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Tuesday, February 02, 2010
What I Learned Writing a Book, Part II: The Oracle Appears, Alone…Sort Of
There is some gamesmanship going on as we enter the cozy, wood-floored Peter Kiewit concert hall here in downtown Omaha.
Of course, it's nothing like what goes on at the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting. At that "Woodstock for Capitalists," as Buffett likes to call it—held not in a 2,000-seat concert hall but in a 17,000-seat arena within the Qwest Center a few blocks away—draws so many shareholders from around the world that lines begin to form, for hundreds of yards around the glass and steel complex, before the sun rises, just waiting for the doors to open.
If the annual meeting is the equivalent of a musical Woodstock, without the drugs and naked dancers, then today's special meeting is more like one of Sting's lute concerts. (If you never went to one of Sting's lute concerts, you are not alone: only hardcore Sting fans went to those, and only hardcore Buffett fans are here.)
This will be, indeed, a very mellow affair.
There no camera crews from China prowling the halls for interviewees, no giant video screens hanging alongside the stage, and no young men in Dockers and button-down oxford shirts bursting inside as soon as the doors open, running down the aisles and claiming seats near the stage.
Instead, there are older couples—retirees with time to spare on a sleety, cold, blustery Wednesday morning—and professional investors (all men, most in suits and ties), all walking casually down the aisles, chatting, spotting friends, and selecting seats.
And this is where the gamesmanship comes in.
For even in this cozy concert hall, and even among these—the most serious observers of Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway—there are people are looking for the best seat possible from which to watch Warren Buffett.
Several new acquaintances and I take seats in what appears to be a prime spot, a few rows from the front. The money manager seated next to me is a 20 year Berkshire veteran who had introduced himself out in the lobby—he had read "Pilgrimage to Warren Buffett's Omaha"—and I learn he attended the last and only other special meeting in Berkshire Hathaway's post-Buffett history: the meeting to approve the acquisition of General Re.
We talk about that meeting—made legendary when Buffett put up a life-size cut-out photograph of Charlie Munger in the seat next to his and played tape-recorded bits of Mungerisms at appropriate times—and he observes that there were far more investors at that meeting than this one.
Indeed, by my count, there are only about 150 people are here today. By contrast, there were 500 shareholders at the 1998 special meeting.
What accounts for this loss of interest—aside from the bad weather—is one subtle but distinct difference between the General Re meeting eleven years ago and this one today.
Today's meeting is merely to approve a stock split that will enable Berkshire's purchase of Burlington Northern railroad. Buffett's going to buy Burlington come hell or high water, or, as Buffett once said in reference to another transaction, "even if Ben Bernanke runs off with Paris Hilton."
The 1998 special meeting, on the other hand, was held for Berkshire shareholders to approve the company's merger with General Re.
Now, until Burlington Northern came along a few months ago, General Re had been the biggest acquisition in Berkshire's—and Buffett's—history, although despite Buffett's high hopes and effusive cheerleading at the time, it did not prove to be one of the best.
Buffett paid $22 billion for General Re, all of it in shares of Berkshire stock (hence the need for a special meeting to get shareholder approval), meaning the cost of the deal went up along with Berkshire's stock price, even if General Re's business did not likewise increase in value.
And for some time afterwards, that prospect did not look good. Indeed, the 1998 press release in which Buffett announced the deal reads embarrassingly wide-eyed, given what was to follow:
"But the main attraction of the merger [with General Re] is synergy, a word that heretofore has never been used in listing the reasons for a Berkshire acquisition. In this transaction, however, there are at least four areas of powerful synergy, which Charles Munger, Berkshire's Vice Chairman, and I believe justify the premium price that Berkshire is paying…"
Not only did the synergies take longer to appear, but one of them—"removes constraints on earnings volatility"—would come to haunt Berkshire after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center caused more than $2 billion worth of unanticipated "earnings volatility."
In addition, and to Buffett's eternal annoyance, Berkshire would later spend $400 million laboriously unwinding 23,000 derivatives contracts fermenting with General Re at the time of the acquisition.
(On the plus side, the experience of unwinding those contracts during the salad days of the early 2000s would directly lead to Buffett's stern warnings against derivatives as a market cure-all in his 2002 shareholder letter, and help Berkshire emerge from the 2008 crisis in far better shape than its peers.)
Furthermore, Gen Re would, under Buffett's watch, become embroiled in a scandal that would eventually entail testimony from Buffett himself; threaten the squeaky-clean image Buffett demands the Berkshire business family to maintain; and result in the conviction of several former Gen Re executives—all for entering into "sham transactions" by which Gen Re helped AIG dress up its reserves to satisfy Wall Street's Finest.
In fact, I've been told—while preparing for an early-morning interview with Bloomberg TV—that a final settlement on that sordid chapter was coming, with Gen Re paying $92 million to both settle investor claims and put an end to Federal investigations into the matter.
Thus, as Berkshire closes out the final, downbeat chapter to that last previous record-setting acquisition, we Berkshire shareholders are being asked not to approve the acquisition of Burlington Northern railroad, but merely to allow a 50-for-1 stock split and the elimination of paper stock certificates for the Berkshire "B" shares.
The Berkshire "B" shares—and I'll keep it light so our readers' eyes don't roll back into their heads—are simply cheaper versions of the regular Berkshire "A" shares. The "A" shares trade around $100,000 a share—yes, $100,000 per share—and most people can't afford to buy them. So Buffett created the "B" shares at 1/30th the value of the "A" shares.
One more difference, and it's huge: the "B" shares have fewer voting rights than the "A" shares—like 1/200th of the voting rights. This might seem to be a glaring incongruity at a company whose CEO is highly vocal about the rights of shareholders, and also highly outspoken about the irresponsibility of "lapdog" Boards of Directors, but readers of "Pilgrimage to Warren Buffett's Omaha" know this is only one of several incongruities when it comes to the greatest investor in the world.
Before today's meeting, the vote-deprived "B" shares sell for around $3,500 each. After the meeting, assuming we've approved a 50-for-1 split, they'll sell for $70-something a piece…and they'll be even more vote-deprived.
Instead of having 1/200th of the voting rights of an "A" share, they'll have 1/10,000th of an "A" share vote.
We are seated, as I said, a few rows back from the stage. Our seats are, technically, "Stage Left"—i.e. to the left of center stage when facing the audience—and this is where the gamesmanship comes in.
"The speech is on the other side," somebody says, pointing to the table onstage where Buffett will sit. It has two microphones, just like the annual meeting, and a stack of papers has been placed at the seat which is to our left as we look at the table, but which is, technically, Stage Right.
Someone else observes, "Well that's where he always sits at the annual meeting."
So we get up and walk through an empty row to the other side of the concert hall, and pick seats a few rows back that will presumably give us a better look at Buffett when he sits down at the microphone with the speech in front of it.
Others notice and follow our example; others notice but sit pat. After all, almost any seat in the room will provide a good view of the "Oracle of Omaha."
I am introduced to a farmer from Iowa. He is a longtime Berkshire shareholder, and we begin talking about the harvest and the outlook for corn prices. Business has been good, he tells us, what with demand from ethanol plants and the wet November that interrupted the harvest. "I was out there yesterday and there's a lot of corn to be harvested."
"Isn't this kind of late in the season?" we ask.
"It is," he says, "it is, but—"
Our focus turns to the stage, where a woman has crossed from the wings and is arranging things on the table. She moves the speech from one microphone to the other, raising speculation of a shift in Buffett's preferred seat.
"Maybe Charlie's coming," somebody says hopefully.
This bit of Kremlinology ends when Buffett himself strides in from Stage Left, smiling as the crowd begins to applaud.
He sits down on our side of the table, Stage Right—"where he always sits"—and fiddles with the microphone. There is no bowl of See's candy, as at the annual meeting, but there are two cans of Cherry Coke within arm's reach.
"This is a little embarrassing," Buffett begins, in his husky, folksy voice. "When Charlie's here we usually get about 35,000 people."
While we're laughing, Buffett lifts up a life-size cut-out of a youthful Charlie Munger—the same one it would appear he used at the special meeting in 1998—and places it in the other seat.
He presses a button and Charlie's familiar, higher-pitched voice says, "I have nothing more to add."
"It's as good as having him here and we don't pay him," Buffett says.
After dispensing with the preliminaries, Buffett announces he will accept questions on the motions before us.
And there are questions.
—to be continued.
Jeff Matthews
I Am Not Making This Up
© 2009 NotMakingThisUp, LLC
The content contained in this blog represents only the opinions of Mr. Matthews, who also acts as an advisor: clients advised by Mr. Matthews may hold either long or short positions in securities of various companies discussed in the blog based upon Mr. Matthews' recommendations. This commentary in no way constitutes investment advice, and should never be relied on in making an investment decision, ever. Also, this blog is not a solicitation of business: all inquiries will be ignored. The content herein is intended solely for the entertainment of the reader, and the author.
13 comments:
- Mark said...
If that guy didn't know a THING about investing, he'd still be worth watching, just for the jokes... Is there a funnier well-known investor or CEO in America? How about some nominations?
- Anonymous said...
Jeff, I disagree with your point about voting rights between A and B shares. Yes, B shares have 1/1500th of the voting rights - but they also have 1/1500th of the economic rights. That is to say, if i bought $10 million worth of Berkshire A shares and my friend bought $10 million worth of Berkshire B shares, we would have the exact same voting influence in the company. Am I wrong?
- Jeff Matthews said...
Anonymous is right, as the post was written--if the B shares had 1/1,500th of the voting rights of the A shares, that would match their economic rights at 1/1,500th of the value of the A shares.
But that was a typo: the B shares have 1/10,000th of the voting rights. The post has been corrected.
Thanks for flagging!
- AOP said...
Dear Jeff,
On a totally unrelated subject, since you are a tech marketing sales guru, in your humble opinion, how frightened is Amazon of Apple's Ipad? Thanks Art Poltrack
- Anonymous said...
Jeff Matthews do you ever look at Loews?
- But What do I Know? said...
You say "incongruities," I say "hypocrisy"--let's call the whole thing off. . .
I have read somewhere that Buffett said something on the order of "If we ever split the shares in Berkshire, you should sell." Is this true, or am I getting it wrong?
- Jeff Matthews said...
AOP asks how scared Amazon might be of Apple's iPad. I think plenty. While the Kindle is nice for what it is--i.e.a very portable book reader--it feels old, clunky and out of date. The iPad will eventually kill off Kindles, or at least force Amazon to make them more iPhone-like.
Anonymous asks if we ever look at Loews, the Tisch-family insurance vehicle (Larry Tisch was one of the first investors to 'discover' Buffett, and also one of the first to model a business on Berkshire--i.e. use insurance cash to build a conglomerate).
The answer is 'no.' When Lowes owned Lorillard, we didn't touch it. And nowadays, if you want to own insurance you can buy an insurance company stock, and if you want to own drilling rigs, you can buy an oil service stock, and same with hotels. The conglomerate thing holds no appeal.
But What Do I Know? asks if Buffett once said 'if we ever split Berkshire stock, sell it.' I don't have that quote at hand, but it certainly reflects Buffett's long-standing bias against stock splits. (See the 1983 and 1992 shareholder letters for detailed discussions on this issue.)
But things change, and Buffett is changing, and... Well, stay tuned to Part III here.
- sfgirl said...
going to get this book!
- Peter said...
Hi Jeff,
I took my $3,000ish piece of art (stock certificate) off the wall and deposited it in my broker account to get the new 50 shares. Are you saying that I won't be able to get a new $75ish piece of art with these new "B" shares?
- BB said...
Jeff, I really enjoy your posts. I thought I might share a small laugh I got today when I looked in and saw that according to Google Finance, Berkshire B shares have a Market Cap of 8.44 Trillion With 116 Billion Shares outstanding. We knew BRK.B would get a pop from a split, but who knew. Another great Google "Beta" program. Thanks for the great Blog.
- But What do I Know? said...
Thanks for clarifying, Jeff. I will stay tuned for your next posts. . .
- arel said...
The BN acquisition: A Point not considered.
No arguments with your analysis of the Berkshire acquisition of BN but there is a value in BN, especially for Berkshire that I have not seen mentioned that might cause one to view the acquisition from a different perspective.
It is especially a problem for a company the size of Berkshire which faces the difficulty of finding large scale and long term investments for future cash float and flows.
And the different perspective is:
The value of BN's "right of way" for the construction of high voltage electric lines.
This dovetails with the energy production sites and transmission and energy trading parts of Mid American Energy.
If you superimpose the map of the BN system on a map of the major sources of renewable energy (mainly wind at present) the logic of the
acquisition might appear clearer.
If, additionally you superimpose a map of MidAmerican's electric service territories it become even clearer.
One of the major roadblocks for the use of renewable energy e.g. wind energy originating in an area starting from the Dakotas and running in a line down to NW Texas, is the lack of transmission networks from the energy sources to the major population centers East and West of the line.
The ability to construct transmission lines runs into NIMBY and problems of eminent domain.
Berkshire might just have short circuited the problem of constructing transmission lines and at the same time acquired a possible long-lived toll road with a wide moat.
A second roadblock for maximizing the value of low cost energy production is the ability to store the produced energy, especially during low usage periods.
This is a problem of technology and the economics of storage.
That will be solved, though I have no idea as to When.
But then the question is one of siting of the storage facilities.
Logically, large scale storage should be close to the main transmission lines rather than locally. (economics)
So there might be another business for MidAmerican in the future
The above is pure conjecture on my part.
But any acquisition of the small North Central electrical utilities (in whose territories wind facilities are located) by MidAmerican might lend support to my conjecture.
Additional support to my conjecture would be an announcement by MidAmerican that it is building transmission lines outside of its service area but connecting the western and eastern MidAmerican service areas.
Your thoughts on the acquisition after the above??
- LifeAfterMBB said...
Long time reader her Jeff,
Just saw your clip on BRK here:
You are so much more mellow that your posts here suggest:)


text:
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text: Lily, what a beautiful girl you are. You look like the twin sister of my mixed breed pup, Tyson, except that he is 2½ years old. Like you, he uses his paws like a cat or a person, has a playful growl (the likes of which I have never heard before), when he yawns he makes a long drawn-out noise just like a person, he loves all people and animals AND he is absolutely crazy about car rides. He will give up his dinner to go for a car ride even though he having fresh beef. Or if one of us puts on walking shoes, he will stick to us like glue...he loves to go for a walk. Lily, I think you and he are of the same ilk. To describe one is to describe the other. CONGRATULATIONS lovely girl on being our beautiful Dog Of The Day. Best wishes to you and your family for a long and very bright future. Meeting you made my day better.


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Completed in 1717, the second and last Pecos Pueblo church rests upon the older foundations of the first church built in 1625. That first church had walls up to 22 feet thick composed of 300,000 adobe bricks each weighing approximately 40 pounds. During a revolt in 1680, the Pueblo natives burned the original church, toppled the main walls and used the rubble to construct a kiva in the middle of the former convent attached to the church. That kiva remained until the Franciscans reclaimed the settlement and covered the kiva 12 years later. The smaller second church was rebuilt over 55 years.
New Mexico is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. Inhabited by Native American populations for many centuries, it has also been part of the Imperial Spanish viceroyalty of New Spain, part of Mexico, and a U.S. territory. Among U.S. states, New Mexico has the highest percentage of Hispanics at 45% (2008 estimate), being descendants of Spanish colonists and recent immigrants from Latin America. It also has the third-highest percentage of Native Americans after Alaska and Oklahoma, and the fifth-highest total number of Native Americans after California, Oklahoma, Arizona, and Texas. The tribes represented in the state consist of mostly Navajo and Pueblo peoples. As a result, the demographics and culture of the state are unique for their strong Spanish, Mexican, and Native American cultural influences. At a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth most sparsely inhabited U.S. state.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_mexico]


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Brave New Shapes!
Today's new release is something totally new - and let's face it - new can be scary. BUT I can't reiterate enough - you GOTTA be brave and try these!!!
YEP! We are being BRAVE and bold with these NEW SHAPES! Over the past little while I've tried out triangles and hexagons and I have to say, I REALLY love how my pages turned out. So - I figured I'd put together a Brave New Shapes Template Pack so everyone could try them with ease!
Here are a couple of my pages using the new shapes:
My Britt Girls admitted they were scared of trying these new templates too! But they were BRAVE and it PAID OFF!!! Look how gorgeous:
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I also put this alpha in the shop! This was a prize back during Digital Scrapbooking Day, but its time for it to go into the shop for anyone who wants it.
A couple of my Britt Girls rocked this alpha too!
by Justine
This is officially the LAST new release from Britt-ish Designs of 2012. I'll be back in 2013 with some exciting new products!! Until then, I hope you all have a magical Christmas and a wonderful New Year. Thank you for making 2012 so wonderful for me and my family!


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text:
But only in limited ways because our brains are so fundamentally different
Looking directly at the camera, Adam Cole, host of NPR's Web series laments, "
In his short and very entertaining video, Cole summarizes decades of research aimed at teaching apes human language, all of which, we are to understand, came to naught. But what the video actually shows us is how little the average person (and many scientists) understands about language. At one point, Cole tells his dog to sit, and the dog sits. This, he tells us, is not evidence that the dog knows English.
But actually it is.
The dog's behavior shows us that he is capable of understanding the simple concept of sitting, that he is capable of distinguishing the verbal signal "sit" from other verbal signals and that he is capable of connecting the two. This isn't rocket science, it isn't magic and it isn't anthropomorphizing. It is just the way word learning works.
In studies conducted at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, a border collie named Rico was taught the meanings of 200 words. He could even use the process of elimination to figure out unfamiliar words: if he already knew the word "ball," and his trainer showed him a ball and a stick and told him to get the "stick," he would bring the stick. He could remember new words even after a month of not hearing them.
More recently, another border collie named Chaser learned a whopping 1,022 words, as reported in February 2011 in the peer-reviewed science journal
. Kanzi, the bonobo trained by psychologist Sue Savage-Rumbaugh, has amply and repeatedly demonstrated his knowledge of more than 3,000 lexigrams (word symbols). In a long-term study of
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in Uganda, researchers at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland discovered that the apes communicated with one another through a repertoire of about 66 different gestures. Many of these gestures had been documented from other chimpanzee sites both in captivity and in the wild.
But I assure you, no dog (or ape) will ever learn words, lexigrams or gestures for "bacteria," "economy" or "atom." They may be able to hear or see the differences among them, but the concepts they represent are beyond their conceptual capacity. You can't learn words for things you can't understand.
But what Cole has in mind is having a conversation with an ape in the way humans converse with one another—with sentences. He points out that the longest "sentence" signed by a chimpanzee named Nim Chimpsky was
What Nim's sentence lacks is not just conceptual complexity but grammatical orderliness. And this is what sets human languages apart from communicative systems of other species. Our languages consist of word categories such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, and so on. We modify word order and word endings to create different tenses so that we can describe events from the past or imaginary ones from the future. This grammatical complexity emerges quite early in child development, beginning in the second year of life and exploding with full force in the third year of life. No nonhuman animal to date has demonstrated the ability to construct sentences with the level of grammatical complexity typical of a three-year-old human child.
There are two reasons why humans are capable of understanding complex concepts and generating grammatically complex utterances. The first is our extraordinarily large brain. To appreciate just how large the human brain is, consider how our so-called encephalization quotient (EQ) compares with that of other species. Cephalization is the tendency for neural tissue to be located in the front (head) of an organism. It usually corresponds to brain size. EQ is an estimate of the possible intelligence of an animal.
An EQ of 1.0, for example, means that the species has (on average) the brain size that would be expected given its body size: we would expect a whale's brain to be bigger than a mouse's simply because a whale's body is so much more massive. An EQ of 2.0 means that the species has a brain twice as large as would be expected in an animal that size. Dogs have an EQ of about 1.0—their brain is about as big as you would expect it to be. Chimpanzees have an EQ of 2.5; dolphins have an EQ of 5.3. And humans? We have an EQ of about 7.5. Our brain is seven times larger than it should be given our body size. That is a very large brain.
It isn't just intelligence that matters. Even individuals with low IQ, such as those with Down syndrome or Williams syndrome, can master the complexity of human language just fine. The key is the way the human brain is genetically wired for communication.
The gene is present in most species, from reptiles to humans. Its primary function appears to be directing neural wiring that impacts communication.
Mice that are genetically altered
to have only one functional copy of the gene have significantly reduced vocalizations as pups.
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impairs their ability to learn and imitate songs.
About 200,000 years ago a mutation of the gene appeared in hominins. This genetic mutation entirely replaced more primitive versions of the gene within 500 to 1,000 human generations—a mere 10,000 to 20,000 years, which is an eyeblink in evolutionary time. This is also the period when anatomically modern humans appeared. The consensus among scientists is that the gene has been the target of heavy selection during recent human evolution because it changed the way our brain was wired for communication.
It is not reasonable to expect other species that have the more ancient form of this gene to master the grammatical complexity of human language. And it is not reasonable to expect other species with a smaller EQ to grasp the abstract concepts that humans readily grasp. But you can expect to communicate with them about concepts that are well within their mental capacity, using simple language.
What would that be for apes? In a 2007 paper
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put it this way:
If you want to communicate with an ape, try communicating about these topics. Just remember to keep it simple. You may be surprised. Boyce Rensberger, a former science writer for the learned American Sign Language (ASL) from his parents, who could neither speak nor hear, although he could do both. When interacting with a chimp who had mastered a bit of ASL, he said, "Suddenly, I realized I was conversing with a member of another species in my native tongue."
The views expressed are those of the author(s) and are not necessarily those of Scientific American.
Learn the essentials of natural language processing, including part-of-speech tagging, sentiment analysis, machine translation, and speech recognition.
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Intermediate differential calculus and linear algebra, including:
The Natural Language Processing Nanodegree program is composed of one (1) Term of three (3) months. A Term has fixed start and end dates.
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Cuando tenemos problemas o nos afecta una enfermedad, en lo último que pensamos es en convertir esos momentos en felicidad, ya que nuestra mente está programada para sufrir, sin embargo, con algunos ejercicios de
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consciente podrás alcanzar esa actitud positiva que necesitas.
De acuerdo con el médico
Robert Benzo, director del Laboratorio de Respiración y encargado del programa "Mindfulness" en Mayo Clinic
, con la meditación consciente se "despierta al conocimiento de que se puede encontrar
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aún en el contexto de una enfermedad grave".
En el siguiente video, el especialista te explica el objetivo de la meditación consciente y la forma en cómo te ayuda a encontrar la felicidad:
Mindfulness significa despertar la atención a lo que está pasando en este momento, por eso el proceso de curación tiene que ver la forma en cómo la persona afronta la vida, vive las situaciones difíciles.
El médico asegura que "hay que encontrar la felicidad en el momento y eso va a dar la fuerza necesaria y la apertura de mente para tomar las mejores decisiones y ser más asertivo en el futuro".
La atención plena que se obtiene con la meditación consciente reduce los niveles de estrés, ansiedad y depresión. Por ello, Mayo Clinic te recomienda lo siguientes pasos para que mejores tu forma de pensar, te relaciones mejor con tus semejantes e incrementes tu felicidad .Mayo Clinic Presta atención.
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text:
Many pastors across the country are paying attention to a federal court case in Wisconsin that could have a big impact on their taxes.
Many pastors across the country are paying attention to a federal court case in Wisconsin that could have a big impact on their taxes.
Last month, U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb ruled that the federal tax law which allows a "minister of the gospel" to receive part of his or her income designated for housing expenses tax-free is unconstitutional.
The law has been around for almost as long as the federal income tax. In 1921, Congress passed a provision — part of the Revenue Act of 1921 — that said ministers do not have to include the housing provided by their church as taxable income.
The history here has to do with the way churches used to pay their pastors. Often times the church did not have the ability to pay their parson much of a salary. Instead, the congregation built a small house next door to the church where the preacher lived called a parsonage. This also allowed the parson to be available to church members pretty much anytime.
As a preacher's kid, I grew up living in parsonages — or as my playground friends used to put it, I "lived at the church." One parsonage we lived in while at a small rural church was literally built by members who volunteered the manpower on weekends.
But over the years, it became less common for a church to actually provide a parsonage for the pastor. The church is not really in the housing business and most pastors want to actually own a home of their own. So the law was amended back in 1954 to allow churches to designate a portion of their pastor's salary as a housing allowance that they paid him instead of providing a parsonage. This amount is treated the same as the free housing for income taxes purposes, which provides a sizable tax benefit.
It is this provision that a group called the Freedom From Religion Foundation found objectionable and sued to overturn, saying it violated the principle of separation of church and state. You may have heard of this group from some of its other lawsuits, such as suing state capitols that display nativity scenes at Christmas time.
"May we say hallelujah! This decision agrees with us that Congress may not reward ministers for fighting a 'godless and anti-religious' movement by letting them pay less income tax. The rest of us should not pay more because clergy pay less," said Freedom From Religion Foundation President Annie Laurie Gaylor following the court decision.
The order striking down the tax benefit was stayed by the court pending appeal. Otherwise, it would have affected pastors only in some parts of the country but the appeals could work their way up eventually to the U.S. Supreme Court.
According to a study by the Congressional Research Service, the provision will save pastors about $700 million in taxes this year. Eliminating this exclusion could lower the take-home pay of most of them by about 10 percent.
I think most would agree that our tax code could use a massive face-lift to make it fairer for everyone. An overhaul could close myriad loopholes to reduce everyone's taxes. However, I don't think singling out a provision pastors have relied on for almost a century is the place to start.


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The USDA has announced changes to the Value Added Producer Grant Program that will provide additional opportunities to beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers. The changes, outlined in an interim rule published in the Federal Register, will also assist independent producers, farmer and rancher cooperatives, agricultural producer groups, and will support local and regional supply networks.
"Improvements to this popular program will create additional economic and job opportunities by helping owners of small and medium-sized family farms sell their products in local and regional markets, part of our drive to 'win the future,'" saidKathleen Merrigan, Deputy Agriculture Secretary. "USDA investments such as these are part of the Obama administration's work to support farmers, ranchers and rural businesses."
The regulations address program changes included in the 2008 farm bill. These revisions:
• Provide up to 10 percent funding to beginner farmers and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
• Provide up to 10 percent funding to local and/or regional supply networks that link producers with companies marketing their products.
• Give priority for grants to beginner farmers, socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, and operators of small and medium-sized family farms.
• Extend grant eligibility to producers who market their products within their state or within a 400-mile radius.
These changes take effect on March 25, 2011. In addition to the rule changes, USDA Rural Development is soliciting comments on the interim rule and the best way to facilitate the participation of tribal entities and tribal governments in the Value Added Producer Grant program. For information on how to submit comments, see page 10090 of the February 23, 2011, Federal Register.
USDA Rural Development anticipates a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for Value Added Producer Grants will also be published soon. To learn more about the VAPG program and how it benefits producers, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TF2ac0o2mjI.
In 2010, USDA Rural Development awarded Producers & Buyers Co-op in Altoona, Wis., a value-added working capital grant to build a value-added food chain infrastructure, expand capacity for locally produced agricultural products and help develop markets. The Co-op links local, sustainable farms with institutional buyers in a 12-county area of west-central Wisconsin. Members include producers, institutional buyers, food processors and those from the private transportation system.
USDA Rural Cooperatives Magazine profiled another VAPG award recipient in 2010. In Reardon, Wash., Columbia Plateau Producers, LLC, which is owned by 21 wheat-producing families in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, was awarded a working capital grant to expand the marketing capacity of the organization. All farmers in the cooperative are committed to no-till farming which saves fuel, prevents soil erosion and limits water runoff. The wheat produced is milled into high-quality flour, marketed to bakeries, food manufacturers, and flour marketers in the Pacific Northwest under the "Shepherd's Grain" brand.
Value-Added Producer Grants may be used for feasibility studies or business plans, working capital for marketing value-added agricultural products and for farm-based renewable energy projects. Eligible applicants include independent producers, farmer and rancher cooperatives, and agricultural producer groups. Value-added products are created when a producer increases the consumer value of an agricultural commodity in the production or processing stage.
Through its Rural Development mission area, USDA administers and manages more than 40 housing, business and community infrastructure and facility programs. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers, and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America. Rural Development has an existing portfolio of nearly $146 billion in loans and loan guarantees.


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"Although the future of general aviation looks bright, we have not allowed this optimism to make us complacent."
— Pete Bunce, president, GAMA.
"There must continue to be robust funding for general aviation, something Congress has repeatedly recognized even when an administration has attempted to slash GA funding."
— Phil Boyer, president, AOPA.
"Without question, the most formidable challenge that will confront the general aviation community in 2007 will come from the commercial airlines. The carriers are pushing user fee schemes in hopes of shifting billions of their taxes onto general aviation aircraft operators and seizing control of the aviation system. "
— Ed Bolen, president, NBAA.
"There are two kinds of airplanes – those you fly and those that fly you. You must have a distinct understanding at the very start as to who is the boss."
— Ernest K. Gann.


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Sep 20, 2018
Katya & Craig welcome songbird comedienne and all-round entertainter Deven Green back to talk crooked teeth, glass jaws, late-night communiques, methane freaks, digital stickers, fruit bargains, excrement spreadsheets, marrying drag superstars, cookie shows, Pee Town, "The Stuff", sing-a-longs at Akbar, microfiche...
Sep 12, 2018
Katya & Craig are joined by Ms. Trinity Mandrell to talk RuPaul's Drag Race, All Stars 3, daygaping, sister moments, robberies, sexual hobbies, darkroom rejections, Larry King, girl toys, ballin' in Baltimore, spotting, DragCon NYC, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, growing up in the country, Barbie spys, the magic of...
Sep 6, 2018
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Katya & Craig welcome actor, broadcaster, singer, songwriter, and raconteur Michael Des Barres to talk love, makeup, acceptance, forgiveness, the hidden benefits of narcissism, silver jumpsuits, "MacGyver" Krishnamurti, Mike Chapman, recovery, truth, magick, semi-holy shit, nude musicals, drugs, "Obsession",...Bootie Ankle Open Women's Tan Perforated Heel Toe Stacked Block Soda qO47n
Sep 4, 2018
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We'd like to introduce you to DR. DEATH, a new show from Wondery about an investigative reporter looking into a surgeon who killed or maimed 33 of his patients and looks at the system that failed to protect those 33 patients at every possible turn. It's insane.
Subscribe to Dr. Death on Apple Podcasts or...
Sep 1, 2018
Katya & Craig talk Dragworld UK, manual whiparounds, plane ride problems, waltzers, squirts from above, adequate pastries, bangers'n'pudding, driveway theater, Detox, Vicky Vox, breakfast drag, picking your pleasures, the marvelous flavor of High Point, UK plumbing, moustache mishaps, toilet traumas, terrible films,...


text:
Danny 34 needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 172 designs submitted by 34 freelance designers.
Strut your creative stuff!
Need a unique cartoon mascot / logo for new business and website. The character should be a large, angry looking character pointing at the viewer in order to evoke emotional response, with the lettering: You Lousy Bastard!
We want a gender neutral human, creature, animal caricature or figure with an emphasis on pointing their finger directly forward toward the viewer. The words: You Lousy Bastard should be in large letters and the website title: YouLousyBastard.com should be visible as well. It should be designed to evoke an emotional repsonse from the viewer tilted toward anger. The character should be large, and depicted as showing a reaction to something done to it that it it obviously did not like. The character may be full bodied, or just the upper half of the body.
Must Have:
- Vector Format (Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop)
- The words YouLousyBastard.com somewhere on the logo design (standing out as advertisement for website / homepage title).
- The words You Lousy Bastard somewhere on the character (optional like on a hat or the character's shirt or tatoo on his arm).
- The character should look enraged.
- The character should have great detail, it should look like a well drawn cartoon character.
- No offensive body parts (keep it clean).
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


text:
...Even teachers of grammar. This morning I spoke to Tracey Bretag - author and senior lecturer in business communication and communication ethics at the University of South Australia.Tracey Bretag has a list of teaching credentials and awards as long as your arm.
She has been convener of the Asia Pacific Conference on Educational Integrity, editor of a journal on the same topic and has taught English as an additional language in both Australia and throughout Asia. Her credentials as grammar and academic writing teacher are beyond dispute. However this blogger had to ask, 'do you have your own Achilles* heel when it comes to grammar?'
'Of course!', Tracey said. 'Sometimes I get stuck on subject verb agreement and sometimes it's with the spelling of words. For example, I always put two 'ls' in necessarily [necessarilly...]'
Tracey points to the fact that even though English as an additional language learners might think native English speakers don't have as many problems, they do!
Tracey said 'it's often better to think in terms of comprehensibility than grammar. Making things easy to understand is essential in business writing because miscommunication can cause a breakdown in relationships or loss of business deals and loss of money.
'Where correct grammar enhances a sentence, being able to say things simply - sometimes with strong, direct headings - is especially important in cross cultural communication'.
However, Tracey stresses difficulties with grammar is not just the province of the international student. 'In fact', said Tracey, 'students with English as an additional language can often talk about the rules of grammar with much more authority than native speakers - the problem is often putting it all into action'.
(Biggravee [photobucket] 2007)
Tracey insists that grammar can only be learned in the context of communication (ie with examples). However, she points to traditional rote learning as being one of the foundation blocks of learning to use correct grammar. She likens this to learning times tables, as a foundation skill for more complex mathematical tasks. Although education purists might not agree with this approach to learning, Tracey advocates that being drilled in the fundamentals builds bridges to the ability to use language competently later.
Like learning any new form of language or skill - such as music or even driving a car - the essentials can be painstaking at first but well worth the effort in the long run.
What's your grammar Achilles heel? Click on 'comments' and post away!
* Achilles was a Greek mythological character noted for his strength, but for a weakness in his heel. This one 'small' weakness in his otherwise powerful body was pierced by an arrow and caused his death.


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Social Worker Sees the Need for Permanency
For Maya Hivale, a Childrens Social Worker (CSW) III in the Santa Fe Springs office, permanency is a priority in both her professional and personal life....
It was this case that made me realize how many children are in need of a permanent home, explained Hivale...
Social Worker Uses TV Program to Help Find Permanent Homes (DOC)
Will Wong of the DCFS Adoption Division Placement and Recruitment Unit, epitomizes the thorough social worker who not only uses his professional skills, but also uses research, common sense and just some good old fashioned hunches....
Scrap of Paper Changes the Life of a Child (DOC)
In January 2007 as part of the Concurrent Planning Redesign Project in the North Hollywood Office (now the Chatsworth Office), I was assigned to a case managed by Services CSW Selena Johnson.
My mission was to visit an 11-year-old girl named Anna who was placed for nearly two years in a foster home....
Permanency is the Goal for Social Worker (DOC)
Robert Becerril, a Childrens Social Worker I in the Metro North office, routinely goes the extra mile to find permanence for the children on his caseload.
Foster Parent's Dedication Spans 50 years (PDF)
85-year-old Has Cared for More than 100 children
"Marijorie Porter is a remarkable person and an example of how one person can change the lives of so many children" said DCFS Director Patricia Ploehn.
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Jan Springer has been named the 2006 Los Angeles County Volunteer of the Year. Nothing is impossible when it comes to Jans passion for foster youth and especially for her mentee, Monique...
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"Although Christopher faced stressful psychological issues on his own, he managed to successfully graduate with honors from high school. Christopher now seeks to support and educate other foster youth...
Kinship Worker Brings New Excitement to Dealing with Families(DOC)
"I love my job. In any other job you'll never have this kind of impact on peoples' lives. You see success stories every day," says Kinship Supervising Children's Social Worker Claudia Bustillos.
Former Foster Youth Uses His Struggle to Inspire Others (DOC)
Alan "Irie" Reyes, a 28-year-old mentoring coach at the All Peoples Christian Church, knows a lot about what it's like to be in the system and struggle through a difficult childhood. Irie is part of the Exodus Urban Academy gang intervention program. He now uses his struggles and success in life to inspire and teach middle school and high school continuation school students.
Social Worker Connects with the Asian Community (DOC)
After 13 years of being on the line as a Children's Social Worker, Hai Luu says with great humility, "The more I work, the more I like this job." Luu has been with the Asian Pacific Unit for 12 years. Supervisor S.Y. Woo explains that Luu has gone above and beyond the call of duty..."
ILP Coordinator Helps Youth Take Charge of Their Lives (DOC)
Independent Living Program (ILP) Coordinator Maurissa Sanders believes that Emancipation Division Chief Rhelda Shabazz recommended her for an "On The Line" profile because, "I tend to be outspoken and a go-getter. I try really hard to make sure that the services we provide benefit the kids."
Opening their Hearts and Home to Foster Kids with Special Needs (DOC)
A typical day at the Morales home starts early. Husband and wife team Milton and Bertha Morales wake at 5:30 a.m. to prepare for a day that includes caring for eight children, six of them with special medical needs ranging in age from 5 to 15.
Working From the Inside to Improve the Foster Care System (DOC)
After spending 15 years in the system, Berisha, now 26, knows first hand the feelings and struggles of foster youth. She also knows about opportunity, hard work, perseverance and the unconditional love of a foster mother who came into her life at a critical time.
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Intermediate Typist Clerk Supervisor Shirley McHenry retired from the Department in 1989 because of her husband's health. But she wasn't gone for long...
Luck Has Nothing to Do With It: Worker Builds Relationship to Finalize High Number of Adoptions
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When most youth leave the foster care system at around 18 years of age, they have no permanent support system or adult to turn to for guidance...
From Social Worker to Valued Friend
Los Angeles County Social Worker Rob Hirschhorn has a special passion for families. He specializes in Family Group-Decision Making emancipation conferences...
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Former foster youth Rashad McAllister, who overcame tough beginnings in an environment where violence and abuse were the norm...
Former Foster Youth becomes Social Worker
Twenty years ago, Jessica Ambroz was bouncing from homeless shelter to homeless shelter, living on the streets...
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When Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Social Worker Napoleon Sadsad signed up for the Naval Reserves...
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Welcome to the course blog for GWSS 3004: Contemporary Feminist Debates. While this blog is primarily for participants in the course, it is open to anyone for reading and engaging.
Here are three ways to follow the class on twitter:
- Follow the class list
- Follow the instructor
- Search for #femd2011 after logging into twitter (our course hashtag)
Can't remember how to blog? Download this checklist. Or review the entry How to blog, a primer. You can also check this category: How to Blog/Tweet. Throughout the semester, I will be posting entries with various tips/strategies for blogging and using twitter. Want more information about twitter? Download this checklist.
When reading the blog:
- Always check for announcements by clicking on the announcements category.
- Click on the class summaries category to review what we discussed in class.
Why should you blog?
Having used blogs in my courses for over four years now, I see how valuable they can be for:
- Developing community between students
- Enabling students to engage with the material and each other in different ways
- Encouraging students to really think about and process the ideas
- Helping all of us to organize our thoughts and ideas
- Providing a central location for posting information and handouts
- Allowing for a space outside of the classroom for engaging with the readings and each other


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More Than Half of Sioux Falls Adults Could Be at Risk for High Blood Pressure
Live Well Sioux Falls and The Big Squeeze community team announced the results from The Big Squeeze 2013 at a press conference Thursday. This community-wide blood pressure initiative has been very successful over the last three years; in fact, participation rates have tripled from 2011 to 2013.
Less than half of the adults who were screened in The Big Squeeze 2013 had normal blood pressure readings. Forty-one percent were found to have "at risk" blood pressure and another 18 percent had readings in the "high" or "critically high" categories. Of those found to be "high" or "critically high," 37 percent had never been told by a health care professional that they have high blood pressure.
"The Big Squeeze directly correlates with the Live Well Sioux Falls initiative," says Jill Franken, City of Sioux Falls Public Health Director. "Through Live Well and our community partners, we are educating the residents of Sioux Falls on how to live a healthier lifestyle through improved nutrition, increased physical activity, reduced tobacco use, and by managing risk factors for disease."
According to the American Heart Association, 69 percent of people who have their first heart attack, 77 percent of people who have their first stroke, and 74 percent of people with chronic heart failure have high blood pressure. Preventive services, such as routine disease screenings, are at the forefront to reducing death and disability and improving the nation's health. These services both prevent and detect illnesses and diseases at more treatable stages.
A group of public and private partners from the Sioux Falls community have driven this successful effort, including the American Heart Association, Avera Health, City of Sioux Falls, DAKOTACARE, Lewis Drug, Novartis, Sanford Health, Sioux Falls Fire Rescue, and Walgreens.
For more information on how to become involved in The Big Squeeze 2014, please contact Jen Johnson at firstname.lastname@example.com or call 367-8031.


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- Longmont Hackathon winner to finish calendar app this summer
- Jester's trying to liven up Friday nights in Longmont
- Take Two: Longmont man's medical problem leads to legal run-in
- Carbon Valley Coffee Roasters' owners hope downtown Frederick will become destination
- Take Two: Scott Fraser's work reaches new heights
- Longmont's Crossroads School to move this summer
- Boulder County 'Coffee for Carpoolers' program reduced Diagonal traffic
- Take Two: Longmont says new detectors helped winter road clearance
- Take Two: Longmont teen teaches music, attends Front Range Community College
- Take Two: Frederick High School's main office hole repaired
- Take Two: Fitness for all ages at Frederick's Xtreme MMA
- Longmont's Burch Lake now has 1,800 muskellunge; more to come this year
- Take Two: Niwot High School mascots dedicated to increasing spirit
- Items from Lafayette outhouse show class differences among home's residents
- Take Two: Pacific Auction's new site creates new opportunities
- Longmont musician finds new rhythm after Novus Folium folds
- Longmont lawyer Brandon Shaffer plans to stay in city
- Frederick Recreation Area mural the reel thing: Longmont artist hooking visitors
- Mead High School graduates take on college at CU, CSU
- Longmont's Tyler Hoog continues to make physical strides; eyes college in the fall
- Longmont woman who robbed bank is looking for work, hoping for second chance
- Take Two: Barefoot runner who visited Longmont completes her cross-country trek
- Emma Wallingford: Idol crown propelled singing career
- Boulder County artisans honor champion Hygiene-area cottonwood tree
- Lyons native Rick Hammans carves out masterpieces in new Berthoud home
- Take Two: Longmont to review trash pickup now that some alleys are clear
- Longmont's long-shot presidential candidate withdrew his bid weeks before Election Day
- Longmont man still recovering from pit bull attack in May
- Longmont Symphony Super Conductor William Benedict reflects on stepping up to podium
- Longmont teenager's suicide prevention foundation reaches milestone
- Niwot High custodian faces new health challenge after cancer surgery
EDITOR'S NOTE: The Times-Call's series Take Two revisits people we have written about in the past year. Take Two stories will run on Mondays.
LONGMONT -- During her pregnancy 11 years ago, Susan Steele's belly button morphed from being an "innie" to an "outie" and stayed that way.
"I just thought it was normal after having a kid," she said. The funny-looking belly button nixed bikini swimwear, which she could live with. But when Steele, 40, began lifting patients three years ago as a facility and home caregiver, the cosmetic irregularity started causing discomfort.
Longmont Surgical Mission
To qualify
Residence: Must live in the Longmont area for at least six months
Referral: From primary care phsyician
Income: No higher than 250 percent of the federal poverty level: $27,225 for a single person and $55,875 for a family of four
Insurance: Must be uninsured
More information: Call Salud Family Health Centers at 303-776-3250
On Saturday, Longmont Surgical Mission picked up 100 percent of the tab to repair what Steele now knows is an umbilical hernia.
The surgeon, Longmont Clinic's Dr. Bobby Powell, performed the hour-long procedure and said the nonprofit organization mobilizes an all-volunteer staff, while Longmont United Hospital donates operating rooms, equipment and supplies.
"It's hard to estimate the cost of her surgery, but it is in the thousands," Powell said. "The hospital might bill a thousand dollars just for the 6-inch diameter mesh patch I need to do the hernia repair."
Dr. Hans Elzinga, a family practitioner at Salud Family Health Centers in Longmont, launched the nonprofit in March 2011 to do at home what he did several times in eastern and western Africa -- offer free medical services to low-income people.
Since then, he has recruited about 20 surgeons and 50 other specialists -- including anesthesiolgists, pathologists, radiologists and neurologists -- and nursing staff to host free daylong clinics every three months at LUH.
Longmont Surgical Mission booked an all-time high of nine procedures on Saturday, which brings the total surgery count to about 45, Elzinga said. "We used to run just one operating room," he said. "Now, we have two ORs running at the same time. That's just a huge number of volunteers that we're talking about."
The Community Foundation serving Boulder County in Boulder recognized the innovative outreach to the medically underserved last spring by awarding its NOVA Award and cutting a $5,000 check to the Longmont Surgical Mission, foundation spokeswoman Gretchen Minekime said.
"No one (on the selection committee) could identify anyone else in the county making surgery available to low-income people . . . and they recognized how important it is to bridge that gap. The creativity and leadership of the Mission is doing that," she said.
For now, the Mission limits its scope of service to elective day surgeries such as hernia repair, cataract removal, knee ligament reconstruction and carpal tunnel fixes. But that intervention may spare a patient from facing complications related to deferring a surgical procedure indefinitely, Powell said.
"Most people won't die from a hernia," he said. "But if part of the intestine gets caught in it, it could cause a bowel obstruction or an infection that could require a bowel resection. And that is a more emergent procedure."
Steele, a 40-year-old single mother who just completed her nursing school prerequisites at Front Range Community College in Longmont, qualified.
"Health insurance? It's offered where I work," the Longmont resident said. "But you have to work at least 32 hours to get it, and I'm not consistent. Right now, I'm a struggling student. So, this is a wonderful opportunity."
Pam Mellskog can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com or 303-746-0942.


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The horse and rider need not go together. You can have one without the other. Love, Freya
No idea; I just work here.
The horse and rider need not go together. You can have one without the other. Love, Freya
No idea; I just work here.
Discussing inclusive practices for today's Heathens.
Gluten-free & Paleo-friendly recipes, inspired by traditional & international cuisines.
A Deitsch Culture, Language, and Spirituality Blog
A heathen conceivably, but not, I hope, an unenlightened one
My search for the Vanir and the Vættir among the oaks and the bayou in the shadow of One Eyed Jack and the Hammer.
Heathenism, Asatru, and the daily grind.
Polytheist Witch & Tea Brewer
§cholar & §eer . Åuthor & Årtist . §ophis & §eiðu
Philosophy and Theology
Diasporic Chinese Polytheism
Old Stuff, New Stuff, Used Stuff, Brewed Stuff!
Nine Worlds. More Possibilities.
journey of a pagan, NOS
Stories from a Hel-boy
Contemplative musings of a veiled witch.
Mumming: Past and Present
A Northern Tradition Pagan Storyteller
"To be a catalyst is the ambition most appropriate for those who see the world as being in constant change, and who, without thinking that they can control it, wish to influence its direction." -Theodore Zeldin
Just another WordPress.com site
How Conveeeeenient!
Dreaming, Medicine Wheel and Explorations with Loki
Textile Art by Johanna Flanagan
Over 100 articles exploring the mythos of the DC Universe
A blog about mythology, the stars, and the new mythology, comics.
A Site of Beautiful Resistance
a biannual journal of polytheism and spiritwork
...Walking on a fine line between many worlds...
Spirit-Work & Devotional Polytheism
Exploring Devotional Practice in Polytheism - Actual real-life blog of pagan author Silence Maestas
Exploring Myself and the Northern Shaman Path
Tales from the Storm
Fighting to be a better Pagan, one day at a time
Khi Armand is an Intuitive Consultant and Manifestation Expert.
A witchy woman wandering toward divine wonders
Exactly correct. You inhabit two worlds. So far, I see nothing strange.
Anglo-Saxon Heathenry and Roman Polytheism
Life, Death, & the Polytheist Revival
Musings of a Vanic Priestess (Freya: The Gold Thread)
Making the world a little less civilized one bloody beat at a time
A Poet's Life in Italy
Author, Seeker, Community Builder, Presenter


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In Fisherton in South Ayrshire you will find the following banks and banking facilities below. Feel free to rate each bank otherwise check each individual bank entity for address details, postcode, lending, mortgage and credit card facilities. Enjoy looking for banks in Fisherton in South Ayrshire
Bank Of Scotland 67 High Street, Maybole
Dunfermline Building Society 219 High Street, Ayr
Clydesdale Bank PLC 43 Alloway Street, Ayr
Bank Of Scotland 123 High Street, Ayr
The Royal Bank Of Scotland PLC 30 Sandgate, Ayr
NatWest 19 Miller Road, Ayr
Barclays Bank PLC 225-227 High Street, Ayr
Santander 27-29 Newmarket Street, Ayr
Bank Of Scotland 58 Main Street, Ayr
Lloyds TSB (Scotland) PLC , Ayr
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2005-2019 BankingForums.co.uk All Rights Reserved.
Copyright Oxford
Information Services Ltd


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"Hutang ini telah berlaku sejak 10 tahun lalu tapi tak pernah dikutip... Sebelum ini amaun hutang tersebut tidak pernah diiktiraf sepenuhnya atau direkod dengan teliti dalam kewangan anak-anak syarikat kerajaan negeri," katanya.
Katanya lagi, menteri besar BN sebelum ini juga "gagal mengatur keutamaannya" dalam mengurus kewangan negeri itu. (pautan)
4. Malahan Ahli Parlimen Petaling Jaya Utara menulis beberapa minggu lalu menyatakan,
"The records show that Talam Corporation Berhad was allowed to incur debts of RM392 million to the Selangor government during the BN administration before 2008. These debts were never properly documented or recorded in the books of the state government companies – Universiti Industri Selangor (UNISEL), Kumpulan Hartanah Selangor and Permodalan Negeri Selangor Bhd (PNSB). What is worse was the fact that there was no effort made by the BN administration to collect these debts.
However, the new Pakatan Rakyat state led by Khalid has demonstrated that with political will, no company will be able to escape from paying its debts to the Government. Within a year after discovering the discrepancy in the state-owned companies' financial records, Tan Sri Khalid has via the Menteri Besar (Incorporated) (MBI) recouped every sen of the RM392 million debt from Talam Corporation in the form of cash and properties." (Pautan)
SHAH ALAM: The previous Selangor Government agreed to enter into a debt settlement with Maxisegar Sdn Bhd a subsidiary of Talam Corpbecause the company was under threat of being wound up.
State executive councillor Teresa Kok said that in 2006 the Barisan Nasional state government agreed to a settlement that involved 694.4ha of land in Bestari Jaya and five leasehold office lots in Menara Pandan, Pandan Indah.
"Pendidikan Industries YS Sdn Bhd (Unisel) and Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Berhad (KDEB) entered into settlement agreements with Maxisegar as it owed Unisel money to set off the debts via contra arrangement," she said after the state executive councillors meeting.
She said the first agreement, dated July 29, 2005, "was for 1,715.9 acres (694.4ha) of land in Bestari Jaya, valued at RM80,000 per acre".
The second was dated Jan 10, 2006, for five office units at Menara Pandan at RM2,723,900, and a retail lot measuring 2,745 sq m at Ukay Perdana for RM7.8mil.
Siakap Senohong
Gelama Ikan Duri
Jangan nanti orang kata kalau selalu cakap bohong,
Lama-lama dapat jadi Menteri


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How does Harris fit the Hill, Local?
As a 28-year resident of Chestnut Hill and a member of the Chestnut Hill Community Association for all of those years, I am mystified by the prominence you gave to the humorless and nasty article and illustrations by Jim Harris on the front page of your Local Life section, July 28.
It brings to question what the role and purpose is of our local community newspaper, which I have always thought was to educate and promote our community and its businesses. This article certainly does neither and goes a long way in fueling the partisan and often destructive elements in our community.
Fortunately I don't know Mr. Harris, better known by his blog name of Jimbo, nor do I know if he is a resident of our community or a staff member of the Local but I do know that if this infantile rant is his sense of good humor, he shouldn't give up his day job.
The plan for the former Magarity Ford property, which has sat vacant for several years and has been an eyesore on our main business street, is certainly better than that. Sure, not all of us like its design and height. Others, including me, think that a Fresh Foods market would be welcome and that new residential units that will likely attract young residents would be good for Chestnut Hill.
That each of us may see different things, both good and bad, in this plan is understandable. That is the role and purpose of our community association and its newspaper, to seek reasoned and balanced input and suggestions for improvements that we can all embrace and benefit from and to minimize the destructive and nasty ranting of those who offer no constructive comments.
By definition, a community is a unified body of individuals who share common interests. Mr. Harris' long winded and humorless rant is far from that, which is why I raised my question in the first place.
Why did the Local, our community newspaper, give such prominence and importance to Jimbo's blog? Do our editors truly believe publishing this rant will help build the consensus we need to build a better more vibrant Chestnut Hill or that it won't scare off other businesses from locating here? Maybe it is time to seek new leadership in our community newspaper, leaders who want to build not tear down Chestnut Hill.
Jack McMeekin
Chestnut Hill
Magarity site should be recycled
I agree with some readers that we don't need new construction on the Hill. There are so many empty storefronts that more buildings are more than redundant, they are a waste of resources.
Would new construction give jobs to our area's unemployed, some of whom reside within mere blocks of the site? It is doubtful.
I have rarely seen any of our local construction firms at work on the Hill, or any of my neighbors who have trouble finding work manning any of the projects.
But look at that building! Look at the windows – the light, the room! Why not, at least temporarily, a space for large art installation? Would not a Chuck Fahlen look splendid in that showroom window?
We don't need another mess tying up more traffic. We need to start utilizing what we still have. Recycle.
Mary Wilson
Chestnut Hill
No guts, no Rigali
I was disappointed – but not surprised – that no one on your staff was brave enough to write a piece about the recent resignation of Cardinal Justin Rigali and the arrival of his replacement Archbishop Charles Chaput.
Roughly, your readership area includes at least four Catholic parishes and grade schools; two private Catholic academies; two Catholic high schools; and two Catholic colleges. But besides the members of those nearby institutions who might read the Local, smart readers far beyond the Catholic faith surely have formed opinions about the Catholic Church and its hierarchy, especially in light of the recent scandals. All of your readers are aware of the controversies as the Catholic Church works to redeem the faith of its faithful.
While I understand well the Local's identity as a weekly paper that caters to neighborhood interests (such as the crucial placement of new trashcans, chronic zoning gripes, always-positive reviews of Avenue stores and eateries, and charity fun runs). I believe a story as big as the resignation of the leader of the Philadelphia Catholic Church is worthy of a few columns in your issue.
Instead of 100,000 exhausting works about iPhones and Kindles and cable TV, how about a local angle on a legitimate news story? Interview local pastors, parishioners and school presidents. Ask tough questions, and produce a bold story that stirs the pot, offers new ways of thinking, and perhaps gets people talking about important topics.
Considering the power and prestige of some of Chestnut Hill's elite Catholics, you might have been able to land an interview with Chaput himself. Was anyone on your staff ambitious enough to call the diocese and ask?
Or, in lieu of a news story, a member of our massive fleet of columnists could pen an opinion piece. A scathing, vitriolic rant towards the Church, or a lovely list of poetic accolades in support of it, would be equally as satisfying to me. As a newspaper in Philadelphia, you simply must say something on the subject.
If you think your readers can't handle such a potentially incendiary story, one that addresses a topic as sensitive as religion, then you really need to have more faith in us.
Andrew Whelan
A logo is born
It seemed a minor event 42 years ago when in November 1969 the Chestnut Hill Development Group, in conjunction with the Chestnut Hill Community Association, sponsored a contest to create a symbol for the community.
For her rendering of a stylized chestnut leaf, Mrs. William Tasman won first place out of 200 votes cast – a whopping $75. In the intervening years, her logo has been reproduced scores and scores of times on banners, stationery, shopping bags, and Chestnut Hill Parking Foundation stickers. A new colorful one is prominently displayed on the large road signs welcoming visitors to our community.
What seemed rather inconsequential at time has burgeoned into an avalanche of reproductions. Chestnut trees out of little chestnuts grow.
Marilyn R. Drinker
Hospital is a gift
Chestnut Hill Hospital is an amazing gift to our community. My mother-in-law moved here from New Jersey a few years back and has COPD and occasionally ends up in the ER with severe shortness of breath.
From the nice folks in the ER who quickly get her relief and manage to get IV's into veins that are paper thin to the entire staff up on the 5th floor – the team of people who help us is top shelf. We do not control the ambulances and sometimes end up in a hospital other than Chestnut Hill and have gotten very clear on the vast difference.
I can't remember all the names, but here are a few of the wonderful people who are up there helping us on a daily basis and who we were extremely grateful for a couple of weeks back (and on several prior trips). She had contracted a super bug strain of pneumonia and they cleared her lungs by getting a PIC into her and pumping her up with super antibiotics. But it took a few days and wearing a BIPAP mask is no fun so we were with them for almost a week.
Thanks to the 24/7 sitters who hung in there with my mother in law: The nurses – Lisa, Lori and Colleen – were skilled and patient. Johnnie who is a nursing assistant was great – she loved his humor and compassion. Loraine Peppe who is a teacher/COPD specialist from LaSalle was just terrific. And Drs. Joy-Kutty and Crookshank got us through the early scary days with their calm and knowledge.
There were many of you that I missed the names of, but I did hug a few necks! Please know that we appreciate all of you and everything you did for us. And you do this for our community on a daily basis!
Jonna Naylor
Mt. Airy
Many, Many thanks …
Just wanted to take a quick moment to say thank you to all those who helped out with the annual CHCA Policeman, Firefighter and Postal Worker's picnic last Wednesday. Thanks to all from Top of the Hill Cafe, McNally's Tavern, and Baker Street who supplied wraps, snacks and treats to all of the CHCA board members and friends who gave of their time and talents in preparing supplemental dishes and welcoming our honored guests. As the V.P. of the CHCA Social Division I was honored to help put together this picnic this year as a small thank you for those who do so much.
Jay Valinis
VP Social Division, CHCA


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Captain's Report
Pro Angler Layout
The features start in the bow with the optional trolling motor. You have several choices. If you prefer a 48" (122 cm) shaft then you can opt for either a 40 or 55 lb thrust. A 55 is also offered with a longer 54" (137 cm) shaft, and finally a 70 lb thrust with a 60" (152 cm) shaft is available. The Pro Angler 171 comes to you pre-rigged with a bow plug and dual batteries (one for the outboard, one for the trolling motor). Moving slightly aft, we find two deck storage compartments, with the first of 6 seat bases nestled in between. Behind that is a 25 gallon (94.64L) aerated livewell, and then tackle storage abaft that. The helm is nestled into a starboard side console and includes a standard windscreen. Basic instrumentation includes only a speedometer, tachometer, and fuel gauge. Rocker switches for the horn, livewell, and navigation lights are wired into circuit breakers, where we would normally expect fuses. The cockpit deck is covered in vinyl for "hose-and-go" cleaning at the end of the day. Four seat bases can be seen (although the helm seat position is fixed), and two storage compartments (rod storage to port, empty storage to starboard). The aft deck houses another seat base.
Simple is as Simple Does
That pretty much does it as far as amenities are concerned. Anything else you'd like, you'll need to bring with you, but bear in mind where anything else will go. If you fancy a carry-on cooler, you may just have to limit yourself to two people, which isn't a bad idea either. Since everyone will need fishing basics, a so-called Power Pack is offered as an option, and includes a Lowrance X-50 fishfinder, 40 lb thrust trolling motor, and mooring cover.
Seat Positions
With only three seats, you may want to opt for additional seating if you intend to maximize the boat capacity of five persons (which is too many as far as we're concerned.) Otherwise, three is a comfortable number, and thus, that is the number of seats included in the Pro Angler 171. That will leave one person fishing from the cockpit deck as there are only two pedestal bases in the elevated fore and aft decks. As stated above, the helm seat if fixed, the remaining two seats can be moved between the five other pedestal base positions.
Smoker Craft stands behind their boats with a lifetime warranty on all riveted seams, a 10-year hull warranty, the treated decks are also benefiting from a warranty for life, and the carpet gets a 5-year warranty. Sometimes, the basics are all we need to get by. It keeps things straightforward, and unhurried, which for most of us looking to put the complications of life on the back burner and just get on the water to enjoy catching a fish or ten, that can be just the ticket. But if you want complicated, there are boats for that… for the rest of us, well… the simplicity of the Smoker Craft Pro Angler 171 will do quite nicely. And with an MSRP of $20,299 including a 90 ELPT EFI, the payments won't break the bank either.
Standard and Optional Features
Hull Warranty
Deck Warranty
(It's quick and FREE!)


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Dynatrac Pro Steer Ball Joint UpgradePosted in How To: Transmission Drivetrain on March 1, 2012
The high-pinion Dana 30 and Dana 44 front axles found under the '07-to-current Jeep Wrangler JK are a vast improvement over the low-pinion front axles of the previous generation of Wranglers. While the current Wrangler front axles are fine in stock form, when larger tires, heavy bumpers, and hardcore wheeling are put into the mix the factory front axle inherits a few problems.
At just under 38,000 miles our '08 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon developed a nasty front-end wobble. An inspection uncovered a lot of play in the ball joints. Once we dug a little farther we found that three of the four ball joints were completely smoked! Admittedly, our 37s and years of wheeling trips haven't helped to preserve the factory joints.
To help upgrade the Dana 44 front axle we contacted the aftermarket axle experts at Dynatrac. Dynatrac is known for its legendary Pro Rock series axles and in recent years has created a line of factory axle upgrades for Jeep and fullsize pickups. One of Dynatrac's latest offerings is the Pro Steer ball joint set. The Pro Steer joint is more than a factory replacement; it is a heavy-duty upgrade engineered to be the last ball joint you'll ever press into your front axle.
We'll be the first to admit that the Dynatrac joints are not the most inexpensive, but given their advantages, build quality, and serviceability the investment is worth it. Plus, they're made in America, and that's worth something in our book. The beefier joints save both time and money down the line. Another plus is that you can install them in your driveway in just a few hours. For more information on the Pro Steer joints and to see a complete line of vehicle applications visit www.dynatrac.com.
Off Camber
Most solid front axles don't offer any type of camber adjustment. This usually isn't a big problem, but on our post-install alignment we found that our driver-side front axle was set in farther than we would like. We wouldn't consider our axle bent, but it was obvious that our camber was different from side to side.
Our slightly tilted driver-side front axle also presented us with a little axleshaft and ball joint interference. Fortunately the RCV axleshaft boot lip only contacted the lower ball joint cap ever so slightly. We opted to shave just a little off the outside lip of the boot, and so far we haven't experienced any issues. Obviously this is something we'll be keeping an eye on, and we will address the axle on a larger scale if the camber issue worsens.


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les pletes needed a new other design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 75 designs submitted by 26 freelance designers.
I want a fresh, modern and serious logo for a new and diferent real
logo: les pletes
Company name : immobiliària les Pletes, S.L.
I want a logo and stationary design for a young company run by
young people
- Item 1...
- Item 1...


text:
Welcome to DNA Paternity Testing Labs, El Cajon, CA
We have a great deal of information on our website, please, take a look around.
To find information about our company, pricing, or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, visit our Home page.
For answers to many of your questions, and to learn about the testing process, visit our FAQ page.


text:
Nas Live From the Kennedy Center: Classical Hip-Hop
Season 45 Episode 14 | 52m 6s
Two decades after the album's critically acclaimed release, Nas teamed up with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, to stage a symphonic rendition of "Illmatic," one of the most revered albums in hip-hop history. Great Performances — Nas Live From the Kennedy Center: Classical Hip-Hop premieres Friday, February 2 at 9PM on PBS (check local listings).
Aired: 02/02/18
Expires: 02/22/21Video has closed captioning.


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Wellcamp Downs to be sold off to make way for airport
THE gavel is poised to drop on one of the biggest single auctions in Toowoomba's history.
Construction of Wagner's jet-capable airport is moving ahead with the former Wellcamp Downs race-horse stud lying directly in the path of the runway.
Everything from the property's 80 stables to its tractors and hay balers must be sold before grading of the runway can continue.
Elders Toowoomba principal and auctioneer Ross Troy said he had been fielding interest from buyers across the country.
"Basically, everything on the property will be cleared," he said.
"The advertising has started and calls are coming in from far afield."
Mr Troy expected the stud's grain machinery to be among the best sellers but a 31ft boat with kitchen and two bunks had also made it to the top of the auction list.
"At this time of the year, with a good harvest awaiting the area, the grain handling equipment is getting a lot of interest," he said.
"It is the end of an era for Wellcamp Downs as we know it.
"The Wagner family has taken the progressive step to build a jet-capable air strip and the (Charlton Wellcamp) industrial park up the top.
"Wellcamp Downs was a one-off property for the Darling Downs going back to the 1970s when it was created.
"It has reached the end of its lifespan and the Wagner family is going the next step."
- An on-site auction will be held at the Cecil Plains Rd property in Wellcamp at 9am on Saturday, March 23.
Glamour stud cost millions to establish
THE curtain has closed for Wellcamp Downs, once a world-class thoroughbred complex set up by Alfred Grant in 1974.
In recent years, its focus turned from breeding to training race horses, while maintaining a successful cattle and cropping property.
Cattle will continue to be fed and bred on the far end of the property, away from the airport.
Elders Toowoomba rural sales consultant Bob Loiterton said millions had been spent to create the stud.
"It was built at a time when the real estate industry was just starting to move in Queensland," he said.
"It was going great guns until a change of government, then things went a bit slack.
"(Alfred Grant) slowed down a bit on the stud side of his business as cash dried up a little bit.
In recent years, the property was bought by the Wagner family.
"I spoke to a man that did all the posts and rail fencing... back in those days he was paid about $250,000 for that alone," Mr Loiterton said.
"Mr Grant spent more than $5 million developing this property and Gainsborough Lodge (stud)."
Airport plan running like clockwork
JOHN Wagner's plan to have a jet-capable airport up and running by July next year is running like clockwork.
Initial grading works on the 2.8km runway are already under way with the second half - currently underneath the Wellcamp Downs stud - due to begin as soon as the property is cleared.
The completed airstrip will finish at Cecil Plains Rd.
Mr Wagner said he was working through issues with the Department of Defence.
This involved the shared use of military air space.
"We're still trying to help find a solution with the authorities," he said.
"But the project is under way and it's full steam ahead."
The biggest issue for the continuation of the runway work will be the removal of four brick houses on the property.
Elders agents plan to dismantle them, load them on trucks and send them on their way.
Getting rid of the masses of heavy machinery, grain silos and sheds will also take time.
"We're doing everything in our power to have (the airport) ready and taking aircraft in the second half of next year," Mr Wagner said.


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paule needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 69 designs submitted by 20 freelance designers.
South Asia Sourcing is a new fashion garment sourcing company that requires a modern corporate logo for the business launch. This company procures garments from socially responsible contractors in South Asia (eg, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Vietnam, etc.) for sale around the world. The first focus will be on sourcing denim garments but other product categories will be sourced down the track.
South Asia Sourcing
This new business is about to be launched and requires a simple and modern corporate logo. This new logo must convey vibrancy, passion and a "can do" attitude. The new logo design needs to be easily read by any person and look good from a website branding point of view. Furthermore it cannot get "lost" when printed on the business card itself.
- Clean and simple
- Modern fonts and colours are required
- Use of red in the logo if possible
- Item 1...
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


text: Tuesday, July 26, 2011 Pressure Ulcers More Prevalent Among Black Nursing Home Residents, Says JAMA Among high-risk, long-term nursing home patients, pressure ulcers are more prevalent in black residents than in white residents, according to a Medscape Medical News article based on a study published this month in JAMA. In the past decade, nursing homes have instituted quality-improvement programs, but it is unclear what effect they might have had on racial disparities. Previous studies have shown that black residents of nursing homes are at a higher risk for pressure ulcers, but a higher proportion of black nursing home residents reside in facilities with limited clinical and financial resources, which may explain the discrepancy, says Medscape. To determine what effect quality-improvement efforts have had on racial disparities, the researchers conducted a longitudinal study of pressure ulcer prevalence in high-risk, long-term nursing home residents. The study included 12,473 certified nursing homes in the United States, with 2.1 million white residents and 346,808 black residents. The nursing homes included in the trial used the nursing home resident assessment, online survey, certification and reporting files, and area resource files from 2003 through 2008. The researchers categorized the nursing homes by the relative proportions of black residents. Between 2003 and 2008, the researchers found an overall decrease in pressure ulcer rates. Despite this improvement, black residents had higher pressure ulcer prevalence than white residents. In 2003, black residents had a rate of 16.8% compared with 11.4% for white residents. In 2008, black residents had a prevalence of 14.6%, whereas white residents had a prevalence of 9.6%. Among nursing homes with more black residents (35% or more of residents), there were higher rates of ulcers among both black residents and white residents in comparison with nursing homes having less than 5% black residents. Nursing homes with higher proportions of black residents typically had fewer registered nurses and certified nurse assistants and were more likely to be large, for-profit, and urban, the article says. Comments Please consider that there is an extraorinarily high error in diagnosing Stage I ulcers in patients with darkly pigmented skin. These individuals DONT turn RED. This was well documented and researched in the 1980's and 90's. I am not aware that this knowledge ever was included in our Guide To Practice nor in our wound textbooks. Carrie Susman and I were the only two PT's on the national task force. Her textbook includes the full discussion !!! Please use this opportunity to ignite new interest in publishing the evidence and best practice guidlines ! Thank you for asking! made Posted by Lynda Woodruff on 7/30/2011 8:36 PM QUESTION: WAS THE RESIDENT(S) ADMITTED TO A SNF WITH THE PRESSURE ULCER OR WAS IT ACQUIRE IN THE SNF? OFTEN HOSPITALS MISS STAGE 1 (ESPICALLY IN DARK SKIN PERSONS). THEN THE SNF IS LEFT TO HEAL IT. Posted by MARTA KRAUSE on 7/31/2011 11:40 AM