text:
Allied Universal, a leading facility services company and one of the largest security forces in North America, marked its one-year anniversary this week after forming a year ago via the merger of AlliedBarton Security Services and Universal Services of America.
In the announcement, Steve Jones, Allied Universal CEO, thanked all of the company's 150,000 employees and its clients "for their continued support and commitment that contributed to a phenomenal first year as our new company! I look forward to our continued success in the security and services industries."
Over the past year the company has made several acquisitions, as it continues to transform to a full-service security company, moving beyond the manguarding services the it has been known for.
Jones told Security Systems News, after the company's most recent acquisition of ALERT Protective Services in May, that the company continues to look at acquisitions as a way to diversify its offerings.
"We've got a pretty robust pipeline of deals that we are looking at—some in the technology space and some in the traditional manguarding space—and we hope to announce a few more before the year is over that will help us to diversify our company and bring more value to our clients."
In the press release announcing the one-year milestone, the company outlined some additional organizational achievements since the merger:
• Became the unequivocal leader in guarding services throughout North America. Our security professionals and our company play a major role in keeping the U.S. and Canada safe and secure.
• Provided service to over half of the Fortune 500 companies and nearly every major retail mall in the U.S. From healthcare facilities, commercial office buildings, manufacturing and industrial plants, residential communities, transportation facilities and government services, Allied Universal has a significant security presence.
• Managed the integration of a workforce of over 150,000 security professionals to perform our jobs on a daily basis and serve our growing customer base.
• Implemented a world-class training program, the AU Institute, which offers over 1,000 training assets and professional development programs to enhance our security professionals' delivery of service and protection.
• Introduced several technological innovations to expand our physical and operational security solutions and service offerings to enhance the protection of client properties and assets.
PARK CITY, Utah—AvantGuard has several speakers lined up for its upcoming PERS Summit, to be held here Sept. 26-28, as well as some of the events.
This year's PERS Summit will start with a tour of AvantGuard's recently remodeled facility. "We've got about 25,000 square feet and three levels, and the building will be completely remodeled, inside and out, by the time the event starts. So, people will really get to see—hands on—how that monitoring of the PERS devices works," Sonja Jorgenson, AvantGuard's director of marketing, told Security Systems News.
Aron Ralston will be one of the conference's keynote speakers. "His story is told in that movie, 127 hours," Jorgenson noted. Ralston was exploring a Utah canyon when his arm got caught, forcing Ralston to amputate the limb.
One of the speakers will be Eric Allen, an attorney who can speak to certain marketing techniques. "His expertise is … issues that are raised when businesses are contacting customers through texting and automated calls. He really understands that, the regulations, and the new rules that are coming out in 2017."
Laurie Orlov, another speaker at the conference, is focused on aging-in place. "She has an interesting background in technology, especially targeted to aging seniors," Jorgenson said. "She's going to share some predictions about what those technology trends are going to look like in 2017 and beyond."
The Summit's other speakers have not yet been announced.
"Then, every year, we have a panel of experts in the industry and we talk about a relevant issue. Last time, we talked about fall detection and [the panelists'] feelings about that, and where [the technology] was and if it was really helpful," Jorgenson said. "We haven't disclosed what that topic will be yet, but that panel discussion's always a big talking point."
Jorgenson said that AvantGuard hopes to give attendees more access to the presentations at this Summit, which will allow attendees to further review information after returning from the conference. "I think there will be a lot of information, … so, it's a lot to digest in just a couple days," she said.
The company also sends an anonymous survey to its dealers, which asks about a range of topics, including the software that dealers use or the types of customers dealers are seeing, AvantGuard marketing assistant Alex Flitton said. "We actually have a lot of really good feedback so far," he told SSN. "All of this information will be compiled and interpreted by some of the experts in the industry, to present to our attendees."
Networking is another benefit of the event, Flitton noted. "It just puts a lot of like-minded people in a really solid environment where they can interact," he said.
The Summit will be held at The Chateaux Deer Valley in Park City, Utah. The conference has been here for each conference.
Over the past few years, the security industry has begun to embrace many new technologies—robotics, the cloud, biometrics, for example—but one company here in the U.S., Three Square Market, is pushing the boundaries of RFID technology by offering to implant tiny RFID chips—the size of a grain of rice—into its employees' hands between the thumb and forefinger.
The chip would allow employees to not only buy snacks in the break room but also have their hands function as a mobile key to gain access to the building and other doors, which makes me think of the possible applications/ramifications within security.
Implanting chips in employee's hands is already being done in Sweden, where an organization named Epicenter is having success with an increasing number of employees there opting to get the implant. Here in the U.S., Three Square Market says it has approximately 50 employees who are interested in getting the implant, and unlike in Sweden, the company is paying for the $300 procedure for its employees. Three Square Market partnered with a Swedish firm, BioHax International, to make the chip and is planning to sell the technology to other companies.
"Eventually, this technology will become standardized, allowing you to use this as your passport, public transit, all purchasing opportunities, etc.," chief executive Todd Westby wrote in a blog post announcing the program, noting that there is even potential for storing medical/health information, and for use as payment at other RFID terminals.
But one has to wonder what security vulnerabilities this could create, especially in protecting the data on that chip from being hacked, stolen and/or compromised, etc. Not to mention, the "creepy" factor here, as mass adoption of microchip implants is dubious, at best.
Maybe some day, like in the year 2112, but in the short term, I do think there is good fodder here for a futuristic sci-fi movie.
HENDERSON, Nev.—Recently, I-View Now announced a new integration with Eagle Eye Networks. I got the chance to catch up with I-View Now president Larry Folsom to hear a bit about this partnership and how it works.
"The I-View Now integration with Eagle Eye Networks is a cloud to cloud integration," Folsom said in an email interview. "We appreciate the architecture in that it is a smart appliance that can be used with inexpensive or expensive cameras depending on the opportunity and requirements. We think this is important for scale (as opposed to cloud systems that require expensive cameras). We found the Eagle Eye Networks APIs to be robust and well thought out."
Folsom discussed how the partnership will benefit I-View Now's customers.
"We believe this is another great video partner for our dealers and central stations to utilize while protecting their customers," Folsom said. "It is import to see that the Eagle Eye Networks video will work with all I-View Now compatible signaling integrations (security systems) and will play in the same universal player for operators, end users, and law enforcement."
Folsom noted that I-View Now has had a busy year; it partnered with COPS Monitoring and earlier this year announced that cameras from Bosch, OpenEye and Hikvision can now come I-View Now Ready. "We currently have a backlog but we are working our way through it and have been actively hiring engineers to build out the team to support the demand," he said.
When asked what the company is currently working on, Folsom pointed to the company's work with Digital Barriers, announced in early June.
"This integration is fun because every clip we produce will be processed with the video analytic," said Folsom. "The process will add intelligence (percent of likelihood of a person) to all of our existing video integrations to reduce false alarms and add bounding boxes so the agent and the end user can see where the changes occurred."
The PSA Security Network, a security and systems integrator cooperative with headquarters in Westminster, Colo., is accepting presentations through Aug. 4, 2017 for its TEC 2018 annual conference. Proposals can be submitted at www.psatec.com/cfp.
TEC 2018, which will be held at the Sheraton Downtown Denver in Denver, Colo., March 12-16, 2018, is a premier education and networking event for all professional systems integrators in the security and audio-visual markets. TEC features education and certification programs, networking, and dedicated exhibit hours designed to advance the skills and expertise of industry professionals nationwide. This training venue is open to all industry professionals and is designed to meet the educational needs of all employees within an integrator's organization.
PSA Security Network's president and CEO Bill Bozeman told Security Systems News that the move from Westminster—where the conference had been held for several years—to downtown Denver fro 2018 was needed to accommodate the growth of the show.
"The hotel [Downtown Denver Sheraton] is bigger, so we look forward to having everyone under one roof," Bozeman told SSN. "In addition, I think some of our younger members and supporters are going to enjoy being in downtown Denver, where there is so much to do."
The education program will deliver sessions tailored to physical security and audio-visual integrators focused on emerging technologies, critical issues in the industry, and tool development to augment attendees' knowledge needed to continue to drive these industries forward. Sessions will be selected that serve a variety of disciplines including business management, sales and marketing, HR and recruiting, project management and operations, and installation and service.
Proposals are welcome for both certification programs and general education sessions for the security and audio-visual markets. All sessions must be unbiased and minimize commercial references and overt branding. Submissions are evaluated based on topic relevance, speaker expertise, and originality of the content. Additional guidelines are available within the call for presentations submission tool.
Accepted and approved presenters will receive complimentary registration to TEC 2018 and will have the opportunity to solidify their reputation as an industry resource and subject matter expert while expanding their own professional network and gaining access to strategic partnerships. PSA does not pay honoraria or expenses for accepted proposals.
Central Security Group on July 6 announced that it received an incremental first lien term loan of $40 million, as well as a 12-month maturity extension to its credit facilities.
The new funding "is part of a broader $350 million financing the company started in 2014. This was an add on to that financing," Richard Ginsburg, president and CEO of Central Security Group, told Security Systems News in an email interview. CSG finances through Credit Suisse, Ginsburg noted.
Asked about growth initiatives, Ginsburg said, "We continue to grow our business through our long-standing Authorized Dealer Program, supplemented by our organic efforts."
In the recent announcement, Ginsburg mentioned that the funding will help the company with geographic expansion, acquisitions and growing its account base. The announcement also emphasized the company's Alert 360 offering, which provides interactive security.
Concerning acquisitions, Ginsburg told SSN, "We are always looking but are very selective."
Ginsburg discussed what CSG looks for in an ideal acquisition. "We would consider quality companies with customers put on through more traditional marketing," he told SSN. "We also look for companies with good employees and managers who are hitting glass ceilings because of the company's size and who would benefit from a company like ours, with more resources, financing, and a positive culture."
The new Sandy Springs, Ga. alarm ordinance, which is set to be voted on July 18, is alarming many in the security industry as it looks to force alarm dealers to pay their subscriber's false alarm fees and fines.
"This makes as much sense as a car rental company being responsible for paying your speeding tickets if you get caught speeding in their car," Dan Gordon, president of the Georgia Electronic Life Safety and Security Association (GELSSA), and owner of Ga.-based Gordon Security, told Security System News.
Gordon, as well as many security companies working in Georgia, including LOUD Security and Ackerman Security, are rallying others in the industry to pay attention to what is going on in Sandy Springs.
"If Sandy Springs passes this, which city goes next?" John Loud, president of LOUD Security Systems, told SSN, noting that he does not think this ordinance will help Sandy Springs reduce false dispatches.
"They outsource the collections to a firm called CryWolf (Public Safety Corporation)," Loud explained. "Their service includes collecting the assessed fines. The cost to Sandy Springs is the same, whether the bill goes to the end users of the alarm system or the alarm company. But the alarm company's costs will increase. They will now have to bill their customers and establish a collection process, increasing the workload for their personnel."
Loud and others in opposition to the ordinance believe this will actually cause an increase in the amount of false dispatches.
"Citizens will usually respond to citations from their local police or city municipality," he explained. "If a vendor or service provider sends an assessment, they could very easily change monitoring companies and get additional false alarms through new providers. They can choose to never pay and continually change companies."
He noted that this would result in more false dispatches as the end user would never be forced to change their behavior.
Loud also pointed out that the court systems of Sandy Springs will have a lot more cases. "Either the alarm companies will be filing suit to collect monies from customers refusing to pay or the city will be pursuing alarm companies for nonpayment of fines they do not have the money to pay."
He continued, "You will likely see many alarm companies choosing to not do business with residents/businesses that must comply with this ordinance. In Sandy Springs, most alarm companies charge only $25 per month. While false alarm fees can cost hundreds of dollars, the accounts receivable process will likely make it financially impossible for fire/alarm companies to take on such risk."
He said that Sandy Springs could achieve greater reduction in the false dispatches if they would enforce all of their current ordinance provisions, such as:
- Follow the Enhanced Call Verification Georgia State law that went into effect in 2013. "The 911 operator could very easily ask for the two phone numbers the alarm company called prior to dispatch request," said Loud.
- Do not allow dispatch on the subscribers that have not paid for previous fines—put them on a do not dispatch list.
- Do not allow dispatch for subscribers that have had 10 false alarms in a permit year.
- Activate the false alarm school the ordinance allows for, which will provide the training and prevention of future false alarms.
"Another step Sandy Springs could pursue is a higher fee structure for excessive false alarms," said Loud. "This would force subscribers to either fix their system, teach others to use it properly or they could choose to stop arming their system. All three of the options result in reduced dispatches."
He continued, "While I certainly see there are many ways to help unite with the City of Sandy Springs and help them achieve their ultimate goal of reducing false dispatches and wasting government recourses, I do not believe requiring the alarm companies to pay the fees is the answer."
The GELSSA, along with strong industry voices like Loud's, are urging those in the industry to reach out to the mayor of Sandy Springs to voice their concerns, and for security dealers in the Sandy Springs area to attend the planned vote on July 18.
The Alarm Industry Communications Committee recently opened its sixth annual communications survey, which asks about monitored accounts using POTS, VoIP digital dialers, as well as other technologies used for transmitting alarm data.
AICC started conducting the survey in 2012 because there was a lack of data on communication paths, according to AICC chair Lou Fiore. "The idea is to figure out what communications is in use, from the premises to a central station," Fiore told Security Systems News.
"When we go to congress and the FCC and we want to ask that they retain something, or ask for new services, we have data to back it up," Fiore said.
"This year, I introduced a question regarding AES, as opposed to cellular. But, in previous years, we've lumped AES … or private one-way radio with cellular, [calling] it all 'wireless,'" Fiore said.
Part of the survey covers wireless technologies. "In 2016, 58 percent of new installations were using some form of wireless. Back when I started that part of the survey in 2013 it was about 45 percent. So, it's steadily ticking up, and I'm sure this year it will [increase] even more," Fiore said.
In 2012, 83.5 percent of monitored accounts used POTS digital dialers, either as a sole method of transmission or along with another method, Fiore said. "Now, it's down to 58 percent," he said, adding that he expects it to be lower this year.
The survey also asked what percentage of accounts use another technology—such as radio, IP, or cellular—as the sole method of transmission. "In 2012, it was 14.5 percent. 2016, it went up to 40 percent," said Fiore.
In 2013, when the survey began asking about accounts that use IP exclusively, 15.6 percent used IP exclusively. That figure decreased to 9 percent in 2016, Fiore said. "IP exclusively, the use of Internet … is not as popular as everyone's thought. It's actually decreasing; it's been steadily decreasing through the years."
The survey can be found here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/R9SH7JC. Participation is not limited to TMA or AICC members. Fiore will share results after the survey closes on Aug. 11.
The world market for professional video surveillance equipment grew by 3.9 percent in 2016, despite a drop in camera prices, according to recently published estimates from IHS Markit through its Video Surveillance Intelligence Service.
"This is a higher rate of growth than in 2015 (1.9 percent) but still low by historical standards," Jon Cropley, principal analyst, video surveillance, IHS Markit, said in the announcement.
IHS forecasts a slightly higher growth in the global market for 2017—at 5.5 percent—and as a result, the world market will be worth $16.2 billion in 2017.
Accounting for more than 40 percent of global revenues measured in U.S. dollars, the Chinese market grew by 7.2 percent in 2016, according to IHS, which noted that exchange rate changes did play a role in suppressing a higher calculated growth in that currency (as the average annual exchange rate of the Chinese Yuan Renminbi to the U.S. dollar fell by 6.6 percent in 2016). In the report, Hikvision took the top spot in several categories.
"The world market excluding China grew by just 1.6 percent in 2016," Cropley pointed out. "Demand for security cameras grew rapidly but prices fell considerably, affecting revenues. In fact, revenues declined in a number of countries."
IHS also found that the supply base for professional video surveillance equipment is gradually becoming more concentrated, although it remains highly fragmented compared with supply to many other markets.
"The top fifteen vendors accounted for 58 percent of revenues in 2016," noted Cropley. "In 2016, a number of Chinese vendors continued to gain market share rapidly in regions outside China. They tend to offer products with low prices and this has been a major factor in average price erosion in those regions."
The report also found that 59 percent of all security cameras shipped in 2016 were network cameras, and shipments of HD CCTV cameras more than doubled. Less than 1 percent of network cameras shipped were 4K-compliant, according to IHS.
Note: Check back for more on this report, including additional comments from IHS' Jon Cropley.
The Monitoring Association today announced that Ivan Spector, president of Montreal-based Sentinel Alarm Co., was voted to be the next president of TMA at its general membership meeting, held on June 13 during ESX in Nashville Tenn.
"I am very honored and humbled to serve in the position of President," Spector said in TMA's announcement. "I look forward to continuing our successes and I thank all of our members for their support and participation."
Spector is a Superior Court of Canada-acknowledged and accepted expert witness. Spector is a graduate of McGill University and he and his wife Jodi live in Montreal with their four children. Sentinel Alarm Co. is a full-service ULC-listed and Five Diamond designated monitoring station.
"In addition to his ownership of Sentinel Alarm, Spector is a leader in advancing alarm management in both Canada and the United States," TMA said in today's announcement. For CANASA, Spector has served on the Board of Directors, was national president, and chair of the Response Committee. He was also a founding member and longtime board member of the Security Industry Alarm Coalition and he currently serves on the Executive Committee of TMA.
In addition to the election of Spector, officer positions for the next two years were proposed and accepted by vote of the membership: Don Young, ADT's chief information officer; Morgan Hertel, VP of technology and innovation for Rapid Response; and CPI's chief technology officer Steve Butkovich, will become vice presidents of the association and Alan Gillmore IV, Gillmore Security, will become TMA's treasurer.
"Congratulations to Ivan and our other new officers," TMA's current president Pamela J. Petrow, said in a prepared statement. "I have had the pleasure of working with all of them during my presidency, and know that the Association will be in very good hands under their leadership."
These leadership changes become official at the conclusion of the TMA Annual Meeting in Scottsdale October 7-11.
Subscribe Now
On the Editor's DeskPaul Ragusa
News and notes
Monitoring MattersGinger Hill
Guest Blog
© 2020 United Publications ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


text:
A Boutique Abbotsford BC Hotel in the Scenic Fraser Valley
Sweet Dreams Luxury Inn offers the privacy, spaciousness and amenities of a boutique hotel with the gracious hospitality of a bed and breakfast. Voted #1 lodging in the area, this award winning 5 star Abbotsford BC hotel provides relaxation, tranquility and casual luxury amidst the natural splendor of the 17 acre estate.
Enjoy Elegant Accommodations at Our Abbotsford BC Hotel
Four luxurious guest suites offer the perfect stay for your next visit to Abbotsford. Your stay includes a farm fresh gourmet breakfast, full access to the guest lounge, library, theatre/games room, and private gardens.
Here on business? Whether you travel to Abbotsford for business several times a year or frequently, we ensure your stay is as productive and comfortable as possible. We offer business travel packages and rates that are tailored to your specific needs and help you stay connected throughout your entire trip.
In addition to luxurious accommodations, the Inn offers meeting and banquet facilities for business or private functions as well as indoor and outdoor weddings. Catering options for working lunches, business meetings, formal dinners and receptions are available.
Located just minutes from downtown Abbotsford, British Columbia and less than an hour from Vancouver, Sweet Dreams has no shortage of great restaurants, shopping, outdoor adventures and sight-seeing nearby.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Share Current Cart
Cart Contents
CSR Login
Confirm New Client
Current client elapsed time is:
Cart Contents
Why Counter Surveillance Matters
As you begin to research spy cams, nanny cams and other types of covert and portable surveillance, you begin to get an idea of just how easy it is to keep an eye on someone. Technology has risen to the point where you could literally be monitoring someone's every move without their knowing - which should be very concerning if you're concerned about your own privacy.
For those types of situations, counter surveillance equipment has risen to meet the challenge and to keep you and your personal activities safe from prying eyes. Whether you think someone may have installed a spy camera, an audio recording device or some other type of surveillance measure, counter surveillance will help put a stop to it sooner rather than later.
Features to Pay Attention To
When it comes to choosing the right counter surveillance device, you'll always want to keep a few key things in mind. For example, not every piece of equipment is built to find every type of surveillance device there is. An RF detector may be able to easily detect radio frequency broadcasts, but if someone's spy camera isn't using RF for transmission, the unit you just bought won't actually do you much good.
For the best results, you'll want to focus on counter surveillance devices that detect more than one type of technology - like RF detectors and lens finders all rolled into one unit.
When it comes to counter surveillance, another factor that you'll definitely want to concern yourself with is one of precision. Certain units detect many different frequencies and offer additional features to help give you a precise location of devices in the area. A device that can tell you "a camera has been installed in your bedroom" is good, but a device that literally pinpoints the exact location of that device down to a few feet is much, much better.
Counter surveillance measures can also include devices that are designed not to detect spying that is already going on, but to stop spying before it actually happens. Cell phone scramblers are very popular devices in this category, for example, and many offer the highest-grade cell phone encryption on the market today. Keep in mind, though, that they'll require a scrambler for each phone included in the conversation.
If you want to make sure that nobody can ever spy on what you're saying to your spouse, you'll need to purchase and install one unit on your phone and another on the spouse's. You'll also want to pay attention to which particular brand of phone a scrambler works for, as Android units might not be compatible with iOS and vice versa.


text:
The Dread Ichor: Time to Battle the Essence of Evil
This release of The Manual of Mutants & Monsters provides game stats on the Dread Ichor, an incomprehensible ooze that seems to be the manifest essence of evil itself. Able to possess living hosts to get about, slowly rotting them from within, this foul entity is difficult to understand, stop, or contain. Some believe it may even be the source of all evil, or the blood or other remnants of a dead god!
Includes the dread ichor game statistics, typical statistics for a containment canister, and three caper ideas for using this force for Darkness in your game. Also included is a new extra and new flaw.
Super-Powered by M&M and its associated logo are Trademarks of Green Ronin Publishing and are used under the provisions of the Super-Powered by M&M Trademark License (see http://www.mutantsandmasterminds.com/licensing for details).
Requires the Mutants & Mastermind's Hero's Handbook by Green Ronin Publishing for Use.
The new flaw will also appear in Better Mousetrap 3e upon its release and the extra will be included in Metahuman Martial Arts 3e.
Buy it now.
[Misfit Studios] Manual of Mutants & Monsters: Dread Ichor
The only place to discuss Super-Powered by M&M products.
1 post • Page 1 of 1
- Champion
- Posts: 579
- Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2003 4:11 pm
- Location: Toronto, Canada
- Contact:
[Misfit Studios] Manual of Mutants & Monsters: Dread Ichor
Steven Trustrum
President for Life (or until the money runs out)
Misfit Studios
Misfit Studios Homepage
Misfit Shop
Google +
President for Life (or until the money runs out)
Misfit Studios
Misfit Studios Homepage
Misfit Shop
Google +
1 post • Page 1 of 1


text:
Another robbery at gunpoint in East Atlanta has left residents in shock. The incident happened near Mary's bar in East Atlanta Village and is the latest in a string of incidents involving robberies, shootings and guns in the popular nightlife and restaurant area.
Police say an Atlanta man walking home from the bar at around 2 a.m. Sunday morning when he was robbed by three armed men, at least one of whom was carrying "an AK-47-style rifle" at Glenwood Avenue and Blake Avenue.
"It just seems like a blip. Like, I've never seen this much happening so much in one area," Amy Shaw, an East Atlanta resident who has been living in the community for four years, told WSB-TV.
Shaw and husband Michael said they hope the recent violence will be coming to an end soon.
"I think it is just sort of, hopefully, a little bit of a flare-up. It's not something that's a sign of things changing," Michael Shaw said.
Megan Kiser, who lives in nearby Ormwood Park said that even before the latest incident she had been more careful about going out in the area.
"You definitely think twice before you go meet your friends at night anywhere," she said. "You definitely want to make sure you're telling someone 'I'm coming. Here's when I'm going to be there.'"
The added degree of caution by residents is rooted in multiple acts of violence since the summer began. On July 3, 30-year-old Camease Miller was reportedly killed during a home invasion on Van Vleck Avenue, which is blocks from the area. She was identified by her brother who told WSB-TV that she had two young sons
There was a murder in East Atlanta on Memorial Day and two robberies in nearby Reynoldstown during the preceding weekend. Prior to that incident there had been three robberies, two homicides and one shooting in the area. No arrests have been made in the homicides.
In response to the initial shootings, which occurred over a two-week period, Mayor Kasim Reed and the Atlanta Police Department announced that additional public safety resources would be deployed in the East Atlanta and Grant Park neighborhoods as well as several nearby areas following the crime. Specifically, the Atlanta Police Department has increased patrols and canvas efforts in Zones 5 and 6.
"My administration's top priority is public safety," said Reed at the time. "It troubles me deeply to hear of violent crime against people in our city's neighborhoods. I especially wish to extend my heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of Patrick Cotrona and the other victims. One murder in our city is one too many, and I plan to use all the resources available to me and the Atlanta Police Department to bring the perpetrators of these terrible crimes to justice."


text:
Gluten-free Vegetarian Thanksgiving 6: Pear Custard Pie and Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake
For this, our 6th installment of my Gluten-free Vegetarian Thanksgiving, we have a scrumptious dessert for you. Lauren from As Good as Gluten made a gluten-free pear custard pie that would be a wonderful addition to the Thanksgiving dinner table. I have to admit that pears are not my favorite fruit, but I bet that you could adapt it to be made with apples or persimmons and it would be great for those with unreasonable grudges against pears like myself. I love the idea of a custard based pie without a crust. It sounds so easy and yet channels the decadent flavor of the creme brulee, one of my personal favorites. This recipe would be a challenge to make vegan, but if you manage it I'd love to hear how you did it!
This recipe reminds me of my friend Ali's latest recipe for a refined-sugar-free cranberry pear sauce. I bet even a curmudgeon like me wouldn't mind the pear mixed in with cranberries!
Since we had a recipe that would be difficult to veganize, I thought I'd share a recipe I developed for a gluten-free vegan cheesecake. Actually looking at this recipe inspires me to make a new raw-foods based version. I know Toddler Yum would enjoy something made with her favorite raw-foods cashew-based cheesecake base. But, this recipe is certainly easy and delicious too. You could always make two vegan cheesecakes for Thanksgiving! I'm sure no one would object. What are your favorite gluten-free vegan dessert recipes? Share in the comments!
I hope you are enjoying my Gluten-free Vegetarian Thanksgiving Series. I'd love to hear what your favorite recipes have been so far.
Gluten Free Vegan Double-layer Pumpkin Cheesecake
1 Nana's No Gluten Ginger Cookie OR 3/4 cup gluten-free gingersnap cookie like Trader Joes or Midel(not vegan)
3/8 cup finely ground pecans
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/6 cup olive oil or other oil of your choice
Filling Base:
Part Two Filling:
6 ceramic ramekins
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine crust ingredients in a food processor and blend together. Press into the bottoms of your ramikins, forming a thin crust.
Clean food processor.
Combine all the ingredients of your filling base in a food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired. Remove 1 cup of the combined filling base and reserve. Now add the part two of the filling to the remaining filling base left in your food processor. (Pumpkin puree through the nutmeg and salt.) Process everything together. Taste and add a little more vanilla and/or salt if you think it needs it.
Now, take a clean spatula and carefully smooth the white, reserved filling base as the first cheesecake layer in all of your ramikins. Cover with pumpkin filling as the second cheesecake layer. You can leave a little mound in the center that is higher, but I'm not sure if it is necessary.
Place your ramikins in a baking dish with medium-steep sides. Fill the baking dish with hot water halfway up the sides of your ramikins, making sure not to get any water IN the ramikins.
Bake for 45- 50 minutes, cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for as long as possible- at least three hours. *sigh* Carefully remove from container or serve in ramikin. Enjoy!
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


text:
Jul 02, 2013 | ISBN 9780812981681
May 29, 2012 | 720 Minutes
"I would rather read a constitution written by Kevin Bleyer than by the sharpest minds in the country."—Jon Stewart
"Bleyer takes a red pencil to democracy's most hallowed laundry list. . . . Uproarious and fascinating."—Reader's Digest
"I knew James Madison. James Madison was a friend of mine. Mr. Bleyer, you are no James Madison. But you sure are a heck of a lot more fun."—Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Team of Rivals
"Irresistible . . . an extraordinarily entertaining, enlightening and sometimes even wise combination of eye-opening scholarship about American constitutional history and rambunctious comedy."—The Buffalo News
"The Constitution has served us well for centuries. Thanks to Kevin Bleyer, those days are over."—Stephen Colbert
"Sharp and intensely witty . . . an endlessly enjoyable . . . experience."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Two centuries from now, the finest robot documentarians from around the world will climb over one another to make the definitive film on the genesis of Kevin Bleyer's brilliant constitution. Which makes me glad I'm alive today."—Ken Burns, human director of The Civil War, The Congress, and Prohibition
"As far as I know, Kevin Bleyer is an American citizen. So why shouldn't he rewrite the Constitution? What do we want? A government controlled by elite, well educated wig-wearers who we all have to bow down to just because they are dead? So I say we give Bleyer a shot."—John Hodgman, New York Times bestselling author and expert on all world knowledge
"In Me the People, Kevin Bleyer makes a number of good points. And an even larger number of terrible ones. For the safety of the republic, we should all read this, to know what we're up against if a guy like Bleyer ever finds himself in a position of real influence."—Dave Eggers


text:
Learn about our Life Transformation Program.
Call 561-623-1002.
Nutrition and Wellness Testimonial Hippocrates Health Institute
Disclaimer: Hippocrates Health Institute encourages a healthy lifestyle as a key to a long healthy life. The Life Transformation Program is a life-change program, transforming the mind, body and spirit. Our guests come to Hippocrates Health Institute for different reasons and to achieve individual goals. The testimonials share guest's individual experiences and views. Hippocrates Health Institute and the Life Transformation Program are part of an overall health and wellness approach and we encourage our guests to work with doctors, nutritionists and other experts to create the plan for their unique situation.


text:
Control-freak and parasite or loving father determined to help his son make the most of a rare tennis talent — John Tomic does not so much divide opinion in Australia as split it into 'Bernard against the rest'.
Last Monday, the father and coach of Australia's top male tennis player faced a Madrid court after head-butting his practice partner Thomas Drouet, saying he acted in self-defence. He was later provisionally banned by the ATP from attending their events, pending a final verdict.
By far the most serious of the incidents that have pock-marked his son's career, John's many critics in Australian tennis will be hoping the latest unfortunate episode might elicit a ban that would finally force him to step down as coach.
He is unlikely to walk away quietly, however.
"Family is the best thing for kids, that's my rule," he told Reuters at Wimbledon in 2011 after his then 18-year-old son had reached the quarterfinals. "You'll find many parents who have given their kids to coaches, but where are they now?
"Who else can you trust but your family?"
Having escaped the war that tore apart his homeland, Croatian-born John and his Bosnian wife were working in Germany when Bernard was born 20 years ago in Stuttgart. Three years later, the whole family upped sticks and moved to Australia's Gold Coast, a sun-drenched metropolis of seaside holiday resorts popular with athletes in training.
Bernard's skill with a tennis racket was not a secret for long and at 13 he was signed by renowned sports agency IMG.
The only boy ever to win the under-12, 14 and 16 trophies at the prestigious Orange Bowl tournament in Miami, Tomic became the youngest male to win the Australian Open junior title in 2008 at the age of 15.
In 2011 he made his senior breakthrough, reaching the last eight of the main draw at Wimbledon.
His rise had been accompanied by frequent controversies surrounding his father, however, starting in 2006 when John made a written apology for forcing a car carrying two tennis coaches and a young female player off the road.
As a 16-year-old, Bernard was banned for a month from ITF tournaments after following his father's instructions to walk off court at a development event in protest at inaction against what John alleged was repeated foot-faulting by his opponent.
At the 2010 Australian Open, father and son raged after his second round tie against Marin Cilic was moved to the night session, John threatening that his son would quit Australia and play for Croatia.
That threat was a flashing warning light for Australian tennis lovers, who feared Bernard may end up squandering his undoubted talent, echoing as it did the abandonment of Australia by Jelena Dokic.
Tomic's critics see a possible precedent in the story of Dokic, another child of immigrants from former Yugoslavia who was coached by a controlling parent.
US Open junior champion in 1998, Dokic reached number four in the world and the Wimbledon semifinals in 2002 before her career unravelled as her eccentric father Damir raged against the tennis world.
John's fear is that by handing his son over to another coach, the unpredictable playing style that makes him a threat to the best players in the world will be drilled out of him.
"I know what I am doing and I will continue to improve Bernard as a player," the physically imposing former taxi driver said in that Wimbledon interview two years ago. "We have to do something different than the rest of the world. If we are the same, where will we be?"
Criticism of his coaching reached a frenzy at the end of last year when Bernard, having peaked at number 27, slumped to 49th in the world on the back of a string of first and second round defeats.
To add to his discomfort, he was dubbed "Tomic the Tank Engine" after fading in the latter stages of defeats at the US Open and Shanghai Masters. Bernard's first coach said he could barely watch him play any more and described his relationship with his father as "dysfunctional".
"One of his problems is Bernard knows a lot more about it than his father now," Neil Guiney, who helped nurture Bernard's talent from the age of seven, told the Australian newspaper. "His father is there calling the tune and screaming and yelling and Bernard just shuts his ears.
"So you have got a terrible situation there. He is out of his depth and I think John is out of his depth."
Bernard bounced back with his maiden ATP title at the Sydney International in January, however, and his comments about his father after the victory were instructive.
"He is for me the best coach," he said. "That's why I've always had him by my side and always will continue to have him there to support me."


text:
Early vote for Obama down 22 points from 2008
**Written by Doug Powers
A new Gallup survey found that among people who have cast early ballots, Mitt Romney leads 52-46 in a poll with a margin of error of three points. Politico calls that a draw so far. Okay, whatever. But comparing the early vote advantage this year to a similar point in time in 2008 as a way to measure enthusiasm unearths a finding that will nonetheless be troubling to Team Obama.
President and Michelle Obama have been encouraging voters to cast their ballots early. The good news for the president and first lady is that people appear to be heeding that call. John Nolte at Big Government has the bad news for them:
My pal Guy Benson found a juicy nugget that helps to bring more clarity to the news from Gallup yesterday that shows Romney leading Obama in the early vote by a full seven points, 52-45%. Almost exactly four years ago (October 28, 2008), according to Gallup, Obama was massacring John McCain among early voters with a fifteen-point lead, 55-40%. That means, at least according to Gallup, that Obama's early vote advantage has dropped 22 points when compared to '08.
Benson also notes that the percentage of voters who have or intend to vote early was 33% in 2008 and remains at 33% today. As Don Surber said in this tweet, "People don't wait in line to vote for the status quo[.]"
In his email to me, Benson makes The Point: "Obama had a 55/40 lead on McCain with early voters in '08, but only led by 3 pts with the election day crowd. He ended up winning by 7 overall."
It has more to do with enthusiasm and less to do with fears of overflowing toilets on November 6th.
Meanwhile, a new poll from NPR — yes, NPR — shows Romney taking a slim overall lead and taking more independents aboard:
A new National Public Radio poll, which had President Obama leading Mitt Romney 51 percent to 44 percent four weeks ago, now has Mitt Romney on top, 48 percent to 47 percent, with the Republican benefiting from his debate performances.
The poll found that among likely voters, 34 percent said Romney's debate performances made them more likely to vote for the challenger while 28 percent said they now are more likely to vote for the president. Among critical independent voters, though, Romney won big, with 37 percent saying they are now more likely to chose him compared to 21 percent for Obama.
But Democratic pollster Stanley Greenberg and Republican pollster Whit Ayres found that Obama leads by 4 points in the 12 battleground states that appear ready to pick the winner for the rest of the country next Tuesday. And they suggest that Romney's post-debate surge has "stalled."
The battleground state sample, according to Paul Bedard, was 35 percent Dem and 31 percent Republican as many pollsters to continue to insist on assuming turnout levels will be the same this year as they were in 2008.
**Written by Doug Powers
Twitter @ThePowersThatBe
Big surprise! Guess who made Harry Reid lie about Romney's taxes in 2012
April 1, 2015 10:14 AM by Doug Powers
Barred from entering the US? Try making some generous campaign contributions
December 17, 2014 09:03 AM by Doug Powers
Alison Grimes sets gold standard for dodging question about voting for Obama
October 9, 2014 04:37 PM by Doug Powers
Ohio woman indicted for vote fraud in 2012 and previous elections
March 11, 2013 08:51 PM by Doug Powers
Jimmy Carter: Obama 'ran across the room' to thank my grandson for finding the '47 percent' video
February 22, 2013 10:58 AM by Doug Powers
Categories: 2012 Campaign, Barack Obama, Jimmy Carter, Media


text: Perched on a bluff overlooking Hempstead Harbor, Sea Cliff is Nassau County's second oldest village. Its compact size, picturesque landscape and historic homes contribute to the village's charm and cohesive community spirit, many residents say. "All the shop owners know your kids," said Terry Sciubba, a long- time resident and owner- broker of Sherlock Homes Realty Corp. While many professionals live in Sea Cliff, the village has traditionally attracted creative types - artists, writers and musicians, Sciubba said. "I call it SoHo in Sea Cliff." The community's old-fashioned commercial district on Sea Cliff Avenue, dotted with street lamps, hanging baskets and American flags, features a blend of shops, pubs, eateries and services. Village Hall, Sea Cliff Museum and the adult library (the children's library is across the street) are housed here in a former Methodist church. About 60 percent of the houses - many of them Victorians, including Queen Annes - were built before 1938 on tight lots along narrow, winding roads. There's also a smattering of Colonials, ranches, split-levels and capes.


text:
Episode 3
Season 4 Episode 3 | 53m 6s
Will is the only one able to reach a farming family's child, who is accused of murder.
Aired: 07/28/19
Expires: 08/10/29Video has closed captioning.
Buy Now:
Problems Playing Video?
Cast Confessions
The cast take turns answering burning questions and confessing behind the scenes secrets.
6 Things We'll Miss About Sidney Chambers
Six things we'll miss about Grantchester's original crime-solving vicar, Sidney Chambers.
Grantchester, Season 4: Everything You Need to Know
Where we left off, where we pick up, and big changes at the vicarage!
Get To Know Grantchester's Tom Brittney
Learn all about the newest star of Grantchester: Tom Brittney!


text:
Puerto Plata Information
Start Planning Your Dominican Republic Vacation
Puerto Plata Overview
In Puerto Plata, you can enjoy unspoiled beaches, adventures in nature, and cultural tourism while exploring several beach towns. Known as the "Amber Coast," for its golden deposits, Puerto Plata also boasts miles of golden beaches for those looking to relax in the sun or splash in the waves. Eco-adventurers can explore nature through zip line tours, watersports and the famous Ocean World Adventure Park. But there are also options for those wanting a more cultural experience as well. Botanical gardens, museums and old Victorian houses make Puerto Plata a unique destination experience. It's the perfect place for those wanting adventure and culture all in one.
Other Destinations in Dominican-Republic
Mapping Out the Dominican Republic
La Romana is home to resort delights, like Casa de Campo's world-renowned Teeth of the Dog golf course. In Puerto Plata, surf's up where you can find all types of water sports on its Amber Coast. People flock to Punta Cana's luxurious resorts on pristine beaches for snorkeling and fun in the clear-aqua water. But visit Samaná to see majestic humpback whales up close, migrating through the bay. Finally, UNESCO World Heritage site in Santo Domingo is the oldest city in the Americas and is the cultural and political capital of the Dominican Republic. Whatever you want to do, the Dominican Republic's got you covered.
Best Places for Surfing, Kite Surfing, & Windsurfing
You've got plenty of options for cruising along the waves in Puerto Plata. Out on the water, you'll see people on surf boards, kite surf boards and windsurf boards. So pick which board is best for you and head out to sea.
Playa Encuentro is where you should go if you're an advanced surfer, but the water in the whole Cabarete area is good for surfers of all levels.
Puerto Plata has hosted the Professional Windsurfing Association World Cup several times and now runs the Cabarete Race Week every year for those who want to compete in windsurfing. If kites are more your style, there are lots of kite surfing clubs in Puerto Plata for you to learn how to set sail.
Cabarete: Day and Night
Action-packed water sport adventures by day, dancing and drinking at night. If you've got an adventurer's spirit and rhythm in your feet, you have to visit Cabarete. The small beach town overflows with both culture and excitement and is a fit for those who want to experience everything.
You have to love the beach to spend a day in Cabarete, because that's where it all happens. Everyone attaches to their board of choice—a surfboard, skateboard, kiteboard—and starts going. At night, the beach transforms into party central, where music, drinks and food lead to dancing, fun and laughter.
Ocean World Adventure Park, Marina & Casino
What's better than a water park? A water park with a marina and casino. It's perfect for families of all age groups, so pack up the whole family and head to the Ocean World Adventure Park, Marina and Casino.
With so much to see, it offers a day of fun-filled events. Families can enjoy the restaurants and sights together. The sea lion and shark attractions are great learning opportunities and the whole group can swim with the dolphins for the experience of a lifetime. After the kids go to sleep, adults can hop the bars and win big in the casino.
Amber Museum
Take a walk through the center of town where you'll see beautiful examples of authentic Victorian houses and buildings. One of them is home to the famous Amber Museum.
On any day of the week except Sunday, you can take a guided tour of museum housing a special collection of precious Dominican amber. After learning about the gorgeous and ancient gem, make sure to browse the museum's gift shop. You'll want to pick out your favorite piece of jewelry to remember your trip to the amber coast.
The Best of the Beaches
Puerto Plata is popular because there are fun beach activities from nearly any section of its amber coast. Plenty of beachfront hotels settle along the soft sand in Puerto Plata.
Playa Dorada and Costa Dorada's natural beauty make them favorites among tourists and hoteliers. The Be Live Grand Marien, for example, prides itself on its beachfront location on Costa Dorada. Cofresi Beach is also popular with hotels like Presidential Suites Cofresi by Lifestyle and Cofresi Palm Beach Resort calling it home.
If you're an experienced swimmer and enjoy waves, you'll have fun on Playa Grande's beautiful water. And for the most relaxing beach experience, head to the Maimon beach area and enjoy the peace and quiet.
Puerto Plata Quick Facts
Peso (RD$)
Same voltage as North America, but the sockets are two pronged.
All U.S. citizens must have a valid passport when traveling to and from the Dominican Republic.
Drinking Water
Drink only bottled water. Avoid tap water and drinking beverages with ice cubes.
Time Zone
Eastern Standard Time (UTC/GMT -4 hours)
Peak Season
Dec to Feb, July to Aug and Semana Santa (the week before Easter)
|6.7 in.
|5.9 in.
|5 in.
|6.8 in.
|5.8 in.
|3.3 in.
|2.9 in.
|3 in.
|3.5 in.
|5.6 in.
|8.9 in.
|0 in.
*Historical averages.


text:
Center-tp-More Themes
Theme Parties
Party Center has themes for almost every occasion. Whether you want to throw a Hollywood inspired glamorous party full of gold and black decorations, or a Wild Western style hoedown that feels like a rodeo. The popular Casino nights party with classic red and black card suits covering your decor and tableware are always big money. Plus, Party Center has new and trendy themes too like a Day in Paris full of chic pink and black designs featuring the Eiffel Tower…Ooh la la!


text:
This is my first tutorial! I hope you all enjoy it. I watched the movie for the first time the other day and I just fell in love with Toothless. So I decided to draw the scene where he tries to smile. So, here you go! Enjoy!
DragoArt members upload artwork and drawing tutorials! They are also allowed to leave comments on tutorials, profiles, etc. Many more features, as well; it's way better than just being a boring guest! Register Now!


text:
I've been going to Port St. Lucie for Spring Training since I was ten years old, and every year I say the same thing: there's no experience like Spring Training, and watching baseball in February and March. I recommend a trip for anyone with the opportunity - each year seems better than the last, and the facility in Port St. Lucie is among the best in Florida for fans. It's a chance to interact one-on-one with any player or coach, see the team's prospects, get autographs and personal pictures, and more. Major League workouts begin daily between at around 8:30 – 9:00 am and typically run until around 12:00 pm. They are free of charge to attend and run through the duration of Spring Training.
Last March, my wife and I had a baby girl (Victoria Shea Baron), and for good reason, my time at camp was limited. This year, I plan on arriving to camp in early February for early voluntary workouts, and then again once pitchers and catchers report. My dad plans to be with me at some point in late February, and I am looking forward to sharing the experience with him again; we missed it last year due to the baby being born. I expect to be shooting photographs, live blogging events at camp, and helping to bring the entire experience to all of you. I find genuine enjoyment in the whole experience, as it marks the first official day of the baseball season; it's the end of the talking and the start of the doing; and the beginning of a journey with the team I truly love to follow.


text:
- Gender: Children's
- Material: Synthetic Fabric
- Colour:
- White
- Grey
- Sole: Rubber
- Size: US
Note: Most Of Our HP Laptops and PCs are HP Renews.
HP Certified Renew Product = HP Certified Quality
HP Renew products are guaranteed to be exactly the same as a brand new product. All HP Renew products undergo a complete HP remanufacturing and testing process, fully restoring them to meet HP certified standards. HP sets strict quality standards for its entire technology portfolio, and ensures that remanufactured products offer the same performance and reliability as new products.
These items are delivered in sealed HP packaging with all original protective film and accessories included.
Full HP Warranty
HP Renew products are covered by the exact same warranty that is offered with new retail HP products. These products are only given the full original warranty after passing HP's stringent quality tests, guaranteeing HP quality and reliability. Additional service and support options are also available to complement the original HP product warranty.
Great Value for Money
HP Renew products offer the same reliability and performance as new HP products, but for at least 10% less than the cost of the equivalent new product. If you have a limited IT budget, HP Renew is the perfect alternative – high quality solutions at a lower cost.
HP Renew Grading
Grade Gold
Look as new, no difference. Comes with full HP Warranty, unlike curries, pc world, carphone warehouse etc which use cheap 3rd party Warranty. All Grade Gold HP Renews comes in original retail boxes.
Grade Silver
Look as new no difference. Comes with full HP Warranty, unlike curries, pc world, carphone warehouse etc which use cheap 3rd party Warranty. They come come in brown boxes.
Grade Bronze
Look as new no difference but with slight cosmetic marks, comes with full HP Warranty, unlike curries, pc world, carphone warehouse etc which use cheap 3rd party Warranty. They come in brown boxes.
We guarantee it.
We are making everything possible to provide you the best products on the lowest prices possible. Due to the higher number of products in our store we think that is possible some of the prices on our products to not be accurate.
If you find one of our products with lower price than ours, please use this form. We will compare the prices and will offer you the product on the same price!
Here's how it works:
1. Found a cheaper price?
2. Ask us for a price match - Just fill out the form and we'll check the details.
3. If you are correct, we will offer you the product for the same price and you can enjoy your stay knowing you got the lowest price.
* Required fields


text:
This leaderboard is a ranking of the total cache points forall of a cacher's finds for the year 2012 in Utah.Only cache finds made in 2012 are included.
Only finds known by January 15, 2013 were used.The scores and rankings were frozen January 15, 2013, so any findsadded to LonelyCache after then have no effect on this board.
More Annual Leaderboards


text:
20th Mar 2009
- Announcement:
- REPORTING POSTS - You can help.
- Views:
- 390,029
Forum: RESTORATION
Got an antique you need to restore. Don't strip it and coat it with polyurethane and ruin it's value. Check in here for traditional finishes and genuine restoration help. Find out the ins and outs and how to keep or enhance it's value. Not just for furniture.


text:
Di Maria, who is set to join PSG within 48 hours in a ??46.5m deal according to reports in several of Sunday's newspapers, was due to meet up with his United team-mates in San Jose.
But the British record signing ??? he cost United ??59.7m when he joined them from Real Madrid last year – did not catch his plane to California.
"No," said United manager Louis van Gaal when asked if the 27-year-old Argentina winger had flown to San Jose.
"I have heard he is not on the plane. I cannot say anything. He was not on the plane."
Di Maria???s fellow Argentine Marcos Rojo, who had been also been given extended leave following the Copa America, was another United player who did not make it to the US for Saturday's 3-1 win over Barcelona in Santa Clara.
The only person who reported for duty who was supposed to was striker Javier Hernandez, who was playing for Mexico in the Gold Cup.
"Marcos Rojo was also not on the plane. He had passport issues," Van Gaal added.
"That I do know. But for Di Maria I do not know why. Javier Hernandez is here."


text:
Resembles Illinois State License Plate. We make it custom with any name you want. You specify the name on the plate and your custom plate is made to order. Any Name. No Problem. Never search the rack again for a name they didn't make.
These license plates make a great gift. There are many uses. Some custom plates you find online are made from decals that can crack and peel or be torn off. We do not use decals. We use a special printing process to print a flat design directly to the surface of the plate. The image becomes a �permanent part of the plate itself and will not crack or peel off.
Please Note: These plates are novelty vanity plates. These plates are not officially issued registration plates issued by your State government and are not intended to replace the official registrations plates on your motor vehicle.
There are no reviews yet. create your own review


text:
Discuss any findings/fixes with the PlayBook OS 18.104.22.1680 Beta
What's New
- Improved HTML5 support (Browser HTML 5 Score 391+10 Bonus Points)
- Each Android app will now run in its own window. This greatly improves the user experience and consistency among the other application runtimes.
- Access to the Camera hardware is now supported for Android apps, allowing many more application types to work on the BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet.
- In-App Payment is now supported through the BlackBerry Payment SDK, so Android applications can include virtual items for sale in their applications.
- Portrait support for Email, Calendar and Contacts
- Improved folder support including IMAP folder support
Registration/sign up page here to get enrolled in order to download.
Be sure to let us know of any findings/fixes in the comments below!


text:
Small Businesses, New York's Foundation
During the past 12 months alone, we've distributed some $3 million in grants, coupled with funds from more than 30 employers, for training nearly 2,000 workers.
[Op-Ed: New York City]
These days, there's a lot of talk about saving businesses that are "too big to fail."
But at City Hall, we think that our small businesses, which employ half of all New Yorkers who work in the private sector, are too important to be allowed to fail. We can't end the current recession on our own. But there's plenty we're doing to help small businesses and their employees weather the current economic storms.
Case in point: Workforce training. My own experience as a business owner taught me that workers who have the skills a changing economy demands give their employers a big competitive edge – and they also put themselves in the position to command higher wages. It's a win-win combination that we're now helping bring to small businesses in all five boroughs with our NYC Business Solutions Training grants. The funds go straight to the employers, who also put up money of their own. That way, the on-the-job training focuses on the skills that businesses really need.
A few days ago, for example, I visited Rucci Oil, a family-owned company that's been providing heating fuel and equipment for many years to homes and businesses on Staten Island. These days, they're also seeing a growing demand for supplying and servicing air conditioning and – because of the rollercoaster price of heating oil – natural gas heating equipment. So now, using a training grant, ten of its employees, who might otherwise have been laid off or employed only seasonally, are learning how to do that kind of work, too. The total cost of the training will come to less than $35,000 – an investment that will pay big returns, in more business and wages that are expected to climb by 20 percent for the workers involved.
The Department of Small Business Services, working with our Center for Economic Opportunity, has stepped up this training initiative as the economic slump has worsened. During the past 12 months alone, we've distributed some $3 million in grants, coupled with funds from more than 30 employers, for training nearly 2,000 workers.
And using half a million additional emergency dollars from the State, we'll be able to expand these efforts even further in the coming months. It's just one of many strong steps we're taking to support small businesses and quicken our economic recovery. If you're a small business owner who wants to find out more about this initiative, visit the City's web site at nyc.gov or call 311 and ask about Training Funds.
I also want to highlight some good news about the young people who'll join our workforce over the next few years. Today, record numbers of public school graduates are entering the City University system's four-year colleges, even as admission qualifications have gotten tougher. Because we've also raised standards, and worked to close the racial achievement gap in City primary and secondary schools, more and more high school graduates – led by increasing numbers of Hispanic students – are now college-ready.
And our investments in education, like our job retraining efforts, will pay off big-time for everyone.
Bloomberg is mayor of New York City
Latest comments
- Ann GarrisonFebruary 22,2018 @ 08:03 PM
I think you have "Filtered HTML" turned on here. If you switch to "Full HTML," it will probably...
googletag.pubads().definePassback('6785150/BENN/BlackStarNews', [[300,250]]).setTargeting('fold',['BTF']).display();


text:
Rainbow Art Print
by Rick Huotari
Rainbow by Rick Huotari - 10.000" x 7.500"
Archival Matte Paper
Rolled in a Tube
Assembly Charge
Rainbow art print by Rick Huotari. Our art prints are produced on acid-free papers using archival inks to guarantee that they last a lifetime without fading or loss of color. All art prints include a 1" white border around the image to allow for future framing and matting, if desired.
Ships Within
2 - 3 business days
Similar Designs
Additional Products
Art Print Tags
Painting Tags
Comments (7)
awesome work Rick! and beautiful colors
Hi Rick! thanks for your comment! Love you art -this is great, love the action and realism!!
Love all your work
thank you rick! beautiful detail here
Nice painting. You shoudl read "Rosshalde" by Hermann Hesse
Nice fishy, fishy.. All kidding aside.. very well done!!
About Art Prints
All prints ship in durable cardboard tubes.
Fine Art America is one of the largest, most-respected giclee printing companies in the world with over 40 years of experience producing museum-quality prints. All of our art prints are produced on state-of-the-art, professional-grade Epson printers.
We use acid-free papers and canvases with archival inks to guarantee that your art prints last a lifetime without fading or loss of color. Paper prints include a 1" white border around the image to allow for future framing and matting. Canvas prints include a 2.5" white border to allow for future stretching on stretcher bars.
Art prints ship within 3 - 4 business days in durable cardboard tubes.
Art Print Reviews (8453)
Average Rating (4.88 Stars):
Carol Rife
February 20th, 2020
Chun-Chieh Wang
February 19th, 2020
Roselynne Broussard
February 19th, 2020
Dawn Chadwick
February 19th, 2020
About Rick Huotari
Professional Artist/Illustrator/Designer His artistic ability was noticed at an early age from his teachers. Rick was predicted to be a professional artist by age 7. Growing up in central Wisconsin, he took part in outdoor activities regularly. His style is realism with a slightly surreal color palette. Each piece favors rocks and water as part of the design due to the appreciation of design and texture and depth. Rick draws inspiration for his style from childhood memories of being in the outdoors and individual studies with Morten Solberg, Mike Capser and Lee Mothes. He works mainly in acrylics and watercolor/goache. He has been juried on the Portal Wisconsin website, numerous northern art shows and individual shows at galleries....
Shop with Confidence
Our return policy is very simple:
If you're not happy with a purchase that you made on FineArtAmerica.com, for any reason, you can return it to us within 30 days of the order date. As soon as it arrives, we'll issue a full refund for the entire purchase price. Please note - Fine Art America does not reimburse the outgoing or return shipping charges unless the return is due to a defect in quality.
Fine Art America sells thousands of pieces of artwork each month - all with a 100% money-back guarantee. We take great pride in the fact that hundreds of thousands of artists have chosen Fine Art America to fulfill their orders, and we look forward to helping you select your next piece!
All art prints ship from our production facility within 2 - 3 business days of your order.


text:
Baked Veggie Chips
Total TimePrep/Total Time: 30 min.
Makes7 servings
- 1/2 pound fresh beets (about 2 medium)
- 1 medium potato
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 1 medium parsnip
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Dash pepper
- Peel vegetables and cut into 1/8-inch slices. Place in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil. Combine the remaining ingredients; sprinkle over vegetables and toss to coat.
- Arrange in a single layer on racks in two ungreased 15x10x1-in. baking pans. Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown, turning once.
Nutrition Facts1/2 cup: 108 calories, 5g fat (1g saturated fat), 1mg cholesterol, 220mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 2g fiber), 2g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fat.
Recommended Video
Feb 4, 2012
I haven't tried this exact recipe, but I've made "potato chips" out of regular potatoes & also sweet potatoes a lot. The recipe called for similar steps, except I just lay the thin slices on a greased baking sheet and spray or baste quickly with olive oil. Then I sprinkle lightly with garlic salt. That's it! The baking temperature I use is much higher...up around 475. All the "chips" aren't done at the same time. After about 10 minutes of the 1st phase of baking a handful come off the sheet about every 3 minutes or so until they are all done. I keep reloading the empty spots on the pan with fresh slices and keep 'em comin'! It is a bit time-consuming, but they are soooo good. Everyone in my family loves them. Every kid's friend or my friend that comes over loves them too. They are delicious, different than the usual snack, and very nutritious. I can't wait to try this new variety. I think the soggy problem comes from a lower oven temp? You need to zap them :) enjoiy!
Jan 26, 2012
Awful, terrible, horrible. Soggy and tough - no one liked them! What a terrible thing to do to wonderful root vegetables. I have so many WONDERFUL recipes for these veggies, that I wouldn't bother with this again!
Oct 20, 2011
These did not come out at all. Cooked to the time in the recipe, they were soggy and the parsnips were already starting to burn. I left them in longer, watching carefully and still most of them burned. Or got very dark on the outer edges and were still soggy in the middle. Perhaps a lower temperature for a longer time would ensure more even browning? In any case, I would call this a fail.
Apr 3, 2011
These did not come out for me. I tried cooking them longer but they stayed soggy. Maybe I did something wrong.
Oct 10, 2010
I never ate sweet potatoes or beets, but these remind me of those served at some restaurants! So fabulous! I had to bake them a little longer, and I used the convection setting.


text:
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Dec. 14, 2012) - Working Opportunity Fund (EVCC) Ltd. (the "Fund") provided updates on previously announced developments concerning two of the Fund's portfolio companies and the extension of the closing of Venture Series sales and redemptions until April 30, 2013. These portfolio developments consist of the conclusion of litigation affecting a significant portfolio holding and advanced negotiations towards a potential sale of one of the Fund's largest portfolio positions at a significant increase to the Fund's carrying value.
The legal dispute involving one of the Fund's portfolio companies was settled out of court in the portfolio company's favour, resulting in an increase in the value of the shares held by the Fund in the portfolio company. The Fund has sold some of its position in the portfolio company.
Negotiations on the potential sale of a portfolio company representing one of the Fund's largest portfolio holdings are proceeding favourably, however it is unlikely that the transaction will complete during 2012 (the "Portfolio Development"). The Fund continues to believe that a successful transaction could result in an increase of approximately 20% in the Fund's Venture Series share values. Given the potential impact of the Portfolio Development on the Fund's liquidity and net asset value and the uncertainty regarding whether and when the transaction will complete, the Board of Directors of the Fund has determined that it is in the best interests of the Fund's shareholders to extend the closure of sales and redemptions of Venture Series shares to allow events surrounding this potential sale transaction to unfold. It is expected that redemptions will be closed until April 30, 2013, as permitted under the Fund's Articles, although the Board may elect to extend the closure or resume sales and redemptions at an earlier date if the potential sale transaction is concluded prior to April 30, 2013.
The Fund continues to experience significant liquidity pressure due to constrained exit markets in 2011 and 2012, a challenging capital raising climate and ongoing share redemptions. Closing Venture Series sales and redemptions in November was based on a decision to continue to hold the liquid portfolio holding pending conclusion of the Portfolio Developments, as the Fund worked to maximize the value of its holdings and ease liquidity pressures. These same factors continue to inform the Board's decision on the extension of the closure of the Venture Series sales and redemptions to April 30, 2013.
With the extension of the closure of Venture Series share sales, shareholders with switch rights still may not switch one series of Venture Series shares for another. The extension of the closure affects only new purchases, switches and redemptions of the Fund's Venture Series shares and does not affect the Fund's Commercialization Shares, sales of which are scheduled to resume in January 2013, offering eligible investors in British Columbia tax credits and a dividend policy that calls for the payment of $2.50 per share of dividends over three years.
The Board of Directors of the Fund believes the extension of the closure of sales and redemptions of Venture Series shares is in the best interests of all shareholders given the range of possible outcomes that may flow from the remaining Portfolio Development and related impact on the Fund's liquidity and net asset value. Nick Worhaug, a Director of the Fund, commented, "We believe that it is prudent to extend the closure of sales and redemptions of Venture Series shares at this time to allow the potential sale transaction to advance to a conclusion. The Fund is continuing to work hard to maximize the value of its portfolio companies for its shareholders."
The Fund will make further announcements as material events surrounding the Portfolio Development unfold. There can be no assurance that the Portfolio Development will result in enhanced liquidity or will ultimately result in positive outcomes for the Fund. There can also be no assurance that the Fund will resume weekly Venture Series share sales or redemptions. These outcomes are subject to risks and uncertainties. See "Forward Looking Statements" below.
About GrowthWorks* (www.growthworks.ca): GrowthWorks™ managed funds provide investment capital for Canadian companies and tax-advantaged investment opportunities for Canadian investors through the Working Opportunity Fund (EVCC) Ltd., GrowthWorks Atlantic Venture Fund Ltd., GrowthWorks Commercialization Fund Ltd. and GrowthWorks Canadian Fund Ltd. GrowthWorks identifies, analyzes and structures investments in companies with high growth potential. Particular emphasis is placed on IT, Life Sciences and Cleantech sectors. Building on more than 19 years of investment expertise, GrowthWorks is a leader in Canadian venture capital management. GrowthWorks is a registered trademark of GrowthWorks Capital Ltd.
Forward Looking Statements: This press release contains forward looking statements about future possible transactions in the Fund's portfolio, the possible resumption of the Venture Series share redemptions and sales and the impact of the Portfolio Development on Fund's net asset value and cash position. These statements are based on beliefs and assumptions of management of the Fund at the time the statements are made, including beliefs and assumptions about the portfolio company affected by the Portfolio Development, future market conditions and future levels of divestment activity and Venture Series redemption requests. These beliefs and assumptions are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including risks and uncertainties associated with volatility of market conditions and, in turn, the climate for divestment activity, outcomes of negotiations surrounding the sale of portfolio companies, other factors affecting the performance of portfolio companies, valuations of portfolio companies, financing needs of portfolio companies and the availability of capital to satisfy such financing needs and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Fund's most recently filed prospectus and other regulatory filings posted on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. These risks and uncertainties may cause actual results, events or developments to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Unless required by law, neither the Fund nor its manager assumes any obligation to update any forward-looking statements or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or other factors.
* GrowthWorks refers to GrowthWorks Ltd. and: GrowthWorks Capital Ltd., manager of the Working Opportunity Fund (EVCC) Ltd.; GrowthWorks WV Management Ltd., manager of GrowthWorks Canadian Fund Ltd. and GrowthWorks Commercialization Fund Ltd.; and GrowthWorks Atlantic Ltd., manager of GrowthWorks Atlantic Venture Fund Ltd.
Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investment fund purchases. Please read the Fund's prospectus before investing. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Dividends on Commercialization Series shares are not guaranteed.
Contact Information:


text:
Let's face it: Women who test positive for either of the genetic mutations for breast cancer have an unenviable disadvantage. According to the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer risk among the general population is about 12 percent, while about 60 percent of women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 will develop breast cancer — that's five times the risk. Also, the average age for the general population to develop breast cancer is 60, yet the average age of onset in those with a genetic predisposition to breast cancer is in the 40s. If you are in one of these groups, you need to know it.
Genetic testing is the only way to determine if you are in either of these high-risk groups. I am a huge advocate for testing since it saved Sister's life; she had an early hysterectomy that discovered she was precancerous for ovarian cancer. It should also be noted that BRCA carriers also have a high risk for ovarian cancer.
My problem lies in how this test is guarded by the company that developed it and limited as to who can get it by insurance companies. Initially the charges were prohibitive — more than $3,000 per test — which led insurance companies to enforce rigid guidelines before they would pay for testing. To be honest, with this year's ruling that struck down the patent for the genes, I don't know if the cost has yet come down, or if it has changed how this test is administered or who could get it. My point, however, is that if there is such a huge risk of developing breast cancer for carriers of either BRCA1 or BRCA2, they need to know it. With the incidence of survival based on early detection, we need to take advantage of tools like genetic testing to put women in the driver's seat about their health and to give them weapons against this life-threatening disease.
Right now testing is limited to a person who has developed breast cancer at a young age and who has one other close relative (such as sister or a mother) who also developed the disease, or to someone who has two close relatives who develop the disease. There are other factors that apply. I am not sure if a close relative can now include an aunt or a grandmother, but when I was tested in 2006, it didn't. Now, think about this: It was a coincidence that my mother had breast cancer, because my father was the carrier. Even with an early-age onset for diagnosis, I would not have been eligible to have my insurance cover the test and thus wouldn't have known I was a carrier, which would not have prompted Sister to get tested. This would have meant Sister could have been battling ovarian cancer in the next couple of years.
Get it? Genetic testing does save lives — but it can't if we don't have access. For women with a 60 percent risk of developing breast cancer, it is all about access to this test. Think about that during your next discussion on health care in this country.


text:
This week marks World Trade Week within the U.S. government. Even though every week is world trade week at the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), this formal recognition gives the agency the opportunity to emphasize the importance of international trade and how FAS programs directly impact the ability for American farmers and producers to find markets for their products overseas.
One of the ways FAS works to promote U.S. agricultural products overseas is through its market development programs. U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) has participated in several of these programs, including the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development program.
Last month, U.S. Wheat Associates used FAS's Market Access Program (MAP) to sponsor a trade visit to the United States for flour milling executives from Nigeria to tell the story of how a partnership between the U.S. government and wheat producers has helped them build the second largest industry in the West African nation. Nigeria buys more U.S. hard red winter wheat every year than any other country and will likely be the largest U.S. wheat buyer in the world in 2009/10 (June-May). As much as 90 percent of the wheat milled in Nigeria is imported from the United States, including hard red spring, hard white, durum, and soft red winter wheat.
"U.S. wheat has also become a basic ingredient for greater economic opportunity in Nigeria," said USW President Alan Tracy. "Doing business in Nigeria can be difficult, but their milling industry supports thousands of jobs and is still expanding its capacity. We have supported that growth by helping these millers introduce new products like pasta, instant noodles, and cookies into this growing market."
These market development programs helped provide in-country USW representation, support trade and technical service activities, and allow USW to bring trade teams to the United States to educate buyers, technicians, and government officials about how to get the most value possible from U.S. wheat.
"Whatever we have achieved, the foundation has been laid by U.S. Wheat Associates," said Mr. Tunde Odunayo, Chairman of Honeywell Flour Mills, Lagos, Nigeria. "We know that USW is funded by farmers and USDA. It is money well-spent."
Another example of market development program success can be found in U.S. Wheat Associates' efforts in Indonesia where the organization's sustained trade and technical service in the emerging Indonesian market has helped increase U.S. wheat sales and share in a market dominated by nearby Australia. Between 2001/2002 and 2006/2007, total U.S. wheat sales to Indonesia were about 1.74 million metric tons (MMT) and the annual market share never exceeded 10 percent. As USW learned that new mills were planned, its representatives encouraged the owners and trained technical managers to produce new flour products made with U.S. wheat to compete in a growing high-quality baked goods market segment.
As a result, the U.S. wheat share increased to more than 15 percent as millers became more satisfied with the results. Since 2007/08, total U.S. wheat sales have exceeded 3 MMT. The incremental sales are worth $252 million to producers from the Pacific Northwest to the Great Plains and the Southeast. At the same time, the effort is helping the Indonesian milling industry build its competitive capacity. This is just another example of how market development programs help cooperators achieve export success.
Wheat producer Jeff Sulak (left) discusses a new hard red winter wheat variety with members of a Nigerian trade team sponsored by FAS cooperator U.S. Wheat Associates during a late-April visit to his farm near Covington, Texas. Left to right, Tunde Odunayo, Vice-Chairman / CEO of Honeywell Flour Mills in Lagos, Nigeria, Rajesh Gaggar is Procurement Manager for noodle manufacturer Dufil Group, and Kikelomo Ayoola is Manager of Commodity Finance for Ecobank PLC. (Courtesy of U.S. Wheat Associates)
Write a Response
Hi. Very informative post!


text:
Listen to the show online at: http://www.opb.org/thinkoutloud/shows/restructuring-higher-education/
Oregon's public universities want to change their relationship with the state and they're hoping the legislature can make it happen in the 2011 session. Presidents of the seven public universities and the state board of education agreed earlier this year that an overhaul should give the schools the power to make key decisions like setting tuition, negotiating benefits for faculty members and allocating funds for capital expenditures. Portland State University president Wim Wiewel has written in favor of these changes, arguing that if the state relinquishes control over the Oregon University System, the schools will be more financially sound.
Chair of the Oregon Senate education committee Mark Haas announced with his appointment that he's prioritizing higher ed reform for this legislative session. He co-chaired a task force that came up with a series of ideas to offer public universities "more authority and independence to manage affairs, operations and obligations," according to one bill summary.
But not everyone agrees on what an overhaul of Oregon's university system should look like. Some students have expressed concern that making the schools into public corporations could cause tuition to go up. Oregonian education columnist David Sarasohn says restructuring simply isn't enough to solve the schools' financial troubles. And University of Oregon president Richard Lariviere has a bit of a different idea for funding the U of O into the future. His plan, which one editorial board called "bold," basically asks the state to make initial contributions to an endowment for the university, which would be matched by private money and gradually depend less and less on state dollars.


text:
Style, stances of Ohio's GOP governor evolving
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Ohio Gov. John Kasich seemed at first to relish the idea he'd be a one-term governor, having presumably alienated partisans, lobbyists, unions and voters as he made what he deemed painful but necessary changes to government operations.
More recently, the 61-year-old Republican appears to have changed his tune. Kasich has taken on a more conciliatory, moderate approach that observers say could be intended to position him for re-election in his perennially purple state or for a repeat run for president. Critics charge that Kasich's new rhetoric doesn't always match reality.
The governor acknowledges he has had to learn to think before he speaks, but he insists he bases his political decisions on sound policy, not on party platforms or polls. Kasich carefully skirts questions about whether a run for higher office is in his future.
There's little argument Kasich barreled through his first year in office in 2011 with bravado. He scrapped old programs for new, privatized agencies, forced out his predecessor's political appointees and famously warned Statehouse lobbyists that those who didn't board the Kasich bus would wind up under it.
In November that year, the energetic Kasich -- once elected Ohio's youngest state senator -- was forced to take a self-described "deep breath" after losing a bitter and expensive battle with labor unions that turned back newly enacted restrictions on unions representing police, firefighters, teachers and other public workers.
With a stormy W.A. Coulter painting, Battleship Ohio, aptly positioned on the wall behind him, Ohio's 69th governor entered a Statehouse news conference and conceded it was time for a political course correction.
"My view is when the people speak in a campaign like this, a referendum, you have to listen when you're a public servant. There isn't any question about that," Kasich said. "I've heard their voices. I understand their decision."
More than a third of registered Ohio voters in Quinnipiac University's ensuing December 2012 poll expressed an unfavorable view of the governor. His favorability was at a personal 40 percent low mark.
It's a matter of opinion whether Kasich was personally embarrassed, politically shell-shocked or both by the repeal of Senate Bill 5 at the ballot box, but it changed his approach to the job.
"When you look from that point on, it was a different tone. I really think he took it to heart," said central Ohio Republican strategist Robert Clegg.
"Senate Bill 5 was a real wake-up call for the governor," said John Green, director of the University of Akron's Bliss Institute of Applied Politics. "It's clear he and his staff concluded from the experience that they needed to do as much as they could to control the agenda, and it needed to be more diverse and more moderate."
Green refers to a series of positions Kasich has taken on social welfare programs, taxes and spending that have angered tea party activists and rankled even some of his Republican allies inside Ohio's GOP-dominated state government.
Kasich stirred up opponents of tax increases by pushing hikes on oil and gas drillers whose companies are fueling an economic boom in eastern Ohio's shale country. He has riled Republicans opposed to President Barack Obama's federal health care overhaul by first advocating a Medicaid expansion allowed under the law, then forcing the program change through a legislative panel against GOP lawmakers' wishes.
Ohio Democratic Party chairman Chris Redfern said he doesn't believe Kasich has moderated any of political positions, stances his political foes cast as radically conservative. Redfern pointed to the governor's support for a host of recently passed abortion restrictions and cuts to the state's local-government fund as examples.
"Just because those closest to John Kasich have put a rhetorical muzzle on the governor doesn't mean these bad ideas have gone away," Redfern said. "He's someone who's driven by focus groups and polling. Every decision he's made is driven by politics."
Curt Steiner, a veteran Republican operative and observer in Ohio, says the notion that Kasich has shifted to the center is misplaced -- he's "always been a centrist."
"It's just that, in the first budget cycle, so much attention was taken away from the budget by Senate Bill 5 that not a lot of people had a chance to take in that, on the human services side, from pillar to post he was doing what under the circumstances was a very good job," Steiner said. "You've got to remember when he first took office he had to solve some problems immediately, especially budget problems, and some of that medicine was going to be less than tasty for some."
Kasich labeled himself a conservative at an Ohio political forum organized by The Associated Press last month. He said he hasn't abandoned the conservative agenda -- as governor of a populous and influential state, he's helping set it.
"I have a right to shape what conservative philosophy means," he said when asked whether his positions were harming his support among Republican conservatives and GOP-leaning tea party activists.
Kasich pointed to his support of government social programs as perhaps unpopular among conservatives, but in line with his Christian faith.
"Why would I not talk about the fact that I'm concerned about the drug-addicted, the mentally ill or the poor? Why wouldn't I do that? Because somebody's not going to be happy about it?" Kasich asked. "I know who is happy about it, and that's who I report to."
Athens County Job & Family Services Director Jack Frech, whose agency serves one of Ohio's poorest counties, said Kasich has done more damage than good for the poor.
"The truth is we've thrown 100,000 people, including 60,000 children, off cash assistance, and those people have nothing and they are hungry and many of them are homeless," Frech said. "That's the reality of his policies. I think it's great that the governor's talking about poor people, but his compassion that he expresses does not reflect the reality of his policies."


text:
Create an Account - Increase your productivity, customize your experience, and engage in information you care about.
The Garland Housing Agency assists low and moderate income families by placing them in privately owned apartments, houses and other residential dwellings while paying only a proportionate share of their income for rent. The programs administered by the Garland Housing Agency include:
All have the task of providing individuals with opportunities to improve themselves and the lives of their families.


text:
Year of publication
- 1995 (2) (remove)
Document Type
- Preprint (2) (remove)
Faculty / Organisational entity
- Fachbereich Informatik (2) (remove)
We present a method for learning heuristics employed by an automated proverto control its inference machine. The hub of the method is the adaptation of theparameters of a heuristic. Adaptation is accomplished by a genetic algorithm.The necessary guidance during the learning process is provided by a proof prob-lem and a proof of it found in the past. The objective of learning consists infinding a parameter configuration that avoids redundant effort w.r.t. this prob-lem and the particular proof of it. A heuristic learned (adapted) this way canthen be applied profitably when searching for a proof of a similar problem. So,our method can be used to train a proof heuristic for a class of similar problems.A number of experiments (with an automated prover for purely equationallogic) show that adapted heuristics are not only able to speed up enormously thesearch for the proof learned during adaptation. They also reduce redundancies inthe search for proofs of similar theorems. This not only results in finding proofsfaster, but also enables the prover to prove theorems it could not handle before.
Problems stemming from the study of logic calculi in connection with an infer-ence rule called "condensed detachment" are widely acknowledged as prominenttest sets for automated deduction systems and their search guiding heuristics. Itis in the light of these problems that we demonstrate the power of heuristics thatmake use of past proof experience with numerous experiments.We present two such heuristics. The first heuristic attempts to re-enact aproof of a proof problem found in the past in a flexible way in order to find a proofof a similar problem. The second heuristic employs "features" in connection withpast proof experience to prune the search space. Both these heuristics not onlyallow for substantial speed-ups, but also make it possible to prove problems thatwere out of reach when using so-called basic heuristics. Moreover, a combinationof these two heuristics can further increase performance.We compare our results with the results the creators of Otter obtained withthis renowned theorem prover and this way substantiate our achievements.