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360 marketing necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 138 diseños de 32 diseñadores freelance.
We are a company focused on connecting elders with their adult children to enable their children to help and care for them at a distance.
the elderly and their (middle-aged) children.
We have done some preliminary thinking about the logo which is found in 360Lifecare logos.pdf. Based on those we did some preliminary designs. These can be found in 360lifecare logos.jpg We like the the last design the best for a couple of reasons. We didn't like the script font in Life Care in the first attempts.
Wrt to the lifecare part of the logo: We would like to see it as one word either as LifeCare, or LIFECARE.
Wrt the circle with 360 in it: We are interested in different designs and color schemes and fonts. Some possibilities for the 360 part of the design: put the arrow on the outside circle, arrange the 3 and 6 and 0 somehow inside the circle; a shape surrounding the 360 other than a circle. P
We'd like to have a color background to the whole or part of the logo with a shape like Facebook or LinkedIn. Possible color schemes include: background orange with a white font and maybe some yellow. blue and white (see some other color schemes in hand logos.pdf)
As part of the design we also would like a favicon that is memorable and could be used as a social bookmarking chicklet. We've been thinking that we could use something like the 360 part of the logo to be the basis of tha but are open to other ideas
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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Sometimes the IRS and the Courts are wrong even when they are right. The taxpayers in these cases might have had the law against them, but I still think they had right on their side. I realize my sympathy is not worth anything to them, but they have it anyway as a Christmas present. I decided to leave it at 8 so as not to be compulsive about lists of 10.
1.Wholly Screwed by Whole Life - John M. Sanders v. Commissioner, TC Memo 2010-279
Mr. Sanders took out a whole life policy in 1979. He paid $31 per month for 27 years. Over the years he borrowed against the policy. Total borrowing was $7,136. New York Life informed him in 2006 that his debt on the policy including interest was $17,203 which was $517 more than the surrender value of the policy. If he did not pay $517, the policy would terminate. That is what happened.
He received a 1099-R from New York Life showing a distribution of $17,292. The taxable amount was $7,175. That is the gross distribution of $17,292 less premiums of $10,117. Mr. Sanders did not understand:
Petitioner testified that he disagrees with the taxable amount shown on the Form 1099-R because he "just did the math basically in my head" and he thinks New York Life's "mathematics are way off."
The Tax Court had no sympathy:
These vague contentions do not rise to the level of a "reasonable dispute" so as to impose any burden of production on respondent pursuant to section 6201(d). In any event, stipulated documentation of petitioner's premium and loan history with New York Life corroborates the information reported on the Form 1099-R.
So what happened ? The mathematics that Mr. Sanders did in his head indicated that he received about $3,000 less than he put into the policy. The problem was that the interest that accumulated on the loan was non-deductible while the dividends on the policy, accumulating at a much lower rate, were taxable income when "paid".
2. Even a Tax Attorney has Trouble Believing it - Bruce A. Brown, et ux. v. Com. TC Memo 2011-83
The Browns had basically the same story as Mr. Sanders except for larger numbers and the company being Northwestern. The Browns are both attorneys and Mrs. Brown has an LLM in taxation. They thought Northwestern analyzed the transaction incorrectly and ended up with an accuracy related penalty.
There were a couple of other cases like this. My friend, Perry Smith, thinks it is a fair deal, but I think it stinks. These policies were sold as a kind of one stop financial solution to all your problems. If, God forbid, you die young your heirs get a pile of money. If, God willing, you live to an old age you have a pile of money. And if you should have needs in between you can borrow something from the pile. They did not explain that option 3 allows you to generate phantom income from a tax favored vehicle.
3. Being a Landlord is not a Passive Activity Except in the Tax Law - Todd D. Bailey, Jr., et ux. v. Commissioner, TC Summary Opinion 2011-22
Rental activities are per se passive (losses not available to offset other income) unless you can establish that you are in a real estate trade or business. You need 750 hours and more time on the real estate than on anything else. People come up with some pretty lame stories trying to make this case but Mrs. Bailey seemed to have it nailed. She documented the time that she spent on the couple's various properties (Her husband, Dr. Bailey, was occupied in the emergency room.) as follows:
The Inn on Alisal Road 324
The Second Street property 358
The existing Boise property 24
The new acquisition in Boise 105
Researching potential acquisitions 192
Grand total for all properties 1,003
The problem was that the Inn was an actual inn. The rentals averaged three days or less. Running that type of inn is not a real estate trade, so Mrs. Bailey only had 679 hours. So the losses on the other properties were suspended. I really thought that one was nasty.
4. Tax Court is not Divorce Court and VisaVersa - Michael F. Wesner v. Commissioner, TC Summary Opinion 2011-5
A non-custodial parent needs Form 8332 signed by the custodial parent in order to claim a dependency deduction. What if you do everything within your power to get the form and come up short:
Petitioner approached Ms. Tokar, the custodial parent, immediately after the entry of the court order and arranged an appointment with her to execute the Internal Revenue Service forms (tax forms) as ordered by the divorce court. Ms. Tokar did not appear at the appointed time and failed to execute the tax forms. After petitioner's attempt to obtain Ms. Tokar's signature failed, he sought enforcement of the court order by service of legal process but he did not know her mailing address. He requested Ms. Tokar's address from the agency to which he made the support payments, and it refused to provide her address. Accordingly, at the time his 2007 income tax return was due, petitioner did not have the required consent form executed by Ms. Tokar; and his income tax return was filed without the form or any other documentation supporting his claim for the dependency exemption deduction.
After more than 6 months of trying to obtain Ms. Tokar's address, petitioner hired a process server during August 2009 to find and serve her. By the time the matter came before the divorce court it was too late for Ms. Tokar to sign the tax forms.
Tough luck.
... petitioner does not meet the requirements of the statutory exception and is not entitled to claim the minor child as a dependent. This is so even though a State court with jurisdiction over the parties to a divorce proceeding ordered that petitioner was entitled to the dependency exemption deduction for 2007 and even though the custodial parent had been ordered but failed to execute the consent form required by the Federal statute. The consent form requirement is in absolute terms and is unambiguous.
5. Most Powerful Force in the Universe ? - Beverly B. Bang v. Commissioner, TC Summary 2011-1
I was disappointed to find that Albert Einstein probably did not say that compound interest was the most powerful force in the universe. I don't care. He should have said it and I bet that Beverly Bang certainly thinks so. Ms. Bang was involved in a tax shelter in 1983. It took a while to sort out:
The IRS didn't like the partnership's deductions which led to some litigation. It took a while. Finally Ms. Bang got a notice that she owed an additional $2,636 in tax for the year 1983. She paid it. She also paid a negligence penalty of $131.80 So what's the big deal ? The big deal is that she didn't think she should have to pay $21,553.52 in interest (That was figured at 120% of the regular rate) and a 50% of interest penalty bringing the total tab to $32,343.46. She didn't think it was her fault that the IRS had taken over 20 years to settle this case and finally bill her.
This was a collection due process case with a lot of moving parts, but ultimately she got no relief from the Tax Court.
6. You Think 39.6% is Bad ? How About 131%? - Kevin L. Sherar, et ux. v. Com. TC Summary 2011-44
Linda Sherar was collecting workman's compensation insurance. Her attorney advised her that she also qualified for Social Security disability payments. She applied for them. She received a check for $3,796.38. Not a lot of money, but if it was laying on the street I would bend over to pick it up. The reason that she didn't get much in Social Security disability is because her benefit was offset by the workman's compensation. Here is where it gets ugly. Workman's compensation payments are excluded from income. Social Securitypayments are only partially excluded (85% included 15% excluded). The 85% is applied to the entire benefit including the portion that was offset by workman's compensation. So when the IRS looked at this they increased Mrs. Sherar's tax by $4,988.
The Tax Court admitted that she was getting a raw deal, but they gave her the raw deal anyway:
We acknowledge that Mrs. Sherar applied for Social Securitybenefits on the advice of counsel. We also acknowledge that if Mrs. Sherar had not applied for Social Security benefits, then her workers' compensation benefits would not have been subject to Federal income tax. See secs. 104(a)(1), 86(d)(3). Under the circumstances we can appreciate petitioners' dismay. Nevertheless, as the Supreme Court of the United States has instructed, we are duty bound to apply the law as written by Congress to the facts as they occurred and not as they might have occurred.
7. Somethimes it Really is a Church - Thomas Chambers v Com - TC Memo 2011-114
Thomas Chambers wanted to focus on foreign missions but a small group of people convinced him to be their minister. He then proceeded apparently naively and innocently to do just about everything that people who start phony churches do. Like taking title to property in "corporation sole", which makes sense for Catholic archbishops, who have somebody who can remove them, but not for small congregations in non-hierarchical polities. The IRS phony church squad was all over him looking for 75% penalties, which is about as bad as it can get short of forfeiting your liberty. The Tax Court recognized that there was a real church there, so there were no penalties, but they could not save him from his poor record keeping. I used this case as a commercial for the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, which provides guidelines which would have saved Rev. Chambers from his IRS problems. The guidines make a lot of sense, even if you do not agree with the Council's theology.
8. It Can Happen to Tax Attorneys - Thomas F. Liotti v. Com. TC Summary 2011-73
Attorney Liotti had a long running dispute with MBNA, which he finally settled agreeing to pay them $5,200. They accepted the $5,200 and then sent him a 1099-C for $11,974.65. He tried several arguments to avoid the debt discharge income, but to no avail:
Petitioner admits to making payments on the underlying obligation in his letters and never argues that he did not incur the charges on the account or that he did not owe the principal balance of the account. The interest charged to petitioner's account is part of his debt obligation. ….. Petitioner's challenge to the amount of interest he is charged does not rise to a contested liability.
I really did not understand where the Tax Court was coming from on this one. Mr. Liotti indicated that he had not received the 1099-C, but that was no help:
Petitioner is an attorney and a member of the Tax Court bar with legal acumen and a fundamental knowledge of legal research. The fact that petitioner did not know that there were tax ramifications associated with settling a debt for less than its face value does not negate his enjoyment of the economic benefit from the discharge of his debt.

subset: commoncrawl


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Puzzle Levels
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Small World: Underground
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|Days of Wonder
|Family Games, Strategy Games
|Cardboard and Plastic
Product Description
Small World Underground is a stand-alone game set beneath the surface of the same fun, light-hearted Small World universe of epic conquests and fallen empires.
Designed by original Small World author, Philippe Keyaerts, it features all new Races and Special Powers, and introduces Monster occupied regions that protect Relics and Places of great power!
Play Small World Underground on its own or combine it with other Small World game elements.
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Average game length: 30 - 90 minutes
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text: Ultimate style and beauty ASUS ZenPad 7.0 features an alluring look and feel inspired by the ASUS Zen design philosophy of crafting harmonious beauty and functionality. With its clean lines, unique design, and elegant leather patterning, ASUS ZenPad 7.0 has refined, luxurious styling that fits any setting. A polished metallic band frames the edge, adding a bold visual accent. Fashion-inspired design The design of ASUS ZenPad 7.0 carries modern influences and a simple, clean look that gives it a universal and stylish appeal. These elements are inspired by our Zen design philosophy of balancing beauty and strength. Elegant leather pattern With its clean lines, unique design, and elegant embossed leather patterning, ASUS ZenPad 7.0 has refined, luxurious styling that fits any setting. Ergonomic rounded edges Ergonomic rounded edges provide a better grip and contribute to ASUS ZenPad 7.0's premium look and feel. Metallic frame ASUS ZenPad 7.0 has a decorative metallic frame coating enhanced with Non-conductive vacuum metallization (NCVM) technology to provide a premium, stylish appearance and protect the display. Bigger while smaller ASUS ZenPad 7.0 is a 7-inch tablet with a body that's as small as that of a traditional 7-inch device. This incredible engineering achievement was made possible by reducing the bezel width to the bare minimum, giving ASUS ZenPad 7.0 a remarkable 72% screen-to-body ratio. Vibrant colors for your unique style ASUS ZenPad 7.0 is available in three colors to reflect your personality and style. Choose from Black, White and Aurora Metallic. Add ASUS Zen Case and choose from even more colors.


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Bono suggests sending Sacha Baron Cohen and Amy Schumer to combat ISIS
US frontman talks to the US Senate about how comedy could defeat Islamic State
U2 frontman Bono spoke to the US Senate in Washington, DC yesterday (April 12), suggesting how comedy could be used to defeat Islamic State.
The rock musician and political activist was speaking to a Senate subcommittee on Tuesday as part of a discussion on the Middle East and the refugee crisis when he made the comments.
"It's funny… don't laugh, but I think comedy should be deployed," Bono began. "The first people that Adolf Hitler threw out of Germany were the Dadaists and surrealists. It's like, you speak violence, you speak their language. But you laugh at them when they are goose-stepping down the street and it takes away their power."
"So I am suggesting that the Senate send in Amy Schumer and Chris Rock and Sacha Baron Cohen, thank you," he added, before telling a laughing audience that he was "actually being serious".
"Actually, that's not the first time I've heard experts on how do we counter violent extremism talk about that," replied the Democratic senator for New Hampshire, Jeanne Shaheen. "It's one of the things that we're looking at".
Watch Bono make the comments to the Senate in the video below.
Responding to Bono's remarks, Schumer later tweeted: "Holy shit".


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Egetta Alfonso enters her 20th year in 2018-2019 as the head coach of the women's track and field team at Holy Cross.
During the 2017-18 season, senior standout Zoe Matherne qualified for teh NCAA East Regionals for the second year in a row in the 800m event.
In 2016-17, Zoe Matherne qualified for the NCAA Championship East Preliminary Round in Lexington, Ky. Hannah Jeter and Matherne were named to the Academic All-Patriot League.
In 2012-13, the Crusaders finished in fifth place at the Patriot League Indoor Championship and fourth place at the Patriot League Outdoor Championship. Stephanie Okpoebo was named Female Track Athlete of the Meet at the outdoor championship after finishing first in both the 100 and 200-meter dashes. Brittany Gorksi also took home first place in the 800-meter at the event. Both Okpoebo and Gorski were named first team All-Patriot League. Amanda Waldron and the 4x100 meter relay team also posted second place finishes to earn second team All-Patriot League honors. At the Patriot League Indoor Championship, Okpoebo won the 60-meter dash and Caroline Carley won the 1,000-meter run at the indoor championship to each earn first team All-Patriot League honors. Okpoebo also finished second in the 200-meter run to claim second team All-Patriot League recognition at the event. Okpoebo broke three Holy Cross records last season, setting the 60-meter dash (indoor) mark at 7.53 seconds, 200-meter dash (indoor) at 24.29 seconds and 200-meter dash (outdoor) at 24.19 seconds. Mackenzie Arndt cleared a height of 3.85 meters in the pole vault (indoor), Oona Wood ran the 400 (outdoor) in 57.34 seconds and Abigail Mitchell ran the 2,000-meter steeplechase (outdoor) in 7:32.29. Thirty-two women's track and field members were named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll. Sarah Dahlstrom was named to the Academic All-Patriot League team for the indoor season while Waldron received outdoor Academic All-Patriot League recognition.
In 2011-2012, the Crusaders finished fourth at the Patriot League Indoor Championship and sixth at the Patriot League Outdoor Championship. Stephanie Okpoebo won the 100 meter (outdoor) and 200 meter (outdoor and indoor) dashes and received All-Patriot League first team honors for the second year in a row. She also made the first team at the indoor championship. Brittany Gorski and Mackenzie Arndt were each named to the All-Patriot League second team for their performances in the 400 meter hurdles and pole vault, respectively. At the indoor championship, Katelyn Hartnett was named to the All-Patriot League second team for her performance in the 800 meter run. After the indoor season, Hartnett was named to the Patriot League All-Academic team for the second time while Linnehan received the honor for the first time after the outdoor season. A total of 37 women's track and field members were selected to the 2011-2012 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll. Four school records were recorded in the 60 meter hurdles (Linnehan), 1,000 meter run (Hartnett), 3,000 meter steeplechase (Kathleen Brekka) and 4 x 100 meter relay. Hartnett was also awarded the Patriot League Sportsmanship Award for fairness, equality and excellence in academics and athletics.
In 2010-2011, the Crusaders finished fifth at the Patriot League Outdoor Championship. Okpoebo earned All-Patriot League first team honors after winning the 100 and 200 meter dashes at the outdoor championship and 200 at the indoor championship. Linnehan and Hartnett made their mark on the school record books, while Hartnett was also named to the inaugural Academic All-Patriot League team. Thirty-three members of the team were named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll and Hartnett was named Patriot League Runner of the Week in December.
In 2009-2010, Holy Cross finished in fourth place at both the Patriot League Indoor and Outdoor Championships. Tiffany Reid took first in the 60 and 200 meter dashes and was named Female Athlete of the Meet at the indoor championship. She then picked up four more first place finishes at the outdoor championship. Under Alfonso's guidance, the Crusaders broke seven individual records, one relay record and placed 27 on the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
As a head coach at Holy Cross, Alfonso has had hundreds of student-athletes named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll, coached over a dozen Patriot League champions and one CoSida Academic All-American (Emily Hogan, 2002).
An outstanding performer for the Crusaders from 1988-1992, Alfonso was a four-year letterwinner at Holy Cross. She served as the team's co-captain during the 1991-1992 season and was a member of the school's 4 x 100 meter relay team which held Holy Cross' all-time record in that event. Alfonso was an All-Patriot League performer in the shot put and the 400 meter dash and an ECAC qualifier in the distance medley and competed in numerous Patriot League and New England Championships.
Alfonso began her coaching career at South High School in Worcester where she served as the assistant coach for both the boys and girls teams before taking over the head coaching position one year later. She served as South High's head coach for boy's and girl's track and field for three years before moving on to take her current position at Holy Cross.
Alfonso, who is originally from Brooklyn, N.Y., earned her bachelor's degree in English from Holy Cross and completed her Master's work in English/Education at Clark University.
Coach Alfonso, husband, Rigoberto and their two sons, Tony and Marc, currently reside in Barre, Mass.


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Question: When is a tombstone not a tombstone? Answer: When it's a cenotaph. A cenotaph (literally "empty tomb") is a memorial for someone who is not buried at that place, either because they are buried someplace else or the body could not be recovered. Sometimes the marker will give you a clue that it is a cenotaph rather than a tombstone.
I have always thought that a cenotaph had to be a military memorial. So thanks to Amy, I have have learned something new. I will be on the watch for examples of cenotaphs, not only those that are military memorials to remember a group of people who served their country, when visiting cemeteries.
The following would be a cenotaph to a young man who died in the service of his country -- P.O. Donald Ewart Stiver (4th cousin once removed).
This cenotaph is found in the Bethesda Lutheran Cemetery (southwest part of lot 17, Concession 6 in the Town of Markham, formerly the Township of Markham, York County, Ontario).
Shown above is the east side of the monument.
"This fragment is from Tegernsee, Bavaria, where P.O. Donald E. Stiver is buried in Durnbeck Cemetery. "
On the west side of the monument
"In loving memory of Winnifred E. CassieThe Commonwealth War Graves Commission gives his date of death as 6/9/1943. [ September 6, 1943] He was a pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force the 44th Squadron. He is buried in a Joint grave 2. J. 20-21.
beloved wife of Ewart J. Stiver
their son
P.O. Donald E. Stiver
beloved wife of Ewart J. Stiver
their son
P.O. Donald E. Stiver
Cemetery: = DURNBACH WAR CEMETERY
On Donald's death registration, his date of birth was given as July 4, 1923. He was presumed dead from air operations. I believe that he was last seen on September 6, 1943 as in a memorial service for George Coathup at Central United Church [Unionville] reported on July 29, 1944, Don Stiver was remembered in prayer as being missing. His name was also read in the Honour Roll of Bethesda Lutheran Church on August 20, 1944. "P.O Don Stiver, the only casualty on the roll, who was reported missing a year ago, was remembered."
Donald Ewart Stiver Ontario death registration #701154 (6 September 1943); digital image Ancestry.ca (www.ancestry.ca : accessed 23 December 2006), citing MS 994 reel 2, Archives of Ontario, Toronto
See a companion article about cenotaphs at Janet the Researcher.


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Debian/Ubuntu Wireless
Wireless works fine after installing the "b43-fwcutter" package.
When installing that package the firmware for the wireless device will be downloaded and installed. If it doesn't you'll need to run "sudo /usr/share/b43-fwcutter/install_bcm43xx_firmware.sh" later on *with* an internet connection.
As for bluetooth, isn't it the A6Tc that's got that? Because mine is an A6T and I don't see any mention of bluetooth in the manuals nor do I see any device that looks like its bluetooth capable in "lspci"'s output.


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Our guest bloggers are Kellan Baker, health care analyst for LGBT Progress and Josh Garcia, intern for LGBT Progress. This post was originally published by the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention.
Before he completed suicide at the age of 26 in 2010, Joseph Jefferson recorded his final words on Facebook: "I could not bear the burden of living as a gay man of color in a world grown cold and hateful towards those of us who live and love differently than the so-called 'social mainstream.'"
Though LGBT suicide is frequently portrayed as a wholly youth phenomenon, Joseph was an LGBT activist who had built a life for himself as an adult after getting through what many people assume to be the only tough part of an LGBT person's life — adolescence.
The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the public-private partnership aimed at saving the more than 34,000 lives in the United States lost every year to suicide, has taken a lead in changing public misperceptions about LGBT suicide. In particular, the Action Alliance task force that concentrates on the LGBT population has changed its name from the LGBT Youth Task Force to the LGBT Populations Task Force, acknowledging the struggles with suicide ideation, suicide attempts, and death by suicide that many LGBT people confront at different points in their lives.
The reasons that suicide is a lifelong concern for many LGBT people are complex and dynamic. These risk factors include family rejection, lack of social support, lack of access to culturally competent healthcare providers, and the stress of living with discrimination and prejudice.
Because of family or employment obligations, many LGBT adults, like most LGBT youth, do not get to choose where they live and work — often leaving them trapped in hostile environments with family members, co-workers, or neighbors who do not accept them.
Certain protective factors may mitigate these risks. Such factors include family acceptance, affirming and culturally competent mental and behavioral health services, and policies that extend legal protections and promote acceptance.
Indeed, the past several years have seen several advances across the country on behalf of fairness for LGBT people. New York state passed marriage equality for same-sex couples in 2011, and Washington state and Maryland followed suit in 2012. And, recently, the federal government has taken an active role in implementing LGBT-inclusive laws and policies.
But much remains to be done to help eliminate suicidal thoughts and behavior among LGBT individuals. In addition to increased legal protections and working to change stubborn social prejudices, there is a particularly pressing need for further research and data collection regarding mental health and suicide among the gay and transgender population.
Currently, there are no national data regarding suicidal ideation or suicide rates among the LGBT population as a whole. Nor are there sufficient data regarding the experiences of specific segments of the LGBT population, including LGBT youth and elders, transgender adults, and LGBT people of color, who may be at increased risk because of the multiple burdens of discrimination they bear.
Thus, as part of the implementation of the upcoming National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (NSSP), the Action Alliance must take the lead in pushing for nationally representative data on suicide rates among the LGBT population. These data will inform the development and implementation of evidence-based interventions that can help protect the lives of LGBT people.
Such interventions may include initiatives fostering resilience and help-seeking behaviors among LGBT people, connecting them with providers who are both familiar with mental and behavioral health issues and comfortable accepting and respecting their LGBT clients, and promoting supportive school, work, and other environments.
In addition to driving research that can guide efforts to prevent LGBT suicide, the ultimate purpose of the Action Alliance is to save lives by decreasing the rate of suicide in our country. And to do this, each one of us — whether LGBT or ally, pastor or policymaker, researcher or activist — must respond to the moral imperative to help build a world where LGBT people count and are counted, and where they can live their lives free from discrimination, harassment, and the violence of suicide.


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Kickin' The Balls: How Adidas Is Fighting To Win The World Cup Battle Of The Brands
From now through July 11, the world will be engulfed by the sports spectacle of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The full tournament lasts a month and begins with 32 nations. But as Molly Maixner, brand marketing manager for Adidas soccer, explains, planning for and maintaining a presence at the World Cup is a 24/7/365 challenge with high stakes not only for players and coaches but also for marketers that have paid significant dollars to become official global FIFA partners.
By Barry Janoff, Executive Editor
(Posted June 23, 2010)
Adidas has been a FIFA partner since 1970 and has a deal through the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. FIFA has a short list of six top tier global marketing partners on its roster for the event being played in South Africa: adidas, Coca-Cola, Emirates, Hyundai, Sony and Visa.
Adidas paid $350 million for a seven-year deal (which expires after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil) to be an official FIFA top tier partner, supplying game balls (the Jabulani designed for the 2010 tournament) and outfitting FIFA officials and refs. But being a FIFA partner in a category where global sales of products could top $11 billion this year, according to marketing and research firm NPD Group, Port Washington, NY, means never resting on your laurels.
Adidas has called on athlete spokesmen from other sports to support such campaigns as "Matchups" and "Every Team Needs . . . (A Fan, A Jersey With a Story, A Quest, The Spark and other ongoing themes), including Dwight Howard (NBA), Reggie Bush (NFL), BJ Upton (MLB), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Nascar) and even soccer star David Beckham (MLS, who could not play for England's national squad due to an injury).
In 2010, non-FIFA marketers such as Nike are spending millions in marketing to activate around the event. Two areas in particular are valuable territory that adidas is working to protect: Nations are able to make their own deals for uniforms, and adidas began the tournament with 12 teams, including Germany, Mexico, Spain and host South Africa. (Nike had ten and Puma had seven. Nike will also take over from adidas as official sponsor of France's troubled national team beginning in 2011.)
In addition, players themselves are able to make shoe deals. The F50 adiZero designed for the tournament is being worn by athletes including Lionel Messi (Argentina), Steven Pienaar (South Africa), Jozy Altidore (U.S.), Lukas Podolski (Germany) and David Villa (Spain).
During a press conference on June 21, adidas CEO Herbert Hainer said that the company has seen "record sales of at least $1.9 billion in its soccer category" this year as a direct result of the World Cup. According to Hainer, that represents a 15% increase from soccer-related sales in 2008 and a 25% increase from the 2006 World Cup, which was held in adidas' back yard in Germany. "Our football business is growing worldwide," said Hainer during the press conference. "This underlines the global power this tournament has. No matter how you look at it, in terms of sales, market share and visibility, adidas is and will remain the leading football brand."
With the U.S. bidding for the 2018 or 2022 World Cup, it seems likely that Nike will gather its forces to take a run at being a FIFA partner in the category. Molly Maixner, brand marketing manager for Adidas soccer, spoke with NYSportsJournalism about adidas' World Cup current and future business and marketing efforts and the company's on-going activations behind soccer in the U.S.
NYSportsJournalism.com: I know you are at adidas headquarters in Portland, so I imagine there are a lot of TVs tuned to the World Cup in South Africa.
Molly Maixner: There are. It's very entertaining and helpful during the games. But its also very distracting. [Laughs.]
NYSJ: What are some of the unique challenges adidas faced when it put together marketing and business strategies for the month-long World Cup that attracts massive global attention?
MM: Adidas has a long history with FIFA and the World Cup, as do many of the adidas executives. Most importantly, the 30 days of the World Cup allows adidas to speak to consumers in a really relevant way. It is an amazing opportunity for us. For example, as part of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, adidas it running two major campaigns. One speaks to all fans and utilizes some of our key sports athletes from some of our other key categories: Dwight Howard, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Reggie Bush and BJ Upton. We have a [commercial] with David Beckham and Snoop Dogg that uses a Star Wars setting [and includes Harrison Ford, CP3O, R2D2 and many others]. We are using our official alliances with the NBA, Major League Soccer and other sports in a variety of ways to excite and engage sports fans across the U.S. through interactions to support the U.S. national team.
NYSJ: How are you trying to reach the dedicated soccer fans and interact with them throughout the tournament?
MM: We are using a concept directed at the more fanatic soccer fan, which is called "Matchups." During the 30 days of the tournament, it allows fans to engage with our brand through the interaction of athletes. So you would hook up two athletes, say Josy Altidore of the U.S. National Team before they took on England and utilize statistics that compare athletes as well as teams and histories. It is a great opportunity for us to incite conversation and to really but our brand message and engage consumers throughout the entire course of the tournament.
NYSJ: The World Cup is every four years, so is that the cycle adidas also follows?
MM: Definitely. Adidas started to plan for the 2010 World Cup the day the 2006 World Cup in Germany ended. From a marketing standpoint, we launched our campaign which is "Every Team Needs . . . " which focuses on highlighting our key athletes and products and focusing on a team message in May 2009. Now, as we look forward to moving toward 2014 in Brazil we are already planning for that. The World Cup is very much a tent pole event for adidas. And as the leaders in soccer we make sure that we continue to push the envelope not only for products and through the athletes who represent our brand but also through how we communicate with consumers and fans throughout the course of business.
NYSJ: How are you updating and keeping your messages fresh and relevant with activation during the course of the month-long tournament?
MM: We are doing that in several ways. At the adidas soccer Facebook page, for example, people can log on for continually new experiences on a daily basis based on the matches. The "Matchups" campaign lives on our Facebook page where depending on the games that day there will be new pairings of athletes as the teams compete against each other. So that runs all the way through the tournament. And if you look at our more general "Every Team Needs . . ." campaign, that targets not just soccer fans but sports fans, someone who watches Michigan football or basketball during the season and is now interested in the World Cup because it is such a large global event. So you'll see the cross-category athletes such as Dwight Howard, Reggie Bush and Dale Jr., who are helping to incite conversations by updating videos about the World Cup, how they are showcasing their excitement for the U.S. team.
NYSJ: What are you doing on-site?
MM: There is a lot of visible presence at each stadium and in the cities [hosting World Cup matches]. A lot of interaction with fans in South Africa and a lot of support for the local soccer clubs, coaches and players. We sent Reggie Bush down to South Africa to bring in first-person that excitement back to the U.S. He has been using Twitter [where he has more than 1 million followers] and has been at games and touring South Africa [including the Nelson Mandela Foundation with retired soccer legend and adidas spokesman Zinedine Zidane]. So throughout the course of the 30-day tournament adidas will continually be speaking to consumers, the general as well as the fanatic soccer fans. And that gives us an amazing opportunity to showcase our leadership and remain relevant with consumers.
"The momentum that the World Cup is going to create in the marketplace around soccer is going to continue and also will continue to help evolve MLS."
NYSJ: Is the use of Facebook and social media the biggest change you've seen in reaching consumers since the 2006 World Cup?
MM: We use a 360-degree marketing approach, so social media certainly has gained importance along with in-store, PR, sports marketing events and [traditional] advertising. Digital has become a huge initiative for our brand. It's where a lot of our consumers are, and we want to be in those places. Back in 2006 we one of the pioneers utilizing MySpace to reach a large fan base and to communicate out with those fans during the course of the tournament. What's really different as we look at 2010 is that with Facebook and social media is that we are enabling consumers to have a conversation with us as well. It is no longer a one-way conversation, but a two-way conversation. Which is really exciting from a marketing perspective and a brand perspective to be able to speak to consumers in relevant terms and to have them engage with our brand in a positive manner.
NYSJ: How have you been able to take what you have learned and used with regards to World Cup and soccer marketing and translate that to basketball and other adidas categories, and vice versa?
MM: We have the great opportunity as a leading sports brand in the marketplace to work across categories and to focus on what is working. For instance, during NBA All-Star Weekend, for the past several years we have really utilized digital media to bring the events back to consumers. Dwight Howard has been a big part of our World Cup campaign doing many of the things he did for us during our the All-Star Weekend campaigns when he was tweeting and using all forms of digital media to communicate with fans. So we are taking a lot of what we are learning from our various events on a global and a national level and translate that to establish our brand and to help further our leadership across categories.
NYSJ: Are athletes such as David Beckham, Dwight Howard and Dale Earnhardt Jr. still valuable assets in marketing and getting consumers to purchase products?
MM: Yes. At adidas, if you look at it from a sports marketing perspective, we make sure that we interact with athletes who represent our brand well. We are very much about being a team brand and a brand that focuses on leading the marketplace with innovative products. And our athletes continue to help make our message more relevant. There is our attitude and of course their performance on the pitch or on the court. So when you are talking about Dwight Howard, he is a great ambassador for us across categories. But you also look at some of our key athletes who are playing at the World Cup: Messi, Josy, David Villa all playing in our new F50 adiZero boot. And what we are seeing is that through the use of our athletes there has been an enormous growth in sales by connecting the F50 adiZero boot to the World Cup athletes.
NYSJ: Adidas is one of six top-tier global marketing partners with FIFA, and FIFA has been taking major steps to protect its partners and to minimize ambush marketing. But how difficult a challenge is that given the global reach of the World Cup and the number of marketers not affiliated with FIFA that want to profit from the tournament?
MM: Adidas has a long history with the World Cup. We've been FIFA partners since 1970. We have no doubt that we are the most visible brand by far at the World Cup. And through our sponsorship of FIFA, which includes the official match ball, and through our partnership with ESPN, we know that we will continue to be seen as the leader in the category as well as the most visible brand.
NYSJ: Has that held true on a global level during the World Cup?
MM: I think especially with the World Cup and marketing on a global platform, it really gives us the opportunity to showcase our strengths. So if you were to go to any country watching the World Cup at this point in time you would see adidas as the leader. If you go in a social media realm on a Facebook page within each country, say China, you would see within their social media network you would see specific messaging that is pertinent to fans and consumers there. So we are working within the company and, in this case, in conjunction with FIFA on a global level to continue to have consistent messaging that is relevant to consumers wherever we may be and to keep maintain adidas as the leading brand.
NYSJ: International soccer long has had jersey-front sponsors, and MLS has about 75% of its teams with jersey-front sponsors. Now that it also is increasing in the WNBA, do you see that continuing through other sports in the U.S.?
MM: That really has to be answered on a per-league basis. For adidas, we will continue to focus on providing the best products, be it apparel, footwear or hard goods to ensure that athletes are playing at the best of their game. As it pertains to sponsors and how a league chooses to help further their message that's something I don't have the knowledge to address.
NYSJ: What is adidas doing to help soccer in the U.S. continue to grow, and do you anticipate more interest in MLS from casual and non-soccer fans from the 2010 World Cup?
MM: Adidas has a strong history with Major League Soccer and we will continue to extend that partnership and to help inspire soccer in America. Through our partnership with MLS we have seen growth in attendance and the sales of soccer products in the past year. The momentum that the World Cup is going to create in the marketplace around soccer is going to continue and also will continue to help evolve MLS. We will continue to stand by them as a strong partner. MLS is the premium brand of soccer in the U.S., and adidas is the No. 1 brand. So it definitely is a connection that we want to continue and evolve.
NYSJ: When does planning for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil begin?
MM: As soon as the 2010 World Cup champion is crowned on July 11, there are meetings already planned. The World Cup is a very important event for our company and we want to make sure that we are always on the top of our game.
Adidas Scoring Sales With World Cup Presence, Products
Battle For World Cup Also Includes Bragging Rights For Uniforms


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Clues that Michael Vick might become a Philadelphia Eagle were out there. But the fact he became one Thursday night? Still a shocker.
Why? Two reasons. The first is pretty basic. As recently as Tuesday, people within the organization scoffed at the notion of signing Vick. Laughed about it even being a possibility.
The second reason? The Eagles don't need Michael Vick. At all.
Michael Vick is an Eagle because the Eagles believe this is the right thing to do.
This is a charity move orchestrated by Eagles coach Andy Reid. It's a softhearted, Father Flanagan, "there are no bad boys" decision.
This isn't going to make the 2009 Philadelphia Eagles appreciably better. It might make them worse. This is a team that had the lead in the NFC Championship last year with three minutes remaining. This is a team that has an enviable situation at quarterback with a veteran Pro Bowler in Donovan McNabb, a decent veteran in A.J. Feeley and a young, developing QB in Kevin Kolb, whom the Eagles thought enough of to spend a second-round pick on.
We all missed the boat. We all presumed that the team hiring Vick would have A) a quarterback situation in some disarray, B) a renegade owner desperate to win and C) a fan base that would either be unmoved by V ick's presence because the team stunk or they were desperate.
And none of those elements are in play for the Eagles.
Now, you and I can go round and round on whether Vick deserves such benevolence so quickly. Ultimately, neither of us will be proven right or wrong, no matter which side we take.
But you cannot argue the good intentions of Reid and the Philly brass he swayed to pursue Vick: owner Jeffrey Lurie, president Joe Banner and GM Tom Heckert. They are extending themselves to give Vick a shot at redemption.
It is a humane thing to do for a person like Vick, whose inhuman actions currently define him.
Reid was very up front about the motivating factors for his pushing the team to sign Vick. His sons, Garrett and Britt, were both jailed in November 2007 for drug-related offenses and Reid is full of empathy for Vick.
"I'm a believer that, as long as people go through the right process, they deserve a second chance," said Reid. "Michael has done that. I've done a tremendous amount of homework on this and followed his progress. He's got some great people in his corner and he's proven he's on the right track. ... I've seen people close to me that have had second chances and taken advantage of those, and it's very important that people give them opportunities to prove that they can change and we're doing that with Michael."
Later, Reid said, "I've followed Michael Vick's situation very closely with the things my boys have been through. I've lived that and I've seen change on my family's side."
The football, here, is an afterthought. Reid didn't even work Vick out to see what kind of shape he's in.
As for his role, Reid said, "We'll get him back in the swing, and I'll think of something for him."
Every other team in the league should be thanking the Eagles. The distraction that is Vick is gone for them. The Eagles have brought him into their very stable fold and will help his transition back into the NFL. At their own peril, they've done this.
The press conferences, the questions, the practice reps, the extra coaching time, the need to create a role for Vick, the need to make McNabb not feel threatened, the worry that Vick might be just paying lip service to everyone so that he can get a job and start paying his bills again? It's all on Philly now.
"We feel good about it," Reid said.
And they should. They did a nice thing for a person who has done some not-nice things. They extended a hand to someone who's down. Vick needs the Eagles more than the Eagles need Vick. Yet they took him on anyway.
So how does Vick respond now that he's been thrown a lifeline? Remember, this is a person who has been coddled and enabled all of his adult life. Since he's been on the planet, Michael Vick has been allowed to be all about Michael Vick. And although the Eagles' intentions are good, this is another instance in which Vick is being told how very important he is. The inconvenience his presence brings to everyone relative to the contributions he'll make this season, in fact, makes him the most important person in the organization.
Whether they realize it or not, the Eagles have put Project Redeem Vick at the forefront of their 2009 season. They've done so with all good intentions. So how does this improve an already very good football team? It doesn't.


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The father of secrets leaker Edward Snowden says his son may have broken U.S. law, but isn't a traitor.
"At this point I don't feel that he's committed treason. He has in fact broken U.S. law, in a sense that he has released classified information," Lonnie Snowden told NBC's "Today" Friday. "And if folks want to classify him as a traitor, in fact he has betrayed his government. But I don't believe that he's betrayed the people of the United States. "
Snowden said he told Attorney General Eric Holder, through his lawyer, his son will probably return home if the Justice Department promises not to hold him before a trial or subject him to a gag order.
He also said he wants his son to choose the location for a possible trial.
Edward Snowden's whereabouts are unknown. The former National Security Agency contractor is being sought for leaking top-secret documents concerning the government's widespread surveillance programs.
Lonnie Snowden said he hasn't spoken to his son since April.
In Moscow, the Russian Parliament invited Snowden to help find out if any U.S. Internet firm gave information about Russians to the U.S. government.
"We invite Edward Snowden to work with us and hope that as soon as he settles his legal status, he will collaborate with our working group and provide us with proof of U.S. intelligence agencies' access to the servers of Internet firms," Russian Sen. Ruslan Gattarov said Thursday.
Russia's upper house of parliament decided Wednesday to establish a working group to investigate Snowden's claims, RIA Novosti reported.
He fled to Moscow from Hong Kong and reportedly is in the transit area of Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport. Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia was under no legal obligation to turn over Snowden to the United States.
Gattarov, appointed to lead the group, told RIA Novosti it would draw legislators, diplomats, prosecutors and communications officials as members. He said preliminary results should be available in October.
Meanwhile, Kirill Kabanov, a member of Putin's Human Rights Council, said he asked his colleagues to consider approaching the Russian government about granting political asylum to Snowden, 30, RIA Novosti said.
Ecuador's foreign minister had said Snowden, whose U.S. passport has been revoked, requested political asylum in his country. On Wednesday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was quoted as saying Snowden was "almost sure" to get political asylum in his country if he filed a formal request.
During his visit to Senegal Thursday, U.S. President Obama said the United States would not engage in "wheeling and dealing" over Snowden's extradition.
Meanwhile, Ecuador said it won't be bullied by Washington over whether to grant asylum, The Wall Street Journal reported.
"Ecuador does not accept pressure or threats from anyone and it doesn't bargain with its principles or sovereignty," President Rafael Correa said at the inauguration of a public-works project in Los Rios province.
The South American country also reiterated it didn't provide Snowden with travel papers that could help his global journey to evade espionage charges.
In Quinto, Political Affairs Secretary Betty Tola told reporters a "safepass" for temporary travel, issued to Snowden by the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, was genuine but not valid since the person who issued it lacked the authority to do so.
A copy of the document was obtained by U.S. Spanish-language broadcaster Univision and shown in a news broadcast and on its website late Wednesday.
"Any document on this matter does not have any validity and is the exclusive responsibility of who issued it," Tola said. "To grant or deny asylum is essential to the sovereignty of our country."
In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said giving Snowden asylum would create "grave difficulties for our bilateral relationship."
"If they take that step, that would have very negative repercussions," he said.
Ecuador also complained its U.S. trade benefits, which are up for congressional renewal in July, were being used as "blackmail."
The Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act allows Ecuador to export more than $1 billion in trade to the United States free of tariffs.
U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez, D-N.J., said he would lead an effort to block renewal of trade preferences for Ecuador if it granted asylum to Snowden.
"If Snowden is granted asylum in Ecuador, I will lead the effort to prevent the renewal of Ecuador's duty-free access under GSP [the World Trade Organization's Generalized System of Preferences] and will also make sure there is no chance for renewal of the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act," his statement said.
Ecuador would lose at least 40,000 jobs if the trade preferences are not renewed, Ecuadorean Ambassador to the United States Nathalie Cely said last year.


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A new, smaller version of NASA's space shuttle is recuperating from a rough first landing.
The Dream Chaser space plane is being designed by Sierra Nevada Corp. It's intended to one day carry space station astronauts.
The Nevada-based company tested a full-scale model at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Saturday. A helicopter dropped the unmanned craft from 12,500 feet. Everything worked well until the end, when the left landing gear deployed too late. The test vehicle skidded off the runway.
Company space systems chief Mark Sirangelo says damage was minor. He says the left gear was still attached and the tire wasn't shredded.
Sirangelo says the mishap is likely due to mechanical failure. He says it shouldn't delay plans for a piloted landing test next year.


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New Drama Series "Motive" Premiere Moves to Special Day and Time, Monday, May 20,
Following the Finale of the "Dancing with the Stars" Performance Show,
And Returning Favorite "The Bachelorette" to Now Debut on Monday, May 27
The innovative new procedural "Motive" will now premiere on a new special day and time, Monday, May 20 from 9:01-10:00 p.m., ET, following the finale of the "Dancing with the Stars" performance show, while its regular time period premiere remains the same, on Thursday, May 23 at 9:00 p.m., ET. "The Bachelorette" will now debut on Monday, May 27 from 8:00-10:01 p.m., ET.
When murder is committed, Angie Flynn, a loving, single mother and a damned good detective, along with her partner, Detective Oscar Vega, are on the case, looking for clues that will lead them to the killer. But "Motive" turns the tried-and-true crime drama formula on its head by indentifying the Killer and Victim at the beginning of each episode. These storylines are then further explored via stylized flashbacks that piece together the mysterious connection between these two characters and what drove the Killer to commit murder. "Motive" stars Kristin Lehman ("The Killing," "Judging Amy") as Detective Angie Flynn, Louis Ferreira ("SGU Stargate Universe," "Rookie Blue") as Detective Oscar Vega, Lauren Holly ("NCIS," "Chicago Hope," "Picket Fences") as Dr. Betty Rogers, Roger Cross ("24," "Arrow") as Staff Sergeant Boyd Bloom, Brendan Penny as Detective Brian Lucas and Cameron Bright ("The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2") as Manny Flynn. "Motive" was created by Daniel Cerone ("Dexter," "The Mentalist"), who executive-produces the show along with Louise Clark, Rob Merilees, Erin Haskett, Rob LaBelle, Lindsay Macadam and James Thorpe. Developed by CTV, the series is produced by Foundation Features and Lark Productions in association with Bell Media, and distributed by NBCUniversal International.
"THE BACHELORETTE" - PREMIERES ON MONDAY, MAY 27 (8:00-10:01 p.m.)
This season the hit romance reality series will feature its ninth edition with the lucky new Bachelorette - Desiree Hartsock -- getting to know 25 fortunate men via a series of social gatherings and exotic, romantic dates, some in groups, some individually. She will introduce some of the men to her family and will visit their hometowns for a slice of their lives in an effort to determine the man with whom she is most compatible. At the end of the journey, filled with drama and surprises against the backdrop of spectacular international settings and featuring innovative twists and special guest stars, the Bachelorette may quite possibly have found true love. But the big question is: After all of this, will she hand out her final rose? And if she does, will the final bachelor accept it and propose? Hosted by Chris Harrison, "The Bachelorette" is a production of Next Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television. Mike Fleiss and Martin Hilton are the executive producers.


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Homicide detectives are looking to generate leads in the unexplained death of former Worcester resident Steven M. DiRoberto Jr. by asking the public for cell phone photos or videos of the victim taken in the hours before his death last weekend.
Boston Police officers found the 27-year-old real estate agent, who had recently moved to Boston for a new job, unconscious in Boston's Financial District about 2:15 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 20. He appeared to be suffering from a head wound or trauma to the head, police said.
A spokesman for the state Medical Examiner's Office said autopsy results were still pending as of this afternoon.
Boston homicide detectives put out the call to the public for cell phone photos or video of Mr. DiRoberto on Thursday.
A Boston police spokeswoman wouldn't comment on the case today other than to say it remained under investigation.
After he was found unconscious by police officers, Mr. DiRoberto was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital and later pronounced dead. Police said it appears he had been in some kind of physical altercation.


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Carol Linnitt | June 11, 2011
By Carol Linnitt • Saturday, June 11, 2011 - 13:15
Touted by industry as a "clean energy" panacea, unconventional gas is widely heralded as deliverance from air pollution to global warming to foreign energy dependence. It is clean, the drillers say, and there is plenty of it. Descriptions like 'trillions of cubic feet' and 'more than a century's worth' are becoming commonplace, used to prop up the vision of a clean, affordable and homegrown unconventional gas future.
But like most things that sound too good to be true, unconventional gas is no exception, as DeSmogBlog pointed out in our own recent report "Fracking the Future."
Now, continuing to dispel some of the most egregious misconceptions regarding the future of gas, Post Carbon Institute Fellow David Hughes recently released a new report entitled Will Natural Gas Fuel America in the 21st Century?
In his report, Hughes takes on three myths undergirding our gas ambitions: that hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have guaranteed our access to a century's worth of fuel; that the price of natural gas, which has been historically volatile, will remain low; and that, from a global warming and public health perspective, natural gas is a clean and safe alternative to other fossil fuels.
These assumptions, Hughes writes, are what agencies like the U.S. Energy Information Administration are relying on when it forecasts an increased reliance on shale gas in the coming decades, up to 47 percent of all domestic gas production by 2035. They are also what lies behind President Obama's recent endorsement of natural gas as "clean" in his "Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future" and the new incentives for transforming America's vehicle fleet. Other well-regarded environmental organizations like the Worldwatch Institute also joined the gas chorus, suggesting the potential for gas to act as a 'bridge fuel' during the transition away from other disastrous energy sources like coal and tar sands oil.
However, the somber lessons of the last decade's worth of unprecedented drilling across the continent have demonstrated that the ideals behind our burgeoning commitment to gas are unfounded, if not outright nonsensical. If the growing archive of first hand accounts of toxic water and air pollution haven't made us rethink industry claims, then the steady stream of independent scientific research questioning the fuel's availability, affordability, safety and cleanliness might do the trick.
Another integral aspect of Hughes' take-down of the shale gas dream is the impracticable wholesale transition of the nation's fuel systems to gas. The scope of such a transformation – which would require the dismantling of old energy plants, vehicles, fueling stations and pipeline infrastructure and their subsequent retrofitting or replacement on a nationwide scale – is beyond any realistic economic means, especially with the fragility of the current U.S. economy.
To support such a costly overhaul, domestic gas production would have to increase by over 100 percent, far above even the most optimistic projections. To retrofit one existing vehicle with a natural gas system currently costs approximately $10,000 in the U.S. And while fueling stations across the country could be switched to compressed natural gas (CNG) to supply smaller vehicles, only liquefied natural gas (LNG) is sufficiently dense to supply larger vehicles like long-haul trucks. LNG must be stored at -162 degrees Celsius and so would require a separate fueling infrastructure.
In effect, beyond the troubling aspects of its production via fracking, the very notion that unconventional gas has the capacity to provide the nation with a 'bridge fuel' is completely misguided. In the first place, there simply is not enough of the fuel to support such deep dependence.
Secondly, such a switch would also require tremendous amounts of additional resources to carry through, which introduces the additional concern of collateral emissions. And this doesn't even touch on the equally laborious and resource-intensive replacement of coal-fired power plants.
When considering the costs associated with committing to unconventional gas as an 'interim' fuel, it seems an absurdity, especially when the capital required could be directly invested in the production of truly clean renewable energy.
Perhaps some were willing to shrug off the unfortunate environmental impacts of gas drilling to somehow usher in a clean energy future, one that held the promise of domestic energy security. But if we cannot rely upon the viability of gas as a clean, bountiful or secure energy alternative, then we must begin to consider, and invest in truly clean energy.
Hughes puts it well in his conclusion: "when it comes to fossil fuels there is no such thing as a free lunch."
anonymous replied on Permalink
Its a non-issue. Since CO2
Its a non-issue.
Since CO2 has been shown to be nothing more than harmless plant food, the only people that care are the investors in the failed AGW industry.
1000 ppm would be so much better for the planet.
Phil M replied on Permalink
"Since CO2 has been shown to
"Since CO2 has been shown to be nothing more than harmless plant food"
By whom? Please provide a citation.
"1000 ppm would be so much better for the planet."
Sure, there has been higher CO2 levels in the past, but not during the Holocene Optimum when humans thrived. The relatively stable environment has allowed us to get where we are now & you want to change that? You don't even know what will happen after 380ppm let alone 1000ppm.
Take a look at the CO2 levels for the past 500,000 years derived from the vostok ice cores.
It's in our economic & general well being interests to keep things at those levels & not artificially mess with it. 1000ppm might be ok for plants & the planet, but for humans, I suspect it wouldn't be "better".
alfonse replied on Permalink
If you look at the website of
If you look at the website of the mealy-mouthed left wing "Post Carbon Institute", you will find among their staff not one single person who has any background, training, experience or even the slightest understanding of the oil and gas industry – they just don't like it.
Apparently, among all of these upper class white "community organizers", who never seemed to have held a real job outside of "non-profits", that's all the justification they need. More Soros money well-spent.
anonymous replied on Permalink
Did you bother to read the bio of the author?
Apparently not.
"David Hughes is a geoscientist who has studied the energy resources of Canada for nearly four decades, including 32 years with the Geological Survey of Canada as a scientist and research manager. He developed the National Coal Inventory to determine the availability and environmental constraints associated with Canada's coal resources. As Team Leader for Unconventional Gas on the Canadian Gas Potential Committee, he coordinated the recent publication of a comprehensive assessment of Canada's unconventional natural gas potential."
anonymous replied on Permalink
Conservatives hate America
AGW-deniers are lucky they are not tried and convicted of treason against the United States of America and crimes against humanity.
Typical of rightwingers never to take responsibility for their actions.
Then hypocritically, they pass invalid laws against the behavior of others - behavior which is entirely harmless (homosexual sex, free speech, marijuana).
recyclenot replied on Permalink
There's a word for people like your: Insane.
"AGW-deniers are lucky they are not tried and convicted of treason against the United States of America and crimes against humanity."
Really? Is it just because we are "lucky"? – or is it that the world has not become as completely barking-at-the-moon insane, as your fringe Global Warming Death Cult has?
But it says more about your Climate Scientology Cult that you consider the mere act of disagreeing with you to be tantamount to treason, or a "crime against humanity". Ultimately, you are wanna-be totalitarians, and nothing more.
It would be easy to dismiss your comment as being the product of a lone addled mind, but it is not. The same desires have been voiced by no less prominent enviro-hucksters than James Hansen, David Suzuki, and George Monbiot. You just can't make this stuff up!
"Typical of rightwingers never to take responsibility for their actions.
Then hypocritically, they pass invalid laws against the behavior of others - behavior which is entirely harmless (homosexual sex, free speech, marijuana)."
So, let's see if we understand you correctly?
You accuse "rightwingers" (presumably your boogieman of choice) of "passing invalid laws [sic]" against "free speech", among other things.
Yet, in your previous paragraph, you expressed your ardent desire to punish anyone who dares to disagree with your views (ie., "deniers") with charges of treason and "crimes against humanity"?
In other words, anyone who says something you don't like gets the noose or firing squad – but it's the "rightwingers" who are opressing your free speech?
Uh-huh …
Thanks for reminding us all how utterly demented "environmental activists" have become.
"behavior which is entirely harmless (homosexual sex, free speech, marijuana)"
Maybe you need to put down the bong? In your case, it seems to be anything but "harmless"!
anonymous replied on Permalink
Dont be to harsh with them,
Dont be to harsh with them, they know not what they do…… LOL.
They are afterall just a bunch of hippies trying desperately to remake the world into a socialist utopia.
Dont tell them that Valium in the water would be faster.
They tell each other so often that evil capitalism and its CO2 emmissions are the end of us all that many wind up believing it.
Fortunatley, the scam is now in the open and the movement is nearly dead.
Kinda sad actually.
Phil M replied on Permalink
"Dont be to harsh with them,
"Dont be to harsh with them, they know not what they do…… LOL"
Invoking bible quotes? Are you some religious nutter?
"They are afterall just a bunch of hippies"
One can only imagine your ideology if you think all people that are pro AGW are "hippies". I'm thinking confederate flags & a handy bottle of SPF 30+ for the neck.
"trying desperately to remake the world into a socialist utopia."
Wow, you have been duped good. Evidence? By advocating privately owned green tech companies?
"They tell each other so often that evil capitalism"
Talking about contradictions like our friend recycle above likes to point out. What exactly IS the denier position on this? You guys seem very confused. On one hand, we want socialism & capitalism is evil, then on the other hand our only interest is making ourselves rich off green tech investments & Al Gore is only lobbying to increase the wealth of his green tech investments. What is it?
"Fortunatley, the scam is now in the open and the movement is nearly dead."
Apparently the rest of the world except the USA, Canada & Australia didn't get the memo, as they have accepted the science & already committed to carbon reductions & seen the green tech opportunities.
Fortunately for you despite your best efforts, many American cities have gone it alone despite a lack of federal legislation. http://www.grist.org/slideshow/2011-06-10-ten-most-climate-ready-cities
Phil M replied on Permalink
""AGW-deniers are lucky they
""AGW-deniers are lucky they are not tried and convicted of treason against the United States of America and crimes against humanity."
Really? Is it just because we are "lucky"? "
Obviously anonymous was getting emotive there, but it's happening on both sides. Right wingers are making death threats against pro agw scientists & using FOI to slow down or halt research, in the name of ideology & profit.
"In other words, anyone who says something you don't like gets the noose or firing squad"
That's drawing a long bow.
anonymous replied on Permalink
You forgot to include in your
You forgot to include in your list of harmless actions:
Driving cars,
Flying in Jets,
Heating and cooling buildings,
and all other actions that generate harmless plant food.
sachin replied on Permalink
Though the Natural Gas is a good source of fuel it is very limited source and as Hughes said it is not a free lunch
PaulCNelson replied on Permalink
Let's be nice...
Wouldn't it be nice if we could have a civil debate, where we talked about the issues? Do we really need the name calling and hyperbole? Let's talk like adults on both sides and see if the conversation is a bit more productive…
anonymous replied on Permalink
Sure we can talk like adults
Sure we can talk like adults Mr.Poopy pants.
Tod B - Post Ca... replied on Permalink
Thanks, Carol...
…for the solid overview of David's report. We're rather proud of his work, as the report has spread beyond our expectations, with over 11,000 downloads since its release.
anonymous replied on Permalink
Rightwing religionists
The moment you see AGW-denialists bring up the word "hippy",
you KNOW they mean it in a derogatory-only way,
even though there is nothing wrong with being a hippy or a socialist or a communist, you can be sure you are talking to an anti-free-speech fanatic who not-so-secretly advocates rounding up and imprisoning hippies.
What's next? Rounding up Jews?
That's the NEXT thing to come out of their mouths.
I see this all the time with the pseudo-libertarian Alex-Jones types.
Alex Jones is great in many ways, stupid as hell about climate change.
But, way too many of his anti-government followers still attack innocent groups like Jews and hippies for the world's problems, rather than corporate-welfare-loving free-market-extremist banksters. Every other line out of their mouths is some anti-semitic remark.
Hypocritically, they never attack males, males, males. Attacking all males would be LESS unjustified than attacking Jews for the world's financial problems. And, no - I am not and never have been Jewish.
Steve French replied on Permalink
And yet, in spite of your
And yet, in spite of your ludicrous accusations, it is the left who are virulently antisemitic, and advocating the destruction of Israel.
"Nazi" stood for National SOCIALIST, so you're just being true to your roots.
Phil M replied on Permalink
""Nazi" stood for National
""Nazi" stood for National SOCIALIST"
They might have had that in their name, but in practice, they were a right wing party, a fascist party. Look it up some time instead of listening to Glenn Beck. Use google & look for yourself. You will find it's from your side of politics Steve.
Steve French replied on Permalink
LOL! Now look who's the
Now look who's the denier.
Phil M replied on Permalink
Now Steve, I know its not in
Now Steve, I know its not in your interest to actually seek knowledge & hearsay is all you need, so I will provide the evidence.
Excerpt: "Nazism was a far right form of politics"
Excerpt: "
fascism (ˈfæʃɪzəm)
— n
any ideology or movement inspired by Italian Fascism, such as German National Socialism; any right-wing nationalist ideology or movement with an authoritarian and hierarchical structure that is fundamentally opposed to democracy and liberalism
any ideology, movement, programme, tendency, etc, that may be characterized as right-wing, chauvinist, authoritarian, etc
Game over, thanks for coming. Black jack, royal flush & check mate.
What is it with deniers & being wrong all the time?
anonymous replied on Permalink
"They might have had that in
"They might have had that in their name, but in practice, they were a right wing party, a fascist party."
Um nope sorry, they were a socialist party, the Nazis were on the left. They were totalitarian and they ran everything using centralized government control. In many of Hitlers speeches he frequently used terms like 'classless society' and my personal favorite 'social justice'. The Nazis were on the far left. Cheers
Dr. D. replied on Permalink
I think that "bridge fuels"
I think that "bridge fuels" are a bridge to nowhere. There is nothing that can replace our current energy consumption, and it is growing rapidly. I have no faith that there will be anything short of a major crisis if not outright catastrophe.
anonymous replied on Permalink
"There is nothing that can
"There is nothing that can replace our current energy consumption, and it is growing rapidly"
Once shale gas and methane hydrate are in full production, growing rapidly will be a serious understatement.
anonymous replied on Permalink
"Touted by industry as a
"Touted by industry as a "clean energy" panacea, unconventional gas is widely heralded as deliverance from air pollution to global warming to foreign energy dependence."
I do not give a rats-a%% if it is clean and it saves the world from climate catastrophe. I just want it, I want lots of it, and I want it to be cheap cheap cheap. And from what I have been reading, the world is awash in this natural gas. There is so much of this stuff that the fossil fuel industry is expected to grow explosivly over the next 20 years. You might say up to now the fossil fuel industry has only been in its infancy. You aint seen nothing yet. Wahoo!


text:
Wood-Fired Oven, Ridgeway, PA
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text:
Emerging Markets Power Rankings: Fed Postponed QE Tapering; All EM Assets Rallied
- Order Reprints
- Print Article
I start each week highlighting previous week's best and worst performing emerging-markets single country exchange-traded funds, using the most heavily traded for each nation. Frontier markets are not included–yet.
In a surprise move, the Federal Reserve bank decided not to taper off QE in its September meeting last week. All asset classes in emerging markets rallied. The iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM) gained 2.2%, the iShares Emerging Markets Local Currency Bond ETF (LEMB) gained 2.7% and the iShares JP Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF (EMB), which tracks hard-currency sovereign bonds, rallied 3.3%.
The worst may be over. Capital flowed into EM equity funds again for the second consecutive week and the table was turning on hard-currency bond funds too.
The biggest winners were:
- the iShares MSCI Turkey ETF (TUR) +9.5%: the Turkish lira rallied 2.4% and the Turkey ISE 100 Index gained 8.7%.
- the iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF (THD) +6.9%: the Thai baht gained 2.9% and the Thailand SET Index gained 6.1%.
- the iShares MSCI Indonesia ETF (EIDO) +5.9%: the Jakarta Composite Index gained 4.8%.
Last week had a second surprise, in reverse direction: India's new central banker decided to hike its benchmark repo rate to combat inflation. The S&P BSE 100 Index lost 1.6% on Friday. As a result, the Wisdomtree Trust India Earnings Fund (EPI) gained only 1.6%, even though the Indian rupee gained 1.7%.


text:
The Cunningham Funeral Home in Ocala documents the largest minority-owned business in Marion County, Florida. Brothers Albert and James Cunningham founded the company in 1955.
Part of the collection's significance is due to the fact that, until the 1970s, the only comprehensive listing of African-American communities in any Florida county is found in morticians' records. For instance, if a researcher wants to know where African-American churches and schools were located, that information can be found in the records. Morticians have been - and continue to be - the means of knowing what was happening in the community: they knew everyone, and they could give directions to houses in obscure locations. They were truly the heart of the community.
In addition to their intrinsic value for research in African-American social history, the records are also valuable because they retain Albert Cunningham's organizational scheme for the records and thus open an all too often obscured window into the pragmatic arrangement of minority business papers.
James Cunningham, who died in 1985, served as the first black city commissioner in Marion County for ten years. The James Cunningham Highway in Ocala was named in his honor.
Albert Cunningham is a man who is highly respected and liked among family, friends and the community, and his influence continues to reach far beyond the borders of Marion County. He has always felt that his place is to be of service to those who need him, and his high level of commitment to people has earned him his special position in the community.
The records of the Visionaires are a part of the Department of Special and Area Studies Collections and its African American History Collections at the University of Florida Libraries. This digital collection is part of a larger corpus of African American Collections in the Department, and of a much larger Florida Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Collections.


text:
Norwestent necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 117 diseños de 10 diseñadores freelance.
The Sydney Allergy Clinic
We are the premier clinic in Sydney, Australia for the diagnosis (identification) and treatment of all forms of allergy. Our focus is nasal allergy (hay fever) and turning a blocked nose into a clear one. We have a recently purchased state of the art facility with a brand new fit out that reflects the clean fresh image we would like to show to our customers.
People with allergy, especially nose allergy such as a blocked nose, hay fever, sneezing, sinus pain.
We are using this logo to promote to the general public but also to doctors all throughout sydney.
We would like a clean lined design, preferably light green with the impression of open fields and a fresh breeze that a person with a blocked nose would be attracted to.
Our new office fit out in very modern state of the art and we would like modern fonts with simple fresh flowing lines.
Current designs that we like that reflect our image include:
Good luck everyone and helps us to promote your design to the whole of Sydney and AUSTRALIA!
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


text:
The federal budget has not only hit consumer confidence and retail spending it also appears to have dampened our appetite for credit.
New figures show a sharp drop in personal loan applications during the June quarter, while demand for credit cards moderated, resulting in annual credit growth turning negative.
Credit data provider Veda's consumer credit demand index dropped to minus three per cent compared to a year earlier.
Veda's general manager of consumer risk Angus Luffman said not only did the government's budget take its toll on consumer confidence but unusually warm weather sapped autumn and winter sales for clothing retailers.
"Most fundamentally, income growth has been subdued against the backdrop of weakness in the labour market," Mr Luffman said releasing the data on Thursday.
Official labour force figures for June are released later on Thursday. Economists expect they will show the jobless rate rising to 5.9 per cent after holding at 5.8 per cent for three months in a row.
Gauges of consumer confidence have made only modest recoveries after sharp losses at the time of the budget, while retail sales data have shown no growth since February.
Mr Luffman said a reduced appetite for consumer credit suggests retail sales in the June quarter are likely to have been soft.
Monthly data for June has yet to be released.
Personal loan applications tumbled 7.1 per cent in the year to June, while demand for new credit cards grew at just 1.6 per cent after growing at a 6.1 per cent pace as of three months earlier.
Mortgage demand almost halved to 6.1 per cent as of the June quarter compared to 11 per cent as of March.
Mortgage applications have proved to be a good leading indicator of future moves in house prices by around six to nine months, Mr Luffman said.


text:
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy about to kick off their season in Abu Dhabi.
Yesterday, we brought you their new Nike ad together. Today, we bring you another example of them being very close.
They were both paid fat appearance fees to show up in Abu Dhabi. As such, they have to do some goofy stuff to appease the sponsors.
And this photo, from USA TODAY's Joe Flemming, is about as goofy and embarrassing as it gets. We're not sure how these guys live this one down.
Also, if anyone in the golf world was hoping for a blood feud between Tiger and Rory a la Tiger and Phil, looks like you're out of luck. These guys like each other.
Unless this is part of Tiger's master plan to soften the prodigy up, trick him into switching his equipment, and then destroy him...


text:
Peak HiFi is a well established business and was formed in 2004 as audio consultants specialising in high quality audio equipment, with a particular fondness for stereo and analogue equipment, we are particularly enthusiastic for classic turntables such as the Garrard 301 and the Garrard 401. Peak HiFi offers a select range of new and approved used equipment, accessories and services. Reconditioned Garrard 301 and 401 units are available as well as beautifully engineered plinths for these decks. We welcome you to visit us at our premises in the Peak District and to take advantage of our relaxed surroundings and two demonstration rooms where we can demonstrate all of the equipment and assist you with your selection. Please call us to fix an appointment.
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text:
Tiny Miracles "And Angels Danced" Emmy Doll
So Truly Real® Tiny Miracles newborn baby doll by Master Doll Artist Linda Webb. With adorable outfit and RealTouch vinyl skin.
Measures 25.4 cm L
- Price:
- s&s◇
The smile on little Emmy's face will bring a smile to yours! This collectible lifelike baby girl doll is a So Truly Real® Tiny Miracles exclusive from The Ashton-Drake Galleries. With her bright, baby-blue eyes that twinkle right at you, this realistic baby doll is a petite 10-inch princess you can't resist! You'll be enchanted by each tiny detail of this collectible vinyl doll, lovingly created by Master Doll Artist Linda Webb.
Emmy wears a cozy pink-and-white ensemble with tiny heart-shaped buttons and a pink bow in her soft, micro-rooted brown hair. Each of her features looks authentic, from her hand-painted fingernails and toenails to her wispy, baby-soft eyelashes. She's perfectly sized for all of the Emmy's World outfits and accessories Strong demand is expected, so order now!
- A Tiny Miracles So Truly Real® collectible lifelike baby girl doll that celebrates a newborn's innocence and charm, Emmy is available only from The Ashton-Drake Galleries
- Wonderfully realistic baby doll is created by acclaimed Master Doll Artist Linda Webb
- Every important feature of this collectible vinyl doll has been carefully reproduced, from Emmy's soft, micro-rooted brown hair and RealTouch vinyl skin to her wispy eyelashes and tiny, hand-painted fingernails and toenails
- Emmy is dressed in a cozy pink-and-white striped footed sleeper suit and matching pink sweater with heart-shaped button details; a tiny pink bow in her hair is the perfect finishing touch
- Certificate of Authenticity
- Measures just 10" L; 25.4 cm L
©2007 The Ashton-Drake Galleries


text:
Joe Biden, who will be sworn into office on Sunday morning, is becoming one of the most influential vice presidents in US history according to historians and political observers.
"Sometimes he can get a little, I don't know, goofy," said Larry Rasky, a longtime Biden confidant and campaign strategist. "For everybody who knows him, that's Joe. That's who he is. . . . But when it comes time to step up his game and be a leader and a statesman, he
has always done it."
According to an article in Boston.com, Biden is a joker whose mouth often gets him in trouble but whose gregarious nature gives him the ability to connect.
"To some extent I think Biden's spontaneity is turning out to be something of an advantage in the sense that he's old school in the best way," said Joel K. Goldstein, a professor in St. Louis and an authority on the vice presidency. "You have a sense that he's not scripted and what you see is what you get."
The former US senator was initially reluctant about being Obama's vice president. When Obama and Biden began working out some the terms, the vice president made it clear he wanted to be involved in all major decisions the president made.
"The vice presidency is not something you ever aspire to . . . it's not something he ever sought by any sense," said Biden's son, Beau, who is the attorney general of Delaware. "But when you're asked to serve by your president, that's what you do."
Many historians believe the only one who can be said to rival Biden's influence as vice president is Dick Cheney.
"Biden is certainly one of the very most powerful vice presidents we've ever had," Goldstein said. "Time and again, Obama seems to involve him as a troubleshooter on the most consequential matters that are facing the administration."
While recently, President Obama tapped the vice president to shape the gun-control proposals, the two men have not always agreed on certain policies.
For example, Biden disagreed with Obama over the 2009 troop surge in Afghanistan. He also advised Obama against authorizing the raid that killed Osama bin Laden.
While the 70-year-old Biden seems an unlikely presidential candidate for 2016 -- he would be the oldest new president in history by five years-- it is nonetheless a frequent topic of conversation.
"Everybody says 'I want elected officials to say what they think,' " said Ted Kaufman, a longtime Biden aide who was appointed to his US Senate seat when Biden became vice president. "You know why he's so popular now? They got a politician who says what he thinks. And they like it."