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August is a brilliant month for many reasons. It's veering towards the end of the summer season, which means clearance sales galore; it features a holiday weekend that will usher in big department store sales; and the kids will start heading back to school soon, so us adults can get back to our normal, screech-free schedules.
All of this makes August an excellent month, and to celebrate, we're taking at a look at what's good and bad to buy for the next 31 days. (It's mostly good!) We waded through our archives of sales, coupons, and daily deals, and also looked to current product trends, to find out. Read our guide, and be sure to sign up for the DealNews Select Newsletter so you don't miss one of the best deals.
Back-to-school shopping heats up
According to our deals from the past few years, August is the best summer month to get discounts on school items. While a number of back-to-school sales that began in July will continue into August, expect more stores to cut prices even further. For example, student-friendly apparel retailers like American Eagle Outfitters and Levi's slashed an extra 40 percent to 50 percent off sale items last year, and we anticipate seeing similar trends in 2014.
Also keep an eye out for cheap dorm furniture from retailers like Walmart — which offered futons for as little as $89 last year, as well as computer desks for $29 — and special sales on backpacks and computer cases for as little as $10.
Hit up a tax free holiday for school supplies
Speaking of back-to-school shopping, if you're lucky enough to live in one of the states that offers a sales tax holiday in August, then now might be an ideal time to make certain purchases. The event is largely tied to back-to-school season, so it's an ideal time to buy supplies and clothing and avoid sales tax.
However keep in mind that savings on smaller ticket items will be relatively slight, compared to what you might score by waiting until the end of the month when clearance sales take their steepest discounts. On the other hand, an item like a new laptop can yield significant savings when not paying state sales tax, especially if you don't want to cut the purchase down to the wire. Note that most states offer tax holidays around August 1 through August 3. Check out our tax free weekend guide to find out if your state is participating.
Skip the Apple devices
If Apple sticks to its usual schedule, September and early October could see new models of the iPhone, iPad, and iPad mini. If you're an au courant tech collector, you'll prefer to have the latest versions; if you're dedicated to the deal, you'll find much better discounts once the current devices are bumped to previous-generation status. Resellers like Best Buy, MacMall, and Amazon will start slashing prices on their inventory come the announcements, so it's better to wait it out.
Summer apparel on clearance
As we near the end of the summer season, even retailers who don't cater to back-to-school crowds will begin to get even more aggressive with their clothing discounts, as they try to make room for autumn apparel. In fact, in the final days of July, we saw numerous Editors' Choice deals trickle in that offered enormous stacking coupons, and we expect to see much of the same in August. Look for base sales that take 40 percent to 70 percent off.
Now is the time to buy patio furniture
Typically we see a much higher number of patio furniture sales in late August and September. However, this year has been a bit of an anomaly, with stores offering above-average sales already. In fact, in our July 4th guide, we noted that discounts have been much steeper compared to the same time last year. This means it might not be worth waiting until September, since prices are already stellar, and inventory may clear much quicker. Look to stores like Home Depot, Sears, Walmart, and Target for discounts of up to 75 percent off.
Book a hotel in Myrtle Beach, Las Vegas, New York, or Miami
Typically a hotel travel sale will feature amazing starting prices, and those lowest prices only apply to specific nights. And as we've price-checked sale after sale, we've noticed that this month there are several locations that regularly discount their rates on August 24. In general, a stay on this date is between 20 percent and 40 percent cheaper than most dates between now and the end of September. Cities that adhere to this trend include Myrtle Beach, Las Vegas, New York, and Miami.
But wait to book in Boston, Chicago, or San Francisco
Just as the above locations saw consistent discounts on August 24, these cities have been churning out above-average price cuts for November 23. This isn't too surprising since it's the Sunday before Thanksgiving, but if you need a relaxing night before subjecting yourself to excess family time, or you have non-traditional plans that week, consider booking a trip to Boston, Chicago, or San Francisco around that date.
Don't splurge on a waterproof case
Summer is still in full swing, and you might be itching to get a fancy waterproof pouch or case to keep your cell phone or other electronics dry while at the beach or on a boat. But we tested these pricey items out and compared them to the results of a simple, cheap Ziploc bag. As it turns out, you can get the same performance from the freebie in your kitchen, so it may be best to avoid this purchase — especially if you'll only use it a handful of times anyway.
Grill deals are red-hot in August
Grill masters, rejoice! August and early September is when we typically see some of the best deals of the year for grills and accessories. Look to stores like Sears, Lowe's, Target, and Walmart for discounts that knock up to 50 percent off. Also keep an eye out for coupons that slash an extra 10 percent to 15 percent off, as department stores are prone to releasing these codes around Labor Day weekend.
Labor Day sales will spill into August
Typically department stores break out holiday weekend promotions for Labor Day, but since this is on September 1, those offers will start kicking off in late August. If last year's Memorial Day sales are any indication, shoppers can look for mattress and home goods sales that take up to 50 percent off, as well as the aforementioned grill and patio deals, starting around August 28.
42" LCD TVs become the star of the summer
The dog days of summer are brutal on TV deals. While you may find the occasional Editors' Choice deal from time to time (especially if you follow our weekly TV roundups), November through January is traditionally the best time of the year to buy a new set, so you might want to hold off for the time being.
But if you don't require a TV with WiFi or 3D capabilities, you could still walk away with a respectable deal this month because deals on 42" LCDs are currently on the rise. Last month, brand-name 42" LCD HDTVs hit their lowest price of the year coming in at an impressive $299, which is roughly $40 under 2014's average for this size category. Meanwhile, off-brand models of the same size, such as those from Insignia, Sceptre, and Sanyo, hit $250, which is the best price we've seen all year for this category.
Unfortunately, if you had your hopes set on a big-screen TV, you're better off waiting. Deals on 60" sets are hovering above $1,000, whereas 55" sets have averaged $653 in the past three months. Last holiday season, these sets hit price lows of $679 and $500, respectively, so we recommend waiting a few months to save a substantial chunk of change on your big-screen purchase.
Students, however, might be able to snag a good deal this month. For 32" 1080p TVs, which are perfectly sized for a dorm room, prices dropped to $170 in July. That's the best rate we've seen for this TV category all year. Prices will drop further in November, but if you need a new dorm room TV for your first semester, look for deals in the $170 to $180 range.
With back-to-school sales in full session, laptop deals hit new lows
Excluding Black Friday, back-to-school season is the second best time of the year to purchase a laptop, and that makes August a busy month for laptop deals. In fact, based on last year's data, August sees 62 percent more Editors' Choice laptop deals than July and September combined. That means unless you can't wait until November, August is the month to buy a new laptop.
In terms of pricing, we have good news to report because mainstream laptops — 15" systems housing Intel's current processor — are currently at rock bottom prices. For two consecutive months we've seen these laptops plummet to $380.
That will buy you a notebook with a 15" to 16" screen, at least 4GB of RAM, at least a 500GB hard drive, and Intel's Haswell Core i5 processor, which is the company's mainstream chip capable of handling everything from HD movie streaming to casual gaming. Should you require a little more power, 15" laptops with Intel's Haswell Core i7 processor also hit rock bottom with deals in July hitting $500, the lowest price of the year.
For Mac fans, Apple will continue to offer its back-to-school sale throughout the month of August. However, we recommend avoiding Cupertino's sale, because we've seen better back-to-school sales from Apple authorized resellers such as Best Buy, which in late July beat Apple's back-to-school by $200.
In late July, Apple refreshed its entire MacBook Pro line, giving each entry-level MacBook Pro Retina laptop a slightly faster CPU and double the RAM of its predecessor. Apple also dropped the price of its high-end 15" MacBook Pro Retina and gave the 13" MacBook Pro (non-Retina) a $100 price drop. All this means you'll soon find better deals on the just-discontinued models. (For a look at the best Mac and Windows laptop deals, be sure to check out our laptop roundup.)
Additional reporting by Louis Ramirez
Lindsay Sakraida is the features director at DealNews, where this article first appeared: http://dealnews.com/features/what-to-buy-in-august/


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Chamber Membership - A Return on Investment
Chamber membership is a proven investment to grow your business. Join the nearly 2,000 members companies who benefit from the Chamber's programs, networking and marketing opportunities, advocacy, and resources throughout the year.
Member Testimonials as Aired on Tidewater Communications WNOR/WAFX/WJOI
Chamber events help you build relationships - 20+ events each month to meet other business professionals, expand connections, and more importantly, gain new customers.
When consumers know that a small business is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, they are 49% more likely to think favorably of it and 80% more likely to purchase goods and services from the company.
Exclusive member discounts on products and services you use every day, like office supplies, human resource tools and insurance. Through the Member Discount Program, you can take advantage of discounts offered by fellow Chamber member businesses, as well as offer your own discount.
The Chamber connects members to a wide range of local and statewide business and community leaders. Chamber events, such as the State of the City Series, Hampton Roads Business Brief, State of the Region, and Military Recognition Receptions, provide valuable insight on issues affecting businesses and the region.
The Chamber is your advocate in local and state government and works closely with elected officials to create economic prosperity and enhance the quality of life. Gain access to decision makers and get involved in business issues that impact your business and community.
The Chamber offers counseling, business and professional development training and access to the Small Business Development Center of Hampton Roads, a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
You and your company gain visibility by attending events, volunteering and sponsoring Chamber programs. Reach thousands of local business professionals through the Chamber.
Join Today!
Contact the
Membership Department
Call: 757.664.2504

subset: commoncrawl


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In distribution of wealth, Britain is now back to 1937 levels of inequality, regressing backwards every year: that's what makes any kind of carbon tax or reliance on high prices impossible, the burden falling too unfairly.That's a damning indictment of Zanu Labour from their star commentator; in 1997 we were at 1997 levels of inequality, but in just ten years Labour have put the clock back 60 years. Sixty years of wasted effort in building One Nation, of increasing opportunities for the poorest, of cross-party consensus on 'fairness', that most defining trait of our nation. Brown's sheer incompetence at the Treasury, his economic illiteracy, his pursuance of a dogma as outdated as his beach suit and tie (lacking only the knotted hankie on the head for 1937 authenticity), his bloody-minded obstinacy and his third-rate intellect have left Labour nowhere to go but backwards.
Nowhere that is except the route that Tuscan Polly advocates; carbon rationing. This is where I usually head to C@W or Sackerson, Stumbling or Tim for an analysis. I've no idea whether the per-capita distribution of carbon 'consumption' is a bell curve or not; intuitively, I'd suspect the distribution has a longish tail, and is fairly flat. Which may mean a gap between median and average consumption. To make sense in Labour terms the base universal ration level would have to be set somewhere below median to (a) achieve an overall reduction and (b) to leave the poorest unaffected. Thus the total 'ration' in circulation would be less than aggregate demand.
Since living in cities is more carbon-efficient than living in the country, it would also mitigate against rural areas, already suffering from Labour's spend skew and high prices. Those at the heavy consumption tail of the distribution would quickly bid-up the price of unused rations on the market and would be OK. The people I suspect who would be hit hardest would be those lying in the +/- 1SD zone. Us. Normal people.
And what this would do to GDP I don't know. But carbon is one area in which Cameron's 'nudge' approach may be a lot less painful than Toynbee's universal State ration approach.


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This Early Stage Memory Loss Support Group meets the 2nd Wednesday of every month from 10:00am-11:30am and is designed to provide emotional, educational, and social support for people with early state memory loss. Gain knowledge about dementia. Discover that you are not alone, and know that the group will respect your confidentiality.
Pre-registration is required. Please call Katherine Painter, Alzheimer's Association, Early Stage Memory Loss Coordinator, at 206.529.3868 for details.


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Indoor Farm Taps Technology To Grow Leafy Greens
Drawing from his background as an electrical engineer, Steve Fambro, founder and chief executive officer of Oceanside, Calif.-based Famgro Farms, has tried to eliminate as much variability in leafy green production as possible.
Steve Fambro has drawn from his electrical engineering background to take a systems approach to producing leafy greens indoors
The result is an indoor technological platform that optimizes crop production by trying to provide all of the plants' needs in terms of lighting, nutrition, humidity, air flow and moisture.
"It uses hydroponics that we have developed and patented and it uses LEDs that we manufacture and patented, but those are just parts of the story," Fambro said. "I don't consider this vertical farming. Our goal is so much more."
Instead, he thinks of it as a systems approach that meshes with his personal philosophy of providing affordable, locally grown produce.
The indoor operation consists of 10 individual farms, each about the size of a parking space that a Toyota Prius would occupy. Together, they produce leafy green yields equivalent to those from 5 to 10 acres of open fields, Fambro said.
The farm grows myriad leafy greens, ranging from its signature sweet kale to microgreens and herbs.
The kale, marketed under Famgro Farms' own label, is touted as having a buttery texture that eats more like lettuce.
"It's not unlike Kobe beef," Fambro said of its tenderness.
Although the operation does produce kale microgreens, its forte is full-grown leaves.
"The reason for that is chefs like the savoy, bumpy leaves and they can plate it in different ways," he said.
For each crop, the company has developed a specific production system that caters to that plant's individual needs.
The kale crop, for example, spends just 15 days as seedlings and another 15 days in the farm under intense lighting before harvest.
All of the crops are grown in an enclosed building designed to exclude insects, weeds and diseases. Sanitary procedures along the way help to minimize pathogens.
As a result, Fambro said they don't use any pesticides.
In addition, he uses no animal-based nutrients.
Under the National Organic Program, producers can use 37 different pesticides, bone meal, fish emulsions and manure-based composts while maintaining their organic certification.
Famgro's crops are not certified organic, partly because portions of the program conflict with his philosophy and partly because of food safety concerns.
Take fish emulsions, for example.
"We have no idea if it's old-growth fish that are brimming with mercury," he said. "There are no standards of any kind of how those fish are acquired or rendered into fish emulsions."
Using animal-based products also introduces a second life form into the plant production system, complicating food safety, Fambro said.
In addition, using a vegan-based production system allows the company to market to consumers who for personal or religious reasons oppose killing animals.
As with every crop grown, each step along the way is entered into the computer and tied to a batch number. Not only does this provide for traceability, but it also allows the operation to improve the growing process, Fambro said.
If a propagator, for example, isn't doing his or her job and yields suffer, the cause can be traced back.
Having all of the data at the touch of a computer also allows the company to schedule production just in time to meet customers' orders.
Famgro sells to individual local retailers, Whole Foods in Southern California and foodservice as well as through wholesaler LA & SF Specialty, Los Angeles


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The latest in our series of recordings from World Cafe interviews with some of our favorie artists of the past year is available now. Pick up your copy of Live at the World Cafe, Volume 33 CD when you Pledge Now!!
World Cafe with David Dye has just polished off the track list for the 25th Volume in its incredible series of live recordings from XPN's signature program. Artists including Suzanne Vega, Josh Ritter, Martin Sexton, Sea Wolf and many others have contributed to this stellar collection.
Become a Member of WXPN and Pick up the 20th Anniversary CD Set!
Live recordings from Vampire Weekend, Beach House, David Gray, Fleet Foxes, Coldplay, Feist, Patty Griffin, Justin Townes Earle, Dave Matthews, and many others.
Pick up your copy now at the Online Store!
Live recordings from Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs, JP, Chrissie & The Fairground Boys, Best Coast, Jukebox The Ghosr, KT Tunstall, The National, Ra Ra Riot and many others.
Pick up your copy at the XPN Music Store online!
Live recordings from Free Energy, The Hold Steady, Dr. Dog, Citizen Cope, Charlotte Gainsbourg, The Clientele, and many others.
Pick up your copy at the XPN Music Store online!
Live recordings from Wilco with Feist, Fanfarlo, Tori Amos, Blitzen Trapper, Moby, Mayer Hawthorne and many others.
Includes live recordings from The Pretenders, Bell X-1, Bat for Lashes, TV on the Radio, The Walkmen, and many others.
Includes live recordings from Bon Iver, Calexico, Jenny Lewis, Aimee Mann, Ra Ra Riot, Ray LaMontagne, and many others. Now available in stores
Volume 26 is available online and in retail stores. Featuring Sheryl Crow, Wilco, Feist, Rilo Kiley, Counting Crows, and many others.
Be sure to pick up your favorite music heard on World Cafe at XPN's Amazon.com Music Store, or browse our picks. It doesn't cost you anything extra, and the benefits apply to any purchases made through Amazon, not just music.
Chester County
Books & Music
967 Paoli Pike
West Goshen Center
West Chester, PA 19380
Earth & State
23 West State St.
Media, PA 19063
Hideaway Music
8612 Germantown Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19118
Mad Platters CDs
111 West Gay St.
West Chester, PA 19380
Main Street Records
4444 Main St.
Philadelphia, PA 19127
Newtown Books & Records
102 South State St.
Newtown, PA 18940
Princeton Record Exchange
20 South Tulane St.
Princeton, NJ 08542
Rainbow Music & Books
54 E. Main St.
Newark, DE 19711
Shady Dog Record &
Disc Exchange
638 Lancaster Ave.
Berwyn, PA 19312
884 Green Tree Square
Plaza, Rt 73 N
Marlton, NJ 08053
5501 Black Horse Pike,
Rt 42
Turnersville, NJ 08012
910 Haddonfield Berlin Rd.
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XPoNential Music Store
301 Main St.
Exton, PA 19341
4225 Marketplace Blvd.
Hamilton, NJ 08619
South 32nd St. & Trindle Rd.
Camp Hill, PA 17011
3535 Route 1 South
Princeton, NJ 08540
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Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462


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Hi to all folks!
I'm proud to advice you all that I'm' online with a Sinclair BBS that is reachable via Telnet or via QTPI on the QL (with TCP/SER support on a PC and a serial cable).
The telnet address is:
For now is ready for a General Chat on Fsxnet, local and inter chat with other BBS of the Mystic group but soon will have some special Sinclair thing on it and can be connected to Efnet and Retronet channels where all Retro fans are in contact!
Is in daily update, now is stable but I need to add more features that I've seen in other modern BBS.
Enjoy it!!!
Best regards from a QL


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Ziegler ready to close while 'pen regroups
PHOENIX -- For now, it appears Brad Ziegler is the closer for the D-backs.
Ziegler picked up the save Sunday against the Giants when he pitched a scoreless ninth to wrap up a 3-1 Arizona win.View Full Game Coverage
PHOENIX -- For now, it appears Brad Ziegler is the closer for the D-backs.
Ziegler picked up the save Sunday against the Giants when he pitched a scoreless ninth to wrap up a 3-1 Arizona win.View Full Game Coverage
"It's somewhat by committee right now," D-backs manager Kirk Gibson said. "I kind of make my decision as it goes on within the game. Although I did tell Ziggy the other day that I was thinking he would be the guy, so that's kind of where I'm at right now."
The D-backs have a National League-worst 19 blown saves this year. Closer J.J. Putz missed time with an elbow injury and is still in the process of building up his arm strength. While he's doing that, the team has used him in non-save situations.
Setup man David Hernandez has had his share of struggles, but has pitched better of late.
Heath Bell also got a chance at being the closer, but he struggled.
Ziegler said he was under the impression that he was the closer until further notice, but went out of his way to say that, while he enjoys the role, he doesn't see it as a long-term fit.
"I think, ideally, if everyone is pitching well then I'm not our closer," Ziegler said. "J.J. is the guy, or Heath is the guy or David is the guy. ... Their style of pitching is better suited for that role. I'm better suited to come in with runners on base. At the same time, when those guys are struggling if they feel I'm the best guy for that spot, then I'll jump in there and try and get three outs."
Ziegler likely would not have been considered for the role had he not improved his performance against left-handed hitters.
In 2010, lefties hit .317 against Ziegler, and in 2011 it was a .373 mark. Last season it fell to .268, and to try to decrease it more, Ziegler spent the offseason working on a changeup, which he had used sparingly in past seasons.
This year, Ziegler is holding lefties to a .222 mark.
"It's just something I worked really hard on in the offseason," Ziegler said of his changeup. "In Spring Training I was throwing it even when it wasn't a good time to throw it just because I wanted to keep throwing it. The results are finally starting to come where I'm extremely confident in it and I'll throw it in any count."
Steve Gilbert is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Inside the D-backs, and follow him on Twitter @SteveGilbertMLB.


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Difference between revisions of "Events with Food"
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[http://www.webfeat.org More details here]

[http://www.webfeat.org More details here]

''LIRT - Bites with LIRT''

''LIRT - Bites with LIRT''

Saturday, January 12, 12:30pm

Saturday, January 12, 12:30pm

Nodding Head Brewery and Restaurant

Nodding Head Brewery and Restaurant

Revision as of 10:24, 8 January 2008
Friday, January 11
ACRL Community and Junior College Libraries Section Annual Friday Night Dinner
07:30 pm - 09:30 pm
Pompeii Restaurant
ALTA Presidents' Reception $
07:30 pm - 10:00 pm
Saturday, January 12
H.W. Wilson - What's New At Wilson Breakfast
07:00 am - 09:30 am
Marriott Philadelphia, Liberty Ballroom
IEEE Breakfast & Presentation
08:00 am - 10:00 am
Philadelphia Convention Center, 202 B
Project MUSE Users Group Breakfast
08:00 am - 09:00 am
Marriott Philadelphia, Salon F
WebFeat Product Launch Breakfast
7:30 a.m.
The Marriott Philadelphia, Salon K/L
Join us for another delicious WebFeat breakfast as we unveil SMART Usage Tracker v2.0.
The most sophisticated database usage tracking and reporting system ever developed, keeps getting better!
WebFeat is the developer of the WebFeat and WebFeat Express™ - the world's most popular federated search solution.
Full breakfast will be served.
RSVP to: email@example.com
More details here
LIRT - Bites with LIRT
Saturday, January 12, 12:30pm
Nodding Head Brewery and Restaurant
1516 Sansom Street
Look for the Bites link on the LIRT web site (www3.baylor.edu/LIRT/) or email your request for reservation to email@example.com.
EBSCO Academic Library Database Luncheon #1
12:00 pm - 01:30 pm
Marriott Philadelphia, Salon G
EBSCO Academic Library Database Luncheon #2
12:00 pm - 01:30 pm
Marriott Philadelphia, Salon H
ACRL Distance Learning Section Social
5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
McGillin's Old Ale House, 1310 Drury Street, Philadelphia
Hot and Cold Buffet, Open Bar
Cost: $ 25.00
Register online by December 12 at https://marvin.foresightint.com/surveys/Tier1Survey/ACRL/215
Questions? Contact Jane Hutton, email@example.com
Sunday, January 13
OCLC Update Breakfast
07:00 am - 09:00 am
Marriott Philadelphia, Salon E-H
Holiday House 11th Annual Midwinter Reviewers' Breakfast
07:30 am - 08:30 am
Ritz Carlton Philadelphia, John Adams
Alibris - Alibris User Group Breakfast
08:00 am - 10:00 am
Sofitel Philadelphia, Versailles
American Psychological Association's Librarian Roundtable Breakfast
08:00 am - 10:00 am
Ritz Carlton Philadelphia, Pavillion
EBSCO Information Services E-Resources Breakfast
08:00 am - 10:00 am
Marriott Philadelphia, Salon I
RefWorks - Lunch & Learn
10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Hampton Garden Inn City Center, Ballroom
Exhibitor's Luncheon
11:30 am - 01:30 pm
Marriott Philadelphia, Liberty BR C
Ovid Luncheon Update Session
11:30 am - 01:00 pm
Philadelphia Convention Center, 111 A/B
RBB Luncheon
12:00 pm - 01:00 pm
Marriott Philadelphia, Room 305
EBSCO's Public Library Database Luncheon
When: 12:00 p.m
Where: Philadelphia Marriott Downtown (ALA headquarters hotel), Grand Ballroom Salon E, 1201 Market Street, Philadelphia
Register now to take this opportunity to hear about NEW EBSCOhost databases, features and services while enjoying a meal with fellow public librarians!
RSVP by Friday, January 4, 2008 to: Luiza Lopes at email@example.com
Diversity Research Tea & Poster Sessions
04:00 pm - 06:00 pm
Four Seasons Philadelphia, Adams Room
Monday, January 14
Breakfast with ARTstor
When: Monday, January 14th, 8:00 a.m.
Where: Courtyard Philadelphia Downtown, Salon I/II, 21 N. Juniper Street, Philadelphia
Join us for breakfast and learn about the ARTstor Digital Library! ARTstor representatives will present an overview of ARTstor Digital Library collections, features and tools the Offline Image Viewer (OIV), and the Images for Academic Publishing project. We will close the meeting with a facilitated discussion on the topic of access and discovery of ARTstor content and ARTstor strategies for interoperability.
Questions? Contact ARTstor User Services at email@example.com or 888.278.0079.
FOLUSA - Author Tea ($45 at the door)
02:00 pm - 04:00 pm
Doubletree, Symphony


text:
You Are Here: Products ›› MDF 25mm Architrave Set ›› Lickey MDF Architrave Set 25mm
Lickey MDF Architrave Set 25mm
Code: LIC A25
Id: 494
Price: £0.00
Unique Lickey MDF 25mm Architrave Set
Superior Quality Moisture Resistant
Our Architrave is produced by us at our manufacturing base in the UK. We only use Superior grade MDF, which is less absorbent, needing less primer to cover it meaning you save time and money on paint.
All Architrave is cut using our Superior carbide cutting knives for the smoothest finish, making it even easier to prime and paint, giving much better quality. Optionally, you can choose to have the Architrave primed ready for painting with top coat of your choice.
Please select from 57mm width 69mm width 80mm width or 96mm width, and now available in single door or double door width


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The Orioles today announced that they have recalled RHP STEVE JOHNSON from Triple-A Norfolk and optioned LHP ZACH BRITTON to Short-Season Class-A Aberdeen. Additionally, RHP JASON HAMMEL has been reinstated from the 15-day disabled list.
Johnson, 26, is 1-1 with a 7.82 ERA (12.2IP, 11ER) in six games (one start) for the Orioles this season. He went 2-3 with a 4.11 ERA (46.0IP, 21ER) in 10 games (eight starts) for the Tides.
Britton, 25, is 2-3 with a 5.45 ERA (36.1IP, 22ER) in seven starts for the Orioles this season. In 19 starts for Norfolk, Britton was 6-5 with a 4.27 ERA (103.1IP, 49ER).
Hammel, 31, is 7-8 with a 5.20 ERA (123.0IP, 71ER) in 21 starts for the Orioles this season.


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Lancôme Liner Design Longwear Gel Eyeliner Review & Photos./
Lancôme just introduced Liner Design, a new longwear gel eyeliner designed to create captivating and dramatic eyes. Liner Design provides comfortable, smudge-proof and waterproof wear for up to 12 hours, in ten bold shades that impart rich and creamy color. The new formula glides on effortlessly to create intense, structured lines for perfectly contoured eyes.
Apply Liner Design in one easy stroke with Lancôme's Dual-End Liner & Smudger Brush #24 (sold separately) in one of these high impact shades:
Uptown Brun
Bronze Couture
Violet Stylista
Purple Jewels
Indigo Darling
Downtown Blue
Dress-Up Teal
Emerald Seductive
Trendy Grey
Black Fishnets
Lancôme Liner Design Indigo Darling
Lancôme Liner Design Indigo Darling
Liner Design retails for $24.50 and is available at Lancôme counters nationwide and lancome.com. The Dual-End Liner & Smudger Brush #24 retails for $24.00.


text:
// dewPoint function NOAA// reference: http://wahiduddin.net/calc/density_algorithms.htm double dewPoint(double celsius, double humidity){ double A0= 373.15/(273.15 + celsius); double SUM = -7.90298 * (A0-1); SUM += 5.02808 * log10(A0); SUM += -1.3816e-7 * (pow(10, (11.344*(1-1/A0)))-1) ; SUM += 8.1328e-3 * (pow(10,(-3.49149*(A0-1)))-1) ; SUM += log10(1013.246); double VP = pow(10, SUM-3) * humidity; double T = log(VP/0.61078); // temp var return (241.88 * T) / (17.558-T);}
the EFS-10 humidity sensor. Here: http://www.produktinfo.conrad.com/datenblaetter/150000-174999/156545-da-01-en-Feuchtesensor_EFS10.pdfI got the sensor as a present and really don't know so much about it other than it being sold by Conrad.de. It is the first time I use it and I can't say it was very easy. I am not used to generating AC signals to drive a sensor and then having to work out the impendance of it from the (volt) value you get from analogRead() didn't make it easier. Now add 2d-interpolation to that and everything gets a little too complex for a beginner like myself.The LM335 is a common and easy-to-use temperaure sensor in a three-pin transistor like package. Didn't give me any trouble at all and pretty much worked the first time I hooked it up.
now you have humidity and temp you can calc the dewpoint.


text:
A Jump for Life: A Survivor's Journal from Nazi-occupied Poland
Continuum, 1997 - 243 Seiten
"Ruth Altbeker Cyprys was a young Jewish lawyer in Warsaw when the Germans invaded Poland. By September 1942 she knew the fate that awaited those being herded on to the trains for Treblinka. Her response was to acquire a pair of boots and a hacksaw blade. Daily she practiced sawing whatever metal objects she could find. In January 1943 Ruth and her daughter Eva, not yet two years old, were finally rounded up. As the train rattled its way toward the death camp, Ruth managed to cut through the bars." "She jumped first - for fear, she writes, that her courage would fail her. Her child was thrown out after her into the snow. Their first night of freedom was spent in a freezing dog kennel, Ruth licking her injured daughter's wounds." "In this journal, written immediately after the war and then hidden away, unread, for nearly fifty years, Ruth tells us a great deal about life and death in the Warsaw ghetto, about the terrifying deportations that began in 1942, about her own incredible escape with her child, and about their subsequent struggle to hide with the help of Christian Poles. Ruth Cyprys was a witness of the Warsaw ghetto revolt of 1943 from outside the walls, and of the drama of the Polish uprising of 1944. Her exceptional powers of observation and memory, her phenomenal courage and tenacity, her remarkable ability to take breathtaking risks and make split-second decisions are the qualities that kept her and her daughter alive, and make A Jump For Life such a memorable book."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Im Buch
8 Seiten stimmen mit dem Suchbegriff "Zosia" in diesem Buch überein.
Wo ist der Rest dieses Buches?
Ergebnisse 1-3 von 8
Was andere dazu sagen - Rezension schreiben
LibraryThing ReviewNutzerbericht - eliza.graham.180 - LibraryThing
Ruth Altbeker Cyprys was an extraordinarily intelligent woman, a lawyer, who worked out that what was in store for the Jews of the Warsaw Ghetto was not survivable. She managed to escape from the ... Vollständige Rezension lesen
A JUMP FOR LIFE: A Survivor's Journal from Nazi-Occupied PolandNutzerbericht - Kirkus
The Holocaust journal of a lawyer—one of the few women admitted to Warsaw's bar—who survived largely on her considerable wits and nerve. This valuable journal, written just after the war, was ... Vollständige Rezension lesen
Beginnings by Elaine Potter page
The Invasion
20 weitere Abschnitte werden nicht angezeigt.
Andere Ausgaben - Alle anzeigen
A Jump for Life: A Survivor's Journal from Nazi-occupied Poland
Ruth Altbeker Cyprys
Keine Leseprobe verfügbar - 1997
Häufige Begriffe und Wortgruppen
Aniela armband Aryan asked barrister became blockade bombs building cellar child Cracow daughter death deported documents Eva's everything factory felt flat floor friends Gentile side Germans Gestapo girl guard Halinka hands heard hiding hospital husband Jasio Jewess Jewish Council Jews jump Klimanek knew labour lady learned leave Leszno Street little Eva lives looked Lukaszewska Maria Marianna Marysia militia mother Nalewki never night Nowy Targ once parents passed Pawiak Poland Poles Polish poor Poronin Powisle prayer Pruszkow raid remained rucksack Russian Ruth Ruth's Schultz shelter shout sister sister-in-law soldiers started stood strange survived terrible told took town train tram Treblinka tried Ukrainians Umschlagplatz uprising Vilna Volksdeutsch wagon waited walk walls wanted Warsaw ghetto Warsaw uprising window woman women young Zakopane zloty Zoliborz Zosia


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Change is needed so people struggling with their mental health feel safe enough to speak out and get help.
That is the call that has gone out from See Me, Scotland's initiative which tackles mental health discrimination and which will be using 2016 to focus on making positive changes.
It says these changes need to happen in workplaces, health and social care and with children and young people.
A YouGov survey commissioned by See Me found that 45 per cent of Scottish workers think people in their organisation would not speak out about their mental health for fear of discrimination.
Meanwhile young people working with See Me have said there needs to be a change in schools so that young people are able to speak about mental health from an early stage.
To start the change, people of all age groups are being asked to start looking out for each other and talk about mental health.
Judith Robertson, See Me programme director, said: "Nine out of ten people with mental health conditions have reported experiencing stigma or discrimination.
"We know the fear of this means many people will not speak openly about their mental health, which can make a problem worse.
"It is okay not to be okay, mental health affects all of us and one in four of us will experience a period of poor mental health this year.
"If you see someone struggling with their mental health, ask them if they are okay and really listen to what they have to say.
"You don't have to be an expert to speak about mental health, being there for someone can make all the difference."
See Me is Scotland's national programme working to end mental health stigma and discrimination and enable people who experience mental health problems to live fulfilled lives. It is funded by the Scottish Government and Comic Relief and is managed by Scottish Association for Mental Health and the Mental Health Foundation.
To find out more about the work going on across the country and also find a wealth of resources by visiting www.seemescotland.org.


text:
The Pegorans were an ancient culture of note, with a fascination for the "other worldly" and an emphasis on the symbolic, they have left their marks upon the world in the areas or architecture, math, and calligraphy.
Pegoran doors are special symbolic doors used in tombs, holy places, and places of the hearth. They are found in ancient buildings (when they were all the craze), places with pretense of being stately, artisitic, or "eternal" (like the City Folk of Artimas), or tombs.
Pegoran doors are circular doors made of stone (except when used in houses - which are wood). The door range from a hand span to finger span thick. Thicker doors have been found when used as "main entrances" or "security doors". While they can be plain, most proper doors have a bas relief of an intricate interwoven geometric pattern. The pattern is based upon the symbolic need/ purpose of the space the door is a guardian of, the location/ facing of the door, and the era of the door (styles change over time). The patterns weave, intermingle, and point, in a hauntingly beautiful way (think proper celtic knot work). Some modern copies incorporate heraldic or state devices into said pattern.
Some collectors use these doors as "art", either as free standing statuary or inset into a wall. The Prince of Artimas is known to pay many gold dragns (gold coins) for doors in good condition.
The door appears to be an circular indention in the walls. This door is set in a channel and rolls into wall to the right. That wall is usually thick with a carved out area for the door. When the door is rolled out, it leaves a circular passage to pass through.
While doors can be rolled by hand, most are moved by clever lever work. Simply touching the door or a point on the right side of the wall, will cause the door to roll. Since many "frames" are intricately carved, it can sometimes be a challange to find the "right place" to press. And since interesting prick traps can also be intergrated into the artwork, those who do not know the proper place to open the door can be quickly poisoned.
Some doors will close automatically after a certain amount of time will pass, others have to be actively closed (finding the corresponding "right spot" on the other side).
Note: Most "old doors" have a basic enchantment woven into the pattern. This prevents them from being opened by most knock or unlocking spells. Some will even resist magical liftings.
The problem with Pegoran doors is that they can be "tricky".
*Some Doors have activation mechanisms that are multipart. So there may be a "right place" or knob that may need to be switched down the hall or in another room entirely. So for an entrance to a location's chapel might require you to stop and "nudge" the Image of The Patron God in the entryway, showing proper piety by stopping to reflect before entering the chapel.
* They may open when using an easy to find "right place". These doors will then slam the stone back in place (using a spring or sand and level mechanism). Some will slam when stepped through, others will wait a few moments and quickly roll shut automatically. Some of these are for security, others are simply door closers.
*A second "locking door" may roll or drop into place if the wrong door is opened the wrong way. Clearing these doors often required brute strength or a number of things to be tweaked to make it roll back.
*If a door's weight if removed from its track (if removed or broken), this will often trigger a trap or locking door or heavy drop block.
*Getting in may be "easy", but out may be difficult. Especially if there is a timed trap involed to stop "interlopers" from entering the tomb.
*An reoccuring feature is the Hallway of the Gods. It is a hallway with a 22 doors, space every 8 feet for so. Each door has a touching challange. You must press the correct letters or pictographs to "answer" the common prayer. These answers can be memorized (okay 3rd door, we click here, here, here and over there) or if one knows the old tongue you select the answer to the classic prayer. However, in the Grey (late) Era, these Hallways were changed into "challanges of piety", so you needed to know the 22 gods and select the correct answer (requiring riddle or ancient lore checks). In the Grey Era selecting the insulting or wrong answer would set off an ironic trap.
In metagaming, these are great doors for two reasons. The first is that they are complicated. They will make players wary. The second, is that since they are "treasure", your PCs won't go breaking them down.
The languages of the Norther use the term Pengoran for Pegoran, it is just a lingual quirk based on how the "Great Scribe of the North" decided to spell Pegoran in the Northern Root Tongue.
Additional Ideas (0)Please register to add an idea. It only takes a moment.
Suggested Submissions
- Pegoran Spirit Room Dungeons By: MoonHunter
- The Pegorans Society/ Organizations By: MoonHunter


text:
Publisher Activision is giving gamers and comic fans a chance to be part of its forthcoming superhero action-RPG Marvel: Ultimate Alliance as the voice of one of the in-game characters.
Previously Activision held online auditions for fans to become the voice of weedy Hulk alter-ego Bruce Banner. The response was so overwhelming that it's decided to extend the competition to allow fans to try out for the voice of the Sub-Mariner Namor. We reckon you should go for fishy and arrogant.
Girls can also take part as Activision is also looking for a Jean Grey. To get involved, visit theMarvel: Ultimate Alliance official websitenow.
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance is the ambitious action-RPG that includes over 140 superheroes and villains. It's due to come out on PS2, PS3, PSP, Xbox, X360, PC, Wii and GBA this fall.
June 29, 2006


text:
From MeritBadgeDotOrg
Transclusion refers to the process by which the entire contents of a page are inserted on to another page for the sake of convenience, speed of editing and/or tidiness of the source wikitext. The process works by applying the title of the page to be transcluded, with two braces
{{}} on either side and sometimes a colon.
Transclusion should be used when and where ever it is feasible and possible to do so.
Pages created for the sole purpose of being useful to transclude are known as templates. Templates come in many varieties; some templates constitute generic messages that can be quickly and easily sent, while others contain pieces of text that are used in mass quantities. The use for these quick pieces of text or code are almost limitless. They have their own namespace, Template:.
The braces assume, and it is implied by default, that the template namespace is to be transcluded; i.e., the syntax assumes that {{Talk}} refers to Template:Talk. However, all kinds of pages can be transcluded in every namespace so long as the namespace is specified: e.g., {{Help:Contents}} would be a viable and workable transclusion. Because of template: vs (main) confusion when transcluding, pages with no namespace prefix, such as this one (Transclusion), are transcluded with a colon preceding the page name, like this: {{:Transclusion}}.
Link that is created
It is important to remember that transclusion creates a very real and direct link between the target page and the transcluded one; when the source page is changed, the transcluded text is changed with it. This especially applies to templates that are in mass use; many pages can be altered very radically by a small change. The volatility of this situation should be considered when making changes.
Note: It is possible to see what pages are transcluded on a page, and where a page is transcluded, by use of the "What links here" link in the toolbox in the left-hand panel.
See also
- Help:Template substitution (the opposite of transclusion)


text:
STOCKHOLM - You might know Mary Logue as a mystery writer who sets her stories along the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi River. Or maybe you know her as an award-winning children's book author. Or, if you're a person who likes your stories told in textile form, you might know her as an accomplished rug hooker.
Logue traveled to Blonduos, Iceland, for a textile residency last May. She will bring the resulting rug creations, and stories of her Icelandic adventures, to Abode Gallery in Stockholm with a presentation and reception beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11. The show will run through Dec. 22.
"During my time in Iceland, I made 10 rugs, ate lots of fish, saw lambies being born and learned a little Icelandic," Logue said. "I worked with eight other textile artists from Germany, Sweden, the U.S. and Canada. It was an amazing trip."
Logue will share information about Iceland, the Icelandic Textile Center and her rug hooking process at the Abode Gallery presentation.
"Stockholm is very proud to have this chance to highlight one of our accomplished residents," Abode Gallery owner Alan Nugent said. "Yes, Mary only lives here part-time, but we claim her as our own."
Logue has published 13 adult mystery novels, five books of poetry, several nonfiction books, and many children's books. Her awards include a Minnesota Book Award, a Wisconsin Outstanding Achievement award, and her picture book, "Sleep Like a Tiger," won a Charlotte Zolotow honor and a Caldecott honor.
In her life as a textile artist, Logue has studied with many well-known rug makers: Mary Anne, Wise, Emma Lou Lay, Sharon Townsend and Eric Sandberg. Her rugs have been in the Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts show several times, many other galleries, and at the Brunnier Museum in Ames, Iowa. She has had one-woman shows at Many Hands Gallery, Simpson College and Gallery 360. Her rugs have been featured in books and she has written many articles for Rug Hooking magazine.
When she isn't in Stockholm, she lives with writer Pete Hautman in Golden Valley, Minn.
The presentation and reception are free and open to the public. The reception will also feature the work of another local artist; baker Ruth Raich of Stockholm's Jenny Lind Bakery will provide her famous Icelandic almond rolls.


text:
Cisco Edition of OpenStack
On Friday, Cisco released the Cisco Edition of OpenStack. This contains all the core OpenStack services for Essex and Folsom, along with installation scripts and other open source components to make it easier to install and run in production. Cisco has been an active participant in OpenStack since the early days of the Quantum project. During the Diablo Summit in Santa Clara in April 2012, Cisco merged it's own NaaS proposal with other vendor and provider blueprints to create the Quantum component of OpenStack. Over the last year and a half, we've been significant contributors to OpenStack in the following areas:
- Quantum: Cisco Plugin, Linux Bridge Plugin, Extensions and L3 work
- Horizon: Quantum integration
- Nova: VIF drivers model
- devstack
Where Can I Get the Cisco Edition of OpenStack Packages?
The Cisco Edition of OpenStack can be downloaded from this FTP site, and information on the packages can be found on this wiki. The packages are free and open source. The Cisco Edition of OpenStack is tested on Ubuntu 12.04 with the Cisco Nexus family of switches and Cisco UCS C Series servers. You do not need to run the Cisco Edition of OpenStack on Cisco hardware, but it is validated on this hardware configuration. The Cisco Quantum Plugin supports L2 segmentation using VLAN, and is formulated to work with both Open vSwitch as well as the Cisco Nexus sub-plugin. We are evaluating other versions of Linux (RHEL/CentOS) to be validated as the base Linux version.
Cisco Specific Additions
This edition uses Puppet (Puppet Labs) to automate the deployment of OpenStack services and in the Essex version we've included other software components required for running in a production setting. Work was done around service assurance. The compute monitoring stack consists of Nagios, Collectd, and Graphite. Compute performance and metric graphs have been integrated with the OpenStack Horizon dashboard. High availability is supported using the open source components ha-proxy, kickstartd and galera. As was mentioned earlier, all of the components of the Cisco Edition of OpenStack are Open Source components. We will release a similar HA version for Folsom shortly.
Cisco Edition of OpenStack: Take It For a Test Drive
We encourage you to download our OpenStack Edition and provide us with feedback. Cisco will have a strong presence at the Grizzly Summit, so please stop by our booth to get additional information on the Cisco Edition of OpenStack.
In an effort to keep conversations fresh, Cisco Blogs closes comments after 60 days. Please visit the Cisco Blogs hub page for the latest content.
3 Comments
Vinay Mamidi
Great announcement Kyle. Do you know when RHEL will be supported ? What kind of support can we expect from Cisco if we build public/private clouds around this distribution. I know that Redhat is planning on its own commercial release around openstack.. Any plans for aligning around that ?
Good to see Cisco with open source


text:
Target's Secret Price Codes Revealed
Start by looking closely at the cost. If the price ends in a nine, then the item is set at full price. However, if the price ends in other numbers, like an eight or a four, that item is on sale.
Also keep an eye out for the small print on the clearance tags. Often times there's a number in the upper right hand corner that represents the markdown percentage from the item's original price.
When an item goes on clearance, the first markdown is usually 15 percent. After that, prices are typically reduced even further every two weeks in increments of 30, 50, 75 and 90 percent. This "two-week discount" rule can vary store to store, so always check with a manager to get the scoop on sale schedules.
One thing to keep in mind, though, is while you can potentially save big by waiting for prices to drop, discounts over 50 percent are rare. So, if you see something you like, don't wait too long to buy it or you might miss out entirely.
The next time you shop at Target, give these tips a try. You may find that it can pay to "know your numbers."
See Gallery


text:
Friday, September 30, 2011
Tag Swap
Posted by Scrappinaway at 6:35 PM 0 comments
Layout for swap
Posted by Scrappinaway at 12:28 PM 1 comments
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Posted by Scrappinaway at 10:09 PM 3 comments
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
2011 Layouts #17-33
Posted by Scrappinaway at 4:26 PM 2 comments
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Cricut swap die cuts - Valentines
I planned on making the mailbox and the envelope. I liked them, BUT i then saw the hearts and thought i would make one. I love how it came out, even more than the other 2!! LOL! Anyways...everyone got 1 of each!!
I used misc paper that i had on hand in an attempt to use what i have!! Good idea. Stickles on the heart(black) and on the mailbox flag. The heart is stamped with a heart from the Close to my Heart stamp set called A Game(it is tic tac toe game) and the word Love from January's Stamp of the Month.
Posted by Scrappinaway at 8:25 PM 2 comments
Labels: A game, Cricut, CTMH, doodlecharms, valentines
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Jan 2011 Layouts #1-16
Layout #16 - Same layout as Alivia and Abby below for school. This is Close to my Heart paper, You Rock! (sorry out of order, for got this pic and did not want to redo all #'s)
Posted by Scrappinaway at 1:15 PM 1 comments


text:
You are just clicks away from a monthly home delivery of Premium Wines straight to your door. No need for running out to the liquor store anymore. Just sit back an await your next delivery of outstanding wine. And you get the benefits of an amazing Experience each and every glass!
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A Jewelry store for the modern woman with a focus on spiritual, eclectic and yoga inspired bracelets, necklaces, earrings and personalized items. Apple & Thorne is for the person who has their own unique style, loves to accessorize and appreciates the value that fine jewelry adds to your outfit.
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Personal Blogging site promoting multiple products, online and off line business opportunities, New Stuff Online, Artisan Soaps, Arts & Entertainment, Blockchain innovations
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Money Saving Tips and More. Blog covering everything from A to Z. Recommendations of products, saving opportunities, travel stories, business opportunities, recipes and so much more. Links to Wine & Food Pairing events, diet and health and fitness opportunities. Wine of the Month Club.
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text:
They've always preached a "whole club" philosophy and winning a second straight ANBL title - this time without Kirk Penney - was a case of the Breakers backing up words with deeds.
Bookmakers - particularly across the Tasman - didn't much fancy the Kiwi club's chances without Penney, rating them likely to finish sixth in the nine-team league. Given results before the Penney era, that view was perhaps understandable. Pre-Penney the Breakers were cellar dwellers. Since the successful recruitment of the best Kiwi player of a generation in 2007, the Breakers have been contenders.
Penney produced offensive explosions only the truly elite can match. He provided star quality, on and off the court. But his most important contribution was credibility. The Breakers found selling their ideals to potential recruits much easier once they were winners, with the league's best player in their ranks.
Classy Aussie CJ Bruton pitched up in 2008, bringing a swagger to the Breakers' burgeoning belief that titles would be heading to Auckland soon. The first duly came in 2010-11, with a virtuoso Penney performance in Perth, a towering comeback from Mika Vukona and a breakout finals series display from Tom Abercrombie ensuring a dominant regular season wasn't wasted.
Whether the house that Penney did so much to help build would stand up without him was the question heading into the 2011-12 campaign. The retention of Gary Wilkinson and recruitment of Cedric Jackson went a long way to ensuring it would, with the club again icing the minor premiership.
A first up finals defeat by Townsville and a shocking Peter Crawford foul that wrecked Abercrombie's ankle in the final moments of the semifinals series ensured the journey to repeat glory would be just as giddy as the obstacle-strewn maiden title.
Once again it was the Breakers' depth and resilience that proved decisive.
They got home in double overtime in the finals opener against Perth thanks to some Bruton heroics, blew a big lead in Perth in game two then outlasted the Wildcats back in Auckland to claim the title, with Bruton once again starring to claim the finals MVP award.
In the end the Breakers did it not only without Penney, but largely without heir apparent Abercrombie, whose most memorable contribution on a busted ankle that would take months to fully heal was a stunning game three block on Shawn Redhage.
Having struggled on ailing knees so badly he was forced to sit out a chunk of the regular season, Bruton's reincarnation was remarkable.
Like so many of his teammates, Bruton is a big game player. So far this year the Breakers have been smouldering away nicely. It would take a brave soul to bet against an historic three-peat when the finals games roll around again in April.
Selections so far
Valerie Adams
Shot put Olympic gold medallist
Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie
Olympic gold medallists
The Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic
ANZ netball champions.
New Zealand Breakers
NBL champions
Nathan Cohen and Joseph Sullivan
Olympic gold medallists
The Chiefs
Super 15 champions
More to be named throughout the week


text:
Gayle goes for 117 and man he played a destructive knock today.
Gayle goes for 117 and man he played a destructive knock today.
People often comment on how they find a match or periods of a match boring in test/ODI cricket threads so I'm quite within my rights.
Haha, Smith shows all his mythical batting prowess yet again.
SA bowled really poorly to Gayle. Too many short balls at the start of the innings and never deviated off a good length throught the game so far. Very few yorkers, only two slower balls I can remember, bowled wide both sides of the stumps. Their lack of a spinner will cost them in this tournament too. Do they have Boje in the squad?
rave down, hit the ground
MSN: email@example.com
-My beliefs summarized in words much more eloquent than I could come up with
How the Universe came from nothing
And Smith's broken his finger..
Or something.
RIP Fardin Qayyumi (AKA "cricket player"; "Bob"), 1/11/1990 - 15/4/2006
Smith gone and it seems like he's probably out of the tournament as well which will be a big blow to SA.
World Scrabble Champion 2014. National Scrabble Champion 2009, 2015.
Author of Word Addict
Countdown Series 57 Champion
King of the Arcade
ECB - you are a complete ****ing disgrace, #FTECB
Haha, Dwayne Smith. Pathetic over. His bowling isn't bad in ODIs when the batsmen are playing somewhat orthodox, but it's cannon fodder in this stuff, and his batting is the biggest myth ever.
WI bowling these overs obscenely slowly.
This game has been excellent so far...really emphasises why 2020 cricket is wonderfully exciting to watch. Great fun!
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text:
The tree that will adorn Chicago's Daley Plaza for the 2012 holiday season came down Thursday from in front of a home in Prospect Heights, where it stood for more than 60 years.
The Theiszmann family donating this year's tree: a 64-foot Colorado Spruce.
"It was a very appreciated tree there. We decorated it in the beginning when we were here but then it got too large," Barbara Theiszmann said as she watched crews take down the tree.
Theiszmann and other family members will join Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Tuesday, Nov. 20 for the annual tree-lighting celebration.
"We're looking forward to see it downtown, how it looks. It looked beautiful here. I don't know how it's going to look down there. It looked tall over here, and down there it's going to look short with all the tall buildings," she said.
Mary Slowik, a spokeswoman for the city's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, said there were more than 20 submissions this year. To be considered, the tree had to be a spruce or fir at least 55 feet tall.
The 99th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony is presented by the City of Chicago and UL. Admission is free. For more information visit www.cityofchicago.org/dcase or call 312-744-3316.


text:
The Tracker Dart model takes it's design and turn angle from the legendary Tracker's of the late 1970's. The Dart is commonly referred to as a medium height truck, in that the hanger allows for more clearance between the deck and wheel, which in turn means less wheel bite.
Turning on the Tracker Dart model has been described as more of a surf feel. Stability at high speeds and aerial re-entry is smooth and predictable. Whether you're skating backyard pools or kick flipping down a triple set, the Tracker Dart model is a predictable, stable truck that you can trust.
Our Tracker Dart model is available in 8 sizes: 85mm (Mid-Track), 105mm (Fultrack),129mm, 139mm, 149mm, 161mm(new SixTrack), 184mm and the whopping 219mm. The 161 SixTrack, 184 and 219 are available in polished silver or black. Featuring Superball cushions.
Sold in pairs (2 trucks).
Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought


text:
Product Description
Oval shaped milky translucent semi precious gemstone Graveyard Plume Agate designer cabochon 46 mm by 36 mm and 6 mm thick.
This is beautiful semi precious gemstone Graveyard Point Plume Agate from near Graveyard Point in the Owyhee Mountains of far eastern Oregon, near the Idaho border.
The agate formed in the cracks in basalt. The veins of agate range from 1 inch to about 18 inches thick, and can be a few feet long to 30 feet in length!
These agate cabochons have white to yellow plumes. The black or metallic looking wisp are Marcasite.
Cabochons are stones cut for jewelry and are measured in mm. One inch is equal to about 25 mm.
Shipping terms: Cabochons are shipped First Class within the U.S. for FREE. You can upgrade to Priority Mail Small Flat Rate Box for $5.00.
We offer First Class International shipping for $5.00. First Class usually takes from 2 weeks up to 8 weeks internationally and it is NOT tracked. You can choose to upgrade to Priority Mail for $20.00 to Canada or $22.00 anywhere else.


text:
Nick11 necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 59 diseños de 11 diseñadores freelance.
Pixair Productions
We are a video production company that specializes in low-altitude aerial photography using remote controlled helicopters.
Our current audience spans from the tourism industry to fast paced events (wakeboarding, trophy truck racing etc...)
Eventually our target audience will be film production companies who produce full feature films.
We are looking for a logo that represents our Video Production Company - Pixair Productions.
1. Distinguish from Pixar. We like all caps but realize it is very similar so feel free to be creative with it (e.g. PiXAiR etc...).
2. Include "productions" but make in small font and less prominent.
3. We want it to feel bold and aggressive, conveying our ability to capture dynamic movement.
4. Possibly incororate a helicopter, film strip, camera or combination of all 3, but make it subtle and abstract. Simplicity is priority to these elements.
5. We would also like it to be adaptable to fit a button like this: http://tourshd.com/
The primary use for the logo will be the website (here is the template that we're most likely going with: http://osc4.template-help.com/wt_30…dex.html#) but it also needs to work on a business card, apparel, etc.
Here are a couple examples of logos in our industry that we like: http://freeflycinema.com/, http://flyingsensors.com/, http://flyingcam.com/news.php
Please feel free to experiment with colors! (I'm a sucker for red, white and black though)
The files we will require are:
Print file format - .ai (CMYK)
Web file format - .jpg and layered .psd (RGB)
Please do not use any stock images or clip art in the logo
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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Greens Restaurant at Fort Mason
Greens Restaurant, located in a converted warehouse at historic Fort Mason, opened in 1979 under the auspices of the San Francisco Zen Center.
Greens was largely built by and provided an opportunity for Zen students to work together, thus extending their Buddhist practice into the workplace. For many years, the only employees at Greens were Zen students. Traditionally, Buddhists have valued being in the world with an attitude of attentiveness and taking care - the basic elements of service. Greens provided, and still provides, an opportunity to put these basic values into practice.
This continues to be the primary purpose for Greens and for its Head Chef, Annie Somerville - to be of service. This is manifested by providing wholesome food in lovely surroundings and, most importantly, by taking care of those who visit the restaurant.
Greens Restaurant established fine vegetarian cuisine on a level with other high-profile dining restaurants. Today we are surprised if a good restaurant does NOT have vegetarian options. Greens helped pave the way for this acceptance.
SF Zen Center's Green Gulch Farm, from its well-established large organic farm and garden, provides the restaurant with a variety of organic produce year round. For several decades, Green Gulch Farm has been a model of sustainable organic farming and gardening.
- For menus, reservations, and directions, visit greensrestaurant.com.
- See Greens on Check, Please! Bay Area, October 24, 2012


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Information Request
Our Homes For Your Lifestyle
We Save Our Renters Thousands of Dollars Each Year on Their Energy Bills. We focus on solid construction, sound use of space and ecological responsibility. We are the closest off-campus housing from Frostburg State University. Our Homes For Your Lifestyle. # 1 in luxury, safety, roommate matching, customer service, cost savings, and energy efficiency.


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WASHINGTON, Dec 12 (Reuters) - One of President Barack Obama's longest-serving advisers plans to leave the White House at the end of the month, the New York Times confirmed late on Wednesday, part of a staff shake-up in the West Wing after a botched rollout of the administration's signature health care reforms.
Obama told the New York Times in an interview that the impending departure of Pete Rouse, who had worked for him since Obama was an Illinois senator, "will be a tough loss."
"I trust him completely," Obama told the Times. "He is a model of discretion and he has no ego, and he's as wise as they come. So I think it's fair to say that for the remainder of my term in office he will continue to be somebody who I talk to a lot and rely on heavily."
Obama's poll numbers have reached their lowest-ever depths in recent weeks because of a rocky start to enrollment for the health care insurance program in his Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare.
In recent days, Obama has beefed up his team with two new but familiar faces known for strong ties on Capitol Hill.
Former legislative director Phil Schiliro will return for a short-term appointment to help smooth out the Obamacare mishap.
Schiliro, 57, was a longtime aide to California Democratic Congressman Henry Waxman and also worked for former Democratic Senate leader Tom Daschle.
The White House also recruited John Podesta, 64, for a one-year assignment with a particular focus on climate and energy issues.
Podesta was chief of staff for former Democratic President Bill Clinton and has more recently run the left-leaning think-tank called the Center for American Progress. He also worked for Daschle on Capitol Hill.
Podesta is set to "bring a fresh perspective and a fresh set of eyes to some of the challenges that we've been dealing with here for the last several years," said Josh Earnest, a White House spokesman, in a briefing with reporters on Wednesday.
Earnest told reporters that year-end departures from the White House are "traditional" for staff in high-stress positions and should not be viewed as "a commendation or a condemnation" for their work.
"That is part of a natural transition that you see on an annual basis at the White House, and I would anticipate that you'd see some more of that this year, too," he said.
Rouse, known for shunning the spotlight while skillfully working behind-the-scenes, first worked for Obama as his Senate chief of staff after Obama's election as a senator in 2004.
A graduate of the London School of Economics, Rouse had worked in the Senate since 1971, including 19 years with Daschle.
Rouse and Podesta were part of a team that helped fill Obama's key staff roles when he first took office in 2009.
Rouse became Obama's interim chief of staff after Rahm Emanuel left to run for mayor of Chicago in 2010. When the West Wing ran into difficulties in 2011 under its next chief of staff, Bill Daley, Rouse stepped up to play a bigger role.
Obama told the New York Times that he was not going to let Rouse take leave completely, noting he plans "assignments here and there" for Rouse.
"Certainly I will continue to rely on him for the good counsel and advice that I really can't get from any other people in this town," Obama said. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)


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TV Movie | | Crime, Drama
Do you have any images for this title?
Plan your week of TV watching with our list of all the new originals, adaptations, and "double" features you can't miss.
Check out the action from New York Comic Con check out what IMDb editors are watching this month, and more.


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Rookie cornerback D.J. Hayden is in a local hospital as a result of an abdominal issue, Raiders coach Dennis Allen said Tuesday.
Hayden is expected to miss the remainder of the Raiders offseason workouts and practices, but he should be ready to go again when training camp begins in late July.
A Raiders spokesman said Hayden was admitted to the hospital "late last week" and that he underwent a procedure to clear out scar tissue in his abdomen.
Allen said he isn't sure whether there's any correlation between Hayden's current situation and the ruptured vein Hayden suffered last November during a practice at the University of Houston.
"We can't rule that out, obviously, but right now I don't know exactly what the correlation is to it," Allen said. "But we don't anticipate it being an issue."
Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times said via Tweet that Hayden's doctor in Houston is of the understanding that "this is not related to (the) heart issue" Hayden suffered in November.
Hayden underwent surgery to repair the ruptured vena cava, which supplies blood to the heart from the lower body. He was cleared by doctors to resume football activities last month after surviving an injury that is 95 percent fatal, by some accounts.
Hayden participated in practice last week, when the Raiders began their organized team activities. Allen said Hayden's symptoms surfaced last Tuesday.
The Raiders selected Hayden with the 12th pick of the 2013 NFL draft. They are counting upon Hayden to crack the starting lineup at some point.
During recent interviews, Hayden said he felt good and that the only time he thinks about the injury he suffered in November is when he gets asked about it.
Allen said Hayden's absence, combined with a calf injury to cornerback Tracy Porter, leaves the Raiders thin at cornerback and makes it all the more difficult for Hayden to succeed from the outset.
"It's obviously not a good thing, from a football standpoint," Allen said. "As a rookie, you need all the reps you can get and all the work you can get."
Rookie CB Hayden hospitalized with abdominal injury — updated
Rookie cornerback D.J. Hayden is in a local hospital as a result of an abdominal issue, Raiders coach Dennis Allen said Tuesday.


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Right now, it looks like this speech may be under some sort of media blackout. The only media coverage I've seen is limited to the points I made about the use of the reserves, and the desirability of having the President publish details of his deliberations in approving the use of the reserves.
To me, those were self-evident and entirely uncontroversial. I think the points I make about the Jobs Credit scheme are much more interesting and newsworthy. Yet, I have dim hopes of them being covered by the MSM with fairness or in detail.
After I completed my speech, four PAP MPs stood up to question me. This is the first time this has ever happened to me, and it was really quite intimidating and unnerving. I really had to think on my feet. I hope I acquitted myself well.
When Mr Low Thia Khiang spoke earlier in the day, he had six PAP MPs stand up to question him, and that is being covered in the MSM, including the CNA website and on TV. Curiously, the CNA and TV coverage absolutely omits any mention of my exchanges with the PAP MPs. ST does have a short reference to my disagreement with the Jobs Credit scheme, but with very little detail. It also looks a little odd, that they used my photo to lead the story but there is only a one-line reference to my speech. I'll wait and see what is published tomorrow. [update 1: I thought the coverage in ST and TODAY turned out to be, on the whole, quite fair]
I'll try to get my exchanges with the PAP MPs transcribed. In the meantime, I'm trying to get the video uploaded -- Youtube has rejected the entire speech (plus questions) because the single clip is too long. [update 2: the video is now available here]
1. Mr Speaker Sir, thank you for allowing me to join the debate on the Budget Statement. I will touch on three aspects of this Budget: the use of the reserves, the Jobs Credit scheme, and the amount of help for the retrenched and unemployed.
Using the reserves
2. First, the unprecedented use of our reserves, to fund the Jobs Credit scheme and the Special Risk-sharing Initiative. I applaud the Government for taking this step.
3. Our reserves have always almost bordered on the mythical: Singaporeans speak of them proudly and reverently, but we know so little about these fabled reserves. Using them now sends the right signal about just how dire the situation is. It assures Singaporeans that the reserves are not sacrosanct, that they are not being accumulated for the sake of accumulating them, and that they will be used when it is necessary to do so. If the worst economic crisis the world has seen in six decades does not merit the use of the reserves, then nothing ever will.
4. But I have some concerns about the process in which the use of the reserves is being approved. We have always been told that the reserves are a hard-earned strategic asset of Singapore, and that the Elected Presidency is necessary to safeguard them. And yet, there has been precious little information about the deliberations of the President or of the Council of Presidential Advisers, in giving in-principle approval to use the reserves.
5. The Government should ask the President and the Council to publish detailed reasons for their decisions. This is the first time we are using the reserves. It is therefore a golden opportunity to define the principles for doing so. The Elected Presidency is all about the process for using the reserves – so it is important to ensure that the process in this instance is transparent and clearly articulated.
6. The Government has stated some principles for using the reserves, but principles articulated by the Government do not -- and more importantly, should not -- bind the President. After all, the President is supposed to be the independent check on the Government in its use of the reserves. The President is the guardian of the so-called second key to the reserves. It would therefore be helpful for the President, and the Council of Presidential Advisers, to publicly explain to Singaporeans why they approved the use of the reserves, and what principles they intend to adopt moving forward. Doing so would buttress the institution of the Elected Presidency.
7. These principles and guidelines do not have to be legally binding or even binding on subsequent requests to use the reserves. But they would certainly provide helpful guidance if we ever want to use the reserves again. Now is the time to set a sound foundation for the future.
8. This is all the more important, given that this Government has actually accumulated sufficient reserves during its term to fund the Jobs Credit and SRI schemes. The Government should therefore ask the President to explain whether and why he is satisfied with the Government's reasons for not using its accumulated reserves.
Jobs Credit scheme
9. I now turn to the Jobs Credit scheme. It is one of the lynchpins of the Budget, and it seems to have caught the imagination of Singaporeans. Call it what you will, but it is fundamentally a wage subsidy for employers. It equates to a 9 percentage point cut in the employers' CPF contribution rate. It will cost taxpayers S$4.5 billion dollars, and will be funded by our reserves.
10. The objective of this scheme is to save jobs. But how effective will it be?
11. Clearly, the effectiveness of the scheme for each employer will depend on the proportion of its costs attributable to wages. If wages form just 10% of an employer's overall costs, then the Jobs Credit scheme will reduce its total costs by up to 0.8%. On the other hand, if 70% of costs are wages, then the scheme will reduce total costs by a maximum of 5.5%. These are theoretical maximums, based on improbable assumptions of 100% local employees, all earning $2500 per month or less.
12. The Minister has explained that the global economic crisis is caused by a worldwide collapse in demand. Simply put, there is massively reduced demand for the goods and services produced by our economy.
13. Last week, the EDB released a report on the manufacturing sector's business expectations for the next six months. This report paints a shocking picture of just how dire things are expected to get. An across-the-board negative outlook for the first half of 2009 for manufacturing, with similarly negative forecasts for output and employment for Q1. For instance, 92% of data storage firms and 81% of precision engineering firms predict a drop in output.
14. When demand falls off a cliff like this, many businesses will face a drop in revenue far exceeding 8%. Businesses will have no choice but to cut costs to stay afloat.
15. In this context, I suspect that the Jobs Credit scheme will turn out to just a band-aid. Yes, it will provide a temporary cushion for businesses, especially SMEs. Yes, it will make employers a little bit more reluctant to lay off locals. Yes, whatever protection it creates will probably benefit the low-income more than the high-income. But it will still only be a band-aid at best, in stopping job losses.
16. And what a very expensive band-aid it will be. Citigroup's head of Singapore research Dr Chua Hak Bin has pointed out that if the Jobs Credit scheme helps to save 50,000 jobs, then the cost of saving each job is $90,000 – three times the median annual salary of each job in Singapore. Even if it helps to save 100,000 jobs, the cost of saving each job is $45,000 – still 50% more than the median annual salary.
17. And contract workers, who are probably most at risk when a business cuts staffing costs, may not benefit from the Jobs Credit scheme. Contractors are usually hired by employment agencies and farmed out to companies. The agencies will receive the subsidy. They have no incentive to pass it on to the companies. Unlike with property tax rebates, the Government has not exhorted these agencies to pass the savings on to their customers. And so, the scheme could make contractors, who form a growing proportion of the workforce, even more vulnerable than they otherwise would be.
18. I agree with people like NUS professor Shandre Thangavelu, who has said that the Jobs Credit scheme will only have a short-run impact on the retrenchment behaviour of employers. Even the MOF team who designed the scheme is unable to predict just how many jobs it will help to save, and for how long. Mr Poon Hong Yuen, who led the team that put the scheme together, said:
"If just because of this they rethink (retrenchments), then I think it's already quite an achievement."19. I would praise the Ministry for its willingness to take a chance on the Jobs Credit scheme. I think this sort of policy risk-taking is important and helpful. But I don't think the risk will pan out in this case. And I think Mr Poon sets a surprisingly modest target. At $4.5 billion, I would expect more.
20. The Jobs Credit scheme will end up benefiting capital owners disproportionately. It will reduce business costs, but I do not expect it to save very many jobs, and even then not for very long. It is essentially a special transfer to capital owners, such as business-owners and entrepreneurs. And considering that around 50% of the Singapore corporate sector is foreign-owned, a big chunk of this transfer will leak out of Singapore.
21. Today's Straits Times Forum carried a letter from someone who works in an SME, praising the Jobs Credit scheme. But if you drill into the details, it is clear that the business was not considering retrenchments in the first place. Instead, it is considering using the Jobs Credit funding to invest further in its business. In these times, that is not a bad thing. But it clearly shows up the limitations in the scheme's ability to achieve its stated goal of saving jobs.
22. The Jobs Credit scheme will have, at best, a marginal impact on businesses' decisions on whether to retrench. Businesses facing collapsed demand will still retrench. Businesses doing well will reap a windfall benefit. MNCs will still, by and large, follow their corporate headquarters' directions on retrenchments.
23. True, the Jobs Credit scheme is not meant to be the complete answer. It is not a panacea. It is one piece of the puzzle, albeit a big centrepiece, and there are many other measures to reduce business costs and help businesses through this difficult period. But the question must be whether spending $4.5 billion on the Jobs Credit scheme produces the most bang for the buck for Singaporeans.
24. This is a hand-out for businesses. But we have always opposed hand-outs for Singaporeans. Why are businesses different? In giving all this money away to businesses, are we somehow being psychologically held hostage to the ideological dogma that the best way to help Singaporeans is to help businesses, instead of helping Singaporeans directly?
Lack of help for the retrenched and unemployed
26. That brings me to my third point. This Budget does little for the retrenched and the unemployed.
27. The various elements that made up the GST offset package first announced in 2007 have been enhanced. The amount of GST credits for each household has been doubled, and there are additional S&CC and rental rebates.
28. But let us be honest with ourselves. These are mostly enhancements of measures previously announced to alleviate the pain from the GST hike in 2007. But the coming storm will inflict much more pain and much more suffering than the GST hike of two percentage points did. To equate the two is to severely understate the impact on Singaporeans in the coming year. They are simply incomparable. It is inconceivable to me, that the exact same tools used to soften the impact of the GST hike could be enough to address the worst recession the world has seen in 60 years.
29. In the past few weeks, various ministers have spoken about the need to save jobs. Rightly so. Saving jobs has to be the #1 priority. I may disagree on the effectiveness of the Jobs Credit scheme in achieving this goal, but I do not argue with the goal itself. And I would argue that helping those who have lost their jobs deserves to be the #2 priority.
30. Prevention is better than cure, so the saying goes. "Better than", not "instead of". When prevention fails, we still need a cure. Saving jobs is only one side of the coin; the other side of the coin must surely be to help those whose jobs were not saved. This Budget seems to have produced the singular oddity of a one-sided coin, where we concentrate so much of our efforts on saving jobs, but do so little to help those who do lose their jobs.
31. It is almost as if the retrenched are being dealt a double-whammy: the first hit is the loss of their jobs, and the second hit is the lack of assistance for them.
32. To be fair, SPUR have something for the unemployed. An unemployed, low skilled Singaporean who attends training courses to learn new skills can get an allowance of $4 per hour. A PMET who undergoes a PCP – a professional conversion programme -- can get an allowance of up to $1000 per month.
33. But SPUR is not without problems in implementation. It adopts the co-payment requirement of so many government measures. This strict insistence on a 10% co-payment of course fees means that trainees must still fork up an upfront fee. This can be difficult for many, since they by definition have no source of income. We should provide trainees with interest-free loans for the co-paid amount, with repayments in instalments and possibly interest-bearing after the trainee finds a job, which can be monitored through the CPF system.
34. Also, the PCPs will be unattractive to most retrenched PMETs. Some retrenched PMETs will have skills that are obsolete, and PCPs will be appropriate for them. But the majority of retrenched PMETs will have skills that are not obsolete; they are retrenched not because they are in sunset industries, but because their companies needed to cut costs.
35. Their skills will be in demand when the economy picks up again. They do not need and they do not want retraining for a new profession, because they will in all likelihood continue doing the same thing once the economy recovers. And in most cases, that is the rational choice, if only because retraining for a new profession means starting all over again at entry-level pay, wasting their accumulated experience in their existing profession.
36. For these retrenched PMETs, SPUR does not provide meaningful assistance. For these retrenched PMETs, the Budget has little else. For these retrenched PMETs, there is little help forthcoming.
38. I spoke about the Government's approach to helping Singaporeans in my Budget speech last year. I spoke about my disappointment at how we put so much more emphasis on GDP growth than on helping less fortunate Singaporeans. I criticized this Government's approach to social assistance, of being willing to let Singaporeans suffer rather than risk any wastage of public funds in helping them.
39. This year's Budget again does not risk any wastage of public funds in helping Singaporeans. But it does risk wasting public funds in helping businesses. Even in these tough times, we do not give away money with no strings attached to individual Singaporeans. But it seems that these tough times justify giving away money with no strings attached to businesses, regardless of whether they are prospering or despairing.
40. Last year, I was criticized for being reckless and dangerous. At the risk of being called the same or worse this year, I will have to press on. I continue to believe that it is possible to craft targeted social assistance schemes to help the unemployed, that minimize the risk of eroding the work ethic. I have a few suggestions, and I hope I can articulate them clearly enough.
41. I ask the Government to introduce some form of unemployment insurance. In 2007, we introduced social risk-pooling for longevity risk, which is the risk of living longer than we expect or can afford to. Why not social risk-pooling for retrenchment? Not unemployment as such, but targeted for retrenchment with low benefits. This can be restricted so that only workers who are retrenched with payouts below a certain stipulated amount, say the lower of three months of the last-drawn salary or a stipulated quantum, get a few hundred dollars for so long as they remain unemployed up to six months, provided they seek re-employment during this period. This is targeted and limited. This will not sustain long-term unemployment, but is intended to tide over those who have been retrenched while they find another job. The pay-out will be small, but the assurance to those retrenched could mean so much.
42. And if the Government will not introduce unemployment insurance on a permanent basis, then I ask it to consider unemployment benefits for the retrenched, just for this year. It can be limited to workers who were retrenched since last November or who are retrenched this year. The amount can be limited to the lower of half of the last drawn salary or $1000 per month, capped at 6 months of payments. Just like the Jobs Credit scheme, it is a one-off scheme in light of the worst recession in 60 years.
43. But I know that realistically, both of these options will not be acceptable to this Government. And so I ask the Government to introduce a temporary assistance loan scheme, loosely modeled after the UK's social fund. It should be made available to unemployed Singaporeans including the recently retrenched, to provide small loans for certain approved purposes. We can call this the No Jobs Credit scheme.
44. Examples of approved purposes could include medical expenses that are not covered by insurance, Medishield or Medifund for whatever reason, and expenses not covered by Comcare for whatever reason. To avoid abuse or misuse, the loan amounts could be disbursed directly to the persons charging for these bills and expenses. The loans should be interest-free and payable in small instalments once the borrower starts working again, perhaps by deductions from salaries through the CPF framework. Such a scheme would reduce the incidence of folks in desperate need for cash going to loan sharks or maxing out their credit cards, which would result in a downward spiral of crippling interest at a time when they could least afford it.
45. I also ask the Government to introduce more special transfers to the low-income. The doubling of GST Credits and the additional SC&C and rental rebates are helpful, but they are small in size. Inflation hit 6.5% last year, and even in this recessionary environment, there will be a time lag before prices go down. More special transfers in the first half of this year will help the low-income cope, until such time as disinflation kicks in. This will also provide a helpful fiscal boost, given that the MAS's own Monetary Model of Singapore shows that direct transfers to the low-income has a high fiscal multiplier for the Singapore economy.
46. Sir, I do not see these suggestions as reckless or dangerous. I do not think they will necessarily result in a bloated bureaucracy. And even if they require some more resources on the part of the Government for implementation, that should not, in and of itself, automatically rule out policies that could benefit Singaporeans. Maintaining a lean government is a means to an end, and cannot be the end itself.
47. I know that there is Comcare, and it plays an important role in helping needy Singaporeans. Today's edition of the TODAY newspaper carried a useful reminder of that scheme. But it is an ad hoc scheme that is highly discretionary, and only intended for 3 to 6 months of assistance. That timeframe may be too short for retrenched workers in this recession. The discretionary element does not give workers the all-important assurance and security that a formalized scheme provides. These times are already so uncertain, why add to the stress of retrenched workers by making assistance uncertain as well?
48. I think we can, and we must, do more and do better for Singaporeans who lose their jobs. When Franklin D. Roosevelt was inaugurated for his second term as US President in 1937, he said in his inaugural address:
"The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little."49. This year, there will be many amongst us who will have too little. Economists have forecast anything between 30,000 and 300,000 jobs lost over the next 1 to 2 years. But this Budget does little to provide for them. What then is the extent of our progress? Singaporeans will have to judge for themselves.