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If I had to choose two words to sum up Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote today, those words would be evolution and integration. Apple has clearly moved to evolve its four platforms -- watchOS, tvOS, macOS and iOS 10 -- in ways that will help users in a variety of ways big and small. The company also notably built on its existing Continuity approach to bolster integration across Apple devices.
But nowhere were Apple's moves more comprehensive than on the Apple Watch.
watchOS 3
Following a poignant moment of silence for the victims of the shooting in Orlando, Fla., Apple CEO Tim Cook opened the keynote with a preview of watchOS 3, due to be released this fall. Apple has clearly listened to feedback from those that bought an Apple Watch during its first year. Despite its reputation of sometimes not taking user concerns and complaints seriously, it's clear that Apple did listen to feedback regarding its first wearable.
What's remarkable is that the company didn't just listen and make minor tweaks. watchOS 3 shows the company was willing to completely rethink parts of the wearable's operating system and its user interface. In short, Apple went back to the drawing board to try and make watch apps more accessible and to reimagine the functionality of the side button (previously used just to invoke Apple Pay or Digital Touch messaging). It will soon provide access to a new dock feature that provides instant access to favorite or recently used apps. Likewise, the new Control Center (accessed by swiping up from the bottom of the watch screen) puts commonly used commands and features front and center. Combined, they replace the Glances view from the original watchOS.
What Apple didn't do was throw the baby out with the bath water. Many key Apple Watch features remain, including easy access to notifications by swiping down from the top of the watch screen. Activity tracking remains largely intact, albeit with the addition of sharing activity data with other Apple Watch users (a feature most dedicated fitness wearables have offered for some time) and with support for wheelchair users. These changes show the balancing act Apple is undertaking: making the device more user friendly while not evolving it beyond recognition for longtime Apple Watch owners.
Another notable addition in watchOS 3 is a highly useful SOS feature that can automatically dial emergency services (using the appropriate number in the country where the user is located), alert emergency contacts (including a map of the user's location), and provide emergency medical data for responders -- all in an automated sequence. That's an incredibly useful addition, particularly for those with serious or chronic health issues. That feature alone is a reason to buy an Apple Watch (or buy for loved ones with health issues -- yes Dad, I'm looking at you). It's also a natural extension of Apple's push into healthcare, which began with HealthKit, the Health app for the iPhone, and has continued with both ResearchKit and CareKit.
Also on the wellness front, Apple is adding a deep breathing app -- it's called Breathe -- that can be triggered manually or scheduled, much like the Stand reminders (known as roll reminders for wheelchair users).
Apple didn't stop there. Next to health and fitness, one of the most common uses of the Apple Watch is for messaging and notifications. Apple definitely went back to the drawing board in this area, though here the changes -- such as being able to respond to a message with fewer steps (the various replay buttons now appear below a message) and the option use handwriting recognition -- are more iterative tweaks to the existing UI. The Apple Watch also benefits from the new messaging capabilities in iOS 10 like stickers, handwriting, full screen effects and invisible ink.
One of the most intriguing new features, however, is Apple's efforts to further integrate its platforms. Apple Watch will be able to automatically unlock a Mac using macOS Sierra simply by being worn in proximity to a Mac. It can also be used to authenticate Apple Pay transactions in Safari on a Mac (as can Touch ID on an iPhone).
Ultimately, the watchOS 3 demos during the keynote remind me very much of the demos for iOS 2 (or iPhone OS 2, as it was known at the time). The original iPhone experience felt very limited, particularly in its lack of support for third-party apps and other features we take for now granted. watch OS 3 feels like it will deliver significant advances over its predecessors and yet still feel familiar. The only question that remains is how well it will run on existing Apple Watches, since Apple will almost certainly release updated watch hardware in the not-too-distant future. Given the prices for Apple Watches, it's unlikely most users will want to replace their watch every year or two. That requires another balancing act for Apple.
tvOS also got needed updates, but these feel much more iterative than the changes coming to watchOS. Easily the biggest advance is single sign-on support, allowing a user to register the device once with their cable or satellite provider to have all pay-TV apps registered. This is a significant advance for the platform and addresses one of the most common complaints.
Other notable advances include expended Siri functionality; support for managing smart home devices using HomeKit; a dark background mode (useful for watching an Apple TV in low-light situations); updated Apple Music and Photos apps that mirror the functionality found in iOS 10; support for an enhanced iOS Remote app; badges that let users known when new app content is available; and additional developer tools for handling photos and replays.
All of these advances may not seem truly groundbreaking. What is worth noting, however, is that Apple is making the effort to further integrate Apple TV into its larger ecosystem with things like the new Remote app, expanded support for iCloud content, and further integration with HomeKit. It is clear that Apple wants its users to experience a seamless transition of data and content across all Apple platforms.
macOS Sierra
As expected, Apple rebranded OS X as macOS to fit in with its other platform nomenclature. Sierra is where Apple's integration efforts are most obvious. Building on already-existing Continuity features, Sierra tightens the integration in key ways. The first is the Auto Unlock feature that allows a user to bypass the Mac's log in screen if they are wearing and have authenticated their Apple Watch. This is incredibly useful. What will be interesting to see, however, is how -- or if -- it is supported in enterprise or education environments. I'm hoping it won't end up a purely consumer solution.
Also in the integration bucket is universal clipboard, which allows users to copy and paste data between devices). iCloud Drive will be able to automatically move older data to the cloud to free up disk space and can make the contents of a user's Documents and Desktop folders available across all Macs and other devices. And as noted earlier, Apple Pay will be supported for online transactions in Safari relying on an Apple Watch or iPhone to authenticate the transaction.
The most notable addition is Siri's long-anticipated arrival on the desktop. While Siri on the Mac was widely expected, Apple didn't just plop the virtual assistant onto the Mac. Much as with Siri on the Apple Watch and Apple TV, Apple was thoughtful about how to integrate Siri into the existing Mac user experience. By providing integration with existing technologies like Notification Center, the file system and the Dock, Apple has made Siri extremely useful.
Particularly helpful: Siri commands can contain multiple individual statements, extending the assistant's functionality and making it seem more conversational -- and commands can be saved for reuse. Success depends on how Apple manages this integration, but my first impression is that the company waited to debut Siri on the Mac until it thought the technology was ready for real desktop use rather than mimicking the quick interactions on mobile devices.
iOS 10
Apple bills iOS 10 as "the biggest iOS release ever." Although the company didn't highlight all of the new iOS 10 features on Monday, those it did showcase indicate that it's willing to revisit components of the OS from the lock screen (which can now wake the iPhone when you raise it up) to the expanded Control Center to the Photos app to messaging. iOS 10 is a reminder that Apple isn't sitting on laurels. Many of the areas Apple focused on redesigning in iOS 10 are areas most users would see as already being solid and functional.
The biggest changes aren't in the user interface, however. The most monumental changes are in how Apple is opening up parts of iOS that Apple has kept closed and controlled. The most obvious example is Siri, which Apple has kept off-limits since the assistant debuted five years ago. In addition, Apple is opening up Maps, VOIP calling and messaging. Expanding on previous efforts to introduce iOS extensions that allow apps to exchange content, Apple is allowing developers to create apps that hook into some of the stock iOS apps. The result will be a much richer and robust set of capabilities. It will also provide a more seamless experience across a device.
In addition to opening Siri to developers, Apple is also bringing some of its language processing technology to a revamped QuickType keyboard. This should make QuickType, which provides auto-complete suggestions while typing, more effective and useful.
Apple is also stepping up its game with HomeKit, providing a single app that can be used to manage HomeKit-compatible devices. This is a welcome addition, particularly given that HomeKit got off to a slow start after its introduction two years ago. The user iterface for HomeKit shown during the keynote appears to be well designed, easy to manage and able to work across Apple devices.
Also getting big changes is the Photos app (the capabilities of which extend across devices). With deep-learning technology, Apple brings features like facial recognition to Photos. (This isn't a first; Apple introduced face recognition and tagging several years ago in iPhoto for Mac, the precursor to today's Photos on the Mac.) In addition to faces, Photos can detect objects, locations and other data in an image. That information can then be used to organize photos automatically and to group related images in a new feature called Memories. Photos can also automatically compile movies out of photos and videos.
All of these features, like many of those highlighted by Apple execs, show a real depth of thought in terms of how people use their devices.
Speaking of highly personal content, Apple repeatedly touted its efforts to protect privacy. With apps like Photos, the company was clear to note that all processing of images, including faces and locations, is done of the device itself, not in the cloud. Apple also pointedly noted that communication services like iMessage or FaceTime use end-to-end encryption. Similar pledges were made about Continuity and HomeKit. All of this underscores Apple's commitment to privacy as a serious competitive advantage and shows it has no intention of backing down from that commitment.
Evolution and integration
As I said at the start, evolution and integration are the two words I'd use to best sum up Monday's announcements. Despite repeated claims that Apple can't significantly further innovate across its platforms -- particularly the iPhone -- this year's WWDC keynote demonstrates that the company can innovate and evolve its platforms and the products that run them. It also show that Apple intends to continue building an ever closer ecosystem of devices, platforms and apps with the aim of providing the best, most seamless computing experience it can.


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The United States of America, acting through its attorneys, charges:
1. ZEON CHEMICALS L.P. is made a defendant on the charge stated below.
2. Beginning on or about May 14, 2002 and continuing until on or about December 31, 2002, defendant and co-conspirators participated in a combination and conspiracy to suppress and eliminate competition by increasing and maintaining the price of acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber ("NBR") sold in the United States and elsewhere. The combination and conspiracy engaged in by the defendant and co-conspirators was in unreasonable restraint of interstate and foreign trade and commerce in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act (15 U.S.C. § 1).
3. The charged combination and conspiracy consisted of a continuing agreement, understanding, and concert of action among the defendant and co-conspirators, the substantial term of which was to suppress and eliminate competition by increasing and maintaining the price of NBR in the United States and elsewhere.
4. For the purpose of forming and carrying out the charged combination and conspiracy, the defendant and co-conspirators did those things that they combined and conspired to do, including, among other things:
5. The defendant is an entity organized and existing under the laws of the state of Delaware, with its principal place of business in Louisville, Kentucky. During the period covered by this Information, the defendant and its subsidiaries sold NBR in the United States and elsewhere.
6. Various corporations and individuals, not made defendants in this Information, participated as co-conspirators in the offense charged herein and performed acts and made statements in furtherance of it.
7. Whenever in this Information reference is made to any act, deed, or transaction of any corporation, the allegation means that the corporation engaged in the act, deed, or transaction by or through its officers, directors, employees, agents, or other representatives while they were actively engaged in the management, direction, control, or transaction of its business or affairs.
8. NBR is used to manufacture, among other things, hoses, belting, cable, o-rings, seals, adhesives, and sealants.
9. During the period covered by this Information, the defendant and co-conspirators manufactured, sold, and distributed NBR in a continuous and uninterrupted flow of interstate and foreign trade and commerce to customers located in states or countries other than the states or countries in which the defendant and co-conspirators produced NBR.
10. The business activities of the defendant and co-conspirators that are the subject of this Information were within the flow of, and substantially affected, interstate trade and commerce.
11. The combination and conspiracy charged in this Information was carried out, in part, in the United States within the five years preceding the filing of this Information.
Dated: January 12, 2005

subset: commoncrawl


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As Everyone requested I added the Sri Lankan Holiday calendar for 2018 . This will allow you to add the Sri Lanka Holidays Calendar 2018 to your digital calendar (Most of the online digital calendars that we use these days don't have in built option to add the holiday calendar for Sri Lanka). Download ICS format 2018 Sri Lankan Holiday Calendar
Adding to office365
- Add calendar
- From file (don't go to holiday calendar, Sri Lanka is not available there)
- Select file to upload and a calendar that holidays will be added (Create a separate new calendar is recommended. Use RED color)
- Save
Download here : 2018 Sri Lankan Holiday Calendar


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17 Dec 2014
CFO one-on-one with Craig Drummond
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Phil McCann speaks with the Group Executive, Finance and Strategy at National Australia Bank
Craig Drummond is the Group Executive, Finance and Strategy at National Australia Bank (NAB), one of Australia's 4 major banks and Australia's largest bank (by assets). NAB also ranks in the top 25 of world banks by market capitalisation. In Australia, NAB has several well respected brands such as MLC, JB Were, NAB Private Wealth and in New Zealand, BNZ.
Prior to joining NAB, Craig spent four years as the Chief Executive and Country Head of Bank of America Merrill Lynch Australia. Craig previously held the role of Chief Executive Officer Goldman Sachs JBWere. I began working with Craig at that time.
Having just completed your anniversary in the Group CFO role with NAB, has the role panned out to your expectations?
There have been many challenges, some good and some not so good, but the great majority of my first year has been very positive. Most things were expected but there have been a few surprises, such as the appointment of a new Chief Executive. Also, the regulatory environment is changing rapidly both in Australia and internationally, which brings a new set of issues.
It seems you inherited a lot of challenges, including the legacy of your international businesses. Has reviewing this strategy been one of your key priorities.
We have announced some key steps for reducing exposure to our international businesses. In the US we have sold down our stake in Great Western Bank and in the UK our exit strategy is clear for Yorkshire and Clydesdale Banks and we have a engaged a couple of global investment banks to assist with this strategy. We also recently announced the exit of £1.2 billion of higher risk loans from the UK Commercial Real Estate portfolio, delivering on the strategy we outlined in October. Our strategy is to sharpen our focus on our core businesses in Australia and New Zealand.
Having led the merger between JB Were and Goldman Sachs Australia, your potential role in leading a change of culture at NAB was signalled when you first commenced. Is this eventuating?
Absolutely, cultural change has been a key priority for me and for the CEO Andrew Thorburn. Our strategy is to make every bank employee, from the top down, more accountable. Secondly, we are reinforcing the bank's performance based culture. This doesn't happen overnight and cultural change is an evolution. A good example of this change is demonstrated with our most recent round of performance payments. We recently announced 60% on-target bonus payments to the entire NAB population. The leadership team, however, only received 40% on-target bonus and the CEO received 20%.
What would you regard as your career highlight?
Becoming Group CFO of NAB would definitely be the stand out. It is a job I have wanted for some time with a bank I have always had the greatest respect for. Besides this, the instrumental role I played in the merger between JB Were and Goldman Sachs is a key highlight. It is somewhat ironic that the JB Were business is now a key part of NAB.
What sets you apart from other CFO's
Whilst I could talk about the strategic and cultural aspects I bring to the role of CFO, for me the most important attribute is my attention to detail. I had a very strong grounding in forensic analysis gained from my early training with KPMG. This was honed with my exposure to business analysis at both Goldman Sachs and Bank of America Merrill Lynch. If a CFO has a thorough attention to detail a lot of the fundamentals are taken care of, allowing more informed focus on strategy.
What do you believe are the 3 top skills a CFO should possess?
Above all else and along the lines of my previous answer, a CFO must be numerate. They need to understand the '101 of Financial Management' ie. capital, liquidity and balance sheet analysis.
Secondly, strategic capability is very important. The CFO role is far more strategic today.
Finally, a very underrated but essential attribute is the ability to communicate with people at all levels. My role entails working with people across the entire business and so you need to develop those relationships and convince all of the stakeholders to commit to and share in the objectives, whether they represent either a cultural or operational change.
Were your skills easily transferrable from investment banking?
I believe I brought a fresh perspective coming into NAB from an investment banking background. I have a very strong commercial focus and many years' experience identifying attractive businesses, based on sound fundamentals. Sure, I had things to learn about retail banking but everyone has things to learn. It is very rare to have somebody who ticks every box and is a perfect match for a role.
What things keep you awake at night?
I try not to worry too much and I am pretty good at leaving my work behind when I leave the office each day. However, a bank CFO is always thinking about issues concerning the bank's credit and market risk, as well as liquidity.
The Australian economy was recently reported as slowing faster than expected. What is your outlook and how exposed are the major banks this time around?
The Australian economy is in relatively good shape and, barring any major shocks, my outlook for the country for next 20 years is generally very positive. If you consider our AAA rating, a great quality of life, as well as a strong outlook for population growth in Australia and combine these factors with consistent growth in Asia, Australia is still the envy of many around the world. There is so much opportunity here.
As well as this, a falling currency will help to "paper up any structural weaknesses" in the medium term. If there were to be any shocks or downside risks, the global economy is much better placed than during the GFC, given the greater liquidity.


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Tennis News: Wimbledon to allocate prize money despite cancellation
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Wimbledon will pay out $12.5 million in prize money to 620 players despite the tournament's cancellation because of the coronavirus pandemic, the All England Club said Friday.
After consulting with its insurance provider, club officials said 256 players who would have competed in the main draw will each receive 25,000 pounds ($31,000), while 224 players who would have competed in qualifying will each receive 12,500 pounds ($15,600).
"Immediately following the cancellation of The Championships, we turned our attention to how we could assist those who help make Wimbledon happen," All England Club chief executive Richard Lewis said.
In addition, 120 players who would have competed in doubles will each receive 6,250 pounds ($7,800); 16 players who would have competed in the wheelchair events will each receive 6,000 pounds ($7,500); and four players who would have competed in the quad wheelchair events will each receive 5,000 pounds ($6,200).
"We know these months of uncertainty have been very worrying for these groups, including the players, many of whom have faced financial difficulty during this period and who would have quite rightly anticipated the opportunity to earn prize money at Wimbledon based on their world ranking," Lewis said.
The pandemic forced officials to cancel the tournament for the first time since 1945.
"We are pleased that our insurance policy has allowed us to recognize the impact of the cancellation on the players and that we are now in a position to offer this payment as a reward for the hard work they have invested in building their ranking to a point where they would have gained direct entry into The Championships 2020," Lewis said.
The club also announced that the grass court seeding formula used since 2002 "has served its time."
Beginning in 2021, seeding for the men's singles draw will be based solely on ranking, the club said, but there will be no change to the method of seeding for the women.


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Survey Finds Seniors Satisfied With Medicare Part D
The national survey of 2,363 seniors, which was conducted by Medicare Today, found 90 percent are satisfied with their Medicare prescription drug coverage.
CQ HealthBeat: Don't Mess With Medicare Part D, Say Analysts
Ninety percent of seniors are satisfied with the Medicare Part D prescription drug program, according to a new health care poll, and a trio of policy analysts whose views range from right-leaning to centrist said Wednesday that lawmakers should not change it. Representatives of the Healthcare Leadership Council, the Galen Institute and The Third Way said that they hope lawmakers will not pass adjustments such as allowing the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate drug prices with manufacturers, a process now done by companies administering the plans, or imposing rebates used in Medicaid on the Medicare drug program (Adams, 10/3).
Politico Pro: Survey: High Satisfaction With Medicare Part D
The debate may be raging over Medicare in the race for the White House — but a new survey points out that one part of it, Medicare Part D, has both positive results and bipartisan support. And health experts from Third Way, the Galen Institute and the Healthcare Leadership Council say the program's success means that during sequester negotiations lawmakers should keep their hands off the Medicare prescription drug benefit. David Kendall, senior fellow for health and fiscal policy at Third Way, said on a call with reporters that the Medicare prescription drug benefit was a key example of successful bipartisanship because it was "enacted by Republicans and perfected by Democrats" (Smith, 10/3).
Modern Healthcare: Polls Find Seniors Happy With Part D
Seniors are as satisfied with the Medicare drug program as they have been at any point in the past six years, according to an annual tracking poll (PDF). A national survey of 2,363 seniors found 90% are satisfied with their Medicare Part D coverage, which matches the previous highest satisfaction level found by the annual survey conducted since 2006 by Medicare Today and KRC Research. Medicare Today is a nonprofit advocacy group that provides educational information to Medicare beneficiaries (Daly, 10/3).


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by David Crane defrev at gmail dot com All photographic images contained in this article were taken by DefenseReview.com at AUSA Winter Symposium 2007, and they are the exclusive property of DefenseReview.com. DefenseReview.com owns the copyright on these photos. All photos were shot with a 7.2-megapixel Sony Cyber-shot digital camera (Model #: DSC-P150). March 7, 2008 While DefenseReview was walking …Read More »
Tag Archives: 7290m
Combined Tactical Systems, Inc. (CTS) 7290M Mini-Flash-Bang/Tactical Grenade
by David Crane defrev at gmail dot com May 11, 2004 Combined Tactical Systems, Inc. (CTS) is currently developing a mini-flash-bang (mini-tactical grenade) called the 7290M. The 7290M will be roughly half the size of their standard 7290 flash-bang/tactical grenade, but it will deliver the same amount of sound and flash (candela output). Pretty impressive. The standard 7290 flash bang …Read More »


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The General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye,yesterday, addressed the recent tithe controversy that has been generating series of arguments on the social media by advising Christians especially his members on the dangers attached to none compliance to paying of tithe.
In his sermon ,Pastor Adeboye asked the congregation to avoid divine curse like a plaque by pleasing God and also in paying of their tithe.
Adeboye Enumerating secrets of breaking forth, used the opportunity to react to controversial online personality, Daddy Freeze who said no Nigerian Prophet, Pastor or General Overseer is qualified to receive tithes from their members.According to Freeze, tithe was meant to be eaten with our families in the house of God, it is biblical to use your tithe and buy beer and drink in the house of God. Adeboye however debunked Freeze's opinion saying 'even mad people will not come to church to drink alcohol'.
He said
"Avoid divine curse like a plaque, somebody show me something on the internet on the question of paying tithe or not and the fellow said tithe is suppose to be used to buy alcohol and drink in the church. "Now you know who is talking, even mad people will not come to church to drink alcohol, no matter how crazy that fellow is, asked him to come to church and drink beer, he will tell you that he is not that crazy, because even in his madness, he knows that it is the house of God and he will refuse to do such thing. But this fellow said otherwise that tithe ought to be used to drink alcohol.
"I know who is talking and I did not want to worry myself about such person. But please do not let anybody get you into trouble by attracting God's curse to yourself, please pay your tithe." "I have said it before and I will say it again and again, if your physical father curse you, it can be cancel by your spiritual father, if your spiritual father curse you it can be cancel by the general overseer, if your general overseer curse you, you can fast and pray to your father in heaven but it God curses you, where will you go, he asked.


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Madoff: 'JPMorgan knew'
BUTNER, N.C. — The financial world was stunned to learn in 2008 of Bernard Madoff's years-long, multi-billion dollar Ponzi scheme.
But according to Madoff, one Wall Street bank knew long before then that something was wrong — and chose not to do anything.
"JPMorgan knew it," he said as part of a wide-ranging interviewlast week at a medium-security prison here, where Madoff is serving a 150-year sentence after pleading guilty in March 2009 to massive investment and securities fraud that devastated thousands of clients.
JPMorgan Chase served as Madoff's bank for more than two decades and its role in his infamous Ponzi scheme has been the subject of intense interest to both federal authorities and investors who were victims of his fraud.
( Also on POLITICO: Bernie Madoff speaks: Politics, remorse and Wall Street)
Earlier this year, the bank struck a more than $2 billion settlement with government agencies over its relationship with the disgraced ex-investor. The charges focused on the bank's alleged failure to have anti-money laundering controls in place to catch shady deals like those executed by Madoff. When the settlement was announced in January, a JPMorgan spokesman said that none of the bank's employees knowingly assisted Madoff's scheme.
"We recognize we could have done a better job pulling together various pieces of information and concerns about Madoff from different parts of the bank over time," spokesman Brian Marchiony said.
As the perpetrator of the largest financial fraud in U.S. history, Madoff's credibility, to say the least, is questionable.
But a group of shareholders is hoping to prove — with Madoff's help — that the bank knew more about his shady dealings than it has admitted.
Last month, they filed a lawsuit in the Southern District Court of New York against current and former JPMorgan executives. The complaint alleges that the bank was "uniquely positioned for 20 years to see Madoff's crimes and put a stop to them" and that top executives "chose to turn a blind eye" to his behavior.
( PHOTOS: Madoff's Ponzi fallout)
Thirteen individuals are named as defendants, including Dimon; Walter Shipley, the former CEO of Chemical Bank, which was a JPMorgan predecessor; and Robert Lipp, a former JPMorgan board member and adviser. In the lawsuit, Shipley and Lipp are accused of having directly raised concerns with Madoff about his business practices.
Lipp did not respond to requests for comment, and Shipley could not be reached.
Madoff is working with the shareholders' lawyers and his claims are central to the lawsuit. He said he plans to continue cooperating with lawyers to help strengthen their case.
In the interview, Madoff argued that JPMorgan for years had access to not only his financial information, but those of some of his biggest clients, such as the late real estate investor Norman Levy.
"They saw a disconnect between information I was providing and what Levy provided," Madoff said. "They chose to turn a blind eye because Levy was too big of a client, as well."
According to Madoff, there were "constant" confrontations with senior JPMorgan executives over a period of about 10 years. Madoff claims that the bank ultimately never cut ties with him because he brought in too much profit for the bank.
Madoff declined to provide more specifics or to name the executives who raised concerns, but said some "reached up to the upper levels of the bank." He also said he had "no relationship" with JPMorgan's current CEO, Jamie Dimon.
JPMorgan declined to comment on Madoff's latest remarks.
David Rosenfeld, a lawyer at Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP who filed the lawsuit on behalf of shareholders, said he met with Madoff for several hours in prison and that he and his colleagues have also been communicating with Madoff on the phone.
In the March 4 letter to the judge, Rosenfeld requested that an "expedited deposition" be taken from Madoff. He argued that Madoff is "the sole source of information critical to the complaint," and that his "rapidly deteriorating health" required extra urgency. In the interview, Madoff said he recently had a heart attack and is battling with kidney disease, but that the problems seem to be under control.
Rosenfeld said a hearing to consider this request is scheduled for Thursday.
Asked whether he believes Madoff is telling the truth, Rosenfeld said: "I think so."


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Your kitchen is filled with many wonderful foods and cooking tools in a variety of colors, sizes, and shapes. It is the perfect laboratory for exploring some of the first topics children learn in school: color, shape, and size. Understanding these concepts is important because your child uses them in observing, comparing, and discussing all she sees and encounters. The ability to notice, use, and voice similarities and differences are at the heart of beginning math, science, and reading skills. So take a look around your kitchen and try the ideas below, or your own, to see how many different ways you and your child can celebrate these three basic concepts with food!
Have an orange meal. One way to focus on a particular color is to have a meal all in the same color. This will help your child to not only focus on learning the name of a particular color, but also it will help her see the many different shades of a particular color. For example, not all oranges are the exact same shade! As you and your child prepare the meal, discuss the differences she notices in the colors. Are some dark and some light? Which foods have other colors mixed in? For an orange meal, consider serving macaroni and cheese, sweet potatoes, carrot sticks, and orange juice.
Bake a rainbow cake. This cake has a surprising secret!
- Make your favorite angel-food cake mix, and divide the batter into three bowls.
- Add four drops of a single food color into each bowl. (Try using the primary colors of red, yellow, and blue.)
- Randomly drop the colored batter by big spoonfuls into a prepared cake food pan, and bake according to package directions.
- Ask a question: What will the cake will look like when it comes out of the oven? The surprise is that at first the cake looks brown (and thus a bit disappointing). But when you and your child carefully cut the cake (with a serrated knife, in a sawing movement), you both will see how the colors mixed to make a rainbow inside. Beautiful!
Make green eggs and ham. Add a few drops of green food coloring to scrambled eggs. Do the green scrambled eggs taste different than yellow scrambled eggs?
Be a color scientist. Compare the taste of brown rice versus white rice; orange sweet potato versus white potato; and red grapes versus green grapes. Do the different colors have different tastes?
Eat a square meal. We have all heard of the importance of eating a square meal of healthy foods, but why not have a really "square" meal? Serve waffles (big and little squares) with a side dish of pineapple chunks for breakfast. Have a snack of square cheese slices on square crackers placed on a square napkin. As you are preparing and enjoying your meals, ask your child to notice the similarities and differences between the different squares. Help her notice that all the squares have four sides, but can be various sizes. For a fun challenge, give your child a slice of pre-wrapped American cheese. As she unwraps it, ask her how she can fold her cheese square into a triangle (point to point).
Make shape kebobs. Patterning is an important part of learning how to use shapes mathematically. Experiences with patterns help your child understand the concept of a number line. You and your child can use stick skewers to make a repeating shape kebab pattern with square pineapple cubes, banana rounds, and triangles cut out of melon pieces. Ask your child to say the shape names as you skewer your fruit kebabs, repeating the "square-circle-triangle" pattern along the stick. Voicing the pattern helps your child hear and feel the pattern, as well as see it.
Use cookie cutters for tea sandwiches. Celebrate all shapes by using shaped cookie cutters (in a heart, circle, and so on) to make sandwiches for a dainty tea party. Spread bread with cream cheese, and use the cutters to cut the bread into different sandwich shapes. Try mixing shapes by topping the sandwiches with differently shaped toppings, such as a cucumber or tomato slice on square bread, or a triangle of cheese cut from a square on a round sandwich. Talk about the shape names as you prepare the sandwiches. How is a triangle different from a square? How is a circle different from both of them?
Bake little, medium, and big cookies. Use graduated-size (small, medium, large) star-shaped cookie cutters to make simple sugar cookies from your favorite recipe. Ask your child to line up the cookies for icing in the order of their size. You will be asking her to use the math skill of seriating — core to understanding the number line. Ask your child, "What size is this cookie? Which is the largest cookie?"
You bake big, she bakes small. When you bake cakes or breads, double your recipe so that you can use your regular-sized pan and your child can use mini tins or loaf pans. Invite her stuffed animal friends, and share a big and little meal together! Ask a question: Does food in different sizes taste different?
Have a taste test to compare foods in various sizes, such as regular and cherry tomatoes, miniature squash and normal-sized squash, or small, medium, and large pretzels. Ask, "How do they taste? Which do you like best?"
Eat by Color
- tomatoes
- red-skinned potatoes
- ketchup
- red peppers
- strawberries
- tomato sauce
- baby beets
- carrots
- sweet potatoes
- acorn squash
- oranges
- cantaloupe
- mango juice
- crackers
- yellow beans
- yellow squash
- tiny (Chinese) corn
- bananas
- corn muffins
- eggs
- cheese
- salad greens
- peas
- broccoli flowers
- celery
- limes
- olives
- pasta
- mashed potatoes
- vanilla ice cream
- bread
- peeled apples


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Rules of entry and stay
According to the current legislation of Afghanistan, citizens of all countries need a visa to enter.
- Duly completed and signed visa application form
- Note: The Afghanistan visa application form must be filled out in capital letters. All questions must be answered. No question should be left unanswered. If the question is not applicable, you should enter "N/A" as the answer. The visa application form must be notarized, especially around the signature/area
- One photo of standard passport size
- Valid passport
- Note: You should send the original passport - a copy is not accepted. The validity of the signed passport must exceed 6 months to apply for a visa. A visa will not be issued with a validity period of less than 6 months. Must contain a sufficient number of blank pages of the visa. Visas are stamped on the blank "Visa" pages of your passport. The pages with changes (clearly marked as such) on the back of the applicant's passport are not accepted for visa issuance. If the applicant's passport does not meet these requirements, you must update your passport or obtain a new one before applying for a visa
- An itinerary from a registered travel agency in Afghanistan, including information about flights, accommodation addresses and places to be visited;
- Letter of invitation
- Letter of approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The host country must request a letter of approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A copy of this approval must be submitted with the visa application
- A personal statement explaining the purpose of the visit and confirming the risks associated with traveling to Afghanistan
- Proof of residence/address (e.g., a copy of your photo ID with photo and address, a copy of your current driver's license, a copy of your utility bill, provided it shows your name and address. For minors (under the age of 18), both parents must provide proof of residence/address
- A copy of the minor's birth certificate
- A copy of both parents' driver's licenses and passports
- The application form must be signed by both parents or legal guardian
- One of the parents must be an Afghan citizen
- A copy of the child's passport
- Birth certificate of the child with the names of both parents
- A copy of the parent's passport
- A copy of the mother's passport
- An application completed, dated and signed by both parents;
- Download, print and fill out the application form
- Prepare all the necessary documents
- Book an appointment (usually this can be done online, but it will depend on the embassy to which you apply)
- Attend an interview at the embassy
- Get a visa with a stamp in your passport
- Download, print and fill out the application form
- Prepare all necessary documents, including a pre-paid return envelope with your address
- Send everything to the embassy
- Wait until you receive your passport in the mail with a visa inside
- expenses for emergency medical care
- emergency medical evacuation/repatriation
- political and natural disasters
- kidnapping, robbery, piracy and unlawful detention;
- personal accident
- assessment of post-traumatic stress disorder/counseling after a covered hostile event
Transit rules
If the applicant is passing through Afghanistan on his/her way to another country, a visa will be required along with a letter of intent. This letter must indicate the duration of stay and the place of visit if the applicant leaves the airport. This visa is valid for up to 3 days.
Entry with pets
Cats and dogs that meet the following requirements are not quarantined in Afghanistan. All requirements also apply to service animals and emotional support animals:
1. Microchip for a pet: Afghanistan does not require a pet to be identified with a pet microchip. Still, it is recommended that you microchip your pet and register your contact information before traveling to identify it in case your pet gets lost. If the pet does not have a registered microchip, you should ensure that the animals wear identification tags with the owner's contact information.
2. Vaccination: the animal must be vaccinated against rabies from 21 days to one year before entering the country. Dogs must be vaccinated against distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis and parvovirus. Cats must be vaccinated against viral rhinotracheitis, panleukopenia and feline leukemia.
3. Rabies titer test: a rabies titer test is not required to enter Afghanistan from any country.
4. Health Certificate: A USDA (or CFIA) accredited veterinarian must complete a veterinary certificate for Afghanistan for USDA or CFIA validation if the animal is traveling from the United States or Canada. If the tourist is not traveling from any of these countries, the government authority responsible for the import and export of pets must approve the forms. The certificate must be filled out 10 days before the trip.
5. Import permit. An import permit is not required when entering Afghanistan with a personal pet.
6. Treatment from ticks: treatment for ticks is not mandatory before entering Afghanistan but is recommended due to the prevalence of these diseases in the country.
7. Entering Afghanistan by air: pets must enter Afghanistan as air cargo through Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. To transport an animal, you will need an IATA-compliant animal crate. Veterinary staff should be notified to examine the animal after boarding. Dogs and cats must show no signs of disease that can be transmitted to humans when inspected at the airport of entry. If the dog or cat is in poor health, an additional examination by a licensed veterinarian may be required at the owner's expense.
8. Prohibited breeds: Afghanistan does not publish a list of prohibited breeds.
Emergency numbers
Information for motorists
- The minimum driving age is 18 years. The minimum rental age is 21 years.
- Anyone driving a vehicle on public streets or highways in Afghanistan must carry a valid, unexpired driver's license.
- If a foreigner has never held a driver's license in any state or country, they must pass a knowledge and vision test, apply for a learner's permit, and pass a road test.
- Driving in Afghanistan requires a document called a road permit or Afghan vehicle entry permit. This document can be issued by the consulate or embassy where the foreigner makes his Afghan visa. A travel ticket to Afghanistan costs 100 USD.
- Along with the money (to be paid in a local bank), a form should be filled out and a written statement of what the applicant will be doing in the country (indicate the purpose of coming to Afghanistan).
Customs Regulations
It is forbidden:
- Obscene literature
- Alcohol over 2 liters, exceptions for personal consumption for commercial air passengers
- Recorded VCR tapes and other films
- Parlor video games or parts thereof
- Goods in commercial quantities
- A permit is also required for antiques, carpets, furs and photographic film.
- Dogs and other animals imported into the country will require a rabies vaccination certificate before being granted entry.
- Up to 50,000 AFA in local currency can be taken out of the country. Foreign currency must be equal to the amount imported and declared. For amounts over AFA 1,000,000, an "Ansari Application Form" is required.
More detailed information can be found at the link: https://www.kabul-int-airport.com/en/customs_kabul_airport.php
Practical tips from experienced tourists
How to get a visa to Taliban Afghanistan?
Before the Taliban came to power in 2021, you could get an Afghan visa at almost any embassy around the world, but now the situation has changed as there are only a few embassies and consulates that can issue you a valid visa that is also recognized by the Taliban:
- Islamabad (Pakistan)
- Peshawar (Pakistan)
- Dubai (United Arab Emirates)
- Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates)
- Dushanbe (Tajikistan)
- Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan)
Travel permits for Afghanistan
To travel in Afghanistan, you will need a special permit from the Taliban.
If you're traveling on an organized tour, you don't have to worry about anything as your local representative will take care of it, but independent travelers will have to get it on their own, which in our experience is not so easy to do.
Your travel permit must specify all the provinces of Afghanistan that you will visit.
However, it should only list the provinces you plan to stay in, not those you are just passing through.
For example, if you want to visit Bamiyan from Kabul, you will inevitably pass through Wardak province, but you don't necessarily need a permit to do so because you will just be passing through.
For each province you visit, you will have to pay 1000 AFN, which is about 12 USD.
This permit is absolutely necessary, and many Taliban will demand it at checkpoints.
Budget, money and spending in Afghanistan
In Afghanistan, the currency is called the Afghanistan (AFN) and is approximate:
Paying by card in Afghanistan
You can withdraw money from an ATM, but you won't be able to pay with a card anywhere in Afghanistan, so have cash with you for the trip.
How much does a trip to Afghanistan cost?
Everyday life in Afghanistan is cheap, but domestic flights and accommodation add up to a lot.
How much does food and drink cost in Afghanistan?
- Breakfast at a local restaurant (usually consists of eggs, bread and tea) - 100 AFS
- Lunch at a local restaurant (usually palau rice, kebab, etc.) - 200-300 AFS
- Food in a mid-range restaurant - 400-600 AFS
How much does transportation cost in Afghanistan?
- Domestic one-way flight - 60-120 USD
- Taxis within the city - 50 AFN for short trips. Up to 200-250 AFN for longer trips.
- Taxi for half a day in Kabul - I once hired a driver in Kabul for the morning to take me to a few different places I had in mind. He charged me 20 US dollars for that.
Taxi from the airport to the city center - 500 AFN in Kabul, 300-400 AFN in Herat or Mazar-e-Sharif.
- One way taxi to Bamiyan - 75 USD
- Round trip taxi to Panjshir - 50 USD
- Local bus within the city - 5 AFN
Is there Wi-Fi in Afghanistan?
In big cities, Wi-Fi is unreliable, but if you need it for work, it's not enough.
How to get a SIM card in Afghanistan?
To buy a SIM card, you'll have to go to one of the official branches, which are usually open from 8 am to 4 pm.
There are many mobile companies operating in Afghanistan, including Afghan Telecom, Afghan Wirless, Etisalat, MTN, Roshan and Salaam.
VPN for traveling in Afghanistan
You should always use a VPN when traveling, especially when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks.
Your connection will be much more secure. In addition, you will be able to access content that is usually censored in Afghanistan.
I recommend ExpressVPN - it's extremely easy to use, fast, and cheap.
Written by Joan Torres
June 28, 2023
Source: https://againstthecompass.com/en/travel-afghanistan/#5
Embassy Contacts
Embassies of Afghanistan in different countries can be found here: https://www.embassy-worldwide.com/country/afghanistan/
Entering Afghanistan as Swiss Citizen
The simultaneous stay of visitors in the hotel lobby not more than one person per 10 square meters of serviceable area is allowed.
Persons can visit hotels and stay there (outside hotel room) only if they wear respirator or face mask (including homemade mask), so that the nose and mouth are covered.
Hotel guests are obliged to keep the 1.5 meters distance.
Online check-in making in advance is recommended to avoid queues at check-in to hotel.
Meals in hotels are provided through meals delivery service to rooms upon prior order or at hotel restaurants situated inside or in open areas, provided the distance of at least 1.5 meters between seats at adjacent tables.
Not more than 4 clients are allowed to stay at the table (excluding children under 14 years old). Unless these tables are separated by a special partition;
Self-serve is not allowed.
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Published in collaboration with The American Independent
Corporate foundations have given millions to the Boy Scouts of America and its subdivisions in recent years despite that organization's policy of excluding gays and lesbians. Many of those same foundations have policies against giving to organizations that discriminate based on sexual orientation.
Twenty-three of the top 50 corporate foundations, ranked by the Foundation Center in terms of total charitable giving, gave at least $10,000 each to the Boy Scouts in 2010, the most recent year for which data was available for most companies. Combined, they gave about $3.6 million.
Many household names are among the donors. The Intel Foundation gave the most -- about $700,000 in 2010. The Verizon Foundation donated more than $300,000, and big banks -- such as Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank, and Bank of America -- each gave more than $100,000.
Most of the corporate foundations refused to give definitive answers about whether they would continue supporting the Boy Scouts in the wake of the organization's announcement that it would maintain its exclusionary policy. But one company, UPS, told The American Independent that the policy would not impact its donations to the Boy Scouts, which totaled close to $167,000 in 2010.
On July 17, the national Boy Scouts executive committee announced that a secret 11-member committee had decided to reaffirm the group's exclusion of "homosexuals." That group had been meeting since 2010.
The policy that was reaffirmed states: "While the BSA does not proactively inquire about the sexual orientation of employees, volunteers, or members, we do not grant membership to individuals who are open or avowed homosexuals or who engage in behavior that would become a distraction to the mission of the BSA."
The Boy Scouts have been kicking gay members out of the organization since at least the late-1970s. In 1978, the group formalized its ban on allowing gays to have leadership positions in the scouts. "We do not believe that homosexuality and leadership in Scouting are appropriate," the policy stated.
The Boy Scouts reiterated the policy in 1991 after a gay scout in New Jersey came out on local television. That young man, James Dale, later sued the organization for discrimination, a case the Boy Scouts won at the U.S. Supreme Court in 2000. In a 5-4 vote, the majority of justices decided that the Boy Scouts' First Amendment right to "expressive association" allows the group to exclude members it does not want.
The policy excluding gay scouts was rewritten into its current form in 2004. The ban includes gay Boy Scout members, volunteers, and employees.
Ahead of the July announcement, the Boy Scouts had come under increasing pressure to change the policy. In April, a voting member of the Boy Scouts introduced a resolution to change the membership policy at the National Annual Meeting.
In May, Jennifer Tyrrell, a den mother from Ohio who was ousted last spring for being a lesbian, and Zach Wahls, an Eagle Scout with two moms, offered the Boy Scouts National Annual Meeting a petition with 275,000 names urging a change to the policy.
Corporate giving
Corporate foundations are major donors to the Boy Scouts of America and its subdivisions, such as regional councils and local troops. The American Independent reviewed the tax filings of the top 50 corporate foundations as ranked by the Foundation Center in terms of giving during 2010. Twenty-three provided at least $10,000 to the Boy Scouts; many of those same foundations also have policies that prohibit giving to organizations that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.
These foundations had three methods of directing funds to the Boy Scouts. Some gave direct grants to the Boy Scouts. Some companies have a matching program and give a certain amount to an organization based on an individual employee's donation. At times, that program was through the United Way. Some foundations also gave through volunteer programs, granting funds to an organization based on the number of hours individual employees volunteered for them.
The Boy Scouts, which claim more than 2.7 million youth members and more than one million adult members, have a complicated organizational structure. The National Council of the Boy Scouts of America governs scouting across the country and provides support to 295 local councils, which oversee scouting in their geographic area. Individual scouting units (Boy Scout troops and Cub Scout packs, for example) are operated by faith-based, civic, and educational organizations.
Corporate foundations gave to every level of the Boy Scouts infrastructure, though the bulk of the donations appear to have gone to regional councils and individual local troops rather than to the national headquarters.
A few Boy Scout troops and councils have publicly stated that they are refusing to comply with the national Boy Scouts of America policy of excluding gays from the organization. (In the past, the national organization has reportedly threatened to revoke the charters of Boy Scout entities that violate the policy.) In some cases, it was unclear to which Boy Scout entity the foundations gave. For example, the Wells Fargo Foundation's tax documents only listed "Boy Scouts of America" with no additional information.
Most of the corporations contacted by The American Independent would not directly say whether the Boy Scouts' affirmation of its discriminatory policy would impact grant funding. The UPS Foundation, however, indicated there would be no change in the in its grant-making. UPS gave around $167,000 to various Boy Scout entities in 2010, including $100,000 to the national organization and $30,000 to the Boy Scouts' Atlanta Area Council. That council confirmed to TAI that it follows the national policy on sexual orientation.
In a statement to TAI, UPS International Public Relations Manager Kristen Petrella said the Boy Scouts' decision to affirm their policy excluding "open or avowed homosexuals" will not change the company's funding choices.
"This decision has not and will not impact The UPS Foundation's decision to provide funding to BSA although we evaluate each funding request on an individual basis," said Petrella. "UPS has always supported and will continue to support youth development. A large number of UPS employees were involved with the Boy Scouts in their youth and some of them continue to serve as scout leaders today. UPS believes in supporting organizations with which its employees are involved."
Petrella noted that the foundation has supported LGBT groups. "UPS believes in supporting all aspects of diversity. We support dozens of organizations regardless of race, gender, gender identity or sexual preference such as the Human Rights Campaign, and Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. In 2011, The UPS Foundation funded diversity-related projects totaling US $7 million to 173 organizations across the country."
The UPS Foundation gave $100,000 to the Human Rights Campaign and $50,000 to PFLAG in 2010, and the corporation has an employee non-discrimination policy that covers sexual orientation.
Intel and the LDS Church
Intel -- the Boy Scouts' largest donor among the corporations surveyed -- has an explicit policy of not giving to groups that discriminate.
That policy, which applies to competitive grants, states that the Intel Foundation will not fund "organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran or disability status."
The Intel Foundation also has a volunteer matching program that donates funds to a charity based an employee's volunteer hours. That program has a similar policy. It says that the foundation disqualifies "organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, veteran, or disability statuses" from the grant program.
Yet, according to tax documents, the Intel Foundation gave about $700,000 to Boy Scout chapters in 2010. Those donations came exclusively through the employee volunteer matching program.
Of that, more than $320,000 went to Boy Scout troops and councils connected to the Mormon Church. TAI contacted two of the regional councils overseeing those Boy Scout troops, but those inquiries were not returned.
The LDS Church became formally affiliated with the Boy Scouts in 1913. According to figures on the Boy Scouts of America website, as of 2011, there were nearly 38,000 scouting units sponsored by the Latter Day Saints. That's nearly 34 percent of all units nationwide.
And the LDS Church, which opposes "homosexual behavior," holds sway with the Boy Scouts of America.
In a brief filed in the landmark case of Boy Scouts of America v. Dale, a lawyer for the LDS Church warned that the church would leave the scouts if gays were allowed to be scout leaders.
"If the appointment of scout leaders cannot be limited to those who live and affirm the sexual standards of BSA and its religious sponsors, the Scouting Movement as now constituted will cease to exist, " wrote Von G. Keetch on behalf of the LDS Church and several other religious organizations in 2000 (PDF). "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- the largest single sponsor of Scouting units in the United States -- would withdraw from Scouting if it were compelled to accept openly homosexual Scout leaders."
When asked about the Intel's funding policies, Intel Foundation executive director Wendy Ramage-Hawkins told TAI via email: "All organizations seeking financial support from the Intel Foundation are required to affirm their compliance with Intel's non-discrimination corporate donation policy. Organizations that cannot affirm their compliance will not receive funding from the Intel Foundation."
Intel wouldn't say whether or not it would continue to fund the Boy Scouts.
"We will know if and when they affirm our non-discrimination policy and request our support," Ramage-Hawkins said.
She later clarified that the Intel Foundation will be asking for a statement of agreement with their nondiscrimination policy in the next grant cycle but had not done so in the past.
"We have not previously asked for affirmation, so this will be the first time the question is raised," she said.
Funding discrimination
Intel isn't alone in funding the Boy Scouts despite having a policy that would appear to prohibit it.
The charitable giving arm of Aluminum producer Alcoa contributed $9,000 to the Rip Van Winkle Council of the Boy Scout in New York State (another payment of $6,000 was scheduled for 2011) and $25,000 to the "Boy Scouts of America" in 2010.
The United Way of Ulster County, New York, ended a 40-year relationship with the Rip Van Winkle Council in 2004 because it refused to sign a non-discrimination statement that included sexual orientation, according to reporting at the time.
The Alcoa Foundation's grant guidelines state that "in general" it does not make grants to "organizations whose policies or actions are inconsistent with Alcoa's non-discrimination policy."
A search of Alcoa's website did not turn up a "non-discrimination policy," but Alcoa has an equal opportunity policy that states: "Alcoa reaffirms its policy to provide equal employment opportunity in recruiting, hiring, upgrading and promotion, conditions and privileges of employment, company-sponsored training, access to facilities, educational assistance, social and recreational programs, compensation, benefits, transfers, discipline, layoffs, recalls or termination of employment to all employees without discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity / expression, veteran status, genetic information, sex or age (within statutory limits)."
The U.S. Bancorp Foundation -- the charitable arm of U.S. Bank -- gave about $143,000 in 2010, much of it through direct grants, including $78,000 in direct grants to the Western Colorado Council of the Boy Scouts of America. The rest came from an employee-matching grant program. The Western Colorado Council did not return a request for comment and has also declined other media outlets' interview requests related to the ban on gays and lesbians.
The U.S. Bancorp Foundation's website states: "The U.S. Bancorp Foundation charitable contributions program will not provide funding for ... organizations whose practices are not in keeping with the company's equal opportunity policy."
According to U.S. Bank's employee handbook (PDF):
"U.S. Bank prohibits both discrimination against and harassment of any employee or applicant, and ensures that all personnel practices are administered on individual merit and capability without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin or ancestry, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other factors identified and protected by law. These practices include, but are not limited to, recruitment, advertising, selection, performance management, compensation, training, placement, transfer, demotion, promotion, disciplinary action and termination."
The Verizon Foundation bars funding for organizations that discriminate. According to the Verizon Foundation's grant guidelines, in order to be "eligible for funding consideration, organizations must ... serve the community without discrimination on the basis of age, color, citizenship, disability, disabled veteran status, gender, race, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, military service or status or Vietnam-era veteran status."
But Verizon gave roughly $318,000 in 2010 to various Boy Scout entities.
Several other corporate foundations provided grants and funding to the Boy Scouts despite having a non-discrimination policy. GE Foundation gave about $68,000 in matching contributions to the Boy Scouts, but also has a policy (PDF) warning potential grantees that they will be ineligible if they "do not comply with GE's non-discrimination policy," which includes sexual orientation.
The Eli Lilly and Company Foundation, the charitable arm of Eli Lilly and Company pharmaceuticals, gave a $100,000 grant to the Boy Scouts' Crossroads of America Council in Indiana in 2010 as part of a $500,000 grant agreement. Lilly contributed another $30,500 to the Crossroads council and other local troops and councils in a volunteer matching program. According to Indianapolis Star columnist Ruth Holladay, the Crossroads of America Council excluded a gay parent from leadership activities in 2005 and acknowledged it adhered to the national policy. The council's spokesperson could not be reached for comment.
Yet, Eli Lilly's website states that "organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, age or religion" are "not supported by the Lilly Foundation as a matter of general policy."
Many companies did not respond to requests for information specific to their foundations, including whether they had policies that prohibit funding groups that discriminate. However, all the corporations whose foundations gave to the Boy Scouts did have employment policies that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Among those were the Pfizer Foundation, which gave about $191,000 to the Boy Scouts, and the foundation of Valero Energy, an oil refinery company in Texas, which gave roughly $189,000.
Large financial services companies also gave to the Boy Scouts in 2010. The Wells Fargo Foundation gave close to $227,000, and the Bank of America Charitable Foundation gave about $240,000 to various Boy Scout entities.
(Wells Fargo, which merged with Wachovia in 2008, also administered the Wachovia-Wells Fargo Foundation, and that foundation gave an additional $288,000 to Boy Scout entities in 2010. According to that foundation's tax documents, it has distributed 99 percent of its assets and will cease operations at the end of 2012.)
Both Wells Fargo and Bank of America had withdrawn funding for the Boy Scouts in the past.
According to an Associated Press report, Wells Fargo stopped funding the Boy Scouts in 1992 because the Boy Scouts' policy conflicted with Wells Fargo's non-discrimination policy.
That appears to have changed when Wells Fargo merged with Norwest Corp. in 1998, and area managers were charged with making funding decisions.
"Norwest saw a need to decentralize decision-making, and it was agreed to let local bank presidents decide if they want to donate to the Boy Scouts," said spokesman Larry Haeg, according to a Washington Times article published in 2000.
According to Wells Fargo spokesman Jim Nawrocki, that is the current policy of Wells Fargo. "Our position is that local leaders are in the best position to know the specific needs of their community," he told TAI in an email.
Bank of America found itself the target of dueling boycotts in the summer of 1992. An anti-gay group, the American Family Association, led the initial boycott after the bank pledged to withhold funding to the Boy Scouts because of its policy banning gays.
The AFA said that Bank of America, along with Wells Fargo and Levis Strauss, was "aggressively promoting the homosexual lifestyle." In a July 1992 press statement (PDF), AFA head Don Wildmon said, "The fact that they would penalize the Boy Scouts because they would not endorse homosexuality shows that they no longer want or desire the business of the overwhelming majority of Americans."
Republican members of Congress circulated a letter to the Bank of America urging them to restore funding.
Bank of America relented and promised to continue funding the Boy Scouts, according to press reports at the time. That move sparked a new round of boycotts, this time by the LGBT community, but the bank stayed firm in its decision. Bank of America did not respond to repeated requests for information regarding its current policy.
Other corporate foundations giving at least $10,000 to the Boy Scouts in 2010 included the Abbott Fund at about $37,000, the Caterpillar Foundation at $25,000, Illinois Tool Works Foundation gave roughly $22,000, the Dow Chemical Company Foundation at $12,000, the Nationwide Insurance Foundation at about $46,000, the Monsanto Fund at about $55,000, the PNC Foundation at about $49,000, and the Allstate Fund at $21,000. The Emerson Charitable Trust, the philanthropic arm of Emerson Electric, gave $533,000 during its fiscal year ending September 30, 2010.
Attempts were made to contact each foundation, but many went unreturned. Some foundations said they would wait until the next grant cycle to determine if the Boy Scouts qualify for funding.
Fred Solomon, vice president of corporate communications for the PNC Financial Services Group, told TAI via email: "The PNC Foundation provides support based on the strength of a group's proposal and its alignment with the foundation's priorities. Without a specific funding proposal before it, the foundation would not speculate on the potential for future support."
Kathleen Manning, public relations manager for the Monsanto Fund, said in an email statement, "No preemptive decisions to fund the group have been made and if we receive a grant request from the Boy Scouts of America again we will evaluate it at that time."
Enforcing the policy
Specific Boy Scout councils that have benefited from donations from these corporate foundations in the past have reportedly kicked out gay scouts and volunteers.
The Cradle of Liberty Council in Philadelphia voted in May 2003 to end its participation in the national policy of discrimination based on sexual orientation. But just weeks later, the council kicked out a scout named Greg Lattera after he told media outlets that he was an openly gay boy scout.
"He decided to hold a press conference to come out as a member of the gay community," William T. Dwyer, the chief executive of the council, told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "Our staff knew he was gay and never made a big deal about it. He decided to make a big deal about it. The don't-ask, don't-tell policy is pretty clear."
The Inquirer noted that the council's policy had "no mention of don't ask, don't tell."
By that summer, the council had adopted a policy that stated: "Applications for leadership and membership do not inquire into sexual orientation. However, an individual who declares himself to be a homosexual would not be permitted to join Scouting."
News outlets cited threats by the national Boy Scouts of America to revoke the council's charter if it did not revert to the national policy on gays and scouting.
The council lost hundreds of thousands in grant funding from the United Way, Pew Charitable Trusts, and William Penn Foundation after it dismissed Lattera and changed the policy. The incident also spurred the Philadelphia City Council to review a 1928 agreement that lent the Boy Scout council city land for $1 a year. In 2006, the city raised the rent from $1 to a market rate of $200,000 on the Boy Scouts after the council failed to state that it would not discriminate based on sexual orientation. The Boy Scouts sued and won the right to remain in the building. In 2010, a jury sided with the Boy Scouts on free speech grounds.
Several corporate foundations donated to the Cradle of Liberty Council in 2010. Bank of America gave $1500; Verizon gave $250; and PNC gave $150. UPS appears to have given $5000 - the foundation's tax form indicated a donation to "Boy Scouts - Cradle of" but the rest was cut off.
Other Boy Scout councils have also kicked out scouts in recent years while taking in funds from corporate foundations.
In July, a 19-year-old who had previously attained the rank of Eagle Scout in the Pony Express Council in Missouri reportedly was removed from his job at a Boy Scout camp after coming out as gay. The US Bancorp Foundation gave that council $650 in 2010.
Another Boy Scout employee was fired in late-July in California, prompting 10 of his co-workers to resign in protest. The Golden Empire Council fired Eagle Scout Tim Griffin, who was one of the most senior employees at Camp Winton. Griffin and his fellow employees claim he was fired because he is gay. A spokesperson for the council told local media that he was let go over a dress code violation and his "mannerisms and behavior," not because of his sexual orientation.
Intel gave $10,000 to the Golden Empire Council in 2010. That same year, Bank of America gave $931, Verizon gave $3,543, Monsanto gave $281, and Nationwide Insurance and Pfizer each gave $200.
In the fall of 2010, the Circle Ten Council of the Boy Scouts of America in Texas told the gay father of a Cub Scout that he could not be a member of the leadership team of his 9-year old son's pack.
Several corporate foundations have given to the Circle Ten Council. In 2010, Verizon gave $4,440, Bank of America gave $3,940, Abbott gave $225, and Pfizer gave $140.
A Louisville scout leader, Greg Bourke, was asked to resign in August from his son's troop after the Lincoln Heritage Council learned he was gay, according to the Courrier-Journal.
Bank of America gave the Lincoln Heritage Council $1,100 in 2010.
Bucking the policy
Not all scout troops and councils are abiding by the national Boy Scouts' policy.
After the Boy Scouts of America announced they were keeping the ban on gay scouts, several Boy Scout affiliates announced their opposition.
In July, an Amherst, Mass., troop sent a letter to the local papers announcing its intention to allow gay scouts.
"We want to reassure you, our friends, neighbors and colleagues, that local Boy Scouts Troop 500 in Amherst does not support BSA's policy," the letter states.
"Troop 500 invites the participation of all interested 11-to-17-year-old boys and their parents or guardians without regard to sexual orientation."
In August, a separate Massachusetts Cub Scout pack announced it would allow gays to be members and adopted a "Policy of Acceptance" that states the pack will "openly reject the national policy put forth by Boy Scouts of America barring gay boys from membership and gay or lesbian adults from serving as leaders."
Also in August, a California Cub Scout pack publicly opposed the national policy, and another troop in New York City told the Wall Street Journal that it would not discriminate against gays.
A handful of regional councils located in liberal parts of the country have also rejected the policy.
The Minuteman Council in Boston added sexual orientation to its nondiscrimination policy several years ago. Originally, the council's 2001 policy allowed gays to serve in the Boy Scouts as long as they weren't open about it. When the Boy Scouts affirmed the current policy, the council issued a statement disclosing its current nondiscrimination policy that includes openly gay scouts and leaders.
The Connecticut Rivers Council has routinely signed a statement with the United Way declaring that it will not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, according to a WTXX-TV report.
Corporate donations to those councils and troops appear to have been fairly small. In Minnesota, however, an inclusive scout council has received the bulk of funding from three of the top 50 corporate foundations.
The Northern Star Council, which covers the Twin Cities and western Wisconsin, has been inclusive for more than a decade. A spokesman for the council told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that the announcement by the national Boy Scouts would not cause that to change.
"We're a reflection of the community," spokesman Kent York told the paper. "Our commitment has been to reach out to all young people and have a positive influence."
The Northern Star Council has an "inclusive leadership program" he said.
In an interview with South Florida Gay News, York said they haven't seen any reprimand from the national Boy Scouts of America.
"We're trying hard not to be in conflict with national. We're continuing an approach which has worked in our community. This focus on sexual orientation is really outside the scope of our mission," he said. "I'm sure that there is something [national] could do about it, but fortunately we haven't found out what yet."
Minnesota's biggest corporate donors to the Boy Scouts have given much of their funding to the inclusive Northern Star Council.
General Mills, based in Minneapolis, gave $34,000 to different scout chapters through their corporate foundation in fiscal year 2010. The vast majority, $30,000, went to the Northern Star Council. In fiscal year 2009, General Mills gave $42,000 to the Scouts; again the majority of that, $40,000, went to the Northern Star Council.
"As a longstanding practice, organizations we support must sign an affirmation of nondiscrimination as a standard part of our grant making process," the General Mills Foundation told TAI in a statement.
In 2010, the 3M Foundation gave about $279,000 to various BSA chapters across the country; nearly $265,000 of that went to the Northern Star Council.
The Medtronic Foundation gave $52,000 to the Boy Scouts of America during its fiscal year ending April 30, 2010. About $27,000 of that went directly to the Northern Star Council, and another $13,000 went to individual scout troops within the Northern Star Council.
In the past, Medtronic has been sharply critical of the national Boy Scouts' exclusionary policy. In 2000, the foundation announced that its $1 million United Way contribution for the year would be directed away from the Boy Scouts of America.
"It is important that the gift reflects ... the values of our company and our commitment to nondiscrimination," Penny Hunt, former head of the foundation, told the Associated Press at the time.


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Lucky Reptile Bright Sun UVB Desert 50W
A Bright Sun UV Desert 70W offers heat and UV output comparable to a 160W mercury vapour based UV lamp but its light output is 5 times higher! This is especially important as it was impossible till now to recreate natural lighting conditions inside a terrarium. In nature a light intensity of 100.000 lux and more exists on a sunny day. Especially with desert species a high light intensity is beneficial for the well-being and will influence activity and colours of the animals. While the Bright Sun UV Desert 70W still cannot match the power of the sun with 60.000 lux at 30 cm, it is far ahead of mercury vapour UV lamps (approx. 10.000 lux), fluorescent lamps and incandescent lamps. The base for this high light output is the energy efficiency of the lamp. Most of the energy is converted into light while with incandescent lamps 95% of the input power is turned into heat. The low heat loss of the Bright Sun lamps allow the use even in small vivariums. An effective reflector construction ensures that almost all created heat is concentrated inside the light focus. The lamp is therefore able to create warm basking areas. The spectrum of the lamp is optimized for desert reptiles. Research and tests have shown that reptiles from desert regions prefer a daylight spectrum with a colour temperature of 6000K. This is achieved by the Bright Sun UV Desert. In combination with its heat, UV output and high light intensity the Bright Sun UV is practically a small sun for vivariums. Average life is 6000h, we recommend changing lamps yearly though to provide always the best lighting possible to the animals as the spectrum will change over time. This is typical for metal halide technology and also dependent on the type of ballast used. Also UV and light output will continually decrease over time. The Bright Sun will fit into standard E27 porcelain lampholder and requires a ballast like the Lucky Reptile Bright Control devices. It is possible to upgrade existing terrarium lighting setups that use E27 lampholders.


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Ever since Janet Jackson's " wardrobe malfunction" at the 2004 Super Bowl, audiences have come to expect scandal with their microwaved nachos and over-choreographed half-time shows. There was Prince's phallic guitar, the child-protection advocates' protests against The Who's Pete Townshend, and the free-speech debates over banning commercials, sparked by Moveon.org's Bush in 30 Seconds ad and quarterback Tim Tebow's pro-life spot. (Does anyone just watch the game?)
This year was no different, and even threatened to smash the record for apparent offensiveness. People were offended by Groupon's minimalizing Tibet's troubles, Homeaway.com smashing a plastic baby into a hotel window, Snickers sending a log into the side of Roseanne Barr's head, and a variety of other alleged broadsides to the public's delicate sensibilities, involving everything from gold diggers to Detroit.
But no other commercial seemed to generate as much anger as PepsiCo's "Love Hurts" spot for Pepsi Max diet soda. In it, a black women keeps her (also black) husband's diet on track by kicking him under the table at a restaurant, smashing his face into a pie, and shoving a bar of soap into his mouth. It's the dénouement that's the real doozy, however. Just as matrimonial peace is restored with a shared moment over a (wait for it) Pepsi Max, Hubby ogles a cute blonde and Wifey throws her Max at him—only he ducks and the can hits the blonde in the head instead. She topples to the ground (improbable) as the couple makes a hasty getaway, apologizing as they flee. Apparently this ad is so offensive, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) felt the need to condemn it from the floor of the House.
"It was not humorous. It was demeaning," said Jackson Lee. "An African-American woman throwing something at an African-American male and winding up hitting a Caucasian woman." And the fact that this took place during Black History Month is just another slap in the face, she insisted. "We're trying to celebrate what is good and great, it certainly seems ridiculous that Pepsi would utilize this kind of humor."
She wasn't alone in her outrage. J.C. Davies, a former Goldman Sachs analyst who authored a book titled I Got the Fever about interracial dating, told the Los Angeles Times that she didn't like to see black women characterized as nasty, negative, and controlling. "I wouldn't have been so irritated by that Pepsi commercial if it hadn't promoted such a tired, negative, unfair stereotype of black women," Davies, white, complained. Over at XX Factor, Marjorie Valbrun wrote, "It was annoying not just because of the violence but also for its depiction of a black woman as a mean, angry, emasculating shrew… The reaction of the husband/boyfriend to the friendly blonde runner in the short-shorts also raised my hackles. That pleased look on his face signaled that maybe the thin and friendly white woman was preferable to the black man's more ample and blatantly less friendly black wife/girlfriend. After all, what black man would not prefer a skinny blonde over a full-bodied black woman?"
First, I know plenty of men of all colors who'd prefer the black woman (who isn't, by the way, full-bodied—just less skinny than the blonde.) Second, when did everybody get so sensitive? This commercial had me in stitches. I certainly wasn't offended, and I get paid to be pissed off by our culture. If anything, I remember thinking it was good to see a married black couple outside of a Tyler Perry movie. It's classic marital humor—a comic sub-genre descended from sitcoms and romantic comedies that skewer sexual difference to comic effect.
If anything, I remember thinking it was good to see a married black couple outside of a Tyler Perry movie.
If kicking your husband under the table defines a mean, angry, emasculating shrew, than I am guilty as charged and a disgrace to black women everywhere. Allow me the slightest autobiography in explanation. Not long ago, my husband volunteered to shovel my parents' roof. It was a lovely thing to do, but saving his in-laws' house was no defense when he expressed doubts about my proposed safety precautions. My response? "If you take that rope off your waist, I'll come out there and kill you myself." Yes, I played into stereotype, but hurling threats is a lot more efficient than calming (and whitely?) saying, "Honey, darling, love of my life. I would be bereft and despairing if you fell and broke your neck. Please wear the rope. It may be pointless but it would soothe my agitated soul." I was trying to save a life, same as the wife in the Pepsi Max commercial. Obesity related diseases run rampant in the black community. Just being black is a risk factor for these illnesses so I say she should be applauded for her efforts, not demonized.
But there is one thing about this whole faux-fiasco that offends me: The fact that there are far worse representations of black women every day on shows hosted by Jerry Springer and Maury Povich, and we're wringing our hands over a cola commercial. Based on her reaction to the Pepsi ad, I suspect Congresswoman Lee would faint were she forced to view 10 minutes of the "Who's My Baby Daddy" DNA testing that occurs on these shows everyday. They're full of black women screaming, hitting, crying, and generally losing control in front of a live audience. A reality show producer could not find a way to depict them in a more unflattering light.
Speaking of which, while she's going to all the trouble of rushing to the floor of Congress to complain, Jackson Lee may as well decry Bravo's Real Housewives of Atlanta, and indict VH-1 for inflicting Flavor Flav and New York upon us. The Pepsi Max commercial trades in mockery of the mildest variety when compared to the stereotypes of African Americans that saturate real-life Americans' minds. How many still think that black people behaved like savages in the New Orleans Superdome after Hurricane Katrina? Or believe in Ronald Reagan's Cadillac-driving welfare queens? Where are the speeches denouncing Lil' Kim or the open letters begging Naomi Campbell to stop slapping people for the sake of black women everywhere?
To paraphrase comedian Paul Mooney, why are people always complaining about shit that doesn't matter, but silent on subjects—crappy inner-city schools, 50 percent unemployment, outrageous poverty rates, violence and incarceration all around—that will actually affect black folks for generations? If we're really going to take depictions of African Americans seriously, we need to start with actual problems of perception, not Super Bowl commercials.
Raina Kelley covers society's issues and cultural controversies for Newsweek and The Daily Beast. Follow her on Twitter here.


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Exploits of Adobe's PDF format jumped dramatically last year, and continue to climb during 2010, a McAfee security researcher said Wednesday.
Microsoft , meanwhile, recently said that more than 46% of the browser -based exploits during the second half of 2009 were aimed at vulnerabilities in Adobe's free Reader PDF viewer.
According to Toralv Dirro, a security strategist with McAfee Labs, the percentage of exploitative malware targeting PDF vulnerabilities has skyrocketed. In 2007 and 2008, only 2% of all malware that included a vulnerability exploit leveraged an Adobe Reader or Acrobat bug. The number jumped to 17% in 2009, and to 28% during the first quarter of 2010.
"In the last three years, attackers have found PDF vulnerabilities more and more useful, for a couple of reasons," Dirro said. "First of all, it's increasingly difficult for them to find new vulnerabilities with the operating system and within browsers that they can exploit across the different versions of Windows. And second, Reader is one of the most widely deployed applications that allows files to be accessed or opened within the browser."
Other factors for the jump in PDF exploits, argued Dirro, range from user belief that PDFs are safe to open, or at least safer to open than Microsoft Office documents, to the age of Adobe's code. "Quite a lot of PDF code was written years ago, and attackers are finding new security problems that no one thought of then," Dirro said. "That makes it difficult for Adobe to clean it up."
A recent discovery illustrated Dirro's point. Earlier this month, Belgium researcher Didier Stevens demonstrated how malicious PDFs could use a by-designed feature of the PDF specification to run attack code hidden in the file, and how to modify a warning message that Adobe Reader displays to further trick users into opening the document. Although some of what Stevens revealed has been publicly known for at least eight months, the technique has only been picked up by hackers in the last several weeks.
A major malware campaign using Stevens' tactics began Tuesday, with malicious PDFs attached to messages masquerading as instructions from companies' network administrators.
Microsoft also recently reported that PDF exploits remains a potent part of hackers' arsenals. In its newest Security Intelligence Report , Microsoft said that nearly half of all browser-based exploits in the second half of 2009 targeted Adobe's Reader. Three Reader vulnerabilities -- which were patched in May 2008, November 2008 and March 2009 -- accounted for more than 46% of all browser attacks.
McAfee rival Symantec has also tracked an explosion in PDF-based attacks. According to Symantec's latest Internet Security Threat Report , published last week, malicious PDFs were responsible for 49% of all Web-based attacks in all of 2009, compared to just 11% in 2008.
Like McAfee, Symantec also recorded a surge in reported Adobe Reader vulnerabilities. Of all browser plug-in bugs logged last year, 15% were in Reader's add-on for Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome and other Windows browsers. That was almost a four-fold increase from the 4% in 2008. And two of 2009's top five exploited vulnerabilities were in Adobe Reader.
Adobe declined to comment specifically about McAfee's and Microsoft's statistics on Reader vulnerabilities. Instead, a spokeswoman forwarded a statement the company has used before. "Given the relative ubiquity and cross-platform reach of many of our products, in particular our clients, Adobe has attracted -- and will likely continue to attract -- increasing attention from attackers," she said in an e-mail. "The majority of attacks we are seeing are exploiting software installations that are not up-to-date on the latest security updates."
The company's latest security move attempts to address the update issue; on April 13, Adobe switched on a service that silently updates customers' copies of Reader and Acrobat.
Adobe may be working on other ways to beef up Reader and Acrobat. According to one security researcher, Adobe will add sandboxing defenses to its PDF software this year. Sandboxing, perhaps best known as a technique used by Google 's Chrome browser, isolates processes from each other and the rest of the machine, preventing or hindering malicious code from escaping an application to wreak havoc or infect the computer with malware.
Adobe has acknowledged it will add sandboxing to Flash -- another of its products that is frequently targeted by exploits -- and has it at the top of its to-do list, according to Paul Betlem, senior director of Flash Player engineering.
Reader may, or may not, get sandboxing as well. When asked about the reports that Reader 10 would include sandboxing defenses, a company spokeswoman said Adobe had no announced plans but was "investigating how to get different features to work in a sandbox."
McAfee's Dirro said adding sandboxing to Adobe Reader would be a smart move. "It's one of the most useful ways to address a lot of different vulnerabilities," he said. "Sandboxing had proven to be fairly efficient at stopping attacks."
Gregg Keizer covers Microsoft, security issues, Apple, Web browsers and general technology breaking news for Computerworld . Follow Gregg on Twitter at @gkeizer or subscribe to Gregg's RSS feed . His e-mail address is email@example.com .
Read more about security in Computerworld's Security Knowledge Center.


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Westfall Farms
Welcome to Westfall Farms of Danville, PA!
Welcome to Westfall Farms of Danville, PA!
On our small family farm, we are striving to find a more sustainable way of life. We are integrating a variety of complementary practices to produce food for our family and a surplus to provide to others. This includes raising various livestock focusing on Nigerian Dwarf goats and heritage breed pigs. Our heirloom vegetable garden is intended to provide for us, to market and to supplement the livestock's other feed. The milk from the dairy animals feeds their young, our family and the other livestock. The waste from all the animals improves the soil, which in turn supports new growth and nourishes the animals in return.
We love visitors but please call first to confirm availability.


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LoInfoCentre.com - One Stop Info Centre for ALL
One Stop Info Centre for all Malaysian. Everything you need to know about Malaysia is here. Airlines Contact, Bags & Leather Goods, Bakery & Snacks, Banks Location, Beauty, Personal Care & Wellness Store, Bicycle Shop, Bookstore Branded Ice-Cream, Bus Services, Bus Terminals, Car Service Centre, Child Care & Preschool Centre, Cinemas, Coffee Shop, Convenient Store and Speedmart, Courier Services, Electronics & Tele-Communications, Entertainment Store and many more!


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In the run-up to this weekend's G-8 summit at Camp David, journalists have unfavorably compared European "austerity" with Barack Obama's economic policies.
European spending cuts, the argument goes, have hurt people and are arousing political opposition, while Obama's proposals to keep federal spending at 24 percent of gross domestic product indefinitely are likely to succeed.
Evil Republican spending cuts, in contrast, would deny the economy needed stimulus and wreak havoc on ordinary people.
But the facts undermine the storyline. Veronique de Rugy of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University took a look at what "austerity" in Europe actually means.
What she found is that government spending has increased or not appreciably declined in Britain, France, Italy, Spain and Germany. The only significant spending reductions are in Greece, where the bond market cut off funding.
In the other countries, the big adjustment has been an increase in tax rates. European "austerity" is an attempt to reduce government budget deficits largely by increasing taxes and only to a small extent by reining in spending.
Which, when you come to think about it, is the policy not of House Republicans — who actually passed a budget — but of Barack Obama.
Over the past three years, Obama has pursued the goal of higher tax rates as relentlessly as Captain Ahab pursued the great white whale.
Never mind that by some measures the United States, even with the "Bush tax cuts," already has the most progressive tax system in advanced economies. About 40 percent of federal income tax revenues come from the top 1 percent.
And we know from experience that when top rates are increased above Bill Clinton's 39.6 percent, the intake is always less than projected. Since World War II, federal revenues have never risen much over 20 percent of gross domestic product, whether the top rate was 28 percent or 91 percent.
The reason is that when rates get high enough, investors' animal spirits (John Maynard Keynes' term) are directed less at increasing productivity and creating wealth and more at avoiding taxes. And without increased productivity, you don't get robust economic growth — which hurts everyone.
There's another problem. High tax rates mean a volatile revenue stream, as California Gov. Jerry Brown is finding out. When times are bad, revenues dry up just when government needs money. California's budget deficit has zoomed from $9 billion to $16 billion in a few months.
Barack Obama doesn't seem to care about these things. In the 2008 campaign, ABC News' Charlie Gibson asked him whether he would increase the capital gains tax rate even if it meant reducing government revenue, as has happened in the past.
Yes, Obama said, "for purposes of fairness." He wants to take away money from people who have earned it even if government gets less to spend.
Obama argues that government spending can generate growth. But money spent propping up state and local public employee unions and funding supposedly shovel-ready projects — major features of his 2009 stimulus package — didn't do much for the economy.
In contrast, Obama's former chief economist Christina Romer and her husband David Romer, in a 2010 academic paper, wrote that "exogenous" tax increases, like letting the "Bush tax cuts" expire after the recession is over, are "highly contractionary."
"Our estimates suggest that a tax increase of 1 percent of GDP reduces output over the next three years by 3 percent," the Romers wrote. "The effect is highly significant."
Higher taxes are the prime ingredient of European austerity. The danger is that with sluggish growth revenues will languish and the bond market will shut down, as in Greece. Then spending gets cut with a meat cleaver, not a scalpel.
House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan understands this. House Democrats' "balanced approach" — with tax rate increases — "just means let's start European austerity right now," he told The Washington Examiner last week.
Ryan's budget, which passed the House, would cut tax rates but would also eliminate tax preferences. Many high earners would end up paying more. But because they wouldn't face higher rates on the next dollar they earn, there would be no incentive to seek tax shelters.
You can find Democrats who agree with this approach, though they'd differ with Ryan on details. But they won't speak up as long as their leader keeps pursuing that great white whale.
Michael Barone, senior political analyst for The Washington Examiner (www.washingtonexaminer.com), is a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a Fox News Channel contributor and a co-author of The Almanac of American Politics.