text:
In the previous post in this miniseries I've used the example of Brexit referendum to explore how allowing lies to be systematically upheld in public discourse is poisonous for democracy itself. The bleak conclusion was that people voted Brexit on the basis of false information. In Cipolla's terms, most of the Leave votes were stupid: their real effect will be the opposite of what the voters wanted to achieve.
On the national scale, voters have consistently voted against their best interests (if my analysis is right!), turning Democracy in a farcical caricature of itself. Assuming there is some truth in this, it calls for some serious analysis: how is it even possible? I hope you won't spot me claiming that this question allows for one single simple explanation, but nevertheless, one claim I do wish to make is that the neo-liberal world-view (the commonly accepted web of lies[1] described in detail in the previous post) is partially responsible:
- It is entrenched in public discourse, so much so that it is isn't even questioned. For example have a look at these two BBC articles (on Banking and Energy providers) and look for the assumptions they rest upon[2].
- As demonstrated in the previous post, neo-liberalism rests on a number of wrong assumptions (there are more technical ones: for example, mainstream economic models rely on the fictional idea that consumers act rationally – an idea that has been debunked beyond reasonable doubt by Daniel Kahneman – see Neblo 2003, Aktipis et al. 2004).
We'll see in the next post what kind of effect this may have on the electorate. For now, I'll concentrate on the effect it has on policies, politicians and their ability to effectively respond to the challenges posed by an unpredictable world. Before I can continue, I should make it clear that what follows rests on a big assumption of my own [3].
Assumption: any given world-view, being conceptual, must be somewhat wrong. Thus, one should compare world-views in terms of how fit for a given purpose they are, or, in more general terms, in terms of how well they work when they are adopted for multiple purposes.
I'm mentioning this because the key to understand what is happening lies in recognising that a world-view finds its justification in how it is used. The most important variable is how fit-for-purpose it is, not necessarily how well it describes the actual state of affairs. To clarify, a clear-cut example might help: if you are reading this, it is almost guaranteed that you think astrology is nonsense. As a world-view, it is almost impossible to expect it to closely match the facts: you could say that its truth-content is low enough to approach absolute zero, so why does it even exist? Well, I think it does because, despite its overt purpose of describing the real world, it actually responds to other, deeply seeded needs. For the general punter, it may be soothing, a source of mild amusement, a comfort during troubled time, a way to keep anxiety at bay, and so forth. For a professional astrologer it is the source of livelihood and is closely tied to her own personal identity. Thus, the function of astrology for the general public does not require to subscribe to an astrological outlook: you can regularly glance at the horoscopes page on the newspaper without believing anything you'll read. At the same time, the primary functions generate a secondary one: for an astrology professional, the world-view is a source of income – to some, a perfectly fit-for-purpose source of income. Thus it's interesting to note that whether astrology is true or not, or how well it approximates truth, if one considers both the primary and secondary purposes, is mostly irrelevant. The conclusion so far is that not all world-views need to be tightly related to how the world actually is, in order to exist. They can be abysmally wrong and still persist.
The web of lies I've described in the previous post belongs to this same category: it paints a fictitious picture of the world, but it is nevertheless described as true. Unfortunately, the primary purpose of this view is to justify policy decisions – as such, it doesn't need to be true, but it does need to believed by many (unlike astrology). Austerity was justified by the idea that balance sheets of a state work exactly as (or closely enough) those of private entities. Much of the leave vote was justified by the belief that limiting immigration will have a positive effect on the living standards of the bottom half of the population, and so forth. To be fit-for-this-purpose, such a stance needs to be convincing enough, which of course requires to be somewhat linked to reality, in the sense that it needs to appear realistic. More importantly, it needs to be an attractive world-view. People need to find it easy to adopt it, for one reason or the other (something we'll explore in the next post). For now, what's important to note is that this particular world-view, given the purpose of justifying policies, needs to have relatively high truth-likeness: very few would approve a public spending round justified by the alignments of the stars, after all.
In turn, the truth-likeness requirement generates an all-important constraint on policy makers. This is a general requirement: to utilise any world-view for policy-justification, its truth-likeness needs to be preserved. Which means that once a politician has publicly upheld a given world-view, and justified his/her policies on this basis, he or she will find it progressively more difficult to suddenly change his/her position. The web of lies can capture enough votes, but by doing so it constrains its proponent degrees of freedom in a roughly proportional way. Empty rhetoric is a double-edged sword.
Once more, the example of Brexit elucidates my point perfectly: Cameron called the referendum, probably because he was convinced that the leave side will easily win. We know he was wrong, but we should also assume that he is neither an idiot nor that he lacked the means to evaluate the relevant facts. Nevertheless, his decision now looks stupid, a gross miscalculation, a mistake. Why did he get it so wrong? I think there are two concurrent explanations, with the first one being almost certainly relevant, while the second is more speculative.
Reason 1: he didn't factor the self-inflicted constraints that his publicly held world-view would impose. Having had a track record of being able to successfully convince the British public of whatever suited him best, he probably thought that he'll be able to pull the same trick once more, without much trouble. What I don't think he realised is that maintaining the truth-likeness of his web of lies had a relevant cost: one that would significantly hinder his ability to make a convincing argument in favour of remaining in the EU.
Let's look at a few examples: since the 2008 crash, standards of living have decreased or flatlined for the vast majority of the British electorate. The Brexit camp could easily blame uncontrolled immigration, lack of sovereignty and EU red-tape, exploiting the real situation of the country to spin up the current web of lies, they could simply build on the already established one. However, Cameron, being tied to the official government narrative, could not: in defending the status quo, his options were limited, the only possible strategy was to explain how the current situation was not as bad as the alternative. Of course, he could not go out and simply tell the truth: "look guys, our policies are causing your distress, the EU is not responsible, or it is only marginally so". To avoid a guaranteed political suicide, he simply had to uphold his own web of lies and find a way to spin it in his favour. The trick may have worked in the past, but this time the world didn't comply: the lies of the leave campaign had more appeal and fitted better in the existing web. In other words, Cameron got caught in his own web. If you are not convinced, take a look a how Cameron answers a question posed by one of his electors: he doesn't answer at all, does he? Why? Because he did blame immigration for falling living standards, he got elected (also) because of this stance, and therefore he found himself unable to keep his new narrative attractive. Given the choice of sacrificing truth-likeness or attractiveness, he could only sacrifice the latter, because sacrificing the first would inevitably kill also the second.
The mechanism is generalisable: once a politician starts justifying his policies on the basis of wrong assumptions (by mistake or deliberate deception, it doesn't really matter), the democratic constraints (or the need of fostering enough popular consensus in general, something which is necessary to hold onto political power in all cases, not only in democracies) starts eroding his or her degrees of freedom – since the purpose is to retain enough credibility, the web of lies will inevitably constrain what our politician can say or do. Give a lying politician enough time in power (or the in the public's attention), and he/she will find herself with less and less viable choices, ending up being effectively forced into an uncontrollable roll of the events. From actor on the political arena, s/he will become a mere puppet, forced to play a part with little or no freedom to choose what to do next.
Reason 2: what if Cameron believed his own lies? Preposterous, I know! For argument's sake, let's temporarily answer "yes", and see how it plays out. Perhaps he did believe everything he said to justify his own policies. Perhaps he did think that brutal austerity was needed and beneficial, and that immigration is bad for poor people. Perhaps his answer to the question linked above was sincere, he felt that leaving the EU was merely too risky. If that's the case, it would be self-evident that he was even more constricted by his own web of lies. He would have calculated that failing to uphold it would destroy his credibility and would also have felt that sticking to [what he believed is] the truth could also give him a strategic advantage (because not having to lie through your teeth ought to be easier!). Unfortunately, this hypothesis is unsubstantiated and impossible to verify empirically: how can we reliably find out if politicians believe in what they say?
Be as it may, if Cameron actually believed his own lies, it means that his world-view is positively disjointed from reality in the important aspects that shape his own policies; in such a case, Cameron would be officially incompetent, making the explanation of his miscalculation trivial.
I am mentioning this (unverifiable) hypothesis because the nature of the political game itself makes it surprisingly convincing: lying systematically is hard. The more you lie, the harder it becomes to avoid contradicting yourself. Moreover, each word you utter comes at an increasing cognitive cost: all the time you need to remember the details of your own fiction, just to make sure you won't destroy your credibility without even realising it. It must be exceedingly hard. On the other hand, we know that lies used to promote consent need to be credible, after all many people need to believe in them in order to fulfil their purpose. Thus, in the political arena, those who actually believe in a greater proportion of what they say in public will have at least a marginal advantage (decreased cognitive cost). Moreover, in order to lower the cost of incremental lies, it could also be beneficial to retrospectively convince yourself of your own lies. This mechanism is (anecdotally) visible in extreme cases such as Berlusconi: I have little doubt that he eventually managed to fool even himself…
Furthermore, being always immersed in an environment where everyone publicly upholds the same web of lies, adds peer pressure to the mix: if everyone you consider an ally seems to believe that X, perhaps X might even be true, after all [4]. If this (unverifiable) mechanism does actually happen, it means that politicians who wilfully chose to lie to the public are actively setting themselves on a path that leads to increasing incompetence (you'll excuse me if I think this last remark makes this speculative part instantaneously more convincing).
Before looking at the ill effects that a web of lies has on the people buying into the fiction (in the following post), let's wrap up the argument so far. In the first part, we've seen how Brexit provides an example of the institutional damage made by systematically lying to the public. If a large proportion of the electorate actually believes in a given web of lies, democracy itself simply ceases to exist. It remains as a facade, but the substance is different. Democracy becomes a system to allow the powers that be to control the population, subverting its main purpose in one single move. Instead of electors, you have useful idiots. Moreover, the same mechanism affects politicians just as much, it constrains them into ever decreasing degrees of freedom – from puppeteers, they become puppets of their own narrative. This is utterly dangerous: if things turn out well, the politicians in question will eventually be forced out of office (cfr. Cameron himself, Clegg just before, as well Blair and Brown). If, on the contrary, stuff goes wrong, the only route that remains open is a descent towards authoritarian rule, as exemplified by far too many examples (Putin himself, Berlusconi to some extent, Erdoğan more recently, or Mussolini in the not-so-distant past).
"Yes", you may say, "lying is bad. So what?" Well, systematically lying to the electorate is worse. Moreover, basing policy on systematic lies is downright dangerous. Therefore, we should all do our best to always challenge the web of lies spun by politicians, and perhaps more importantly, make all possible efforts to make sure we don't buy any of it, regardless of our own political inclinations. After all, both left and right have identical incentives to manufacture their own version of the truth.
Notes and bibliography.
[1] I derive the "web of lies" expression directly from Quine and Ullian "Web of Beliefs" (1970 & 1978). The original concept applies to scientific knowledge, but is relevant in this context because of the emphasis on coherence. A web of beliefs can support knowledge and knowledge creation when the various parts are interconnected in mutually validating ways. In our case, a web of lies can justify policies only if to appears coherent both internally (between various components) and externally (with respect to the perceivable world). Failing to appear coherent would make it hard for people to buy into the fiction, reducing the web of lies to ineffectiveness.
[2] The official rhetoric forgets a simple fact: we want our money to sit safely in a convenient place, we need our bank accounts for practical reasons. We also want electricity and gas to reliably arrive in our homes. What nobody wants is having to constantly check whether we're being ripped off, and frequently go through considerable discomfort in order to get the best possible deal. In such "markets" everyone is willing to pay a price in exchange of not having to think about energy providers or bank accounts. Thus, these are "markets" where by definition there is an upper-bound to competition, and a very low one as well. Going to the supermarket is different: we need to do it regularly: picking one chain or the other doesn't necessarily increase the cost for us (in terms of effort). Once we are there, picking one or the other brand also doesn't require a massive difference in effort. Thus, supermarkets can operate as functional markets, banks and utility companies simply can't.
[3] Moreover, even if the practical examples I'm using come from the neo-liberal, conservative side, it is important to note that what I'm saying also applies to lies promulgated by the left, in exactly the same ways. I'll stick to the right wing lies because my own biases allow me to see them more clearly and also because they are the more recent ones, fresh in my mind and presumably my readers' memories.
[4] Plain old Cognitive Attraction would also play a role, reinforced by peer pressure in ways that resemble my interpretation of Boris Johnson's ethical stance.
Aktipis, C.A., & Kurzban, R.O. (2004). Is Homo Economicus extinct? Vernon Smith, Daniel Kahneman and the evolutionary perspective Advances in Austrian Economics, 7, 135-153
Neblo, M. (2003). Choices, Values, and Frames, edited by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, New York: Cambridge University Press Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 22 (3), 491-493 DOI: 10.1002/pam.10145


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Daniel Goodfellow's mother has criticised local newspapers for choosing to focus only on Tom Daley after both Daley and her son Daniel won the bronze medal at the men's synchronised 10m platform dive in Rio on 8 August.
Sharon Goodfellow said she was surprised that a number of newspapers featured only Daley in their front and back pages, choosing to omit his dive partner Daniel.
His mother took to Twitter to express her disappointment over the lack of media coverage on her son's achievement at the Olympic Games. However, on ITV's This Morning show on 9 August, she said her son was "happy to stay in the background". He didn't mind about the media coverage that focused more on Daley rather than the both of them, she said.
Sharon Goodfellow, who has thanked people for their support, told the BBC: "As people pointed out, it's a synchro competition and you can't really have one diver singled out. People were a bit confused."
Others were also not too pleased at how Daniel's role in winning the medal was not given equal treatment in the local papers.
Rogan Thomson tweeted: "Come on papers two people trained hard to win that medal. Poor form."
The Media Blog also highlighted the distinct absence of any of Daniel's pictures in the local dailies' front pages, which only featured Daley. It said: "Congrats to Tom Daley (and his synchro partner Dan Goodfellow, who seems to be getting cropped out of the story).
In her tweet earlier, Sharon Goodfellow said she had contacted the journalist concerned over the use of only Daley's pictures but had yet to receive a reply.
Cambridge News however chose to focus on Daniel, highlighting how he had battled against injury to clinch the bronze medal. Daniel grew up in Cambridgeshire and trained at the Parkside Pools in Cambridge.
#where'sdanielgoodfellow trending
The hastag #wheresdanielgoodfellow was trending with many noticing that Daniel's picture had been cropped out in the front pages of a number of local dailies. Phil Knoxville said: "Where's Daniel Goodfellow worst game of Where's Wally! Looked for 6hrs until I found out he's not in the photo!
Daniel says will tell mum to stay off Twitter
In an interview with BBC Radio Cambridgeshire over media coverage on the duo's medal win, Daniel said: "Me and Tom have both been working so hard for this and we're both so happy for each other. To me it doesn't really matter."
He however did joke that he would be "having a stern word" with his mother. "I'd probably just tell my mum to stay off Twitter," he said.

subset: commoncrawl


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Enough about me.
I failed to mention in yesterday's post that my cousin (the one that got married) is an incredibly talented musician/performer/everything. Sister GOT ON STAGE at her wedding reception and serenaded her groom with the song "At Last". She even belted out a few high notes at the end! I was shocked!


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Take into account that abstracts should be submitted in English summarising the objectives of the future paper, and should outline the main theoretical discourse, methodology, analysis and findings. Abstracts must consist of a maximum of 300 words, and should be followed by four or five keywords which would support the paper proposal.
Regarding to the following steps of the Symposium, please pay attention to the website in relation to the scientific committee updates, keynote presentations of invited international academics, european programmes and projects, parallel activities during those Symposium days, etc. Also, notice that the early bird registration will be open from the beginning of February until the 29.
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text:
St Ives Bay Line Rail Ale Trail
Explore the scenic St Ives Bay Line by train, stopping off at pubs along the way to enjoy locally brewed ales and excellent food.
The trail is self-guided – read on to find out how to plan your trip. You can even win a T-shirt by getting 10 stamps on your printable stamp sheet:


text:
For hundreds of years there have been books, manuscripts – hell, even song lyrics – dealing with the subject matter of codes of conduct. A few years ago, one of my employees compared me to the fictional Special Agent Gibbs on TV's NCIS crime drama. Already familiar with the character's penchant for quoting from a set of rules and protocols that were handed down from his agent mentors, I began spouting out my own "rules" – mostly in professional scenarios – to my colleagues.
I must say that I've been blessed with some great mentors in my lifetime. Some were direct influencers, like my Grandfather – who was one of the most respected and influential icons in our American Indian tribe – and three people who've consistently remained in my life for over two decades: my dear friend, Ellen Smith, Calvary Chapel Pastor Ray Jaramillo and my Wing Chun teacher, Sifu Phil Romero. Others have had an indirect influence on me – strangers or the briefest of acquaintances who may have said a few words or committed actions that I gleaned something from at some point or another. Now, as I enter the next half of my life, I realize – more than ever – I shall ever be a work in progress, but I have distilled my essential core life lessons into a short list for my daughter, employees, and colleagues.
I humbly pass to you My Rules:
1. Intention –> Execution –> Result
2. Improve yourself while others are resting.
3. Be prepared for opportunity.
4. Servants make better leaders.
5. Know your limitations and eliminate them.
6. Larger than life is just the right size.
7. Remember the quiet one may be taking mental notes.
8. Although it really is best to walk away, you may have to whup a man's ass sometime…so be able to.
9. Relationship Equity is tantamount to liquid assets.
10. Experience trumps academics.
11. Guard your reputation because you can't change it.
12. Always carry a knife.
13. Honor is still important.
14. Trust people's characteristics, not the people.
15. Define who you are by what you believe in – personal philosophy is paramount to social norms.
16. Don't be daunted by Goliaths in any situation. David had 5 stones – no one knows how many you may have.
17. Be a "class-act." It does not require being wealthy.
18. Make time to read a real book.
19. Use your knowledge and skills to defend the weak, help the needy, and heal the sick.
20. Love your country like your family; although we may always disagree, we're all in this together and are truly blessed to live in the greatest country in the world.
21. You never really know someone until you disagree with them: fights or confrontations – verbal or physical – reveal everything about a person's character, strength, virtues, flaws…and resources.
22. Forgive.
There you have it.


text:
Listen to a recording of our October 30th, 2013 press conference:
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For decades the conventional wisdom has been that the US has a 200 year supply of coal that's ready to burn. This assertion has never taken into account the economic realities of bringing all that coal to market. The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) has instead historically chosen to report the amount of coal believed to be in the ground. In most extractive industries, the stuff you're pretty sure is down there somewhere is called a "resource" or an "occurrence", while the much smaller pile of stuff that you can actually dig up and make a profit on is called "economically recoverable reserves". Unfortunately, the EIA has for decades reported coal resources, while calling them recoverable reserves. The result has been a dramatic overstatement of the amount of coal that is economically accessible to the US. In 2009 the US Geological Survey (USGS) released a detailed assessment of the nation's coal supplies, quietly calling out the EIA on their coal numbers. The USGS calculated that substantially less than 20% of US coal resources were economically accessible, but to a nation long accustomed to low and even declining coal costs, the USGS wake-up call did not resonate widely.
Four years later, Patriot Coal is bankrupt. The last two BLM auctions for new coal mining leases in Wyoming's Powder River Basin have failed. Peabody is no longer willing to make additional capital expenditures in their Powder River Basin operations. Based on recent 10-K filings with the SEC, both the productivity and profit margins for coal producers Arch and Alpha Natural Resources have declined — to the point where Alpha is now losing money on every ton of coal they produce in Appalachia. Even without taking into account its enormous impacts on the climate and public health, coal is stumbling economically.
As the costs of extracting ever more deeply buried coal reserves has risen over the last decade, delivered coal costs have escalated nationwide — much more rapidly than inflation, and much more rapidly than utilities typically predict in their resource plans. Between 2004 and 2012, delivered coal costs rose at an average rate of 7.7% per year — more than enough to double fuel prices in a decade. These costs are either passed on to ratepayers (in traditionally regulated markets), or threaten the competitiveness of power producers (in restructured markets). It is imperative that we stop planning our electricity systems as if coal were going to be cheap and abundant for decades to come, and begin a rapid transition to other types of generation and efficiency resources.
With this reality in mind, Clean Energy Action offers the following three reports to the public in an effort to better inform the debate about our nation's energy future:
- Warning: Faulty Reporting of US Coal Reserves
This is a lengthy report discussing the reporting of "reserves" by the EIA and an analysis of USGS and financial reports on US coal supplies indicating that we are very likely rapidly approaching the end of US coal that can be mined at a profit. There are over 200 references in the report with most of them linked directly to the sources of the information elsewhere on the web.
- Executive Summary of Warning: Faulty Reporting of U.S. Coal Reserves
- US Coal Costs 2004-2012
This is a report that shows the rising coal costs for all states that report coal costs. There are graphs for each state that show what has happened since US coal costs began rising in 2004. In general, US delivered coal costs are rising at a rate above 7% per year. If the escalation rate stays above 7% per year for another year or two, coal costs will double in a decade (or less). This means that coal is unlikely to continue being a cost effective fuel for much longer — even without considering "external costs" such as climate change and public health.
- Coal Production Top 16 States
This report shows coal production for the top 16 states (which produce over 95% of US coal) and demonstrates the strong likelihood that the United States is past "peak coal."
Supporting Material
A 2007 report by the Departments of Interior, Energy and Agriculture entitled, "Inventory of Assessed Federal Coal Resources and Restrictions to Their Development" was originally available on the Department's stie but has since been removed. We have archived a copy of it here.
In their 1997 US Coal Reserves Update, the EIA acknowledged that their definition of "reserves" does not incorporate any assessment of economic recoverability:
The usual understanding of the term "reserves" as referring to quantities that can be recovered at a sustainable profit cannot technically be extended to EIA's estimated recoverable reserves because economic and engineering data to project mining and development costs and coal resource market values are not available. EIA's recoverable reserves at active mines, about which EIA is authorized to collect simple tonnage and recovery rate estimates in its annual Coal Production Report survey, rely on mine operator estimates, and cannot be classified as to geologic assurance.
We have archived this document here.
Featured fuel-gauge image via Flickr user apranihita, Creative Commons BY-NC-SA.


text:
The official website of Australian Colorectal surgeon, Dr Peter Loder.
For all appointments & enquiries, please call 02 9489 9211.
See Location for more information.
Report any problems or errors to 9489 9211. Thank you.
Disclaimer: This website is for information purposes only. Misuse of this information is the persons responsibility.


text:
Galax, VA -- Youth TradFest! at the Blue Ridge Music Center kicks off the 2012 Summer Concert Series Memorial Weekend in Galax, Virginia! Down through the centuries, families in Blue Ridge have passed down musical traditions from one generation to the next. When renowned collector, Alan Lomax visited Galax in the 1940's he said this area was "the richest breeding ground for traditional music." It remains so today.http://www.cybergrass.com/Images/TradFestImg.jpg
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text:
After hearing strong opposition from educators in the Pioneer Valley, the Board of Elementary
and Secondary Education took the rare
step in February of voting to reject
a charter school expansion proposal
supported by Commissioner of
Education Mitchell Chester.
The BESE voted 7 to 2 on Feb. 27
against adding 452 seats to the Pioneer
Valley Chinese Immersion Charter
School in Hadley. Although the school
could resubmit its expansion request in
the future, educators from the region
were elated by the vote.
MTA President Barbara Madeloni,
flanked by MTA members who held
up Save Our Public Schools signs at
the meeting, joined education leaders
from the region in testifying against
the expansion, arguing that it was
unjustified and would be harmful to
local public schools.
At the same meeting, the BESE
approved three new charter schools
and allowed increased enrollment at
several others.
The arguments against expansion
mirrored those against Question 2, the
ballot initiative defeated in November
that would have lifted the state's cap
on charter schools.
Opponents described how
expanding PVCICS would hurt already
stressed local school budgets and
provided data demonstrating that the
charter school fails to serve nearly as
many high-need students as the sending
districts do. For example, Madeloni
noted that 20 percent of the students in
the Amherst-Pelham Regional School
District have special needs, compared
to just 6 percent in the charter school.
"Rather than rewarding this schoolwith an expansion," she said, "thisboard should launch an investigationinto whether it is violating the civil andeducational rights of its students."Dr. Michael Morris, interimsuperintendent of schools for Amherst,Pelham and the Amherst-PelhamRegional School District, providedadditional data on differences indemographics between his districtbe transferring funds from moreunderserved students to moreprivileged ones, which is antitheticalto all notions of equity that we holdsacred in the Commonwealth."Pelham School Committee ChairCara Castenson testified that doublingthe size of PVCICS could force theclosure of the only elementary schoolserving her small town, which is oneof the highest-performing elementaryschools in the state.
"Were the school to be forcedto close, it would be a tremendousloss to its students," she said. "Ourschool serves as the center of oursmall semirural town. The school ismy children's neighborhood. Many ofour town's families moved to Pelhamspecifically because of the school'ssmall size and excellent reputation."Peter Gunn, an EasthamptonSchool Committee member, disputedthe claim that there is no harm tostudents in the district public schoolsbecause the money just follows thestudents to the charter school. Aftertestifying that his district is losing$313,000 to PVCICS this year, he said,"I don't know what we can save whenwe only have one, two, four or fivestudents leaving from a grade. Otherthan cutting hot water and toilet paper,I don't know where we can save."Normally, BESE members go outof their way to say that it isn't theirjob to consider the impact of a charterschool on the local public schools.In fact, BESE member MichaelMoriarty — who joined Secretaryof Education James Peyser in votingfor the expansion — said just that,contending, "Charter schools shouldbe judged on their merits." But in thiscase, testimony about the impact onthe local public schools clearly seemedto make a difference.
Gunn and Madeloni reminded the
BESE members of the overwhelming
opposition to Question 2 among
districts affected by the charter
school, with 78 percent of Amherst
and Northampton voters opposing
the ballot question and 76 percent of
Easthampton voters doing so.
"Why did communities with
the greatest experience with charter
Please turn to BESE/Page 21
Malden teacher Laura
Vago, left, and her
parents, Diane Mohney
and John Vago,
were among those
protesting against
the expansion of the
Pioneer Valley Chinese
Immersion Charter
School at a meeting in
February. The Board
of Elementary and
Secondary Education
voted 7 to 2 against
the expansion
Photo by Sarah Nathan
LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Brick and Knob configurations, the Minifigure and LEGOLAND are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2017 The LEGO Group.


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Floyd Mayweather recently sent out a tweet about the real reason he broke up with his ex-fiancee Shantel Jackson: she aborted his twins.
Mayweather wanted to keep the kids, but his ex-fiancee decided to kill them. She told him at first that it was a miscarriage, but when the truth came out, Mayweather broke up with her and tweeted this:
The real reason me and Shantel Christine Jackson @missjackson broke up was because she got a abortion, and I'm totally against killing babies. She killed our twin babies.
Apparently that tweet, and Facebook photos of the ultrasound, constitute "abusive behavior" in the minds of pro-choice fanatics.
I've never really understood their logic for calling anything abusive. Think about it. If these twins had been killed a few months later, would they call his actions abusive? What if that actually were the story:
Today, Shantel Jackson is under arrest for killing her twin babies by smashing in their skulls. Floyd Mayweather, the father of the twins, has broken up with Ms. Jackson over the incident, posting the following tweet:
"The real reason me and Shantel Christine Jackson @missjackson broke up was because she . . . killed our twin babies."
The grieving father also posted some pictures of the twins to his Facebook timeline.
Does that seem offensive or abusive? Okay. Well, it's basically the exact same scenario. Honestly, I am so sick of pro-choice rhetoric. I have no idea how they can justify abortion.
And furthermore, doesn't the father have any rights concerning his children? Whenever a father conceives a child, is he supposed to just hope against hope that the mother won't kill their babies? That doesn't seem right.
And of course, there's the further angle of Mayweather's bid to buy the LA Clippers from Donald Sterling. According to at least one writer, that's a bad idea now. Because being against the abortion of your own children and being a racist is obviously on the same level of impropriety. That's right.
The one thing leftists actually hate even more than they pretend to hate racism is anti-abortionism. Given the reality of the black abortion genocide, it should make you wonder whether leftists actually hate racism. But there is no doubt, when anti-abortion is in question, real visceral hate bubbles to the surface. Remember—don't ever get between a dragon and the death it loves to feed on.


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Corporate companies looking for conference facilities will find Palm Park Hotel a perfect choice. Two conference rooms are available which can fit up to 40 guests each.
Our conference rooms can also convert into one room which is big enough for up to 100 people or a 80 people school style. The available facilities include a projector and screen, sound system with pin on mic, conference call, flip chart with pens and stationary.
We also supply refreshments and meals on request.


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CyberTech Israel 2017
Now in its fourth year, CyberTech Israel is a leading platform for bringing together multi-national companies, innovative start-ups, private and corporate investors, venture capital firms, government officials and the cyber technology client. This global event brings together leaders of the cyber industry and decision makers from around the world, providing attendants with a valuable opportunity to become acquainted with the latest innovations and solutions.
In 2016 the CyberTech exhibition drew 12,000 attendees, and the accompanying conference included nearly 200 local and international speakers. In addition to the traditional exhibition and conference, CyberTech 2017 will also feature a Start-Up Pavilion, where hundreds of pioneering start-ups will display their cutting-edge technologies and cyber advancements.
IBM is pleased to once again sponsor CyberTech Israel. Visit our booth throughout the three-day event to speak with the IBM experts about security intelligence and incident response, Watson for Cyber Security and all the other security topics that most interest you and your organization.
We also invite you to attend the Opening Plenary Keynote, featuring a talk by Denis Kennelly, VP of Development for IBM Security Systems, and these other IBM speaking sessions:
Panel Title: FinSec: Cyber Security for the Fintech Industry
Date/Time: January 31, 2017 | 3:00 p.m. – 3:50 p.m.
Speaker: Sarit Kozokin, Trusteer Offering Team Leader, IBM Security
Panel Title: From Artificial Intelligence to Cognitive Computing: Innovative Solutions to Modern Cyber Challenges
Date/Time: February 1, 2017 | 11:30 a.m. – 1:10 p.m.
Speaker: Dr. Yaron Wolfsthal, Head of the IBM Center of Excellence in Israel, IBM Security


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The UN/CEFACT Bureau collectively represents the community of, the members of and contributors to UN/CEFACT. It works on the development of the Centre and its recognition at the international level as the reference entity for global Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business.
UN/CEFACT Bureau 2018 - 2021
|Sue PROBERT
|sue.probert AT dial.pipex.com
|Harm Jan van BURG
|Vice Chair
|h.j.m.burg AT minfin.nl
|Raffaele FANTETTI
|Vice Chair
|raffaele.fantetti AT mise.gov.it
|Anders GRANGARD
|Vice Chair
|anders.grangard AT GS1.ORG
|Estelle IGWE
|Vice Chair
|esthel278 AT yahoo.com
|Tahseen A. KHAN
|Vice Chair
|takhan AT nic.in
|Ian WATT
|Vice Chair
|iwatt AT aecitrade.com
For more information on the UN/CEFACT Bureau please contact:
Mr. Lance Thompson
Secretary to UN/CEFACT
Tel N°.: +41-22-917 1298
Fax N°.: +41-22-917 0629
e-mail: email@example.com


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If your skin troubles aren't quitting, why should you? Don't give up cos FEMALE's got your back.
Q: "My hair grows so fast. How do I touch up my roots at home without having to do the full head?" – Joyce Pang, wealth planner
You should always do it after two weeks of growth. Get a friend to help you with the application. Apply the colour to your roots and let it develop for half an hour. Always wash off with cold water before fully shampooing to ensure the colour doesn't fuse with the rest of your hair. Here's an optional trick: during the last five minutes, massage the colour through to the tips of your hair to refresh its vibrancy.


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The man, who has name suppression, is on trial , is on trial at the Auckland District Court on 10 counts of indecent assault and two charges of unlawful sexual connection.
My story is unusual. I've been faithful to my husband of 11 years. I was a small flirty toward flirty individuals in my early 20's, for a couple months. About that same time, I was raped by a guy w/ gf, and strung along as soon as or twice (lengthy story) til I had the guts to say no/remain away. I also gave a bj to a guy w/ gf after. And I fooled about w/ a married girlfriend (lesbian sex) as soon as. Lastly, my first encounter was fooling around (no sex) w/ a guy who was separated and they have been both seeing other individuals/lived apart (I knew for a truth). I've been hit on by married and taken guys very a couple of times and I turned them all down.
The breaking-in period for Doc Martens can be a long and painful method (so to avoid bodily harm, adhere to the instructions below), but once you have worn them in, the leather will have moulded to the shape of your feet and you'll be capable to walk for miles and miles. In fact you may well commence walking a lot far more just so you have the likelihood to wear them, and you are going to marvel at how you ever managed to stroll a single step with out them.
You have a point. The cheating husband is the one who made the commitment to his wife. But, if a woman knows a man is married and decides to get involved, if she doesn't care about his wife, she must care about herself. In most cases, the cheating husband is not going to leave wife and if he does – effectively, he can not be trusted, and to be honest he will know that his new partner has no qualms about going out with a married man. This is certainly a shed-drop scenario.
This could be a quite rewarding connection, so don't just create it off just because it's difficult. Some of the ideal things in life take perform. When a marriage is in trouble, yes, as in all marriages, when there are are problems, many suffer. But, is that any different than when young children are portion of a family that has other issues, as most do. I believe not. Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan's 1st female prime minister, was assassinated in 2007 while campaigning for another term in office. Police mentioned the 28-year-old's vehicle was left at her home close to Halsted and Grand River in Farmington Hills, but she was final observed in Southfield. I would invite you to come more than this weekend, but I am not positive I can maintain my hands to myself.


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Found a video of Wind Archer:
It's okay, but underwhelming. A lot better than that POS Howling Gale
Last edited by PirateIzzy; 2016-12-15 at 06:19 PM.
happy for all you that are hype for this, looks very cool
Overjoying with the beauty of the skills. :' )
Is Bishop's Righteously Indignant now a summon? I'm getting it also gives some kind of active buff?
*Tries to look at the Blaster video*
"This video doesn't exist anymore."
@Dark Link
Blaster is punching a lot of times like luffy with gattaling gun.
Here a video:
Some miscellaneous changes that interested me:
Cross Surge now gives 50% Final Damage as a passive, then gives 20% Final Damage as a buff, presumably like how it works now. I think it also reduces maxHP by 8%, but only up to a maximum of 4k HP. (This is not really a Phantom nerf, Phantoms now get 25% Final Damage from Piercing Vision and 20% Final Damage from Cane Expert, so after you max Cane Expert, it's pretty much the same, but you can replace Cross Surge with something else if you don't mind not having the extra 20% final damage).
Blast no longer gives you a buff but it's elemental based on the last charge you used, all the Blast buff effects were moved to Paladin Expert, Elemental Charge only lasts 30 seconds now.
They buffed Hurricane to 350% and nerfed Arrow Storm to 290%, probably because of the discovery of the more advantageous synergy between Arrow Stream and Guard break.
Decent HS gives 15 + floor(level/2)% EXP and 10 + floor(level/5)% Drop, so at level 25, it gives 27% EXP and 15% Drop.
Oh, right, they also nerfed Showdown to +5% EXP/Drop, same with the enhance hyper, so it gives +10% EXP/Drop with the hyper.
Oh so phantoms could use Reckless Hunt Bow and have a fairly good result then.
Or use the Reckless hunt: crossbowman if the 20%critical damage is better than 40%damage(or is it final damage?).
Of course Aran will have to depend on the Maha Hyper for the second V skill. They really need to work on this more.
I Know this pomegranate that only know i undurstood how it works, but arans are already a pretty complete class(also very flashy), they mob well, boss well, have skills to enhacent their power with combos, got tons of skills, but well maybe the next skill won't be linked to the hyper skill...
Max put up his post of the update (still WIP): https://orangemushroom.net/2016/12/1...th-job-skills/
Cross Surge, Final Cut
1.8 * 1.4 = 2.52 (252% final damage)
Cross Surge, Final Cut, Piercing Vision, Cane Expert
1.2 * 1.4 * 1.25 * 1.2 = 2.52 (252% final damage at full HP)
Final Cut, Piercing Vision, Cane Expert
1.4 * 1.25 * 1.2 = 2.1 (210% final damage)
I wonder if any buffs be able to make up for the 42% loss in final damage if not using Cross Surge??
I found this on youtube
It shows bits of Some kind of new PQ in what seems to be Leafre and 2 screenshots of what Arcana might look like, aswell as a mysterious new character
So wait, is Omega Sector actually coming back or is it just part of an event?
Character cards and part-time job systems will be combined into a new system that grows with your account called Maple Union. You can use your own characters to go on a 'Union Raid'.
Updated Omega Sector, where you're on a mission to infiltrate a giant UFO.
Arcane River's 4th area: Arcana.
"Only silence can free me..."
|Masteria Revamp 2019 - The Dead Horse Beatening / Grave Pissening
|[KMS]Inkwell Diary # 72 - Night Walker skill preview
|Slip's Music Database (CMS v166: Corona Festival)
|What's Your MapleStory? - Tachiee
|[1.2.321] Skill Balancing - Edelstein & Leben
|Maplestory "High Five" Private Showcase
|Monster Life Breeding and Play Reference (WIP)
|[1.2.326] (4) Really last chance!
|Check Out the MapleStory Art Corner!
|NXPatcher - Create your own pre-patcher & list of Maple FTPs
|YouTube Ending Support for Internet Explorer
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|[1.2.318] [KOR] Adventurer Skill Revamps
|Beast Tamer discussion thread
|Cash Shop Maintenance - March 8, 2020


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johnson tsang
Dream Worlds Imagined in Contorted Clay Portraits by Johnson Tsang
"Remembrance" Johnson Tsang (previously) continues to create spectacularly emotive ceramic sculptures of the human face. The Hong Kong-based artist's latest series, Lucid Dream II, features surreal contortions that squish, wring, melt, and stretch. Titles like "Remembrance," "Extrication," and "Unveiled" suggest an exploration of the liminal space between the conscious and subconscious, in addition to the self and other. Tsang uses plain, unglaze…
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Open Mind: New Warped Face Sculptures by Johnson Tsang
Sculptor Johnson Tsang (previously) continues to push realism's boundaries in his sculptures of faces that are stretched and opened up in surreal ways. In his latest series, Open Mind, Tsang incorporates hand gestures and metaphorical materials like growing leaves and rippling water to convey a sense of open-mindedness in his sculptures. The artist shares with Colossal that he has always been creative, but due to an impoverished upbringing and p…
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Stretched and Contorted Porcelain Face Sculptures by Johnson Tsang
…Stretching the properties of porcelain clay to the max, artist Johnson Tsang (previously) contorts the faces of his anonymous sculptures into rubber. The comical works morph facial features and body parts, at times cramming the identities of multiple persons into a single being. These new pieces from his "Lucid Dreams" series were recently on view at the Hong Kong Sculpture Biennial as part of Art Asia 2016. You can see the rest of them here….
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A Pair of Kissing Porcelain Vases by Johnson Tsang
…Ceramic artist Johnson Tsang (previously) created a pair of porcelain vases that when cut along the edges reveal the profiles of people. Smoosh two together and you have instant ceramic love. See more of Tsang's process over on his blog, and if you liked this also check out the Profilograph by Pablo Garcia….
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Living Clay: Artist Johnson Tsang Brings Ceramic Bowls and Cups to Life
…dept understanding of ceramics and anatomy, Hong-Kong based artist Johnson Tsang (previously here and here) creates strange and unexpected anthropomorphic sculptures where human forms seem to splash effortlessly through functional objects like bowls, plates, and cups. While the works shown here are mostly innocent and comical in nature the artist is unafraid of veering into more macabre subject matter in other artworks that grapple with war and vi…
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Art Design
A Dragon Teapot by Johnson Tsang
…Artist Johnson Tsang (previously) has been posting an amazing series of process photos over on his blog that demonstrate how he makes many of his bizarre ceramic creations. One piece that really stood out is called a Painful Pot, which is a functional teapot being squeezed by a dragon, its head functioning as the spout. (via EPLOD)…
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Human Faces Emerge from Splashes of Stainless Steel by Johnson Tsang
Hong Kong-based artist Johnson Tsang creates fascinating stainless steel sculptures containing the faces of people that seem to peer out from cascades of frozen liquid. If something seems familiar about these, it's likely that you stumbled onto his 2002 ceramic work of kissing faces made of poured coffee that has been widely shared online. You can see dozens of the artists works over on Facebook—fair warning, some are exceptionally bizarre such…
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Editor's Picks: Street Art
Highlights below. For the full collection click here.


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Sharing this news story of particular interest to those researching cemeteries in Perry County, Ohio.
Exploring Almost Forgotten Gravesites in the Great State of Ohio
Dedicated to cemetery preservation in the great state of Ohio
"A cemetery may be considered as abandoned when all or practically all of the bodies have been Removed therefrom and no bodies have been buried therein for a great many years, and the cemetery has been so long neglected as entirely to lose its identity as such, and is no longer known, recognized and respected by the public as a cemetery. 1953 OAG 2978."
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Santore to address Chamber on notable gravestones in Perry County - Perry County Tribune: Community
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The name or term Scrapper refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Scrapper (disambiguation).
- Scrapper is a Micromaster from the Micromaster Collection portion of the Generation One continuity family.
Scrapper is the "evil half" of the Autobot Micromaster Gran Arm, and part of the Decepticon Sixbuilder team. It is unknown how much personality he shares with his other half, who is known as something of a showy comedian.
Note: This character's name is conjectural; though the character is never explicitly named, the Micromaster Collection story material heavily implies what the five non-named members of the Decepticon Sixbuilder team are.
Micromaster Collection Story
Micromaster Collection
- Gran Arm (Micromaster, 2003)
- Sixbuilder ID number: 4
- In 2003, the entire Sixbuilder team was re-released as part of the "Micromaster Collection", in individual boxes with a number visible to show which mold was inside each box. Two boxes in each case of twelve had a chase-variant light-green "Destron" version of the character rather than the normal-colored version; all six were available in this way. Gran Arm transforms into a payloader, and can also form the chest or back to any similar-build Six-Team robot (Sixturbo, Sixbuilder or Sixwing), though his nominal placement is as Decepticon Sixbuilder's chest. He came packaged with the torso and head to the combined robot mode.
- Gran Arm uses the same mold as the Universe Micromaster Buckethead.
External Links
I cannot remain in this unacceptable operational status!
This character article is a stub and is missing information. You can help Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki by expanding it.
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


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Often times, life throws situations our way, and you may need some extra space. If you are moving into a new place, going through a divorce, or reorganizing, Spaces Self Storage has something for you. Our personal storage solutions for renters and homeowners in Downtown Toronto give you the space you need to move forward without breaking the bank.
Unsure what storage unit is right for your situation? Check out our short guide below:
When moving from one home to another, you often need to take large items with you. These can include couches, appliances, and bins of personal or seasonal belongings. We recommend a medium or large storage unit for most renters and homeowners. If you live in a two-bedroom or smaller, a medium storage unit should get the job done. If you live in a larger home, a large storage unit is the only practical solution.
Before you start reorganizing, assess how large or small your project is. If you are reorganizing a single space like a room or garage, a small storage unit will give you enough space to organize. If you're tackling a bigger mess, a medium or large unit can hold those extra items for you.
Students and renters can use small and medium-sized storage units for their needs. Self-storage takes the stress out of moving between residences in a short period of time. Renters find our self-storage units useful for holding large, seasonal items year-round.
Need a Storage Unit for Moving or Reorganizing?
Spaces Self Storage has a state-of-the-art storage facility in Downtown Toronto with plenty of storage unit options so you can upgrade your space with ease.


text: What does the future hold for Arab Israeli conflict? Anders Fogh Rasmussen, prime minister of Denmark "I urge all parties to do their upmost to ensure a fair and lasting peace." Salam Fayyad, minister of finance of the Palestinian Authority "We have to keep on trying. That occupation has to end. We as Palestinians have to be able to live as free people in a country as our own." Shimon Peres, Israeli deputy prime minister "It was a chain of mistakes on the part of the Egyptians - totally unnecessary. And all parties paid a very heavy toll." Rasheed Rasheed, Egyptian minister of trade "People are fed up. They are seeing people on television at meetings and shaking hands all the time and nothing is happening." Shukat Aziz, prime minister of Pakistan "We are all for peace in the Middle East. We want a peaceful solution for the Palestinian issue. The suffering for the Palestinian people must end." Saeb Erekat, senior Palestinian negotiator "We don't need new initiatives. The negotiations we have done now stand for decisions. Decisions require courage. And courage requires a two-state solution." Jacob Rosen, Israeli ambassador to Jordan "The nature of discussions is that it's give and take and hopefully we will reach some progress." Ephraim Sneh, Israeli deputy minister of defence "The majority of both sides wants peace; want agreement, and it's about time to do it." Zahi Khouri, Palestine Business Community for Peace "Not being optimistic means losing hope. And losing hope means not worthwhile to live anymore. I am of those who will continue to be optimistic. HH Sheikh Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, crown prince and commander-in-chief of the Bahrain Defence Force "What we would like to see is a peace process that is vibrant, that is moving forward, that is effective, and that is building a better future for people of the region." Asma Khadra, former Jordanian minister "We hope that we will see at least a real beginning of implementing the dream of all us to live in peace." SOURCE: Al Jazeera Politics


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Welcome! Here at Color Real Designs we are in the business of making you look good.
Whether you need a brochure or a business card to promote your business, redesign your website or need a brand new one, or need to capture the moment with a Quinces or a Wedding photoshoot, we are here for you!
Serving our community since 2008!


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Julian Bashir is the doctor on the space station Deep Space Nine, in the Star Trek television series of the same name.
He is young, handsome and considers himself a bit of a ladies' man but usually falls prey to the Narrative Laws of Comedy when attempting romantic encounters.
He was the template for the prototype of the Long-Term Medical Hologram, but when it was discovered he was an Augment the hologram was discarded. Said hologram was eventually recruited to the PPC.
He has some popularity as a Lust Object among PPC agents. Iza, Kitty Callahan, and Tish Jameson are known to list him as one of their LOs.
In Fanfic Edit
He is often slashed with his friend Miles O'Brien, the chief of engineering, or his lunch partner Elim Garak, a Cardassian tailor and former spy.
In badfic he will be either woobified or made into an arrogant bastard.


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InterOptimability Training and Certification Curriculum
Stewards of Change Institute is introducing its groundbreaking InterOptimability Training Curriculum and Certification program. ITCC incorporates the knowledge and tools accumulated over the past decade through our work with thousands of HHS leaders, academic partners and industry experts. It is designed to prepare your workforce – executives, program managers, supervisors and case workers – to achieve 21st Century learning standards.
InterOptimability (think Interoperability + Optimization) is a unique methodology we created to build competencies to meet the demands of an increasingly complex, interconnected field. This methodology is at the heart of ITCC, which offers "training on demand" through its state-of-the-art, web-based platform. ITCC includes certification of each of your trained personnel as an InterOptimability Professional Expert (IPE) – and, more broadly, it enables your organization to prepare for the convergence of programs that span the HHS continuum and help you build capacity to embrace the Social Determinants of Health and Well-Being.
Our vision, like yours, is to accelerate progress toward achieving health equity and better outcomes for communities across our country. The innovative ITCC program aims to do that by:
Knowledge and Tools
ITCC uses knowledge and tools – developed through our work over the past decade with thousands of HHS leaders, academic partners and industry experts – to enable you to achieve 21st Century standards and practices.
Unique Methodology
InterOptimability is a unique methodology designed to build competencies to meet the demands of an increasingly complex and interconnected field. Think of it as "Interoperability + Optimization = InterOptimability".
Accelerate Readiness
Watch the introductory video below for an overview of how this innovative program can help accelerate your readiness for change – and learn how you can use its state-of-the-art, web-based platform to provide "training on demand."
Learn More about ITCC
We are excited by the doors ITCC will open, the connections it will enable you to make, and the good that it will do. Most of all, we hope – and believe – it will lead us on a journey, together, to a healthier and more equitable world.


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|On to the next step.
|Setting up internal jumpers
|On to the next step.
|Setting up internal jumpers
Hi Mike and good luck with your digital operations. Beginning to feel that digi might be the best mode for QRP and limited space antennas. Even my very low, half tree-branch hidden PAR. I've been running more QRO lately out of frustration. Still cw only. 73 DickReplyDelete
Good morning Dick and great to hear from you, over the past month I have not been on much at all. Relatives visiting so the antenna had to come down from the balcony. I hope this coming weekend it will go back up again and I will start to actually put out a digi signal. I am still very much into CW and for me it seems if the cycle is bad it will only be State side contacts for me, but this still keeps the CW skill up for sure.
Have a great weekend Dick
Hi Mike, I am also using Signalink and works very good for years. I see now there are ready jumper modules. I wonder if they have upgraded the internal sound card. Good luck on digimodes 73 de SV1GRNReplyDelete
I saw the ready made modules and I believe they don't update the sound card but just allow you to plug and play between rigs without having to rewire jumpers.You just have to unplug on module and plug in the other and the wire changes for that rig are done.
Hello Mike, more than 10 years ago I have used PSK31 with 1 watt or less. It's very nice with low power. But after a while I when back CW only. Good luck. 73, Bert.ReplyDelete


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6 Dental Insurance Plans with No Waiting Periods
People buying their own dental insurance (as opposed to those covered by an employer's plan) sometimes get a nasty surprise when they sign up: a waiting period. Unlike regular health insurance, in which coverage usually starts immediately or at the beginning of the next month, dental plans often come with a delay between enrollment and the actual onset of coverage for some or all services. It could be six months to a year or more.
What's the big idea? Basically, to prevent people from signing up for dental insurance when they need an expensive procedure (like a series of root canals or a bridge) – and then dropping the plan, and its premiums, as soon as the work is finished.
It's enough to make you wonder Do You Need Dental Coverage? But assuming you do, let's see if there are ways to get around the wait – or at least, make it less onerous.Types of Coverage
Some categories or types of dental insurance plans offer immediate coverage.
Group Plan
Often, there is no waiting period in a group plan, like one offered by an employer. Of course, if you were eligible for a company-based plan, you probably wouldn't be shopping around on your own. However, the same privilege might be had in a group plan offered through an organization such as AARP. With their plans, there's no waiting period for preventative services, at least.
Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)
Some insurance plans organized as preferred provider organizations (PPOs) do not have a waiting period. Preferred provider refers to a dentist who is in the insurer's network. It's to your advantage to visit one; non-participating practitioners may be covered as well, though to different degrees and at different rates, usually.
Blue Cross Blue Shield has a plan called BlueCare that does not have a waiting period for preventative services and many non-surgical procedures. United Healthcare's United Health One is another. Major surgical treatments and restorative work do require some wait time, though that can be curtailed to some extent if you're coming off another dental plan.
Discount Dental Plan
Discount dental plans are not technically insurance. They are, as the name implies, organizations that have negotiated discount prices with participating dentists who make up their network. You pay an annual fee to have access to these dentists and their reduced rates.
Discount dental plans do not have a waiting period. If you want to sample some options, you might want to search a such as DentalPlans.com.Specific Dental Insurers
The following highly rated dental insurers have plans with no waiting periods for one or more classes of service. Note that the benefit of immediate coverage often comes with conditions.
Delta Dental
Delta's PPO Direct and PPO Direct Plus plans feature no waiting periods for Type I diagnostic and preventative services, which includes exams, cleanings and X-rays. Type I services are covered at 100%.
Type II services (fairly basic procedures like fillings and extractions) have a six-month waiting period and are covered at 70%.
Type III services (major procedures, including crowns and dentures) have a 12-to-24–month waiting period and are covered at 30%.
Humana dental plans vary by state. Some plans have no waiting period for any services. Others have a six-month wait for fillings and basic types of oral surgery.
The HumanaOne Dental Loyalty Plus plan provides immediate coverage; there is no waiting period, even for oral surgery. The "catch" is that coverage amounts and percentages are lower in the beginning and gradually increase each year, reaching their maximum in year three.
Cigna's Dental 1500 Plan provides 100% in-network coverage for exams, X-rays and cleanings with no waiting period. There is no deductible for these services either.
Basic restorative procedures require a six-month wait. Major restorative services have a wait time of one year. However, the waiting periods are waived if you present acceptable proof of previous dental insurance. There is also a $1,000 lifetime orthodontia benefit with a one-time $50 deductible.
Spirit Dental
One unique company, Spirit Dental, provides full coverage for all classes of service immediately with no waiting period. Depending on your state of residence, orthodontia may require a waiting period.
Coverage varies by state and is subject to state regulations. Plans range from Spirit MaxCare Silver to Spirit MaxCare Gold to Spirit Dental Indemnity Gold.The percentage of the cost of the service that is covered goes up each year for three years and can be adjusted for a higher annual maximum, based on the premium you pay.
Denali Dental
Another company with no waiting periods for any services is Denali. Like Spirit, Denali offers a range of coverage (based on the premium you pay) as well as increasing coverage based on the number of years you have an active policy in force.
Rates vary by state and coverage is regulated by the state in which you reside.
Physicians Mutual
If you live in an area where dental care is inexpensive and/or you rarely require major dental procedures, you may want to consider plans from Physicians Mutual.
The policies have no waiting period for preventative care, three months for basic care and 12 months for major care. The company pays a set amount for each procedure – based on the plan you choose – no matter where you live.
For related reading, see 5 Places to Get the Best Dental Insurance and The Average Cost of Dental Insurance in America.The Bottom Line
In addition to companies listed here, you can check out other options by using a dental insurance search engine, such as the one available at the Dental Insurance Store. There you can plug in your age and ZIP code and get a list of plans available in your area. Along the left side of the screen, you can select various options that may be important to you – such as no waiting period.
Finally, don't wait for your oral problems to reach a crisis stage before you start researching. A true emergency is not a time to shop for anything – including dental insurance.


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We enrol students from within our local intake area. Please contact the school to find out more about our intake boundaries.
Click here for the Application for Enrolment Requirements
Click here to see the Local Intake Map
The above documents form Part A of the enrolment process and further information may be required. At the completion of Part A, a Part B booklet will be issued to finalise the enrolment process.


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Check the availability of your area identify utilizing the search input field you may see on the highest of any web page. Unless of course, they travel to Cambodia, India, Thailand, Nepal or Pakistan where these scarves are abundant and low cost. Close to essentially hugging it which makes you look ridiculous, I don't understand how else to guard it so this travel cash bag shall be just nice for these valuables. Some Travel Nurse Agencies could not use the max charge on a regular basis unless it reflects extra in reality the true prices. Is the perfect consolidator airfare (=lowest contractual fares with airlines) site that can meet most of your journey wants like booking lodges, automotive rentals, cruises, and finding best international flights deals. While I do not travel fairly often, I journey usually enough for it to be a headache for me to plan all of it out. I'd wish to travel to 2050, when it is predicted that women will earn precisely what their male counterparts do.
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Gabe just celebrated his 6th birthday on December 1, 2015. Gabe lives with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy. He walks with AFO braces on his legs and with crutches.
Gabe is an amazing, kind- hearted little boy who is always smiling … even through pain. You will fall in love with Gabe at first site! His biggest passion is music and performing for people. His favorite artist is Katy Perry; he sings her music every day on his home stage with little brother Nicholas.
Gabe is in physical, speech and occupational therapy. He requires treatments every few months to relieve the spasticity in his legs as his bones and muscles grow. He's been under anesthesia 14 times for procedures and had 3 major surgeries thus far. Doctors predict that Gabe will need hip surgery, femur correction, and multiple tendon lengthening surgeries until he is done growing.
Stem cell therapy is known to heal the brain and body and would save Gabe from having so many procedures/surgeries in the future. After years of researching stem cell treatments for CP and witnessing the amazing progress other children have had, the family is ready to take the leap of getting Gabe stem cells followed by hyperbaric oxygen therapy. One of the best doctors to do this type of therapy is in Arizona. The procedures are not covered by insurance.
Please, donate now to Gabe's We Care account so he can begin stem cell therapy. To follow Gabe on Facebook click here.
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The Making of a Leader by J. Robert Clinton is one of the top books in my Discipling Toolbelt!
(In fact, I keep several copies in my bookshelf). It has been a powerful tool in my life and I've had great success leading other people through the content. I was very excited today looking on amazon to find that they have just released a 2nd edition with some added material. I can't wait to get my hands on it and interact with the extras!)
Why use tMoaL?
tMoaL is a great tool for understanding the way God works to develop us for our role in His Kingdom. Knowing that process, you are better equipped to understand the past, make sense of the present, and be prepared for the future.
Clinton has studied the lives of over 3000 leaders, examining the way God has worked to develop them. Through his research he has noticed a general pattern in God's leadership development process. In the book he demonstrates the way God is sovereignly at work (from long before we are born) preparing us for our unique role in His Kingdom. He walks through each of the stages of that process explaining the events, transition indicators and lessons that are typical to each stage. He uses real-life examples and discussion questions to help you interact with the content, so that you can identify where God has you in the developmental process.
If you haven't read The Making of a Leader,
then you should jump online now and buy a copy!
Some of the Strengths:
Some of the Frustrations:
Suggestions on how to use it?
Supplemental Resources


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In the last 24 hours Eight more persons succumbed to swine flu in different parts of Rajasthan, taking the toll due to the H1N1 virus in the state to 191 this year, an official of Medical and Health Directorate (MHD) said on Wednesday.
"Total deaths have touched 191 while positive cases in a day has risen by 346 to touch a figure of 3,648 across the state," a medical and health department official told IANS.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Medical and Health Minister Rajendra Singh Rathore again appealed to the public to seek doctor's advice as soon as the symptoms of the disease are witnessed.
Rathore said that so far screening of 46 lakh persons have been conducted and the state government has so far distributed 15 lakh Tamiflu tablets across the state.
Congress' state president Sachin Pilot, while flaying the state government on swine flu deaths, termed it "criminal neglect". "What government has done so far is late. They should have launched an awareness campaign much earlier," he said.
On the other side party spokesman Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said that the state government is contradicting its own instructions and directive on swine flu.
Src:- http://www.firstpost.com/living/swine-flu-death-toll-crosses-190-rajasthan-since-start-2015-2108179.html


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As a leader, you know that hiring is an inherently risky proposition. People are complex, making it challenging to assess the ability of any candidate to successfully perform a particular role in an organization. Although any failed hire is detrimental, the impacts are amplified at the senior management level. Over the past decade I have led dozens of search assignments for mission-critical senior leadership positions across Atlantic Canada. On occasion, we are asked to come in after an executive has failed in a role. With very few exceptions, the cause is usually the same: the person was not the right fit for the organization.
The difficulty of hiring for the right fit has come up often in my recent conversations with executives and HR leaders. All have recounted instances in the past of compromised productivity, lost opportunities or costly settlements stemming from executives who failed to meet expectations, or were unhappy in the organization. While the current economic downturn may have eased the talent crunch for the moment, the demographic shift will make it an issue once again as conditions improve. These leaders know that the companies that prosper and grow as talent becomes scarce will be the ones that consistently identify, recruit and retain the right employees in the right positions. Hiring the right fit is the key to these efforts.
Although most organizations recognize the importance of hiring for fit, available figures suggest only a minority do so successfully. A Harvard study conducted several years ago found that 80% of employee turnover is due to poor hiring decisions. Other surveys I've seen indicate that up to 40% of all executives either leave or are fired from an organization within 18 months of being hired because they were the wrong fit. This figure is particularly alarming given the influence your executives have over your processes, people and culture. The wrong executive in the wrong position may breed discontent amongst your employees. Engagement and productivity levels will subsequently decline, and your top performers will likely look for employment elsewhere.
In my experience, the companies that are consistently successful in finding the right fit begin their recruitment efforts with a clear understanding of who they are as an organization and what they are looking for in the role. A cultural assessment provides a detailed insight into an organization's DNA, encompassing everything from leadership style to shared values and behavioural norms. The rationale is simple: the more you know about your organizational culture, the easier it is to determine the suitability of a particular candidate. The second component is a position profile to establish the accountabilities for the position and the competencies a candidate must possess to excel in the role. A comprehensive position profile will help assess how a particular individual will contribute to or detract from your culture. For example, it doesn't matter how many great initiatives the leader creates if they have no ability to motivate staff to execute on them.
Though an organizational cultural assessment and position profile provide a strong foundation for success, the tools you use to evaluate candidates are equally important in hiring for the right fit. A good place to start is a traditional face-to-face interview that incorporates behavioural event questions. These questions will reveal how an individual has historically met expectations, overcome challenges and demonstrated accountability. This will give you some indication as to how he or she will react to similar situations in your organization. Psychometric assessments will provide additional insight as to how well a candidate's personality, temperament and values match your organizational identity and position profile. Finally, thorough reference checks provide an opportunity to confirm past performance and verify your assessment with the candidate's peers.
As much as the above strategies will help ensure a good fit, there is something to be said for following your intuition when evaluating a candidate. Failing to trust your gut instincts is the most frequent mistake made in assessing a candidate's suitability. For whatever reason – the individual's expertise or just a pressing need to fill a position – they ignore that little voice, the red flag telling them a particular individual is not the right fit. Our advice to clients is that if you have misgivings, heed them. You will know instinctively whether someone has the right credentials and core competencies to succeed in your organization.
Despite your best efforts, there is always a chance you will hire the wrong fit when
recruiting. Such errors aren't always lethal and can, in some cases, be corrected. It all depends on the degree of misalignment with the organizational culture and role. Talented executive coaching can bridge many gaps, in terms of leadership style, personality traits or approaches. That being said, if adapting to a new style goes against the grain of that person's identity, a change is often best for both the individual and the organization.
Of course, failed hire situations, and the difficult conversations that ensue, are best avoided altogether. The better you understand your own organizational culture, the position profile and assess for fit during the hiring process, the greater the likelihood you'll hire the perfect fit who will excel in your organization.
Jeff Forbes is a Vice President at Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette, Atlantic Canada's leading integrated human capital solutions provider. He has extensive experience in successfully recruiting professional and executive talent for organizations across our region.


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Toronto has seen three major weather-related crises in the past month, and three different responses from the heads of the agencies responsible for cleaning up the mess. We asked five crisis communications experts to rank "the good, the bad and the ugly." The grades given are averages from the experts.
Anthony Haines, Toronto Hydro president and CEO
Salary: $471,702 (earned $935, 501 in 2012 including incentives)
Years in role: Four
Experience: Held executive positions with various energy companies, including Hydro Ottawa
The crisis: An ice storm in December left 300,000 homes without power. Many expressed frustration with Toronto Hydro's customer service line, which was often busy, and the lack of a timeline for when power would return.
The response: Haines appeared in daily news conferences next to the mayor and other executives to offer daily updates, explain what hydro crews were doing to restore power and express his understanding of customers' frustration.
Grade: A
What experts said: Warren Weeks, a Toronto-based media trainer, gave Haines top marks, pointing out that Forum Research just released a poll showing an 82-per-cent approval rating of Toronto Hydro's handling of the crisis.
"To me, that's an example of the fact that the organization certainly can't control the weather or the circumstances that they find themselves in," he said. "If you're being open and transparent and timely with your responses, I think people will give you a lot of leeway."
What's next: Haines announced Thursday that Toronto Hydro has convened an independent panel to review its response to the storm. The panel is expected to take a few months to complete the review.
Howard Eng, Greater Toronto Airports Authority president and CEO
Salary: $365, 538 (earned $712, 138 in 2012 including incentives)
Years in role: Almost two
Experience: Spent 17 years establishing and running the world's highest-rated airport in Hong Kong; also worked for Transport Canada and the Edmonton Airport Authority
The crisis: Extreme cold slowed down operations at Pearson airport Tuesday, leading the authority to ban all North American landings. Thousands of passengers were stranded and many complained there was no communication from staff inside the airport.
The response: Eng remained silent on Tuesday and Wednesday; spokespeople would only say he was in Edmonton "on business." He broke his silence Thursday to apologize to passengers and to promise to make public GTAA's review of the shutdown, which it had earlier planned to keep secret. He continues to be silent on the nature of the business trip and what if any meetings were scheduled.
Grade: C
What experts said: Bill Walker, principal of MidTown PR, said it was clear Eng was trying to make up for lost time. The CEO could have easily spoken to the public via video or phone while he was in Edmonton.
"He's a very highly respected international airport executive and we're lucky to have him, but the organization let people down and he was AWOL. The CEO does have to be the face of a crisis," said Walker.
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"People expect the person who is in charge to be in charge. They will ultimately blame the person who is in charge, and in every case it's the CEO."
What's next: Eng has promised to meet with representatives of airlines and ground handlers next week to hold a "no holds barred" review. Each agency will make an action plan, and Eng, for his part, has promised to make the authority's plan public.
Deepak Chopra, Canada Post president and CEO
Salary: between $440,900 and $518,600
Years in role: Three
Experience: Former CEO of the Canadian and Latin American regions of Pitney Bowes, a global mailing and communications firm.
The crisis: Canada Post failed to deliver mail to hundreds of homes across the GTA for more than two weeks without any explanation to residents.
The response: After delivery delays were revealed in the Star, Canada Post said many of its workers took sudden leaves of absence after the December ice storm. Chopra has refused to speak publicly , prompting transportation critics and furious residents to demand he apologize. On Friday night, Canada Post and Chopra apologized and announced plans for a new alert system for delayed and suspended deliveries.
Grade: F
What experts said: Heath Applebaum, principal and owner of Echo Communications, said Chopra and Canada Post deserve a failing grade for not communicating in a timely and open way.
"It is shocking that an organization of this size did not have an actionable crisis plan and team ready to respond," he said. "The lack of accountability ... suggests that the organization, and its leadership, was completely unprepared for the circumstances."
What's next: Canada Post has imposed forced overtime on some of its employees this week to work through the backlog. Late Friday, the Crown corporation said Chopra has agreed to speak to the Star.


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"The problem we are seeing with EPA region IV is so systemic," says south Asheville CTS activist Tate MacQueen, "so pervasive, they have lost their moral authority to be believed." To that end, MacQueen and others have been meeting with local staff of federal elected officials to bring some investigation and oversight of the agency's actions.
McQueen has been to D.C. before about this, meeting with Congressman Shuler in 2008. This time he will meet with Sen. Richard Burr, Rep.Shuler, Sen.Kay Hagan's top staff and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. "There are some real problems with missing documents in this case," said MacQueen. "When we tried to address this to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, she sent our request back to region IV in Atlanta. They then sent a document with even more missing pages."
It was this action by EPA's region IV that led to the current round of meetings with Congressional staff, says MacQueen. "The documents sent were even less complete than the ones we told them about.
"It is frustrating, but I am excited to go back and try to get some closure, so people can move past this mess EPA region IV has created — to let us get back to dealing with the clean-up of the site and protecting the victims of the toxic chemicals," says MacQueen.


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Available ebook formats: epub mobi pdf rtf lrf pdb txt html
Sheila Leight is an amazingly inspiring young writer. If you need cutting edge women's health and baby information that's safe and effective that you can act on right now, then her books are exactly what you are looking for. MANY women get answers to pregnancy, sex or general health questions from her titles.


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The Wilmington College Student-Athlete Advisory Committee named men's swimmeer David Hawk as its Player of the Week, for the period ending February 21, 2016.
Hawk (Edison, OH/Mount Gilead) set the Ohio Athletic Conference record in the 50 freestyle, and the Wilmington record in the 200 freestyle. He claimed the OAC championship in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle. Hawk was also All-OAC in the 200 freestyle.
In recognition of his accomplishments, he will receive a T-shirt from SAAC, and his photo and list of accomplishments will be displayed in the lobby of Hermann Court.
The Student Athlete Advisory Committee is a committee made up of student-athletes assembled to provide insight about the student-athlete experience. SAAC protects student-athlete interests and provides a positive image of student-athletes.
OTHER NOMINEES: Jake Robinson (Baseball), Mackenzie Campbell (women's basketball), Antone Truess (Track and Field)


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Editor's note: The Wonk Room is reporting from the Clinton Global Initiative conference this week. This is our third post.
Earlier this year, the American Society for Civil Engineers roundly panned America's disintegrating infrastructure, giving it an overall D grade and estimating that "it would take a $2.2 trillion investment…over the next five years to bring it into a state of good repair." One of today's discussions at the Clinton Global Initiative focused on how to develop infrastructure in both the U.S. and the rest of the world, and the role that government plays in such development.
General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt — who has been critical of the business community for investing too much money in preserving America's status quo — noted that successful infrastructure improvements, particularly in creating the capacity for clean energy, means coordinating government standards with private investment:
The thing about infrastructure is that it's a systems problem, and by a systems problem I mean you have to align technology, government policy, capital markets, execution skills — all have to be aligned to make it happen. And the government is a central part in how that goes, both in terms of the U.S., but also in terms of any country in the world.
Energy in this country, if we want to have a clean energy future, the investments are basically 40, 30, 20 year investments…I think, one of the key roles the government has to play is what are the standards? How should the capital markets work? How do you risk-share some of the key technology evolutions? And so, if you want to have effective infrastructure, you really do have to have a good public-private partnership.
Listen here:
In Immelt's world, the government would set the standards, and then let the private sector loose to achieve them, or, as in China, lay out five-year plans for infrastructure development. This is a distinctly different take from most of the rest of the business community, which recoils from standards, aided by conservatives who claim that if we just "let the free market work," everything will take care of itself.
Of course, Immelt must see a way for GE to come out ahead under such a policy, but that doesn't mean that his viewpoint doesn't make sense. Smart standards, regulation, and a cohesive policy from the government would make energy investment — and infrastructure development as a whole — much less scattershot and much more effective.


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AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine Republicans who suffered blistering losses in November re-elected their leader and chose an outspoken city mayor as vice-chair Saturday.
The GOP re-elected Demi Kouzounas as chair and chose Waterville Mayor Nick Isgro as vice-chair in a Saturday morning election. Secretary Barbara Harvey and Treasurer Ben Lombard were both re-elected.
The Saturday election of party officers in Augusta comes as Republicans statewide are trying to figure out a path forward following the loss of the governor's mansion and state Senate. Democrats also control the Maine House.
Democrats boosted by out-of-state money ran in November on strident promises of expanding access to health care amid rising medical costs and an opioid crisis.
Former Gov. Paul LePage urged Maine Republicans to maintain the same leadership, and blamed losses on division among Republicans and "soft Republican urban women" who were angered over U.S. Sen. Susan Collins' speech defending Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. "We need to be willing to take the fight on, and not simply point fingers," LePage wrote in a letter to the Republican state committee.
Outgoing GOP Vice Chair Ryan Lorrain said Republican messages about financial stability under LePage failed to strike an emotional chord. Lorrain also pointed to concerns over "political correctness." Voters, Lorrain said, may have liked LePage's fiscal wins but disliked what he had to say.
Some Republicans called for an overhaul of Maine's party amid divides between those who are trumpeting LePage's pugnacious, Tea Party-era politics, and others calling for moderation and a focus on policy over style.
The new leadership "has to take all the factions of the Maine GOP and pull them together to get ready for 2020," Harvey said. "They have to start that on Saturday afternoon."
Efforts to reach Kouzounas and Isgro were unsuccessful.
Isgro was ousted as assistant vice president at a bank for tweets last year criticizing a Parkland, Florida, high school shooting survivor. Isgro, who's served as mayor since 2015, blamed a failed recall effort to remove him from office in Waterville on "well-connected and wealthy political elites."
Lorrain said Maine Democrats will take advantage of Isgro being a "polarizing" figure to some. Isgro's election Saturday drew immediate criticism from the Lewiston Democratic Party, which cited his election in a fundraising email to supporters.
"There are people who support Nick Isgro and there are people who have strong feelings against him and they can use that to their benefit," Lorrain said.
Maine Republicans must do more to reach out to independent voters, recruit candidates and coordinate absentee ballots, Lorrain said. But those efforts won't be easy amid hurt feelings, apathy and dwindled GOP legislative ranks.
Harvey, for her part, agreed that the election defeats were jarring and that there are divisions and hurt feelings. But she suggested good things could come from the defeat.
"We've heard a lot of concerns and a lot of very hurt feelings, and a lot of surprise and anxiety," she said. "It's going to be very hard for us to get candidates. Sometimes, change is the great catalyst that brings people together."


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What types of engine management solutions are available? They fall into one of these general categories:
a. Reflashed ECU
b. Custom Tuned ECU
c. Piggyback Engine Management
d. Stand Alone Engine Management
e. Open Source Engine Management
Reflashed off the shelf ECU: This is your stock ECU that has had the programming modified. This form of engine management is best suited for people who:
a. Have a "set it and forget it" attitude towards engine management
b. Live in remote areas and do not have easy access to a tuner
c. Do not want to learn or are uneasy doing their own tuning
d. Want to modify their vehicle to a certain level and quit or add parts very infrequently
It is important to note that while reflashed ECUs are considered a static engine management option, they can be custom tuned by the end user by utilizing additional add-ons from the manufacturer or via a custom tuned reflash by an authorized tuner.
In addition, also consider that EcuTek tuners might have reflashes for your exact equipment set-up based on their prior custom tunes. This means that someone who has a full TBE might find the Cobb AccessPort a better plug and play solution, while someone with a full TBE, uppipe, headers, & a lightweight pulley may find an EcuTek reflash a better plug and play solution if they can find an EcuTek tuner with that exact map.