text:
Saipem has been officially accepted into the United Nations Global Compact, from whose principles of environmental protection, respect for human and labour rights and the fight against corruption the company draws inspiration to manage an ethical and sustainable business that creates value for its stakeholders.
Stefano Cao, Saipem CEO, commented thus: "Acceptance into Global Compact is, for us, further motivation towards achieving constant progress. It is an important step forward in seeing sustainable development and corporate responsibility become increasingly integral to the founding values of the culture and organization of the new Saipem and tangible proof of the shared commitment to the continuous improvement of the company with regard to its stakeholders".


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DIY: ladder
This is a project that's been a long time in the making. I've thought on and off about making this decorative ladder for a while and decided now is the time to give it a try. It's a great way display magazines or hang towels, jackets or scarves.
I should say that I'm no expert-there might be a better way of doing this but here's what I did and what worked for me.
You'll need:
2 large dowels (about 6' long and 1 1/4" wide)
1 smaller dowel (1" wide) that can be cut into 3 x 14" parts
medium drill bit
1" drill bit for making holes
wood glue
measuring tape
paint & brush
I measured the two long dowels into 4 equal parts, which were for me about 17.75" apart. Mark 3 places to drill the holes, making sure to keep them straight along the dowel. Drill starter holes with your smaller drill bit and then using the wide bit, drill about 1/4-1/2" into the dowels for the smaller pieces to rest in. Do that with both large wooden dowels.
Cut your 1" thick dowel into 3 x 14" pieces and using the wood glue, glue to the holes you've made in the larger dowels.
Once everything is dry you can paint and be done!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Consensus Report
Guidelines for the Humane Transportation of Research Animals (2006)Institute for Laboratory Animal Research
Each report is produced by a committee of experts selected by the Academy to address a particular statement of task and is subject to a rigorous, independent peer review; while the reports represent views of the committee, they also are endorsed by the Academy. Learn more on our expert consensus reports.
Transporting research animals is a necessary part of the biomedical enterprise that can have substantial effects on the physiological and psychological condition of the animals. Individuals at research facilities often find arranging transportation of animals a challenge. In order to address a plethora of sometimes confusing and burdensome regulations pertaining to transportation of research animals, this report recommends that an interagency working group be established to coordinate federal inspections and permitting activities. It further recommends that steps be taken to ensure the availability of safe, reliable air and ground transportation for research animals. The report also establishes science-based good practices for transporting research animals and advises that research institutions designate a single individual to be responsible for ensuring safe shipment and receipt of animals.
Key Messages
- Currently five federal agencies have oversight authority on various aspects of the transportation process. The resulting overlap of authority presents a significant regulatory burden to individual researchers and commercial shipping operations.
- Currently, only one domestic airline and five foreign airlines will consistently transport nonhuman primates.
- Over the last 10-15 years, most foreign and domestic airlines have implemented a ban on transporting nonhuman primates destined for research.


text:
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|Brand new items;Full manufacturer warranty available
|Manufacturer inspected, repaired and tested items; CPO 120 day money back guarantee
|Open Box
|New or Recon items with possible minor cosmetic damage; CPO 120 day money back guarantee
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Blount, Inc. warrants all registered OREGON® Cordless Tools and Chargers for a period of three (3) years from the original date of purchase [two (2) years if used for commercial or professional purposes] and two (2) years for all battery packs. During the warranty period, Blount will replace or, at its option, repair free of charge, for the original purchaser only, any product or part manufactured which is found upon examination by Blount to be defective in material and/or workmanship.
"This is the third time we have made a purchase with Tyler Tool and every time has been a good experience. Good products, good prices, fast shipping and good email communication are all a part of the Tyler Tool experiences. Buy with confidence." -Gene B.


text:
Gogo Suicide — Today's Suicide Girl
Our Suicide Girl of the Day Gogo is really into wolves, beards, and the internet. So basically, she's the hottest nerd we have ever seen.
NAME: Gogo Suicide
LOCATION: I'm lost.
CURRENT CRUSH: Jon Snow
STATS: Rain dog, outsider, Mononoke wolf queen.
HEROES: Alejandro Jodorowsky and Tom Waits
GETS ME HOT: Complicity
SIGN: Wolf
CIGARETTES: I have black lungs.
MY IDEA OF A GOOD TIME: Internet. All night. Again.
INTO: Direwolves, beards and mermaid hair.
MAKES ME HAPPY: Jezzy Blackwater
HOBBIES: Bookworming, movie and music-geeking.
VICES: Milk and cookies.
SuicideGirls is a community that celebrates alternative beauty and alternative culture from all over the world. Since 2001, tens of thousands of models have submitted millions of photos to their website hoping to becomeSuicideGirls.


text:
It's Hall!!!!, and NHL Draft live blog
The draft is here! Well, in 15 min. But it's here and this should be the very bottom that the Oilers can get. In 20-25 minutes it should be nothing but upwards to better things.
Anyways, here is a post that we can have a lively discussion re: the draft.
I'll also do some live-blogging should I find that I have energy.


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The Walrus Says
keeping with the spirit of the season.
We began our quest Sunday morning in McQuade's. Paula Noll began properly by saying she "wants a new car."
Heather Ryng replied that she doen't want anything but "hopes her kids have a good Christmas."
Sherri Messenger said she wants "my brothers to quit smoking."
Think about what you'd die for and cannot live without. When you see us coming shout it out!
Of course, you can always call or e-mail. No politics, please, and we all want peace on earth.
Narragansett Avenue is not the same avenue with the Gansett black.
Young Chris Crawford is walking around a bit off the ground. His beloved Indianapolis Colts stomped on the Patriots and were undefeated going into last weekend.
If the youths in your family would like to do some Christmas shopping on their own without adults looking over their shoulders, they'll have that opportunity today, tomorrow, and Saturday at the Jamestown School on Melrose Avenue.
The PTO will once again open its Young Shoppers' Store, complete with elves to guide the youngsters in their gift purchases.
There'll be Chamber Checks and gift cards, a bake sale, and the PTO Cafe if you're in need of refreshments. HO! HO! HO!
Don't forget to help illuminate the island Saturday. The PTO is sponsoring "Starry Night," where residents and businesses will be asked to light rows of luminaries at 5 p.m.
They can be purchased for $10 from the Village Hearth Bakery, Cathryn Jamieson Salon, Slice of Heaven, the Purple Door, and the offices at the schools. Liz Byrne said that proceeds will go toward the support of the school.
Each kit contains the necessary ingredients to make 10 luminaries
that will burn safely for up
to four hours and then self-extinguish.
The St. Mark basketball season is underway with five
teams from the island church entered in the Catholic Athletic League. All the teams are reportedly looking very strong this year.
Spokeswoman Mary Heath said the 8th-grade girls, coached by Kevin O'Connor, entered the Open Division this season. In the A Division, there is the combined 6thand 7th-grade girls' team coached by Eddie Gillis, 8thgrade boys under the tutelage of Chris Crawford, 7th-grade boys coached by Tom Waddington, and the combined 5thand 6th-grade boys coached by Mary.
She invites everybody to stop by the Jamestown School's Lawn Avenue gym Sundays from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. for some great hoop action and to cheer the teams on.
Last year, St. Mark brought home two trophies in the A Division. The 7thand 8th-grade girls won the state championship, and the 7th-grade boys the regional championship. Go St. Mark!!
Barbara-Ann Mac Intosh emailed in the right lyrics from two weeks ago — "I can't begin to tell you how much you mean to me!"
Humming last week's lyrics, Betty Kinder wrote, "(You) Got Bob (husband Bob) on that one — but I knew. Lee Ann Womack sings "I may hate myself in the morning, but I'm gonna love you tonight."
Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! "I may hate myself in the morning for falling in love tonight."
How about this one Betty! "We're off on the road to Morocco ? ? ? ? ? ?
Well, Santa and his elves have recovered from the huge Thanksgiving dinner that Mrs. Claus had flown in by Chopmist Charlie's Catering and everyone at the North Pole has geared up for the final three weeks before Christmas.
Now Santa has to check to see who has been naughty or nice and program all the information into his flight plan for Christmas Eve.
As in years past, we ask readers what gifts they would like to get for Christmas. We're interested only in materialistic stuff in
A lovely way to begin the Christmas season. More HO! HO! HO!
Winter can bring with it dangers for your pet as Dr. Joshua Hatch of the Jamestown Animal Clinic points out in his Pet Tip of the Week.
"The cold and snow bring with them a few potential hazards for your pets. The first is car antifreeze. This fluid tastes sweet to dogs and cats, but even a small amount can be life threatening and is difficult to diagnose and to treat. Do not let your pet drink from puddles in the street or in your driveway, and make sure that this poison is stored very safely away from animals in your garage. Contact your pet's doctor immediately if you suspect exposure to this toxin.
"Another common issue with pets is the use of rock salt on icy walks and driveways. This can be very irritating to animals' feet and pads. Whenever your pet gets back from a long walk, make sure you wipe its paws clean of any residue before your critter licks them and then also irritates its mouths. You can apply a thick petroleum jelly to your pet's footpads before walks or invest in some 'doggie booties' to keep the salt off their feet as well." Thank you, Doctor! WOOF!!
Members of Boy Scout Troop 1 reported to the Neale Farm on North Road Saturday to help the Conanicut Island Land Trust clear brush from along side the road enabling the public to better see the farmland.
Scoutmaster Dave Volpe said the project will help everyone "better appreciate what we have in Jamestown and raise awareness and support to help preserve it." The Scouts cut and dragged brush from the road side and piled it in a meadow to be picked up later.
Great job, guys, it looks great.
Troop member Ross Bohensky was a little busy Saturday and unable to help out with the land trust project. Ross was at Heads Beach laying the ground work for his Eagle Scout Project.
Ross is building a boat rack to help protect the area from damage caused by storing boats and kayaks on the open beach. The project entails digging holes for the footings, pouring cement, building the rack, and cleaning and policing the beach for trash and debris.
Ross will be out there again this Saturday.
When completed, the project will not interfere with the view should anyone want to gaze at Newport.
Let's see. Now we're in December, and there still has been no decision on culling out the deer population. This has the looks of another long-range highway barn fiasco and the continuing inability to SHOUT NO at a nonsensical and unnecessary noise ordinance. What's next?
Wednesday is Pearl Harbor Day. Fly your flag in remembrance of the cowardly attack on our nation on that day in 1941. In fact, fly it everyday in remembrance of the cowardly attack on our nation just four years ago. How soon we forget.
*** Be true!
We welcome your contributions to this column — birthdays, anniversaries and other good stuff.
You can call us at 423-0383 or 829-2760, e-mail us at jtnwalrus@ hotmail.com, or drop the item off at the Jamestown Press office, 42 Narragansett Ave.


text:
'Big Bang Theory' Star Jim Parsons: I'm Gay
The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons is publicly acknowledging that he's gay and has been in a long-term relationship.
The New York Times interviewed the 39-year-old actor for his new starring role as Elwood P. Dowd in Broadway's Harvey.
In the profile, writer Patrick Healy noted, "[His other play] The Normal Heart resonated with him on a few levels: Mr. Parsons is gay and in a 10-year relationship, and working with an ensemble again onstage was like nourishment, he said."
Some say Jim never hid his sexuality and addressed his relationship whenever it came up.
But Out.com notes "for years, [Jim] has lived as a gay man in his private life, but in his professional public life he skirted the issue."


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I have tried out this great new emulator called scummvm and it really is good! As a matter of fact I would like to recommend it to you guys :p but I have a problem I was hoping you guys could help me out with. In the controls post it mentions that you press ctrl and then up or down. The thi g is before I press ctrl I can see the directional keys but as soon as I press ctrl it turns into the number pad regardless that it is on cur and not num. Hence it is impossible to change the volume. Is anyone else experiencing his issue on s60v5 And how do I fix it? V1.2.0
edit; there are 3 vol controls in the options which are on 256. Does the master volume ( the ctrl and direction key) actually make it louder? BecAuse it is really quiet And that is the problem I am trying to solve. Other games and emus are loud but scummvm is quiet
There is a sdl.ini in c:\data\scummvm , edit this to manually change the overal global game/sdl volume.
How do I find the file because connecting to pc, only the mem card is shown. In file manager, I can't see the file or edit ini files, just view them. And I don't have advanced file managers because sis and sisx can be virus and I don't have mobile antivirus so I rarely get symbian files. Also could you tell me how am I to edit it? As in what is the max vol value and min vol value etc. I'm a complete newbie sorry.
Volume is in % from 0-100%, you should be able to copy the file from internal to mem card using the internal filemanager then edit on the memcard. Also if you do connect in pc suite mode, both internal and mem card is visible in your pc, so you can access the internal\scummvm folder directly.
pc suite does not show all files and folders. Also the phone doesn't show all files and folders. Still having trouble finding the file.
daaceking, if you need a file manager, try X-plore from Lonely Cat Games.
It can be used without registration, and it does show the "C:\Data\..." folder, so you could copy the file.
Get it from official site to be sure that it doesn't contain viruses.
(Hope it doesn't count as "blatant advertising". )


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It's the story of your life And the end of it's your death And every word that's in between Is just a waste of breath
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haha i do the chuckling
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Just saw this in a random Instagram account. Worth putting it here.
Making the transition. Have you?
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Kryptonian magic.
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Bubble guppies
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Something magical is about to happen...
Why can't tree give off something useful ?
"You better ***ing do it"
If men wore makeup
And yet I still do it every day.
Maybe I should've warned her beforehand ¯\__/¯
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only beginners use tags
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Florida man plz
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He grabbed so much he's turning into one.
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Such a good idea!
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Pasta la vista
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be a good lad
Where's this world gonna end?
I'd watch that movie.
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Genie got wrong!
Getting a jump start on that new years resolution


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A Woodworking Miter Saw
Turn a contractor's tool into a precision woodworking machine.
By David Thiel
Pages: 66-71
From the August 2005 issue #149
Buy this issue now
I don't know of too many woodworking shops, whether home or professional, that don't have a miter saw as part of their equipment. A miter saw is a fine alternative to a radial-arm saw or circular saw for rough-cutting lumber. It's also an accurate alternative to the table saw for crosscutting and squaring solid lumber.
My problem with a miter saw is that it's a job-site tool that's been put to work in woodworking shops. Because of that, it has some – let's not call them deficiencies – eccentricities that aren't the best for woodworking.
From the August 2005 issue #149
Buy this issue now


text:
IKEA regrets use of forced prison labor by suppliers in communist East Germany
BERLIN – Swedish furniture giant IKEA expressed regret Friday that it benefited from the use of forced prison labor by some of its suppliers in communist East Germany more than two decades ago.
The company released an independent report showing that East German prisoners, among them many political dissidents, were involved in the manufacture of goods supplied to IKEA between 25 and 30 years ago.
The report concluded that IKEA managers were aware of the possibility that prisoners would be used in the manufacture of its products and took some measures to prevent this, but they were insufficient.
"We deeply regret that this could happen," Jeanette Skjelmose, an IKEA manager, said in a statement. "The use of political prisoners for manufacturing was at no point accepted by IKEA."
But she added that "at the time we didn't have the well-developed control system that we have today and we clearly did too little to prevent such production methods."
IKEA asked auditors Ernst & Young in June to look into allegations aired earlier this year by a Swedish television documentary, but first raised by a human rights group in 1982.
Rainer Wagner, chairman of the victims' group UOKG, said IKEA was just one of many companies that benefited from the use of forced prison labor in East Germany from the 1960s to 1980s.
"IKEA is only the tip of the iceberg," he told The Associated Press in an interview earlier this week.
Wagner said he hoped that IKEA and others would consider compensating former prisoners, many of whom carry psychological and physical scars from arduous labor they were forced to do.
"IKEA has taken the lead on this, for which we are very grateful," he told a news conference in Berlin, where the findings of the report were presented.
According to historians, forced labor was a widespread phenomenon in East Germany, which desperately needed hard Western currency to support its planned economy. The prison labor is estimated to have cost a tenth of what it would have cost in the west.
Some 23 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, experts are still trying to understand the full extent of the regime's exploitation of its people.
Alexander Arnold, who was imprisoned in Naumburg in the early 1980s, said prisoners who failed to meet a quota were punished.
"If one delivered less than 80 percent of the expected standard, one was accused of sabotage," he said.
Anita Gossler, a campaigner and former prisoner, said inmates of East Germany's notorious Hoheneck prison for women were forced to sew bedclothes destined for foreign companies.
"There were three shifts each day," she said. "You couldn't refuse. If you did you were locked in a dark cell with bread and soup for at least three days." Until 1980 prisoners also risked being sent to the 'water room,' where they had to stand knee-deep in cold water for hours.
Gossler said one inmate once managed to hide a note in a bed cover that was later discovered by an IKEA customer in the west — a rare piece of evidence of forced labor at the time.
Peter Betzel, the head of IKEA Germany, said the company would continue to support efforts to investigate the use of prisoners in East Germany.
Today, he said, "we can exclude with almost 100 percent certainty that such things as happened in East Germany happen elsewhere."
IKEA has over 300 stores worldwide, racking up sales of €26 billion ($33.14 billion) last year, according to its website.
The company has been embroiled in controversy in the past. A book published last year claimed IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad joined the Swedish Nazi party in 1943 when he was 17 and remained in contact with Nazi sympathizers until at least 1950.
The allegations by respected Swedish author and journalist Elisabeth Asbrink went beyond what Kamprad had previously acknowledged in a 1988 book about his life. At the time, he asked for forgiveness for his youthful "stupidity."


text:
just plain awesome
Bird Atlas Shrugged.
The only thing this shirt is missing is... A SHRUBBERY!
nice! but I have too many brown shirts already.
Congratulations Artulo!
Well that's unexpected. *fingers crossed for Phamous Physicists at #2*
I figured it was this or the octogalaxy in first! Way to go Artulo!
One question: Are those African swallows or European swallows?
That's not a bleedin' swallow, although I'm mostly familiar only with the European variety.
Two Chicks, One Coconut
Funny, I always just assumed coconuts migrated.
what is that object? reminds me of bowling.
If you don't get it:
Also, if you don't get it:
I pity you.
in for 1, i see what you did there :D
I would rather have a shirt explaining the physics of the killer rabbit's flying jumps
Hot damn! Congrats on the win, Art!!!
Holy Hand Grenade... it's a success!
just got mine. soooo excited!
Proud to be the first sucker. That sort of makes me like the king right? "From the castle of Camelot. King of the Britons defeater of the Saxons, Sovereign of all England...er Woot.
Nice, congrats Artulo. I predict an early morning sellout.
This shirt actually poses a very complicated question of weight ratios: how on earth is the middle bird supporting a coconut without being crushed?
but what do w00t call this color??
All these swallows everywhere would almost certainly Confuse a Cat
"...It's not a question of where it GRIPS it... A five ounce bird can't carry a one pound coconut!"
Yep...knew this was a clear winner! That's why I stayed up until Midnight.
Prediction...sellout by 9:00am.
Congrats Artulo!! Great shirt...the earthtones are perfect!
gideonfrost wrote:Proud to be the first sucker!
jealous. lol someday i too dream of being a first sucker.
A swallow carrying a coconut? Well, I suppose it could grip it by the husk...
even an english major like me can swallow physics at this level... >=b
simply brilliant!
Yes! Plus it's my favorite color. Or is it?
I will be proudly wearing these coconuts on my coconuts. And by coconuts, I mean melons.
For those who don't get it...
Are you suggesting that coconuts migrate?
It's from that movie that people think is a lot funnier than it is. I wonder how many people are gonna say "ni".
Wear this shirt: on the count of three. No more, no less.
Don't wear this shirt: on the count of four, nor on the count of two, unless you are then proceeding to three. Five is right out.
Description Epic Win!
lovemedusa wrote:"...It's not a question of where it GRIPS it... A five ounce bird can't carry a one pound coconut!"
How do you know so much about swallows?
Wear this shirt: on the count of three. No more, no less.
Don't wear this shirt: on the count of four, nor on the count of two, unless you are then proceeding to three. Five is right out.
Description Epic Win!
Oops...guess I need to be more patient with the "Post" button...
I suspect this will not sell as well in female sizes.
Look at the size of those nuts! Hey, wait a minute. Those aren't nuts! And just where did you get them?
I'm gonna buy FIVE...no wait...THREE of these!
nubhole wrote:Two Chicks, One Coconut
Oh no you di'nt......
FAWSTAR wrote:How do you know so much about swallows?
You have to know these things when you're king.
View All →


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PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- The 76ers' Andrew Bynum gamble was a bust.
At least, for this season.
Philadelphia now has to decide if it will offer the former All-Star center any kind of long-term deal without him ever playing a second for the franchise.
Bynum's season is officially over, and he's set for season-ending arthroscopic surgery on both knees Tuesday. He has not played this season because of bone bruises in both of his knees. The 25-year-old is an unrestricted free agent and may never play a game for the Sixers.
''After many months of rehabilitation and consulting with numerous doctors, Andrew and the doctors treating him determined that this is the best course of action at this point,'' general manager Tony DiLeo said Monday night. ''We will continue to monitor and evaluate his status moving forward.''
The arthroscopic surgery will be performed by Dr. David Altchek of the Hospital of Special Surgery in New York. The procedure will clean out loose bodies from within the knees in an attempt to alleviate pain and swelling.
Bynum was shut down in training camp as a precaution and the Sixers originally hoped he'd be ready by opening night Oct. 31. Bynum said since training camp he would play this season.
But after he experienced swelling in his right knee after a 5-on-5 scrimmage late last month, he acknowledged a return might not be possible.
Bynum was acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers as part of a four-team trade and was expected to make the 76ers contenders in the East.
Without Bynum, the Sixers have slumped to 26-40 a year after reaching the Eastern Conference semifinals.
''I feel like everybody's been worried about Andrew the whole season,'' All-Star guard Jrue Holiday said. ''It's like, all right, let my man breathe. I guess right now he's going through a tough time. I'm just praying for him and hoping everything's OK.''
He won two NBA titles in seven seasons with the Lakers. Bynum was coming off his best NBA season after averaging career highs with 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds while making his first All-Star team, starting for the West. He was the NBA's third-leading rebounder and 20th-leading scorer, while also ranking sixth in the league with 1.93 blocked shots per game.
Bynum last talked to the media on March 1 and said he would not play in pain or be pressured into playing and risking a potential nine-figure payday.
''I think being healthy is more important than everything else,'' Bynum said. ''If I am healthy, I'll get a deal. I have to be able to play and I need to get to the point with my body where I'm able to play, however long that takes.''
The Sixers can offer Bynum more years and more money than any other team.
Bynum was acquired as part of a four-team trade that also saw the Sixers land Jason Richardson. Richardson was shut down after 33 games with knee injuries. The Sixers sent Andre Iguodala to Denver and Nik Vucevic to Orlando as part of the trade. Both players are having solid seasons. Bynum will earn $16.5 million this season without ever playing to the potential the organization expected when they made him the centerpiece of team.
The Sixers welcomed Bynum with a public press conference that whipped hundreds of fans into a frenzy. Without playing a game for the Sixers, he said he wanted to make Philadelphia his home - and the team was ready to commit.
''Where do I sign?'' owner Joshua Harris said. ''Show me the contract.''
The Sixers are now left wondering if he'll ever play for them.
Rest of the story: Y! SPORTS
Its better to walk alone than to walk in a crowd going in the wrong direction.
"Without Bynum, the Sixers have slumped to 26-40 a year after reaching the Eastern Conference semifinals."
I still contend that it was giving up Iguodala that put them here. He was their Mojo. We'll never know for certain now as Bynum never got off the launch pad but I think they would have been in trouble even with a healthy Bynum.
and the Lakers made out like a bandit as usual.:richb
The Sixers are still in a pickle as the last line of the article eludes to: "The Sixers are now left wondering if he'll ever play for them." After wining, dining and nursing Bynum this whole year, do they go after him as a free agent and probably have to go max salary even though he hasn't played a game for Philadelphia and both of his knees are on the rebound as well after surgery? I say drop him like a hot rock, cut your losses and look for someone else to bail you out. Bynum is a deadbeat; don't give him any more money and find out the hard way.
Its better to walk alone than to walk in a crowd going in the wrong direction.
I thought at the time of the trade it made zero sense for the Sixers. The Nuggets I thought made out good because they got Iggy and dumped a horrible contract in Al Harrington all in one. Lakers of course on paper did well because they got Howard. I think I blasted the Magic at the time too. But it was because a lot of those draft picks have too many conditions to them. Looking back now...........The Magic did pretty well because they got back young talent and got I think 3 first and 2 second rounders for a guy who didn't want to be there with only one year left on his deal which they lucked out because he opted in when he didn't have to. Moving Iggy was not really a bad move in my view but they needed to blow up that team. Being in the middle of the pack is the worst place to be with a sports team. It's better to be great or suck bad. I'd rather be the Charlotte Bobcats or New Orleans Hornets this summer versus the 76ers franchise right now to be honest.
In other words, play the young guys, and find out who's the future. No real tanking, but minimal old(er) guy playing. They've got ~15 games to see what the under-25 crowd can do.
Its better to walk alone than to walk in a crowd going in the wrong direction.
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Second vote fails to restore money for police overtime in DerryBy ADAM SWIFT
Union Leader Correspondent
April 28. 2013 8:41PM
DERRY - At the latest Town Council budget review workshop last Thursday, Councilor Phyllis Katsakiores asked the council to reconsider the $50,000 cut it made to the police department's overtime budget at an earlier budget session.
Katsakiores was unable to attend the earlier session, where the council voted 4-2 to move forward with a police department budget of $9,081,818, cutting $50,000 from the overtime line item requested by Chief Ed Garone.
In the re-vote, Katsakiores joined councilors Brad Benson and Neil Wetherbee in opposing the budget cut, but it was not enough to change the bottom line.
Katsakiores said she was concerned the overtime cut would leave the police department unprepared in case of an emergency.
"The terrorists left a bomb in Boston, and that's 30 miles from our front door," she said. "The terrorists also went to Seabrook to the fireworks place to get the black powder, and we have (a fireworks store) less than one mile from here (in Londonderry). I feel that it is important that our police department and our first responders are prepared."
Councilor Mark Osborne said that when he was elected in March, many voters expressed concerns about rising property tax rates in the town.
"Whenever I've made the motion for a cut in a budget or supported a motion for a cut in a budget, it has not been my intent to besmirch or downplay the services we receive," said Osborne. "I think we have excellent police services, and I think we have excellent fire services."
Osborne said that during the recent election campaign, many of the residents he spoke with said they were afraid that they would no longer be able to afford their homes because of property taxes.
"I made the promise to ask tough questions of all the budgets that came before us about what we can afford and need, not just what we want, and I'm going to continue to do that," said Osborne.
Wetherbee said the cut to the police overtime budget amounts to just over 1 cent on the town's property tax rate and that much of the increase in the tax rate is the result of increases in school spending, which the Town Council does not control.
"The fact is, anyone who thinks we are going to cut taxes in this room here, they are either misinformed or disingenuous, because we only control one-third of the budget," Wetherbee said. "... Cutting police overtime for a penny and a half? The cost does not outweigh the risk."
Osborne said those who disagreed with Wetherbee were not misinformed or disingenuous.
"I don't think we have to go there to have a budget discussion," he said. "Come on."
Councilor Al Dimmock said Katsakiores asked for a new vote on the police overtime budget because she was not present for the original vote, but added that he did not want to get into discussing issues that had already been addressed during the budget process.
"We're not here to discuss the budget all over again," he said.


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|January 28, 2013, 04:27 PM
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In over my head
This is embarrassing but I give up. Can anyone clue me in on how to resemble the trigger and shell lifting mechanism in a Remington 512? The back part with safety I'm good with, but can't tell which side of trigger spacer goes on can't get feeding mechanism to time or function right or bolt to cock. All of the exploded view drawings I have seen are too poor to tell the relationship of the parts.
|January 28, 2013, 04:57 PM
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Do a image search on google and there are a pretty good sets of drawings, they may be better than what you have now.
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New Bee
Posts: 40
HELP! Right now!
June 03, 2004, 05:51:53 pm »
I was just outside working in the yard. Checked the bees, they looked fine, normal bee activity.
5 minutes later I hear this huge buzzing and look over at the hives to see the sky black with honey bees. I thought the were under attack. I raced in the house to call some local bee guys. I kept watching them and they were all over the front of the hive.
I figured swarming. I finally got ahold of one of the guys. He concurred.
He told me to watch them, get a box ready, etc. etc.
So I went out to watch them. The activity settled way down. There are still bees on the front of the box, but not much more than normal.
But as I was looking to see if they were hanging around anywhere close, I saw (for the first time) a honets nest about the size of a volleyball hanging from the back eave of my garage not 30 feet from the front of my two hive boxes. The really weird part is, it was covered with what I thought were honey bees, but now I'm not sure. It's too high up to get a close look. But the bees look to black to be honey bees. But they are honey bee size, way to small to be hornets. Is it possible that they would swarm to a vacant hornet nest?
P.S. This is happening as I write, and I have to leave for work in about 30 minutes.
Thanks for any help.
Rand Carrothers
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Galactic Bee
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Reply #1 on:
June 03, 2004, 06:33:25 pm »
I've never heard of honeybees occupying a hornet or wasp nest, ever - there isn't any reason too that I can think of, it is NOT a viable home and there is NOTHING to rob.
I'm sure you caught them swarming, it is an amazing site to behold. Could a handful of honeybees be clustered INADVERTANTLY around the hornet nest - I can't imagine, but a whole swarm - I'd bet a paycheck no!
Start looking around, swarms don't go far - I don't know what type of area you live in, I live with a 1 mile square town behind my house and 1.2 million acres of wilderness across the street - little doubt which way my bee ALWAYS go - lol.
You need to watch that nest, observe the bees, follow a few if you need to, but I also say start looking around for the clustered swarm.
Last point (this is a long shot) but are you sure that what you see hanging isn't a full swarm of honeybees clustered on some protruding eve or security light or joist or ANYTHING - meaning, could that be a solid mass of honeybees with NO NEST of any kind under it???
Watch them and go hunting, get back to us - and the blackened sky with deafening roar of noise is indeed a swarm, sounds like a biggy too!!!
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Reply #2 on:
June 03, 2004, 07:34:42 pm »
I guess anything is possible, but I have to agree with John AGAIN. :D I find it very doubtful that they would move into a hornets nest. In fact, don't hornets build their comb (or whatever you would call it) horizontal and not vertical?
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New Bee
Posts: 40
HELP! Right now!
Reply #3 on:
June 03, 2004, 07:48:52 pm »
Ok, I'm at work now, and everything seemed to calm down at the hive. I talked with my local guru again and he said they probably went back into the hive. He said they will probably be going to swarm in the next couple days. I am going into the hive tomorrow to dig out any queen cells, but he said that might not stop them from swarming.
I checked all around my property and adjacent land and couldn't find a cluster.
The "bees" crawling all over the hornets nest are not honey bees. I got a ladder and climbed up there to see what they were. I don't know what kind of bees they are. They are the same size as a honey bee, but they are mostly black (some yellowish brown but not light like an italian honey bee) with blackish wings. I will try to get a local expert to come out and look. If they are not good guys that hornets nest is toast!
thanks for your help.
I'll keep you up to date with it as it unfolds.
Rand Carrothers
House Bee
Posts: 108
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Reply #4 on:
June 03, 2004, 08:39:27 pm »
Kill them They are black hornets and are the meanest i've encountered
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Reply #5 on:
June 03, 2004, 10:18:21 pm »
If they have a large paper nest they are probably bald faced hornets, and they are pretty nasty little buggers. I would give them a good soaking with hornet and wasp killer.
House Bee
Posts: 179
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Reply #6 on:
June 04, 2004, 12:11:53 am »
don't go gettin' all hot and bothered about hornets now. they are not as bad as their reputation. in fact i'll bet if they been there a while you'll be hard pressed to remember the last time you saw a fly or caterpiller around unless you maybe have a cherry tree with tent caterpillers in it. if you leave them alone they'll leave you alone. nest is pretty big and you didn't even know they were there, right? the ones you need to worry about are them stinkin' ground dwelling yellow jackets (vespa communis). you find them AFTER it's too late and they're mad cause you walked on their hive mowing the lawn and now you got 39 of the stinkin' things up your pants leg makin your life HELL! the bald faced or white faced hornet (vespula maculata) usually don't bother nobody.
New Bee
Posts: 40
HELP! Right now!
Reply #7 on:
June 04, 2004, 12:47:27 am »
These aren't Bald-Faced Hornets. They are way too small and they don't have the same coloring as a Bald-Faced. They don't appear to be too aggressive. The nest is bigger than a volleyball and I just did see it today. I climbed up a 12 foot ladder to investigate and none of them were the least bit interested in me. I picked up two cans of hornet killer today. I thought if I was going to do the deed, it should be tonight.
I'm open for more advice. So far I have 1 for Kill 'em; and 1 for leave 'em be.
Rand Carrothers
House Bee
Posts: 111
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Reply #8 on:
June 04, 2004, 01:57:19 am »
If the nest is that big it would seem to me that it has been there a while. It they aren't bothering you or your hives I think I would leave them be. But I don't know that much and maybe they could at some point in the future rob honey from your hive. Maybe you could post a pic?
"Lurch my good man,…what did you mean when you said just now that 'You've got better things to do than run my petty little errands'…….?"
New Bee
Posts: 40
HELP! Right now!
Reply #9 on:
June 04, 2004, 02:42:12 am »
I'll give them a stay of execution for one night and put a pic up here for you all to see. These guys aren't any bigger than a honey bee and there can't be more than around a couple hundred in the hive at most. I can't imagine they'd be a threat to either of my colonies.
Let's see what you all think of the photo, then I'll make a decision on their fate.
First I have to go into that #2 hive and see if I can stop the swarm from happening.
Rand Carrothers
HELP! Right now!
Reply #10 on:
June 04, 2004, 10:34:58 am »
I was going to tell you to go here to Id your bees but the site says tempory unaviable.
I have a bug guru that is really good on the gardening forum.
Go there to the member list look up Amy W and send her a pm with the picture. She will know what they are if any body does. As I said she is good.
:D Al
New Bee
Posts: 40
HELP! Right now!
Reply #11 on:
June 05, 2004, 12:25:18 am »
Well, I went into the hive today before work. Great news. I reversed the top and bottom deep. When I was checking the frames, I found 1 large swarm cell and 1 small swarm cell. I dug them both out. I looked for the queen and couldn't see her. I did see eggs, larvae, and all other healthy bee hive stuff. I must have lost my mind, because I then closed up the hive and got out of the bee suit. Then I thought "I need to find the queen or else I won't know if she swarmed yesterday. So after some irresponsible guilt, it was back into the bee suit and relit the smoker. Back in the hive again. Nice sunny day, so I figured it woudn't hurt anything.
I still could not find the queen. I then said "Lord, why don't you just show her to me?"
I finished that frame, put it back in the hive, picked up the next frame and voila! There she was. I watched her for quite some time and she was looking healthy laying eggs and crawling about.
So hopefully I've averted the swarm.
I am leaving for Norman, OK on Sunday. I won't be back home until the evening of the 18th. 12 days! I hope they stay around that long.
I don't know anybody well enough out here to have them look in on the girls.
"Lord, watch over them for me."
Now to the wasps. They're toast.
The nest is just too close to the beehives for comfort. Tonight when I get home from work at midnight, I'm going to spray the nest. Sorry. If I could move it without losing life or limb, I might try to, but I don't see that happening and to boot, the wife is uncomfortable with that nest where it is too.
Thanks for all your help on this exciting bee happening!
Rand Carrothers
House Bee
Posts: 179
HELP! Right now!
Reply #12 on:
June 05, 2004, 12:06:07 pm »
if you 're going away for twelve days you need to make your hive "think " it has swarmed or you will lose a swarm. according to what i've read just cutting swarm cells is ineffective even when done every 5 days like it's supposed to be done.
New Bee
Posts: 40
HELP! Right now!
Reply #13 on:
June 06, 2004, 03:55:06 am »
How do I make the hive
it has swarmed?
Rand Carrothers
House Bee
Posts: 179
HELP! Right now!
Reply #14 on:
June 06, 2004, 11:10:30 am »
i missed the part where you wrote that you flipped hive bodies. that will help. what i've read is queen & field bees on the bottom, double screen board with the back entrance open on top then a queen excluder with the brood & house bee box on top of that. alternative....just split the hive
New Bee
Posts: 8
HELP! Right now!
Reply #15 on:
June 06, 2004, 02:57:36 pm »
Mark , others:
Forgive my jumping in on this thread, but something you just posted intigues me. I'm brand new to this, I hived my bees Apr 21. I bought all medium supers. Started with one of course, then about 2-3 weeks ago when they had drawn out sufficent frames, added another super. It's close to calling for a third super now, but not just yet. However, yesterday(Saturday) in the bottom box I found and removed about 8 "peanuts" protruding from the lower portion of several frames. I did not see the queen, however I did see babies.
As a begginer, I want to make sure I'm clear on what you're recommending. For my situation do I need to go back to the hive today and put the top on the bottom and bottom on top. I would really appreciate some helpful advice. Thanks.
Truly great people will make you believe you can be great also. Mark Twain
House Bee
Posts: 179
HELP! Right now!
Reply #16 on:
June 06, 2004, 04:48:30 pm »
flipping hive bodies is a way to relieve congestion in the hive when you want to confine the brood to the boxes they are in whether 2 or 3. bees in man made hive boxes work up when there is room. when you put the bottom hive on the top it gives them more room to use and they go about rearranging things to suit them. it DOES however destroy the integrity of the brood nest and should NOT be done in cold weather or you will lose part of the nest to chilling. if it's a new hive and you are adding supers they are given new room to use that way.
i would also think that one should make sure the queen is actually there BEFORE you go about cutting all the queen cells unless you plan on buying a queen anyway. queen cells are started ideally with an egg. if the queen died or swarmed days ago you will have no eggs for them to start a new queen---less than ideal.
House Bee
Posts: 244
HELP! Right now!
Reply #17 on:
June 06, 2004, 10:19:32 pm »
Mark makes an important point. Finding the queen is important for the reasons he mentions, as well as indicating whether reversal of brood chambers is warranted. As Mark says, the normal progression is that the lower box fills up, and she moves up. After the brood in the lower chamber emerges, if there is no room, the colony may begin storing nectar and pollen in the now open cells. THis further congests the brood chamber and the colony may become "honey bound" often leading to swarming, reduced production, etc. If by chance, she has moved down on her own, reversing the boxes puts her back on top and again, out of laying room. Integrity of the brood chamber is an important factor too. If you were to find the lower brood chamber full of honey, with the outside frames undrawn, some frame manipulation may be warranted to get this back in the right shape.
I've read alot of different theories abouts swarms. Some think it is the natural reproductive plan for the honey bee. Some claim that it doesn't happen during a flow, and it is an attempt to find more forageable territory as flows end. Most agree that brood chamber congestion is a factor. In any case, with mediums, 3 hive bodys is not unreasonable as the colony expands.
I think that we all need to learn what is happening in our environment, in regards nectar flows, heat/cold, our bees' propensity for swarming, etc to become good managers.
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Creating Effective Online Lessons
Posted 26 November 2003 - 12:17 AM
In three words, no more and no less, explain what you think makes an 'effective online lesson'. You have 24 hours.
I will start off with:
Interactivity, Accessibility, Impact
Posted 26 November 2003 - 08:49 AM
Posted 26 November 2003 - 01:20 PM
From my form:
1. "fun, 'learn loads', challenging"
2. "education-al not borin'"
3. "quiet, sensible, fun"
4. "entertaining, special, 'have fun and learn'"
#4 Guest_andy_walker_*
Posted 26 November 2003 - 01:24 PM
Posted 26 November 2003 - 06:09 PM
Posted 26 November 2003 - 08:15 PM
(I have decided that four-dimensional is one word due to my use of the hyphen! )
Posted 26 November 2003 - 08:21 PM
Posted 26 November 2003 - 09:02 PM
Or from one I did today:
Patience, bloody patience.
Edmund Burke
European School Brussels III
International School History
Posted 27 November 2003 - 12:25 AM
What we can see even from these limited (in number) ideas is that an effective online lesson is the same as any effective lesson. Just as we are urged to provide lessons that have pace, are well structured and organised, spark students' interest, include a range of different activities, offer opportunities for student involvement and encourage long-term learning - 'online' lessons are no different!
As I and others have mentioned many times before, ICT should be made to work for history, not the other way round. You start with the historical objective. What is the point of the lesson? Consider how using ICT makes it a more effective history lesson. If it doesn't, then I believe you simply shouldn't bother.
The most effective online lessons are those created and tailored for your individual students with built in opportunities for differentiation. Strict, formulaic lessons set on a rigid pattern for all students in the school, or indeed the country, to complete are clearly not the way to go.... As I bore people with constantly, using your standard ICT applications (Wordprocessor, spreadsheet, presentation software, database and DTP) you can create some fabulous activities to encourage more effective history. The vast numbers of online resources and sources offer lessons at the tip of your cut-and-paste fingertips!
This is the brilliant thing for us as history teachers. Anyone and everyone can take a class into a PC room. But History is the only subject in the curriculum that covers the ICT national curriculum without even trying to! Almost every single line from the KS3 ICT national curriculum could have been written by a history teacher wishing to create further opportunities to share the joy of our subject. Have a look and see:
Pupils should:
- to be systematic in considering the information they need and to discuss how it will be used
- how to obtain information well matched to purpose by selecting appropriate sources
- use and refine search methods and question the plausibility and value of the information
- analyse and evaluate quantitative and qualitative information
- to develop and explore information
- discover patterns and relationships
- to interpret information
- reflect critically
- ...and talking about its significance to individuals, communities and society
- be independent and discriminating
- working with others to explore a variety of information sources
- taking into account the information they need and the ways they will use it
- to be discriminating in their use of information sources
- reflect critically on the impact of ICT on their own and others' lives, considering the social, economic, political, legal, ethical and moral issues
- consider how the information found and developed using ICT should be interpreted and presented in forms that are sensitive to the needs of particular audiences, fit for purpose and suit the information content.
- Pupils should be taught to be independent, responsible, effective and reflective in their selection, development and use of information sources and ICT tools to support their work, including application in other areas of their study and in other contexts
The most effective ICT-based history lessons will make use of ICT as a tool to encourage students history work. This is all about pushing the use of ICT to enable more effective history.
If you are teaching effective history using ICT, you are teaching history with the happy consequence that you fulfil national curriculum ICT without even thinking about it. Your ICT department will be able to help identify huge areas where you cover the ICT curriculum without even trying to!
So, to sum up this second section of the seminar - effective online history lessons are no different to effective history lessons. Yet perhaps now we can explore the most effective online lessons - if not practical examples, the most effective practices...
ICT National Curriculum available at http://www.nc.uk.net...qvYc22VM76mHQks (unfortunately the complicated urls don't paste too well into here - see KS3 and KS4 links from this link)
Posted 27 November 2003 - 08:36 AM
Posted 27 November 2003 - 09:35 AM
Bernard Woolley: That's one of those irregular verbs, isn't it? I give confidential security briefings. You leak. He has been charged under section 2a of the Official Secrets Act.
Posted 27 November 2003 - 10:07 AM
I'm pleased to have engendered a sense of pride in our subject. It's good that the starter can foster such spirit!
History! History! History!
Having got some interest, now let's look into what you have all found to be an effective 'online' lesson.
One of my issues, which is surely still an issue for many of us is the speed of the school internet connection. Thus many of the materials I use are prepared for use online, but I instead I save them onto the school network for immediate access. This has thus made me quite disciplined in what to include and what to leave out.
The most successful lessons are when my class has used a Primary source to adapt for the specific purposes of a lesson. For some of my lower ability classes I build a scaffolding around materials and have found that Flash is an excellent way of doing this. Technical reasons are that Flash can 'store' data while the student is working on it and be used to produce a final composite product. I find this the easiest way to produce some quite complex materials. Lessons like the Elizabeth I conclusions one worked well in this way (although I since want to improve it further!) - http://www.schoolhis....co.uk/lessons/
However, you don't need to be Flashy - quite literally or otherwise. When I was delivering a catch-all ICT session to the PGCE students at my College I asked them to write down what they considered by the term ICT. One responded with words such as ''gimmicky". This is a very important lesson to realise. ICT if not used effectively is particularly unhelpful - students perceive using the computers as having a lesson off, a 'special treat' where it's not a proper lesson. ICT is a tool to be used, and we as historians are able to use it with ease.
Obviously the focus needs to be on not using ICT for the sake of it, rather using it because it allows us to deliver history more effectively. More about this later.... in your experience, what have you found to be effective?
Posted 27 November 2003 - 11:30 PM
I've found my students have responded particularly well to all of the activities created using Quandary. They all have a very clear purpose, provide students with an appropriate level of challenge - assuming I select the right task of course - and lead to students having developed their understanding of the context in which events happened.
Obviously the focus needs to be on not using ICT for the sake of it, rather using it because it allows us to deliver history more effectively. More about this later.... in your experience, what have you found to be effective?
In short, they do what the many 3 word posts ask lessons to do: they are generally speaking engaging, relevant, accessible and have educational value in that the students have used ICT as a tool to further their knowledge and understanding rather than simply for the sake of it.
This is just one form of online lesson though, and Quandary does have its limits - its certainly restricted in terms of the skills it can develop.
Posted 28 November 2003 - 12:09 AM
You asked what people have found effective:
For me the most effective thing is the possibilty for learners/students (often isolated) to communicate with each other on Discussion Boards such as this one. I see (from posts elsewhere on the Forum) that several schools are combining to discuss Factory Reform. The possibility of exchanging ideas with students in other parts of the world strikes me as being one of the most exciting things about teaching with computers - and not something that could readily be done in any other way.
It's a long time since I have been in a classroom so I don't feel qualified to comment on what works well with classes of children in an ordinary school, but my gut feeling is that an effective online lesson has to be one that engages the children's imagination and is using a computer to make possible a learning experience that could not be done just as well using a textbook, paper and pen. I don't have any specific examples to offer from my own experience, but things like Russel Tarr's 'Head to Head with Hitler' are what I have in mind.
Posted 29 November 2003 - 08:02 AM
Andrew is clearly right to stress this major advantage of the new technology. I think one of the reasons that online simulations work in the classroom is that the student has a personal relationship with the character they are playing. I remember the first time I used a online simulation in the classroom. It was the one on child labour that Richard Jones and Andy Walker are doing at the moment. The buzz of excitement that went around the classroom as they discovered the character they were playing was amazing. One of the most important reasons for this was that they were playing different roles. This in fact emphasised their individuality. You get a similar reaction with the Home Front simulation where each student has to carry out an individualized research project and then have to feed back the information to the rest of the group.
The most effective online lessons are those created and tailored for your individual students with built in opportunities for differentiation. Strict, formulaic lessons set on a rigid pattern for all students in the school, or indeed the country, to complete are clearly not the way to go.
In his book From Communication to Curriculum Douglas Barnes argues that students dislike being treated as a group whose only role is to fill in the gaps left by the teacher. He points out that that students often fail because of the inhibiting effects of rigid and formalized methods of teaching which are often in opposition to the natural patterns of inquiry which students develop outside of school.
It seems to me that online learning at its best helps to overcome the problems identified by Barnes. Joanna Louise is right to stress the importance of communication in all this. As she said in her recent posting: For me the most effective thing is the possibility for learners/students (often isolated) to communicate with each other on Discussion Boards such as this one. I see (from posts elsewhere on the Forum) that several schools are combining to discuss Factory Reform. The possibility of exchanging ideas with students in other parts of the world strikes me as being one of the most exciting things about teaching with computers - and not something that could readily be done in any other way.
I agree completely with this statement. I particularly like the way Richard has set this simulation up. The idea that students from different countries should work together in groups to develop their ideas on child labour is an interesting development. The fact that it is being done online allows the teachers (and invited guests like myself) to join in these discussions and to shape the learning that is taking place. However, the students will not be able to hide in the group (one of the usual problems of group learning) as later on they will have to use the information they have gained to produce their own individual work.
The main danger of online learning is that teachers will do the same things that they normally do in the classroom. The only difference is that it is being done online rather than in the traditional classroom.
It seems to me that the best online learning takes place when the creator thinks deeply about the way this new technology can best be used to develop desirable educational objectives. As in the case of Richards child labour activity, this will often result in the creative use of the technology.
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Against Emery, the Lady Devils had a 5-4 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, but the Lady Spartans rallied for five runs in the sixth to take a 9-5 lead. Grand was unable to score in the seventh and final inning, leaving Emery with the region victory.
Friday's contest against San Juan was a pitchers' duel, with Grand's Rhiannon Bohannon and San Juan's Tatiana SueSue each going the distance for their respective teams. Bohannon struck out eight batters and scattered six hits, while SueSue had 11 strikeouts and allowed just three hits in the shutout win.
San Juan appeared to score its first run midway through the contest, but that run was nullified when the Lady Devils made an appeal play after noticing that the runner had failed to touch third base on her way home. The home umpire agreed, calling the runner out and keeping the game deadlocked in a scoreless tie.
A couple innings later, however, San Juan scored the only run of the contest after getting a runner on base due to being a hit by a pitch. That runner later scored on a long fly ball to left field for a double, which put San Juan ahead 1-0.
In the bottom of the seventh, Grand's Kesley Backus doubled to lead off the inning and was sacrificed to third base on a bunt by teammate Kylie Haycock. Grand's next two batters were unable to bring in Backus from third base, however, and the game ended with the score of 1-0 in favor of the Lady Broncos.
"We are having a hard time stringing hits together," said GCHS assistant coach Carrie Valdes. "That's something we are working on in practice, and will hopefully get better at as the season goes along."
This week, the Lady Devils were scheduled to play Union High School in a non-region game at Roosevelt on Wednesday, March 26, followed by a home varsity doubleheader against North Sevier on Friday, March 28, with game times at 2 and 4 p.m.


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Joseph F. Morbito initiated the Kent State University architecture program in 1947. Over the years he built the many resources supporting the School of Architecture, as it became one of the most important professional programs of the university. Among resources he developed was the library. He envisioned the facility to support the mission of the School and later the College of Architecture and Environmental Design. The library focuses on acquiring materials for the study of architecture design, urban design, and interior design. In 1987, the Kent State University Board of Trustees named the architecture library for the founder, proclaiming:
Be IT RESOLVED that in recognition of Mr. Morbito's continuing concern for the University and its students, and for his significant role in the development of the School of Architecture, the architectural library be designated, The Joseph F. Morbito Architectural Library.
Today, the Joseph F. Morbito Architecture Library serves over 700 undergraduate and graduate students providing access to a wide variety of print materials, journals, and electronic research databases. Ever cognizant of its services to meet the research and educational requirements of faculty and students, the library continues to play an important support role for the College of Architecture and Environmental Design's mission.


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It's a calm, quiet Sunday here. Weather is in limbo, trying to decide to stay summer-y or ease softly into fall & winter. Yes, I live in the southern hemisphere... *hear the sigh coming here...*
But anyhow, after a week that zipped by me on super-speed, I'm glad it's the weekend again, and I have a functioning Internet connection once again. Six Sentence Sunday is now a side-effect-free drug of choice for me, and I'm sure, for the rest of the participants too.
So where am I taking you this week? Back in Surrey, but no longer in the garden - we're now inside the mansion, where hunky doctor Jamie Gillespie lives in the front half... and in-over-her-head forensic pathologist and suddenly-a-mum-to-a-tween Margo Nolan is the other tenant and doing her best to cope with the situation.
An epic row has just taken place between the mother and daughter, after Emma's done a runaway act on her sitter and hiked alone to London and Margo's workplace. Jamie has a possible solution for Margo...
Don't forget to catch the other SSS peeps today. Some if my surefire stops will be Siobhan Muir, Liz Crowe, JM Blackman, Jessica E. Subject, Sarah Ballance, Jennifer Lowery, Sue K, Christine Warner, DeAnna Felthauser, Cera duBois, & Tory Michaels.
Hope you're having a lovely Sunday! Thanks for dropping by, and double thanks if you leave me a comment. :)
From Mauritius with love,


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WORCESTER — One of the JetBlue flights scheduled to leave Worcester Regional Airport Friday is among 12 that have been canceled because of dreary weather or mechanical problems since the airline began service here just a month ago.
Three Thursday flights — two arrivals and one departure — were scratched because of foggy weather.
On top of the cancellations, four flights scheduled to land in Worcester were diverted to Boston because conditions here made it difficult for planes to land. Daily flights from Worcester to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, Fla., began Nov. 7.
"This is a slightly higher number of cancellations and diversions compared to other cities we fly to," JetBlue spokesman Bryan Baldwin said. "It's mostly because the airport is easily affected by weather, which can easily put the airport below our operational requirements."
The airline employs meteorologists who monitor weather conditions 24 hours a day. The foggy conditions in Worcester this week are part of a larger weather pattern, Mr. Baldwin noted.
"We're trying to find the right balance of letting our customers know as soon as we can, but being as certain as we can about the forecast," he said. "We want to be proactive and alert our customers so they can make decisions about other flights."
Customers affected by the cancellations were allowed to rebook to JetBlue flights in Worcester or Boston, where JetBlue is the largest carrier. In some cases the airline automatically rebooks disrupted passengers.
John Ambrose of Worcester, returning Thursday afternoon from a family trip to Disney World, was among the Worcester passengers shifted to flights landing in Boston. After collecting their baggage, he and other passengers were bused back to Worcester where they had parked their cars.
"It's frustrating, but overall I am really satisfied with JetBlue," he said. "They're doing everything right to make up for it."
Other more disgruntled passengers vented about the flight disruptions on Twitter.
JetBlue plans to explain the weather issues in Worcester in a blog post this week.
Fog at the hilltop airport has been a longtime problem, prompting the Massachusetts Port Authority to commit $32 million to upgrade the airport's landing systems. The project is expected to take at least five years, much of that time spent in permitting.
JetBlue's service in Worcester began after the airport sat empty, except for general aviation, since early 2012. Airline executives said the enthusiasm they found for JetBlue in Worcester was unparalleled.
Massport spokesman Richard Walsh called the airline's service in Worcester a success — the flights have been about 80 percent full — but didn't comment on the cancellations.
"We're thrilled with the JetBlue service at Worcester airport," he said.
Massport officials want JetBlue to ramp up service in Worcester to bigger planes, more daily flights and destinations beyond Orlando and Fort Lauderdale. The airline, brought to Worcester with the help of $1.2 million in public incentives, is under no obligation to stay in Worcester if the location doesn't meet its profit targets.
The Worcester airport is expected to pump $369 million into the regional economy over the next 10 years, according to a $10,000 study commissioned by Massport.
Contact Priyanka Dayal McCluskey at email@example.com. Follow her on Twitter @Priyanka_Dayal.


text: DB Denzel Franklin of Atlanta is waiting on his first offer but says USC is his leader. He named USC, Michigan State, Ole Miss, Florida and UCLA as his top five in that order. Franklin was in Columbia for a junior day recently. "It's so beautiful," he said. "The city was beautiful. I love the facilities, coach (Lorenzo) Ward and coach (Grady) Brown, and I love the defense they run." While on his visit, he had an opportunity to discuss the USC defensive scheme with the coaches. "I mostly asked them questions," said Franklin. "We talked about the 4-2-5. I love it because, as a defensive back, there is a lot of opportunity to play. You can move from corner back to safety and I like that." Franklin will attend a junior day at Georgia this weekend, Alabama the next and, goes to Duke in March. He plans to visit Georgia Tech as well.


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HONOLULU (AP) - A former Delta Air Lines employee has pleaded guilty to using her security credentials to help a meth trafficking ring operate between California and Hawaii.
Sifatutupu Fuamatu on Friday pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge involving distribution and possession of methamphetamine.
Fuamatu says that as a ramp agent she bypassed security checkpoints to smuggle hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug money from Honolulu to Los Angeles on flights with her husband.
A criminal complaint alleges Walter Dominguez paid her to transport the money. The complaint says he used Delta and Transportation Security Administration employees to put 30- to 40-pound drug shipments in already screened luggage checked in by a courier.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Loo says Dominguez paid Fuamatu $6,000 for each trip.
Sentencing is set for Dec. 9.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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London: Actress Kelly Osbourne, who is busy designing her clothing line, says she is catering to all body types.
"First thing I want to make very clear is that I`m not just doing a plus-size line. I`m doing a line for every girl that goes past a (American) size 10," People.com quoted Osbourne as saying.
The "Fashion Police" co-host is keen to keep the prices for her clothes equal for all sizes.
"In my research, I`ve found that the prices go up after size 10 and that really hurts my heart - it`s not fair! So with my line, the (American) size 2 will be the same price as the (American) size 24," she said.
Osbourne is also planning to include lots of crop tops in her collection.
"I`m always in crop tops. I love them. In fact, the funniest tweet I`ve ever received was from my father after I posted a picture of myself wearing a crop top. He said, `I love that shirt! Can you get me that shirt?` and I was like- `No, Dad! It`s a crop top!," the 28-year-old said.


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What Does Jobs Report Mean for Fed? Hilsenrath Fields Your Questions
The December jobs report came in well below expectations. What do the data say about the state of the economy and what will they mean for the Federal Reserve? Journal economics correspondents Jon Hilsenrath and Sudeep Reddy will discuss the implications in a live video Spreecast chat at 11:00 a.m. EST.
You can sign in with Twitter, Facebook, or join as a guest. Submit questions, chat or even come on camera and ask a question. RSVP for a reminder to Tuesday's Spreecast here http://www.spreecast.com/events/hilsenrath-reddy-on-december-jobs-data.


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The Walrus Says
Do you know the name of a doo-wop number sung by The Rays with the lyrics, "Let me in or else I'll knock down your door?" How about "Musical demon set your honey a-dreamin' won't you play me some rag?" sung by many, but most notably by Bing Crosby? You'll find the answers at the concert, which includes a wonderful menu of sea shanties, doo-wop, glee and some classical. You'll get a chance to sing back during singalongs.
Concert tickets are $7 at the door.
Saturday is also Janet LaBranche's birthday. Her family says she is "60 and sensational." Hugs, please.
Peter C. Pemantell identified Justus Pease's poser as Rockwell's "Somebody's Watching Me." "It made the list of 1984's most horrible hits," he added.
Commenting on his question about the color of St. Mark Church, Peter C. Pemantell said the answers were only partial. "No one mentioned the dark green trim, which made the old church such a beautiful structure." Further reminiscing, Peter wrote, "I remember Windy Wilson down at the West Ferry teaching kids how to swim every summer when I was growing up on Ocean Avenue. How many people remember my uncle Rueben Pemantell and his old shack down at West Ferry where everyone would gather to tell stories?"
Peter also asks, "Who was the walking mailman in the '40s, '50s and '60s who delivered mail all over town?" Hint: His initials were SC and his hobby was making his own jigsaw puzzles.
No response to Peter's previous question, "What was the name of the nursing home on East Shore Road that was torn down years ago and who were the owners?"
We predict a mild winter. The squirrels' tails are not bushy.
With all our knowledge, why can't we come up with a return mail envelope that won't seal itself in humid weather?
Our comment about the state DOT's lack of attention to the proposed fishing pier in Saunderstown brought this note from John A. Murphy:
"You really pressed a hot button for me with your comment on the trestle portion of the old Jamestown Bridge, lying unused in the west passage of Narragansett Bay.
"There is nothing unsafe about that structure for pedestrian use. I submit that any fair-minded evaluation would reach that conclusion. It probably could last 100 years with very little structural maintenance.
"Hidden forces are at work making sure that no fishing pier ever is allowed at that site. These forces have managed to get the trestle declared unsafe. Perhaps it may be unsafe for vehicular use, but when do you ever see a vehicle driving out on the pier at Naples, Fla., or any other place where community piers are an important focal point for local recreation and relaxation.
"The real objective is to get this very usable treasure torn down. And then these forces will make darn sure that no replacement pier is ever built."
Thanks, John!
...there's a song in my heart... our romance had its start.
As we kept an eye on Bill last week, we received the following from my little brother, Bruce, who lives on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands: "I think our luck has run out. This was supposed to be a normal to subnormal storm season. However, we are getting tropical storm Ana on Monday followed by maybe a cat 2 hurricane in our back yard later in the week. I spent four hours this morning trimming palm trees. Tomorrow, more of the same, plus moving all the potted plants. All the hurricane shields are ready to go, got plenty of gasoline for the generator, and water, etc. And we can make many martinis, too."
Batten down, Bruce!
Jim Pemantell asked us to add to his list of reunion thank yous: Naomi Collart Nelson and the Town Council for its proclamation.
On that note, our Ohio correspondent Phyllis Anderson wrote to say what a super job Jim did in getting the Carr/Clarke students together. "Not having been at Ft. Getty since we moved in 1943, I couldn't imagine how the pavilion really would hold 306 people. Only four of us from the class of 1938 were there, Regina (Littlefield) Gagne, Annie (Vierra) Busse, Ed Morinho and myself. I think that my biggest surprise and pleasure was that after reading my name tag so many people stopped me to say how much they enjoyed my items in the Walrus.
"Regina took me over to Judy's house to see all she had collected for the occasion. She even had a picture of my dad (he looked so young) and Earl Roberts. Being my dad, I guess I never paid attention to his looks! I just recently learned from his obituary in an old scrapbook that at the age of 31, he was the youngest superintendent in Rhode Island (Mr. Bradley was school superintendent on the island from 1933 to 1943).
"I've been back to Jamestown many times and the island keeps changing with each year. The fog the day I arrived was so thick you could hardly see the rocks at Beavertail and forget about seeing the homes on "The Dumplings," as they are all hidden by high brush and large trees. Some of those homes used to be "show places," not anymore.
I had a great vacation! Saw the people who I hadn't seen in years. And, I had my favorite meal: scallops. We have to drive an hour from here to get seafood. Plenty of shrimp in the grocery store, but never scallops. I hated any kind of seafood when we lived on the island. I would go hungry rather than have fish my dad always caught at Beavertail or the clams and quahogs he dug. Now, I pay big money for a cup of clam chowder or any kind of fish."
Thanks, Phyllis!
*** Stay true!
Call in your stuff to 423-0383 or 829-2760 or e-mail us at jtnwalrus@ hotmail.com.


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Kristen Stewart: Office Building Stop on Thursday
Kristen Stewart wears an "usati" shirt while stopping by an office building on Thursday afternoon (June 13) in Los Angeles.
The 24-year-old actress's stylist, Tara Swennen, recently spoke to Refinery29 about her method in dressing her celebrity clients.
"My philosophy is all about letting a client's personality shine through their looks, so I incorporate trends that fit not only their figures, but also their attitudes," Tara shared.
She added, "I think they [functionality and wow factor] go hand-in-hand if you play your cards right! The key is making the person feel beautiful, and then they will shine!"
FYI: Kristen is wearing Vans shoes.
25+ pictures inside of Kristen Stewart stopping by an office…


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Invited speaker and session chair invitation packets, along with registration codes will be emailed during the week of January 11, 2018. Please register and pay before Thursday, May 3, 2018.
If you are an invited speaker or session chair, and do not receive an invitation packet, please contact the FASEB SRC office at firstname.lastname@example.com or 301-634-7010. Your name must be verified by the organizer of the conference before materials will be emailed to you.
All invited speakers should register and pay for their conference before Thursday, May 3, 2018, in order to reserve a place in the program agenda, to secure housing, and to receive a name badge and program materials onsite. Invited speakers and session chairs are asked to enter a registration code to access and complete online speaker registration. Invited speakers and session chairs must pay full registration prior to the start of the conference. Conference fees cannot be reduced or waived for only attending part of the conference. Air and ground travel arrangements are the responsibility of the speaker.
Housing has limited availability (single, double, double with guest), and official conference lodging cannot be guaranteed if registration takes place within four weeks of the conference start date.
The Invited Speaker and Session Chair expense reimbursement process will be managed by FASEB SRC office, email@example.com or 301-634-7010.
Check Payable Information: During the online registration process, FASEB SRC Invited Speakers and Session Chairs will be prompted to provide his/her check payable information. This will either be the invited speaker's/session chair's personal USPS mailing address information or the department/institution USPS mailing address. It is the responsibility of the FASEB SRC invited speaker/session chair to provide his/her correct information. Providing this information during the FASEB SRC registration process does not guarantee that the invited speaker/session chair registration or travel expenses will be reimbursed.
Expense Reimbursement Forms/Documentation: All confirmed FASEB SRC Speakers and Session Chairs will be provided with the FASEB SRC Rules for Reimbursement, travel expense report form and instructions on how and where to submit receipts and other supporting documentation. These documents will be provided by the Grants Proposal Manager thirty (30) days prior to the start of the FASEB SRC. Please note confirmed Speakers and Session Chairs will be required to read and follow the instructions as stated in the Rules for Reimbursement and on the travel expense report form. Note: Failure to comply with the instructions may result in the confirmed Speaker and Session Chair forfeiting the right to receive reimbursement for expenses related to his/her participation in the FASEB SRC.
After the close of the related FASEB SRC, all confirmed FASEB SRC Speakers and Session Chairs must submit their completed travel expense report and supporting documentation by the deadline date established for their related FASEB SRC.
Speaker/Session Chair Expense Report Review and Approval: Once the confirmed speakers'/session chairs' expense reimbursement eligibility has been determined, the FASEB SRC organizers will receive and review the confirmed speakers'/session chairs' expense reimbursement requests. The FASEB SRC organizers will make the final selection and determination of the recipients and the amounts to be reimbursed. Confirmed speakers/session chairs selected and approved by the FASEB SRC organizers will be notified of reimbursement amounts via email confirmation.
FASEB SRC requires that conference attendees be informed of a presenter's (speaker, faculty, author, or contributor) academic and professional affiliations and the existence of any significant financial interest or other relationship a presenter has with the manufacturer(s) of any commercial product(s) discussed in an educational presentation. This policy allows the listener/attendee to be fully knowledgeable in evaluating the information being presented.
Disclosure should include any relationship that may bias one's presentation or which, if known, could give the perception of bias. These situations may include, but are not limited to: 1) stock options or bond holdings in a for-profit corporation or self-directed pension plan; 2) research grants; 3) employment (full or part-time); 4) ownership or partnership; 5) consulting fees or other remuneration; 6) non-remunerative positions of influence such as officer, board member, trustee, or public spokesperson; 7) receipt of royalties; 8) speaker's bureau. For full-time employees of industry or government, the affiliation listed in the Program will constitute full disclosure.
Speakers may announce any disclosures or conflicts of interest at the start of their presentation or in their slide presentation.
Invited speakers are required to submit an abstract of their presentation as part of the online registration process. Abstracts are part of the materials that are distributed to the attendees at the conference. Abstract deadline for inclusion in the program is 30 days from the start of the conference. Visit the "Abstract & Poster Information" webpage for more information.
Speakers are asked to bring their own laptop or to load their presentation onto a colleague's computer. FASEB does not provide laptops. An LCD projector will be provided (PC and MAC compatible). For speakers using a MAC, please bring the appropriate adapters necessary to connect the laptop with the projector. Speakers should arrive at the meeting room 30 minutes prior to the session to allow time to set up and test the computer and projector.
Other equipment available on-site will include:
If you require equipment that is not listed, contact your organizer or the assigned conference manager to make arrangements.
FASEB SRC provides all speakers and organizers with a Powerpoint slide template for their conference presentations. FASEB SRC strongly encourages this slide, or versions of the slide, to be used as a standard format for all presentations in order to provide a polished presentation and consistent formatting among all FASEB conferences.
Please be aware of the time allotted to each speaker and adjust your presentation accordingly.


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Longitudinal Patterns of Disability Program Participation and Mortality Across Childhood SSI Award Cohorts
This article follows six annual cohorts of childhood Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability awardees between 1980 and 2000, for a time horizon up to 30 years after initial SSI award, in many cases well into adulthood. The authors compare trajectories of successive awardee cohorts as the SSI program evolves from 1980 to recent years. The results show that the proportion of awardees in SSI-only status declines over the life cycle, with over half transitioning to other statuses roughly after 10 to 15 years. Many awardees transition from the SSI program to concurrent or Disability Insurance–only benefit status, and increasing proportions of awardees are deceased or off the rolls and alive. These patterns are common for all awardee cohorts, but there are major changes in trajectories across cohorts. Compared with the early cohorts, the more recent cohorts display sharper declines in mortality and steeper increases in the proportion off the disability rolls for other reasons. These two trends have opposite effects on the duration of disability program participation over the life cycle, with important policy implications.
Growth in New Disabled-Worker Entitlements, 1970–2008
We find that three factors—(1) population growth, (2) the growth in the proportion of women insured for disability, and (3) the movement of the large baby boom generation into disability-prone ages—explain 90 percent of the growth in new disabled-worker entitlements over the 36-year subperiod (1972–2008). The remaining 10 percent is the part attributable to the disability "incidence rate." Looking at the two subperiods (1972–1990 and 1990–2008), unadjusted measures appear to show faster growth in the incidence rate in the later period than in the earlier one. This apparent speedup disappears once we account for the changing demographic structure of the insured population. Although the adjusted growth in the incidence rate accounts for 17 percent of the growth in disability entitlements in the earlier subperiod, it accounts for only 6 percent of the growth in the more recent half. Demographic factors explain the remaining 94 percent of growth over the 1990–2008 period.
Social Security Income Measurement in Two Surveys
The deduction of Medicare premiums from Social Security benefit payments complicates the estimation of Social Security income in household surveys. Although the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey (CPS) and Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) both aim to collect and record gross Social Security benefit income before Medicare premium deductions, comparing the survey data with Social Security records indicates that the CPS and SIPP estimates differ and suggests that some survey respondents may report net benefit income.
Modeling Behavioral Responses to Eliminating the Retirement Earnings Test
The retirement earnings test (RET) is an often-misunderstood aspect of the Social Security program. Policymakers have proposed reforming the RET as a way to encourage working at older ages. However, this could also cause earlier benefit claiming. We use Modeling Income in the Near Term data to analyze the complete repeal of the earnings test for beneficiaries aged 60 or older, first assuming no behavioral responses to repeal and secondly assuming changes to benefit claiming and workforce participation behaviors. Our lifetime results show that the assumed behavioral response—particularly the benefit claiming change—has a bigger effect than the RET policy change itself.
Factors Affecting Initial Disability Allowance Rates for the Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income Programs: The Role of the Demographic and Diagnostic Composition of Applicants and Local Labor Market Conditions
Various factors outside the control of decision makers may affect the rate at which disability applications are allowed or denied during the initial step of eligibility determination in the Social Security Disability Insurance (DI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. This article, using individual-level data on applications, focuses on the role of three important factors—the demographic characteristics of applicants, the diagnostic mix of applicants, and the local unemployment rate—in affecting the probability of an initial allowance and state allowance rates. A random sample of initial determination administrative records for the 1993–2008 period is used for the analysis in a fixed-effects multiple regression framework. The empirical results show that the demographic and diagnostic characteristics of applicants and the local unemployment rate substantially affect the initial allowance rate. An increase in the local unemployment rate tends to be associated with a decrease in the initial allowance rate. This negative relationship holds for adult applicants in both the DI and SSI programs and for SSI childhood applicants.
Using Matched Survey and Administrative Data to Estimate Eligibility for the Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy Program
This article uses matched survey and administrative data to estimate, as of 2006, the size of the population eligible for the Low-Income Subsidy (LIS), which was designed to provide "extra help" with premiums, deductibles, and copayments for Medicare Part D beneficiaries with low income and limited assets. The authors employ individual-level data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation and the Health and Retirement Study to cover the potentially LIS-eligible noninstitutionalized and institutionalized populations of all ages. The survey data are matched to Social Security administrative data to improve on potentially error-ridden survey measures of income components and program participation.
Access Restrictions and Confidentiality Protections in the Health and Retirement Study
Organizations involved in statistical surveys of human subjects face two important and competing challenges: protecting data confidentiality while maximizing data accessibility to potential researchers. This note examines how the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), conducted by the Institute for Social Research of the University of Michigan, attempts to balance data confidentiality with the desire to broaden the pool of potential data users. Current HRS procedures are summarized and compared with those of organizations with similar programs, and potential ways to expand HRS use without compromising confidentiality are discussed.
A Progressivity Index for Social Security
Using the Social Security Administration's MINT (Modeling Income in the Near Term) model, this paper analyzes the progressivity of the Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program for current and future retirees. It uses a progressivity index that provides a summary measure of the distribution of taxes and benefits on a lifetime basis. Results indicate that OASDI lies roughly halfway between a flat replacement rate and a flat dollar benefit for current retirees. Projections suggest that progressivity will remain relatively similar for future retirees. In addition, the paper estimates the effects of several policy changes on progressivity for future retirees.
The Effects of Wage Indexing on Social Security Disability Benefits
Researchers David Autor and Mark Duggan have hypothesized that the Social Security benefit formula using the average wage index, coupled with a widening distribution of income, has created an implicit rise in replacement rates for low-earner disability beneficiaries. This research attempts to confirm and quantify the replacement rate creep identified by Autor and Duggan using actual earnings histories of disability-insured workers over the period 1979–2004. The research finds that disability replacement rates are rising for many insured workers, although the effect may be somewhat smaller than that suggested by Autor and Duggan.
Estimated Retirement Benefits in the Social Security Statement
Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustments and the Consumer Price Index
Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI, Social Security) benefits are indexed for inflation to protect beneficiaries from the loss of purchasing power implied by inflation. In the absence of such indexing, the purchasing power of Social Security benefits would be eroded as rising prices raised the cost of living. Recently, the Consumer Price Index used to calculate the Cost-of-Living-Adjustment (COLA) for OASDI benefits has come under increased scrutiny. Some argue that the current index does not accurately reflect the inflation experienced by seniors and that COLAs should be larger. Others argue that the measure of inflation underlying the COLA has technical limitations that cause it to overestimate changes in the cost of living and that COLAs should be smaller. This article discusses some of the issues involved with indexing Social Security benefits for inflation and examines the ramifications of potential changes to COLA calculations.
Benefit Adequacy Among Elderly Social Security Retired-Worker Beneficiaries and the SSI Federal Benefit Rate
The federal benefit rate (FBR) of the Supplemental Security Income program provides an inflation-indexed income guarantee for aged and disabled people with low assets. Some consider the FBR as an attractive measure of Social Security benefit adequacy. Others propose the FBR as an administratively simple, well-targeted minimum Social Security benefit. However, these claims have not been empirically tested. Using microdata from the Survey of Income and Program Participation, this article finds that the FBR is an imprecise measure of benefit adequacy; it incorrectly identifies as economically vulnerable many who are not poor, and disregards some who are poor. The reason for this is that the FBR-level benefit threshold of adequacy considers the Social Security benefit in isolation and ignores the family consumption unit. The FBR would provide an administratively simple but poorly targeted foundation for a minimum Social Security benefit. The empirical estimates quantify the substantial tradeoffs between administrative simplicity and target effectiveness.
Income Growth and Future Poverty Rates of the Aged
This paper estimates effects on elderly poverty rates of a steady growth in incomes for 50 years. It assumes that the poverty threshold continues to be adjusted for inflation but not for increases in real incomes. Simulations with the March 1998 Current Population Survey indicate that if Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit rules are not changed and if earnings and other incomes grow by 1 percent per year (the growth rate in earnings assumed in the Social Security Trustees' Report intermediate scenario) in an otherwise unchanging population, poverty among the elderly will decrease from 10.5 percent to about 7.7 percent in 2020 and to 4.8 percent in 2047. Those projected poverty rates are quite sensitive to the earnings growth rate assumption and to the assumption that benefits are not further reduced to maintain solvency. The paper quantifies the sensitivity to these assumptions and discusses several other aspects that might affect future poverty rates—changes in other income components like SSI, earnings, and pensions; changes in longevity and marital patterns; and changes in the distribution of earnings.
A Guide to Social Security Money's Worth Issues
This paper discusses some of the major issues associated with the question of whether workers receive their money's worth from the Social Security program. An effort is made to keep the discussion as nontechnical as possible, with explanations provided for many of the technical terms and concepts found in the money's worth literature. Major assumptions, key analytical methods, and money's worth measures used in the literature are also discussed. Finally, the key findings of money's worth studies are summarized, with some cautions concerning the limitations and appropriate usage of money's worth analyses.