorpromazine
- Cholera Vaccine, Live
- Ciprofloxacin
- Citalopram
- Clarithromycin
- Clofazimine
- Clomipramine
- Clothiapine
- Clozapine
- Crizotinib
- Cyclobenzaprine
- Dabrafenib
- Dasatinib
- Degarelix
- Delamanid
- Desipramine
- Deslorelin
- Deutetrabenazine
- Dexmedetomidine
- Disopyramide
- Dofetilide
- Dolasetron
- Domperidone
- Donepezil
- Doxepin
- Doxifluridine
- Droperidol
- Ebastine
- Efavirenz
- Encorafenib
- Entrectinib
- Eribulin
- Erythromycin
- Escitalopram
- Famotidine
- Felbamate
- Fexinidazole
- Fingolimod
- Flecainide
- Fluconazole
- Fluorouracil
- Fluoxetine
- Formoterol
- Foscarnet
- Fosphenytoin
- Galantamine
- Gatifloxacin
- Gemifloxacin
- Glasdegib
- Gonadorelin
- Goserelin
- Granisetron
- Halofantrine
- Haloperidol
- Histrelin
- Hydroquinidine
- Hydroxychloroquine
- Hydroxyzine
- Ibutilide
- Iloperidone
- Imipramine
- Inotuzumab Ozogamicin
- Itraconazole
- Ivabradine
- Ivosidenib
- Ketoconazole
- Lapatinib
- Leuprolide
- Levofloxacin
- Lofexidine
- Lumefantrine
- Macimorelin
- Mebendazole
- Mefloquine
- Methadone
- Mifepristone
- Mizolastine
- Mobocertinib
- Moxifloxacin
- Mycophenolate Mofetil
- Mycophenolic Acid
- Nafarelin
- Nelfinavir
- Nilotinib
- Norfloxacin
- Octreotide
- Ofloxacin
- Olanzapine
- Ondansetron
- Osimertinib
- Oxaliplatin
- Ozanimod
- Pacritinib
- Paliperidone
- Panobinostat
- Papaverine Hydrochloride
- Paroxetine
- Pasireotide
- Pazopanib
- Pentamidine
- Perphenazine
- Phenobarbital
- Pimavanserin
- Pipamperone
- Pitolisant
- Ponesimod
- Posaconazole
- Primidone
- Probucol
- Procainamide
- Prochlorperazine
- Promethazine
- Propafenone
- Protriptyline
- Quetiapine
- Quinidine
- Quinine
- Ranolazine
- Relugolix
- Ribociclib
- Risperidone
- Ritonavir
- Selpercatinib
- Sertindole
- Sertraline
- Sevoflurane
- Siponimod
- Sodium Phosphate
- Sodium Phosphate, Dibasic
- Sodium Phosphate, Monobasic
- Solifenacin
- Sorafenib
- Sotalol
- Sulpiride
- Sunitinib
- Tacrolimus
- Tamoxifen
- Tegafur
- Telaprevir
- Telavancin
- Telithromycin
- Tetrabenazine
- Tolterodine
- Toremifene
- Trazodone
- Trimipramine
- Triptorelin
- Vandetanib
- Vardenafil
- Vemurafenib
- Venlafaxine
- Vilanterol
- Vinflunine
- Voclosporin
- Voriconazole
- Vorinostat
- Warfarin
- Zuclopenthixol
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Carbamazepine
- Cholestyramine
- Cyclosporine
- Lithium
- Milk Thistle
Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol
Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Other Medical Problems
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
- Aseptic meningitis, history of or
- Encephalopathy (brain disorder), history of or
- Leukopenia (low white blood cells), history of or
- Optic neuropathy (eye disease with vision changes), history of or
- Peripheral neuropathy (nerve disease with pain, numbness, or tingling), history of or
- Seizures or epilepsy, history of—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.
- Liver disease, severe—Use with caution. The effects may be increased because of the slower removal of the medicine from the body.
Proper use of Metrogel-Vaginal
Use this medicine exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not use more of it, do not use it more often, and do not use it for a longer time than your doctor ordered.
This medicine is to be used only in the vagina. Use it at bedtime, unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
Do not get it into your eyes, nose, mouth, or skin. If this medicine does get into your eyes, wash them out right away with large amounts of cool tap water. If your eyes still burn or are painful, check with your doctor.
This medicine comes with a patient information leaflet and patient instructions. Read and follow the instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions.
Wash your hands with soap and water before and after using this medicine.
Nuvessa™ is available inside a prefilled applicator. The applicator is open at one end where you will insert the plunger and has a pink cap on the other end where the medicine will come out.
Vandazole® is in a tube. You will use an applicator to put the gel into your vagina. The applicator has a plastic tube called a barrel that is open at one end and has a plunger (another piece of plastic that can move inside the barrel) at the other end.
To use the medicine:
- To fill the applicator:
- For cream or gel dosage forms:
- Nuvessa™:
- With the pink cap still on, push the tip of the plunger into the open end of the prefilled applicator.
- Pull the cap off before you insert the applicator into your vagina.
- Vandazole®:
- Break the metal seal at the opening of the tube by using the point on the top of the cap.
- Screw the applicator onto the tube.
- Squeeze the medicine into the applicator slowly until it is full.
- Remove the applicator from the tube. Replace the cap on the tube.
- Nuvessa™:
- For vaginal tablet dosage form:
- Place the vaginal tablet into the applicator. Wet the vaginal tablet with water for a few seconds.
- For cream or gel dosage forms:
- To insert vaginal metronidazole using the applicator:
- For all dosage forms:
- Relax while lying on your back with your knees bent (or in any position that you feel comfortable).
- Hold the full applicator in one hand. Insert it slowly into the vagina. Stop before it becomes uncomfortable.
- Slowly press the plunger until it stops.
- Withdraw the applicator. The medicine will be left behind in the vagina.
- Remove the applicator from your vagina. Use each applicator only once, and then throw it away.
- For all dosage forms:
To help clear up your infection completely, it is very important that you keep using this medicine for the full time of treatment, even if your symptoms begin to clear up after a few days. If you stop using this medicine too soon, your symptoms may return. Do not miss any doses. Also, continue using this medicine even if your menstrual period starts during the time of treatment.
The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.
The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.
- For bacterial vaginal infections:
- For vaginal dosage form (cream):
- Adults—One applicatorful (500 milligrams [mg]), inserted into the vagina. Use the medicine 1 or 2 times a day for 10 or 20 days.
- Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
- For vaginal dosage form (gel):
- Nuvessa™:
- Adults and children 12 years of age and older—One applicatorful (5 grams [g]) inserted into the vagina once (at bedtime). Each applicatorful of Nuvessa™ contains 65 mg of metronidazole.
- Children younger than 12 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
- Vandazole®:
- Adults—One applicatorful (5 grams [g]) inserted into the vagina once a day (at bedtime) for 5 days. Each applicatorful of Vandazole® contains 37.5 mg of metronidazole.
- Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
- Nuvessa™:
- For vaginal dosage form (tablets):
- Adults—One 500 milligram (mg) tablet, inserted high into the vagina. Use the medicine once a day in the evening for 10 or 20 days.
- Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
- For vaginal dosage form (cream):
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.
Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.
Keep out of the reach of children.
Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.
Precautions while using Metrogel-Vaginal
It is important that your doctor check your progress after you finish using this medicine to make sure that the infection is cleared up.
If your symptoms do not improve within a few days after you start this medicine or if they become worse, check with your doctor.
You should not use this medicine if you are taking or have taken disulfiram (Antabuse®) within the last 2 weeks. Disulfiram is used to help people who have a drinking problem. If these 2 medicines are taken close together, serious unwanted effects may occur.
Drinking alcoholic beverages while using this medicine may cause stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, headache, or flushing or redness of the face. Alcohol-containing medicines (eg, elixirs, cough syrups, tonics) may also cause problems. The chance of these problems occurring may continue for at least a day after you stop using metronidazole. You should not drink alcoholic beverages (eg, ethanol or propylene glycol) or take other alcohol-containing medicines while you are using this medicine and for at least 24 hours after treatment.
Check with your doctor right away if you have dizziness, problems with muscle control or coordination, shakiness or an unsteady walk, slurred speech, or trouble with speaking. These may be symptoms of a serious brain condition called encephalopathy.
Call your doctor right away if you have confusion, drowsiness, fever, a general feeling of illness, a headache, loss of appetite, nausea, a stiff neck or back, or vomiting. These could be symptoms of a serious condition called aseptic meningitis.
Check with your doctor right away if you are having burning, numbness, tingling, or painful sensations in the arms, hands, legs, or feet. These could be symptoms of a condition called peripheral neuropathy.
This medicine may cause some people to become dizzy or lightheaded. Do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you. If these reactions are especially bothersome, check with your doctor.
Vaginal medicines usually leak out of the vagina during treatment. To keep the medicine from getting on your clothing, wear a mini-pad or sanitary napkin. Do not use tampons since they may soak up the medicine.
To help clear up your infection completely and to help make sure it does not return, good health habits are also required.
- Wear cotton panties (or panties or pantyhose with cotton crotches) instead of synthetic (eg, nylon or rayon) panties.
- Wear only freshly washed panties daily.
Do not have sexual intercourse while you are using this medicine. Having sexual intercourse may reduce the strength of the medicine. This may keep the medicine from working properly. Also, oils in the cream and vaginal tablets (but not the vaginal gel) may damage latex (rubber) contraceptive devices (eg, cervical caps, condoms, or diaphragms), causing them to leak, wear out sooner, or not work properly.
Avoid using douches or other vaginal products unless your doctor tells you to.
Many vaginal infections (eg, trichomoniasis) are spread by having sexual intercourse. You can give the infection to your sexual partner, and the infection could be given back to you. Your partner may also need to be treated for some infections. Until you are sure that the infection is completely cleared up after your treatment with this medicine, your partner should wear a condom during sexual intercourse. If you have any questions about this, check with your doctor.
Before you have any medical tests, tell the medical doctor in charge that you are using this medicine. The results of some tests may be affected by this medicine.
Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.
Side Effects of Metrogel-Vaginal
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
More common
- Itching in the vagina
- pain during sexual intercourse
- thick, white vaginal discharge with no odor or with a mild odor
Less common
- Burning on urination or need to urinate more often
- burning or irritation of the penis of the sexual partner
- feeling of vaginal pressure
- itching, pain, stinging, or redness of the genital area
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Less common
- Cramps
- diarrhea
- dizziness or lightheadedness
- dryness of the mouth
- feeling of a furry tongue
- headache
- heavy bleeding
- loss of appetite
- metallic taste or other change in taste sensation
- mild skin dryness and burning
- nausea
- skin irritation
- temporary skin redness
- vomiting
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
More about MetroGel-Vaginal (metronidazole topical)
- Check interactions
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- Reviews (126)
- Side effects
- Dosage information
- During pregnancy
- Generic availability
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Acadia National Park's rocky coastline in autumn.
Leaf detail, Acadia National Park, ME
Jordon Pond's fall foliage on a foggy autumn day, Acadia National Park, ME
Spectacular fall colors in Acadia National Park, ME
Fog on Jordon Pond, framed by fall foliage in Acadia National Park, ME
Towering trees in Redwood National Park, CA.
A California poppy blooms in Point Reyes National Park, CA.
Hiking through Point Reyes, CA.
Devil's Postpile National Monument, CA
An aerial view of Fort Jefferson, Bush Key and Long Key can be seen to the left of the fort.
Snorkelers along the moat walls of Fort Jefferson in Dry Tortugas National Park, FL.
A sea biscuit in the sea grass beds of the Dry Tortugas, FL.
Panoramic view of Loggerhead Key in the early morning light
Relaxing in the Dry Tortugas, FL.
Brown Noddies in front of Fort Jefferson, Bush Key.
Noddies in silhouette against the morning sky, Bush Key in Dry Tortugas National Park, FL.
Fort Jefferson from Bush Key, with Long Key to the left in the Dry Tortugas, FL.
A panorama of the Windjammer wreck in the Dry Tortugas, FL.
Hard and soft coral with multicolored christmas tree worms
Dramatic cloud formations over Loggerhead Key lighthouse
A stunning sunset with anti-crepuscular rays from the top of Fort Jefferson, looking out towards Bush Key in the Dry Tortugas, FL.
Brilliant pink clouds over Fort Jefferson at sunset in teh Dry Tortugas.
A quiet sunset at Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas, FL.
Sunset from Fort Jefferson.


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Be Your Own Boss
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Average annual rainfall varies considerably across Australia. Large areas have average annual rainfall of 600-1,500 millimetres (mm), a range similar to most European and North American averages. But about half of the continent experiences average annual rainfall of less than 300 mm.
In recent years, many parts of Australia, notably the south-east of the continent, southern Queensland, and the Murray-Darling Basin, have experienced drought conditions, with consequent lowering of water storage levels.
In the 12 months from September 2008 to August 2009, highly populated areas in New South Wales and Victoria, including the Murray-Darling Basin were under stress, with below average rainfall. The south-east of Australia has been abnormally dry, while the north-east has been abnormally wet (map 3.9).
The drought conditions experienced across much of Australia are evident in a two year rainfall anomaly map (map 3.10). A rainfall anomaly map shows the deviation from the annual average rainfall. According to the Bureau of Meteorology, rainfall has been below average across much of south-west and south-east Australia since 1997, while the Murray-Darling Basin has experienced below average rainfall since 2002. These are critical agricultural areas in Australia.
Run-off of rainfall into water stores is affected mainly by topography, soil condition, and temperature, as follows:
Based on long-term averages, run-off is high in northern Australia and parts of Tasmania where annual rainfall is relatively high (map 3.11).
Surface water and groundwater are stored in a number of ways to supply agriculture, industry and urban users. Some of these storages include large dams, farm dams and aquifers (underground storage).
There were 501 large dams in Australia as at June 2005 with a total storage capacity of 83,853 GL. Storage levels declined continuously in the period 2001-05 (graph 3.12) as a result of reduced inflows, continued water extractions and climatic conditions. In the 12 months to June 2005 total storage levels decreased by 10% (from 44,164 GL to 39,959 GL).
Water use
Water use is important to quantify because it gives a baseline for the amount of water that society needs to operate, the pressures placed on water systems by society, and the impacts of water management decisions on society. Measuring patterns of water use is important when predicting future land use, developing policy initiatives, or when reviewing the impact of present and past practices. For example, water use patterns give an indication of where water use efficiency programs or the buy-back of water licences should be focused. An assessment of water use by industry and households enables water managers to target management tools like drought contingency programs (e.g. water restrictions). Comparing water use with the economic value generated shows which activities are returning more economic value to society as a result of using the resource.
The ABS Water Account for 2004-05 showed that agriculture was by far the largest consumer of water, accounting for 65% of total water consumption in that year, with households the next highest sector (11%), followed by the water supply industry (11%) and manufacturing (3%).
Agricultural water use
The agriculture industry remained a major consumer of water in the Australian economy in 2007-08. Australia's agricultural water use in 2007-08 decreased 18% from the previous year to 6,989 GL. This followed a drop of 27% in 2006-07 compared with 2005-06. Agricultural water use has continued to be impacted by reduced water availability due to the drought.
Of the water used for agricultural production in 2007-08, 90% was used for irrigation of crops and pastures. The remainder was used for other agricultural purposes, such as stock drinking water, dairy and piggery cleaning.
Irrigation water use was at a new low of 6,285 GL in 2007-08, following a decrease of nearly one-third in the preceding year (see graph 3.13).
The largest decrease in water use for irrigation was recorded in the Murray-Darling Basin, an area of national significance in terms of environmental and agricultural assets. (A case study on the Murray-Darling Basin features later in this section). For the two years 2006-07 and 2007-08, water use for irrigation dropped 40% and 30% respectively. In contrast, irrigation use for the rest of Australia decreased much less in both years, falling 6% between 2005-06 and 2006-07 and 1% between 2006-07 and 2007-08 (table 3.14).
Of the 1,351 GL decrease in irrigation water use in Australia between 2006-07 and 2007-08, more than two-thirds (928 GL) was in New South Wales. All states and territories reported decreased irrigation use except Queensland, which remained steady. As a result, Queensland became the largest irrigating state, using 1,843 GL or 29% of total water use for irrigation in 2007-08 (table 3.15).
When looking at water use by agricultural activity, the rice industry showed the effects of dry conditions and limited irrigation water, using 27 GL of irrigation water in 2007-08, a decrease of 89% from the previous year. This drop in application of irrigation water followed a fall of 81% in 2006-07. Cotton growers faced similar conditions in 2007-08 and applied 309 GL of irrigation water, in comparison to 868 GL used in 2006-07 (graph 3.16). Irrigation water used for pasture and crops has decreased from 4,887 GL in 2005-06 to 3,737 GL in 2006-07 to 3,445 GL in 2007-08.


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Drew Magary's Thursday Afternoon NFL Dick Joke Jamboroo runs every Thursday during the NFL season. Buy Drew's book, The Postmortal, through here. Find more of his stuff at his Twitter feed.
The playoffs are here! HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY. Every year, the playoffs arrive, and every year, I pray for something controversial to happen that will spur radical offseason changes to the NFL rulebook. For example, before last season they changed the overtime rules so that each team got a possession, and then NO playoff game went into OT, because the playoffs were assholes last year. So I'd like that to happen this year (especially in the Super Bowl) so that people complain about the end result, regardless of what that result is. Also, I'd like to see some kind of insane replay controversy that causes the system to be overhauled, because the present replay system is completely fucked.
As of now, coaches have to throw a challenge flag any time they want a replay of something, unless A) There are two minutes left in the half, or B) Someone scored on the play. The fact that they ditch the challenge system under these two conditions is retarded. A critical turnover that's reviewed with five minutes left is, in the grand scheme of things, just as crucial to the outcome of a game as a turnover that's reviewed with 40 seconds left to play. By opting out of the challenge system at the end of each half, the league is basically saying that they HAVE to get those calls right, when it's important to get EVERY call right, even if shitty coaches like Andy Reid deserve a paintball to the eye for botching challenges.
But the scoring replay rule is even worse, because it makes no sense. If a wideout goes up in the end zone and makes a questionable catch, and the ref rules it a score, you get a free replay. If he doesn't, you have to use a challenge, or you're shit out of luck because you used two or three already. But it's the same play regardless of how the referee ruled. An incomplete ruling negates what WOULD have been a scoring play, which makes it just as crucial, at least to me, as a play that's actually ruled to be a touchdown. We're changing the conditions of the entire replay system based upon a ref's subjectivity, which could go either way if he's presented with a particularly difficult call. It makes no sense.
For the zillionth time, it's time to get rid of the challenge system. Just fucking review plays that need to be reviewed. Maybe it makes the game five minutes longer, but do you care? People rarely bitch about long replay reviews now thanks to the advent of the DVR. No one will complain if the challenge system is done away with because it's so fundamentally flawed. The system is lifted only in arbitrary moments. There is no clear time frame as to how long a coach has to challenge a call. And the general public still has no idea what camera feed team replay officials are allowed to review to decide if they should challenge a call or not. There's too much room in that system for fucking up when it would be a million times easier to just have a replay official hold up things for a brief moment to decide. If that hurts the head ref's feelings, FUCK HIM. I don't care. He's a ref. He makes up to $75,000 year working for 17 days. He'll live.
Head coaches have enough things to worry about, and Lord knows they already know how to fuck up when the game is on the line. It's time to give them a break and get rid of the red flags. College football has replay done by a booth official and it's the ONE thing about college football that isn't completely fucked. It's 2012. It shouldn't be that hard to review every play necessary and do it quickly.
The Games
All games in the Jamboroo are evaluated for sheer watchability on a scale of 1 to 5 Throwgasms. And during the playoffs, I pick the games, because why not.
Five Throwgasms
Falcons (+3) 26, Giants 17. We're done with the holidays now, but I'd just like to issue a special FUCK YOU to people who talk about their future diets WHILE they're gorging themselves over the holidays*. How many times have you been at some New Year's party where some asshole is stuffing fried mushrooms down their foodhole and, in the same breath, yammering on about how their "diet starts tomorrow!" or you hear them lament "Hoo boy, I'm gonna pay for this!" SHUT UP. You're ruining the repulsive gluttony for everyone else. Just enjoy your moment in the sun before you go worrying about how fat your ass will be the next day.
(* - I am one of these people.)
Saints (-11) 35, Lions 28.
Four Throwgasms
Steelers (-8) 14, Broncos 0. This is the worst AFC playoff field ever. Both the Broncos and Texans have lost three in a row. The Bengals lost last week. The Patriots have a shitty defense. The Broncos have a net point differential of -81, which is worse than the two teams that also went 8-8 in the AFC West. I don't know why common games was the tiebreaker used to determine the winner of the AFC West. They could have gone by conference games (which would give the Chargers the title) or by net points (Chargers again), or something that put the Chargers in instead, because watching Norv fail in the playoffs is even funnier than watching Tebow do likewise.
I think John Fox should throw Brady Quinn into this game, just so that little Timmy Tebow cries a single lone tear on the sideline and the universe explodes with Godwrath.
Three Throwgasms
Texans (-3) 34, Bengals 33. Time to remind you once again that the seemingly worst Wild Card game is usually the one that ends up kicking a whole lotta ass. I remember watching the Saints/Seahawks game last season, expecting it to be a waste of time, and then it ended up not only being a great game, it was the best game of the entire playoffs last season. I hope that isn't the case this time around. I hope we don't blow our load in the opening round. Nothing is more depressing than when you get handed a set of shitty playoff games to finish off the year. I hate dud playoff years. Now, onto the random crap:
-Earlier this season, the Patriots played a Sunday Night game with two rookies in the defensive lineup, and they were handed their starting jobs so quickly that NBC didn't have time to film them saying their name and school for the opening lineups, so they just ran a still photo instead, with no audio. It was eerie, kind of like both players had died. I hope that happens again sometime.
-I had a dream last night where my wife and kids needed me to kill this giant bug (because they were too cowardly to do it on their own), so I made a swipe at it just as I was waking up, and I found myself making the same swiping motion in bed. And it was a really lame swipe too, like an effeminate man serving a tennis ball. I was so ashamed. That bug would have gotten away scot free and eaten us all. I am not a Dream Warrior.
-One of the more enjoyable books I read last year was Conquistador by Buddy Levy, which details Hernan Cortes' conquest of Mexico back in the 1500's. And while Cortes was a ruthless man who slaughtered countless numbers of native Aztecs and may or may not have killed his wife, by God the man had BALLS. HUGE, MASSIVE BALLS. First of all, Cortes went and conquered Mexico without the blessing of the King, which means he was essentially acting as a free agent. He was just like, "You know what? I think I'll colonize an entire continent today, and worry about the paperwork later." Then he went to Mexico, brought his men all the way to Montezuma's stronghold, and then was like, "Say Montezuma, this is some nice gold you have here. Can I have it? And you mind if I tear down your killing shrine and build a church in the middle of town?" AND HE GOT AWAY WITH IT. Then he kidnapped Montezuma by inviting him over for dinner at his guest house in the middle of the Aztec capital and then was like, "You know what? I think you need to stay here forever. SORRY BRO."
Then Cortes defeated the Aztec army by forcing his men (and thousands of captive natives) to build a Naval fleet, carry the fleet over a mountain range, reassemble the fleet, and then dig a river by hand to accommodate that fleet. He did all this in his mid-thirties. Meanwhile, I'm the same age and I'm too lazy to hang up pictures in my bedroom after living in it for seven years. That's a MAN. Do not fuck with Hernan Cortes.
-My kid got a Chia Puppy for Christmas and I was tasked with helping my kid mix up the seeds and spread the disgusting chia skeet paste all over the pottery to help it grow. My kid grew disinterested after three seconds, so I took over and masterfully spaced out the seeds to give them proper time to sprout. Then I filled the puppy with water and covered him with plastic (helps retain moisture), then set him on the windowsill and returned to him a couple of times a day to add water and turn him in the sunlight. And I will be goddamned, the seeds started to blossom. They looked like giant sperm cells, frankly. It's a bit disturbing to see a terra cotta dog coated in giant green mutant sperm. BUT I MADE IT HAPPEN. I am now like a Hobbit, I have a love of watching things GROW. Next up: hydroponic weed.
-You know all that nice shit I said earlier this year about the new kickoff rule? Yeah no, that was stupid. It blows and it's ruining everything. We regret the error.
-I ate until my fucking heart exploded over the holidays. Ever start out eating modestly, then devolve into full-on gorging? That was me for a full week. By the end, the food didn't even taste like food anymore. And occasionally, I'd stop and be like, "You know, I should probably stop eating. I'm completely full." And my hand would be like, "FUCK THAT. I WILL RAPE YOUR MOUTH WITH APRICOT TARTS." I feel like I have self-control issues.
Two Throwgasms
One Throwgasm
2010 Playoff picks: 3-8 (4-7 vs. the spread). Now that's a record you can count on!
Pregame Song That Makes Me Want To Run Through A Goddamn Brick Wall
Reader Tim submits "Burning Beard" by Clutch.
It fucking owns. So use that shit.
I like the fact that the video takes place in a church, which is where all sinister heavy metal videos are required to be set. Take care to note the Maryland flag in the video. You have to like a little bit of local pride mixed into your angry burning church music. I can't tell you how sad I am that there are no actual burning beards in this video, given that the singer and the drummer both have fine beards.
Embarrassing Song I Like That Will Not Fire You Up
"Midnight City," by M83. Okay, Pitchfork. You got me. DAMN YOU AND YOUR PEPPY NEO-EUROELECTRO RECOMMENDATIONS.
Gregg Easterbrook Is A Haughty Dipshit
Oh my, Gregggggg certainly does not care for those Ryan boys.
Boast, boast, boast — Rex Ryan of Jersey/B has boasting down to a science. Playing is another thing... Both Ryan brothers ended their seasons by boasting nonstop, then lost do-or-die games.
In Easterbrook's world, every single football result comes with some kind of accompanying moral lesson, and his lesson here is: GLORY BOY COACHES SHALL ALWAYS BE PUNISHED. I have little doubt that both Ryan coaches did a bad job this season, but of course Greggg finds their shortcomings so much more insulting because they dare to BOAST. O HO HO! No boasty coaches shall be tolerated in this league! Boasting coaches are almost as bad as WEASEL COACHES.
Later on, Gregg gets really pissed about MEGABUCKS GLORY BOY movies like Iron Man being unrealistic (odd, because I thought that film was a documentary), and then added this:
Creating an impression of a sympathetic figure can be severely harmed, then instantly full of strength with all injuries vanished, is just one of the many ways in which Hollywood sells a phony vision of violence as fun that lacks consequences.
I'll tell you who's responsible for all this reckless violence, Gregg. THOSE JEWY WEINSTEINS.
Newsweek magazine, once glorious, is all but dead.
When the hell was Newsweek glorious? I know I for one couldn't have survived the 80s and 90s without crucial Newsweek cover stories such as, "Would Jesus Approve Of Shopping?", "Will Your Child Randomly Die By Age 16?", and "Pearl Jam: National Threat?"
Sports columns are unlikely to be your best source of fiscal policy news. But doesn't it say something about the state of the mainstream media that a quirky ESPN column had important information about Federal Reserve activity before most major newspapers noticed?
Hmm. Yes. Indeed. If only those ruffians at the Financial Times had the wherewithal to get their news from YOUR COLUMNIST! Here's a translation of Gregg's paragraph: "Don't you wish the rest of the media were as smart as I am? (smells own fart)".
Suicide Picks Of The Week
Last week's picks of Arizona, Tennessee, and Atlanta went 3-0 (42-9 on the year). Again, I take this moment to remind you to NEVER join a suicide pool. Ever. You're gonna lose, and it's not gonna be as fun as losing your NCAA pool. It's just gonna be year after year of you getting knocked out early and feeling like an idiot.
By the way, a friend of mine has an office job and one of the super-rich big swinging dicks at his office floods the pool with entries every year (because he can afford it) and usually walks away with the title. Now tell me that isn't a cock move. I hope that guy gets hit by a milk truck. What an asshole.
Postmortal Book Tour
Come one, come all. Much drinking will ensue:
1/19 - Washington, DC (Dodge City Bar, 8PM)
1/31 - Chapel Hill, NC (Flyleaf Books, 7PM)
2/1 (tentative) - Durham, NC (The Regulator, 7PM)
Nazi Shark's Vegas Lock Of The Week
Lots of sports sites, to demonstrate the arbitrary nature of gambling, like to have animals like monkeys pick games to see if they can outwit their human counterparts. There's no reason we at Deadspin can't also get in on the fun. So we've asked National Socialist German Workers' Party member Rolf, who also happens to be a shark, to pick one game a week. Take it away, Nazi shark.
"This week, I like the Broncos getting 8 points at home against the Steelers. I am deeply disturbed by recent reports of hybrid sharks being spotted off the coast of Australia. The idea that these 'blacktip sharks' would decide to contaminate our precious gene pool by crossbreeding with one other, presumably whiter sharks sickens me, and it should sicken anyone else who stands with me against SHARK INTEGRATION. What's next? A fully integrated SHARK PROM? Repulsive."
2011 Nazi Shark Record: 9-7.
Great Moments In Poop History
Reader Steve sends in this poop story I call ONE FOR THE POOP:
Last week I took a trip to visit my family for the holidays. As is tradition for most families, my mother made a large and delicious meal for the main holiday dinner. I ate the normal holiday foods, including a generous helping of some sort of bean dish. This was on Christmas Eve, and I had to leave to come home early the next morning.
On my road trip back home, I was hit with the most intense pain in the stomach that I can recall ever having. It hurt so severely that I was afraid I was going to black out and wreck the SUV. Of course, this meant that I had no choice but to exit the roadway and find a bathroom - immediately. I tried to move as quickly as possible, while at the same time trying to pick a gas station that looked somewhat "clean" for shitting. I picked a QT, because in my experience these are generally clean, large and "nice", at least by convenience store standards. You already know that I was tragically wrong, or this story would never be written.
I trotted into the store in a half walk/half gallop kind of motion. I had to go really, really bad, but figured if I ran I'd a) be tackled by an overzealous store employee who thought I was up to something sinister, or b) shit my pants. I burst through the bathroom door, literally praying out loud that no one was occupying the stalls . This particular restroom had two stalls - one small stall and one larger stall that was handicap accessible. I always choose the latter when I can - I am not handicapped, but I am a big guy at 6′2″ and 220 lbs, so I need all the room I can get. This was not an option that day, however, as the big stall was taken.
I burst into the small stall, with my pants already unbuckled and halfway down to my knees. Then…devastation. The stool was filled, to the top, with vomit. And whatever tortured soul decided to puke in this stall did not have very good aim, as the seat was covered with it as well. Although I was horrified, I also had to think and act fast. My bowels did not seem to care that this was an unsanitary situation, they were going to move.
I grabbed some toilet paper and hit the flusher. I started to wipe/scrub the seat as hard and fast as I could. I must say in hind sight - I did a pretty good job given the circumstances. But even at a furious pace, I could not get it completely clean. I finished and drop my drawers the rest of the way, turning to sit. But right before I squatted, I noticed one last problem…the water had risen to an extremely high level. If I simply sat down, my family jewels would be swimming in the vomit water. Again, no time to flush and hope for a new, lower level, so I cupped up my balls, spun around and let 'er rip.
Due to my eating a large meal the day before, coupled with the fact that I am currently on a diet and not used to eating large meals, my body had worsened my dilemma by producing one of the longest and most voluminous human turds on record. So large, in fact, that I had to finish the job in a half-standing squat pose for fear of getting soaked by vomit water that was being displaced by my bowel movement. Luckily, the water stopped rising as it crested at the very top of the bowl. Truth be told, I could have unloaded another 2-3 pounds of waste, but I had gotten rid of enough to make the pains subside and to make it the rest of the way home.
I zipped up and readied myself to exit the stall in a "race-starting" position. I opened the stall door, flushed, and (literally) ran out of the bathroom, leaving the poor guy in the big stall to fend for himself. I hopped back in the SUV and was on the road before he could have ever known what hit him.
I don't know that I could cut off an ongoing bowel movement like that. That strikes me as a dangerous idea.
Fire This Asshole!
Is there anything more exciting than a coach losing his job? All year long, we'll keep track of which coaches will almost certainly get fired at year's end or sooner. And now, your potential 2011 chopping block:
• Jack Del Rio - FIRED!
• Todd Haley - FIRED!
• Tony Sparano - FIRED!
• Steve Spagnuolo - FIRED!
• Raheem Morris - FIRED!
• Norv Turner - NOT FIRED!
• Leslie Frazier - NOT FIRED!
• Andy Reid - NOT FIRED!
• Jim Caldwell - STILL NOT FIRED!
• Rex Ryan
• Chan Gailey
• Mike Shanahan
• Pat Shurmur
• Tom Coughlin
• Jason Garrett
• Hue Jackson
• Bill Polian - FIRED!
• Jerry Angelo - FIRED!
I see that Jim Caldwell's "play dead" strategy is working to perfection. This has to be the most disappointing firing season in my entire life. How the fuck did Norv and Andy Reid keep their jobs? I asked Chargers fan Justin Halpern what he thought of Norv and AJ Smith staying:
Godfuck, indeed. Why can't NFL teams learn to fire coaches ON TIME? Either they fire them too quickly, or they keep them around FOREVER. And why is Chan Gailey still employed when he never should have been employed to begin with? I swear that team has given up on life.
By the way, I know we celebrate firings here, but I don't really think that Steve Spagnuolo should have gotten shitcanned. Half that team died of cancer this season (NOTE: possible exaggeration).
Chris Johnson Memorial Fantasy Player That Deserves To Die A Slow, Painful Death... Of The Year!
So many candidates shit the bed this season, from Chris Johnson to DeSean Jackson to Andre Johnson to Mike Vick, and even the inevitable injury victims like Jamaal Charles. But I'm gonna go ahead and pick Dallas Clark, Joseph Addai and all the Indy skill position players. Holy shit, you people are WORTHLESS without Peyton Manning around. Addai ran for 433 yards and ONE goddamn TD. DFC scored two measly touchdowns. Wayne couldn't even break 1,000 yards receiving. That's fucking putrid. Maurice Jones-Drew led the league in rushing without a viable QB. What the fuck did you people do? You people should gather up 80% of your assets and donate them to Manning, then wash his nutsack whenever he demands it.
Gametime Snack Of The Week
Popovers! Who hates popovers? COMMUNISTS, that's who. They're warm and fluffy and can hold a shocking amount of melted butter and four fruit preserves. Ever been to a restaurant that has popovers in lieu of a bread basket? SHANGRI-LA. I went to a restaurant once that had free popovers with strawberry butter on the side. I stayed for a WEEK. I like to rip the top off the popover, fill the top and the stump with nine gallons of apple butter each, and then commence with the apple butter facial.
By the way, popovers fit squarely into the category of "food item I wish could be reheated and still taste as good as when it was first ready to eat". It's a category that includes pasta, shellfish, souffles, and your college girlfriend.
Gametime Cheap Beer Of The Week
Sagres! Reader George sends in this Portuguese 40. Or "Porty," for short:
A few months ago my wife and I went to Spain and Portugal for our honeymoon, and while those are two pretty cool countries, their beer was not the best. However, that large bottle of beer was like 1 euro and BONUS Portuguese bugles!
Mmmm... Portuguese Bugles. I wonder if they play samba music when you blow into them. I MUST HAVE THEM. "Sagres" sounds a whole lot like "Sangre," which is the Spanish word for "blood." You know what that means, don't you? VAMPIRE BEER.
Robert Evans' MVP Watch!
Time for legendary Hollywood producer Robert Evans to give us his final vote for League MVP. Take it away, Mr. Evans.
"Baby, my NFL MVP this year is... Aaron Rodgers of the Packers! Terrible week for Evans, baby. Sick as a dog. Congestion? YOU BET! Green phlegm? GREENER THAN LIZ TAYLOR ON HER DEATHBED. Old Evans can't plow through a bad flu the way he used, let me tell you! I remember one time, we were shooting with our second unit for Chinatown down in Baja, and I come down with the worst flu I've ever had! And I wasn't alone! The whole cast and crew got sick. Nicholson! Polanski! Dunaway! The gaffer! There were boogers and blood all over the Panavision lenses by the end (which is why that picture has such a soft look to it). So Nicholson comes into my suite at the Capella Pedregal, drinking tequila and coughing up blood onto the floor, and he tells me we're going out! And I say him, 'No chance, baby! Evans is laid up for good this time!'
"Well, Nicholson isn't taking no for an answer. A REAL BULL. So he grabs me and literally drags me out of bed, grinds up twenty codeine pills, puts them in his tequila bottle, and forces me to drink it. NOT BAD! Next thing you know, we're out on the town, picking up a couple of local chicas to make merry with on the way back to the suite. Then Nicholson has the idea to pick up some cocaine, and we bring that back with us! Well, I snort all this beautiful Merck cocaine as fast as I can, and I bring my gal back to the bedroom. She bends over and I get right to viewing her dailies when I realize that the coke has made my nose even runnier than before! And it's mixing with all the green snot and it's dripping down my face and I can't stop it because I have to hold onto this girl's hips for dear life because she was a SPICY ONE! And I watched with horror as the green-and-white liquid starting pouring down on her back, and she didn't even notice! So I had to find a way to clean it up without her stopping. So what did Evans do? Dear reader, I hate to tell you this, but I licked it right up. ALL OF IT. By the time I orgasmed, I think I had eaten a quart of the stuff. I preferred the tequila and codeine, if we're being honest."
Sunday Afternoon Movie Of The Week For Colts Fans
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, which I haven't seen, but I have been told kicks a whole lotta ass. I'm actually disappointed this movie turned out to be a success. I was kinda hoping for it to fail, then to see Tom Cruise arrested on kiddie porn charges, the to find out that he got shivved to death in prison. I am unhappy for his success. Does that make me a bad person? It probably does. I get very angry when people whose failure I have reveled in bounce back and start succeeding again, like when Jimmy Fallon's show ended up being well received. Tom Cruise is my Duke basketball.
Gratuitous Simpsons Quote
"All right, come out with your hands up, two cups of coffee, an auto freshener that says `Capricorn', and something with coconut on it!!"
Enjoy the games, everyone.


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BlackBerry plans to ask securities regulators in Canada and the United States to probe what it said is a "false and misleading" report that consumer return rates for BlackBerry's new Z10 smartphone have been especially high.
The Canadian company, which has pinned its turnaround hopes on its new BlackBerry 10 line of smartphones, went on the offensive on Friday after the report from Boston-based research and investment firm Detwiler Fenton sent its stock tumbling on Thursday.
BlackBerry said return rates for its flagship Z10 devices have been at, or below, its forecasts and in line with industry norms.
"To suggest otherwise is either a gross misreading of the data or a willful manipulation," Chief Executive Thorsten Heins said in a statement. "Such a conclusion is absolutely without basis and BlackBerry will not leave it unchallenged."
BlackBerry said Detwiler Fenton had so far refused to share its report or its methods. It said it would present a formal request for an investigation to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and to the Ontario Securities Commission, which is Canada's major securities regulator, over the next few days.
Detwiler has had run-ins with regulators in the past, documents reviewed by Reuters show. But none of the cases involved questions about the accuracy of Detwiler's research or were linked to BlackBerry.
The OSC said it would review the matter once it receives a formal complaint.
"After the first 14 days, quality performance of the Z10 has been in line with similar devices we've launched," said Debra Lewis, a spokeswoman for Verizon Wireless.
A spokeswoman for Detwiler did not respond to a phone call and an email from Reuters seeking comment. The director of research also did not respond to a call seeking comment.
"We believe key retail partners have seen a significant increase in Z10 returns to the point where, in several cases, returns are now exceeding sales, a phenomenon we have never seen before," its report said. Detwiler Fenton gave no details on how it had gleaned this information.
While a number of brokerage firms have in recent weeks published reports saying Z10 sales in the U.S. market are slow, none of them have flagged any major concerns about returns.
Since 2007, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the industry body that oversees broker-dealers, has fined Detwiler over $250,000 and has cited it for several compliance violations over the past decade.
In December 2011, FINRA sanctioned Detwiler for failing to properly supervise its employees and for allowing its brokers to make more trades than necessary in clients' accounts to boost commissions during a period between 2006 and 2009.
In 2007, the firm, which was then called Detwiler Mitchell Fenton & Graves, settled administrative proceedings that the SEC brought against it for failing to supervise Bradford Bleidt, a former employee who had been simultaneously running a $30 million Ponzi scheme.
BlackBerry is attempting to claw back market share lost to rivals such as Apple Inc's iPhone and Samsung Electronics Co's Galaxy line of smartphones with its new line of devices, powered by the revamped BlackBerry 10 operating system.
The new Z10 touchscreen smartphone, the first of its new devices, hit store shelves earlier this year. And the Q10, with BlackBerry's famed physical keyboard, will go on sale in Canada and the United Kingdom before the end of April.
BlackBerry, which has changed its name from Research In Motion, has yet to prove to the market that its new devices can trigger a turnaround. The company expects to report break-even results in the current quarter, but a true picture will not emerge until later this year.
BlackBerry stock has remained highly volatile as analysts are split on whether the turnaround plan will succeed. Research reports often bring major swings in the company's share price.
Shares of Waterloo, Ontario-based BlackBerry, which fell 7.7 percent on Thursday, closed up less than a percent on Friday at $13.64 on Nasdaq.


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Researchers from security firm FireEye claim that attackers are actively using a remote code execution exploit that works against the latest versions of Adobe Reader 9, 10 and 11.
"Today, we identified that a PDF zero-day [vulnerability] is being exploited in the wild, and we observed successful exploitation on the latest Adobe PDF Reader 9.5.3, 10.1.5, and 11.0.1," the FireEye researchers said late Tuesday in a blog post.
The exploit drops and loads two DLL files on the system. One file displays a bogus error message and opens a PDF document that's used as a decoy, the FireEye researchers said.
Remote code execution exploits regularly cause the targeted programs to crash. In this context, the fake error message and second document are most likely used to trick users into believing that the crash was the result of a simple malfunction and the program recovered successfully.
Meanwhile, the second DLL installs a malicious component that calls back to a remote domain, the FireEye researchers said.
It's not clear how the PDF exploit is being delivered in the first place—via email or over the Web—or who were the targets of the attacks using it. FireEye did not immediately respond to a request for additional information sent Wednesday.
"We have already submitted the sample to the Adobe security team," the FireEye researchers said in the blog post. "Before we get confirmation from Adobe and a mitigation plan is available, we suggest that you not open any unknown PDF files."
The Adobe Product Security Incident Response Team (PSIRT) confirmed Tuesday in a blog post that it is investigating a report of a vulnerability in Adobe Reader and Acrobat XI (11.0.1) and earlier versions being exploiting in the wild. The risk to customers is being assessed, the team said.
In response to a request for a status update sent Wednesday, Heather Edell, Adobe's senior manager of corporate communications, said that the company is still investigating.
Sandboxing is an anti-exploitation technique that isolates a program's sensitive operations in a strictly controlled environment in order to prevent attackers from writing and executing malicious code on the underlying system even after exploiting a traditional remote code execution vulnerability in the program's code.
A successful exploit against a sandboxed program would have to leverage multiple vulnerabilities, including one that allows the exploit to escape from the sandbox. Such sandbox bypass vulnerabilities are rare, because the code that implements the actual sandbox is usually carefully reviewed and is fairly small in length compared to the program's overall codebase that could contain vulnerabilities.
Adobe added a sandbox mechanism to isolate write operations called Protected Mode in Adobe Reader 10. The sandbox was further expanded to cover read-only operations as well in Adobe Reader 11, through a second mechanism called Protected View.
Back in November, security researchers from Russian security firm Group-IB reported that an exploit for Adobe Reader 10 and 11 was being sold on cybercriminal forums for between $30,000 and $50,000. The exploit's existence was not confirmed by Adobe at the time.
"Before the introduction of the sandbox, Adobe Reader was one of the most targeted third-party applications by cybercriminals," Bogdan Botezatu, a senior e-threat analyst at antivirus vendor BitDefender, said Wednesday via email. "If this is confirmed, the discovery of a hole in the sandbox will be of crucial importance and will definitely become massively exploited by cybercriminals."
Botezatu believes that bypassing the Adobe Reader sandbox is a difficult task, but he expected this to happen at some point because the large number of Adobe Reader installations makes the product an attractive target for cybercriminals. "No matter how much companies invest in testing, they still can't ensure that their applications are bug free when deployed on production machines," he said.
Unfortunately Adobe Reader users don't have many options to protect themselves if a sandbox bypassing exploit actually exists, except for being extremely careful of what files and links they open, Botezatu said. Users should update their installations as soon as a patch becomes available, he said.


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In order to build a case against the notorious Silk Road underground marketplace, a team of U.S. law enforcement agencies spent well over a year casing the site: buying drugs, exchanging Bitcoins, visiting forums and even posing as a vendor, although they did stop short of selling any illicit goods.
From March 2012 until September 2013, Federal agents closely tracked the site, making over 50 drug purchases, according to Jared DerYeghiayan, an agent with the Department of Homeland Security who was part of a special investigation unit looking into the site.
Questioned before a jury at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, DerYeghiayan was the first witness in the government's case against Ross Ulbricht, accused of running the Silk Road online marketplace, which according to the prosecutors facilitated the trade of well over a $1 billion in illegal and unlawful goods and services between 2011 and 2013.
Who is the Dread Pirate Roberts?
In opening statements on Tuesday, Ulbricht's lawyer, Joshua Dratel, asserted that while Ulbricht started the site, operations were handled by another entity, known online only as "Dread Pirate Roberts."
In the weeks to come, the prosecution must convince the jury that "Dread Pirate Roberts" and Ulbricht are one in the same. First step: Explain how Silk Road operated, and how federal agents obtained the information they needed to identify Ulbricht.
Using an account obtained from an actual user, with the screen name of "dripsofacid," the task force purchased illegal drugs from 40 dealers in 10 different countries, DerYeghiayan testified. Silk Road first came to their attention because of the mailings of illicit drugs that were coming into Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
In one order, agents purchased 1,000 tabs of ecstasy from a seller in Germany, for $5,499 worth of Bitcoins—Silk Road only accepted Bitcoins. They also made smaller purchases of LSD blotter, cocaine and heroin, among other substances.
Silk Road, as DerYeghiayan described it, sounded like a well-run e-commerce site. It had multiple measures in place to protect the anonymity of users and vendors, as well as to ensure that vendors got paid and customers got the orders they requested.
How it all worked
Of the 50 drug orders the investigation unit made on the site, "nearly all" were delivered, and almost all illicit substances that arrived were verified by a drug lab to be what they were advertised to be, DerYeghiayan said.
Silk Road made such transactions untraceable through a variety of means, including use of the Tor browser for hiding identifying IP addresses and by employing a payment system based on Bitcoin, according to the prosecution.
DerYeghiayan described the processes Silk Road used to ensure all parties were satisfied with their transactions. Silk Road held the Bitcoins in escrow for each purchase until the buyer had agreed to release the money, usually after delivery. Either the buyer or vendor could request Silk Road to investigate a transaction that hadn't been satisfactorily completed. Silk Road itself made money by adding a small commission fee on top of the transaction, which law enforcement agencies verified by setting up a vendor account.
Even drug dealers get performance reviews
Both buyers and sellers were rated for reliability. Sellers were given instructions not to keep any buyer's mailing address, which Silk road also deleted from its own servers once the transaction was completed. Buyers could also choose to encrypt their addresses with a public key provided by the seller, so even Silk Road workers would not have access to the information.
On forums and on a Wiki, the Silk Road site also offered detailed information on how sellers could package their goods to avoid detection by law enforcement, and offered tips to buyers on how to collect such packages in ways that wouldn't get them caught. One such tip: Don't answer the bell should the postman ring to deliver the package personally.
All transactions were done through Bitcoins, which offer no methods of identifying their users. Because all Bitcoin transactions themselves are public and tracked through services like Bitcoin.info, Silk Road also offered a "tumbler" service that would further obscure the transactions by splitting them up and passing them through several Bitcoin accounts in random variations before delivering them the vendor.
Drugs were the largest group of products that Silk Road sold. By September 2013, just before the site was shuttered by law enforcement, DerYeghiayan's team had counted over 13,000 different offerings of illicit substances. The site also offered various other items of dubious legality, such as fake identification cards and computer hacking tools. A number of vendors also offered to buy Bitcoins, which users might have had left over from previous purchases.
Texas resident Ulbricht was indicted last February, after being arrested in October 2013 in California. At the time of his arrest, Ulbricht was charged with narcotics conspiracy, engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, conspiracy to commit computer hacking, and money laundering. Both the charges of narcotics and engaging in a criminal enterprise have maximum penalties of lifetime imprisonment.
Ulbricht has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
U.S. District Judge Katherine Forrest of the Southern District of New York is overseeing the case.


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Intel-owned McAfee has released Mobile Security 2.0, which allows users of Android-based smartphones and tablets to keep better track of what applications are up to, the company said on Monday.
Today, many of Android's perceived security weaknesses stem from the openness of Android Market, and the availability of rogue applications.
McAfee has taken that to heart and added a feature called App Alert, which provides information about what applications are doing with users' personal information. Although Android Market already informs users of the phone functions accessed by the apps they download, the list can be long. App Alert specifically checks whether a downloaded app requests access to personal information including contacts, and warns the user.
A future version will also be able to check the reputation of the app developer, according to McAfee.
The company has added call and SMS filtering, so users can block unwanted calls and senders of spam texts, according to McAfee.
At its core, Mobile Security 2.0 scans and cleans malicious code from files, memory cards, applications, downloads, text messages, and attachments, according to McAfee.
But there are also a number of features to help people that lose their smartphones. Absent-minded users can remotely lock access to all data, including that stored on the SIM card, and display a message with contact details on the phone.
They can also remotely wipe data on their phone and the removable memory card. To ensure that nothing is lost, a backup can be made before everything is deleted, according to McAfee. To find the phone, users can view the device's location on a map, send an SMS to prompt its return, and use a remote alarm to help find it, McAfee said.
Users' biggest security concerns are not viruses, but related to where private content is sent, and the protection of passwords that can be used to access many different services, according to analyst Geoff Blaber of CCS Insight.
To address users concerns, security vendors seem to be taking a more holistic approach to smartphone protection, rather that a PC-oriented approach, which is very much focused on viruses and malware, Blaber said.
"We have been talking about viruses on mobiles for years, but we are yet to get to the point were there has been a piece of malware that has really hit phones," he said.
Besides Android, McAfee Mobile Security 2.0 is available for devices running BlackBerry OS and Symbian, but users of those platforms will have to manage without App Alert, which isn't included.
The software costs US$29.99 for new users and existing subscribers can download the updated software for free.


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On December 29, 2011, the California Supreme Court upheld the legislative dissolution of redevelopment agencies under AB 1X 26 and invalidated the "Voluntary Alternative Redevelopment Project Act" (AB 1x 27). This decision means all California redevelopment agencies, including the Arroyo Grande Redevelopment Agency, were dissolved effective February 1, 2012.
Pursuant to the provisions of Assembly Bill X1 26 (ABX1 26) and Resolution Number 4420, the City Council has elected to have the City of Arroyo Grande serve as the Successor Agency to its dissolved Redevelopment Agency. The Successor Agency is charged with the responsibility of winding down the affairs of the dissolved Arroyo Grande Redevelopment Agency pursuant to the provisions of AB 1X 26.
The Successor Agency plays a key day-to-day role in assuring that the existing debt service and other obligations of the dissolved Redevelopment Agency are properly paid, and that the dissolved Redevelopment Agency's properties and other assets are disposed of in an appropriate manner.
The Successor Agency is overseen by an Oversight Board consisting of seven representatives. The legislation prescribes the number and types of members on the Oversight Board representing the City of Arroyo Grande, the County of San Luis Obispo, and local education and special districts of the Redevelopment Project Area.


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The AAS Heeds the Call of the Wild
With 1,225 registered participants, the AAS's 220th meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, last 10-14 June did not break the official attendance record for a summer meeting (1,350, Boston, May 2011), but it came close. Unofficially, the meeting almost certainly drew a record number of people. For one thing, many attendees brought their families along to experience the "Big Wild Life" that makes Alaska such a popular tourist destination. For another, two public lectures and a special student-outreach program attracted hundreds of visitors from the surrounding area. Whatever the final tally, the meeting was a huge success—both scientifically and logistically. The Dena'ina and William A. Egan Civic & Convention Centers were spacious and comfortable, the weather was pleasant most of the time, and the science program grabbed hold early Monday morning and did not let go till late Thursday afternoon.
Many attendees were surprised to learn that this was not the first AAS meeting in Alaska. The 114th meeting was held in College, outside Fairbanks, in July 1963. Given how much everyone at the 220th meeting enjoyed the venue and the conference, it is probably a safe bet that the Society will not wait a half century before returning to the Last Frontier for a third time.
The photos on these pages capture a small slice of the Anchorage meeting. They were shot by Imelda Joson and Edwin Aguirre, two of my former colleagues from Sky & Telescope. These and additional pictures will appear online in our Facebook and Picasa galleries. All photos are © 2012 Joson Images, courtesy AAS.
― Rick Fienberg, AAS Press Officer


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My husband and I switched cell phone providers, which came with two $300 debit cards as a rebate. The paperwork specified that they wouldn't work for cash back. However, I've never been one to accept rules, so I tested it out and discovered that they did indeed work for cash back. I'm now in the process of draining them of value so that I put the money into the credit union, where they can be used for bills and properly tracked.
I receive a gift certificate for a "free turkey or ham" from my employer each holiday season. I've switched back and forth between the two, but mostly get the hams since they're pre-cooked and the thought of preparing a turkey meal so soon after Thanksgiving is overwhelming. I took my voucher into the grocery store, but since it was right at the expiration date, they didn't have any hams which met the strict criteria of the small print. However, a quick conversation with the butcher confirmed that they'd still honor the coupon, which meant I was able to get a $42 11-pound ham for free.
I'm not a big fan of ham eaten as is, (the texture is so . . . bouncy) but like it just fine as an ingredient in soups, which means my family will be enjoying a lot of ham-and-bean soups this month. Right now? Split pea soup. Starting tomorrow? White bean soup. Pretty soon? Chopped and frozen for future meals.
I sold a Baby Bjorn carrier and a breastfeeding pillow through Facebook Marketplace, as well as a hodgepodge of different items through eBay. This includes a Calico Critter car, vintage floppy discs, two Starbucks mugs and a flannel duvet cover that my son had deemed to be "too scratchy."
I packed my work lunches, I arranged to come into the hospital to complete some online education, (thus ensuring I'd be paid for my time) I brought a couple bags of miscellaneous stuff into a local consignment store that I'd pulled from a shelf of "free stuff" outside an antique shop, I found a handful of change under my credit union's coin counting machine, I took my daughter to a free resume assistance clinic at the library, I discovered that the library has a WordPress expert, and put in a request to meet with them for some desperately needed blogging assistance, (so many glitchy issues!) and I took up my neighbor's offer of some free boxes and packing supplies from her basement.
I didn't buy a Lear Jet or a vulgar gold-plated apartment in the sky.


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James Harrison: I've lowered my target, now I hit guys in the knees
Steelers linebacker James Harrison became the poster boy for the NFL's crackdown on hits to the head of defenseless players last year, and after multiple fines and a suspension, Harrison says he got the message.
Unfortunately for the Steelers' opponents, that message isn't necessarily one that's going to make them any safer. Harrison said on Mike and Mike in the Morning that now instead of trying to hit players in the head, he'll hit them in the knees.
"I've really lowered my target area to where it's down around the knees," Harrison said. "Situations come along where you could tackle the guy high. I don't do that anymore. I tackle the guy low."
Harrison said, however, that he doesn't think that makes life any easier on opposing players. Harrison referenced his hit to the knee of Broncos receiver Eric Decker in last year's playoffs, a hit that caused Decker to suffer a sprained MCL, as the kind of hit he makes now that he wouldn't have made before he was suspended last season -- and a hit that Harrison doesn't think makes the game any safer.
"I could have tackled him high, but if I had hit him high, I probably would have gotten a helmet-to-helmet or something and gotten fined," Harrison said. "So I hit him low and strained his MCL. . . . They're saying it's a life-threatening injury to hit a guy in the head and he gets a concussion and so on and so forth, but I think a life-threatening injury is to go low on a guy and blow out his ACL or whatever, and he's not able to come back the way he was before. Now he can't make a living, he can't feed his family, he can't do what he does. That's life-threatening to me."
Harrison has long expressed doubts that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and others in the league office are sincere about their desire to make playoffs safer.
"It's for player safety -- at least that's what they say," Harrison said. "But the way I see it is that it all comes down to something different. You say you want to make the game safer but yet you turn around and want to add extra games. How is that making us safer?"
That's a good question. And whether Harrison lowering his target makes the game safer is also a good question.