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Front Bolts & Powertubes the A-Z
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Subject: Front Bolts & Powertubes the A-Z
Thu Aug 19, 2010 1:47 pm
Found this on the OG great piece of information about bolts and powertubes etc..
So its all about the front bolt the powertubes arent really needed at all only usefull if your running co2 to have one not out of plastic.
Here is a synopsis of how the Tippmann A5 internals work. Gas comes in through the hose and into the tombstone (dark green). The tombstone is inserted into the powertube (orange outline), which holds the valve (grey), and into the valve itself. It sits up against the valve and feeds directly into it through the middle. The user pulls the trigger (solid orange), which in one way or another trips a sear (pink), and releases the hammer (light green). The drive spring pushes the hammer forward towards the valve. The front bolt (red) is connected to the hammer via a linkage arm and allows them to move in unison. As the hammer moves forward, the front bolt pushes the ball through the barrel adapter and into the barrel. At the end of the hammer's travel, it slides into the powertube, making a seal with its o-ring, and hits the valve pin. The pin releases the gas, which fills up the cavity where you can see the pin. The air is directed directly into the Cyclone/RT port as well as through channels outside of the valve (but still inside the powertube). The channels route the air around the tombstone and in front of it, where it converges again at the powertube extension. There it travels through the extension, through the front bolt, and out the barrel. At the same time, the escaping gas is also pushing the hammer backwards until the hammer pops out of the powertube where the gas then escapes in all directions and out of the gun. The hammer's inertia finishes the action of the gun and returns the bolt back to its original position.
Reasons for Test:
I felt the original front bolt comparison thread had several major flaws in it that I will try to address. The comparison that I refer to can be found below. Please read it before continuing this article.
Scientific side by side comparison of leading aftermarket front bolts for the A-5!
Firstly, I think that an accuracy test was not the way to go. Most of a gun's accuracy comes from the barrel and its bore relationship to the paintball. I'm avoiding using paint-to-barrel-match because there is current testing in this theory that questions what is the perfect bore relationship and is inconclusive at the moment. The only affect that a front bolt can have on a ball's accuracy is in the vertical dimension due to velocity deviations.
The original comparison also used the Flatline barrel, which doesn't have the best accuracy. IMO, that is a poor starting point to base an accuracy test on. Especially since the ball is changing spin directions inside the barrel. Also, the rough texture of the inside walls of the barrel not only may cause fluctuations in accuracy but it also prevents any kind of seal for the ball, which may allow gas to blow past. There are too many variables associated with the Flatline barrel for a test such as this.
The data did not show any shot velocities or other statistics; there were no consistency results or efficiency results. Consistency refers to the ability to repeat something reliability and with little to no change. A bolt with good consistency will have velocities that fluctuate very little and bad consistency will have a lot changes. The changing of velocity will make a ball travel farther/shorter, which also translates to higher/lower vertical groupings due to gravity affecting its trajectory. The front bolt should not affect a ball's horizontal movement. I reserve that for the barrel.
The front bolt also controls a gun's efficiency by controlling the release of the gas. Depending on the design, it's possible that gas is escaping in other ways and isn't going solely through the barrel. This loss of pressure and volume will affect a ball's velocity and/or consistency. A bolt with bad efficiency would require more volume/pressure to make a ball travel the same speed as a bolt with good efficiency. That means less shots per tank simply through design. The original test never considered this.
I'm going to refer back to the lack of statistics. Without having any numbers to look at, we can't come up with any confidence intervals (an interval estimate that contains the true mean velocity within a certain percentage of confidence) or consequently if the differences in the results shown are significant or not. We also can't analyze the data further on our own and come up with a result that may not have originally been conceived.
Lastly, only 1 powertube was used in the test. Powertubes also have many variables associated with them and each one could affect a single bolt's performance. Factors such as material, extension diameter, extension shape, front velocity adjuster (FVA), Cyclone/RT ports, etc. What may work well with one powertube may have a different result with another powertube.
That's where this test comes in. Not only were the front bolts looked at but powertubes were as well to give a more comprehensive look at the bivariate relationship occurring.
Here is the list of factors that were considered for the test:
1.Powertube material
2.FVA/Cyclone vs. no-FVA/Cyclone vs. no-FVA/no-Cyclone
3.Powertube extension diameter
4.Powertube extension shape
5.Powertube valve diameter
6.Powertube length
7.Combination effect (ex – New Designz, Rufus Dawg, etc)
8.Front bolt length
9.Front bolt inner o-ring
10.Front bolt inner o-ring distance from base
11.Front bolt outer o-ring
12.Front bolt outer o-ring distance from tip
13.Front bolt linkage arm hole distance from tip
14.Front bolt shape
15.Front bolt material
There are many variables associated with this test and the best way is to test all of the bolts on all of the powertubes (when possible). Just for good measure, the powertubes were also measured for the sound level differences to give actual data to prove whether or not metal powertubes are louder than plastic ones.
Here is the setup I have:
1.Newer style A5 receivers w/ Cyclone/RT ports and polished internals
2.Metadyne folding stock
3.Maddmann blue spring
4.Freak back and 12" freak front using the Reball insert
6.X7 valve
7.AKA 2-Liter Plus Dual regulator w/ HP spring and 7/8" extender cap
8.Braided stainless steel hose
9.CP direct mount on/off ASA
10.32 degrees remote line w/ Lapco slide check
11.68/4500 Pure Energy HPA tank
I took several steps to help isolate variables that could potentially skew the data. The first was to eliminate the Cyclone feed. The Cyclone takes air from the valve to cycle the paddles and feed the gun. Since there are so many mods and configurations for Cyclones, the Cyclone was a liability to the test and needed to be eliminated. I plugged both the Cyclone and RT ports in addition to putting packaging tape over the Cyclone ports on any powertube that had such a port (thanks for the tip Scoreshot). The Cyclone was used but had to be cycled manually since the Cyclone port was sealed and was unable to turn on its own.
All bolts and internals were properly oiled and then dry fired to eliminate excess oil. The regulator and all internals were oiled prior to each powertube test. The front bolt section was wiped with a paper towel to only allow a minimal amount of oil, just like if being used with paintballs. Excess oil can cause accuracy issues. I also made sure that powertubes that had an FVA were set flush with the inside of the powertube to help control its influence as well. This would allow a fair comparison to powertubes that don't have an FVA. Those that did have an FVA but did not have a Teflon set screw had Teflon tape added to the FVA to prevent accidental unscrewing during the test. All powertubes used the same X7 valve.
As you may have noticed, I did not use paintballs for this test. Instead, I opted for Reballs. Not only did it make it more convenient but it also made it more consistent and reliable than paintballs. Paintballs can fluctuate in size, shape, run the risk ball breaks, and can only be used once. Reballs are reusable (my wallet thanks me) and have a more consistent shape. I used the Reball insert because through my insert test (link here), I found that it gave the best combination for consistency and efficiency.
Here is data comparing the roundness and weights of Reballs to paintballs:
Ball Density and Roundness Test
I conducted the test with one powertube for each set and only changed the front bolts. To change the front bolts, I disassembled the receiver halves rather than adjust the FVA and field strip it. Rather than adjusting pressure for each bolt, I set the gun's velocity as close as possible to 280 fps for the stock powertube and stock bolt and kept it there throughout the test. That will show the efficiency of the bolts based on the stock setup. Those with better efficiency will give a faster velocity, which would require a person to turn down their pressure to achieve the same velocity. That would yield more shots per tank. Those with worse velocity would have to either turn up their pressure or achieve more volume through other methods. It will also show how other powertubes compare to the stock powertube.
I am using the F1 Shooting Chrony chronograph. It is accurate to within 0.5% and is compatible with Reballs, unlike most Doppler chronographs. All weights were obtained with a Palmscale 7.0 scale, which is accurate down to 0.01 g. All lengths were measured with an Oshlun digital caliper, which is accurate to 0.001". I measured sound with a Radio Shack digital sound level meter. All shooting was done indoors where wind and temperature were not a factor.
For the sound test, I placed the sound level meter about 10 feet away and aimed it towards the ceiling. The gun was placed at shoulder level and was aimed at 90 degrees from the SLM towards a wall. Since I had to leave the Cyclone/RT ports closed, the Cyclone wouldn't function for this test. I had to dry fire the gun during the test because I couldn't cycle the loader fast enough to feed balls to it. I placed the E-grip on full auto at 15 bps and set the SLM to measure for 6 seconds. The SLM was set to Slow response and C weighting.
Front Bolts from left to right:
2.Dead-On Paintball
3.JCS Hexadecagon
4.Psychoballistics Starfire
5.Real Action Paintball (RAP4) Venturi Star
6.Shocktech Superfly
7.Orange Howitzer
8.New Designz
9.Trinity Sick
10.Rufus Dawg
Powertubes from left to right:
2.Dead-On Paintball
3.JCS Red Hot
4.JCS Gold
5.JCS Silver E-Tube
6.New Designz
7.Trinity Black
8.Rufus Dawg
How to read and understand the Data:
At first glance, the data is quite massive and overwhelming. The best thing to do is take it one part at a time. I will do my best to break it down to explain the organization, statistical terminology, and graphs.
PT stands for powertube and FB stands for front bolt. All of the raw data is collected in tabs marked with PT in the name All of the raw data is collected in tabs marked with PT in the name. The Every possible combination was recorded in those tabs. All of the other tabs and graphs are derived from those first sets. It's the same data just organized in a different way. Since this is a dual variable test, it needed to be presented in two ways to analyze it best. Tabs with PT in the name use powertubes as the constant and the front bolt is the variable that changes. Tabs with FB use front bolts as the constant and the powertube is changed. The PT tabs are useful to compare front bolts to one another. If you keep the powertube the same, the only thing that is changed in the gun is the front bolt. The opposite is true for the FB tabs; they are useful to compare powertubes. Each part has its own set of graphs. This also allows someone with an existing part to see what corresponding part would benefit them the most.
Rows 1 through 50 are the shot numbers recorded in feet per second (fps). The Rufus Dawg Wicked bolt usually has an N/A (not applicable) for its data because it is incompatible with all other powertubes except the Rufus Dawg powertube. The data is analyzed below the raw data and the specifications for the part are below the statistics.
Let's talk about a few statistics definitions so we can comprehend what we're looking at. Range is the maximum amount of velocity change that occurred. If you take the highest velocity and subtract the lowest velocity, you have the maximum difference, which is the Range. It is good to know because it shows the maximum potential fluctuation that can occur. It does not imply that is what most of the shot fluctuations will be.
The Mean is the average velocity. You can obtain it by adding up all the velocities and dividing it by the number of shots. It will give you the middle point of the velocities and what you will expect to see most of your shots to be the closest to.
Variance is another statistic but is usually used to obtain the standard deviation (SD). The SD is where we want to look at for consistency. The SD isn't simply dividing the range by 2. It's the square root of the variance but to obtain the variance is a bit tricky and it isn't necessary to explain how to obtain it for this test; only what it means is important. It's expressed in terms of the unit being measured, or in our case fps. The SD shows how much it fluctuates from the mean. Generally speaking, if the sampled distribution is normal, then 1 standard deviation should encompass about 68% of all shots. You can go 2,3, or more standard deviations to cover more of the population but most of your shots will lie in only 1 standard deviation. We can thank the wonderful Bell curve for that. The SD is what we'll be looking at for consistency as it shows how much the velocity will usually fluctuate.
As you may have noticed, the range is not always the same as the standard deviation. That is because outliers can affect the range but they have a lesser impact on the standard deviation. That is why standard deviation is a better measurement for central tendency.
Confidence intervals are a quality measure. The most common CI used is the 95% interval. It tells us that 95% of the confidence intervals we have obtained through repeated sampling would enclose the true value of the mean. In other words, if we did more samples, we would most likely find the true value of the mean within the interval. It is not guaranteed though. There are still likelihoods that the mean captured is in the 5% range. So never take values like this as an absolute certainty. Below the 95% CI are the high and low values of the CI so that you get an idea of what I meant. If you compare it to the mean value, the CI value is +/- of the mean and that gives us the high and low values. The larger the interval usually implies that there is more fluctuation occurring and it is less consistent.
After the FB section are a few analytical tabs. The Specs Comparison tab compares different dimensions of the front bolts and powertubes to look for trends or a correlation to their respective performances. I did not weigh the powertubes because it is irrelevant as they don't move inside the gun. Only the front bolts were weighed because it is a moving part and is directly linked to the hammer, which it's weight could affect performance.
The Mean Velocity vs Standard Deviation tab is a collection of mean velocity and standard deviation graphs put into one graph. I used the original numbers for the standard deviations and exaggerated them so that they are easier to view and so that they would fit on the same graph as the mean velocities. I simply squared the SD and added 175 so that differences would become more apparent. It makes it easier to compare graphs and see what is going on by putting them all on a single graph. On the bottom of the page are Standard Deviation Range graphs. I took all of the SD's and found the range for all combinations. I was curious if the standard deviations had a central tendency of their own. Those with lower values were more likely to fluctuate less on the standard deviation and to hold their value better. This would show more reliability in the numbers found.
Lastly is the Best Combo for Efficiency page. This shows the best combination per powertube and compares their performances based solely on efficiency. It does not take into consideration consistency and is not a hands down overall winner. I did not include a similar ranking for consistency because I did not feel there was enough evidence to confidently declare any kind of winner. Perhaps future testing will show something later on that will reliably show consistency.
The Superfly, NDZ, and Rufus Dawg front bolts needed to have the linkage arm holes drilled out. They were too small for the linkage arm to fit. The Superfly had to be drilled straight through to the center extension hole.
The NDZ bolt was EXTREMELY tight on the stock powertube. The gun almost wouldn't cycle because of it. It eventually broke loose without any damage to any parts.
The Rufus Dawg front bolt can only be used on the Rufus Dawg powertube because of the "guides" hitting the end of the powertube extensions. The Rufus Dawg PT has slots cut out while the other PT's do not. Thus, the gun will only cock backwards until the extension hits the guides.
The Trinity powertube was extremely tight. Getting the valve into the powertube was difficult. The action of the marker felt like it was sticking due to the hammer being too tight inside of it. I left the powertube as is for the test rather than sand it down to make it work as that would have jeopardized the results by modifying it.
The Trinity front bolt did not fit the trend of consistency for the powertubes and am unsure why. Even after retesting, it's standard deviation was exactly the same and way off of the expected area for it to be in. This may cause the consistency data to be skewed.
All o-ring measurements were taken when installed on the part. They were not taken separately. The hammer's o-ring measured 0.932". The valve's o-ring measured 0.949".
My Conclusions:
1. The old assumption that less airflow disruptions are better is inconclusive. I did not find that eliminating the FVA or Cyclone/RT ports gave better performance. As you can see, the stock powertube actually gave better efficiency across the board than those without the FVA. The consistency is inconclusive because it peforms both better and worse for certain powertubes. So eliminating the FVA or Cyclone/RT ports is not a given for better performance.
2. Front bolts with inner o-rings give better efficiency than those without it. As you can see, every bolt has a higher mean velocity than those without inner o-rings with the exception of the Rufus Dawg powertube. Since there is a gap between the front bolt and the other powertubes, air has the potential to escape out through it. By putting an inner o-ring, as you can see, it gives better efficiency. This is particularly evident on the New Designz powertube. If you look at the mean velocities, those without inner o-rings drop off quite sharply because of the tapered powertube extension. The Rufus Dawg powertube is the exception because of the "guides." Most of the bolts are shorter and do not cover up the guides fully, allowing air to vent out behind the bolt. The Orange and Rufus Dawg bolts do cover up the guides thanks to their extra length behind the armature pin hole. The Orange bolt goes even further by sealing it off with the inner o-ring. That is why some bolts with inner o-rings perform similarly to those that don't have them on this powertube.
3. Longer front bolts do not necessarily give better efficiency. At first glances, this could be deceiving but we need to look at the data a little deeper to understand why this is not the case. If you compare the bolts from the armature pin hole to the tip of the front bolt, they are nearly the same. There is little significant difference between bolts. That means the extra length that we're seeing is at the base end of the bolt and not the breech end. We can't compare the Rufus Dawg front bolt mean velocity to the others simply because of the design of the bolt. It is only compatible with the Rufus Dawg powertube, which has guides. For normal powertube designs, nothing suggests that the extra length provides any benefit.
4. To get better efficiency, front bolts must seal off the barrel adapter better. As you can see with the Starfire and RAP4 bolts, there is not a good seal being made and more gas is escaping around the bolt.
5. My hypothesis about larger outer o-rings is that they will yield better efficiency. Taking the inner o-ring data into consideration along with the lack of a proper seal of the Starfire and RAP4 bolts, one can only assume that the same is true for outer o-rings as well. And if we look at the Outer O-ring Diameter Graph, the first 3 do not have an inner o-ring but the outer o-ring does penetrate into the barrel adapter. The DOP has a higher mean velocity because it has a larger outer o-ring. The Superfly, Orange, and NDZ, however, do not have similar trends with mean velocity and I suppose it is because of the inner o-ring diameter. The NDZ bolt has the smallest inner o-ring, which puts more friction on some powertube extensions, which slows down the action of the hammer and strikes the valve slower and with less force. That leads to a smaller open valve time and consequently less volume. That would equate to a lower velocity. The Superfly inner o-ring, however is larger but its outer o-ring is much smaller. So it's possible that is why the Superfly mean velocity is lower than the NDZ bolt. If you consider the situation of the Rufus Dawg powertube (escaping gases), then it is entirely possible that escaping gases will yield a lower velocity. That's why I think larger o-rings will give better efficiency.
6. Plastic powertubes give better efficiency than metal powertubes. I believe this is due to lower friction. There is no trend relating the hammer or valve o-ring diameters to the powertube inner diameter and the powertube's efficiency with the exception of the Trinity powertube. That was physically apparent but not on any other powertube. If you look at the Outer Diameter (tip) graph, there is a very similar trend occurring to the powertube's efficiency but it is not identical. For example, the E-tube should perform only slightly less efficient than the Stock tube based on the outer diameter but, instead, it is quite a bit more inefficient. The reason the Rufus Dawg powertube did worse than the Stock powertube is because of the "guide rails" at the end of the extension. Near the end of the action, the "guides" get exposed and gas is able to leak out. My hypothesis is that the metal powertubes have more friction than the plastic tubes. Not all of the metal powertubes have a very smooth finish on the outside of the extensions. It may also be possible that the inner o-rings have a lower friction coefficient against the plastic than they do against the metal. Another possibility is that the hammer's o-ring is better able to slide because of the plastic and that leads to better efficiency. Whatever the explanation is, the data is showing that plastic powertubes provide better efficiency than metal powertubes.
7. The data is inconclusive as far as consistency for front bolts. There is no trend that I was able to find in any variation of graphs that I produced that were able to directly link the standard deviations. It is my assumption that consistency is related to other factors beyond the powertube and front bolt. However that does not mean that a trend does not exist. It simply means that whatever is causing it to fluctuate is masking what the true trend is.
*On a side note, if you look at the Front Bolt Mean Velocity vs. Standard Deviation Graph, I have put all the standard deviation lines on one graph. It appears there may be a confidence interval for the standard deviations. It's possible that some have a broader range of potential SD's like the Trinity bolt whereas others have a smaller range like the Orange Howitzer bolt. It is possible that some bolts are better able to produce a more consistent consistency. This is just speculation though and is not my official conclusion. I just don't feel that there is enough evidence that is significant enough to draw any conclusion about consistency.
8. All powertubes had the same sound level. Many people believed that metal powertubes provided a louder shot but the sound level showed exactly the same level for both weighted sound tests. It is entirely possible that conducting this test indoors is preventing a good reading but the weather at the time just isn't favorable yet for this test. What the sound level meter doesn't show is pitch or any other sound attribute. It is possible that something else is different due to materials and our ears are more perceptible to those attributes. I just don't have the equipment to test it at this time.
9. There are clear winners with regards to efficiency but application is very important. For example, if cracking powertubes is a problem, then you should compare the metal powertubes and see which performs the best. If you have a Cyclone or RT, then you need to exclude the Gold and E-tube powertubes. You have to consider the application for the part before you look at their performances and how they stack up.
10. This test makes no claims regarding ball breakage, accuracy, Cyclone performance, or durability of the powertubes (ie – cracking). I know I referred to accuracy in regards to consistency but since I have no data to back it up, I am making no claims about bolts or powertubes being more accurate than another.
Final Thoughts
I hope this test was insightful and comprehensive enough for people to reconsider previous notions they had when considering the internals of a Tippmann marker. Let this be a lesson that even though previous tests were conducted does not mean that it is the final word on performance, including this test. I hope that people are willing to do their own experiments to confirm or reject what data I or anyone else has collected. Repeatability through scientific testing warrants good results and conclusions. Please take it upon yourselves to think outside of the box and to take results with a grain of salt. I really hope that players will find this useful in making purchasing decisions on what to look for in a good performing part, and manufacturers will look at what factors makes a good part and will consider those factors in designing future parts
Front Bolts & Powertubes the A-Z
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text:
Citizens Insurance reform plan could cost property owners more money
Property insurance rates across the state could shoot up much faster beginning next year under a massive new proposal being drafted in the Florida Legislature.
The proposal, released in draft form Wednesday, shows that lawmakers' attempts to reform Citizens Property Insurance could have costly repercussions for millions of property owners.
"We've all seen that artificially suppressing rates is a recipe for disaster," said Senate Banking and Insurance Committee Chair David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs. "When you cause a private company to not be able to make a profit, what do they do? They do what we have seen. They have a flight from the state of Florida."
Simmons disputed the claim that the proposal would lead to higher rates and said there would likely be several amendments to address any concerns.
The bill is full of enticements long-coveted by private insurers and business groups, who wield considerable political power but regularly face legislative defeats because of the pocketbook implications of their requests. The latest proposal gives insurance companies more latitude to raise premiums faster and weakens their top competition — Citizens — by forcing it to charge higher prices.
One measure in the 34-page bill is particularly telling: It changes a legal mandate that insurance in Florida be "affordable," adding new language requiring premium prices to "reflect the risks covered." It also mandates that Citizens charge prices that are higher than what's available in the private market.
Because the proposal could have a multibillion dollar pocketbook impact on millions of homeowners in coming years, it is likely to face opposition from lawmakers in South Florida and the Tampa Bay area, where insurance costs are highest.
Any rate increases engendered by the bill would likely hit homeowners in 2014, right as campaigns for primary and general elections in the Legislature heat up. Also up for reelection: Gov. Rick Scott, who has said lowering the cost of living is one of his top governing principles. Scott could face former Gov. Charlie Crist, who froze Citizens' insurance rates while in office and mandated "affordable" coverage, saving homeowners millions of dollars.
Throughout his governorship, Scott has steered clear of making specific proposals for property insurance reform, while simultaneously pushing Citizens' board to aggressively shrink the company. The board's actions have led to hundreds of millions of dollars in price hikes and coverage reductions. Scott has expressed concern that Citizens is undercutting the private market with its rates and could leave taxpayers liable to assessments after a once-in-a-lifetime storm.
The new proposal seeks to address that concern, along with several others. It includes the following provisions:
Citizens must charge rates that are higher than average rates in the private market.
Insurance companies may use an "insurance inflation factor" to raise premiums faster than currently allowed by law.
Insurance companies, including Citizens, may charge homeowners additional fees to help cover the cost of backup insurance.
Insurance companies can charge rates that are higher than what regulators traditionally allow, if homeowners agree to the higher charges.
It would also become more difficult to join Citizens under the new provision. Homes valued above $300,000, and properties that are not owner-occupied, would no longer be eligible for state-run insurance. Homeowners, who currently can stay in Citizens indefinitely once they qualify, would have to re-qualify on an annual basis under the bill. If a private insurer offered coverage rates within 15 percent of Citizens' prices, the homeowner would be kicked out of Citizens.
Proponents say the proposals are aimed at steering people away from state-run insurance into the private market, where there are moderate prices that are sometimes even cheaper than Citizens'.
"Shrinking Citizens does not require a majority of Citizens customers to pay more for their insurance," said Locke Burt, president of Security First Insurance and a former state senator. "We have proved by making over 14 million quotes of Citizens policies that tens of thousands of Citizens customers could save money by purchasing insurance in the private market."
A Citizens spokesperson declined to comment on the draft bill, stating the insurer is reviewing the proposal.
Some of the measures in the bill came directly from Citizens, including a proposal to allow the company to use its $6.2 billion surplus to back up smaller private companies. The state-run insurers' "clearinghouse" idea — which allows policies to be offered to the private market before they go into Citizens — was also included in the bill.
The long-running measure also includes proposals to shrink Florida's Hurricane Catastrophe Fund and allows insurers to raise rates by up to 25 percent without a public hearing. The current threshold is 15 percent.
The decision to stuff so many controversial proposals into a single bill could be risky, as property insurance has proven to be one of the most politically dicey issues in recent years.
Leaders of the Democratic caucus in the House and Senate each said last week that Democrats would be skeptical of any proposals to raise rates on homeowners. In the 40-member Senate, where there are 14 Democrats, any insurance proposal will face a tough task of corralling a 21-vote majority. Coalitions of Democrats and South Florida Republicans have joined together in recent years to vote against insurance measures seen as anti-consumer.
That means only six Republican Senators would have to break ranks to kill the current proposal.
Citizens has 1.3 million policyholders, making up about 23 percent of the market in Florida. As the largest insurer in the state, Citizens covers a large portion of Florida's 12 million registered voters, including millions of residents in South Florida and Tampa Bay.
Miami Republicans have already filed a bill that is in direct conflict with the latest proposal. That bill would prohibit Citizens from raising rates more than 10 percent per year.
In Miami-Dade County, the average standard homeowner's policy through Citizens costs $3,300, taking up a 5-percent chunk of the average household budget. In the Tampa Bay area, homeowners' insurance costs also eat up large portions of families' earnings.
Some critics of the draft bill say homeowners have suffered enough in recent years, as Citizens has slashed coverage and inspected some 350,000 homes, sparking premium increases of nearly $200 million.
"I would never support that proposal," said Rep. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, naming several of his Republican colleagues in the Senate he believes feel the same way. "I feel confident that those senators will step up to the plate and stop any further rate hikes."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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text:
If you're expecting the Sox to tank, the T to derail, and a foot of snow to fall on Patriots Day, take heart. It's the Pessimist Spring.
Just out: former Indiana Coach Bob Knight's ode to gloom, "The Power of Negative Thinking," and a new study by the American Psychological Association that says pessimists live longer than optimists. This is welcome news for everyone who thinks the pursuit of happiness has become greatly overrated, and that nothing's wrong with America that a bad attitude can't fix.
Over in Wellesley, researcher Julie Norem has been saying this for years. Norem's 2001 book "The Positive Power of Negative Thinking" was an antidote to the positive psychology movement that fermented during her undergrad years and then sprang, fully formed, from the ubiquitous yellow smiley face. (Which was invented, ironically enough, in Worcester, this year's snowiest city in America. Besides plow drivers, who's smiling now?)
Eleven years after her book was released — the week before 9/11 — the Wellesley College psychology professor still touts the benefits of negativity and doesn't mind that the famously belligerent Indiana coach has arrived late to her party. Norem is an advocate of "defensive pessimism," in which people envision the absolute worst outcomes, and prepare accordingly. Think Eeyore with a plan. "Negative thinking helps you be prepared for things," Norem says.
This is not the preferred path of most Americans, who see their lives not as brutish and short, but as expansive, limitless, strewn with opportunity — healthy, wealthy lives in which, when it snows in March, it snows flowers. The easiest way to get those lives, we've been taught, is to think ourselves happy.
The problem is, beginning with Dr. Norman Vincent Peale and ending (let's hope) with "The Secret" author Rhonda Byrne, all the nonstop HappyThink has created a culture in which "put on a happy face" has become a societal command. If someone's not smiling, Norem told me, we think not just that there's something wrong, but that there's something wrong with them. Further, our insistence on happiness erodes our ability to cope when things get really bad . . . as they inevitably will, when we're so infected with HappyThink that we buy too much, save too little, marry too soon, try to run 26.2 miles (in snow!) on 10 miles of training.
It has been said that the divorce rate and the housing collapse are byproducts of the nation's obsession with positive thinking. Our retirement homes will soon be full of smiling boomers wondering how they got so broke and creaky when they'd summoned health and wealth from the universe, just like Oprah said.
"As our population ages, some of the benefits of pessimism are going to become more apparent. People who are preparing are going to be better off, and pessimists are going to look better," Norem said. They're also going to feel better, too, according to the study published in the journal Psychology and Aging.
"Our findings revealed that being overly optimistic in predicting a better future was associated with a greater risk of disability and death within the following decade," said its lead author, Frieder R. Lang of the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany.
Norem's research says about 25 to 30 percent of us are pessimistic. That means at least two-thirds of Americans would benefit from a little less happiness, and we could start by abandoning her least-favorite platitude, "It's all good!"
No, actually, it's not. It's sometimes really quite horrid, and the light at the end of the tunnel is often the oncoming train. To label it otherwise is unproductive, and at root, kind of silly — kind of like recalling a horrific crucifixion as "Good Friday," the ultimate in ecclesiastical spin. But we need not abandon "Life is Good," another slogan beloved of Boston, thanks to the company begun here that bears its name.
"Life can be good," Norem concedes, and Life is Good's iconic Jake lets out a sigh of relief. Defensive pessimists, though, know that Dr. Norman Vincent Peale got it wrong, just like Punxutawney Phil. If the snow ever melts, let this be the Spring of our Discontent, our Pessimist Spring. Life is best when we see it as bad.
Jennifer Graham, the author of "Honey, Do You Need a Ride? Confessions of a Fat Runner," writes regularly for the Globe.


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Season Ends With 18th-Place Finish at NCAA Regional
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DUPONT, Wash. - The UC San Diego golf team's season came to an end Wednesday with an 18th-place finish at the NCAA Division II South Central/West Regional, held at The Home Course outside of Tacoma.
UCSD finished with a three-round total of 892, 28-over par on the par-72, 7,078-yard course. The Tritons had their least-productive round of the tournament Wednesday, carding a 304 after posting a 297 in Monday's opening round and a 291 in Tuesday's second round.
Freshman Clayton Yamaguchi was the top finisher for UCSD, tying for 54th place.
Sixth-ranked Cal State Monterey Bay led wire-to-wire, totaling a winning score of 854, 10-under par. No. 10 Western Washington was one stroke behind in second place, while No. 11 Grand Canyon was third, just two shots behind CSUMB. Colorado-Colorado Springs was fourth and 12th-ranked Cal State Stanislaus rounded out the top five. All five squads advance to the NCAA Championship, which will be held May 20-24 in Hershey, Pa.
Western Washington's Kyle Schrader was the individual medalist, carding a 10-under 206 for the tourney. His 66 on Wednesday tied for the low round of the regional. Schrader entered the day tied for sixth.
The top two individual finishers not playing for a qualifying team - Sonoma State's Eric Ash (T-3rd) and Hawaii-Hilo's Dalen Yamauchi (5th) - also advanced to the NCAA Championships.
UCSD was tied for 14th after round one and dropped to 16th following the second round. All five Tritons posted over-par rounds Wednesday.
Yamaguchi finished with a 221, 5-over. He shot a 75 Monday and followed with a 71 Tuesday, moving him from 61st to 39th. However, his 3-over 75 in the final round dropped him back into a tie for 54th.
"Today, I struggled with my putting," said Yamaguchi, who registered five birdies, six bogeys and a double. "I struck the ball decently, but I was missing putts, so I didn't score very well."
Juniors Fredrik Palmer-Picard and Lewis Simon tied for 61st, each finishing with a 6-over 222. Simon was UCSD's top golfer Monday with a 70, while Palmer-Picard's 69 on Tuesday proved to be the lowest round of any Triton in Washington.
"I hit my driver really well today, but I could not hit my irons accurately," said Simon. "I was missing in some bad spots. When I missed a green, I'd chip it up, maybe five or ten feet, and just couldn't make the putt. It was a tough day."
Simon was tied for 11th overall after the opening round.
"Monday, I wasn't hitting it that solid, but I was missing it in spots where I could easily get up and down, and that was the main difference for me," he said. "I had some mis-reads on the greens today, it was hard to get the speed down, especially on the front nine."
Also playing for UCSD at the regional, sophomore Jay Lim finished tied for 82nd (227) and junior Jacob Williams was 108th (242).
"We have a lot of young talent and high hopes for next year," said Simon. "Our younger players exceeded expectations this season and we'd like to see more of that from our incoming players. We expect to do really well next year."
-- UCSDtritons.com --


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Hi everyone, I have finished stitching March mini cat for the stitch along, this is the small version that is designed to match all of the others in the stitch along, hope you like it!
Friday, 27 February 2015
Sunday, 1 February 2015
March Mini Cat pattern released and February Valentine Cat finished
Hi everyone, I have finished February's Valentine Cat into a small pillow and the March mini cat pattern is now available.
Posted by Lynn B at 08:42 18 comments
Labels: Freebie Pattern, My free patterns to you
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Jim & Yahtzee's Rhymedown Spectacular: Quoth the Gamer
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This kind of stuff is why I come to The Escapist: great content on a great website. Keep it up, youse guise!
You know I hate the idea of always on in games and it would suck to have them on consoles, but Sony said they won't have it and all signs point to Microsoft not having it. Sure that one guy on Twitter defended the concept, but he was fired.
So right now it seems like going on about how terrible it is feels likes beating a dead horse, except there was no horse, just an old rumor.
Please keep it up.
Yeah, the thing is, if we didn't make such a big stink about it we would likely have to deal with it. This rumour didn't just fly from the ether, someone was testing the waters. Now if the hesitant toe placed in the pool is greeted by tepid apathy then perhaps Microsoft would take the plunge and always on might be something we would have to "deal with". However, since that trepidatious toe has been bitten off by pirhanas, Microsoft is made to think twice.
Gamers need to freak more often then perhaps the publishers wouldn't be under delivering and overcharging so much. If the consumer base is not picky enough we're going to get shafted.
Problem is that idea could clash with their current formats already. The current idea doesn't clash with anything and is quite entertaining.
Anyone know what journal Jim used? It looked Game-y
He rhymed last week too.
I went into a dealership to buy myself a car
This is a fairly standard scheme called "alternate rhyme" (for reasons which may now be obvious!)
always love Yahtzee's little tales lol
Wonderfulness has once again been delivered.
That was awesome.
I'll admit I was kind of on the fence about the first episode; I kind of lost the beat on Mr. Croshaw's poem and therefore the rhymes, and (and I admit this is shallow, but we all have our buttons) Mr. Sterling's lost me at the very first verse because it just gets on my nerves when people use "glee" in rhymes.* I say that with a certain sense of shame, as if I'm betraying two men whose body of work I enjoy and respect and who just incidentally have no idea in the world who I am, but never mind, this is starting to get self-important even for me.
So I wasn't fond of the first episode, but this one is pretty much golden. The rhymes are clever, and I think Mr. Sterling in particular improved immensely in both the quality of writing and delivery. I expect this will be a great series.
*Also "true."
Sterling's poem hit me at such a personal level. I am pre-ordering The Last of Us all because of the first half of the gameplay trailer. Granted, I don't know how much of that slow-paced walking and item examining is actual gameplay and how much is a lie (like Gearbox pulled with Colonial Marines). Either way, the survival horror genre is my favorite, and I'll be giving my support any way I can in the modern age, and if pre-ordering is the only way I can, than so be it. I prefer Sterling's poem this week also, although it shouldn't count because he cheated by Akira Yamaoka's overpowering music.
On that note, Yahtzee's message was also VERY meaningful as well. I am almost hoping that the new X-box is "always john". I really want the karma of no one buying the new x-box due to the always online DRM.
I'd be at least a little surprised if they weren't saving that for some special occasion.
I think a poem about how publishers and other non artists should just leave all the creative work to the actual artists and that should solve most of the problems. And yes, I'm calling the console itself art as well.
Great rhymes like usual guys and I prefer it when Yahtzee didn't give away the metaphor.
I lost it at "STAR!"
I don't care how bad it is, you guys should try to do a Swing/Big Band duet, kind of in the style of the Rat Pack.
Simply wonderful, in the lack of a better word to describe this, Jim's are pretty funny, and Yahtzee is well... Yahzee, nothing describes him better.
The story of "aways John" is actually quite ironic considering his deus Ex human revolution review, in which Yahtzee stated he was in the process of sellotaping his phone to his face.
I am willing to give it a couple of more shows, but... let's be honest... this isn't really working... is it?
The idea is not very solid to begin with and the end result is a bit... uninteresting. It's certainly not entertaining. It's "meh" at best.
You tried, Escapist. No harm in canceling something that simply doesn't work. Granted, the Jimquisition took a few episodes to get into flow and become what it is today, but this?... I don't see this ever becoming even serviceable...
I think Jim's are somewhat lacking at the moment, Yahtzee is owning the show.
I have a feeling that was a deliberate reference.
Always John is freakin' awesome!
These video's are quite enjoyable!
If I'm allowed to give some constructive criticism though: I would really like to see a bit more interaction between Jim and Yahtzee. Right now, it's basically just 2 seperate video's played one after another, both in similar style but on different subject matters. Each stands on its own, Yahtzee's poem doesn't influence Jim in any way and vice versa. I know Yahtzee and Jim live on different continents, but I would love to see them doing a poem _together_, alternating between the two every few lines. This could, for example, also take shape as an argument between two characters; or a naive character asking questions to another, whose answers are utterly absurd (a bit like the car salesman poem Yahtzee did last week); or any other format you can imagine, I'm sure you people are a lot more creative in these matters than I am.
Anyway, even if the format stays exactly the same, the video's are still lots of fun and I'll probably keep watching them. Keep up the good work! :)
I don't dislike these... I keep watching them... I must like these but I don't know why. I guess keep it up.
And yes Captcha: smashed potato.
It's a bit jarring seeing Yahtzee without a hat, that's all.
Thought it went well and should get better each week. Any chance of an appearance at the Melbourne Writer's Festival Yahtzee? I am sure there won't be another near-riot again.
I did manage to find the footage of the poet putting wax on her face with a knife
I was the photographer for a local touring poetry competition for a few years, was a lot of variety.
I have met famous Australian poet Les Murray a few times and taken photos of him, the last time was in a pub called "The Drunken Poet" appropriately enough http://photos.timchuma.com/gallery3/index.php/Les-Murray-Van-Walker-06-12-12
At some point halfway through the poem Jim started emphasising random syllables excessively, like "clearLY" and "inteREST," which I found quite distracting. That's not where the stresses go in those words. It sounded strange and jarring. Also it would be nice if there were a more consistent foot and meter. At the moment you're both sort of just ending the line wherever you can find a convenient rhyme and of course poetry is more than that. Otherwise I quite enjoyed both poems this week.
What was that music in the background of Jim's section?
This is utterly magnificent. Why didn't I start watching this sooner?
Same here. I already like poetry, but this show takes the cake.
Yahtzee, you devilish devil you,
...d'oh now you got me doing it.
In MY opinion these rhymes are wwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy BETTER than the last episode! Keep the great content!!
AABB i like more. ABAB's good. Yahtzee wins this one for me.
I like how Yahtzee's poems are stories with thinly veiled metaphors, it makes them more interesting in my opinion.
This is easily my favorite part of this website now. There is something so joyous about how awkwardly Yahtzee comes on camera and gives you the creepy stare.
Glorious. More please.
Ahh.....so hard to favorite....Yatzhees was overall better but Jims ending was just pure brilliance..............they were both the best!
Also, the book is awesome.
Really digging these videos but Jim just doesn't do it for me so far.
Jim, if you ever read this, from one poet to another; learn your poem off by heart. I know you're a busy guy, and this video is just a bit of fun to you, but it really shows that you can't fully remember your lines.
I'll be tuning in each week to watch these. really like them!
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CHICAGO (AP) - Under growing public pressure to act, the leaders of Illinois' General Assembly announced Wednesday they'd reached an agreement on how to solve the state's $100 billion pension problem and would begin trying to persuade other lawmakers to approve it in a special legislative session next week.
CHICAGO (AP) � Under growing public pressure to act, the leaders of Illinois' General Assembly announced Wednesday they'd reached an agreement on how to solve the state's $100 billion pension problem and would begin trying to persuade other lawmakers to approve it in a special legislative session next week.
The deal was a significant breakthrough after months of negotiations and years of unheeded calls to shore up what's considered the nation's worst public pension shortfall. Without action, millions of dollars have been diverted from education and other programs and forced financial service companies to repeatedly lower the state's credit rating.
But getting final approval for the deal in the full House and Senate is no sure thing: State employee unions are adamantly opposed to the curtailing of workers' benefits, there's a constitutional challenge on the horizon and many lawmakers are already in the throes of 2014 re-election campaigns.
"It's going to be a very difficult roll call (of votes). Unions will be against the bill," House Speaker Michael Madigan told reporters after the morning meeting in which the deal was reached.
Madigan told reporters that the proposed agreement would save the state an estimated $160 billion over 30 years.
Even before details of the deal became widely known, some lawmakers expressed resistance.
State Sen. Linda Holmes, a member of a special committee that had worked on a solution over the summer, said Senate President John Cullerton had called her to inform her of the deal. A staunch ally of unions, Holmes said she doesn't plan to vote for it.
"He told me, 'The leaders have come to an agreement, and you're not going to like it,'" Holmes said.
The proposal includes pushing back workers' retirement age on a sliding scale, a funding guarantee, a 401k-style option and reducing the employee contribution.
Madigan also said it would replace the current 3 percent annual compounded cost-of-living increases, with retirees continuing to receive that rate up to a certain amount of annuity payments, based on years of employment.
The increase for any pension benefits beyond that amount would be equal to the inflation rate. The previous proposal, which had been a sticking point in negotiations, would have cut the increase to half the inflation rate.
The funding guarantee allows retirement systems to sue Illinois if lawmakers don't make the full contribution to the fund each year.
The plan also would require the state to put 10 percent of the money saved annually through benefit cuts back into the pension funds beginning in 2016. It also will redirect the money the state currently uses for pension bond payments into the retirement funds once those bonds are paid off in 2019.
A spokesman for Cullerton, who sponsored a plan last spring that was backed by unions but would not save as much money, said the Chicago Democrat would "work members over the next couple of days to try and garner support for the package."
Both the House and Senate have been called back to Springfield for a special session that begins Tuesday.
"At the end of the day he's tried to compromise," spokesman Ron Holmes said. "He's come a long way from where he was a couple years ago. But ultimately, he wants to get something done."
House Republican leader Jim Durkin and Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno also signed off on the deal Wednesday. GOP senators later were updated via conference call.
"Our goal from the beginning was to have something that constituted meaningful reform and can pass," said State Sen. Matt Murphy, a Palatine Republican who dialed in to the conference call from vacation. "I think that clears that bar."
Lawmakers reached an impasse on competing plans at the end of the spring session.
Gov. Pat Quinn is making pension reform one of the main issues in his re-election bid, and even tried to halt lawmakers' pay until the issue was resolved� a move a Cook County judge found unconstitutional this summer.
In a statement Wednesday, Quinn commended leaders and committee members, but stressed there'd be more work in the coming days.
A spokesman for the state's largest employee union said his organization would oppose the deal, even before seeing the final details.
The unions have been left out of negotiations and believe some elements of the plan will be ruled illegal, based on a clause in the state constitution that prohibits the involuntary takeaway of any government employee benefits, said American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union spokesman Anders Lindall.
"We have tried for three years now to work with legislative leaders and the governor to develop pension reform ... that is fair to workers and retirees," Lindall said.
Madigan said he wouldn't be surprised by a court challenge.
However, he said, things have been included in the proposed agreement that would help them defend it in the courts, such as the funding guarantee and an ability for the pension systems to file a lawsuit if not enough money is provided to cover employees' retirement costs.
"Those are the essential elements that I used in order to forge the final deal," Madigan said.
Associated Press writer Sophia Tareen contributed to this report.


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on the power of my negative thinking
I've been told more than a few times in my life to be more positive.
This infuriates me.
Yes I'm critical, anxious and - maybe others might say - a pessimist.
I know the common wisdom running through our current culture (especially in tech) is to focus on the positive, the good, the successful, the kind, the gentle, the wishy-washy and benign.
I've seen this exclaimed, and proclaimed, to the extent that I've seen organizations say that they only accept or associate with "positive" people. Only they need apply!
It's not simply that I disagree. It's that this is destructive, ableist, and discriminatory.
My negativity isn't about being hateful, or mean. I don't even get angry very often. I believe in the power of love and kindness. I just don't think that can always be expressed through positivity. I believe that honesty, the truth is love, even when it's hard, or not "nice."
Call it my criticality, my pragmatism, my cynicism - it isn't mutable. It isn't a personality flaw. In fact, it is as integral to building a better world to have critical people who point out where we have made mistakes, and make plans to fix them, as it is to have those who support us, cheer us on to do better.
Sometimes my negativity - like many peoples - is driven by clinical depression and anxiety. I get a little too mired in what's wrong, and need some help to see all that's right. As much as I do my best to be well and not let on that I struggle with these things, I don't always succeed. That's just part of mental illness.
So. All this means when someone tells me to "be more positive" they are telling me to stop being who I am, at my core, with some mental illness shaming to boot.
So many of us creative people struggle with mental illness - especially depression. There must be something useful to civilization in it, perhaps not just our (as "crazy" artists) ability to look at things differently, but to look at ourselves, and the world hyper critically. The ability to see where change is needed and innovation is possible. We have that. Others can live their lives and get things done, but we need to reflect more. We live life by breaking it apart to see how it works on the inside, and then putting it back together again.
Meanwhile, science is finding that negativity is not a flaw, it's a feature. There's plenty of evidence for this, like in this article I found in a quick search : http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/4107096/
Of course, on top of all this, there's the fact that the charge of being "too negative" disproportionality hurts marginalized voices. It's a deeper cut of the old "You would be prettier if you just smiled" track women have heard for too long. It is often called tone policing in social justice circles, and it has the effect of silencing the oppressed from voicing their dissent. If we want to build a better world, we need to listen most closely to those critical voices.
So. If you've ever found yourself expounding on the power of positivity, perhaps it's time to consider some balancing negativity instead. Please.
Because for those of us born on the negative side of the scale, it's not a choice or a tactic or a personality flaw. It's just who we are.
And the world is better for it.


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In my recent discussion about the power of literature with my friends, we've stumbled onto a rather interesting topic that I would like to share with all of you, and more importantly, get some feedback and opinions that you might have about it.
The main topic is the following question, "are emotions learned, or inherent in the human being?" I'd like to bring this down even lower, and specifically talk about love.
At this moment, I wont argue for one or the other, but will throw out some ideas about it - mainly from a story telling perspective, this includes all forms such as novels, poetry, film, music, etc.
It has been said that we would not know we were in love if we had not read novels or been introduced to it in some other form of story telling. A story is a way of doing and showing things with words; it makes something take place in the real world: it can, for example, suggest methods of selfhood or ways of behaving that are then imitated in our real world. So, if we agree that stories create instead of reveal feelings and emotions, then love is learned and created by them. We need stories to coach us how to feel.
Think about it; Im sure all of us have been introduced to stories and fairytales in our childhoods that showed love and other feelings. Would we know how to experience these feelings without stories? Would nurturing by our mothers and fathers be enough?


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Oklahoma to end Planned Parenthood contracts
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Oklahoma is withdrawing federal funding to three Planned Parenthood clinics in Tulsa that for 18 years has allowed them to provide food and nutritional counseling to low-income mothers -- a decision that mirrors efforts in other conservative states to defund the group and one its director described Thursday as a "short-sighted political maneuver."
The State Department of Health notified Planned Parenthood of the Heartland CEO Jill June in a letter last week that it would be terminating its contracts with the Tulsa facilities at the end of December. The contracts are federally funded through the Women, Infants and Children program. This year, the Planned Parenthood clinics received $454,000, combined.
The Tulsa World first reported on the plan to terminate the agency's contract on Thursday.
The head of the health department's WIC Services division said the decision was based in part on the uncertainty of future federal funds and that Planned Parenthood's cost per participant exceeded those of other Tulsa-area clinics.
"There were performance factors included in this decision," said Terry Bryce, the chief of the health department's WIC Services division.
Oklahoma is among the most conservative states, with Republicans currently in control of both legislative chambers and every statewide elected office. But Bryce denied there was any political motive behind the move, which he described as a "business decision."
"The decision was a collective decision within the agency based on the agency's need, the contractor's performance and funding availability."
June questioned whether a business decision was in the best interest of the women and children who receive services at the Tulsa clinics.
"I thought the program was about the needs of women and children," she said. "We're going to stand and fight to continue providing these services."
The closure affects Planned Parenthood facilities in west Tulsa, midtown and Broken Arrow that average about 3,000 client visits per month, nearly 18 percent of all client visits in Tulsa County, according to health department data.
"It's hard enough right now for young mothers and children to deal with economic hardships," June said. "To have this kind of heartless disruption of services for reasons that don't add up -- I do fear that this is politically motivated. Women should not be the target of political gamesmanship."
Bryce said there are no plans to close any of the other 14 clinics in Tulsa County that provide WIC services, and that the remaining clinics will be adequate to accommodate the additional clients.
"We have existing WIC clinics in close proximity to all three of these locations," Bryce said.
Planned Parenthood is a major provider of abortion and contraception nationwide, but June said none of the facilities in Tulsa offer abortion services. The nonprofit agency has been at the middle of a hot-button national debate over abortion and contraceptives, and has come under fire in a number of conservative states that have sought to eliminate its funding.
Indiana passed the first law meant to deny Planned Parenthood federal funding for general health services, The GOP-controlled Legislature in Texas passed a law last year that sought to exclude Planned Parenthood clinics that provide family planning and health services to poor women as part of the Texas Women's Health Program.
"They (Planned Parenthood) are absolutely under attack, and the reason for it, to the extent there is a reason at all, is this supposed connection to abortion services, but it's just not true," said Julie Rikelman, the litigation director at the New York-based Center for Reproductive Rights. "They're trying to make it seem like it's about abortion, but it's not. It's 100 percent anti-woman, and it's terrible policy."


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CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – MIT served as the host of the All-New England championship over the weekend, welcoming teams from across the region in Divisions I, II and III to the Steinbrenner Track. The Cardinal and Gray had a number of impressive performances during the meet and finished sixth as a team, the highest finish among Division III squads. Tech had 39 points, bolstered by second-place showings in three events.
Sophomore Tyler Singer-Clark (Falmouth, Mass.) had a personal-best time of 21.62 seconds in the 200 meters to finish second. Singer-Clark was also part of the fifth-place 4x400 meter relay that finished in 3:16.08. Singer-Clark was joined by juniors Daniel Ronde (East Northport, N.Y.) and Patrick Marx (Grand Rapids, Mich.) and freshman Sam Parker (Menlo Park, Calif.).
Senior Benjamin Mattocks (Sharon, Mass.) also had a runner-up performance in the 1500 meters with a time of 3:54.56. Sophomore Justin Bullock (Detroit, Mich.) took seventh in the event in 3:55.55.
Junior Nathan Peterson (Kansas City, Mo.) finished second in the pole vault, as one of two vaulters to clear 16-4.75 feet, missing out on first place on attempts.
Senior Chinedum Umachi (Detroit, Mich.) was fourth in the hammer throw at 184-02 feet. Senior Stephen Serene (Washington, D.C.) had a fifth-place finish in the steeplechase with a solid time of 9:17.33.
Also in action this weekend, was senior Daniel Harper (Naperville, Ill.), who traveled to the IC4A championship at Princeton University. Harper was looking to lower his time in the 10,000 meters in the hopes of qualifying for the upcoming NCAA Division III championship. Harper did just that, running a personal best 30:07.44, good for second place and 13th on the NCAA qualifying list with one week to go before the field is announced.
MIT will travel to RPI next weekend for the ECAC championship, one final chance to qualify for nationals.


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The Israeli parliament adopted the first reading of a proposed 240 billion shekel ($60 billion) budget for 2001.
The vote came only hours before Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon is due to present his newly formed coalition government to parliament. The second and third readings of the finance bill must be approved before March 31, or new legislative elections would automatically be triggered.
With 86 of the parliament's 120 members present, the first reading passed by a vote of 54 to 32. Submitted by outgoing Labor Finance Minister Avraham Shohat, it got the backing of Labor, Sharon's Likud party and other parliamentary groups.
It is expected that the bill will be modified by Sharon's government, once it takes office, with a substantial increase anticipated in defense outlays to deal with the Palestinian uprising that began more than five months ago.
Increases are also expected in government support for Jewish settlements and for religious institutions. The current draft already earmarks $300 million for settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, according to Israel's Peace Now movement.
Sharon finished putting together his coalition on Tuesday night, which gives him the support of at least 73 deputies in parliament. — (AFP, Jerusalem)
© Agence France Presse 2001
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)


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Tag Archives: non-ordinary reality
Touchdowns and Tigers
Posted on January 21, 2010 by conduitofjoy
Tweet "What will the next chapter in my life look like?" This was the question that P asked me to perform a shamanic journey for her on. I started out in my usual launching spot beside the lake. Almost before I arrived there … Continue reading →
Posted in Readings | Tagged anything can happen, blue whale, football, green, ideal world, juggernaut, metaphysical, moon, native american symbolism, non-ordinary reality, ordinary reality, oyster, paradise, power animals, revealing of power animal, shaman, shamanic journey, spiritual, symbolism, symbols, tiger, totem, totem animal, totem animals, totems | 2 Comments


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In joining the InterNations Abu Dhabi Community, you will become a member of our safe and secure network of and for expats. Membership is by approval only to ensure everyone has a good understanding of the core principles behind InterNations, as well as being friendly, honest, and open to other cultures. With our safe community, you can also extend your network locally and sign up to one of the many groups and events that take place in Abu Dhabi. If you had a hobby at home, you don't need to leave it behind; carry it on in your new home by joining one of the diverse InterNations Groups in the Abu Dhabi Community. From tango dancing to t scuba diving, there is a wide variety of activities you can be a part of. Join InterNations now and start making new expat and local friends in Abu Dhabi!


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Top 5 with Lisa Foiles: Top 5 Robots
Pages PREV 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 NEXT
What? No Fisto? The sexiest robot in the Mojave wasteland? How could you!
No GlaDOS? She's at least as much of a robot as Blendy. Also, Smirnoff and Lucky Charms seems like an... interesting... combo.
You're not alone.
OT: I'm surprised at the lack of Glados or Dog or Portal Turret. I guess she didn't want to go with the obvious ones.
WAIT!! Where is GlaDOS?!
Some people will probably complain, but I thought the blender bit was pretty funny surprisingly.
Do modrons count? If so I'd put Nordrom from Planescape Torment, even if I did have to pull out pencil and graph paper to get to him...
The first robot that came to mind when I read the headline was HK-47.
GlaDOS is not a Robot, GlaDOS is an Artificial Intelligence.
Totally agree with HK-47 being no.1...but your robot dance could use some work, it's not jerky enough!
...I guess GlaDOS is more of an A.I., but then you did include an android...and what of legion?
T_T I guess that I'm the only one who loved the Megaman Zero games...
DOG, GLaDoS, Legion, Mr. Handy ??
Heheh...HK-47 is really the best robot companion ever.
Organic meatbags. Hehe.
You, sir, have me reeling. I have played through Mass Effect 2 with Legion in my party twice, and I have NEVER seen him do that! I am crushed beneath the weight of my own incompetence! *sobs*
As for you, Lisa. For not putting Sovereign on this list, you should know that you exist because we allow it, and you will end because we demand it.
I usually don't question TOP 5's... since they're based on personal appreciation.
Im surprised nobodys mentioned the robot from Machinarium. Or I just havent been paying attention.
You quoted me just to say"...Ugh..." thats a...bit short..
I absolutely loved the blender. Nothing better than a satirical blender beating up on ole lisa to brighten my mood.
No mention of this?
Oh the memories! I watched this episode just the other day, classic. Damn you Talkie Toaster... now I really want some toast.
OT: I'm loving old Blendy, he can come back to berate Lisa any time as far as I'm concerned!
How can number 1 and 2 be anyone else other then Dog in HL2 and Robo in Chrono Trigger! Baffling!
But what's with that clip of that android chick?
And if you pick a robot from Ratchet&Clank, you should pick Dr Nefarious, Mr Zurkon or Lawrence, not Clank, he's got no personality.
I think she just knows her audience.
No HL2 Dog in here... I call shenanigans!
Ahh. Blendy gave me the lulz.
my dear girl I think you meant to say DE-TRITE-US
as in:
not DE-TREE-TUS which is gibberish :D
and is that guys first name really "American" or do people just ask to see his passport a lot?
Statement: your judgement on the greatest videogame robot of all time pleases this unit.
Gonna have to re-do this list in a few weeks to put Atlas and P-body at the top of this list when Portal 2 launches.
No Gla-DOS?
No love for D0G?
Anyway, I've always been a bit iffy about HK-47. Sure, it was funny the first time he casually offered to murder someone. Some goes for the first time he called me a meatbag. But after the tenth time, the joke had worn pretty thin.
i have that exact blender!
though mine only tells me to kill other people...
HK-47! yes! my favorite rusty bucket of bolts with an attitude...
*Welcome to the Hall of Heroes, Miss. Where would you like your statue?.*
HK-47 is the best robot. Until next week when Portal 2 comes out.
Wait a minute! THAT'S HK-47!? I have never played KotOR, but with all the love and hype that HK-47 gets, I was expecting something a whole lot funnier. Please tell me those aren't his best lines.
As long as clank is in the list, I'm content.
Nope, you're right, but point-and-click adventures don't get much love around these parts. Lisa, on the other hand, definately has a soft spot there. That robot is just sooo cute. All the daydreams he has are interesting. No dialogue whatsoever but the point gets along just fine. Kudos to the designers.
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Dr. Grumpy: "Didn't you tell me earlier that you smoke?"
Mrs. Adenoca: "Yes, 2 packs a day."
Dr. Grumpy: "And you don't think that causes cancer?"
Mrs. Adenoca: "You guys lie about that, too."
A Blog detailing the insanity of my medical practice and the stupidity of everyday life.
She's onto you!
So she's here for medical advice she won't believe, and treatment she won't follow. And she thinks you're a cancer-dispensing compulsive liar.
So wait, why's she here again?
Why did she waste her and your time by making and keeping an appointment ?
I know someone like that though. Won't take or believe anything the Dr says but any idiot in a bar,grocery store,bank, etc is believed.
Clever patient name.
And yet she's willing to pay for a consult!
So, technically, she's right.
If tobacco caused cancer, every single smoker would always get cancer.
It doesn't work that way.
The nitpicky truth is that tobacco increases the likelihood of developing cancer in those who have the susceptibility to get it. Not everyone has that susceptibility, and not everyone who does will develop cancer.
The weirdest is lung cancer. About 15% of the cases are in people who have never smoked. And that's primary lung cancer, not "it spread to your lungs" cancer.
The truth is that cigarettes are more likely to cause other things which (arguably) may be even worse than cancer. Cancer can often be cured. Cigarettes can cause, at minimum: COPD, emphysema, and other breathing disorders; vascular changes which lead to blood pressure changes and increased risks of clotting; possible changes in cholesterol.
The blood vessel damage alone is probably the biggest mess of all.
These are why cigarette smokers are more likely to have strokes and heart attacks, and why diabetic smokers are far more likely than diabetic non-smokers to lose a limb due to diabetes complications.
And before someone insists I'm "defending" smoking -- I've never smoked a day in my life, never wanted to, and think it's a vile and disgusting habit.
Adding yet another ill to the list of smoking ills. Smoking makes you stupid.
The easiest way to get people to quit smoking is to say " I used to smoke, then someone mentioned how much they hated the way I smelled, I never knew how bad it was until I quit"
"I first became aware of this about ten years ago, the summer my oldest boy, Bill Jr., died..."
Another banging-your-head-against-the-wall patient. We used to see them in the ER all the time.
"What brings you in today, Mr. Smartass?"
"A car."
"Ok, cute. What is bothering you today that made you come to the ER?"
"You're the doctor/nurse. You tell me. That's why I'm here."
"What are your symptoms? Are you having pain?"
"You people are all alike. You can never get a straight answer. You don't know anything. Get me someone who does, or I'm getting out of here."
(This usually goes on longer than repeated here, but it is too frustrating to recall, much less write.) Tricia
So, just hypothetically mind you, what DO you do when a patient tells you up front they won't take ANY medication?
I realize not every complaint results in medicaton, but the odds sure seem heavily in the direction that eventually one arrives at that point in the road.
You should have told the patient that she is way too smart for you, and that she needs to find herself another (smarter) doctor.
Swear to God!
First clue...patient tells you that they've done their research...read the Good Housekeeping magazine and the Letter to the Editor in their local newspaper.
I dunno 'bout you, but some statistics was a prerequisite to the semester-long class on Drug Information and how to assess those 'drug studies'. Doubt this woman really has any idea... .
Some people think that if something is said often enough in their hearing there must be a kernel of truth in it somewhere i.e. rote-learning; did the quick brown fox jump over the lazy dog, or what?
I must agree with "moose". Though I am a layman, I teach science and I have an issue with "cause". Though I have a sister who died of cancer that I know smoking contributed to her death.
I imagine that as a physician, you would give anything to walk through a group of people and completely remove cigarettes from their lives.
This quibbling about "cause" is, indeed, nit-picking. Dr. G. Was just having a brief, informal conversation with the Pt. In such a context, it is not unreasonable or misleading to say "A causes B" instead of "A significantly increases your risk of B." In the case of smoking and cancer, the link is so strong that I don't see anything wrong with the characterization, even though the correlation is less than perfect.
/movingon *send in the Diet Coke*
Actually, "quibbling about cause" is actually simply exposing the fact that most people do not actually understand how science works, and the basics of logical arguments.
I know Dr G posts things because they sound funny, but often these same things reinforce this ignorance.
Correlations are not Causation. When there is a "link" between something that is a simple correlation. Science demands proof of an actual cause, not a wild guess because A and B appear at the same time.
Here's a classic example of a correlation:
Bob travels a lot for work, mostly to ten different cities. In each city he stays in a hotel from the same chain. During each stay, his hotel room always has a blue carpet.
What conclusion can be drawn from this?
The answer is: Nothing.
You can (and some do) argue that you can conclude that that hotel chain uses blue carpet everywhere.
But without seeing that a majority of the hotel chain's rooms use blue carpet, or seeing a statement from the hotel that says "We only use blue carpet in our hotel rooms", you're just making a correlation.
A guess.
Yes, there is valid proof that the majority of people who develop certain cancers are or were smokers.
But A->B does not imply or define B->A. If smoking "caused" cancer, then everyone who smoked would get cancer 100% of the time.
Yet, they don't. Because neither logic nor science works that way.
Lesson over. Tomorrow, we'll watch a film strip on the history of wheat.
@ Moose,
Smoking causes mutations in the DNA of lung cells. Some of these mutations are harmless, some of these lead to cancer. The more you smoke the more likely you are to get a mutation that leads to cancer. If you are a smoker and you get lung cancer, odds are that smoking caused your cancer. Your argument is that some people who play Russian roulette, pulled the trigger and didn't get their brains blown out; so therefore pulling the trigger doesn't cause your brains to be blown out. Sure is requires a bullet in the chamber, but if you don't pull the trigger, you don't die, so I would say pulling the trigger causes death.
So I finally got the "Adenoca". It took me a while. I had to sound it out. But her first name would be Arcenoma?
Moose, try teaching that in college freshman composition classes! Sometimes I used to see the craziest logical fallacies by my students when I well enough to work.
The example I use among students about cause and effect fallacies is related to my own disability, migraines. I'd ask what causes someone to get a migraine, and inevitably one of the very first answers would be chocolate. Then I'd show them an article where researchers got migraineurs who claimed to have that cause and made them eat chocolate at specific times. There was no greater incidence of migraine then.
They now believe that the correlation people see between chocolate and migraine is that the prodrome phase of the migraine, before either an aura or the pain hits, includes sugar cravings. What is most Americans' favorite source of sugar? Chocolate! So, you could even possibly say that not only did the chocolate not cause the migraine, but the migraine caused the people to eat chocolate!
How's that for post hoc, ergo propter hoc?
I'll make sure I'll use that. But I'll add a friend told me. Thank you
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