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Guests: Brian Sullivan, Ed Schultz, Harry Smith, Dana Milbank, Susan Page, Ron Christie, Roger Simon, Mike Tate
CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: Mitt Romney`s tax rates.
Let`s play HARDBALL.
Good evening. I`m Chris Matthews in Washington. Leading off tonight:
The 15 percent solution. How many ways has Mitt Romney messed up talking
about his income in the last several hours? Well, let me count the ways.
Last night, he was unclear about whether he would release his tax records.
Now we know why. Today Mitt Romney acknowledges he pays roughly -- catch
this -- 15 percent in taxes, a far lower rate than people making much less.
Then he said, quote, "And then I get speakers` fees from time to time,
but not very much." Not very much? That "not very much" amounted to
$374,000 a year, about nine-and-a-half times what an average American
Well, no one`s denying Mitt`s right to make money, certainly, but no
one is going to stop the Democrats from making an issue out of it, either.
This has only begun.
Plus, once again, the audience was the big story at last night`s
Republican debate. Big cheers when Rick Perry said South Carolina is at
war with the federal government, boos when Juan Williams, the moderator
asked Newt about possibly making racially insensitive remarks, and then, of
course, huge cheers for Newt when he stuck it to Juan Williams with his
Anyway, does all this matter? Do the rowdy debate audiences tell us
something about where the GOP is these days?
Also, on Wisconsin! Tonight, opponents of Governor Scott Walker have
turned on -- turned in one million petition signatures demanding his
recall. This is about more than whether the anti-union Walker can survive
a recall election. This is about mobilizing the Democratic base in a must-
win state for President Obama.
And new tapes have come to light in which the captain of that grounded
cruise liner off the coast of Italy refused to get back aboard and help
save his passengers. It`s a little off course for us in terms of topic,
but wait`ll you get into this incredible stuff. What a story this is.
You`ll want to hear it tonight on HARDBALL.
And "Let Me Finish" with Newt Gingrich calling President Obama the
"food stamp president." We`ll get to that one.
We start with Mitt Romney`s income tax and the income he makes. Dana
Milbank`s a columnist for "The Washington Post" and Susan Page is
Washington bureau chief for "USA Today."
Well, I guess we`re learning why he`s been so secretive about his
income taxes, Dana.
DANA MILBANK, "WASHINGTON POST": Chris, I`ll bet you $10,000 that
Mitt Romney...
MILBANK: ... has no idea how ridiculous he sounds when he does this
because he`s doing it over and over again. And to Mitt Romney, $374,000
isn`t a lot of money. The problem, he wants to be president of a country
for whom most people...
MATTHEWS: Which -- that`s seven times the average income for a
MILBANK: ... you know -- and you know, I mean, but consider his --
perhaps his...
MATTHEWS: But he`s speaking the way he thinks!
MILBANK: Right, and he`s got to stop doing that at all cost.
MATTHEWS: So you realize every time we do what you`re doing right
now, we say, Learn how to talk American regular people, he gets more and
more withdrawn.
MILBANK: Yes, and this goes back to his Al Gore problem. He`s so
afraid of what might come out of his mouth, he`s thinking it through his
head very carefully before he says anything, which actually makes him make
more mistakes, which is why you got that absurd Clintonian equivocation on
MATTHEWS: Well, we know what he means, right? He has $250 million in
net worth, apparently. He probably makes -- if he makes 1 percent a year
on his income -- I was doing this math the other day -- he makes $2.5
million a year, if only 1 percent return -- so compared to that, the
$300,000-some in speakers` fees is relatively a small part of his income if
he only makes 1 percent on the money. If he makes 10 percent on his money,
he`s making $25 million a year.
SUSAN PAGE, "USA TODAY": Also a pretty good salary. You know, the
MATTHEWS: And he only pays capital gains on it. The average person
has to pay 30-some percent on their taxes if they make a good (INAUDIBLE)
for middle income. This guy only pays 15 percent because he`s basically a
coupon clipper.
PAGE: But the one good thing for him is that he`s doing this in
January. The election...
MATTHEWS: Oh, you -- everybody -- would you -- every journalist --
would you stop doing this! Everybody does this, Oh, it`s only now. Well,
don`t people have memories?
PAGE: Well, people do have memories, but you litigate it now, he
figures out an appropriate response.
PAGE: He releases his tax return. It is less potent when (INAUDIBLE)
MATTHEWS: This is like the baseball team that says, We only have to
win the games in the fall because -- in the spring because we won`t have to
win them in the fall. You do have to win them in the fall.
PAGE: Well, better off if he had better instincts on this. No
question about that. I`m just saying better for him to do this in January
and try to...
PAGE: ... figure out what he`s going to say...
MATTHEWS: Do you buy this argument? By the way, Susan, I`m...
MATTHEWS: Everybody`s doing this now. Everybody`s -- Oh, glad he`s
dealing with it now!
MILBANK: Well, sure, it`s better to get it out of the way now, but
it`s becoming part of the shorthand. Mitt Romney -- word association...
MATTHEWS: Yes.
MILBANK: ... you think the $10,000 bet, the $250 million fortune,
laying off people through the companies...
MATTHEWS: Yes.
MILBANK: ... he bought at Bain. It becomes part of this. And
therefore, because it`s on -- you know, in everybody`s mind...
MATTHEWS: Yes.
MILBANK: ... it`s easier for President Obama when he goes on the
attack to bring that out. It`s a caricature, and it`s just waiting...
MATTHEWS: OK, here`s what I`m thinking about, why it may last. All
the Occupy movement, even though it`s had a hard time finding its actual,
you know, essential point, it`s about the fact that the very rich in this
country have a very good deal. In addition to being very rich, they have a
very good deal in terms of taxes. Warren Buffett has made that point.
Here`s a guy, apparently, in his own words, of his own admission this
morning, pays 15 percent. Now, everybody out there watching right now pays
PAGE: Right.
MATTHEWS: I mean, everybody...
PAGE: It`s -- you know...
MATTHEWS: ... watching right now pays more than 15 percent because
they earn their income through salary or wages. And that means you have to
pay up to 30-some percent. This guy never has to pay beyond 15 because, as
he pointed out today, he hasn`t really been working for 10 years!
MATTHEWS: Here it is -- here it is this morning. Newt -- Mitt Romney
-- these names here are much the same -- was pressed by reporters on what
his returns would show. Now, here he is, maybe doing what you`re saying
he`s doing, which is, as Bobby Kennedy used to say, hang a lantern on your
problem, bet it over with. Let`s watch him admit his 15 percent solution.
MITT ROMNEY (R-MA), FMR. GOV., PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: What`s the
effective rate I`ve been paying? Well, it`s probably closer to the 15
percent rate that I think is my last 10 years, I -- my income comes
overwhelmingly from investments made in the past, rather than ordinary
income or rather than earned annual income. I think I get a little bit of
income from my book, but I gave that all away. And then I get speakers`
fees from time to time, but not very much.
MATTHEWS: Not very much.
PAGE: He can`t run as a poor guy. He can`t run as a working Joe,
right? He`s going to have to run as a rich guy because he is a rich guy.
He needs to figure out how to explain that to people in a way that makes
them not resent it and makes them feel like he has some understanding about
the lives that other Americans (INAUDIBLE)
MATTHEWS: Do you think, Susan, that the people -- and then Dana -- do
you think people that think about people making a lot of money, like Donald
Trump, some of them people sort of like, like Trump, I hate to say it, but
they like Trump -- they like characters. They like -- they like real
serious entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs, the late Steve Jobs. Why do you
think Romney would be not vulnerable -- would be vulnerable to dislike for
being rich?
PAGE: I think that Americans don`t resent it when people work hard
and are successful. I think that`s part of the American dream. People --
rich people run for office all the -- most of the people who run for office
are rich people, the fact is. It`s the exception people who...
MATTHEWS: I`m watching the Golden Globes the other night, which I
love because they`re sitting around, drinking, and occasionally somebody
says something ridiculous and they actually look like regular people. We
like them all!
MILBANK: Sure. And I think...
MATTHEWS: They`re making money!
MILBANK: Contrary to what you said earlier, I suspect the idle rich
are watching your show, as well, tonight. So there may be some people at
that 15 percent. Romney is blessed that his opponent, likely opponent,
President Obama, is also a very wealthy man.
But the difference and where this really is going to stick and
resonate with voters is the "corporations are people" formulation, not only
that he`s wealthy, but that he`s looking out for wealthy people like him.
And it`s just so easy to puncture and it`s easy to...
MATTHEWS: By the way...
MATTHEWS: ... not met many of those people you describe. You know
who watches this show? People who work pretty hard, get home, you know, in
the evening and want something that`s sort of big picture they can argue
about and think about. And also, some retirees who`ve worked very hard
over their lives. So your -- you know, your disdain for them...
MILBANK: I -- I`m really-...
MATTHEWS: Anyway -- I`m just kidding!
MILBANK: Don`t frown on the idle rich...
MATTHEWS: ... watch HARDBALL. Anyway -- they watch other programs.
Anyway, Newt Gingrich joked about Romney`s 15 percent tax rate today with
reporters. Let`s watch Newt going in for the kill.
NEWT GINGRICH (R), FMR. HOUSE SPEAKER, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He
ought to release his taxes and we`ll out whether or not it was really 15 15
percent. And second, I think that we ought to rename our flat tax. We
have a 15 percent flat tax. So this will be the Mitt Romney flat tax that
all Americans could then pay the rate Romney paid. I think that`s
MATTHEWS: The forgiving -- I should say the saving grace of Newt
Gingrich is he`s got a brain on his shoulders. He needs a saving grace
most of the time.
MATTHEWS: There he is, pointing out something brilliant. Why don`t
we have everybody pay the same tax rates as this guy?
MATTHEWS: Right?
MILBANK: And call it the Romney rate. I`m sure that Romney`s
frustrated by that sort of an attack, but he`s got to be thanking his lucky
stars every day for Newt Gingrich because if you look at Newt and Santorum
right now, add them together, they`re ahead of Romney in South Carolina.
They`re ahead of him nationally, but they are making sure that Romney`s
going to become the nominee.
MATTHEWS: Well, let`s take a look at an exchange last night. Here`s
Rick Santorum blasting away at Romney for the attack ads that a pro-Romney
super-PAC has been airing about Santorum. Santorum said the ads distorted
his own record on voting rights for felons. Of course, we know that issue.
Once you`ve been declared a felon, you can`t vote in many states. Let`s
RICK SANTORUM (R-PA), FMR. SEN., PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I would ask
Governor Romney, Do you believe people who have -- who are felons, who`ve
served their time, who`ve extended -- exhausted their parole and probation
-- should they be given the right to vote?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Governor Romney?
ROMNEY: First of all, as you know, the PACs that run ads on various
candidates, as we unfortunately know in this...
SANTORUM: I`m looking for a question -- an answer to the question
ROMNEY: We have plenty of time. I`ll get there. I`ll do it in the
order I want to do.
SANTORUM: This is Martin Luther king Day. This is a huge deal in the
African-American community.
ROMNEY: I don`t think people who`ve committed violent crimes should
be allowed to vote again. That`s my own view.
SANTORUM: In the state of Massachusetts, when you were governor, the
law was that not only could violent felons vote after they exhausted their
sentences, but they could vote while they were on probation and parole.
MATTHEWS: Well, look, this whole thing -- you know, I mean,
obviously, Romney has a belief that he`s allowed to co-moderate when he
wants to.
MATTHEWS: He just answers the question he wants to answer, when he
wants to do it, and if somebody else is talking, he tells them to shut up.
PAGE: But explain to me -- Rick Santorum, I think, got under Romney`s
skin a little bit there, so that was probably satisfying. But why is he
criticizing him on voting rights for felons, not on Massachusetts`s health
care plan or flip-flops on social issues or other things that might
actually matter to Republican voters?
MATTHEWS: Because Romney`s going after him on that. This is a tit
for tat.
PAGE: I understand that. But is this going to persuade any
Republican to switch from Romney to him? It`s hard to imagine.
MATTHEWS: People tell me that the critics of that performance last
night say that what Rick Santorum was trying to do was to hook him into
saying he didn`t believe in giving voting rights to felons so he could come
back and say, But in Massachusetts, you gave them voting rights for people
who were on parole and probation.
PAGE: He didn`t give it to them. He didn`t -- he didn`t fight to
change the law.
MATTHEWS: He`s not that good at it.
MILBANK: But this -- but this is progress.
MATTHEWS: He lacks for (ph) skills.
MILBANK: This is progress. Romney is improving. Yes, it`s bad
whenever your answer starts to be about some gobbledy-gook about PACs, but
at least he didn`t ask the moderator for help this time. He answered it on
his own.
MATTHEWS: Well, look, the problem with this whole thing -- we`re
going to get to the second part of this show -- the second segment we`re
going to get to something really awful I think Newt was engaging in last
night about food stamps and all. But this debate process right -- is this
-- are we getting near the end here, Dana? We`ve had what, 20 of these
things. Are we getting near the end?
MILBANK: We`re getting near the end of debates that people will
actually watch. But no, there`s still several to go. Don`t you worry,
we`ll have plenty of (INAUDIBLE)
MATTHEWS: There`s a strange sort of development going on. I`ve
noticed that the polling seems to show a shift towards Romney without any
real reason. It`s not like he`s shown great skill in these debates. It`s
not like he`s made some really interesting points.
A new poll out today from "The Washington Post" and ABC, for example,
takes a look -- take a look at this. Mitt Romney has surged to a strong
lead nationally among likely Republican voters. He`s gained 5 percentage
points since last month. Newt Gingrich has dropped sharply. Look at that
drop, 13 points. Now he`s a distant second, followed by Ron Paul and Rick
Susan, I always kid -- and I -- I mean, I don`t kid, I notice the
weird culture of the Republican Party. Once people see who`s sort of the
front-runner, they get in line. They don`t fall in love, they fall in
PAGE: That`s right, and they often -- typically nominate the next
person in line, which it looked for a while they weren`t going to do this
time, but now it looks like they will.
MATTHEWS: What is it about their culture? You study these people,
these Republicans.
PAGE: Well...
MATTHEWS: What is it that makes them find out who`s the person
they`re supposed to vote for and then vote for them?
PAGE: Well, I think there probably are many traits that determine
whether you`re going to feel like you`re a Democrat or feel like you`re
Republican. And the fact is, invariably in modern times, whoever leads
after New Hampshire in the Republican primary gets the nomination. Not
true for Democrats. Democrats are still willing to...
MATTHEWS: OK, good. I like this because this may futz up the whole
thing. Who won the Iowa caucuses? It`s possible that there was a
MILBANK: Right, and...
MATTHEWS: And that Romney may not be on the road to winning the first
three. He may have only won at home in New Hampshire, New England, and he
may lose this because the word will get out by Friday and Saturday, as
people are voting, that Santorum may have won. We`ll know by Friday,
MILBANK: And a lot of good it did Al Gore to win the tally in 2000.
MATTHEWS: Well, you say.
MILBANK: Well, I say just what you guys were just saying a moment
ago, is Republicans, they like order. They like following instructions...
MATTHEWS: But suppose the wrong orders were issued?
MATTHEWS: But see, this is the conundrum!
MILBANK: ... rallying around (INAUDIBLE)
MATTHEWS: But suppose he didn`t win Iowa and the wrong orders went
out and the Republicans who get in line and do what they`re told to do are
voting for the wrong guy, they should be voting for Santorum, if he won?
MILBANK: It`s all Dr. Strangelove here.
MATTHEWS: Democrats, on the other hand, totally disobey everybody.
They do what they feel like doing.
PAGE: Well, and they like to date around. You know, they like to
flirt with this person and that person and...
MATTHEWS: They like to rumble. They have fun. Democrats are more
fun. Anyway, this is getting a little bit sultry, isn`t it?
Thank you, Dana Milbank, and thank you, Susan Page. We`re watching
the Republicans do what they do.
Coming up, once again, the rowdy crowd was the big story at last
night`s debate. We`re going to talk about the more aspects -- the stranger
aspects of last night. What were they saying about the Republican Party,
what it really believes in? You learn a lot from these crowds, what they
like to cheer, let the guy die who doesn`t have insurance, fry the people
who are on death row quickly -- very interesting commentary coming from the
You`re watching HARDBALL, only on MSNBC.
MATTHEWS: Well, here`s something interesting. Nancy Pelosi, the top
Democrat in the House of Representatives, is tweaking Republican front-
runner Mitt Romney. Listen to what the former speaker said about why
conservatives are still resisting Romney.
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), MINORITY LEADER: If the far right thought
that Romney could win, they might be more enthusiastic about him. But they
don`t share -- they question what he stands for and they don`t think he`s
going to win. So what -- you know, what`s the sell? I`m not sure he knows
what he stands for, and that makes it harder, too.
MATTHEWS: Well, she`s raising the electability issue in November,
obviously. Pelosi also said Democrats have 75 House districts they`re
looking at right now and need to play (ph) in at least 50 of them if they
hope to win back the 25 seats they need to take back control of the House
and for her to become speaker again.
We`ll be right back.
MATTHEWS: Well, this is going to be a hot one. Welcome back to
HARDBALL. Besides the attacks on Mitt Romney and the sparring between Rick
Santorum and Newt Gingrich, the one thing that sticks out about last
night`s debate for many people is the rambunctious Republican crowd itself.
Take a look at the response from the crowd when Gingrich gets --
Gingrich himself gets when debate moderator Juan Williams asks if one of
Newt`s earlier statements was insulting.
JUAN WILLIAMS, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR, MODERATOR: Speaker Gingrich, you
recently said black Americans should demand jobs, not food stamps. Can`t
you see that this is viewed, at a minimum, as insulting to all Americans
but particularly to black Americans?
GINGRICH: No. I don`t see that.
MATTHEWS: Well, the crowd, largely white, if not entirely white,
agree with him. Republican strategist Ron Christie joins us now and
Politico chief political columnist -- Politico columnist Roger Simon join
Ron, thank you for joining us. I -- there were a couple points last
night that really bugged me about that crowd. They seemed to get a big
chuckle out of the fact, when Newt Gingrich referred to Juan Williams by
his first name, Juan -- just calling him Juan seemed to get a chuckle out
of them -- in fact, a big applause.
What was going on in that room last night with the issue of food
stamps? What was really going on, do you think, in the conversation there,
or was it going on?
RON CHRISTIE, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Well, with Speaker Gingrich, I
think, first of all -- good evening, Chris. I think fist what he was
trying to do was play to the crowd. He`s the guy who`s trying to appeal to
the social moderates and say, I`m your candidate, be with me, support me.
And I think he was playing to the audience.
As far as the Welfare comment, unfortunately, it`s true. But I think
the way that the speaker said it was a little bit clumsy. It is true that
we have a very high African-American unemployment rate, 15.8 percent. The
overall black male unemployment rate in this country now is at 19.9
We have a lot more folks who are of color who are unemployed right now
than before this administration started. But his approach, I will concede,
is clumsy. You shouldn`t just say black folks need a job, rather than a
welfare check.
MATTHEWS: No, he didn`t say welfare check. He kept saying food
stamps over and over again.
CHRISTIE: I concede that point, Chris.
My point is, why don`t we say we create a climate in this country that
all Americans, regardless of the color of your skin, have the better
pathway to get a job if they are unemployed, rather than say, oh, well, you
should just get food stamps? That`s my whole problem with this issue.
MATTHEWS: Roger, what do you think of the terminology? Well, let`s
take a look. I want you to get a little richer look at last night. For
everybody watching how missed last night, here`s another exchange over
race, I believe, between Williams and Gingrich which led to one of the
biggest applauses of the night.
JUAN WILLIAMS, FOX NEWS: My e-mail account, my Twitter account has
been inundated with people of all races who are asking if your comments are
not intended to belittle the poor and racial minorities.
You saw some of this reaction during your visit...
WILLIAMS: ... to a black church in South Carolina.
WILLIAMS: It sounds as if you are seeking to belittle people.
NEWT GINGRICH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, first of all, Juan,
the fact is that more people have been put on food stamps by Barack Obama
than any president in American history.
GINGRICH: Now...
MATTHEWS: Roger?
ROGER SIMON, CHIEF POLITICAL COLUMNIST, POLITICO: This is not Newt
Gingrich being clumsy. This is Newt Gingrich being arrogant,
condescending, and dismissive.
The only thing you could say in his favor is that he`s arrogant,
condescending, and dismissive to a lot of people, white and black. But in
that audience, with that kind of bloodlust in the air, an audience that was
way over the line and way over the top, Gingrich was playing a dangerous
game by playing to the audience and baiting people and appealing to their
worst instincts, instead of their better instincts.
CHRISTIE: Roger, what do you mean by that? There`s no question you
have a very conservative audience, but you say it`s very dangerous, it`s
Look, Juan Williams is a mentor of mine. He`s a friend. He can take
care of himself. I think he legitimately asked a question. You have seen
Speaker Gingrich be very arrogant and condescending to other moderators.
You have seen some of other Republicans be dismissive of the moderators.
Just because Juan happened to be black, I don`t think that the speaker
was trying to bait him or bait the audience based on the color of Juan
Williams` skin. I just entirely dismiss that.
SIMON: I didn`t say it was based entirely on the color of Juan
Williams` skin.
CHRISTIE: But you said it is dangerous.
SIMON: It is. It is dangerous.
The fact is there`s no reason on earth for Newt Gingrich, who had been
addressed by Juan Williams as Speaker Gingrich, his highest title, to refer
to Mr. Williams as Juan in that long, drawn-out way of his.
It -- and then pausing for the applause. You also saw him pause for
the laughter to build earlier. Newt Gingrich is very, very good at dealing
with an audience, at being silent so the audience reaction can build. The
other candidates usually just answer the question.
MATTHEWS: You`re too nice about this. I think I will be blunter.
Let me ask you, Ron, a question, because you and I are friends, and I
just want to ask you about -- and colleagues. I just want to ask you, I
think there`s a history here we can`t ignore, a context.
Ronald Reagan, who had some good things about him, people will argue
on both sides -- both sides will say he`s done some good things -- would go
around and campaign about talking about the young buck in line using food
stamps to buy gin or vodka with in the Safeway line. He`d use that term,
young buck.
And that would bother people to watch that go on. He would talk about
welfare queens.
CHRISTIE: Right.
MATTHEWS: Do you deny there is a history of this kind of dog whistle?
I`m just asking. Do you deny it?
CHRISTIE: I would say that, of course, on both sides of the aisle,
there is.
MATTHEWS: No, in this particular use of language about poor people?
CHRISTIE: Well, no, Chris, come on.
MATTHEWS: I`m asking. If you don`t agree, then just say, I don`t
CHRISTIE: Chris, I think in decades past, you have seen that.
I think the Republican Party has made a concerted effort to be very
inclusive of all people, regardless of the color of their skin. Let us not
forget, my friend, who was it who tried to block the Civil Rights Act of
`64? The Southern Democrats, who tried to filibuster it.
MATTHEWS: Certainly.
CHRISTIE: I think both parties have had a history of race that has
not been good. And I think both parties need to address the issues that
confront us and get beyond the dog whistle, as you say, of playing to
people`s racial insensitivity, regardless of the color of the skin and
regardless of the party of which they`re in.
MATTHEWS: OK. Let`s go on to Rick Perry. I agree with you. I wish
-- I would just like to talk about the present.
But here`s Governor Rick Perry receiving an enthusiastic round of
applause from the same crowd down in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, when he
said that two Southern states, his and theirs, were in conflict, even at
war with the federal government over voting rights.
Let`s watch here. Let`s listen.
GOV. RICK PERRY (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I`m saying that the
state of -- of Texas is under assault by federal government. I`m saying
also that South Carolina is at war with this federal government and with
this administration.
MATTHEWS: You know, there`s a "Birth of a Nation" aspect to that. I
can`t even start with it, voting rights, at war with? This sounds like
"Gone With the Wind." What is he talking about war with? What are we
talking about here?
SIMON: ... he`s not playing to the audience there. This is South
Carolina, a state where people proudly tell you they were the first state
to secede from the Union.
Rick Perry began his campaign by saying Texas had a right to secede.
He said he wasn`t advocating it, but he said Texas had a right to do so.
This is the state of John Calhoun.
MATTHEWS: I think Ron is going to wait.
Ron, are you waiting for them to say nullification before you blow the
whistle? When are you going to say, enough, guys?
SIMON: There`s not a man on that stage who does not believe in
states` rights.
CHRISTIE: I actually am the one to say enough.
Look, there are states, Texas is one, South Carolina is another, that
are at conflict with the federal government. I think it`s an absolute
legitimate right for a state to impose their own qualifications to vote,
have folks product identification.
But for Rick Perry to suggest that they are at war with the federal
government, we`re not at war with the federal government. We`re at
conflict. We`re a good nation. We do things civilly. I just think that
that was red meat to the crowd because he wants to be the states` rights
guy. I understand that. But he needs to really ratchet the rhetoric down.
MATTHEWS: Yes. OK. Thank you all. I think we agree on that one.
Ratchet it down seems to be out there.
SIMON: Red meat for the crowd.
MATTHEWS: Red meat.
MATTHEWS: Feeding time at the lion cage.
Anyway, thank you, Ron Christie. Thank you, Roger Simon.
Up next, Barack Obama pokes fun at himself with a birthday greeting to
"Golden Girl" Betty White at 90. Oh, this lady is 90. I remember her from
"September Bride."
Anyway, you`re watching HARDBALL, only on MSNBC.
MATTHEWS: Back to HARDBALL. Now to the "Sideshow."
First up, to the birthday bash. Today marks the big 9-0 for the
enduring Betty White. Celebrities galore came out to honor her last night
with a television tribute. One guest who couldn`t make it, President
Obama, but he recorded a video message for the guest of honor.
Let`s watch.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Dear Betty, you look so
fantastic and full of energy, I can`t believe you`re 90 years old. In
fact, I don`t believe it.
That`s why I`m writing to ask if you will be willing to produce a copy
of your long form birth certificate.
BARACK OBAMA: Thanks. And happy birthday, no matter how old you are.
MATTHEWS: Well, another birthday falls today, first lady Michelle
Obama, herself, the first lady. The president didn`t ask her for her birth
Next up, major letdown. Just last week, the South Carolina newspaper
"The State" went out on a limb and chose to endorse Jon Huntsman. Well,
when news came yesterday that Huntsman`s candidacy was no more, one editor
was particularly crushed -- quote -- "It is rather like having gone through
a courtship for some period of time and finally making love with a man, for
him to suddenly turn around and say, you know what? I think I`m gay."
Well, I guess that`s one way of putting it.
And, finally, grilled. Back in 2007, Mitt Romney made the confession
that his hunting skills were mostly limited to small varmints. Well, sadly
for Romney, the topic resurfaced in last night`s debate. Let`s watch.
WILLIAMS: You were teased mightily a few years ago to say you hundred
varmints. I just wonder if you have gone hunting since `07.
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I`m not going to describe
all of my great exploits.
But I went moose hunting, actually -- not moose hunting -- I`m sorry -
- elk hunting with friends in Montana. I have been pheasant hunting. I`m
not the great hunter that some on this stage, probably Rick Perry -- my
guess is you are a serious hunter. I`m not a serious hunter.
PERRY: I think you`re probably right.
ROMNEY: But I must admit I have...
ROMNEY: I guess I enjoy the sport. And when I get invited, I`m
delighted to be able to go hunting.
MATTHEWS: So, Republicans really do cling to their guns.
Anyway, up next, opponents of Wisconsin`s union-busting Governor Scott
Walker are turning in hundreds of thousands of signatures, maybe a million
demanding his recall. And in the process, they are mobilizing the
Democratic base for November in a crucial presidential state. That`s
You`re watching HARDBALL, only on MSNBC.
BRIAN SULLIVAN, CNBC CORRESPONDENT: I`m Brian Sullivan with your CNBC
"Market Wrap," where the stock rally continues. The Dow ended the day up
60, the S&P up about five, the Nasdaq up right around 17 points.
Shares of Carnival Cruise Lines though fell nearly 14 percent, this
after analysts slashed the ratings and estimates of the company. Carnival
owns the Costa Concordia. That`s the cruise ship the capsized off the
coast of Italy. Latest reports have 11 dead, with more still missing.
Banking giant Citigroup reported revenues and earnings short of
expectations. The company said weaker bond trading and investment banking
revenues were to blame. Shares ended the day down about 8 percent. In the
meantime, Kraft Foods shares rose today. The food giant said that 2011
revenue would be up about 10 percent and that profits would also be
slightly higher.
Sadly, that`s not going to help the jobs picture. Kraft also said
that it will cut about 1,600 jobs as it realigns.
But maybe some good news for homeowners. Natural gas futures closed
at a near 10-year low. Prices are down 44 percent from a year ago.
Climate experts said that this past December was the sixth warmest on
record. Many of you likely heat their home with natural gas. So,
hopefully, those bills will go down.
That is it from CNBC, first in business worldwide -- now back to
GOV. SCOTT WALKER (R), WISCONSIN: This is why this, my election,
which appears to be a recall election, is going to be such a big deal, I
think, because this is one of those defining moments not only in
Wisconsin`s history, but I think believe as part of the national political
landscape. This will be one of those defining moments as well.
MATTHEWS: Well, you talk about HARDBALL. Welcome back to it.
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker knows the stakes are high. There here
is looking defensive. Today, the Democrats in the state filed petitions
with more than a million signatures to trigger that recall election. To
illustrate what a huge showing this is, Democrats needed just 540,000
signatures for a recall. Got double that, in fact, got half the electorate
to come out with these signatures.
When Governor Walker took on public sector labor unions last year, the
angry response from union supporters made Wisconsin ground zero in labor`s
fight for survival. With a recall looming, national political attention,
money and media all began to focus on that state, one that has a must-win
reality for the president.
Ed Schultz is our colleague, host of MSNBC`s "THE ED SHOW." And he`s
broadcasting tonight from Wisconsin. Mike Tate joins us. He`s also --
he`s the Democratic state chair out there.
Mike, thanks for joining us.
I want to start with my colleague Ed.
Ed, this is such an astounding performance by any electorate, by any
organized labor group. They have been able to collect, as you know, you
are the expert now, you have been the chief, maybe the top champion on the
air of this -- they have basically got as many signatures as half the
electorate. They have got enough, if they get those people all to vote,
they win this thing.
ED SCHULTZ, HOST, "THE ED SHOW": It`s utterly amazing, Chris.
You`re talking about 25 percent of the electric -- electorate, as
opposed to about 7 percent when they did the recall on Gray Davis in
California. It`s a monumental effort.
I got to tell you, I was in the backyard of a middle-class family
today where they were hiding the truck, the U-Haul that had almost two
million signatures, armed guards who we were asked not to film because they
wanted to make sure that these signatures were going to get to the
Government Accountability Office.
You open up the back, there they are. And there`s the ransom. It was
almost like we were doing a "James Bond" movie. You are looking over your
shoulder and wondering what is going on.
But the intensity of these folks and the due diligence is what they
have done is really politically record-breaking in this country. There
were enough signatures delivered today to recall the governor, the
lieutenant governor, and four sitting Republican senators, including the
Senate majority leader.
So to say that this state is energized really is an understatement.
And I want to say that it wasn`t all labor. This was put together by the
Democratic Party.
SCHULTZ: And a grassroots organization really did the -- the -- the
legwork, One Wisconsin Now, a very progressive group.
The labor folks have really kept their powder dry to this point. But
what they`re really going to do is engage in this recall effort from this
point on.
MATTHEWS: Let me go to Mike Tate on that question.
Mike Tate, thanks for joining us.
Do the Irish get to be chair of the Democratic Parties around the
country? What`s the story here? Just kidding.
Let me ask you this. Why didn`t you do so well in 2010? What`s the
difference between 2010 and 2012 politically in your state in Wisconsin?
MIKE TATE, WISCONSION DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHMN: Well, first, Chris,
thanks for having me on. I`m a huge fan of HARDBALL.
MATTHEWS: Thank you.
TATE: You know, 2010 was a bad year for us. You know, the national
momentum, as you know, was not going our way. You know, we had a Ron
Johnson come on and spend a ton of money, outspent Senator Russ Feingold,
go down in a tough defeat. And, you know, we had Mayor Tom Baric go down
in a close election to Scott Walker.
But, I think, today, collecting over a million signatures, getting
almost as many signatures as Scott Walker did votes, it sends a signal of
exactly where Wisconsin is. That Scott Walker tried to jam down this
radical agenda. He didn`t campaign on it, Chris. He didn`t tell the
people of Wisconsin what he was going to do. And that`s why people are so
upset here. And that`s why I believe we`re going to have a successful
recall of the governor.
MATTHEWS: Well, here`s why the Wisconsin recall election, we`ll
watch it right now, will have repercussions for the 2012 race. In 2008,
President Obama made a clean sweep of the states in the Scranton to Oshkosh
corridor. Look at across, look at the ones with the white flag on there,
including a blob in Wisconsin where he beat John McCain by 14 points in
Wisconsin. And before the 2010 election, the governors of those states
tilt to Democrats.
Also, here`s six of the eight states shown in blue had Democratic
governors. That changed dramatically in 2010 elections when power flipped
in these industrial Midwest states. Now, just two of the eight have
Democratic governors.
So back to you, Ed. This politics, I know you`re mainly a labor guy.
Not a partisan. You`re interested in labor rights for middle class people.
What`s this mean in terms of just economics in this country?
SCHULTZ: Well, I think it means a lot, Chris, because this story
goes far beyond the borders of Wisconsin. And Scott Walker has got it
right. I mean, this has got national ramifications because this is a
template to work against Citizens United.
There`s millions of dollars coming into the state trying to save him
and these other senators who have put forth a radical agenda that goes
after middle class wages, pension, retirement, the whole thing, health
care. And so, this really is a template on how to fight back.
Now, in 2010, an answer to your question, it was simple apathy. It
was people who were lazy and didn`t get engaged.
MATTHEWS: Yes.
SCHULTZ: And when I get on the ground here in Wisconsin, I said this
is going to motivate people. This is going to focus people on just how
important 2012 is. And the big beneficiary of this should be President
Obama and the Obama campaign.
And it should be a wakeup call, as we saw in Ohio and Indiana. Right
to work is a huge issue. There`s being labor issues going on in Michigan.
So, I mean, these radical governors that came in, this is really, I think,
an overreach and a response to an overreach.
MATTHEWS: Yes.
SCHULTZ: And it`s a ground swell response to an overreach. And I
think it does play really big in these states in 2012.
MATTHEWS: Let me go back to Mike Tate, the Democrat.
You know, I grew up with a fact that there was big labor. I remember
working in the Senate for years ago. I mean, a long time ago when people
like George Meade, the head of the AFL-CIO would come in. And Republican
senators would rush over to light his cigar. I mean, that sounds like a
thousand years ago, when big labor was truly big labor -- bigger than the
Fed chairman, bigger than the guy from the Fed, AFL-CIO. It was more
important than the Federal Reserve politically.
Do you see that coming? I don`t mean overnight, but you see a growth
of labor where it could become a real part of the progressive coalition in
this country, politically in delivering big states like Wisconsin? Go,
TATE: Look, I hope so. I think labor has been critical in
delivering Wisconsin in any number of races. You know, in any given
Sunday, Chris, big labor is about 25 percent of the electorate here, which
is a pretty big state. We have been a strong labor state.
But I think we have we absolutely need an expansion of labor and
collective bargaining rights because I think it`s people`s ticket into the
middle class. And I think that`s what people are hungering for right now
is how to live their life with just a little bit more so they can get by.
MATTHEWS: OK. It`s great to have you on. Mike -- go ahead. Last
word, Ed.
SCHULTZ: You know, the big thing is, 80 percent of labor membership
is concentrated in 16 states in this country. A lot of this pushback in
Wisconsin is because a lot of middle classers feel like that the governor
is trying to balance the budget on the backs of middle classers. It`s one
of the first things he did when he came in as governor was to give tax cuts
to the rich and the corporations, which has not resulted in big job growth.
MATTHEWS: Yes.
SCHULTZ: So, this is a pushback from the middle class as much as it
is the labor sector.
MATTHEWS: Sounds like a big national story. Thank you, Ed. Ed
Schultz, my colleague, coming on tonight to talk a lot more about it. Mike
Tate, you`ll be on right after us at 8:00 Eastern.
Mike Tate -- nice to meet you, buddy. Happy St. Patrick`s Day.
Up next --
TATE: Thank you, Chris. Great book.
MATTHEWS: -- the incredible story of that cruise ship that you mean
"Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero," best seller for 10 weeks? That one? Thank
Anyway, off the coast of Italy, we`ve got a new tape of that cruise
liner. What a sight. What a sight. The captain abandoned ship and was
ordered back to get back on the ship and wouldn`t do it. What a story.
Harry Smith is going to bring that story from NBC.
This is HARDBALL, only on MSNBC.
MATTHEWS: President Obama is trying to recreate the Mile High magic
on the final night of the Democratic National Committee -- convention,
rather, in Charlotte. President Obama will deliver his acceptance speech
at the Bank of America Stadium, the 74,000-seat home of the Carolina
Panthers football team.
Four years ago, Obama gave his speech at Mile High Stadium in Denver.
The president hopes to mobilize voters in North Carolina, a swing state,
and key one for him. The same way his 2008 speech energized Colorado
We`ll be right back.
MATTHEWS: We`re back.
Incredible images from Italy of that cruise ship, the Costa
Concordia, which hit a reef the Italian coast and ran aground. Five more
bodies all wearing life vests were found on board, bringing the death toll
to 11. Over 20 people remain missing, including an American couple from
Minnesota. The ship carrying 4,200 passengers hit rock as it sailed off
course, supposedly to show off the boat to the home island of the head
waiter of the craft, a favored from the captain.
But after the impact, the captain turned it around and beached the
Transcripts of the conversation between the Italian coast guard and
that captain, Francesco Schettino, tell a haunting story -- a captain who`s
left the ship, giving excuse after excuse why he won`t go back onboard all
while passengers still struggle to survive. That captain was placed on
house arrest today, charged with causing the wreck, abandoning ship and
Harry Smith is an NBC News correspondent, just back from covering
this story for Italy for "Rock Center" and NBC News.
Harry, we are going to play that crazy conversation, horrible
conversation. What`s your report on this, what looks to be just a human
catastrophe, manmade horror?
HARRY SMITH, NBC NEWS: This guy has got to be the anti-Sully. You
think about people in charge and people doing the right thing, this guy
couldn`t have screwed up any more than he screwed up. We were on the water
right next to that ship yesterday -- yesterday morning, and the enormity of
the ship, all the technology in the world this never should have happened.
This guy went miles off course to come close by that Giglio Island
and the rocks he hit and the graphic you showed before, you can actually
see the rocks from Google Maps.
MATTHEWS: Yes.
SMITH: The rocks even have a name. They`re called the Secaldella
Scola (ph).
This guy, if in fact everything that looks like happened happened,
this guy is one of the biggest screw ups of all time.
MATTHEWS: Well, an Italian coast guard officer repeatedly told the
captain, Schettino, to get back onboard that ship as it was sinking once he
realized he had left the Costa Concordia.
But the captain gives several excuses why he can`t get back aboard
the ship. Here`s a portion of that transcript. Let`s listen to it in
OK. The coast guard. Go.
"There are already bodies, Schettino." Schettino, "How many bodies
are there?" Coast guard, "I don`t know. I`ve heard of one. You are the
one who is supposed to tell us how many there are." That`s the coast guard
Here is the captain, Schettino, "But do you realize that it`s dark
here and we can`t see anything?" Coast guard, "And so what? You want to
go home, Schettino? It`s dark and you want to go home, get on that prow of
the boat, using the pilot ladder around tell me what can be done, how many
people there are and what their needs are. Now!"
Eventually, Schettino says he`ll return on board but the coast guard
denies he ever went back -- Harry.
SMITH: No, there were people -- there were people who saw this guy
in a lifeboat. There were still, you know, maybe several hundred people
still onboard the ship and there were people out in the water that said,
oh, my God, that`s the captain of the ship. He is in a lifeboat.
There are even reports that he was on -- on his cell phone with his
mother while there were still people on the ship. He is on shore on his
cell phone telling his mother he is OK.
MATTHEWS: Let me ask you about the tragic part of this just gone
through the tragic comic part. What happened to the people that got
killed? They were in their life jackets? How did they -- they get -- were
they forced down below the ship as it was listing or what happened?
SMITH: Well, a couple of scenarios here. One is you see how this
thing is listed, it is all the way on its side. If you are in a state
room, think about this for a second, all of a sudden, the door to the
hallway is the ceiling, right? If you are of a certain age, if you are of
a certain weight, there`s -- you`re not going get out of that room if
you`re trying to get to the ceiling to get out into the hallway to somehow
work your way out of that ship. It`s just an impossibility.
One of the other things they said is with the electrical power going
on and off, on and off, it might have tripped the locks so that, just like
in a hotel room, sometimes if the power goes out, that lock goes down.
There`s -- you can`t swipe a card, there`s nothing you can do to unlock the
MATTHEWS: Horrible.
SMITH: That may be one of the other -- that`s not -- that`s just a
theory. So think about all of a sudden the door, your escape door is
suddenly the ceiling and the other one is even if you could get to it,
maybe it`s locked and you can`t get out.
MATTHEWS: Oh, God, and they are in their life jackets, they know
exactly what`s going on.
Harry, thank you for that -- I said tragic comedy, it`s just going to
end up tragic.
When we return, "Let Me Finish" with Newt Gingrich -- this is a
social issue we have in this country. It`s called race.
You are watching HARDBALL, only on MSNBC.
MATTHEWS: "Let Me Finish" tonight with this:
Newt Gingrich has called Barack Obama a food stamp president -- food
stamp president. Got it?
I thought we were past all this, didn`t you? You know, the talk
about welfare queens and phrases like what? Well, you either get the
message or you don`t. If you don`t, there`s no point arguing with you
about it. Most people do get the point -- meaning most people, white and
black, get the point.
Speaker Gingrich went at Juan Williams last night in that debate in
just as vain. He knew what he was doing. Williams asked if Gingrich could
see that -- saying that black Americans should want jobs not food stamps
was insulting. Gingrich then laid into him, saying that President Obama
had put more Americans on food stamps than any other president. He got a
lot of applause for that.
Why would saying that get you a big, hearty applause? Because this
whole conversation isn`t about poverty but about race. It`s about a
candidate who knows just how to make his point to appeal to a certain kind
of voter, I`m talking about Gingrich here. Again, there`s no point arguing
this -- you either hear the code being used or you don`t.
Someone talking about food stamps, bringing up food stamps, calling a
president a food stamp president, when no one else on the planet is talking
about food stamps, knows precisely what he is talking about. It`s a
cartoon -- a cartoon that the people getting public assistance are lazy,
don`t want to work and are black. You talk about how low this campaign has
gotten? Lookie here.
And, by the way, next time you are in Washington, D.C. or any other
big urban area, I`ve got an educational trip for you to take. Get up
early, earlier than you usually get up, say about 6:00 or 630 in the
morning and drive through the poor parts of town, and watch who is up
waiting at the bus stops, heading to work -- poor people, a lot of them, a
lot of them black, and they are the hardest working people in the country.
Gingrich is a smart guy. He ought to be ashamed of himself.
And that`s HARDBALL for now. Thanks for being with us.
"POLITICS NATION" with Al Sharpton starts right now.
AL SHARPTON, "POLITICS NATION" HOST: Welcome to "POLITICS NATION."
I`m Al Sharpton.
Tonight`s lead -- when is a statement just an accidental misstatement
of facts? And when is it a lie?
This election will be fought over the issue of jobs. It`s what
people are desperate for in this country. We need ideas. We need
solutions. What we don`t need is the disappointing answer we got from GOP
frontrunner Willard Mitt Romney.
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text:
One of the most overwhelming parts of being a youth director is keeping up with all of the details of the job and balancing family, work, and farm. My farm office desk gets overwhelmed very easily.
About a year ago, I was doing my daily blog check and a headline comes flying across the feed: "Create Management Mondays." I was intrigued. So, I clicked and read.
Lou Tonneson at Farm Progress shared several suggestions from David Koupal, a South Dakota Extension farm business management instructor.
"We know there are specific dates throughout the year to mark on your calendar: weddings, Black Friday, all the holidays, church functions, school activities, date night with your spouse, and the list goes on. What I want you to do is set aside Management Monday to do your management records," he says. "The No. 1 issue with many of my clients is trying to find time to complete their monthly records. I agree it is hard during the year to get those records complete on a regular basis. So what I would like to suggest is Management Mondays. Pick out one or two Mondays during the month to work on the record-keeping. Depending on the size of your operation, this procedure may take anywhere from an hour to most of the day. Some may be able to stay current with only one Monday a month, where others may need to devote more time."
The suggestions go on to say:
"The biggest obstacle is to have self-discipline to dedicate the time to complete the records. By consistently completing records on a monthly basis, I see more accuracy with my own book-keeping. Staying current with billing statements helps keep track of payments and may avoid late fees," he says.
In order to have success with Management Mondays, everyone in the operation needs to respect the person who completes the records, Koupal says.
How does this work in my role as a youth director. It designates a time to tackle the needed filings, record keeping and planning for the department. It does not have to be Monday, and could easily be "Management Saturday" or "Management Thursday" if that works better in your schedule.
I have found by designating a dedicated time in my calendar, it carves out a defined time for department work.
I have worked at the "Management Monday" program with my farm business. I am not perfect, but I have found the "Management Monday" program has helped to manage the to-do list on my desk. I hope it might help you as well.
– Charlene Shupp Espenshade, National Grange Youth Director

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The primary goal of the CTHB is to promote the health of trees native to South Africa through the use of biotechnology. To accomplish this, CTHB projects typically consider the pathogens and pests that are associated with native trees and woody hosts. The CTHB also explores the possible effects that factors such as climate change, society, natural forest health and plant genetics may have on the health of native woody resources and ecosystems.
The CTHB is hosted by the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) at the University of Pretoria. Within FABI it is intimately linked to the Tree Protection Cooperative Programme (TPCP), a research programme that has a track record of more than two decades in dealing with the pests and diseases of commercially important forestry species.
The CTHB is structured as a virtual Centre of Excellence that conducts scientific research via a collaborative network, with the node of the network represented by researchers at UP. In addition to the UP group, this network involves researchers and their postgraduate students from other Higher Education Institutions in South Africa. These institutions include the Agricultural Research Council, University of Stellenbosch, University of Cape Town, University of the Witwatersrand, University of the Free State and Rhodes University.


text:
Andrei created a couple of demo videos to show how the current version of the GTDebugger works in practice.
With the GTDebugger we aim to redefine debugging by providing a tool that can be molded to a desired context. The first demo shows how to obtain a diff view between expected and actual values when a equality assertion fails. This debugger exhibits a basic customization.
The second demo shows how to debug a PetitParser parser using a dedicated debugger. This debugger is at the high end of complication with multiple different actions and presentations available.
Both of these debuggers can be found in the Moose 5.0 image. And in case you were wondering, the size of first debugger is 131 lines of code, while the second one totals 661 lines.


text:
Merc Lead Sled
black w/yellow flamejob
Images Copyright John Filiss
Classic Customs and Lead Sleds Covers the talented West Coast Lead Sled customizers of the past 15 years, along with outstanding photographs of their creations. 8 ˝ x 10 ˝, 128 pages, 120 color photos
Lead Sleds The author examines 15 cars in full-color, detailed photographs. 8 ˝ x 9, 96 pages, 80 color photos
Cool Cars, High Art: The Rise of Kustom Kulture An intellectual overview of the American custom car phenomenon. Many color photos. 10 x 8, 205 pages.
Motional Memories


text:
Jal Mudra or The Varun Mudra to Stabilize Water element of Body
Mudra vigyan is a yoga that is practiced with different postures of your hands and fingers. It is a type of yoga that helps you in controlling the internal power of your body through various movements of your fingers for small duration. When practiced regularly it can be of great advantage in dealing with many health problems and issues that otherwise would make your life difficult and painful. The Mudra Vigyan gives the flow of…Read More


text:
The tour, given by this cordial, knowledgeable young man, started with a history and background of the company and Mr. Askinosie (who left his job as a criminal defense lawyer to make chocolate). These are the candybars they sell in their store front and in local establishments. Most of them are vegan, but several are not. They are pricey at $8.50/bar.
Hi, cocoa pod!
I asked him several questions about the "may contain milk" label, and I felt satisfied by his assurance of cleaning practices. This was very good for me to see it in person because I am someone who is sometimes too grossed out to eat something that says "may contain milk" no matter how much I know it probably doesn't. (I am really trying to get past my OCD on this.)
Although they are not organic certified or fair trade certified (so the farmers do not have to go through the required financial obligations), they claim to be directly involved with the growing practices and pay above fair trade prices: "We go to great lengths to make sure the farmers do not use chemicals and pesticides; not only do they sign a contract, we visit these farms yearly and can personally verify their practices. We also make sure that our beans are shade grown and that the cocoa trees are intercropped with other trees and crops. Our cocoa beans are not certified, however, in part for the same reason we aren't Fair Trade certified—the certification process for the beans is very expensive and our farmers can't afford it. Though we are not certified organic, our beans can be traced completely back to their origin. We have the name of every farmer who contributed to each crop."
Chocolate University. They involve local elementary and middle schools in different worthwhile programs. Local high school students get the opportunity to travel to Africa to learn about not only chocolate growing and Direct Trade practices but ways to inspire their own community and become more socially responsible. Factory Tour proceeds go toward Chocolate University.
An interesting fact is the strings that tie up the packages are made by women from a local shelter. They make the strings from the bags (see below) that hold the cocoa beans shipped to the factory.
We walked a few doors down to see the building where they store their cacoa beans.
Thank you, Askinosie Choclate, for the fun tour and for making vegan chocolate in a seemingly very nice way.


text:
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Special Police Services
The University Police Department logged several hundred requests for special services during the last fiscal year. Such calls were non-police in nature, yet affected the interest and well-being of campus community members as well as visitors and therefore constitute an important function of the department. Some services are listed below. This is not a complete list of what we will do for you. Call us at 654-2111; if we can't help you, we probably know who can.
Safety Escort Service - The University Police Department provides safety escort service to any location on campus. If for any reason you don't feel comfortable or safe walking during hours of darkness, or anytime, please call 654-2111 for a safety escort. A police officer or community service officer will respond and walk with you to your destination.
First Aid - When the Campus Health Center is closed (weekends, or after regular working hours during the week) assistance with emergency medical problems can be obtained through the University Police Department. Officers are trained in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Requests for medical and ambulance services may always be obtained through the Police Department.
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Emergency Messages - When such messages are considered critical in nature, all efforts to contact the student involved are made by the Department in conjunction with the Records Department and Residence Halls.
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text:
Askaprice necesitaba un nuevo diseño de página web y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 19 diseños de 12 diseñadores freelance.
We now seek a talented designer who can transform the identity of our Corporate section into a professional, upbeat and stylish B2B (automotive) design that speaks volumes about our industry expertise.
To be decided
Desired Color Scheme:
Primary: R:49, G:101, B:206 (#3165CE) Secondary: R:255, G:154, B:49 (#FF9A31)
Desired Style:
Corporate, professional (see design brief)
Askaprice.com's goal is to provide the UK car buying market with the most authoritative and independent source of automotive information, making us the premier one-stop-shop for car buyers.
Beneath Askaprice.com lies a very effective B2B lead generation business model. Askaprice.com generates enquiries for new or leased cars from prospective buyers within the purchasing cycle, and in turn sells these enquiries as 'leads' to our network of car dealerships.
We now seek a talented designer who can transform the identity Corporate section into a professional, upbeat and stylish B2B design that speaks volumes about our industry expertise.
The current Corporate section can be found at:
We are seeking two designs, one for the homepage, and one for a generic 'informational page':
This will highlight our two major services, Lead Generation and Lead Management, along with a less prominent link to 'Advertising Services'.
Informational Page
This will be quite content heavy, so we need a design that offers white space without compromising functionality.
We have identified a few designs/layouts that we particularly like:
We also have a wireframe (text only) of the structure of the proposed website here, where you can get a feel of the main elements and important messages:
Elevator Pitch
The Askaprice Corporate Section gives our partners a gateway to all our products and services, in one, easy-to-use location. By consolidating these services into a central location, it will help our customers to identify the most effective strategies to complement their existing marketing activities, increase brand awareness and maximise their return on investment.
The construction of a new Corporate Section will enable us to simplify the process of managing, informing and cross-selling, and communicating with our B2B clients, in one central area.
Target Audience:
65/35% male/female split
Age: 31-41
Education: University / degree educated
Income: High earners
Job title: Sales Director / Dealer Principle
Location: UK
Industry Segment: Automotive retail (car dealerships)
Our core competencies:
Our core competencies are our knowledge of the market, in particular the publics car buying process, and how they interact with the internet and online services as part of that process. This puts us in a particularly strong position in terms of selling our services to dealerships who do not understand the role of the internet in the car buying process, or those that are struggling to make a presence.
Tone / identity
Professional, consistent, exciting, modern, knowledgeable
Colour scheme
The same blue/orange combination of the Askaprice website (http://www.askaprice.com), with a corporate B2B feel, as opposed to B2C.
Designs should not be focused around an automotive theme, however there may be motoring elements that you may want to include, should you wish.
Design only, no coding required, supplied in either Fireworks or Photoshop format.


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Do you have any idea what happens to the tires when you junk your car? I didn't think so. What about the 1.2 million tires on the 300,000 cars that are in the Hertz rental car fleet at any one time? I didn't think you had the answer there, either.
I thought you'd be pleased to learn, in a Mother Nature Network exclusive, that not only do up to 90 percent of America's tires get recycled, and made into products as diverse as playground mulch and landfill bedding, but Hertz has just signed an agreement with the largest recycler to recover the material from the worn-out tires that leave its fleet every year—an estimated 170,000 of them.
"We're the first rental company to commit to zero waste for tires," said Hertz spokesman Rich Broome. "We recently went through our operations to see where we could do better environmentally, and we are recovering oil and we don't waste water, either. Our tire recycling was at best haphazard. We didn't know what the local operators were doing with them. But because of our agreement with Liberty Tire Recycling, no Hertz tire will ever be landfilled again."
Jeff Kendall, CEO of Pittsburgh-based Liberty, says that his company processes 140 million passenger tire equivalents every year, amounting to 1.4 million tons of material. Used rubber isn't worth all that much, so Hertz doesn't get paid for its surplus tires, but it does acquire peace of mind.
According to the EPA, America generates 290 million scrap tires annually, and 233 million of them make it to a market. Some 130 million are used as fuel, and 53 million go into civil engineering projects. The EPA's graphic at right explains how it works.
So what will happens to Hertz' tires? Kendall explains a few uses:
- Landfills and roads. Instead of being tossed away, ground-up tires can be used to replace sand and gravel as landfill linings. They can also be used for road foundations.
- Burning rubber. As one- or two-inch chips, used tires become Tire Derived Fuel (TDF), which can be burned as fuel at paper mills and cement kilns. "It's a substitute for coal that burns cleaner," Kendall said. "We can also shred it further and remove the steel wire and recycle that."
- Make more mulch. Ground further, as one-eighth-inch chips, tires become mulch that is sold at Sam's Club, Costco and Walmart. Some 150 million pounds of it is created every year. Used in playgrounds, it has the advantage of not washing away and absorbing falls better than other choices.
- Turf battle. Competing with artificial turf, crumb robber has a wide application. It can also be used to make welcome mats, undercarpet materials and other useful things. Carmakers, including Ford, use reclaimed rubber in parts, including floor mats.
- Working on the railroad. Composite crossties are replacing preservative-dosed hardwood. The Chicago Transit Authority is using the new ties on its Blue Line, and enabling faster speeds.
"Another big coming use is to mix our crumb recycled tire rubber with liquid asphalt for a quieter, better-draining road," Kendall said.
Hertz has 3,000 locations, including both airport- and off-airport. That's a lot of tires. It's good to know they're going to a good home. This is not your grandpa's rental-car industry. It's greening with a vengeance, renting electric cars, adopting car sharing and more. Check out Enterprise Rent-a-Car's Driving Futures here.
Wanna see a tire shredder in action? Here ya go:


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text: Thursday, January 19, 2012 Medicare Demonstration Projects Fall Short in Reducing Spending Of 10 major demonstration projects aimed at enhancing the quality of health care and improving the efficiency of health care delivery in Medicare's fee-for-service program, most do not reduce Medicare spending, says a new report by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). CBO evaluated the outcomes of 10 demonstration projects that focused on disease management and care coordination or value-based payment. In nearly every program involving disease management and care coordination, spending was either unchanged or increased relative to the spending that would have occurred in the absence of the program, when the fees paid to the participating organizations were considered. Results from demonstrations of value-based payment systems were mixed. In 1 of the 4 demonstrations examined, Medicare made bundled payments that covered all hospital and physician services for heart bypass surgeries. Medicare's spending for those services was reduced by about 10% under the demonstration. Other demonstrations of value-based payment appear to have produced little or no savings for Medicare. The report also provides several lessons learned. Programs that collected timely data on when their patients' health problems developed or became exacerbated and where they were treated seemed better able to coordinate and manage their patients' care. Furthermore, programs that smoothed transitions (for example, by providing additional education and support to patients moving from a hospital to a nursing facility or between a primary care provider and a specialist) tended to have fewer hospital admissions. Substantial changes to payment and health care delivery systems will probably be necessary for programs involving disease management and care coordination or value-based payment to significantly reduce spending and either maintain or improve the quality of care provided to patients, CBO says. Comments Very interesting report. I think one of the important recognitions is that going forwards there should be comparison groups of like service demonstrations lest we promote what did not work and not promote the ones that did contribute to cost reductions. Not surprisingly, education seemed to assist with decreasing hospital readmissions and that is something that we therapy and all health care professionals can take to the bank. Check out the latest Harvard Business Review for thoughts on health care cost reduction. Posted by Matthew Mesibov,PT, GCS on 1/20/2012 4:16 AM I do not know if the current PQRS(I) program would fall into the category discussed above, but I would love to see the CBO examine the expense and value realized (or not realized)from this white elephant. Posted by John Thomas on 1/31/2012 6:41 PM


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|Tim Sweeny of Creeway Aviation
It's that much harder for First Nations people, especially from northern reserves.
Tim Sweeny who grew up in Cross Lake First Nation, knows first-hand.
He studied to become an aircraft maintenance engineer, earned his pilot's license and eventually got his commercial designation.
Using his savings -- and maxing out his credit card -- he opened a small aircraft-maintenance shop in Thompson called Creeway Aviation in 2006.
But when he wanted to get into the northern charter business, he knew it would be hard to raise the $300,000 to buy a used eight-seater Navajo Chieftain.
He eventually was put in touch with First Peoples Economic Growth Fund (FPEGF), a lending agency formed in the fall of 2008 and funded entirely by the Province of Manitoba.
Founded as a partnership with the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, in its first five years it's provided about $13.5 million in interest-free loans to 43 First Nations entrepreneurs and 13 band-owned businesses.
Almost all the loans are for less than $200,000, but the total portfolio includes seven larger loans.
"When you're first starting out, you have nothing," Sweeny said. "The conventional banks, understandably so, have requirements. If you don't reach a certain number in their computer program they don't give you any money. That's normal."
But since FPEGF's mandate, according to its CEO Ian Cramer, is to try to help give committed First Nations entrepreneurs a leg up in their efforts to run their own business, Sweeny has become one of its all-star clients.
"I know I was a bit of a high risk and the reason I'm such an advocate of First Peoples fund is that they gave me an opportunity I couldn't find anywhere else," he said.
He's paid off two loans from FPEGF, has a couple more that will be paid off in a year and now charters three Chieftains, runs the maintenance shop and employs five people including himself.
Creeway is the kind of low-key business with a dedicated owner servicing a market demand with the chance to employ other First Nations people that the fund wants to target.
FPEGF's portfolio of loans includes two other small aviation companies, a number of grocery stores and gas stations, a catering company, a graphic design house, a number of fishing enterprises and several heavy equipment/construction companies.
"Out intent is to facilitate the economic success and increase the number of First Nations people in business," said Cramer, the founding CEO of FPEGF. "That's why we were created. Most of our clientele wouldn't be able to get a bank loan. But many are successful in conjunction with our financing."
Adhering to a strict lending practice, entrepreneurs must figure out ways to match FPEGF loans through friends and family, their own savings, or a loan from the bank.
Graeme Green, commercial account manager with the RBC main branch at Portage and Main, has loaned funds to FPEGF clients.
He said it's easier for the bank to make a loan when the entrepreneur has the letter of intent from FPEGF.
"It provides some gap funding," Green said. "It's another tool to help stimulate the economy."
After completing its first five-year run -- the province originally committed about $20 million -- it has stuck to a business-minded, low-key approach. Cramer said its clients are not universally successful but it's only now about to send its first couple of accounts out to collection.
Eric Robinson, Manitoba's deputy premier and minister of aboriginal and northern affairs, said the province is happy with how the fund has performed and is in discussions to increase its funding commitment to 2016-17.
"A lot of (First Nations) people want to get into business and this is one way we felt it could be done," Robinson said. "The opportunities the fund provides wouldn't normally be there. But what's more important is it gives people a sense of pride that they can enter the business world."
Patricia Turner, a veteran entrepreneur from Grand Rapids -- and a former chief of that First Nation -- is the chairwoman of the board that also includes former Manitoba Hydro CEO Bob Brennan and Bob Silver, the CEO of Western Glove Works (and an owner of the Winnipeg Free Press). (Board members are 100 per cent volunteer and do not take per diems or charge the fund for travel expenses.)
Story and Photo: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com
Creeway Aviation: http://www.creewayaviation.ca/en/


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Best of Publib Current Topics and Archives
This week in Best of Publib covers the weeks of September 28th through October 18th. These last weeks include discussions about food for fines and collection development, thought provoking discussions about drug testing Friends groups and cataloging Obama , post mortem niceties, and the relevance of Teamster librarians. Some of the topics we will be reviewing include:
- Topic – Children and technology – Should we give them what they want or tell them what they should want?
- Topic – f32bb3e838340b8318b565ac7e59477d3b5c775d – Do we confirm, deny or neither?
- Topic – PubLib list moderator Karen Schneider is on the move again – Is Oakland ready for her? – Will Tallahassee ever be the same?
- Topic – ALA-APA seeks course providers – But writers ask 'At what cost'?
- Topic – The cashless library? Is your money is no good here anymore?
- Topic – Food for fines revisited – How do you balance the budget and still help the less fortunate?
- Topic – NYPL staffer Esther Averill's and her Jenny Linsky books.
- Topic – – Patrons and back packs – should there be different rules for teens?
- Topic – – Vacation messages – housekeeping your email settings – Should you use Gmail for Publib?
- Topic – – Foreign language collection development – What are the best sources?
- Topic – – Downloadable audiobooks – What resources are available other than Overdrive?
- Topic – – Selling thumb drive / usb devices – Elizabeth Fraser in Charleston WV explores cost management.
- Topic – – Sign me up – Does the brand of union affect the outcome of negotiations? Does a Teamster librarian have more clout?
- Topic – – Is there a nicer name for post mortem ? Phalbe Henriksen from the great State of North Carolina asks for a less morbid descriptor.
- Topic – – Room use and background / drug tests for Friends groups in New York – Do you ask your Friends to pee in a cup?
- Topic – – Cataloging Obama – Pre-Obama presidency and post-election materials cataloging rules investigated – Where do you shelve the President?
- Topic – – What are libraries charging for non-resident use of the Internet? What are the new economics – how are costs recovered from transient patrons?
- Topic – – Library Drug policies – Do you have a library Drug Czar or needle sharing programs? Do you just say 'know'?
- Topic – – Our time – Michael McGorty provides a thoughtful link to this LATimes homeless story – from the richest country on earth.
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The Publib archives from the Webjunction listserve are available here: Archives
Filed under: Administration, Book selection, Budgeting, Circulation, Collection development, Ethics, Finance, Friends Groups, Government policy, Hardware, Humor, Intellectual freedom, Library Profession, Media selection, Outreach, Personnel, Public relations, Public Services, Readers' advisory, Security, Technology, Terminology, Trustees, Web 2.0 / 3.0, YA | Leave a comment »


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Kurt Nimmo
September 12, 2012
A terrorist group responding to an anti-Islamic film produced in the United States has killed the U.S. ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens, and three of his staff members.
The attack occurred in the al-Qaeda stronghold of Benghazi and was carried out by "al Qaeda-linked gunmen" belonging to Ansar al-Sharia (Partisans of Sharia), according to Reuters.
"The American ambassador and three staff members were killed when gunmen fired rockets in their direction," a Libyan official in Benghazi said.
As historian Webster Tarpley and others noted during the orchestrated overthrow of Libya, the so-called rebels supported by the United States and NATO consisted largely of al-Qaeda jihadists. In March of 2011, Abdel-Hakim al-Hasidi the leader of the Libyan rebels "who trained and hobnobbed with Osama bin Laden at the Khost terrorist training camp in Afghanistan," admitted his fighters were linked to al-Qaeda.
In February of 2011, AFP reported that al-Qaeda had established an Islamic emirate in Derna, in eastern Libya, headed by a former US prisoner at Guantanamo Bay. "They have an FM radio station and have begun to impose the burqa" and have "executed people who refuse to cooperate with them," Khaled Khaim told the news agency.
"This gaggle of fanatics, psychotics, and criminals is billed by the CIA media as an effective ruling elite for the future democratic governance of Libya," writes Tarpley. "In reality, the Benghazi rebel council, heavily larded with al-Qaeda terrorists, could only preside over the descent of the country into a chaos of tribalism, warlords, and criminal syndicates which would spell the end of civilization itself in the area. Precisely this appears to be the goal of US policy, and not just in Libya."
Reuters mentions that the Obama administration "supported the Libyan insurgency [al-Qaeda] with funds, weapons and training" but fails to note the al-Qaeda connection.
In addition to "chaos of tribalism, warlords, and criminal syndicates" presiding in Libya, the war-ravaged failed state is now a foothold for al-Qaeda, the CIA-created nemesis and perpetual enemy that feeds the national security state and its military-industrial appendage. The murder of ambassador Stevens will feed more grist into the war on terrorism propaganda mill and will be exploited as an excuse to destabilize and attack more countries on the bankster hit list in the Middle East and Africa.
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Dame, Friedrich (1567-1635)
Friedrich Dame, pastor and provost at Rostock, was author of the book Abgedrungene Relatio dess Colloquii und was sonsten mit denen von Flensburg entwichenen Enthusiasten Niclaus Kuntzen und Hartwich Lohmann gehandelt, auch gründliche refutatio ihrer greulichen Schwärmerei . . . (Rostock, 1625, 152 pages), dedicated to the Count of Ahlefeld. The introduction contains a blunt warning against Schwenckfelders, Photians and Anabaptists. The booklet would have some value for Anabaptist history if the assertion that Niclaus Kuntz of Husum "who studied in Amsterdam" was an Anabaptist were correct. But of this there is no possibility, judging by what is said about his faith. Perhaps he and Lohmann were Weigelians.
Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. Mennonitisches Lexikon. Frankfurt & Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. I, 387.
|Christian Neff
|Date Published
Cite This Article
MLA style
Neff, Christian. "Dame, Friedrich (1567-1635)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1955. Web. 22 Feb 2020. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Dame,_Friedrich_(1567-1635)&oldid=127253.
APA style
Neff, Christian. (1955). Dame, Friedrich (1567-1635). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 22 February 2020, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Dame,_Friedrich_(1567-1635)&oldid=127253.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, p. 5. All rights reserved.
©1996-2020 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.


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The story of a sweet, poor girl falling in love with a rich "prince" is not new, and every time we hear the story we immediately think Cinderella. The monstrous-seeming boy whose beastly ways are turned around by the patient girl brings to mind Beauty and the Beast.
A handful of YA fairy tale retellings pop up every year. Some hold close to the original tale, deviating little from original story lines and characters, while others use the themes as a guideline only, building a rich new world and cast of characters around those themes.
These are the best retellings, I think. I am drawn in by the mix of something comfortable and familiar combined with a fresh, new *big* spin. And when there are so many writers drawing inspiration from fairy tales, you need something to help your story pop. That could mean having the reader ask questions about the characters' sexual orientations, like ASH, by Melinda Lo (Cinderella), or placing the tale in an unexpected setting, such as Nazi Germany, as with BRIAR ROSE by Jane Yolen (Sleeping Beauty). Instead of recounting a story word for word (with minor changes, like putting it in a modern high school), really dig into the story and determine how turning some aspects of it on its head helps deepen the themes. Play up a dark, sinister thread, ask yourself how the story would play out if told from a maligned character's perspective or challenge the characters to be more than two-dimensional examples.
That doesn't mean you can't have ballgowns and castles and love. Sometimes, a breezy retelling hits the spot. Even so, how are you going to tell the story so that it is set apart from everything else out there? Meg Cabot's PRINCESS DIARIES series is classic Cinderella, but it's hard to not have fun with these books, with their endearingly clueless main character and snappy dialogue.
Don't shy away from the possibilities, should you want to draw on the vast fairy tale literary legacy. Whether you choose a well-known, Western tale, or a multicultural tale, give the story your own twist, your own flavor, and something unexpected to blend with the familiar.
What are your favorite fairy tale retellings?


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Outside the rarefied world of art dealers and collectors, where discretion is often prized nearly as much as the art itself, the Nahmad family does not attract the same recognition as some of their fellow billionaires.
But for those who trade in multimillion-dollar paintings, they have long been a major presence at the premier auctions held every spring and fall at Sotheby's and Christie's, where they often descend, wives and children included, and have been known to argue loudly with one another, even while others around them engaged in more genteel bidding.
Despite sneers from some of their more staid peers who have accused them of unfairly negotiating special terms with auction houses, they are among the most powerful, wealthy and colorful members of the elite global club of fine art dealers.
"They have sold more works of art than anybody alive," Christopher Burge, the former chairman of Christie's New York, once said.
But on Tuesday, the family's New York flagship gallery, the Helly Nahmad Gallery, at the opulent Carlyle Hotel in Manhattan, was filled with agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducting a raid. An indictment unsealed on Tuesday charged its owner, Hillel Nahmad, 34, with playing a leading role in a far-flung gambling and money-laundering operation that stretched from Kiev and Moscow to Los Angeles and New York.
The case features a wide cast of characters, including a man described as a Russian gangster accused of trying to rig Winter Olympic skating competitions in Salt Lake City and a woman who once organized high-stakes poker games for some of Hollywood's most famous faces. In all, 34 people were charged on Tuesday with playing a part in what federal prosecutors described as two separate but interconnected criminal groups — one operating overseas and the other in the United States. Together, they are accused of laundering more than $100 million in gambling money.
In addition to charges that Mr. Nahmad helped finance a multimillion-dollar gambling ring in the United States, the art dealer is accused of defrauding an unnamed person by selling him a painting for $300,000 when it was worth only $50,000, according to the indictment.
Mr. Nahmad, the indictment said, also wired money — once for $500,000 and another time for $850,000 — from his father's bank account in Switzerland to a bank account in America to help finance the gambling operation.
The Nahmad family's rise to prominence dates from its roots in Aleppo, Syria, where the family's patriarch, also named Hillel, was a successful banker in the middle of the last century.
He had three sons, David, Ezra and Giuseppe; Giuseppe died last year in London.
David Nahmad, whose son Hillel ran the New York gallery, has been described as a risk-taker in both business and life. In Monte Carlo, he won the World Championship of Backgammon in 1996.
Over the years the family has amassed an estimated 300 Picassos worth $900 million, and about 4,500 other works by artists including Monet and Miró, many secreted in a duty-free warehouse near the Geneva airport. It is a treasure that Forbes estimated to be worth over $3 billion. Before this week, Hillel Nahmad's gallery was a cynosure of refinement and wealth, with masters like Wassily Kandinsky and Francis Bacon on the walls.
With an entrance at Madison Avenue and 76th Street, the gallery's connection with the Carlyle, itself synonymous with privilege, added to its prestige. The gallery has been at the Carlyle since at least the late 1990s.
However, even before the F.B.I. raid at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, the gallery's windows were covered with brown paper, which is unusual since the spring art season is just kicking into high gear.
A sign on the door said, "We are closed for renovation, please ring the bell or call."
A man who answered the phone at that number declined to speak to a reporter.
According to the indictment, Hillel Nahmad was one of the leaders of a "high-stakes illegal gambling business run out of New York City and Los Angeles that catered primarily to multimillionaire and billionaire clients."
He was expected to surrender to the authorities in Los Angeles on Tuesday. His lawyer could not be immediately reached for comment.
The indictment also named Molly Bloom, who made headlines in 2011 for her role in arranging clandestine games for high-rollers, including Tobey Maguire, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.
Federal law enforcement officials would not say whether the poker games Ms. Bloom ran in Los Angeles in 2011 came under scrutiny during the course of the investigation. But the charges in the indictment relate to her conduct between 2010 and the present. The indictment did not name any of the high-profile players who investigators said were involved in the poker games held in New York and Los Angeles.
According to the indictment, the organization would enforce payment of gambling debts through coercion. One client surrendered a 50 percent interest in his business, Titan P&H plumbing company in the Bronx, to repay a $2 million gambling debt. Some of the money generated by the scheme was also used to buy expensive property, including an apartment at Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue.
One of the defendants, Vadim Trincher, helped run the scheme from the $5 million apartment, according to prosecutors, who said that $75,000 in cash and $2 million in chips from the Bellagio casino in Las Vegas were seized from the apartment.
At the center of the overseas operation detailed in the indictment was Alimzhan Tokhtakhounov, 64, whom prosecutors describe as the leader of a Russian organized-crime gang.
Mr. Tokhtakhounov, according to the indictment, was a "Vory V Zakone," sometimes known as a Vor or a "thief in law," the highest level of Russian gangsters.
Between December 2011 and January 2012, Mr. Tokhtakhounov was paid $10 million for his leadership role in the organization, according to the indictment.
Mr. Tokhtakhounov, the indictment said, oversaw the laundering of money generated by a huge sports-betting operation in the former Soviet Union that served Russian oligarchs.
Mr. Tokhtakhounov, who remains at large, was indicted in 2002 on charges that he was part of a scheme to rig the results of the Winter Olympic finals in Salt Lake City in pairs figure skating and ice dancing.
In July 2002, Italian tax authorities detained Mr. Tokhtakhounov at his villa in Tuscany at the request of federal prosecutors in New York.
According to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Manhattan in that case, he was accused of working with an unidentified member of a Russian crime gang and an unidentified Russian skating official to rig the competition. He helped secure a gold medal for Russia in the pairs event in exchange for a victory for the French ice dancing team, according to the complaint.
However, Italy's highest court overturned an extradition order, and he was never brought to the United States to stand trial.
In 2008, Mr. Tokhtakhounov, who has been linked with powerful Russian politicians, including some close to President Vladimir V. Putin, was interviewed by ESPN and denied all the charges against him regarding the Olympics scandal.
"All that's being written about me is completely untrue," he said. Still, he seemed to revel in his lavish lifestyle.
"I am not a poor man," he said. "I am a wealthy man. I work a lot. I work hard."


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"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" star Kathryn Erbe testified Wednesday that she got a "very bad feeling" from an accused stalker when he approached her on location.
The actress testified at the federal trial of Charles Nagel of Philadelphia, who has pleaded not guilty to interstate stalking.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Meet The Cast of ABC's 'Skating With The Stars'
U.S. & World
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Erbe said she fended off a hug from an Nagel, who then stared at her as she completed a scene. She also testified that she received love letters from him that scared her.
"It all made me very upset and worried. I just felt he was obsessed," she said in a halting voice.
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"I got a very bad feeling from him."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allon Lifshitz had said in opening statements Tuesday that Nagel relentlessly harassed Erbe, approaching her on filming locations and composing creepy missives about her on the Internet.
When Erbe tried to ignore Nagel, he grew angry and tried to confront her, the prosecutor said.
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Defense attorney Robert Datner called his client "an interesting character" who meant no harm. Nagel merely "went to a public place seeking autographs and photographs," the lawyer said.
Erbe, 44, has starred for nine seasons as Detective Alexandra Eames on the crime series, which now airs on the cable USA Network.
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A criminal complaint alleges that in 2008, Nagel traveled to New York with his wife and two children and went to a "Law & Order" filming location where Erbe agreed to pose for a picture with the family.
Nagel, an aspiring songwriter who uses the name "Chaz Rose," later complained on a social network "that the victim had not responded to a song and letter he had written her, that this was causing him to become angry and that he knew where the program was filming," the complaint says.
In early 2009, Nagel again went to a filming location and approached Erbe, the complaint says. When she recognized him, she had a security guard tell him to leave.
The complaint says Nagel persisted by writing a letter to Erbe a few months later. It begged her to contact him, saying, "I pray to GOD you will talk to me and end my heartache."
Nagel also contacted Erbe's daughter on a social network last March, telling her he was "a harmless romantic who wrote songs" about her mother, the complaint says. The same account was used to send messages to the actress' brother.
Copyright 2010 by Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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text:
FITC Linked-Polyclonal Antibody to Mus musculus (Mouse) Dickkopf Related Protein 4 (DKK4)
- 100ug (LK002Mu81) US$ 476
Description: Dickkopf Related Protein 4 (DKK4)
Source: Antibody labeling
Reactivity: Mus musculus (Mouse)
Isotype: IgG
Purification: Antigen-specific affinity chromatography
Label: FITC
Buffer Formulation: PBS, pH7.4, containing 0.02% NaN3, 50% glycerol.
Form Supplied: Liquid
Concentration: 200ug/ml
Tested Applications:
- Western blot (1:100 to 1:500)
- Immunofluorescence (1:50 to 1:400)
- Immunohistochemistry (1:200 to 1:500)
- Flow cytometry analysis (1:200 to 1:500)
- Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (1:100-1:5000)
Specifity: The antibody is a rabbit Polyclonal antibody raised against DKK4. It has been selected for its ability to recognize DKK4 in immunohistochemical staining and western blotting.
Stability: The thermal stability is described by the loss rate. The loss rate was determined by accelerated thermal degradation test, that is, incubate the protein at 37°C for 48h, and no obvious degradation and precipitation were observed. The loss rate is less than 5% within the expiration date under appropriate storage condition.
Storage: Store at 4°C for frequent use. Stored at -20°C in a manual defrost freezer for one year without detectable loss of activity. Avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles.
Notes: For In vitro laboratory use only. Not for any clinical, therapeutic, or diagnostic use in humans or animals. Not for animal or human consumption.