text:
SSI Disabled Recipients Who Work, 2005
Highlights, December 2005
In December 2005, there were 336,570 SSI disabled beneficiaries who were working—5.6 percent of the total SSI disabled caseload. Included in this count were 78,205 section 1619(b) participants who do not receive an SSI payment but have special SSI recipient status for Medicaid purposes. Over four-fifths (81.9 percent) of the workers had amounts of earned income below the substantial gainful activity (SGA) level of $860 per month; 22.8 percent earned $65 or less.
Geographic Distribution
Among the states, the percentage of disabled workers varied from a low of 2.8 percent in Mississippi to a high of 18.5 percent in North Dakota. In general, the percentage of disabled workers was higher in the northern states than in the southern states.
Demographic Characteristics
The majority of these disabled workers were male (53.4 percent). Almost half (49.3 percent) had unearned income; 43.5 percent were receiving Social Security benefits. Comparable figures for all disabled recipients in December 2005 were 45.5 percent male, 38.2 percent with unearned income, and 30.6 percent receiving Social Security benefits.
Disabled workers are more likely to have certain impairments than other disabled recipients. Almost two-thirds (66.2 percent) of the workers had a mental disorder, including 41.5 percent who were diagnosed with mental retardation. By comparison, 57.7 percent of all disabled recipients were diagnosed with a mental disorder, including 21.7 percent with mental retardation.
Section 1619
The greatest use of work incentive provisions was by participants under section 1619—roughly 28.5 percent of disabled workers. This included 5.2 percent under section 1619(a) and 23.2 percent under section 1619(b).
Other Work Incentives
Use of other work incentive provisions continued to have a smaller, but measurable, impact. In December 2005, about 3.1 percent of the SSI disabled workers had some of their income excluded under one of these provisions—plans for achieving self-support (PASS), 0.5 percent; impairment-related work expenses, 1.9 percent; or blind work expenses, 0.8 percent.
Plans for achieving self-support permit an SSI recipient to set aside income and resources to help obtain the training or education necessary for certain specified occupational goals. In December 2005, 419 PASS participants had earnings, which averaged $840 per month. However, exclusions under a PASS are not limited to earnings. Of the 1,582 disabled recipients with a PASS, 68.8 percent did not have any earnings reported for December 2005. For this group, the PASS excluded unearned income such as Social Security benefits. Out of all PASS participants, 400 had a PASS that excluded only resources.


text:
MySQL Native Driver Plugin Architecture
This section provides an overview of the
plugin architecture.
MySQL Native Driver Overview
Before developing
mysqlnd plugins, it is useful to
know a little of how
mysqlnd itself is organized.
Mysqlnd consists of the following modules:
|Modules Statistics
|Resultset Metadata
|Wire protocol
C Object-Oriented Paradigm
At the code level,
mysqlnd uses a C pattern for
implementing object orientation.
In C you use a
struct to represent an object.
Members of the struct represent object properties. Struct members
pointing to functions represent methods.
Unlike with other languages such as C++ or Java, there are no fixed rules on inheritance in the C object-oriented paradigm. However, there are some conventions that need to be followed that will be discussed later.
The PHP Life Cycle
When considering the PHP life cycle there are two basic cycles:
PHP engine startup and shutdown cycle
Request cycle
When the PHP engine starts up it will call the module initialization (MINIT) function of each registered extension. This allows each module to setup variables and allocate resources that will exist for the lifetime of the PHP engine process. When the PHP engine shuts down it will call the module shutdown (MSHUTDOWN) function of each extension.
During the lifetime of the PHP engine it will receive a number of requests. Each request constitutes another life cycle. On each request the PHP engine will call the request initialization function of each extension. The extension can perform any variable setup and resource allocation required for request processing. As the request cycle ends the engine calls the request shutdown (RSHUTDOWN) function of each extension so the extension can perform any cleanup required.
How a plugin works
mysqlnd plugin works by intercepting calls made
mysqlnd by extensions that use
mysqlnd. This is achieved by obtaining the
mysqlnd function table, backing it up, and
replacing it by a custom function table, which calls the functions of
the plugin as required.
The following code shows how the
mysqlnd function
table is replaced:
/* a place to store original function table */ struct st_mysqlnd_conn_methods org_methods; void minit_register_hooks(TSRMLS_D) { /* active function table */ struct st_mysqlnd_conn_methods * current_methods = mysqlnd_conn_get_methods(); /* backup original function table */ memcpy(&org_methods, current_methods, sizeof(struct st_mysqlnd_conn_methods); /* install new methods */ current_methods->query = MYSQLND_METHOD(my_conn_class, query); }
Connection function table manipulations must be done during Module Initialization (MINIT). The function table is a global shared resource. In an multi-threaded environment, with a TSRM build, the manipulation of a global shared resource during the request processing will almost certainly result in conflicts.
Do not use any fixed-size logic when manipulating the
mysqlndfunction table: new methods may be added at the end of the function table. The function table may change at any time in the future.
Calling parent methods
If the original function table entries are backed up, it is still possible to call the original function table entries - the parent methods.
In some cases, such as for
Connection::stmt_init(), it is vital to call the
parent method prior to any other activity in the derived method.
MYSQLND_METHOD(my_conn_class, query)(MYSQLND *conn, const char *query, unsigned int query_len TSRMLS_DC) { php_printf("my_conn_class::query(query = %s)\n", query); query = "SELECT 'query rewritten' FROM DUAL"; query_len = strlen(query); return org_methods.query(conn, query, query_len); /* return with call to parent */ }
Extending properties
mysqlnd object is represented by a C struct. It
is not possible to add a member to a C struct at run time. Users of
mysqlnd objects cannot simply add properties to
the objects.
Arbitrary data (properties) can be added to a
mysqlnd objects using an appropriate function of
family. When allocating an object
mysqlnd reserves
space at the end of the object to hold a
void *
pointer to arbitrary data.
mysqlnd reserves space
for one
void * pointer per plugin.
The following table shows how to calculate the position of the pointer for a specific plugin:
|Memory address
|Beginning of the mysqlnd object C struct
|End of the mysqlnd object C struct
|n + (m x sizeof(void*))
|void* to object data of the m-th plugin
If you plan to subclass any of the
mysqlnd object
constructors, which is allowed, you must keep this in mind!
The following code shows extending properties:
/* any data we want to associate */ typedef struct my_conn_properties { unsigned long query_counter; } MY_CONN_PROPERTIES; /* plugin id */ unsigned int my_plugin_id; void minit_register_hooks(TSRMLS_D) { /* obtain unique plugin ID */ my_plugin_id = mysqlnd_plugin_register(); /* snip - see Extending Connection: methods */ } static MY_CONN_PROPERTIES** get_conn_properties(const MYSQLND *conn TSRMLS_DC) { MY_CONN_PROPERTIES** props; props = (MY_CONN_PROPERTIES**)mysqlnd_plugin_get_plugin_connection_data( conn, my_plugin_id); if (!props || !(*props)) { *props = mnd_pecalloc(1, sizeof(MY_CONN_PROPERTIES), conn->persistent); (*props)->query_counter = 0; } return props; }
The plugin developer is responsible for the management of plugin data memory.
Use of the
mysqlnd memory allocator is recommended
for plugin data. These functions are named using the convention:
mnd_*loc(). The
allocator has some useful features, such as the ability to use a
debug allocator in a non-debug build.
|When to subclass?
|Each instance has its own private function table?
|How to subclass?
|Connection (MYSQLND)
|Resultset (MYSQLND_RES)
|MINIT or later
|mysqlnd_result_get_methods() or object method function table manipulation
|Resultset Meta (MYSQLND_RES_METADATA)
|Statement (MYSQLND_STMT)
|Network (MYSQLND_NET)
|MINIT or later
|mysqlnd_net_get_methods() or object method function table manipulation
|Wire protocol (MYSQLND_PROTOCOL)
|MINIT or later
|mysqlnd_protocol_get_methods() or object method function table manipulation
You must not manipulate function tables at any time later than MINIT if it is not allowed according to the above table.
Some classes contain a pointer to the method function table. All instances of such a class will share the same function table. To avoid chaos, in particular in threaded environments, such function tables must only be manipulated during MINIT.
Other classes use copies of a globally shared function table. The class function table copy is created together with the object. Each object uses its own function table. This gives you two options: you can manipulate the default function table of an object at MINIT, and you can additionally refine methods of an object without impacting other instances of the same class.
The advantage of the shared function table approach is performance. There is no need to copy a function table for each and every object.
|Allocation, construction, reset
|Can be modified?
|Connection (MYSQLND)
Reset and re-initialized during:
|Yes, but call parent!
|Resultset Meta (MYSQLND_RES_METADATA)
|Yes, but call parent!
|Statement (MYSQLND_STMT)
|Yes, but call parent!
|Network (MYSQLND_NET)
|Wire protocol (MYSQLND_PROTOCOL)
It is strongly recommended that you do not entirely replace a
constructor. The constructors perform memory allocations. The memory
allocations are vital for the
mysqlnd plugin API
and the object logic of
mysqlnd. If you do not
care about warnings and insist on hooking the constructors, you
should at least call the parent constructor before doing anything in
your constructor.
Regardless of all warnings, it can be useful to subclass constructors. Constructors are the perfect place for modifying the function tables of objects with non-shared object tables, such as Resultset, Network, Wire Protocol.
|Derived method must call parent?
|yes, after method execution
|free_contents(), end_psession()
|yes, after method execution
|Resultset Meta
|yes, after method execution
|yes, after method execution
|dtor(), free_stmt_content()
|yes, after method execution
|Wire protocol
|yes, after method execution
The destructors are the appropriate place to free properties,
The listed destructors may not be equivalent to the actual
mysqlnd method freeing the object itself. However,
they are the best possible place for you to hook in and free your
plugin data. As with constructors you may replace the methods
entirely but this is not recommended. If multiple methods are listed
in the above table you will need to hook all of the listed methods
and free your plugin data in whichever method is called first by
The recommended method for plugins is to simply hook the methods, free your memory and call the parent implementation immediately following this.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
On the eve of shooting his eighth film, Zach and Miri Make a Porno, Kevin Smith recounts his experiences with the actors and rehearsals on his seven previous films.
It's weird to work one way for so long, and slowly realize it's not necessary anymore; that it was just something you did when you didn't know any better. I hired pros; aside from on-set tweaking and an extra take or two, they don't need to be broken like wild horses or worked like puppets. Those days are behind me now. Now I spend more time thinking about/working on what the flick's gonna look like — which, I guess, should be the primary job of the director.


text:
Brewer Signs Voting Rights And Limited Guardianship Bill
On Tuesday, April 10, Gov. Jan Brewer signed a bill which reforms voting rights and guardianship laws in Arizona. House Bill 2377, sponsored by Representative Eddie Farnsworth (R-Gilbert) now permits the Courts to determine, by clear and convincing evidence, that a person can retain sufficient understanding to exercise their right to vote.
"Previously, under a limited guardianship, persons were completely barred from selecting their political leaders, even when they followed the news and knew who they wanted to vote for," said Art Gode, board member of the Arizona Center for Disability Law (ACDL). "My son, Clint, is a perfect example, which is why I wanted ACDL to lead the fight to change this law."
In written testimony to members of the House and Senate, Peri Jude Radecic, executive director of ACDL, said the bill is now consistent with House Bill 2181 that was passed in 2003 which promoted the establishment of limited guardianships.
"At that time, the legislature recognized that there is a range of capacity. In addition, medical advances, along with improvements in assistive technology, now allow many individuals with disabilities to live a nearly independent life," said Radecic.
"We have always believed that individuals with disabilities, who are under a full or limited guardianship, have the same right to vote in our city, state and federal elections."
The bill was a collaborative effort between ACDL, The ARC of Arizona and the Office of the Arizona Secretary of State.
The bill becomes law on the "general effective date" which is 90 days after the end of the current state legislative session. The legislature is still in session.
[stextbox id="info" bgcolor="eaeaea"]Arizona Center for Disability Law
Arc of Arizona
Arizona Secretary of State[/stextbox]


text:
Stop Telling Yourself You Can't Fit Your Life in a Mini Bag
Like all of life's major decisions, choosing to downsize to a mini bag is not without careful deliberation. I, for one, am a reformed schlepper who toted a carryall large enough to stow books, a change of shoes, beverage, snack, day planner, phone, wallet, and keys at a moment's notice.
But I've seen the error of my ways and, with some careful organization, got my chiropractor's nightmare of a bag down to a handful of essentials. Getting there wasn't easy, but it was worth the struggle once I got over a few hurdles and made it out the other side with these five stages of coping.
"Uh uh, no way is this happening," you say. "How do you expect me to cram everything I need (yes, NEED) to get me through a day in a bag that small? You might as well ask me to squeeze on a size 2 bandage dress while you're at it."
But seriously. You throw away a few old receipts, toss an expired gift card or two, and jam everything into your bag . . . and it still won't close! And now your adorably sleek, space-saver looks like an overstuffed sausage. And God help the man who invented the mini bag if you ever get your hands on him.
"What if I just don't bring my keys out with me today?" you say. Or maybe you're willing to just go it with only one of your phones (or is that just us carrying our work cell on the weekend?). Ladies, please don't go to that place. There is room enough in your bag — let's look closer, shall we? These essentials you "need," what do they look like? Three shades of lipstick? Where are you going? In truth, you could probably pare your absolute essentials down to a few key items if in desperate need, and we'd say carrying one of these adorable bags is well worth the sacrifice of a spare pack of gum. Also, remember these?
Do you miss the clutter and privilege of being able to swap shoes halfway through your commute? We assure you those feeling of loss and sadness will pass once you realize the thrill of moving about with your hands free to juggle so much as your phone and a drink, if you so choose.
You did it! And now the world of small bags is your oyster. Sure, those oversize totes have a place when you fall off the wagon and have real places to be and overnight stays to make. But until that day, you're hooked on the feeling of carrying a mini bag and the only next logical step is buying more — it's an addiction, ladies. Source: Getty
Marc by Marc Jacobs Too Hot to Handle Mini Bag
Leather Drawstring Bag ($285)


text:
Amegashie, J. Atsu (2008): Socially-Tolerable Discrimination.
Download (154kB) | Preview
History is replete with overt discrimination on the basis of race, gender, age, citizenship, ethnicity, marital status, academic performance, health status, volume of market transactions, religion, sexual orientation, etc. However, these forms of discrimination are not equally tolerable. For example, discrimination based on immutable or prohibitively unalterable characteristics such as race, gender, or ethnicity is much less acceptable. Why? I develop a simple model of conflict which is driven by either racial (gender or ethnic) discrimination or generational discrimination (i.e., young versus old). When the conflicts are mutually exclusive, I find that racial discrimination is socially intolerable for a much wider range of parameter values relative to generational discrimination. When they are not mutually exclusive, I find that racial discrimination can be socially intolerable while generational discrimination is socially tolerable. The converse is not true. My results are not driven by a stronger intrinsic aversion to discrimination on the basis of immutable characteristics. I am able to explain why some forms of discrimination (e.g., racism) are much less tolerable than other forms of discrimination (e.g., age discrimination) without making any value judgements about either form of discrimination.
|Item Type:
|MPRA Paper
|Original Title:
|Socially-Tolerable Discrimination
|conflict, contest, discrimination, gender, race, generation
|D - Microeconomics > D7 - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making > D74 - Conflict ; Conflict Resolution ; Alliances ; Revolutions
D - Microeconomics > D7 - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making > D72 - Political Processes: Rent-Seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
K - Law and Economics > K4 - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior > K41 - Litigation Process
|Item ID:
|Depositing User:
|J. Atsu Amegashie
|Date Deposited:
|16 Apr 2008 02:13
|Last Modified:
|21 Oct 2019 07:59
Acemoglu, D., and Robinson, J.A. (2000). Why did the West Extend the Franchise? Democracy, Inequality, and Growth in a Historical Perspective. Quarterly Journal of Economics 115: 1167-1199.
Amegashie, J.A. (2006). A Contest Success Function with a Tractable Noise Parameter. Public Choice 126: 135-144.
Ayres, I., and Brown, J.G. (2005). Straightforward: How to Mobilize Heterosexual Support for Gay Rights. Princeton University Press.
Balkin, J.M. (1997). The Constitution of Status. Yale Law Journal 106: 2313-2374.
Basu, K. (2005). Racial Conflict and the Malignancy of Identity. Journal of Economic Inequality 3: 221-241.
Baye, M.R., and Hoppe, H.H. (2003). The Strategic Equivalence of Rent-Seeking, Innovation and Patent Games. Games and Economic Behavior 44: 217-226.
Benabou, R, and Ok, E. (2001). Social Mobility and the Demand for Redistribution: The POUM Hypothesis. Quarterly Journal of Economics 116: 447-487.
Esteban, J., and Ray, D. (2008). On the Salience of Ethnic Conflict. American Economic Review, forthcoming.
Fullerton, D., and McAfee, P. (1999). Auctioning Entry into Tournaments. Journal of Political Economy 107: 573-605.
Harvard Law Review (1969). Developments in the Law: Equal Protection. Harvard Law Review 82: 1065-1192.
Siegel, R. (1997). Why Equal Protection No Longer Protects: The Evolving Forms of Status-Enforcing State Action. Stanford Law Review 49:1111-1148.
Skaperdas, S. (1996). Contest Success Functions. Economic Theory 7: 283-290.
Swift, J. (2006). Justifying Age Discrimination. Industrial Law Journal 35: 228-244.
Available Versions of this Item
Socially-Tolerable Discrimination. (deposited 12 Apr 2008 00:08)
- Socially-Tolerable Discrimination. (deposited 16 Apr 2008 02:13) [Currently Displayed]


text:
The anticipated reunion smackdown showdown between Jake Pavelka and Vienna Girardi aired on ABC last night and boy did things get ugly.
The former engaged Bachelor couple sat down together with the show's host Chris Harrison to dish on what went wrong in their brief relationship and engagement. Below is a recap:
What Went Wrong?
He Said: "The relationship was going downhill but I wasn't ready to quit fighting."
She Said: "The first month together was great. He was crazy about me. From there it went straight downhill. It felt like a relationship when cameras were rolling or we were out on a red carpet, but when we were at home [it was] lonely. I just wanted him to be around me and talk to me and kiss me like a normal relationship."
The Star Magazine Interview Vienna Got Paid For –
He Said: "I'm so mad at you. I'm disgusted with you."
She Said: "Either way, our relationship had been public. The world was going to want to know what happened . . . I hadn't had a voice this entire time… You are a fame whore is what you are."
Life After The Bachelor –
She Said: "My impression was that you were a pilot and we were going to go back to Florida and Dallas and live a normal life. Instead, we're in L.A. and you're pursuing a career in acting."
He Said: "At least I was pursuing a career in something."
Who's To Blame?
He Said: "She breaks me down, she undermines me, she's mean . . . this is it, right here."
She Said: "He was always mean to me and treated me like I was a child."
My take on this – I absolutely believe Vienna's side on this story. Why? Well mostly because I believe the story of Jake's ex-girlfriend Tanya Douglas. Tanya came out right after the Bachelor ended and said Jake only went on the show for fame, and even tried to get back together with her just days after proposing to Vienna. I believe the reason Jake was so hell bent on staying with Vienna was because he wanted to save face over his two timing ways, and prove to the public he really loved Vienna, though he most likely did not. I also believe Vienna when she says Jake only kissed her in public and wasn't intimate with her for months. I do know that Jake's Dancing With The Stars partner, Chelsie Hightower, wasn't a big fan of him, and most people who worked on the show didn't like him either. Overall, I just think Jake's a bit weird. Is he gay? I didn't give the rumor any merit at first, but after hearing what his ex-girlfriend also had to say, I must say I wouldn't be surprised if he was.
[polldaddy poll=3435635]


text:
Accessibility for the Website of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
The majority of documents on our website are presented in PDF, HTML, or plain text format. When documents are provided in multiple formats, at least one version is designed to be accessible to users of assistive technology.
- Generally, HTML and plain text documents are accessible through the web browser.
- PDF documents are accessible through Adobe Reader. Download the free Adobe Reader
- Videos and other dynamic presentations are available through Adobe Flash Player. Download the free Adobe Flash Player
- Spreadsheets (XLS, XLSX) are available through Excel Viewer. Download the free Excel Viewer
- Compressed (ZIP) files are available through 7-zip. Download the free 7-zip compression utility
If you are seeking a document that is not accessible to you through the Board's website, you may contact accesibility specialists though the contact us form.
We invite comments on our accessibility policies. You may send a letter to the IT Accessibility Coordinator, in care of the Freedom of Information Office, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, D.C. 20551, or send an IT Accessibility Section 508 comment.
Procedure for Filing a Complaint under Section 508
The complaint procedures that apply to allegations of discrimination on the basis of disability in Board-conducted programs or activities, which are found in 12 CFR § 268.710, shall apply to complaints filed under section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. Those procedures provide for the investigation of the complaint and a final decision by the Board.
Any individual with a disability may file a complaint alleging that the Board has failed to comply with subsection (f) of section 508 in providing electronic and information technology. Complaints may be filed regarding only electronic and information technology that is procured after June 21, 2001.
Complaints under section 508 should be filed with
Ms. Sheila Clark
Program Director, Office of Diversity and Inclusion
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
20th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20551


text:
Sudan Acala tender
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text:
Like What You See Below?
We invite you to join the state and national associations to promote corn and allow us to help you improve your profitability and keep up-to-date on the industry's latest information.
Join today using NCGA's online membership system.
You can also contact Mike Shelby at (636) 733-9004, ext. 120, or your state association directly. Contact information for the state associations is on the link above.
The NCGA-Merschman Seeds Ag Weather Advisor Program features a complimentary email subscription service designed to complement farmers' other favorite sources of weather information by providing information not easily available elsewhere. Among the offerings subscribers will receive, each week the BWO Agriculture Weather Outlook will help farmers understand how much rain to expect, days in advance. The AWO is a 10-minute video briefing discussing precipitation and temperature trends for the upcoming week. Also each week, the BWO Agricultural Advisor will provide updates that keep growers fully informed on a variety of agricultural weather topics including a pre- and post-event analysis of precipitation events. And the BWO Long Range Outlook provides a further perspective. Click here to subscribe. For questions regarding a subscription to Blue Water Outlook, contact: email@example.com. The Ag Weather Advisor is brought to you free of charge by Merschman Seeds and the...Learn More
NCGA members, friends and family now have access to a worldwide inventory of hotels at exclusive discounted rates. Whether travelling for work or pleasure, individually or in a group, domestically or abroad, you can take advantage of savings that may exceed 50% and average 10-20% below best available rates. Any hotel, anywhere, anytime. Click to Access: Exclusive NCGA Worldwide Hotel Discount Program Save time and money. Let us negotiate the best deals and comparison price for you.Learn More
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Get significant discounts on office supplies from the nation's largest office supplier. Get special pricing on hundreds of office essentials with discounts averaging 25% off retail. Special low pricing on copy paper. Take advantage of the same pricing available to some of the country's largest corporations with free shipping and no small order or delivery fees. Register here. About ODP Business Solutions ODP Business Solutions, formerly Office Depot®, is a leading B2B solutions provider serving small, medium, and enterprise level companies, through office supplies, print, workspace interiors, workspace facilities, and technology solutions.Learn More
NCGA participates in Ford's X-Plan vehicle pricing plan. With a unique NCGA partner code, members can access a special website that gives them a reduced price on dozens of Ford and Lincoln vehicles. Log in to www.fordpartner.com and members can: See and research the full range of vehicles available (very few models are excluded) Determine the special pricing available to members Find factory rebates and other incentives in their area in addition to the special pricing Look up area dealers and search dealer inventories or request quotes over the internet Once the member has selected a vehicle or found an area dealer to work with, they need to select a unique, member-specific PIN that will identify them as an NCGA member and deserving of the discount. The member will need the PIN to lock in the final, discounted purchase price. Once the member has logged in to www.fordpartner.com with our partner code—NCGA2—there is a link to the PIN...Learn More
National Corn Growers Association members can now take advantage of a discount at all Enterprise car rental locations. The discount is 5% off rental fees at Enterprise neighborhood offices and 10% off rentals from their airport locations. To take advantage of the discount in person at a rental location or over the phone, growers simply need to state that they are members of NCGA. For internet rentals, members must use the NCGA partner code: 01RC004. Click here to book your next rental.Learn More
Members can expect an unbeatable selection of fishing equipment, hunting apparel, outdoor gear, footwear, luggage, camping products, gadgets and more. Members receive a 12% discount on the purchase of Cabela's gift cards. Cabela's cards can be used for shopping online or at one of their massive retail locations. Contact your state or the national office to place your order. Credit card orders only; please allow 10 days for delivery.Learn More
The premier event of every corn growing season since 1965, the National Corn Yield Contest (NCYC) offers challenges and rewards to each entrant! In 2011, a record 8,425 growers accepted the challenge to test their corn production skill and knowledge by competing with proven winners to reach the ultimate goal of CHAMPION. NCGA wants to challenge you to take advantage of this opportunity to explore new ideas and production techniques, while gleaning knowledge to enhance your future yield potential. Winners will receive national recognition in publications, such as the NCYC Corn Yield Guide, as well as other awards from participating sponsoring seed, chemical and crop protection companies. At each Commodity Classic, state winners are recognized at the NCYC Breakfast and national winners receive awards at the evening Awards Banquet.Learn More
Earn Cash and Prizes
Ever wonder why more of your corn grower neighbors aren't reaping the benefits of NCGA membership? Maybe they haven't been asked! When you sign them up, you build member strength and we reward your efforts.Learn More
The children of members and students holding student memberships are eligible for both national and state scholarships programs. NCGA currently offers 4 scholarships for four distinct audiences: Research Students Technical School/Community College Students Undergraduate Students Graduate Students Learn more here.Learn More


text:
The province's homicide rate has shot up 34 per cent since last year, and hit numbers not seen since 2009.
The figures, published Wednesday in a Statistics Canada report, say B.C. saw 118 homicides in 2017, up from 88 the year prior.
Just over two-thirds of the increase was attributed to gun violence, largely because of gangs.
Homicides linked to organized crime shot up as well, with the number of gang-related killings rising by 15 since 2016.
Vancouver saw the biggest jump in homicides in the province, up 25 pre cent with 52 victims – the highest the city has seen since 2009.
In Victoria, the number of homicides rose from one to five, and in Abbotsford-Mission, from three killings to nine.
B.C. recorded the biggest spike in homicides nationwide, with 30 more deaths, followed by Quebec with 26, likely because of the January 2017 mass shooting at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Québec.
Nationwide, the homicide rate went up by 6.5 per cent, up to 660 in 2017 from 612 the year before.
Researchers attribute the rise to gang activity, as police reported 163 gang-related killings last year, up from 140 in 2016. Gangs account for one-quarter of all homicides in the country.
Indigenous people more likely to be accused of, victims of homicide
Across Canada, the homicide rate for Indigenous people increased eight per cent from the previous year, to 8.76 killings per 100,000 Aboriginal population in 2017. That's 15 more victims in 2017, up from 141 the year before.
Women accounted for two-thirds of the rise, with a 32-per-cent increase in the number of Indigenous women killed in Canada year over year.
Indigenous people were also more likely to be accused of homicide. The rate was 12 times higher than for non-Indigenous people.
In B.C., Indigenous people were victims of homicide at nearly 1.5 times the rate of non-Indigenous people in B.C., at 3.82 killings per 100,000 people, compared to 2.35 per 100,000 for the general population.


text: Point/Counterpoint is a recurring feature on BDCwire which explores the pros and cons of various parts of life in Boston. These arguments may, or may not, break any new ground, but are meant as a starting point for you too to make an argument. What do you think? Are you pro-students in Boston or anti-students in Boston? More


text:
During his campaign, U.S. President Donald Trump called the Federal Communications Commission's net neutrality rules a "top-down power grab," leading many observers to expect a quick repeal.
Trump's presidency is still in its infancy and it's unclear what his administration will do about the hot-button issue.
It's difficult to determine what direction the unpredictable Trump administration will take, said Nathan White, senior legislative manager at Access Now, a digital rights group.
"The world is a very complicated place right now," he said. "I don't think we can get too far out front and predict the future."
Ajit Pai, Trump's pick for chairman of the FCC, has promised, however, to "fire up the weed whacker" and kill net neutrality and other regulations passed by the FCC during President Barack Obama's administration.
But this week, Pai declined to outline a path forward on net neutrality, saying only that he continues to oppose the FCC's 2015 decision to reclassify broadband as a regulated common carrier under Title II of the Telecommunications Act.
"We haven't made any determinations at this time," Pai said during a press conference Tuesday. "My position is pretty simple. I favor a free and open Internet and I oppose Title II. That's pretty much all I can say about that topic."
The Republican-controlled Congress may take a different path than a possible repeal of the rules at the FCC.
Lawmakers will likely push for legislation, similar to a proposal from early 2015, that would write basic net neutrality protections into law, Senator John Thune, the Republican chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, said recently. A law passed by Congress would supersede any actions taken at the FCC.
Even though the FCC may move to repeal its reclassification, Thune called for a bipartisan agreement on some baseline rules. A Republican-controlled FCC moving to repeal the net neutrality rules "may help inspire some of my Democrat colleagues to embrace the idea that a bipartisan, legislative solution is the best possible outcome," he said in a Jan. 23 speech.
Internet companies and users need certainty about long-term rules that won't change every time there's a new party in power, Thune said.
"We need clear and reasonable rules for the digital road that Internet companies, broadband providers, and end users can easily understand," he added. "Complex and ambiguous regulations that shift with the political winds aren't in anyone's best interest."
It's unclear, however, if Congress will have "the attention or the political will" to move forward with a bill, said Access Now's White.
Meanwhile, supporters of strong net neutrality rules vow to fight any effort to repeal the rules and rescind the classification of broadband as a regulated service. About 4 million people submitted comments to the FCC during its recent net neutrality rulemaking proceeding, with the large majority favoring strong net neutrality rules, supporters noted.
Net neutrality advocates will look to fire up that crowd again if Pai or Trump move to kill the rules.
Without Title II authority for the rules, broadband providers may be able to change websites for paid traffic prioritization, said Holmes Wilson, co-founder of digital rights group Fight for the Future.
Recent court rulings were "pretty clear" that the FCC can't ban paid prioritization without Title II authority, he said by email. "If they're talking about reclassifying back out of Title II, people should see that as an underhanded way to kill net neutrality and give companies like Comcast free reign to shake down your favorite sites," Wilson added.
Pai and the FCC would need to explain a major shift in policy two years after the FCC passed its rules, supporters of the regulations said.
"Chairman Pai's FCC cannot move quickly to dismantle protections supported by the vast majority of the American people," said Matt Wood, policy director at digital rights group Free Press. "While Pai's boss, Donald Trump, may have little respect for the rule of law, administrative law still binds the FCC."
Congress could pass legislation, but that's not a given, Wood added. That's "assuming this Congress can get anything done, unlike its recent do-nothing predecessors," he said. "But the current rules are the common-sense floor for any new law, not the overreach that members of the current majority in Congress and the FCC preposterously make them out to be."


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- Supervolcano triggers...
Supervolcano triggers recreated in X-ray laboratory
Scientists have reproduced the conditions inside the magma chamber of a supervolcano to understand what it takes to trigger its explosion. These rare events represent the biggest natural catastrophes on Earth except for the impact of giant meteorites. Using synchrotron X-rays, the scientists established that supervolcano eruptions may occur spontaneously, driven only by magma pressure without the need for an external trigger. The results are published in Nature Geosciences.
A well-known supervolcano eruption occurred 600,000 years ago in Wyoming in the United States, creating a huge crater called a caldera, in the centre of what today is Yellowstone National Park. When the volcano exploded, it ejected more than 1000 cubic kilometres of ash and lava into the atmosphere, 100 times more than Mt Pinatubo in the Philippines did in 1991. Big volcanic eruptions have a major impact on the global climate. The Mt Pinatubo eruption decreased the global temperature by 0.4 degrees C for a few months. The predictions for a super volcano are a fall in temperatures by 10 degrees C for 10 years.
Imagine this one hundred times bigger. The eruption of Mt Pinatubo in the Philippines in 1991 was the second largest eruption on Earth in the last century.
According to a report published in 2005 by the Geological Society of London "Even science fiction cannot produce a credible mechanism for averting a super-eruption. We can, however, work to better understand the mechanisms involved in super-eruptions, with the goal of being able to predict them ahead of time and provide a warning for society. Preparedness is the key to mitigation of the disastrous effects of a super-eruption."
The mechanisms that trigger supervolcano eruptions have remained elusive to date. The main reason is that the processes inside a supervolcano are different from those in conventional volcanoes like Mt. Pinatubo which are better understood. A supervolcano possesses a much larger magma chamber and it is always located in an area where the heat flow from the interior of the Earth to the surface is very high. As a consequence, the magma chamber is very large and hot but also plastic: its shape changes as a function of the pressure when it gradually fills with hot magma. This plasticity allows the pressure to dissipate more efficiently than in a normal volcano whose magma chamber is more rigid. Supervolcanoes therefore do not erupt very often.
Jean-Philippe Perrillat, one of the scientists, surveys the experimental set-up on beamline ID27. The Paris-Edinburgh press is on the left. The magma rock sample is compressed in its centre to pressures of up to 36000 atmospheres, and then heated by a resistor to up to 1700 degrees Celsius. The slits on the right filter the X-ray beam reaching the detector. Credit ESRF/Blascha Faust
So what changes in the lead up to an eruption? Wim Malfait explains: "The driving force is an additional pressure which is caused by the different densities of solid rock and liquid magma. It is comparable to a football filled with air under water, which is forced upwards by the denser water around it." Whether this additional pressure alone could eventually become sufficiently high to crack the Earth's crust, leading to a violent eruption, or whether an external energy source like an Earthquake is required has only now been answered.
Whilst it is virtually impossible to drill a hole into the magma chamber of a supervolcano given the depth at which these chambers are buried, these extreme conditions can be simulated in the laboratory. "The synchrotron X-rays at the ESRF can then be used to probe the state – liquid or solid – and the change in density when magma crystallises into rock", says Mohamed Mezouar, scientist at the ESRF and member of the team. Jean-Philippe Perrillat from CNRS adds, "Temperatures of up to 1700 degrees and pressures of up to 36,000 atmospheres can be reached inside the so-called Paris-Edinburgh press, where speck-sized rock samples are placed between the tips of two tungsten carbide anvils and then heated with a resistive furnace. This special set-up was used to accurately determine the density of the liquid magma over a wide range of pressures and temperatures."
The X-ray beam penetrates the sample inside the press and its interaction with the magma rock is recorded in an X-ray detector behind the press. The insert shows a typical absorbance map recorded by the detector from which the density of the sample is derived. Credit ESRF/Nigel Hawtin
Magma often includes water, which as vapour adds additional pressure. The scientists also determined magma densities as a function of water content.
The results of their measurements showed that the pressure resulting from the differences in density between solid and liquid magma rock is sufficient in itself to crack more than ten kilometres of the Earth's crust above the magma chamber. Carmen Sanchez-Valle concludes "Our research has shown that the pressure is actually large enough for the Earth's crust to break. The magma penetrating into the cracks will eventually reach the Earth's surface, even in the absence of water or carbon dioxide bubbles in the magma. As it rises to the surface, the magma will expand violently, which is the well known origin of a volcanic explosion."
The team was led by Wim Malfait and Carmen Sanchez-Valle of ETH Zurich (Switzerland) and comprised scientists from the Paul Scherrer Institute in Villigen (Switzerland), Okayama University (Japan), the Laboratory of Geology of CNRS, Université Lyon 1 and ENS Lyon (France) and the European Synchrotron (ESRF) in Grenoble (France).
Malfait WJ, Seifert R, Petitgirard S, Perrillat JP, Mezouar M, Ota T, Nakamura E, Lerch P, Sanchez-Valle C: Melt buoyancy in large silicic magma chambers as viable trigger of supervolcano eruptions. Nature Geoscience 5 January 2014.


text:
Oklahoma natives & saviors of southern-infused hard rock, ANTI-MORTEM, have released their third acoustic performance video, shot in one take at the band's rehearsal space for their cover of the traditional blues song 'John The Revelator': http://smarturl.
The acoustic performance for the song 'Hate Automatic' can be watched here: http://bit.ly/1diXheY. 'Truck Stop Special' is available here: http://bit.ly/1jzCdRJ
Both songs come off the band's highly anticipated debut album, »New Southern«, which will be released in North America in physical & digital formats on April 25th via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. The album was produced, recorded, and mixed by the esteemed Bob Marlette (BLACK STONE CHERRY, LYNYRD SKYNYRD, SHINEDOWN, ROB ZOMBIE) and features artwork by Brent Elliott White (DEATH ANGEL, JOB FOR A COWBOY, TRIVIUM).
The »New Southern« pre-order bundle – which includes the album + a t-shirt with exclusive artwork – is available now via the album's landing page: http://bit.ly/1hPIBT7.
The track listing for »New Southern« is:
01. Words Of Wisdom (lyric video here)
02. New Southern
03. 100% Pure American Rage
04. Hate Automatic
05. Black Heartbeat
06. I Get Along With The Devil
07. Path To Pain
08. Wake Up
09. Ride Of Your Life
10. Stagnant Water (music video here)
11. Truck Stop Special
12. Jonesboro
13. A Little Too Loose (MR. BIG cover)
Purchase the '100% Pure American Rage' single on iTunes: http://georiot.co/
For a taste of ANTI-MORTEM's fusion of southern rock & heavy metal, check out the following videos:
'100% Pure American Rage' – http://vevo.ly/kjWBVz
'Stagnant Water' – http://youtu.be/
'Words Of Wisdom' (lyrics) – http://youtu.be/5sZXVP3H04E
ABOUT NEWCOMERS ANTI-MORTEM: What the American hard rock and metal scene needs right now is an infusion of youth and some new blood coursing through its veins. Enter ANTI-MORTEM and their upcoming debut album, »New Southern«. Formed in 2008 and with over 300 shows already to their name, the combined average age of this Oklahoma quintet is just 21-years-old. ANTI-MORTEM were raised on southern rock & heavy metal and driven by a hunger to make an impact. The band dole out bottom-heavy and groove-laden anthems with every track and infuse a modern sense of melody that is the signature trademark of all the metal greats they've learned from. Also present and accounted for: southern swagger in spades, courtesy of the band's roots and upbringing.
ANTI-MORTEM are:
Larado Romo – Lead Vocals
Nevada Romo – Guitar
Zain Smith – Guitar
Corey Henderson – Bass
Levi Dickerson – Drums
www.anti-mortem.com | www.


text:
There are many positives to take out of Appalachian State's college football upset of fifth-ranked Michigan on Saturday.
Here's another: The game should serve as both a rallying cry and reminder that there is no excuse UNC Charlotte shouldn't add football as soon as possible.
Imagine – dream if you will – opening up Sunday's Observer and reading all the stories written about ASU's upset and replacing the word "ASU" with "UNC Charlotte" or "Mountaineers" with "49ers." Think about everything this win does for Appalachian State – the school and the athletics department.
Think it couldn't do the same to Charlotte? Think again.
There has been one glaring omission from the debate about whether Charlotte should add football and that is trying to quantify the intangibles of such a move. There are many well-paid and highly touted economists and financial experts who will offer their opinions as to whether the 49ers fan base and the Charlotte region can sustain a NCAA Division I football team.
What those very well-meaning people cannot measure is the loyalty, the excitement, the school spirit such Saturday afternoon football weekends bring. Ask fans of North Carolina, Clemson and South Carolina what it's like at their respective football games each fall weekend, and you will get descriptions that go far beyond a sum of plays and description of good 40-yard-line seats.
It's an atmosphere – one that cannot be easily replicated in a 100-page study. In such cases, the best evidence to discern the effect is to look at the visual evidence that surrounds you.
Davidson plays football, but likely will never get a chance to win a national championship because of the level the Wildcats choose to play. Ask students and alumni if it should be disbanded.
Ask Clemson fans if they would trade Saturdays at Death Valley for an ACC basketball championship. I think I know the answer. Do you?
Skeptics said Appalachian State would never – could never – beat Michigan in the "Big House."
We know the Mountaineers did.
Skeptics say Charlotte 49ers fans won't support football. They say it can't be done. They say nobody cares.
Give them reason to be wrong again.
Show them constant vigilance.
Monday, September 3, 2007
ASU upset a lesson to football skeptics
There are many positives to take out of Appalachian State's college football upset of fifth-ranked Michigan on Saturday.
50 comments:
- Anonymous said...
Simply put - that was GREAT!!
- Anonymous said...
Jim, this is the best blog entry you've ever written! It should be emailed to each member of the football study committee and every Board of Trustees member.
- Anonymous said...
One problem guys, try waiting about 30 some odd years to build a powerhouse like we have here at App. This was not some miracle because our school decided to establish football team long long ago. This is the byproduct of unrelenting work and was well deserved...if and when UNCC decides to field a team do not expect moments like this to come for quite some time. I do agree football can be uniting force though and UNCC desperately needs something to bring together a school that vanishes come Fridays.
- Anonymous said...
Jim, who is North Carolina?
I've heard of North Carolina at Charlotte, and North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina at Asheville, but never just North Carolina. Is that a real school or are you just refering to the name of the University system as a whole?
- Anonymous said...
Where is Wisconsin? Where is Illinois? Where is Arkansas? Get over it.
- Anonymous said...
Texas, Florida, Florida State, Oregon, Oregon State, Cal, Ohio State, West Virginia, Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina, Missouri, Arizona, Arizona State. The list goes on. Charlotte's not the main campus, especially without football.
- metroniner said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- Anonymous said...
Charlotte is not the main campus? Of what? Who says UNC-CH is the main campus?
- Anonymous said...
Well I think Chapel Hill is the understood main campus...the correct term for all the other UNC institutions is satellite campuses...ASU, ECU, NCSU,WCU...they are all UNC school they just don't bear the title UNC in their names like UNCA, UNCW,UNCC. Chapel Hill was the first public university in the nation's history...UNC is understood as THE university, not a system. So don't flatter yourself, you go to UNCC and that doesn't even begin to compare to UNC Chapel HIll.
- Anonymous said...
Nice article Jim. App put the ball on a tee for you and you knocked out of the park.
Phil and Co. need to make some public statement this week. I am not saying the final verdict, but the boat needs to be rocked for Niner football soon.
michwho, you obviously don't understand the system, so its not worth debating with you, another time another place.
- Anonymous said...
The fact that you think those schools are satellite campuses just takes what little credibility you had in your arguments and boots them to the curb. You dont even know what unc Charlotte is.
- Anonymous said...
michiganwho, stop showing your ignorance. From the web, http://www.northcarolina.edu. "Today, UNC is a multi-campus university composed of all 16 of North Carolina's public institutions that grant baccalaureate degrees...."
If you'll look at their website as well as the websites of the 16 schools, you will find NOTHING that indicates satellite campuses. Each institution stands on its own.
FYI, since President Erskine Bowles and the UNC Board of Governors have approved future growth to 35,000 students on the Mecklenburg campus by 2020, perhaps you'll feel differently as UNC Charlotte becomes the largest university in the UNC system.
- Anonymous said...
Who cares what UNCC is or is not. It's not in the same league as Chapel Hill or App or State academically and definitely not athletically. You will be lucky if you even get invited by the Big South if a team ever gets started. As an App student I personally hope the SoCon doesn't even touch UNCC and offer an invite to our conference. UNCC is long away from being a 1A school and it has nothing to do with how big your enrollment is. You will NOT be competitive for quite some time at any level. I do think football is a great addition to any school, but it seems to be so few students and alumni are realists in how they see this playing out. The Big East won't come calling your name if you add football so don't get ahead of yourselves.
- Anonymous said...
As someone who makes hiring decisions for a Charlotte based business, I'll take a UNCC graduate over an App State graduate 9 times out of 10. They are well-prepared to work for my company.
- Anonymous said...
I go to Charlotte, App was my safety school.
- Anonymous said...
App. St. better academically? I wouldn't go that far. Athletically? Enjoy your football season b/c other then that winter isn't the only thing that goes cold up in Boone.
- Anonymous said...
App St was the spring board we needed for the push to get football at Charlotte.
Other things that happened this weekend that should push us to get football are : UNC Pembroke played their first game in 50 years or so; App St, ECU, and WCU had their teams extensively shown on ESPN College Gameday; and a player from Coastal Carolina (who started their program 2 years ago) made the Panthers 53 man roster.
There is no reason that Charlotte should not have a football team. We came up with a cost, the students voted in favor of increasing fees that will cover that cost, so make it happen.
- Anonymous said...
Nice article.
- Anonymous said...
While I'm not going to get into the ASU vs. UNCC (that's the way it was when I grew up and how it always should be)academic comparison, if in making hiring decisions, you are hiring based on the college a prospective employ attended (unless it is a field such as architecture, where UNCC has a program and ASU does not), you are missing the boat on how to hire employees (see individual merit).
Here's the facts:
UNCC needs football. Even after you take away the publicity of national championships and in beating Michigan, the school needs the benefits of having alumni and active students on campus on the weekends for a big event. You need it to give your quality basketball program a chance to remain competitive.
It will take 10-15 years minimum for Charlotte to build a competitive program and would be ridiculous not to consider spending at least 8-10 years at the Division I-AA (FCS) level.
Even Coach Moore at ASU was not immediately successful and our offense did not involve in its current form until Scott Satterfield took the offensive coordinator reigns.
It was also the first time ever that a Div. I-AA team defeated a ranked team, so I wouldn't start replacing Mountaineers with 49ers.
- Anonymous said...
Wow, I really like to pull for Ap in football (until Charlotte takes the field anyway)but some of you "Ap people" seem to be going overboard. Ap certainly has an advantage on UNC Charlotte in football, but that IS ALL. It does not compare academically or athletically in any other sport. They were my "back-up" school as well. Get a grip Apps!
- Anonymous said...
Well first of all ASU was one of four the Time Colleges of the Year in the entire country! Name the last time UNCC got some recognition of that magnitude. Also, The only schools to turn away more students this academic year was Chapel Hill and NCSU. In reality, the people who had App as a backup are not alone because about 10,000 students here can claim UNCC as a safety school...that's not a bragging right to prove your school's supremacy...bring some real facts people. Also, whoever made the comment about no sports in the winter obviously didn't keep track of basketball outside of Charlotte because ASU had a better basketball program and deserved to be in the NCAA tournament winning 25 games including wins against Vanderbilt, VCU, giving Davidson its only loss in conference...at HOME!, beating a perrenial mid-major power on ESPN at Wichita State, we also made the NIT which is far more than you can claim for UNCC. I am certain we will win at least 18 games this year and we will see what happens when we come to play Charlotte. We also have won the Commissioner's Cup for each of the last 26 out of 29 years which is awarded to the best men's athletic program overall in the conference.
- Anonymous said...
You had one good season in basketball and you run your mouth. The commissioner's cup competition in that conference is weak and many of those schools do not field an entire athletic program, thus making it more difficult for them to win it.
Congrats on your win, you should be confident and proud, but arrogant you shouldn't be. That's what did Michigan in.
- Anonymous said...
As the last poster mentioned, you ASU people need to come back down to earth. IF you really think ASU is stronger academically than UNC Charlotte, you are clueless. I have a close relative who is in his 5th year at ASU right now and he openly admits that ASU can not touch Charlotte academically. Do you guys even offer doctoral degrees? Charlotte has what, 20-30 offered...... As for other sports, you can't seriously think that one or even two decent years in basketball makes your program better than Charlotte's. That is just laughable. Sure, Charlotte was down last year (and might still be this year), but we'd have to be down for another 8-10 years, while ASU would have to get NCAA at-large bids that long to match Charlotte's record. How 'bout other sports? Charlotte baseball finished top 25 this year, knocked NCSU out the tourney 2 games to 0, before falling to S. Carolina on their home field. How 'bout golf? All Charlotte did was finish 3rd in the nation behind Stanford and Georgia. Where was ASU? I could continue on with soccer, track and field, etc. I'm not trying to rip ASU (and obviously you have great football over us), but you need to not go quite so overboard, you're going to make people like me turn against your team (whom I really like and have for years)!
- Anonymous said...
Congrats to ASU on the win against Michigan. Hopefully this will inspire Charlotte's administration to field a football team for the 49er's that much faster. As for Chapel hill having an advantage over UNCC, they should. They've got a 200 year head start on us and they get more than their fair share of state funding. I think the folks in Chapel Hill are starting to hear footsteps when they see all the new academic programs and state of the art facilities that Charlotte has added to the campus, along with a growing student body. For those of you who think we're crazy, how about you stop by UNCC next time your in town. You'll be in for a pleasant surprise.
- Anonymous said...
Everyone in North Carolina should be excited for ASU and the attention their upset victory has brought to our state. It was special.
UNCC needs football--for many reasons--not the least of which is institutitonal identity. Being located in Charlotte means the destiny of UNCC is to be a major research university (with major enrollment and business expectations) , but from an athletic/reputation standpoint, few
know much about the place, except if basketball gets into the NCAA"S
In February, the other shoe will drop and the football question will be positively answered with the addition of the sport. Charlotte is a metropolis and deserves major collegiate sports. For Boone, a mountain town, football brings recognition to a place few people know about or will
ever know.
- Anonymous said...
The academic comparison between Charlotte and App is worthless. Lots of people use App as their "back-up" school, but many more use Charlotte as their "back-up" school. Just look at the numbeers. Charlotte does currently offer more doctorate programs, but that has to do with Charlottes location, and all about to change with Apps awesome leadership. As a current student, I always wanted to go to Appalachian, and used State and UNCC as my "backup" schools although I would never go to Charlotte because I grew up there and of course, no football. You guys had a some great basketball success 30 years ago, and have a great womens polo team or something, but go to any high school in North Carolina (even in Charlotte) and ask the top seniors whether they would want to go to App or Charlotte, and we all know what the answer is (And I have a brother who is a senior at one of the best schools in Charlotte).
Get football, start looking at quality over quantity, get your nose out of chapel hills a**, and stop touting your womens polo tournament appearance as it somehow negates the fact that ASU is more popular than UNCC, and maybe we can have a nice rivalry someday.
- Anonymous said...
don't join the discussion if you can't contribute.
I like how this started out as praising App. for their play and for possibly giving an even further push of momentum to Charlotte's quest for football, and now has deteriorated into an argument about better universities.
Michiganwho instigated it and I hope him and some of the others on here do not reflect all App. students. You should be congratulated but it should take more than that win to make you turn your nose up to a school with dreams to accomplish similar feats.
Charlotte congratulates you... that's all, don't be a prick. You should enjoy your victory, and it should be inspiration to others but don't act like you're the next USC or LSU. Have some self restrain.
Good luck with making it 3 straight.
- Anonymous said...
2:19 anonymous poster....that post is hilarious....when I stop laughing, I'll try to post a response!....hahahahaha
- Niner National said...
app and UNCC both have admission rates of about 70%. I think Apps is 69% and UNCC's is 73%. Not a significant enough difference to even argue about. Charlotte is considered a 4th tier doctoral university while App is (I think) a masters level university that isn't ranked. Neither App nor Charlotte can claim to be superior academically in my opinion because both admit the vast majority of those that apply. Charlotte definitely holds an advantage over App though in that it is located in the city and has a lot of ties to local businesses. Internships are plentiful for Charlotte students should they pursue them. App can't touch Charlotte there and experience is what matters the most to employers. A college town of 15,000 has very limited choices for students compared to a metropolis of 2 million people.
- Anonymous said...
Congrats to ASU and their fans. Watching the excitement and spirit you had over the last weekend has made me wish more than ever that we had football here at Charlotte as you do.
But let me state this - over the last 3 years of experience I have with friends at other schools, I have really only had problems with UNC Chapel Hill students and a few NCSU students who talk a much bigger game than they are informed about regarding Charlotte, and have nothing but arrogance regarding their school and how much "better" it is than Charlotte. Please dont cause me to look differently at App. regarding these situations. I believe that each of the North Carolina University Systems schools have their own identities academically, and that we all excel in areas that the other schools may not. Thats the beauty of growing up in NC - I actually had a good choice of where I wanted to go for my education without worrying about out of state tuition.
Now to the guy who thinks we'r a satellite campus of UNCCH - Rutgers University in NJ has satellite campus' in NJ - but each of those campus' fly under the RU banner, with the RU colors, and their degrees say RU on them. Ours dont say UNCCH, we have our own colors and our own banner, which many of the people who comment on this are very proud of. So do not insult us by saying that we are simply a satellite campus of UNCCH. I'm glad you have spirit in your school, and I hope no one ever takes that from you, but throw out false information that could hinder ours. Thats a lack of respect for our University, and causes a much deeper lack of respect for you and your University to those of us who go to Charlotte.
Also NCAA basketball success 30 years ago? try being ranked 3 years ago.
And for the guy made the comment about employment - I've heard many of the employers here in Charlotte love hiring Charlotte grads over many of the other schools. I've also had employers tell me that.
I hope to oneday look out on a football field and see the Charlotte 49ers playing App. State - I think it would be an incredibly fun rivalry - similar to the cross town rivalry we have with Davidson in basketball. Best of luck to you and your season this year.
- Anonymous said...
I don't care about seeing Charlotte or 49ers in headlines beating Michigan. I'd be fine with App throttles 49ers in football opener.
- Anonymous said...
F**k App, let me know who wins the big Western Carolina game and the glorious brown jug or some crap....
- Anonymous said...
Ryan, Appalachian is the 10th ranked University in the south division according to the Princeton Review.
Also, Consumer's Digest has ASU as its 21st "best value" in the nation.
- Anonymous said...
Just a few little facts here for ya, in case you were wondering who really has the superior academics...
UNC Charlotte is the #1 rated University in the country in patents applied for.
UNC Charlotte is the #2 rated University in the country in patents granted.
UNC Charlotte is the #1 rated University in the country for number of startup businesses formed.
You can check the facts at the wikipedia article. If there aren't citations there, you can just go the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, where we have a huge mural.
Does Boone even have an airport? For crop dusters maybe.
It's not even a comparison in academics.
Additionally, let me say that App was never even on my radar. I applied to Charlotte, State, and Chapel Hill. I got into all three, and ultimately decided on Charlotte for its engineering program, specifically motor sports. While my path changed even before I started school, it was the clear choice. Don't comfort yourselves by knowing that almost every teacher I had in my K-12 years was an App grad; big whoop.
All that aside, I think App has quality athletics, especially for football - I was pulling for them against MSU and usually do when they play - but your arrogance is astonishing. Boone is a nice place to go skiing, and I have known many a people to go there over the years, but this attitude is so childish, and quite frankly, it's misplaced arrogance at best.
- Anonymous said...
Anyone who's from Charlotte knows UNCC kids are the weak kids who weren't able to leave home. It's also a suitcase campus and has a lot of transients that just don't know where to end up. I didn't go to either, I went a private university. But I know I'd much rather befriend an App grad than a UNCC kid that's all tatted up and a member of a quasi-greek community. Oh yea, and App kids have much better parties.
- Anonymous said...
I've attended both ASU and UNCC (The latter as a grad student). I enjoyed both, but would choose my experience at ASU any day over my experience at UNCC. UNCC has more of a community college feel to it. I taught some basic science labs while there as part of grad school and was amazed that several students couldn't do simple math, even with a calculator. I wonder what type of admission requirements they have.
- Anonymous said...
This pissing match is pointless. Let us just agree that both Charlotte and ASU are both good academic schools, we aren't exactly Harvard, but we aren't ECU either. We both have facts about our schools that make them look superior (ASU has the #1 passing rate for the CPA exam in the country), but neither is going to be "better" per se. If you want to be an engineer (charlottegrad06) of course App isn't going to be on your radar (duh), we don't have an engineering school!! Get over yourselves, from both schools, and realize that this is a great accomplishment for ASU athletics, not academics, I doubt any other team from NC could win at the big house this year.
- Anonymous said...
just throwing this out there - 75 percent of Charlotte students live on or within 5 miles of campus. i would say that approximately 16,680 kids didnt live within 5 miles of the University growing up, or even right before college started. So dont give me that "living at home because we dont have the power to leave" crap. Have you ever been to Charlotte? Theres so much to do - the weather doesnt suck half the year - and oh guess what, WE HAVE GOOD PROGRAMS - and most of them are actually on the higher end of the North Carolina Education System
There are a couple of reasons campus isnt incredibly active at all times during the weekend.
1. No Football on the weekends early on in the school year
2. We have a whopping 4 high rises, and like it or not, when you live in a highrise, there seems like theres a lot more going on, since you actually KNOW your neighbors.
3. Theres a LOT of crap going on around town
Dont assume that everyone just packs up and goes home on the weekends anymore. Though some do - many more dont. So dont go with the mid 80's early 90's approach as a suitcase school, you were misinformed
- Anonymous said...
I'm actually from Charlotte, born and raised. I didn't go to school here, but I definitely agree with the comment about many students not being able to leave home and not knowing what else to do with themselves, so they end up enrolling at uncc. I hope it does get better and isn't so much of a suitcase campus. But for now, it's not high on anyone's radar as having a real community feel.
- Anonymous said...
You last few posters are so obviously uninformed. Charlotte is WAY different than it was in the 80s or before. I know because unlike most of you, I was there. Iam also quite involved with the school as an alum, so I see it now as well. It is not a "suitcase school" these days. That is just and old cliche' that people in and around Charlotte have heard from years ago, so they just assume it still fits and the idea that people just "choose to enroll" at Charlotte when they don't have anywhere else to go is ridiculous. Check the numbers, SAT/ACT and others. You will find that Charlotte more than holds its own as compared to most UNC System schools, including that GREAT academic (Masters Level only) institution that is Ap State!...lol
- Anonymous said...
For the idiot who said that we are weak kids and couldn't leave home, I laughed a little when you said you went to a "Private University."
Ummmm maybe Davidson? Don't make me start getting an S-T-D chant going.
Also, I'm sure that you can bring the entire student body of your "Private School" over and we'd see who the "weak kids" are.
As for App, don't claim to be an academic sound university when you're not. You may can run that crap by WCU fans and they're dumb enough to believe it, but not here.
- Anonymous said...
May can? Its a good thing UNCC is known for a decent engineering program.
- Anonymous said...
haha, no it wasn't Davidson actually. but even if it was, I'm sure you'll be working for some Davidson grads one day. If you're lucky maybe they'll learn your first name, too. I don't know uncc, one can dream right?
- Anonymous said...
yeah man, davidsons got a KILLER engineering program. at least for one that doesnt exist.
Gosh I love that cross town rivalry thing...
- Anonymous said...
I think the academic comparison is not really valid, for reasons already pointed out. Charlotte has doctorate programs. ASU does not. (Well i think they do in education) They are different. I'm not sure where the admission rate stat came from but this past year App had over 13,000 applicants that led to a freshman class of less than 3,000. That made ASU the 3rd most applied to school in the UNC system. So I would say that App is and will be more selective in admissions. However, a reason for that is that Charlotte has plenty of room to grow and expand to accomodate more students. Expansion room in Boone is at an astronomical premium.
But over the past few years, and what looks like in the future, ASU could be and maybe already is the most desired destination for Undergraduate work outside of UNC-CH and State.
- Anonymous said...
I agree with the above statements for the most part - but I as many Charlotte students and Alumni believe, if the football statement is possitive in early 08' we will then be well on our way to having one of the major things that causes a decline (if one exists) in Charlottes admission standings. As sad as it sounds, a large reason for many students not coming to Charlotte, at least from my experience with Sr's in High School, is football, because it brings a LOT of communal feel with it.
We'll see what happens - I'm proud to be a North Carolinian with our academic institutions, and I'm proud to be a Charlotte 49er.
- Anonymous said...
APP is hellah weak, go smoke so more pot and feel sorry for yourselves
- Anonymous said...
Man I go to UNC Charlotte and Charlotte desperately needs a football team. The campus does die each weekend and it's extremely boring. It's already not a college town at all... it's a city, it needs something to at least make it feel like a college, and that's Saturday's in the fall. Tailgating, hanging with all your buds, and just having fun. I've spent plenty of money going to college football games and they're all at Georgia. I'm a Georgia fan for life, don't get me wrong, but if Charlotte would put a football team here, I'd have no problem going to every game as a student and then putting up for season-tix as an alumni. It's something the school needs.
- Anonymous said...
For the "7:59" anonymous poster above, it looks like you are wrong on your applications data. The latest article posted on this webpage (about NC schools starting football) shows Charlotte had 15,000 applicants for this fall (compared to ASU's 13000, according to the poster). Charlotte's freshman class is typically 4-5000. I assume it is similar this year, but I don't know the exact figure. However, even an ASU student knows that 15,000 applicants is more than 13,000!!!
- Unknown said...
wow, UNCC and ASU people in a peeing contest.
I am a masters graduate from UNCC in engineering, working for a research institution that occasionally makes the paper when its products are launched into space. A good friend of mine is a computer science major from ASU who works for a prominent company in the Triangle. Both schools can get you where you want to go if you work hard. Both schools have a ways to go to match the tradition (academic and otherwise) of State and Carolina. I graduated from State as an undergrad, so I've seen firsthand the differences and similarities.
With that being said, I would definitely consider flying back to Charlotte for the first football game, if our admins stop playign the numbers game--believe me, if they wanted a football team, we'd already have one.


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Market intelligence that flows both ways. It's about the real Internet of Things. Not the Compuserve+Prodigy+AOL variety in development today. Unless we build on open source and standards, the IoT won't be near as big as Business Insider says it will be.
What I'll be doing this coming Wednesday.
Marketing in the age of VRM and customer engagement.
Liking "your favorite brand" might mean you can't sue them.
Nice props from Darren Herman of Mozilla for VRM and The Intention Economy.
Many friends and colleagues made the latest Knight News Challenge cut.
A Dutch guy's soul sells for 350 euros.
Which passwords to change for Heartbleed. Bonus link.
Crypticide I: Thirteen Years of Crack. "Because I want that password algorithm — the traditional, 8-character Unix password-hashing algorithm — "dead."
U.S. No longer a democracy. From a Princeton and Northwestern study. Mostly reported, for brand-name reasons I suppose, as a "Princeton study."
Birth and death of Javascript.
Past, present and future of music streaming.
Problems with bid data ethics.
What happens to the ebook market inside Amazon's monopoly.
Designing conversations with algorithms. From the NYTimes Lab blog. Creeps me a little, but I like stuff like this: "The second principle here is agency, meaning that a system's design should empower users to not only accomplish tasks, but should also convey a sense that they are in control of their participation with a system at any moment. And I want to be clear that agency is different from absolute and granular control."


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Adobe Creative Suite 3
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Adobe software
You know what's nice about tea sachets? Not having to measure anything. I knew very little about tea before getting a job with two leaves and a bud, but it's a steep learning curve. (Steep. Ha! But pun not intended.) One of the first items in the office I met was the little blue scale that we use to measure out loose tea.
"Aim for about 2.5 grams per cup of tea," Bess told me on my first day, putting a pinch of tea onto the scale. It turns out, each of our sachets contains about 2.5 grams of tea leaves, herbs, flowers and fruit pieces, depending on which sachet you're brewing. And since these are substantial, full-leaf teas (not cut up into little pieces to fit in a little paper teabag, that is), you can forget about your grandmother's tiny teacup. A sachet from two leaves and a bud is for a mug — anywhere between 8 and 16 ounces of tea, depending on your taste preferences.
Recently two leaves founder Richard Rosenfeld mentioned that over the years of fixing mugs of tea, he's perfected his perfect, 2.5-gram pinch of tea. Perhaps even enough to not have to use the scale at all. You can imagine my reaction: "You're going to have to prove that for the blog, you know."
So, we gather it all together in his office: little blue scale, a couple of sleeves of loose tea, and Richard's fingers. We spread some tea out on a white piece of paper, and he gathers some up with those perfect pinching fingers. (A note here: Never just dump loose tea straight from the package on to your scale. The point of picking tea up with your fingers from a large pile on a table is because you want a good sampling of all the tea in the bag — whole leaves, broken pieces, buds from the tea plant — for the best flavor.)
Richard places the pinch of tea in the scale and ... uh oh. He's way, way off. Instead of 2.5 grams of tea, he's managed to put an entire 6.1 grams of tea onto the scale at once. Pretty far from perfect.
But, this is the part of the blog where instead of being amused, I have to be honest. He was measuring Genmai Matcha, a unique loose tea we sell from Japan known as "brown rice tea" because it has puffs of roasted brown rice in it. To be fair, it's difficult to get an accurate pinch of this tea when your fingers are thrown off by rice, green tea leaves and powdered green tea (that's the "Matcha") that turned Richard's fingers bright green.
So we turned to the bag of loose Organic Assam tea — the tea that Richard drinks every morning, without fail. We dumped it out on a piece of paper, he pinched, we measured ... 2.4 grams. Don't you hate it when somebody is as good at something as they claim to be?
But here's the thing about that little blue scale: it's not the one tasting your tea — you are. If you like the taste of 6.1 grams of Genmai Matcha in a 10 ounce mug of hot water, go for it. The beauty of loose tea is the ability of making it just how you like it, little blue scale and perfect pinches be damned.
One last note: Richard is actually fond of putting 6 or 7 grams of Genmai Matcha into a filter and steeping it for only 10 seconds. Since the Matcha dissolves quickly, that method makes for a mug of tea with big green tea flavor, and less taste of the roasted rice. Me, I like steeping 2.5 to 3 grams of Genmai Matcha for several minutes in an average-sized mug of tea, so I can get that roasty, toasty rice flavor. "Different steeps for different creeps," Richard says.
That's Richard — perfect pinch and a way with words.


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In the battle between kung-fu grip and the bionic eye, will life-like hair or better, stronger, and faster prevail?
We first previewed this crossover series here at borg back in February 2018. Now the adventure series is available in a trade/graphic novel edition. It's a story that has been played out millions of times in the backyards of kids who grew up with both G.I. Joe and The Six Million Dollar Man. It's G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero vs. The Six Million Dollar Man, last year's crossover series from IDW Publishing and Dynamite. Is this merely a crossover or also a team-up? You'll have to read it to find out, and you won't want to miss it. The villain is COBRA, and that infamous G.I. Joe threat and organization of evil has hacked Steve Austin's cyborg circuitry to become a tool against Team Joe.
So it's Colonel Steve Austin, COBRA Commander, Storm Shadow, Baroness, Zartan, and Major Bludd against Hawk, Scarlett, Rock 'n' Roll, Snake Eyes, Lady Jaye, Roadblock, and Ace. But the good guys have more than one ace up their sleeve, as they introduce one of our favorite borgs, borg Hall of Famer, Mike Power, The Atomic Man. Finally–a face-off between The Six Million Dollar Man and The Atomic Man!
This is as much about toys as comic book characters. Pitting the famous 1960s-70s 12-inch tall Hasbro "fighting man" G.I. Joe team (or small-scale figures, or animated series, if you prefer) with Adventure Team member (and second cyborg hero) Mike Power against the first cyborg Steve Austin–who appeared on millions of TV sets and produced one of the best selling 12-inch action figures of all time. This was a fantasy played out in living rooms and sandboxes all over. Technically this story isn't the G.I. Joe of the 1970s, but the reboot universe Joes from the 1980s–the animated series, the mini-figures, and beyond.
As recounted in the recent Netflix series The Toys That Made Us, G.I. Joe began as an action figure line in 1963 to fill an untapped niche for boys alongside Barbie for girls. The Six Million Dollar Man began in 1972 as the hero of Martin Caidin′s novel Cyborg (previously reviewed here at borg), and was adapted two years later into a four-season television series starring Lee Majors. Cyborg Mike Power, The Atomic Man, was Hasbro's response to the popularity of the Bionic Man on TV.
For anyone not following G.I. Joes in the 1970s, here is the original comic page meet-up and origin story with Major Mike Power and G.I. Joe:
The original Mike Power had a cybernetic "atomic" right arm and left leg. The new iteration of the character has prosthetics on both legs.
Here is a preview of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero vs. The Six Million Dollar Man:
The story reprints all four issues of the series, which was written by Ryan Ferrier with artwork by S.L. Gallant and Brian Shearer, and colors by James Brown. Several variant covers from the series are included throughout this trade edition, by Gallant, John Cassaday, Michael Adams, Stuart Sayger, David Messina, Marcelo Ferreira, Anthony Marques, Jerry Ordway, and Kenneth Loh.
Not to be missed for fans of either franchise, toy company, or cyborg, order a copy from Elite Comics, your local comic book store, or pick up a copy of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero vs. The Six Million Dollar Man now here at Amazon.
C.J. Bunce


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Thanks … giving: 2013's hunger strike round-up
When Lincoln declared the last Thursday in November to be the federal holiday, Thanksgiving, he invited his fellow citizens to use it as a day of atonement; a day to pray for orphans, widows, mourners and sufferers of what he described as the "lamentable civil strife."
This is the 160th anniversary of that proclamation. Somehow a day of "humble penitence" has evolved into candying already-too-sweet tubers and mauling your neighbors at the local Walmart for a $30 Furby Boom.
So while we prepare to gorge ourselves on pie-crusted gourds — to celebrate all that we are grateful for with a feast of coma-inducing carbs — I offer my list of the notable hunger strikes of 2013: those people who have forgone food as a means of publicizing grievances.
While we all overdo it, here's a list of people this year who strategically went without:
1. California prison inmates
September ended the largest hunger strike in California prison history. Some 30,000 inmates refused meals for months to call for an end to indefinite solitary confinement. The practice of extreme and prolonged isolation has become a norm in America: 81,622 prisoners are in solitary confinement according to the most recent data the federal government released—California prisons alone house 11,730 of them. Long-term isolation has been deemed to be torture by the international community and human rights organizations.
Because of the prisoners' widespread hunger strike, they were promised legislative hearings on this issue.
2. Guantanamo Bay prisoners
At its peak in July, of the 166 men being held indefinitely in Gitmo, 106 were refusing to eat. There are 86 men cleared for transfer and yet they sit in our infamous offshore gulag. Their only tool of protest is declining sustenance. To thwart this they're being force-fed through an anguishing process involving stomach tubes. Obama's first promise as president was to shut down Guantanamo Bay. Of the force-feeding Obama said, "I don't want these individuals to die." Some prisoners are continuing to go without food and thus continuing to be forcefully fed.
3. Iranian dissidents
On Sept. 1, 52 people opposing Iran's totalitarian regime were shot dead in the detention center referred to as Camp Ashraf in Iraq. All of the victims were unarmed; many had their hands tied behind their back when they were killed. These executions were carried out by Iraqi Special Forces which are also responsible for taking seven hostages (one man and six women) from the outpost. The fear is they'll be turned over to Iran to face torture and subsequently executed. Exiled Iranians, some estimate as many as several hundred, in more than five countries have gone on a hunger strike asking for the hostages to be freed.
4. Gyanraj Rai
A former soldier in the British Army, serving as a Gurkha in Hong Kong, Mr. Rai vowed not to eat until his fellow U.K.-based Nepali soldiers were treated and compensated the same as other British veterans. As of this writing he was on Day 14 of his protest telling the Daily Mirror, "I will die in the name of dignity and equality for all Gurkhas."
5. Immigration protesters
Home-care workers affiliated with Service Employees International Union staged a 24-hour fast in front of anti-illegal immigration hardliner Rep. Gary Miller's (R-CA) Rancho Cucamonga office. The vigil was to draw attention to the need for immigration reform in the wake of the stalemate in the GOP-controlled House.
6. Filipino Climate Chief Yeb Sano
While attending the U.N. climate summit in Warsaw, Poland, 4,000 of his countrymen died in a typhoon. He refuses to call it a hunger strike. Instead he's referring to it as a voluntary fast in solidarity with the typhoon victims who can't find food after the ravages of the storm. He's asking for governments to "ratchet up pollution controls."
"Sano's supporters hope that their civil disobedience would draw attention to the suffering of countries at the mercy of climate change," reports ABS-CBNnews.com.
Have a happy Day of Thanks!
— Tina Dupuy is a nationally syndicated op-ed columnist, investigative journalist, award-winning writer, stand-up comic, on-air commentator and wedge issue fan. Tina can be reached at email@example.com.
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New tech-savvy freeride snowsports North Face Men's Windstopper Jacket Blue Black offers four jackets in one. Constructed with a waterproof, breathable, fully seam sealed HyVent exterior, this North Face Windstopper Jacket shell combines with a lofty, 550-fill down interior jacket that can be worn as separates as weather permits.
* Large, intuitive harness and pack-friendly chest pockets* Formed, fitted and structured brim on hood unheard of in such a lightweight design* Performance Fit* Waterproof, breathable, seam sealed* Attached, fully adjustable, helmet-compatible hood* Two alpine pockets* One internal chest pocket* Pit-zip vents* Hem cinch-cord* Adjustable hem system* Adjustable cuff tabs* Recco avalanche rescue reflector* Gender: Men* Size Available: S,M,L,XL,XXL* Manufacturer Warranty: Lifetime* Recommend Use: Cold Weather


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There may be hope for Lady Gaga and Taylor Kinney after all.
Many fans' hearts broke Tuesday upon learning the couple's engagement had been called off; however, it seems the famous pair isn't absolutely, completely, for sure done.
Lady Gaga addressed the reports in an Instagram post, saying she and the "Chicago Fire" star "have always believed [they] are soulmates."
"Just like all couples we have ups and downs, and we have been taking a break," the singer wrote. "We are both ambitious artists, hoping to work through long-distance and complicated schedules to continue the simple love we have always shared."
She asked fans to "please root us on."
The singer's rep also confirmed the news to People magazine, saying Kinney and Gaga "are taking a break." A source told People the couple's schedules made things difficult, but they're not ready to throw in the towel just yet.
"She's working on an album, he's working on his show, they aren't in the same state, it was just hard," the source said. "They both love each other very much and they want it to work. It's just been tough with the long distance."
U.S. & World
On-Again, Off-Again Celebrity Couples
Last week, on Kinney's birthday, Gaga was photographed without her engagement ring. When she performed at an orphanage in Mexico earlier this week, the ring was again missing. It's unclear who initiated taking the time off.
The former pair began dating in 2011 after meeting on the set of Gaga's "You and I" music video.
"When you meet someone that's not intimidated by the amazing people that are around you [or] by the love that you receive — that's love," Gaga told Fashion magazine in 2013. "Men weren't always happy for me. It was very challenging to watch a woman be so successful."
She said at the time she knew Kinney was the one for her.
"I really can't imagine being with anyone other than who I'm with right now," the Golden Globe winner told Howard Stern in a December 2014 SiriusXM interview. "He is the right guy. I have that feeling. I just know it."
Kinney has not commented publicly on the split.


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One of the best things about living in (or just following) Santa Barbara is reading Nick Welsh's Angry Poodle Barbeque column each week in the Independent — one of the best free newsweeklies anywhere. This week's column, El Corazón del Perro, is a classic. One sample:
For those of us without the heart to pursue our own dream, or even the imagination to have one, Jackson provides cold reassurance. If someone so rich, so famous, and so hugely adored could wind up so agonizingly wretched, maybe the moral of the story is that one's bliss was never meant to be followed.
This, however, isn't just another knock on the late Jacko. It's a column about afterdeath effects in Santa Barbara County, which was home to Jackson through his Neverland years:
This past Tuesday, a coterie of key county executives from law enforcement, public works, fire protection, public health, planning, emergency response, and communications spent the better part of the day shuttling from one emergency meeting to the next, trying to figure out what was real and what to do about it. No less than five employees of the Sheriff's Department spent their day fielding calls from media outlets around the world. Associated Press dispatched a reporter to stake out the County Administration Building all day. By 7 p.m., Tuesday, no actual communication had taken place between county government and the Jackson camp. Instead, Sheriff's officials relied upon contacts they have with the L.A. County Sheriff's Department for whatever vague rumors and rumblings they could get. Somehow through this opaque and osmotic chain of communication, county officials are hoping to persuade the Jackson clan to call it off, if in fact it was they who started something in the first place.
Some in the Sheriff's Department expressed confidence that the whole thing has been an exceptionally expensive and elaborate fire drill. Personally, I like the idea that the whole thing is a big fake-out, an angry practical joke on the county that prosecuted Jackson. When Paul McCartney's former wife, Linda McCartney, died several years ago, I remember how rumors were strategically planted that she died in Santa Barbara County. In fact, she did not. The County Coroner complained he spent so much time fielding media calls that he couldn't get any work done. Cadavers, he said, were piling up in his coolers like firewood. Ultimately, we would discover the whole thing was an elaborate dodge so that the McCartney clan could grieve unmolested by the paparazzi. But not before Santa Barbarans — ever willing to embrace the rich and famous, even if they never lived here — held a solemn and tearful candlelight vigil at the County Courthouse's Sunken Gardens.
Some of the worries in the piece are stale now (a Neverland funeral appears unlikely), but it's still a good read.


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John Wilson (Scottish writer)
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John Wilson (18 May 1785 – 3 April 1854) was a Scottish writer, the writer most frequently identified with the pseudonym Christopher North of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine.
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- Music is the universal language of mankind.
- Nocted Ambrosianae (1822-5).
- You did late review my lays,
Crusty Christopher;
You did mingle blame and praise,
Rusty Christopher.
When I learnt from whom it came,
I forgave you all the blame,
Musty Christopher;
I could _not_ forgive the praise,
Fusty Christopher.


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This is not an offer for credit and should be used for estimation purposes only based on the information you provided. You should not base your decision on this estimate alone. Title, registration, tax and other fees, and personal circumstances such as employment status and personal credit history, were not considered in the calculations.
The racers at these events didn't have factory contracts, and were not paid to race. They came because they loved the competition, the sport, and they rode motorcycles they bought themselves.
The race classes were defined by engine size, rider skill level and allowable modifications. The grids for 1,000 cc machines were packed with GSX-R1000s. The grids for 750 cc machines featured row after row of GSX-R750s. But the 600 cc grids were no longer completely filled with GSX-R600s. After years of trying, the middleweight competition had finally caught up, again.
The engineers worked stopwatches, talked to riders and mechanics, filled notebooks with observations and comments. They compared what they had seen at these regional races to what was happening in the World Superbike and AMA and other national Superbike series, and with the results from endurance series in Europe and the U.S.
By the time they returned to Japan, the engineers had a clear plan: Take everything Suzuki has learned from building and racing the dominating GSX-R1000 and use it to again leapfrog the would-be 600 cc competition.
Apply the cutting-edge technology inherent in Genuine Suzuki Engineering, and build a new middleweight machine that defines the concept, The Top Performer.
In other words, produce a racer replica that delivers "the outstanding power-to-weight ratio, powerband and throttle response". A sportbike that also establishes the 600 cc state-of-the-art in terms of throttle response, suspension performance, braking power. A motorcycle with the type of overall handling that inspires rider confidence and leads to quicker lap times. A machine infused with lessons from the racetrack.
Build the 2007 Suzuki GSX-R600.
And Own The Racetrack. Again.