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555 Parramatta Road (Corner of Elswick Street & Parramatta Rd), Leichhardt NSW 2040
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555 Parramatta Road (Corner of Elswick Street & Parramatta Rd),
Leichhardt NSW 2040


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A. Hepplewhite and Co. / The cabinet-maker and upholsterer's guide, or, Repository of designs for every article of household furniture, in the newest and most approved taste : displaying a great variety of patterns ... in the plainest and most enriched styles : with a scale to each, and an explanation in letter press : also, the plan of a room, shewing the proper distribution of the furniture ... / from drawings by A. Hepplewhite and Co. ...
Chairs, pp. Pl. 1-Pl. 14 ff.
Page Pl. 4
This material may be protected by copyright law (e.g., Title 17, US Code).| For information on re-use, see http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/Copyright

subset: commoncrawl


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Two weeks ago, Stephen Curry capped off an amazing season by hitting his 272nd 3-pointer of the year, breaking Ray Allen's seven-year-old NBA record. His performance, combined with our hyperbolic here and now journalistic tendencies nearly caused a riot on the Internet.
Since it was not merely good enough to proclaim that Curry is a great shooter – or maybe even the best shooter in the NBA right now – many journalists, bloggers, and fans began announcing that he was one of, if not the greatest shooter in basketball history.
Bailey Deeter from Hoops Habit initially asked the question, "Is Stephen Curry the Greatest 3-Point Shooter of All Time?" In the article, he plainly points out that Curry's shooting percentages from long distance are far better than anyone else in the conversation. That, combined with this year's historic feat, clearly declares that Curry is, in fact, the best ever.
There are more than a few flaws in his piece though, chief among them the mistake that he failed to consider context in the overall equation.
For instance, Larry Bird and Isiah Thomas were always considered two of the best 3-point shooters of the 1980s. If you were to go back to 1987 and ask coaches the question, "Who terrifies you more than anyone else when he is standing behind the 3-point line?" one of their names would have undoubtedly come up. And yet, when you look at their statistics today, it's almost laughable that they were at one time considered dead-eye shooters from long-range.
Larry Legend never made more than 100 threes in a single season and Isiah Thomas was a career 29 percent shooter from distance. The context matters tremendously. In the 2012-13 season alone, 10 NBA players made at least 170 threes. Only two players made that many from 1979 to 1994.
Because the 3-point shot has gradually become much more of a weapon as basketball has evolved, it's simply unfair to compare players from the past with their peers from today while only looking at accumulated totals. Today's guards make fewer mid-range jumpers than the NBA players of the past. Does that automatically mean they are worse shooters? Of course not. As the game changes, so does strategy.
It is similarly unfair to compare players based solely off of shooting percentages. For one, it's much easier to shoot a higher percentage when you are shooting fewer shots – how do you think Steve Kerr was able to shoot better than 50 percent from long range four times in his career? But more importantly, shooting percentages really fail to take into account the type and quality of the shots a player takes.
Nobody on the planet would argue that Thabo Sefolosha is a better three-point shooter than Kevin Durant, even though Sefolosha shoots a slightly higher percentage. Nearly all of Sefolosha's attempts are of the stand-still, wide-open variety from corners and wings – typically created off of a Durant or Russell Westbrook drive to the basket. Durant, on the other hand, hardly ever gets to take corner threes. Most of his jump shots are taken off of tough, one-on-one possessions, or set plays that involve of him sprinting and curling around picks.
Context matters. Shooting cannot simply be evaluated by looking at numbers.
So then, who is the greatest shooter ever? That question is complicated, so let's first of all narrow down the list and then later, add a layer of clarity to question.
There have been hundreds of dead-eye 3-point shooters in NBA history, but we have to start somewhere. In order to make the cut on this list, a player either had to:
- make at least 150 threes in a season three times
- make at least 200 threes in one season
- shoot greater than 45 percent from deep at least twice
- or have met special circumstances that warrant inclusion (he either played before the 3-point line existed or played when it wasn't as big a part of the game).
A few of the toughest cuts:
- Michael Jordan (never a great 3-point shooter, even though if you really needed one shot, he's probably your guy)
- Kobe Bryant, Dana Barros, Ryan Anderson, and Mike Miller (only made more than 150 twice)
- Dirk Nowitzki (only made more than 150 once)
- Mark Price (injuries probably kept him off this list)
- Sam Perkins and Allan Houston (not quite as good as I remembered)
- Paul Pierce (always very very good but never great…only made more than 150 in a season once)
- Kevin Durant (has made at least 125 four straight seasons, and will probably break 150 eventually, but doesn't yet meet any of the criteria).
After browsing NBA history, I came up with five groups of guys that met the previous criteria.
Group One – Wings that murdered you off the ball
- Reggie Miller – The greatest shooter coming off of two, three, or four screens in NBA history, he sometimes struggled to create his own shot.
- Ray Allen – Allen may have barely finished behind Reggie in terms of coming off screens, but he was also a much better creator for himself.
- Peja Stojakovic – Stojakovic was slower than both Miller and Allen, but his height and quick release made him equally deadly.
- Glen Rice – Rice was not quite as prolific as any of these guys overall, but he was probably scarier than all of them if he got hot.
Group Two – Wings that could create their own shot
- Ben Gordon – The former UConn standout has averaged almost two threes per game for his entire career, while shooting better than 40 percent, even though he has only started just a third of his games.
- Mitch Richmond – Richmond was a thicker, west-coast version of Reggie Miller. But, unfortunately, he rarely played on great teams.
- Dale Ellis – You know Ellis as the long-time NBA leader in three-pointers made.
Group Three – Point Guards
- Steve Kerr – Kerr shot better than 50 percent from deep four times and 90 percent from the free throw line six times.
- Jason Terry – The Jet is actually fourth all-time in three point shooting and has also made a living off of being "Mr. Clutch" for several teams.
- Chauncey Billups – Billups was a consistently great shooter for 11 years until injuring his Achilles tendon last season.
- Dell Curry – Stephen's dad shot at least 40 percent from deep for eight-straight seasons.
- Steve Nash – Nash is one of the few guys in history to shoot 50/40/90 for a season…and he did it in five straight seasons.
- Stephen Curry – He's only just entered the league, but this season alone should earn him a spot on the list.
- Tim Hardaway – The "creator of the crossover" was also one of the best shooters in the NBA from 1994-98.
Group Four – "Bigs"
- Steve Novak – The career 43 percent shooter has actually shot better than 47 percent from deep in three separate seasons.
- Rashard Lewis – Lewis sits eighth on the all-time list, and his seven-year stretch from 2003-10 is one of the best shooting performances in history.
Group Five – Legends that are hard to quantify but must be included
- Pete Maravich – The Pistol played most of his career before the 3-point line, but studies show that he would have averaged upwards of ten threes a game in his college years if there had been a line…so he has to be included.
- Jerry West – The Logo is a legendary shooter in NBA circles.
- Larry Bird – As mentioned before, Larry Legend went to work before the 3-point line became popular, but his resume speaks for itself.
- Rick Barry – Barry was one of the best 3-point shooters in ABA history, and actually carried his success over to the NBA unlike other ABA bombers.
All 20 guys on this list could be considered fantastic shooters. But who is the best? There are just too many variables. If we want a guy that can stand in the corner all day without moving and never miss, Larry Bird, Steve Novak, and Dell Curry are probably near the top of the list. If you need a guy to create something for you, Ben Gordon is much higher than you would ever guess.
So for fun, let's answer a specific question:
"If your team was down by three points with 10 seconds left, and you had to draw up one play for one guy in history to take the shot, which player would you choose?"
This player would need to be:
- a dead-eye three-point shooter. (Obviously)
- able to shoot well in any circumstance. (Off dribble isolation, off dribble pick and roll, curling off a screen, or standing still in the corner)
- able to get his shot off over good defense.
- clutch.
Immediately, our list is pared considerably.
Steve Novak, Ryan Anderson, Steve Kerr, and Dell Curry wouldn't be able to create a shot for themselves or anyone else. Fantastic shooters as they may have been, the defense can figure out how to defend these four stand-still shooters.
Dale Ellis, Jason Terry, Glen Rice, Ben Gordon, and Mitch Richmond all just barely made our list in the first place, so let's throw them out as well.
Tim Hardaway was fantastic, but he never shot 40 percent for an entire year so he's off too. That leaves us with the following 10 guys on this list:
- Reggie Miller
- Ray Allen
- Peja Stojakovic
- Steve Nash
- Stephen Curry
- Rashard Lewis
- Pete Maravich
- Larry Bird
- Jerry West
- Rick Barry
In order to do this as objectively as possible, let's break them down category by category, rating each on a scale of one to 10 in each category. At the end, we will count up each player's point total and wind up with a definitive answer for who you would draw up that game-clinching play for. Of course, you might point out that the rating I will give them will be subjective to me. That may be true, but you can suggest your methods in the comments.
Flat-out shooting
- 10 – Steve Nash, Larry Bird, and Peja Stojakovic
- 9 – Ray Allen, and Reggie Miller
- 8 – Stephen Curry and Rick Barry*
- 7 – Jerry West and Pete Maravich
- 6 – Rashard Lewis
Basically, which guy would be the best shooter on wide open, undefended jump shots?
I looked at two things for this – performance in 3-point shoot outs and free throw shooting. Those are really the only two, definitive and objective pieces of evidence we can use to grade this category.
The top five guys all finished in the top 10 all-time in free throw shooting. Currently, Steve Nash is still the greatest free throw shooter ever, earning him a 10 rating. Bird famously won the first three 3-point shootouts, including his famous "who here is coming second" moment. Anyone that argues against him earning a 10 should stop reading about basketball.
The guy that surprised me the most was Stojakovic. eja, of course, won back-to-back 3-point shootouts in the early 2000s, making him one of four guys in history to do so. He is also the fourth greatest free throw shooter of all-time according to basketball-reference.com. I find it interesting that the two 6'9″ forwards with nearly identical strokes finished tied for the lead. Maybe we should stop teaching kids how to shoot like Ray Allen and start imitating Larry Legend.
Curry would have earned higher than an eight, but he only shot 80 percent last year from the free throw line. Of course, 2012 was an injury-plagued season for him, but still, none of the six guys ahead of him ever shot so poorly for a season. West, Maravich, and Lewis all shot below 85 percent for their careers. Shooting 81 percent is nothing to be ashamed of, but they all clearly fall a little bit behind the top six in this category.
*Even though Rick Barry goes down as the fourth-best free throw shooter ever, he was penalized for obvious reasons. If you don't understand, ask your grandma.
Shooting with a man in his face
- 10 – Pete Maravich, Larry Bird
- 9 – Jerry West
- 8 – Reggie Miller, Ray Allen, Stephen Curry
- 7 – Peja Stojakovic, Steve Nash
- 6 – Rick Barry
- 5 – Rashard Lewis
Of course, the rest of the categories are more subjective than the first, and this one is no exception. In fact, the mere title of the category is confusing. Should "making hard shots" really be a valued skill? Wouldn't it be better if you were so good offensively, you never had to take difficult shots?
That's why I phrased it the way I did – shooting with a man in your face. Defensive players always tried to crowd Larry Bird and take away his space, but he was seemingly always able to create a sliver of space for himself and hardly ever get blocked. Jerry West was the original master of this art, and of course, Pete Maravich probably perfected it. It was Maravich that often faced double and triple teams all over the court, yet he was still able to score at will against almost every opponent he faced.
Miller, Allen , and Curry are all tied with eights, even if they accomplished those ratings differently. Curry has one of the quickest releases in NBA history, enabling him to create space in almost no time and hoist up a good look. Miller and Allen, meanwhile, were better than anyone else at sprinting in one direction before catching the ball, planting, and turning to shoot in one seemingly effortless motion. It didn't really matter who was guarding either guy – the success of the shot typically had to do with whether or not each player executed his form correctly.
Nash, Stojakovic, and Barry were above-average in this department, but definitely not on the level of the top six.
Catch and shoot
- 10 – Reggie Miller and Ray Allen
- 9 – Larry Bird and Peja Stojakovic
- 8 – Stephen Curry and Rashard Lewis
- 7 – Pete Maravich
- 6 – Jerry West, Steve Nash, and Rick Barry
It's not a coincidence that the more recent players seemed to be far better catch and shooter guys than some of the older players. As the 90s and 2000s progressed, being able to catch the ball and shoot it quickly – as long, fast, and athletic defenses rotated at lightning speed – became much more of a priority. Of course, nobody in history approach Miller and Allen in this department. Both guys would often spend 20 seconds literally running loops and circles around their bigs before sprinting to the wing and firing a quick three.
Peja and Larry were almost their equals though. While neither guy was blessed with the above's quickness, as mentioned before, both guys took advantage of their lightning fast releases in order to get their shots off over more athletic defenders. Rashard Lewis was just as proficient all those years in Seattle and Orlando as he calmly sat in the corner waiting for his stars to create openings for him.
Curry may be better than an eight, but he doesn't necessarily showcase that trait as much, considering he often has the ball in his hands. West, Maravich, Nash, and Barry were all more comfortable creating their own shots.
Shooting off a pick
- 10 – Steve Nash
- 9 – Ray Allen and Pete Maravich
- 8 – Stephen Curry
- 7 – Larry Bird, Jerry West, and Rick Barry
- 5 – Reggie Miller
- 4 – Peja Stojakovich and Rashard Lewis
Nash is the clear winner here. The perfecter of shooting off the pick and roll on the Seven Seconds or Less Suns practically has his own YouTube channel on running it to perfection. Nash's lasting image will probably that of curling around Amare Stoudemire and popping a three in the 0.4 seconds of time that he was open. Part of his effectiveness had to do with his sensational passing ability – if the defense didn't respect the passing lanes, Nash would pick it apart. Still, shooting off of a screen is a legitimate skill, and it's completely fair that Nash's passing ability boosted his shooting in this respect.
Allen and Maravich were also incredibly effective using screens to create open looks. This is an area that Curry is improving at every year, and could even rise up to Nash-esque status eventually. It's not a coincidence that so many people have encouraged Curry to use Nash as his prototype for improvement.
Stojakovic, Lewis, and Miller ranked pretty low here, mainly because none of the three were ever fantastic ball-handlers. Bird, West, and Barry weren't fantastic dribblers, but their passing ability elevated them in a similar fashion as Nash.
Shooting off isolation
- 10 – Pete Maravich
- 8 – Steve Nash, Jerry West, and Rick Barry
- 7 – Stephen Curry
- 6 – Ray Allen, Reggie Miller, and Larry Bird
- 4 – Rashard Lewis
- 3 – Peja Stojakovich
Once again, Maravich is in a league of his own. No other player had his combination of intelligence, ball-handling, moves, and shooting all in one. "The Pistol" created moves that we had never seen before – and have seldom seen since. It didn't matter how many guys you threw at him, he was always going to beat his man and get the look he wanted.
Nash, West, and Barry were all equally effective in breaking down defenders off the dribble. Ironically, three of the four best players in this category were from the older times – poking holes in the theory that the NBA relies much more on one-on-one and isolation style offenses today.
Curry is better than the rest, but is not quite as effective as Nash because of his slight build and inability to handle much physicality at this point in his career.
Miller, Allen, and Bird all went one-on-one more than people remember, but it definitely wasn't their strength.
Ability in the Clutch
- 10 – Larry Bird and Jerry West
- 9 – Reggie Miller
- 8 – Ray Allen and Pete Maravich
- 6 – Rick Barry
- 5 – Steve Nash and Stephen Curry
- 4 – Rashard Lewis
- 2 – Peja Stojakovic
Feel free to argue with these, but I don't think anyone can really make that strong of a case. Maybe Allen is as clutch as Miller. Maybe Nash deserves to be a six instead of a five. Still, Bird and West are in a class by themselves here.
So how did the rankings end up?
- Larry Bird – 52
- Pete Maravich – 51
- Ray Allen – 50
- Jerry West – 48
- Reggie Miller – 47
- Steve Nash – 47
- Stephen Curry – 45
- Rick Barry – 42
- Peja Stojakovich – 35
- Rashard Lewis – 31
Of course, different circumstances would determine which player you would choose. If you had a great big man to run the screen and roll, you might just pick Nash – a guy that finished tied for fifth with Miller to take the shot. If you wanted to clear everyone out and trust your star, the Pistol would no doubt be the guy you wanted. If you had several great bigs to set picks, nobody would be better than Ray Allen.
But I'm pretty satisfied with the champion. If I only had one shot, and wasn't sure what was going to happen on that final possession, I couldn't go wrong with Larry Legend.
[poll id="463″]


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Aligning the papers on the big wood conference table, Jessica waited anxiously. She attempted to appear calm and specialist as she aligned her pencils once more and folded her hands neatly on the legal pad in front of her.
She gasped involuntarily when the door ruptured open and also Jason Watters, head of marketing, stepped actively right into the area, closing the door dramatically behind him.
" I was informed to 'report to the lawful department instantly.' Are you mosting likely to tell me what this has to do with, Miss Brown? I occur to have a really active routine today." His tone was abrupt and quick-tempered.
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Jessica took a calming breath, which just served to make her mouth even dryer. She licked her lips and also swallowed, wishing he wouldn't observe. She was a legal representative, for God's sake. But she had had an embarrassingly extreme girlish crush on Jason - on Mr. Watters - since she began working at the business 6 months back. She often captured herself gazing and also sighing when he was about, staying up straighter as well as also thrusting out her breasts as her nipples set at the sight of him. She might just wish that no person else had seen.
In a remarkably clear voice, she stated, "Sit down, please, Mr. Wattters. Sir." Darn! She didn't require to call him Sir! They were amounts to. It was just that he was always so erotically dominant in her fantasies.
He pulled out a chair and rested, still impatient. "I'm afraid there's been an issue submitted versus you, Mr. Watters."
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" A grievance? What kind of complaint? From whom?"
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" Unwanted sexual advances. And I hesitate I'm not free to disclose the source, offered the delicate nature of the situation."
" You have actually got ta be fucking kidding me! How am I meant to protect myself if I do not even understand what I'm charged of?" He ran his fingers with his hair in aggravation, mussing it in an extremely attractive way.
Actually, the issue came from Mr. Watters' secretary, a temperature who remained in the habit of clothing instead promiscuously, in Jessica's viewpoint, and appeared to pay more interest to applying her makeup than to her work. The woman had a whole grocery store list of complaints versus her employer that included lude remarks, unsuitable touching, threats, needs of sex-related supports and also numerous other unprofessional behaviors, none of which had ever been experienced and also none of which could be validated. No such accusations had actually ever been brought against Mr. Watters in the past. Throughout the interview, the assistant even altered her story several times, including embellishments, and additionally weeping in such a way that it never in any way affected her makeup. Jessica had swiftly come to the final thought that the tale had little to no basis actually. However the protocol needed to be adhered to.
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Jessica slid a notepad across the table." Just complete this kind, please, as well as I will certainly allow you recognize the outcomes of our examination once it has been completed." Seizing up a pen, Jason hastily filled in the blanks and madly passed it back to her. He jumped up and also began pacing the room, squeezing and unclenching his fists in fury. She was mesmerized by his hands, envisioning them clinching like that in her long hair as he had so typically carried out in her dreams.
" It's this 'Me Too' Motion! You ladies all believe you can do whatever the fuck you desire, implicate anybody of anything. Well, I have actually had it!"
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The tone in his voice, the heavy breathing, the raw display of feeling was her undoing. She started to pant with longing, mouth open. She licked her lips as well as stared at him, wide-eyed, agonizing visibly with wish. There was definitely no hiding it this time.
Considering her, he quit pacing and also narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "What is this? Some sort of catch? Are you attempting to get me to make a move on you? Is there an electronic camera in below or something?"
" N-no, Sir!" Her voice was barely a murmur.
" Well, you listen to me. If you ladies are mosting likely to fling complaints around like this every single time a man asks you out on a date, or pays you a compliment, or opens a fucking door for you, after that you're going to need to begin taking some obligation! No more signals. No more sidewards glimpses as well as coy smiles as well as illegible actions. If you want it, you're gon na need to beg for it."
For a long minute, they looked at each other across the table, his difficulty floating palpably airborne.
Finally, Jason resorted to leave. Being afraid, possibly irrationally, that this might be her only chance, Jessica raised from her chair, crying out, "No! Wait! Please don't go!"
He quit, still encountering the door. "Why not?" he asked, not also bothering to look at her.
" Since - since ..." She trailed off, not knowing just how to proceed.
" You'll need to do better than that, Miss Brown." He reversed toward her, impaling her with his stare, soothe currently, as well as totally in control of the circumstance. "What is it that you desire, exactly?" His voice was chilly and difficult as well as harsh.
Taking a deep breath, she said loudly and plainly, "I would certainly like you to f-fuck me. Mr. Watters. Sir."
He paused for an interminable minute, eyebrows increased, clearly appreciating her pain. She asked yourself in panac if she had just made a complete fool of herself and would certainly be rejected. He drew his cell phone out of his pocket and slowly, intentionally pressed the sound document button prior to setting it down on the meeting table.
" Would certainly you please repeat what you simply claimed to me, Miss Brown, plainly, for the record."
Flushing crimson, wishing this wasn't a very vicious joke, she corrected her shoulders as well as repeated, "I would certainly like you to fuck me, Mr. Watters."
He increased one sardonic brow at her. "S-sir," she sobbed.
He laughed a little. "I rather like you calling me Sir. It's a wonderful touch." With a paradoxical smile, he stated, "Quite possibly, Miss Brown. I consent." She sighed with alleviation, gripping the side of the table for assistance. "However you'll need to be much more certain than that. When would you like me to fuck you?"


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In his own words: living with high cholesterol
Jim, a 60-year-old financial advisor, lives in the Midwest with his wife, son, and granddaughter. Two years ago, he was diagnosed with high cholesterol. Coming from a family with a history of heart problems, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, Jim was not surprised by the diagnosis. To manage his diagnosis, he has successfully made a balanced diet and exercise part of his lifestyle, believing that moderation is the key.
What was your first sign that something was wrong? What symptoms did you experience?
I didn't experience any symptoms. Several years ago during a routine physical, the doctor said my cholesterol was too high. My LDL and my HDL were both high, but I was running 10 miles a week. Because the ratio was good, he didn't put me on any medication. He just told me to watch my diet and continue the exercise. It was soon after that I hurt my knee, so I quit running. Then, the ratio wasn't so good, so the doctor put me on medication.
What was the diagnosis experience like?
It didn't really bother me. High cholesterol isn't life threatening like so many other conditions. Also, I wasn't real surprised since I have a family history of high blood pressure and heart conditions.
What was your initial and then longer-term reaction to the diagnosis?
My initial reaction was to look at my diet to see what I could change there. Long term, I was going to try to follow the diet on a regular basis. My knee was improving, so I began walking 2 miles, five days a week.
How do you manage high cholesterol?
Right away, I changed my diet, which caused the cholesterol to come down a little bit, but the doctor said it wasn't enough. He put me on 10 milligrams of Lipitor a day. When I went back in 3 months, the cholesterol was coming down. I've been on Lipitor now for one year. I was concerned about the side effects, so I ask my doctor about them. He said some people get aches and pains, but nothing serious. In the first three months, I did have quite a bit of pain in my left shoulder, but rather than go off the medication, I just took a third of the tablet. The doctor said that was fine. I go back every 3 months to have my cholesterol checked and it continues to be in the normal range.
Did you make any lifestyle or dietary changes in response to high cholesterol?
Prior to being diagnosed with high cholesterol, I was on medication for high blood pressure. Because of that, I already was using very little salt and seldom ate egg yolks. I would use Egg Beaters instead of real eggs. I cut way back on things like cured hams, red meats, sausages, fried foods, and animal fats. Now I eat more vegetables and beans. I love bacon, but now we eat turkey bacon, which we all really like, and it doesn't have all the fat.
The doctor gave me several pages of diet information, but it was almost too overwhelming. I wanted to put off the medication to see if the diet alone would be enough to lower the cholesterol, but I would probably have to go off all red meats and make radical changes in my diet to make that happen without medication. I've just developed better patterns of eating. I allow myself to eat a little bit of most foods. I just know that I can't eat much of the high fat foods.
Did you seek any type of emotional support?
Not really. However, my family is very understanding.
Does high cholesterol have any impact on your family?
My wife cooks what she thinks I can eat, as well as cooking food the rest of the family can enjoy. I just eat less of some of the foods she prepares. I would rather do that, than deny the family the food they like. It really doesn't bother me.
What advice would you give to anyone living with high cholesterol?
Exercise regularly and watch your diet, and see if that alone will fix the problem. If that isn't enough, then you have to resort to other measures such as medication.


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VANCOUVER – A former high-ranking public servant in Ottawa is ripping into the Conservative government's tough-on-crime policies, saying they reflect a "deep, visceral nastiness" and actually "do nothing to reduce or address crime."
Mary Campbell retired in April as director general of the corrections and criminal justice directorate at Public Safety Canada. In her role, she says she met almost weekly with the public safety minister or senior staff, giving advice on public policy, programs and research.
Twenty years ago, Canada was regarded as a "world leader" in the corrections field. Today, it has reached its "lowest point," Campbell told Postmedia News in Vancouver, where she addressed a criminal justice conference Thursday.
"The current government has an approach that they like to call tough on crime. I say that's the last thing it is. In fact it's quite soft on crime because it's really a lot of slogans and failed policies that do nothing to address crime or victimization."
Some of the rhetoric, she said, was on display this summer when Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced new legislation for dealing with child-sex offenders.
"The fact is we don't understand them and we don't particularly care to. We understand only that they must be dealt with," Harper said at the time.
Campbell said those remarks are "chilling when we think of them used with other groups of citizens today and in the past."
"The deeply embedded nastiness of the current governing party is constantly displayed in their actions, whether it be creating even more punitive carceral conditions, erecting barriers to reintegration, never letting the offender be more than the worst thing they have ever done, using victims for political ends – the list is truly endless," she wrote in her conference speaking notes.
Jean-Christophe de Le Rue, a spokesman for Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney, said in an email Thursday that the government "unapologetically puts the needs of victims ahead of convicted criminals" and that "we will continue to do so above the objections of prisoner rights advocates."
"Canada has a modern and humane correctional system," he added.
Campbell, a public servant for almost 30 years, stressed she's "not all about blaming the politicians." In her speech and interview, she implored senior administrators in the criminal justice field to push for more "progressive" policies and evidence-based programs. Many changes do not require legislative changes, she said.
They could start, for instance, by focusing resources on dealing with high-risk offenders.
"We waste a lot of taxpayers' hard–earned money on low-risk offenders. We know from the research that we shouldn't do anything with them … Stop sending them automatically into halfway houses on day parole."
Money instead could go, for instance, towards women offenders with severe mental illness, placing them in hospital treatment centres where they can get intensive psychiatric care, she said.
"So far that has not materialized and I think it's frustrating to see the slow pace. You start to wonder what more is it going to take to get some of these agreements going? … The suffering and the harm that's done is really shocking for a country like Canada."
Off-site treatment was one of the recommendations in a report released this week by Canada's prison watchdog, Howard Sapers, documenting the growing number of cases of chronic self-injury among women inmates.
Public safety memos obtained under access-to-information legislation show that the correctional service has been considering a pilot project with regional mental health facilities to address "acute" mental health needs of women inmates.
The memos point out, however, that providing them with in-patient psychiatric services will be more expensive than providing mental health services within the prison system.
Veronique Rioux, a spokeswoman for the Correctional Service of Canada, said this week that those partnerships are still being explored and community health experts are reviewing possible treatment plans.
Campbell also said there is an urgent need for more real-world job training for inmates that will make them marketable when they leave prison.
What exists now are "ad hoc, hit-and-miss contracts for low-grade work, nothing that's training for a substantial job," she said.
"Do the labour market analysis so we know where the gaps are and start matching up offenders to that training."
She said it was "egregious" that women inmates at Joliette Institution in Quebec, for instance, were sewing underwear for male inmates.
"There is a garment industry in Quebec. But I see no evidence that men's underwear is part of it," she said. "C'mon, it's a waste of time."
Corrections officials said earlier this summer that they have developed a multi-year strategy to "align vocational training with current labour market data" and continue to look for opportunities to expand apprenticeships.
Campbell said there's an international principle that people go to prison as punishment, but the Harper government has taken the view that people should go to prison for punishment.
That's been reflected, she said, in the stripping away of privileges, such as access to weightlifting equipment, and reducing how much money inmates can earn. She said she's even heard suggestions to feed the inmates less.
"It reflects a basic attitude of there's us and there's them – they are the worst thing they've ever done and that's all they'll ever be," she said.
This negativity, she said, has filtered down to front-line public safety staff. For instance, parole hearings and parole decisions have increasingly become "cutting and cruel," she said.
Campbell said there's far too much fixation during parole hearings on grilling offenders on irrelevant matters and assessing offenders' "moral worthiness" – are they sorry enough? – when it should be about, "Is this the right time and the right conditions to start re-integrating you?"
A spokesman said Thursday the Parole Board of Canada had "no comment to offer."
Campbell said that in many respects, the U.S. has moved ahead of Canada. Americans are focusing resources on higher-risk offenders, conditions for parole are being reduced and special release measures are being introduced for elderly and sick prisoners. A few years ago, U.S. federal prisons also allowed some inmates access to email messaging.
Advocates say email makes it easier for inmates to maintain ties with family and conduct their legal affairs, and for authorities to monitor communications. It also reduces opportunities to smuggle drugs or contraband via regular mail.
Asked if Canada was contemplating such an idea, a corrections spokeswoman said the government "does not have such a plan."


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Friday 25 January
|Telmatobius (1)
ARKive is working with IUCN - International Union for Conservation of Nature, to source images of the world's threatened amphibian species. Together with Conservation International and NatureServe, IUCN has led a comprehensive assessment of the conservation status for the world's known species of frogs, toads, salamanders, newts and caecilians. To date, the project has involved the input of more than 600 herpetologists from around the world.
IUCN Red List category, and details of range, ecology, threats and conservation information for every known amphibian species, can be found on the IUCN Red List website.
View information on this species at the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The Andes smooth frog is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List (1).
To find out more about Andes smooth frog conservation projects, see:
This information is awaiting authentication by a species expert, and will be updated as soon as possible. If you are able to help please contact:
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Mikael Lundberg
c/o César Augusto Aguilar Puntriano
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Lima 14
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Friday 25 January
Friday 05 October
Monday 24 September


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Microsoft has announced the availability of two new Windows Phone SDKs. The Lumia SensorCore SDK beta and Nokia Imaging SDK 1.2 (now launching out of beta) offer new APIs that developers can use to create "contextual apps"; i.e., those that incorporate real-time monitoring and storing of data (such as steps taken), as well as automatic route tracking and activity recognition.
The cool and hip nature of these contextual "life-logging" application scenarios appears to have gone to Microsoft and Nokia's collective head, and some fairly hipster language has been used to explain how good they are. All these capabilities can be engineered in without "majorly impacting" battery life, unlike traditional motion sensors and GPS.
This means, say the firms, that the smartphone experience for Lumia owners will continually evolve, with smarter apps that are more in-tune with its users' daily lives.
APIs include:
- Activity Monitor API: determines the kind of activity the user is engaged in. If the device is idle or stationary, or if the user is walking or running. Apps can then adapt to these different situations easily, and activate — e.g., car or running mode.
- Step Counter API: gives possibilities for developers to create quantified self apps and life trackers, coupled with the other APIs.
- Place Monitor API: can identify known places, such as general area of the workplace or home, which can then be utilized to trigger actions with Windows Phone 8.1 Geofencing API.
- Track Point Monitor API: this API establishes the user's routes from one place to another. This creates opportunities for apps that optimize routes, offer services along a route, or just provide information to the user.
According to a press statement, Imaging SDK 1.2 gives developers access to a library of image-manipulation tools, which builds on the resources available through Imaging SDK 1.1 now. This technology is designed with performance and a low-memory footprint in mind: "The latest SDK brings new features including animation and new filter effects, and makes manipulation of high-resolution images swift and engaging. Furthermore, Imaging SDK 1.2 supports Windows Phone 8.1 and is illustrating the opportunity with platform convergence with Windows."


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Theologian Lauren Winner was 21 when she became a Christian.
Although she was raised in a Jewish household and had converted to Orthodox Judaism, she says she felt drawn to Christianity. Her surprising conversion is the subject of her first memoir, the bestseller Girl Meets God.
In Winner's new book, Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis, she writes about a spiritual crisis.
Winner, an ordained Episcopal priest who teaches Christian spirituality at Duke University, says it happened around the time her mother died and her marriage collapsed.
She tells weekends on All Things Considered host Guy Raz that nothing could have prepared her for what amounted to a falling out with God.
"In my life, I had this dramatic conversion to Christianity and it had lots of intense emotions," she says. "I thought that those feelings would just endure, and that those feelings would sort of sustain me in the life of faith forever. And then I came to a place where I was no longer in the glow of the young adult new Christian conversion; I was now just in the middle of my faith life."
For about five years, Winner says, she found it hard to do many of the things that she was used to doing, like going to church — which she often forced herself to attend — and praying.
"I found the ceasing to pray part of this to be one of the scariest parts," she says.
But even though she could not pray during this period, she still felt herself somehow surrounded by prayer.
"In hindsight, I have a hunch — a belief — a sense that I was very much sustained in this season of real spiritual desolation by the faithful prayers of other people," Winner says.
Theologian Lauren Winner was 21 years old when she became a Christian. Although she was raised in a Jewish household and had converted to Orthodox Judaism just two years before, she says she always felt drawn to Christianity. Her surprising conversion was the subject of her first memoir, the bestseller "Girl Meets God." But in Winner's new book, she writes about experiencing a spiritual crisis. It happened around the time her mother died and her marriage collapsed. Winner teaches Christian spirituality at Duke University and is also an ordained Episcopal priest. Her new book is called "Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis." And she says that nothing could have prepared her for what amounted to a falling out with God.
LAUREN WINNER: In American Christianity, I think that we have a habit of telling our spiritual stories in a way that culminate in conversion. They culminate in the born-again experience or they culminate in baptism.
RAZ: It's where you're headed to naturally, you're saying.
WINNER: Yes. The way that we - particularly American evangelicals, we know to tell the story of how we were far away from God and then we were born again or then we came to know God as though that were the end of the story. But I think that is actually only the prelude to the story. And in my life, I had this dramatic conversion to Christianity, and it had lots of intense emotions. And I thought that those feelings would just endure and that those feelings would sort of sustain me in the life of faith forever. And then I came to a place where I was no longer in the glow of the young adult, new Christian conversion. I was now just in the middle of my faith life.
RAZ: I mean, the journey you took to get to that point was pretty extraordinary one. For people who don't know you, you wrote a memoir called "Girl Meets God," and this was essentially about your conversion to Christianity. You had been raised Jewish. How does your family react to your decision?
WINNER: Some of my Jewish relatives were decidedly unhappy about my conversion to Christianity. Over the years - I'm now 35 - I have come to actual place of real sorrow for the pain that my conversion has caused some members of my family. And, you know, I deeply regret that this thing that is central to my life - I mean, I wish it were otherwise. I wish that the thing that was so central to my life was not a source of ongoing pain for members of my family.
RAZ: This memoir, of course, obviously deals with your struggles with faith. The two key moments - the death of your mother and the breakdown of your marriage, which is sort of kind of in the background in the book - you don't go into too many details. I don't want to pry.
WINNER: Good.
RAZ: There are obvious perils with Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat Pray Love." The circumstances are kind of similar, obviously, with the divorce and - but she took a trip around the world and you write: I just moved off the porch and went again to church. And you do go to church, even when you absolutely don't want to. Why'd you do it?
WINNER: When everything else in my spiritual life was flagging - when I wasn't praying, when I wasn't believing anything - I did have some instinct that got me to church more often than not on a Sunday morning.
RAZ: You tell a story about that time when you are going to church. And at a certain time, you're very frank. I mean, you're annoyed by some of the people around you.
WINNER: I was visiting Massachusetts one week and had a terrible week and didn't want to go to church and went to church. And as the service started, a woman sidled up to me and sat to my immediate left. And this woman looked like she had seen better days. And about halfway through the service, she started to tap her finger on the pew in front of us in a way that made - it felt to me like the whole building was shaking. And I just was so annoyed that this woman was tapping the pew. And I glared at her, and I hoped she would take the hint. And then I, you know, of course, without thinking, my left hand shot out and I placed my hand firmly over her tapping hand, you know, like a mother would still the tapping hand of a child.
And of course, I was horrified that I had done this. And then I noticed that the woman didn't seem offended and wasn't shaking my hand off. And then I realized that she had actually begun to hold my hand, and we held hands for the rest of the service. And, you know, that was where I met Jesus that day, in that woman who converted my serious breach of etiquette into a moment of bodily communion and bodily intimacy. And I think that's probably a moment I will not ever forget.
RAZ: That's writer Lauren Winner. Her new memoir is called "Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis." She's also an assistant professor of Christian spirituality at Duke's Divinity School. Lauren, thank you so much.
WINNER: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


text:
It's Friday. That means it's time to share what you know, ask what you don't, and generally partake in some conversation. Right here, right now!
Same drill as always but with a new twist, open-threaders! Ask questions, offer advice, discuss productivity tips, or just chat about whatever's on your mind. This week, we're coming to you from Hackerspace, the commenter-run playground for Lifehackers. Drop by Hackerspace any time you want to share your tips, how-tos, or just talk it out with your fellow readers.
Want to be an author here on Hackerspace? Also, why don't you subscribe to our RSS feed?
As we like to do here, here's some music with which you may rock out today.


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43 Products
* Important Notice: The retail prices shown here are non-binding recommendations that retailers can charge their customers. They are not part of any specific offer or advertisement. These prices include all charges as well as VAT, but do not cover any additional delivery and shipping costs. Our latest price lists for the retail market include all applicable delivery and payment terms for retailers.


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Syracuse basketball star's home goes up in flames during tournament game
Fire breaks out while Hamilton family watches March Madness
A Syracuse University basketball star was playing in a NCAA basketball tournament game Saturday night when his Hamilton home caught fire.
Flames began shooting through the roof of the Cutler Road home of Mandy Carter-Zegarowski, the mother of Michael Carter-Williams, at about 10:15 p.m.
Carter-Zegarowski, who was at the March Madness game in California, said she got a call about the fire from her husband at halftime, but had to keep the news from her son.
"He saw me get upset from a timeout and he started asking me what was wrong and he was mouthing to me 'What's wrong?' and I just waved to him that nothing was wrong, but he knew," said Carter-Zegarowski.
View a slideshow of the fire and the game
Carter-Williams' stepfather. Zach Zegarowski, and younger brothers had been watching him play in the tournament game against the University of California when the fire broke out inside the home.
"It went from bad to worse," said Zegarowski. "Two minutes, that's all we got, we had to be evacuated from the house."
In California, an academic adviser noticed that Carter-Zegarowski was upset and asked her what was wrong.
"I had to pull it together and I knew he had to finish the game strong," she said. "I knew if he thought I was upset, he would be bothered by that so I said to tell a small white lie and say that my dad, who's in a nursing home, had a bad night."
Firefighters had a difficult time dousing the flames because of heavy smoke but were able to get it under control after a couple of hours. They believe the blaze started in a wood stove outside.
On Sunday, Carter-Williams tweeted, "Thanks for the prayers everyone. All that's important to me is my family is OK."
The tournament was played at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. Fourth-seeded Syracuse beat the 12th-seeded Golden Bears 66-60.
"Everything can be replaced, but we built this house and my kids were raised in this house and all of their pictures and stuff is gone which is hard," said Carter-Zegarowski.


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Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Counseling and Mediation: EEO Pre-Complaint Process
FSIS employees, former employees, and applicants for employment with FSIS may contact the Civil Rights Division, Office of the Administrator by telephone if they believe they have been subjected to discrimination based on race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), national origin, religion, mental or physical disability, age (40 or over), marital or family status, parental status, protected genetic information, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or reprisal because of one's involvement in prior EEO activity. The telephone number for the OCR is 1-800-269-6912. The procedures for the EEO Counseling process are:
Intake Process
A staff member responsible for obtaining information regarding the caller's claim of discrimination will record on the"Intake Form" personal information, i.e., name, address, telephone numbers, etc., as well as the basis and issues raised by the Aggrieved.
Case Assignment
The case is assigned to an EEO Counselor.
Contact with the Aggrieved
After the EEO Counselor reviews the information on the Intake Form, contact is made with the Aggrieved by telephone. This first contact may result in the"initial interview." This may include, but is not limited to, verification of the information on the Intake Form, clear definition and agreement regarding the scope of the issues, the rights and responsibilities of the Aggrieved while in the EEO complaint process (right to representation and anonymity, etc.), time frames, extension of counseling process, the right to choose between Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and EEO Counseling and the overall complaint process.
Election Requirements
If appropriate, the EEO Counselor will advise the Aggrieved that he or she must elect between the EEO complaint process, the negotiated or administrative grievance procedures, the Merit Systems Protection Board appeal or other special procedures as the forum in which he or she may have their issues processed.
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
The EEO Counselor will offer Alternative Dispute Resolution and discuss its benefits in addressing workplace conflicts. The Counselor will also explain that the Aggrieved does not forfeit his or her rights to resume processing of the EEO complaint if the ADR efforts do not result in resolution.
Responding Management Official (RMO)
The EEO Counselor discusses the issues raised by the Aggrieved, requests the RMO's responses to the allegations and discusses potential resolution options.
Role of the EEO Counselor
The EEO Counselor serves as a neutral party in an effort to resolve informal complaints of discrimination initiated by FSIS employees or applicants for employment. Through a series of informal interviews with the aggrieved party, supervisors, managers and other witnesses, an EEO Counselor gathers facts relating to the claim of discrimination, but makes no decisions about the merits of the case or whether there was discrimination. The goal of counseling is resolution of the complaint at the lowest possible level. The informal complaint process may be concluded with a voluntary withdrawal of the complaint, a settlement agreement or a Notice of Right to File a Formal Complaint.
Complaint Withdrawal
The Aggrieved may request to withdraw his or her informal complaint at any time during the EEO Counseling period. Withdrawal of the complaint automatically renders it closed. The EEO Counselor notifies the Aggrieved of the closure and annotates the database to reflect that the informal complaint was closed through withdrawal.
Settlement Agreements
If resolution is reached, the EEO Counselor prepares a written Settlement Agreement, obtains appropriate approval for implementation of the terms and conditions of the agreement (e.g. Civil Rights Division, program area, Human Resources Division) and submits the agreement to both parties for signature. Once the agreement is signed by all parties, the counselor closes the informal complaint in the database.
Notice of Right to File (NRF) a Formal Complaint
If resolution is not achieved, the EEO Counselor must issue an NRF at the end of the 30-day counseling period, unless the Aggrieved has consented to an extension of up to 60 calendar days for additional processing and resolution efforts. Once the NRF is issued, the counselor records the issuance of the NRF and closes the informal complaint in the database.
EEO Counselor's Report
If the Aggrieved files a formal complaint, the EEO Counselor must prepare a report of counseling within 15 calendar days after the Department has notified the Agency of its receipt of the formal complaint. The EEO Counselor's Report is transmitted to the Department.
Discrimination In Employment Is Illegal!
If you believe you have been discriminated against because of your race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age (40 years and over), mental or physical disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, familial status, protected genetic information, or for reprisal because of prior EEO activity, and you wish to initiate an EEO complaint, you must contact an EEO Counselor within 45 days of the action alleged to be discriminatory, or in the case of a personnel action, within 45 days of the effective date of the action.
FSIS employees and applicants for employment who feel they have been discriminated against should contact:
(301) 504-7756
Or write to:
USDA, FSIS, Civil Rights Division, Office of the Administrator
Room 1-2260
5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Maildrop 5261
Beltsville, MD 20705-5261


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Difference between revisions of "User talk:FrJohn"
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::Thanks, message left. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit§ion=new talk]) 05:38, July 8, 2009 (UTC)
::Thanks, message left. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit§ion=new talk]) 05:38, July 8, 2009 (UTC)
Revision as of 15:23, February 1, 2010
Welcome to my discussion page. Please post new messages to the bottom of the page and use headings when starting new discussion topics.
Please also sign and date your entries by inserting - ~~~~ at the end. Thank you.
Start a new discussion topic.
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/archived discussion 5 (through 05-28-2008)
/archived discussion 6 (through 11-25-2008)
August 17 Menaion
Should we call our father among the saints Theodoretus the enlightener of the Sami, as opposed to the enlightener of the Lapps. Lapp is considered something of an ethnic slur; much like calling the Inuit by the name Eskimo. On the other hand, should we wait until the Menaion itself is changed to reflect the better name for the people of northern Scandinavia. Eddieuny 03:22, November 18, 2009 (UTC)
- Hi Eddieuny, Thanks for your question. My take is that, since he is in the menaion as "Enlightener of the Lapps" we should do this, but with a footnote explaining what you just said -- it would be good to make people aware of this. Thanks! — FrJohn (talk) 04:30, November 18, 2009 (UTC)
Ukrainian version
Dear Father, I thought to start Ukrainian version. How can I do that? I work with articles related to Orthodoxy on Ukrainian wikipedia.
--Roman Z 21:38, March 12, 2009 (UTC)
Orthodox Source
Hi father john, it is with much sadness and hurt that I see you close down Orthodox Source. Mainly because I invested a huge amount of time to put information onto that site that took a lot of my time and I dont have access to any more. I am a bit saddened because you didnt even give me some notice that you were going to close the site down so that I could at least download some of the information onto my personal computer that I can access in the future ... a bit disappointed that this was not considered and an opportunity given to do this. It only proves that the Internet is not a very viable Christian tool. Vasiliki 05:50, November 27, 2008 (UTC)
Fact check
Dear Father, I am trying to recall the name of the cemetery chapel at Saint Anna's Skete on the Holy Mountain. I wondered if you or any of your readers/discussants might help me.
Thanks, Isaak Scott Cairns
Hymns of Contrition
Father John, I bought a CD last night that in Greek is called "Kataniktika of Great lent". So, I set about doing a google today to find out just what are these hymns (although I understand the words). Many articles come up but they are primarily from the Catholic church and are seven Psalms ... these do not seem to be the format of the kataniktiko service. Can you help me. What are the Kataniktika of Great Lent? I want to post an article onto OrthodoxWiki for others to reference too.!! Thanks in advance. Vasiliki 22:54, March 16, 2009 (UTC)
- O man, these Greek terms -- best ask a Byzantine-style cantor, I think. Anyone around here? — FrJohn (talk)
- Триоди в Воскресенья - the CD translates the "Kataniktika" as the "Hymns of Contrition". However, if you do a google on that term it comes up with the Catholic version of Hymns of Contrition - which are not the same! Oi! What is wrong with the Greek terms? The church lasted 2,000 years because of the beauty in the Greek language :-) Do you want us to convert everything to Russian so you can understand? LOL ANYWAY! You are a priest - you should know what these are! ROFL Vasiliki 23:07, March 16, 2009 (UTC)
- The Katanyktikoi Hymnoi (it helps to use standard Latinization for Greek!) may be called the "Hymns of Contrition" or "Penitential Hymns," and the term refers to a wide set of pieces of hymnography used throughout the period of the Triodion, most especially in the stichera of Lenten Vespers (most often referenced in Sunday night Vespers).
- They are not the same thing as the "Penitential Psalms." —Fr. Andrew talk contribs (THINK!) 23:53, March 16, 2009 (UTC)
- Thanks! What I did was cut and paste what you just said and inserted it into an article. Hopefully we can develop it a little ... there is not much available on the Internet for this. Vasiliki 00:34, March 17, 2009 (UTC)
- They are not the same thing as the "Penitential Psalms." —Fr. Andrew talk contribs (THINK!) 23:53, March 16, 2009 (UTC)
User Creation - Proposal
Greetings Fr. John, With the amount of Vandalism we have, I propose that anyone requesting a new account first has to submit a request online, with some brief info about temselves, and THEN THE REQUEST WILL REQUIRE APPROVAL by yourself or Fr. Andrew or other Sysops. The ability for anyone to automatically create accounts will be disabled, unless they are sincere and simply request a free account which they can then of course have; I think that the Conservapedia and some other wikis might have this system in place. Anyhow, just an idea I wanted to pass along :)
By the way, regarding the note immediately above this one (in greek), it reads something like this: "I require information on an ancient heresy, called "Aftharto-Docetism"?, and its proponent was the Bishop of Halicarnassos Julianos." I see that it was an unsigned comment however.
Cheers, Angellight 888 00:10, June 4, 2009 (UTC)
- Hi Angellight, given the number of users we have, this sounds like an awful lot of work. I'd rather just clean up occasionally as needed, but let me keep my eyes open for another solution. — FrJohn (talk) 00:17, June 4, 2009 (UTC)
- other forums require that you Verify your "humanity" by typing into a box the combination of numbers/letters you can see on the screen to verify that you are indeed "real" and not a bot. maybe that is all you need. Vasiliki 00:51, June 4, 2009 (UTC)
- Yep, was just posting that I've just installed a captcha test for new user registrations. It won't block disturbed individuals, but should help with the automated creation of accounts from multiple un-blacklisted IPs where email verification can be performed. Amazing we have to deal with that, eh? — FrJohn (talk) 00:55, June 4, 2009 (UTC)
- Yeah, you have to wonder why they havent got better things to do than hurl abuse at people who are minding their own business ... I learnt something yesterday. A priest called Fr Demetrius wrote an email about praying for the deceased soul of a "george" who was a pro-abortionist in America. When you read with what tenderness and love Fr Demetrius writes about this "sinner" you realise how much we just pity these people - for they know not what they do. Vasiliki 01:04, June 4, 2009 (UTC)
- Hey, I just did an EDIT on an article and it asked me to fill out a box ... is this going to be the standard practise from now on for editing as it will grow tedious I think for regulars? Vasiliki 01:37, June 4, 2009 (UTC)
- Whoops, I'll fix this. — FrJohn (talk) 01:43, June 4, 2009 (UTC)
- I missed the setting that said "Require captcha when user edits page and adds a link" - let me know if it happens again! — FrJohn (talk)
- Sure, also while I have you and you are in a good mood :D I would like to ask for a favour (as far as practical) my heart is to complete the most comprehensive Table of Saints (in Chronological order) - as you can witness by this new article. At present, I am systematically and patiently working through the information ON OrthodoxWiki ... how can I identify saints I have missed NOT listed on OrthodoxWiki. Do you have any suggestions? Vasiliki 01:53, June 4, 2009 (UTC)
See this. —Fr. Andrew talk contribs (THINK!) 01:59, July 8, 2009 (UTC)


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If you could build your own mutual fund, what would it include?
Andrew Rogers heads a firm that allows advisors to do just that. The CEO of Gemini Fund Services says it helps with all aspects of starting a pooled investment product as well as converting existing funds.
Rogers is seeing three areas of growth, all involving alternative investments. The first is a big uptick in interest in "the hedge fund to mutual fund conversion," particularly with so-called multi-strategy products.
"The JOBS Act now allows hedge funds to advertise," he notes. "This is ultimately, I think, a good thing because they can now promote their performance, and advisors can show clients how well certain strategies that they now have access to are performing."
The second area of growth involves the ongoing (and increasingly desperate) search for yield with minimal accompanying interest-rate risk. It's driving interest in hedged fixed-income, long/short fixed-income and REIT and real estate products, he adds.
"I hesitate to call any of these alternative products or strategies, because this type of hedging is more and more the way it's being done with mutual funds," Rogers argues. "They will be more active. The traditional long equity will be more in ETFs. Indeed, we've seen that already."
He specifically mentions the difference between hedged and tactical products, which he believes too many advisors use interchangeably.
"Hedged products employ a continuous overlay to protect against downside risk. Tactical, on the other hand, really means it changes with the market as conditions warrant. It doesn't have that constant overlay like hedging."
The last major area of growth in the fund space is in variable annuities, Rogers concludes.
"As tax rates rise, more interest is once again in VAs. It's a brand new market for alternative strategies, and the VA market is still larger than the ETF market, although the latter seems to get more attention."


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This database contains information about more than 6,000 publications on autism and related issues.
If you know of any other publications we should include in this database please email email@example.com. Thank you.
Please use the Search Function to find specific items.
Please See Publications on Autism for information about literature reviews, clinical guidance and publications published by Research Autism.
Showing 1 to 1 of 1 Results
Stevens E. , Clark F. (1969)
Music therapy in the treatment of autistic children.
Journal of Music Therapy
Winter, 6(4), pp. 98-104
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Americans are split pretty neatly into good savers and bad savers, according to a national survey released as part of America Saves Week.
The survey, conducted by Opinion Research Corp. International for the Consumer Federation of America and the American Savings Education Council, which is managed by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, polled more than 1,000 investors by phone in February.
About half of respondents reported good savings habits, the study found. Fifty-four percent said they had specific goals and 43% said they had a spending plan that included saving part of their money. Forty-one percent regularly transfer money from their checking accounts to savings accounts by automatic transfers, and 49% said they knew their net worth.
The survey found a similar divide in retirement saving habits. Fifty percent of workers said they were contributing to a retirement plan and 49% said they were saving enough to have a "desirable standard of living" when they retire.
"According to the EBRI Retirement Security Projection Model, more than half of baby boomers and Gen-Xers will be able to retire with enough money to cover the cost of basic retirement needs as well as uninsured health care costs, assuming they retire at age 65 and retain any net housing equity in retirement until other financial resources are depleted," Dallas Salisbury, chairman of ASEC and president and CEO of the Employee Benefit Research Institute, said in a statement. Still, "a significant number are simulated to be at risk of running short of money in retirement. They know they need to save more."
Investors' savings habits haven't gotten any worse over the last 12 months, but they haven't gotten any better, either. In 2012, 66% of respondents said they were spending less than they were saving or had enough cash saved for emergencies. Both categories were down one percentage point in 2013 to 65%.
"The recession still has not ended for millions of American families," Stephen Brobeck, executive director of the Consumer Federation of America, said in a statement. "Many working families are still suffering from high unemployment rates, stagnant incomes and a housing market that is just beginning to recover."


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Tagged: Anonymous Sources
Of Shoes and Ships and Sealing Wax. Of World Series and Princes. Why Boston Fans are Boiling Mad and Dirty Laundry Rinses.
World Series Here They Come
Cardinals and Rangers it is! It may not be the World Series matchup I was envisioning at any point this season, but if the LDS and LCS were any indication, this should be a fun series. So I'll be rooting for the Cardinals then. It's petty, to be sure. But I just can't root for the team that took the AL-West. The Rangers absolutely deserve to be where they are. They have one of the scariest line-ups in baseball and have played lights out all season long. But, call it sour grapes, call it immaturity as a fan, darned if I can bring myself to root for them. That said, if the Cardinals want to beat these guys and end the season as World Series champions, as I hope they will, their starting rotation needs to be more consistent. I don't think you're going to be able to give up three homeruns to the Rangers in the first two innings and still pull off a win. Although, crazy, amazing things have been happening for the last month or so. And a come from behind, spoiler of a team that inspires Tony La Russa to disturbing acts of cuteness – Who knew he had it in him? – might just be able to do anything.
Prince Fielder
I am tired of hearing the about the supposed inevitability of Prince Fielder leaving Milwaukee this winter spoken in the sad, hushed tones usually reserved for a terminal cancer diagnosis. "Oh, woe is us! If only there were something anyone could do." No one passed a law decreeing this must be so. I don't even recall a petition. And it's not prophecy. No watery tart rose from a movie set in Python-esque fashion to extend the legendary bat ex-sluggingcalibur to a couple of gits standing there with coconut shells (or would that be peanut shells in this baseball version?). There is something someone can do about it. Prince Fielder can decide to accept the offer Milwaukee is certain to extend and stay.
Strange tractor beam like market forces do not just snatch free agents up and move them from team to team against their will. Free agents make decisions. And as far as decisions go, it's not as if Prince Fielder is going to be asked to choose between untold riches and a modest living wherein if he saves wisely someday he might be able to send one of his kids to college. He will be asked to choose between millions and even more millions. That said, there is nothing evil or wrong with choosing even more millions. This is a personal, long term career decision and money is an extremely compelling, understandable argument. However, athletes do make decisions for personal reasons too. It's not as if that just isn't done. Cliff Lee prefers to play in Philly, even if they weren't the highest bidder. Jered Weaver preferred not to test the free agent market because he already knew where he wanted to spend his career and didn't want to haggle indefinitely. So, if Prince Fielder really doesn't want to leave the Brewers, he doesn't have to. He can choose to stay. And if he does choose to leave for a higher bidder it will be because there is something he wanted more than he wanted to stay with the Brewers and that's all there is to that. Not an inevitable tragedy, just a career decision…and one that despite all of the speculation, Fielder has not actually made yet, or at least not made public.
Boston Dirty Laundry
I find what happened in Boston disturbing. No, not the collapse. Not even the finger pointing. A certain amount of that is only to be expected after such a disappointment. No, it was the anonymous, public and extremely personal nature of the finger pointing in the Boston Globe article. The tales of bad attitudes, slacking work ethics, drinking and a manager's marital and alleged medicinal woes? Back in the day, this is the kind of stuff you would only hear about years later when someone involved decided to spice up a memoir with a few tell alls, if you ever heard about it at all.
And there's a reason for that: it's completely unproductive. Airing this sort dirty laundry so very publically doesn't help a team. It doesn't help the fans. And it doesn't help a front office fix problems and move forward. And the anonymous source(s) who provided the dirt know that. No one is going to turn around six months from now and say, "You know what the turning point was? It was that article. It really helped everyone sit down together as a team and pledge to work harder together for a better 2012." And it bothers me that someone who is close enough to a team to have this kind of information (allegedly – anonymous sources and all that.) would, instead of using it in some productive way, choose to use it to strike out at a team for their own reasons (which, depending on who you think the source(s) is, could be any number of things). The reason I bring this up is not to beat up on Boston. I don't think this is a uniquely Boston thing at all. But when it comes to this sort of information, I do think that sometimes the old ways are best. Save it for the memoir, when it no longer matters if it's productive or not anymore and you have to have the guts to put your name on it.


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The defined contribution revolution saw employers shift responsibility for funding retirement to employees who weren't well equipped to become their own pension manager. One easy solution would seem to be information. Give people the right tools and they'll be better able to select the right investments, the right advisors, and save the right amount of money. But is more information the key to improving retirement security?
New research provides insight into the promise and perils of disclosure as a policy tool. At its worst, disclosure is a waste of time and resources, draining millions of dollars from the financial services industry and achieving few measurable improvements in investor outcomes. At its best, disclosure can instantly achieve efficiency improvements within markets where it's difficult for investors to assess price or quality.
First, some basic consumer theory. Investors make the best decisions they can but are limited by their knowledge. Collecting knowledge can be costly. A new employee must select among numerous investment options by reading through fund prospectuses or looking for cues of quality. Most people have made investments in learning a work-related skill in order to earn a living, but they haven't made an investment in how to be their own pension manager. But creating 300 million pension managers doesn't sound like a sensible public policy goal.
One way to help workers is to give them the information they need to make better choices. This is the appeal of information policy. If ignorance is the problem, then give them a detailed brochure that contains everything they'd need to know to make a better choice. Unfortunately, consumers may have no idea what to do with this information. And more information makes the problem worse.
There is perhaps no sadder example of failed information policy than the mutual fund prospectus. At an SEC roundtable, Don Phillips, Morningstar's president of investment research, said that fund prospectuses were "bombarding investors with way more information than they can handle and that they can intelligently assimilate." To its credit, the SEC tried to streamline the fund prospectus to only the most important information. Unfortunately, research shows that investors given a simplified prospectus still focus the most on fund characteristics that are irrelevant (like past performance) and ignore characteristics that matter (like fees).
Disclosure can even be counterproductive. In a 2011 paper, Sunita Sah, then at Duke University, and George Loewenstein of Carnegie Mellon University found that advisors were more likely to give self-serving advice if they first disclosed a conflict of interest to their client. When an advisor admits to a conflict of interest in a face-to-face transaction, this creates two problems. First, the client now feels that if they don't accept the recommendation they are admitting they don't trust the advisor—something that is taboo in human interactions.
The second problem is that the advisor now feels less pressure to make a recommendation that isn't self-serving. It is as if one can absolve one's sins by admitting to being a sinner. The authors found that recommendations given by participants in the role of advisor were significantly worse for the consumer if they had to disclose conflicts of interest.
Examples may include the ADV Part 2 among RIAs or any number of client disclosures required by FINRA. Duane Thompson, president of consulting firm Potomac Strategies, notes that different disclosure requirements among regulators of financial advisors add to the confusion. "Disclosure across regulatory authorities in the financial services industry varies considerably, even when financial intermediaries provide the same kind of retail advice, such as retirement planning." Differences in the latitude given to advisors in making self-serving recommendations don't help either.
The most effective financial disclosure laws have given consumers a little bit of very important information that is easy to use. A great example is the disclosure of a consistent interest rate in banking products—the APR—mandated by the Truth in Lending Act. Before the act, banks could play games by varying the compounding period or other product characteristics in order to take advantage of less sophisticated consumers. With the APR, comparing terms was a piece of cake and anyone could easily select a competitive CD. University of Chicago professor Eugene Fama found that consumer CD rates were basically identical to the similar duration bond rates obtained by more sophisticated investors.
It is easy for consumers to compare a single number. That's why gas stations go out of business if they charge $4 for a gallon of gas that costs $3 down the street. Many financial markets such as 30-year fixed rate mortgages, savings accounts, and property insurance are much more competitive because it is easy for consumers to compare one number for products that have similar characteristics. Retirement investments aren't so easy.
Nothing about the defined contribution retirement system in America is particularly efficient. U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) famously posed with three-quarters of a pie to illustrate the estimated 25% of retirement savings lost to excessive plan administrator fees over a worker's lifetime. Investments within retirement accounts tend to be expensive, not very well diversified, and not necessarily appropriate for the worker's life cycle stage.
A well-functioning market for retirement assets would provide healthy competition among plan adminstrators to improve the quality of advising services and lower the cost of investing options. Is disclosure the answer?
University of Michigan business law professor Dana Muir believes that there is room for improved disclosure within the retirement industry if the right information is disclosed to the right people. "There is a significant body of research questioning the effectiveness of mandatory disclosure," says Muir. "Studies in a variety of disciplines indicate that disclosure often fails to enable the person receiving the disclosure to act more rationally than the person would have acted in the absence of the disclosure."
For disclosure to work, those who get the information need to know what to do with it. This is the problem with giving more information to workers. They don't necessarily know how to use investment information to select appropriate retirement funds. Muir thinks that "fee and compensation disclosures to plan sponsors are more likely to have an effect on plan fee levels than disclosures to plan participants. Plan sponsors have an incentive, in meeting fiduciary obligations, to consider fee and compensation information."
Disclosure seems to work a lot better in markets with informed participants who have an incentive to use new information. New York University professor David Yermack found that the mere mention that a CEO was flying a corporate airplane for personal use within an SEC 10-K form led to a same day drop of 1.1% in the firm's stock price. There is no doubt that mandating firm disclosure through the SEC to investors has improved the stability and efficiency of the U.S. equity market.
In retirement savings markets where employees must participate but often don't have the knowledge to make complex choices, the best choice may be no choice at all. This is the logic behind providing safe harbor to plan sponsors who select qualified default investment alternatives (QDIAs) for their employees. If the default investment is generally appropriate for the worker's life cycle stage, then most investors can avoid making bad choices.
Muir, however, doesn't think the plan sponsors should be on the hook in a system of investment defaults. The sponsors often don't know more about selecting the right QDIA than employees—particularly if they are small businesses in non-finance fields. And giving employees more disclosure about the risks of a default investment defeats the purpose of a default system. That's why Muir believes that the primary job of the plan sponsor as a fiduciary should be to select the right plan administrator. Leave it to the experts to select and defend which QDIAs to include in the plan.
New rulemaking by the U.S. Department of Labor is meant to provide disclosure to plan sponsors to help them select the right plan vendor. Joseph Piacentini, chief economist and director of policy research at the DOL's Employee Benefits Security Administration, imagines that easier access to pricing will both help employers shop around and enhance competition among providers. Piacentini notes that the rule will "lay the groundwork for a more price competitive market, not just on the demand side, but also on the supply side…. Low-cost vendors will attempt to poach business from their higher-cost competitors. Disclosure/transparency as a regulatory tool works by affecting the behavior of the party receiving the disclosure, but also the behavior of the party who must disclose something."
This is why some within the industry are seeing disclosure as an opportunity rather than a burden. Lance Hocutt, an advisor for Ameriprise Financial in Tuscaloosa, Ala., is looking forward to the opportunity to compete. To him, "the new disclosure rules really help those advisors and plans who already provide full disclosure, level the playing field." And price isn't the only way to compete—many employers look for a mix of cost and services when assessing an advisor's value. "I have a specific client service model for each plan which includes an annual education plan, quarterly meeting dates, and events."
Hocutt sees the much-needed personalized service he provides to sponsors and employees as an informed advisor's greatest asset. Until the low-cost competition "will put a broker in front of plans," Hocutt sees a place for advisors who can provide the right level of service at the right price.
Disclosure may have a role in improving retirement security for Americans after all. But regulators need to recognize when disclosure works and when it is a smokescreen that gets in the way of more effective policy. The defined contribution retirement system is here to stay. It's in everyone's interest to make sure employees get high-quality plans at the right price.
Michael Finke, Ph.D., is a professor and coordinator of the doctoral program in personal financial planning at Texas Tech University.