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Six months after U.S. retailers began assuming liability for debit and credit card fraud, only a fraction of the nation's in-store payment terminals can accept the highly secure chip-enabled cards.
As a result, customers often face confusion and delays at checkout counters when trying to make payments. Many small, mid-sized and independent retailers still rely on insecure magnetic-stripe cards, despite the warnings of banks and card companies that those cards can be defrauded by criminals who surreptitiously skim customer account information and then use the customer's credit card information to buy goods illegally.
"Consumers don't know what to do at checkout and don't understand the chip technology and didn't feel the need for chip cards pushed upon them. They are now being caught in this mix. They don't know whether to swipe or insert a card, or sign, or use a PIN. They are dealing with longer lines, and retail staff are still learning about the cards and how they work," said Randy Vanderhoof, executive director of the nonprofit EMV Migration Forum, in an interview Tuesday. The forum represents a 170-member cross-section of banks, merchants and card payment technology companies.
EMV, which stands for Europay, MasterCard and Visa, is a global industry standard for chip cards and the technology that supports them. Chip cards, sometimes called smart cards, are already widely used in other countries.
The fraud liability shift and causes for delays
Starting Oct. 1, banks and card companies said U.S. merchants would have to assume liability for fraudulent transactions if their payment terminals weren't updated to support chip cards. Of the 12 million payment terminals in the U.S., an estimated 5 million to 7 million have been converted to chip-ready hardware, but just 1.2 million of those terminals and the required software are certified to accept chip cards by hundreds of different payment processing companies, Vanderhoof said.
Data from Visa tends to confirm his calculation. Visa said recently that 1.025 million merchant terminals in the U.S. could accept chip cards as of March. About three-fourths of those those terminales are in small and medium-sized businesses.
However, software certifications of chip-enabled systems are accelerating, Vanderhoof said. By the end of 2016, half of all installed terminals will be certified as ready to take chip cards. "That 50% mark is considered critical for fraud to go down," he added.
Banks vs. merchants, again
The delays in chip card certifications have led to a battle royale between merchants and banks (and their surrogate card companies), which have been enemies for decades over credit and debit card "swipe" fees that merchants must pay banks to allow their customers to use the cards.
On the one hand, the National Retail Federation blames card companies -- and indirectly the banks behind the cards -- for failing to push processing companies to certify chip-card equipment faster.
Banks and card companies, meanwhile, say merchants didn't adequately prepare for the Oct. 1 liability shift, which was first announced in late 2011. There were subsequent adjustments to the requirements for chip-enabled debit cards and to meet new federal requirements, but merchants still had years to prepare, the banks said.
Nearly a year ago, major industry players undertook a program to streamline and simplify the EMV testing and certification process for resellers and software vendors.
That hasn't stopped the NRF from accusing card companies of mishandling the process.
"At this point, the majority of major retailers have either implemented EMV [payments] or are in the process, and for the most part, retailers have done their part, but the holdup is the credit card companies who have dropped the ball and haven't certified the [software and] equipment, and that's frustrating for retailers," said NRF spokesman J. Craig Shearman in an interview on Tuesday.
"It's a lack of planning and preparation on behalf of the card industry," Shearman added. "Card companies will tell you they announced the liability date a year or two ahead, but the truth is they didn't provide all the technology details and standards until a few weeks [before the Oct. 1 deadline.] Retailers didn't have years to prepare. It was a 'hurry up and wait' process."
To add insult to the conversion confusion, many retailers are also reporting 10-fold or larger increases since Oct. 1 in "chargebacks" from banks for fraudulent charges that the banks no longer will pay because of the liability shift, he said.
As a result, some retailers, who used to get $10,000 in chargebacks, are now facing $100,000, he said. "There's been a dramatic increase in chargebacks — no relationship to EMV or not," Shearman said.
Two Florida retailers sue banks, card companies
Visa, MasterCard and other card companies and major banks have stood by their position that merchants and the rest of the payments industry have long known the liability shift would take place last October. They have argued that the card industry took steps to streamline certification and have even disputed some of the chargeback claims by retailers.
The position of the card companies and banks is partly laid out in a 34-page legal memorandum filed in federal district court for Northern California on Monday.
The memorandum asks a judge to dismiss an antitrust lawsuit (Case number 3:16-cv-01150-WHA) over the fallout following the chip card conversion filed by two Florida-based retailers against four card companies and nine major banks in March. A hearing is scheduled for June 2 before Judge William Alsup.
The two retailers, B & R Supermarket and Grove Liquors, said in the lawsuit that they have seen a 20-fold increase in their bills from banks for fraudulent transactions since the Oct. 1 deadline.
In response, the banks and card companies said the two retailers have not alleged sufficient facts to "establish a conspiracy to restrain trade."
Their memorandum adds: "Plaintiffs [B & R and Grove Liquors] have one central gripe: It used to be that card-issuing banks bore the cost for the fraudulent credit card transactions, but now, …merchants who have not timely adopted fraud-reducing technology in the form of EMV-chip-reading point-of-sale systems allegedly bear that cost until compliance. Plaintiffs blame this on decisions by the payment card networks —American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa — each to impose an Oct. 1, 2015 deadline for merchants' adoption of that fraud-reducing technology."
The memorandum also says that the retailers failed to secure certification of their newly installed chip card systems before the deadline, but "claim this occurred because of a conspiracy among defendants who allegedly control the certification process." Nonetheless, some merchants were able to complete their conversion and certification in time to avoid liability for fraudulent charges, the defendants added.


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Exclusive Beauty and the Beast Video: Cat and Vincent Are Back (Working) Together
Beauty and the Beast's Catherine was given an ultimatum, but it seems she won't stay away from Vincent very long.
At the end of last week's episode, Gabe (Sendhil Ramamurthy) told Cat (Kristin Kreuk) that if their relationship was going to work, she'd have to cut Vincent (Jay Ryan) from her life - even as a friend. But they have an even bigger problem on their hands with Sam (Tom Everett Scott), who's on the hunt to find other people from Gabe's orphanage and inject them with the J.T.'s beast serum.
Exclusive Beauty and the Beast Video: J.T. is locked up with Tom Everett Scott
Will they be able to all work together to take Sam down? Watch an exclusive clip from the episode below:
Beauty and the Beast airs on Mondays at 9/8c on The CW.
(Full Disclosure: TVGuide.com is owned by CBS, one of The CW's parent companies.)
View original Exclusive Beauty and the Beast Video: Cat and Vincent Are Back (Working) Together at TVGuide.com
Other Links From TVGuide.com

subset: commoncrawl


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We Know About the Law
Our attorneys have an eye for detail necessary to identify and prevent appellate errors during trial, to comb a post-trial record in search of reversible errors to raise on appeal, or to defend a successful trial before the appellate courts. Our attorneys have successfully litigated many cases from trial through appeal in the state and federal courts.
With this extensive knowledge, talent and experience, our lawyers work to avoid the traps that exist in practice before the appellate courts by proactively addressing issues during pre-trial and trial, preserving errors during trial and in post-trial motion practice, and navigating intricate appellate rules and procedures.
Contact the attorneys at Koepke & Hiltabrand to discuss your appellate rights and issues.


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The Prophet (ﷺ) Said❤
"Whoever possesses the following three qualities will have the sweetness (delight) of faith:
1. The one to whom Allah and His Apostle becomes dearer than anything else.
2. Who loves a person and he loves him only for Allah's sake.
3. Who hates to revert to Atheism (disbelief) as he hates to be thrown into the fire."❤
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Jen Wristlet-Southern Miss
Stadium Approved, our vegan leather wristlet features brass zipper closure and cute tassel zipper pull. Sized just right for your gameday necessities, including your cell phone, lip gloss and of course gameday tickets! Wristlet strap means your hands are free for cheering on your team.
Size: 6.5w x 4.5h
Most items ship within 48 hours*Quick Ship Times* + Easy Returns! If you are not overjoyed with your purchased, contact us within 14 days for a full refund or exchange.


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What types of food do you serve?
We work from prepared or custom menus. Our catering menu is always being updated. Please call (866) 626-6920 for more information or view online at www.EventProWest.com/Catering.
How extensive are your catering services?
We have the capability to prepare meals for small or large events, either buffet-style or sit-down/served services.
How many people can you service?
Where can I find a menu?
Our catering menu is currently being updated. Please call (866) 626-6920 for more information.
– See more at: www.EventProWest.com/Catering
Can you explain the different levels of service you provide?
- Drop N Go – Our drop & go service is our most economical option for those who wish to take care of all aspects of serving a meal.
- Prep N Go – Our prep & go service includes an EPW catering manager who will help the catering delivery setup and prepare all dishes for serving. Including removing wraps and placing all items in a well organized manner so you and your guests can simply serve immediately.
- Prep & Stay –
- Prep & Serve (Full Service) –
How is the food transported?
Depending on the amount of catering ordered, most of our items are delivered by a friendly staff delivery driver in one of our air conditioned or heated vans. All of our food items by default are presented in a black plastic Cambro pan steam/heating trays. The science behind cooking a meal perfectly so that it shows up hot and ready to serve at your event is what sets EPW apart from other catering services. In fact, our Cambo's keep food so warm that we only loose 2-3 degrees per hour in temperature. Making sure your food arrives hot and ready to serve for hours.
Do you offer other stainless flatware or china instead of paper?
YES! EPW includes all serving and eating utensils with your order. However, if you would like to rent better quality items please visit our rental site at www.EventProRental.com


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U.S. Republicans to keep cuts if budget talks fail: Boehner
By David Lawder 40 minutes ago
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives will pursue a stopgap government funding bill that keeps "sequester" automatic spending cuts in place if congressional negotiators fail to reach a budget deal, U.S. House Speaker John Boehner said on Thursday.
Boehner told reporters that he hopes budget talks led by Republican Representative Paul Ryan and Democratic Senator Patty Murray can produce a deal that sets spending levels for fiscal 2014.
"I'm hopeful, but if not, the House will be prepared to move" a 2014 spending bill at levels specified by the Budget Control Act, Boehner said.
That level, after the next round of sequester cuts hits in January, is $967 billion for discretionary programs and agencies ranging from the military to education – the lowest in a decade.
Democrats argued that Republicans will have difficulty passing such a lean funding extension, especially because it would mean deeper cuts to military programs that many Republicans favor.
Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee earlier this week urged a deal that addresses the sequester cuts for two years.
The sequester in January "would result in more indiscriminate, across the board reductions that could have negative consequences on critically important federal programs, especially our national defense," Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers and 12 Republican subcommittee chairs wrote in a letter to Ryan and Murray on Monday.
Earlier this year, Boehner withdrew a transportation and housing spending bill that was drastically reduced by the 2014 sequester cuts because it could not muster enough Republican votes for passage.
Democratic Representative Chris Van Hollen, a member of the budget negotiating panel, said by keeping the $967 billion figure in place, Republicans would be "supporting an additional $20 billion cut to defense spending compared to this year. They would be making the choice of cutting defense over cutting special interest tax breaks."
Van Hollen expressed doubt that the panel can reach agreement quickly. He said Ryan and Murray had discussed areas where they may find common ground, such as the need for a two-year deal, but Democrats have yet to see a specific proposal from Ryan, who chairs the panel.
"You can be involved in a good discussion, but a good discussion does not equal negotiation and willingness to compromise," the Maryland Democrat told reporters. "We need to step on the gas in a big way."
Democrats are still campaigning for easing the sequester cuts partly with revenue from the closure of tax deductions and credits that benefit the wealthy and large corporations.
Party leaders also on Thursday said that they want any deal to include an extension of long-term unemployment benefits. These expire at the end of this year, potentially cutting off benefits for 1.3 million jobless Americans.
Republicans have refused to consider tax increases as part of any budget solution and say any reduction in sequester cuts should shifted to reductions in federal benefits programs such as the Social Security pension system or the Medicare and Medicaid healthcare programs.
The talks have included discussions of increasing some non-tax user fees, such as those the Transportation Security Administration charges passengers at airports, Van Hollen said.
"We're just a little perplexed that our Republican colleagues think it's a better idea to raise TSA fees on the American public than close a tax loophole that actually creates incentives for American companies to move their profits to places like the Cayman Islands," he added.
The budget panel is working against a December 13 deadline for a deal that can pass both the House and Senate in time to avoid another government shutdown when spending authority expires again on January 15.
(Reporting by Caren Bohan; Editing by Vicki Allen and Cynthia Osterman)


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Cream handled Sheffield soup spoon
Heirloom quality dishwasher-safe versions of this very traditional English cream handled cutlery style, still being made in Sheffield - home since 1638 to the Cutlers' Hall and world renowned centre of steel and British knife making since at least the 13th century, and hopefully for many years to come. Produced by Tricketts at the White Rose Works on Eyre Lane right in the centre of the city amidst a small cluster of historic light-industrial, art, and crafts units now surrounded by ever encroaching retail, university, and speculative residential developments. The table knives are of an elegant parallel style, and all are of a martensitic stainless steel left with the most traditional sateen finish. Each blade or tool and handle is individually brought together and fixed witout the use of adhesives. The soup spoon.
We're sorry all options are currently out of stock, email us here and we'll let you know when we have more.


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Time to make the syrup; State's largest maple syrup producer sets about 28,000 taps
Maple syrup making is one of the rites of spring in northern Michigan, an arduous process that turns countless gallons of maple sap into a concentrated, delectable treat.
The process varies depending on the size of the operation. For those making maple syrup in the backyard, the sap is collected from each tap and boiled off until it reaches the right thickness and sugar content. The process is different for large-scale syrup making operations, which use a detailed, scientific process to extract the water from the sap before boiling it.
"We use reverse osmosis to remove most of the water before we boil it," said Craig Waldron, owner of Far Hills Maple Syrup in Alanson. "We still have to boil it to finish it, but not nearly as much."
Far Hills Maple Syrup, which was started by the Waldron family in 1975, is the largest maple syrup distributer in Michigan. Waldron and the rest of the Far Hills staff set more than 28,000 taps each year, which produce 11,000–12,000 gallons of syrup. As much as 100 gallons of sap can be used to yield just one gallon of syrup.
"For whatever reason, our trees seem to have a low sugar content, but they produce more sap," Waldron explained. "In the beginning of the season, it will take 40-45 gallons of sap per gallon of syrup. Late in the season, it can take more than 100 gallons to make a gallon of syrup."
Waldron's operation is on a much larger scale than area home syrup makers, who use wood fired stoves to boil down syrup, all the while stirring the liquid to ensure the sugars don't burn on the bottom of the pan. Still, the ratios of sap to syrup are the same, though they can vary from tree to tree.
As April hits its stride, sugar shack owners will be hoping for the kind of weather most area residents are dreading. Cold nights and just warm enough days are the ideal combination of sap generation. Sprinkle in a few days of snow and this should be a good syrup season, the first in three years.
"We want the nasty weather everyone else hates," Waldron joked. "We want a long ugly spring with nights in the 20s and days in the 40s. The last two years have been terrible, so we're hoping this year will be a good one."
Though the syrup-making season is well underway, the ebbs and flows of sap production make it difficult to predict just how successful the season will be until its done. If the right weather conditions persist, this could be a banner year, but a quick warm up could shut things down for the year, derailing a potentially great year.
"Its one of those things, you just never really know until it done," Waldron added.
The forecast for the next seven days is predicting ideal syrup making conditions, cold nights and days in the 40s. Backyard sugar shack and commercial syrup producers will be grinning at this forecast, at least one more week to extract nature nectar from northern Michigan trees.


text: Old Man Gloom is a sludge/doom metal/post-metal band originally formed in Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States, but now based in Massachusetts. The group, formed by Aaron Turner of Isis and Santos Montano, has now expanded to become a sort of supergroup in the Boston hardcore and metalcore scene. The group is less a band than it is a recording project for a variety of talent. By the release of their first album (Meditations in B), Old Man Gloom expanded to include two new members.


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Honolulu Among Top 5 U.S. Cities for Home Sellers
According to new rankings released by real estate brokers Movoto, Honolulu is the fourth best city in America for home sellers. The bad news? When it comes to the best cities to buy a house, we don't even break the top 50.
The news that homes in Honolulu are expensive is not exactly, you know, news. But we decided to dig a little deeper into Movoto's methodology to understand exactly how sellers got themselves the upper-hand. This is a post-game breakdown of how Honolulu accomplished the somewhat paradoxical feat of becoming a great place to unload a property without being a good place to pick one up.
Low Crime, Good Schools
These factors worked in Honolulu's advantage on both sets of rankings, because they keep property values high over time—something buyers and sellers both care about. Among the top 100 most crowded cities in America, we boast the 7th lowest crime rate and the 8th best school quality.
Sellers: 1, Buyers: 1.
Total Homes for Sale
Fewer homes on the market is good news for sellers; the competition among buyers allows them to set high prices. On the flipside, as affordability decreases, buyers lose out.
Sellers: 2, Buyers: 1.
Unemployment Rate
Honolulu was ranked fourth in terms of low unemployment (Seattle came first, but the difference was a manini .2 percent). People with jobs buy houses so it makes sense that low unemployment benefits sellers. For buyers, unfortunately, this is where it gets a little tricky. A low unemployment rate is usually a good indicator that resale values will be strong (point for buyers). In this case, though, Movoto believes the increased competition for the limited Honolulu housing inventory outweighs the resale concerns (buyers lose point).
Sellers: 3, Buyers: 1.
To check out the full list, visit movoto.com.


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"The Plaintiffs successfully obtained judgment against Iran and seek to execute that judgment—pursuant to federal law—against Iranian assets held by the Trustees-Appellees ("Garnishees"). The Garnishees, wealthy museums represented by aristocratic law firms, have sought to stop the Plaintiffs, claiming that the exercise of federal law is somehow unfair to them—that they are above the law." So begins the reply brief filed on behalf of Jenny Rubin and others affected by a 1997 terrorist attack that held Iran liable for damages. The appellees in the case of Rubin v. Iran are the museums at Harvard and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), which house Persian artifacts that are sought after by the plaintiffs-appellants to satisfy a money judgment they were awarded by a federal court against Iran.
The Rubin plaintiffs-appellants appealed to the U.S. First Circuit in March 2012 after losing their case in federal district court. The museums filed appellate briefs on May 31, 2012, and the United States government submitted a friend of the court brief in June 2012 in support. Now the Rubin plaintiffs-appellants have entered their response.
The litigation has become complicated, involving technical legal issues and multiple courts. Highlights of the arguments put forward by the plaintiffs-appellants follow.
First, the plaintiffs-appellants argue that there is a legal basis to award them the artifacts in the collections of the museums under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) 28 U.S.C. §1610(g) even if Iran does not own the property. The museums, they say, have waived their right to challenge the conclusion that plaintiffs-appellants can execute judgment.
Second, the plaintiffs-appellants charge that the museums' "failure to engage in due diligence" cause the institutions to "suffer at their own hands." That is because, as the plaintiffs-appellants write, the museums "are not 'innocent third parties' (Gov't 12; Harvard 26, 63; MFA 60) or 'innocent property owners' (Gov't 17). They are, in some cases, successors in interest to thieves. In other cases, the provenance of their artifacts is simply unknown . . . . Garnishees did no due diligence (or have deliberately hidden the results of their due diligence) in reliance on a three-year statute of limitations and a three-year rule for adverse possession. (Harvard 47, 49-51). Now they have discovered that the state statute of limitations and adverse possession rules are not ironclad and are subject to federal preemption and beg this court for cover." As a result, the Rubin plaintiffs-appellants say that this "decision not to insist upon documentation—or to ignore and discard the documentation that they received—opens them to recapture by the property's rightful owner or, as in this case, another party that claims a primary statutory interest." (footnote omitted)
Third, the First Circuit Court should wait to issue a decision until the Second Circuit Court rules on other cases that involve the FSIA and the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA), two laws applicable to the Rubin v. Iran case. The plaintiffs-appellants argue that "[t]he cases squarely present before the Second Circuit the scope of TRIA and FSIA without all of the extraneous complications in [Rubin v. Iran] pertaining to factual questions about the provenance of the Property, the question of whether the Property are rightly considered 'blocked assets' for purposes of TRIA, and the proper interpretation of Iranian domestic law."
Fourth, the Rubin plaintiffs-appellants contend that their case can be resolved in their favor under either FSIA or TRIA: "Plaintiffs request that this Court either resolve this dispute pursuant to [FSIA] §1610(g) or remand for further proceedings under §1610(g). If this Court chooses not to do so, it should grant Plaintiffs the relief requested pursuant to TRIA."
Fifth, the Rubin plaintiffs-appellants say that if the First Circuit decides the case on the basis of TRIA, then the museums hold the burden of proof regarding ownership of the artifacts in their possession, not the plaintiffs-appellants. They write in their brief that the museums "have argued repeatedly that Plaintiffs have the burden of proving that Iran owns the assets at issue in this litigation and that Plaintiffs have not met that burden. (Harvard 21, 31, 41-46; MFA 12-14, 25-35). They ignore that the reason that conclusive evidence is lacking is because Garnishees cannot document the provenance of their artifacts." The plaintiffs-appellants submit that they have presented evidence of the artifacts "have presented adequate evidence showing where the Property originated, approximately when it was taken from those locations, and the long history of pillaging that occurred in those locations. Plaintiffs have likewise presented adequate evidence showing—at very least—that the Iranian government retains title or a right to immediate possession of all artifacts that it has not gifted or sold to others."
Finally, the plaintiffs-appellants criticize the museums' argument that TRIA would prompt "an unconstitutional taking of private property." They write, "Their arguments are frivolous."
The case will continue to move forward in the coming weeks.
This post is researched, written, and published on the blog Cultural Heritage Lawyer Rick St. Hilaire at http://culturalheritagelawyer.blogspot.com. Text copyrighted 2012 by Ricardo A. St. Hilaire, Attorney & Counselor at Law, PLLC. Contact: www.culturalheritagelawyer.com


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Time for a new sparkling wine AVA in California
The last few months have seen the usual Fall influx of sparkling wines coming in for review, as the wineries try to get their scores posted in time for the holiday season. So this time of the year always gets me thinking about California bubbly.
As good as it is — and it's become quite good on a world-class level — California sparkling wine suffers from an identity crisis. As everybody knows, sales for years have been flat or down (as they are for sparkling wines of all regions, including Champagne), and if you ask the average, or even the semi-knowledgeable, wine lover what they know about sparkling wine, he or she would probably run out of things to say, beyond "It's bubbly." That's compared to, say, Cabernet Sauvignon, which would likely elicit something about Napa Valley, or Pinot Noir, which might bring forth comments about cool climates and could even turn up references to specific regions, like Russian River Valley or Santa Rita Hills.
But California sparkling wine? Does anybody even know where it's grown? Does anyone know if it matters where it's grown? Granted, some might surmise — if they knew — that, since it's usually comprised of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, it ought to be grown in cool regions. But someone else, equally knowledgeable if a bit mischievous, might remind them that, since the grapes that go into sparkling wine are picked less than ripe, it hardly matters where they're grown. This is, of course, a specious argument, but it underscores the point that one of the reasons California sparkling wine doesn't do better with consumers is because they're unable to associate it with a region or appellation, and if there's one thing consumers can get their (already information-sated) minds around, it's appellations.
In Spain (as I was reminded re-reading Tom Stevenson's wonderful "World Encyclopedia of Champagne and Sparkling Wine"), when Spain was told by the EU that the regulations demanded that appellations be linked to specific growing regions, that country shrewdly gerrymandered their various Cava production areas so that all of them, scattered across the nation, can now officially be called Cava. That ploy was taken due to the eccentricities of the EU system which we, in the States, of course, don't have to care about. But it set me thinking: Why couldn't California create a new appellation (or American Viticultural Area, as they're called in America) that would encompass the best sparkling wine-growing regions?
Would it be legal? Well, I think so. An AVA is only an indication of geographic origin. If we drew up a sparkling wine AVA that ran from, say, Anderson Valley (Roederer, Handley) through Sonoma County (Iron Horse, J), Napa Valley (Schramsberg, Mumm) and Carneros (Gloria Ferrer, Domaine Chandon), then down through the Arroyo Grande (Laetitia), it would constitute a defined geographic area. And since AVAs are allowed to cross county lines (e.g. Carneros), that's not a problem.
One potential problem could be a clause in the TTB's statutes (the TTB is in charge of granting AVAs) that requires "Evidence that the name of the proposed viticultural area is locally and/or nationally known as referring to the area specified in the petition," but I think that could be dealt with. It might not be easy, but it could be done, probably using the (admittedly politically-fraught) word "coastal". Other than that, TTB's additional requirements, such as evidence of distinguishing geographical and climate features, should present no difficulties. The band of any sparkling wine AVA would probably include U.C. Davis climate regions I and II or (in the case of Napa), lower III, and lie within a 5-30 mile distance inland from the Coast.
Imagine if there were a sparkling wine AVA. The marketing and P.R. firms, and the wineries themselves, would have a ball promoting it. Think of the maps, the brochures; there could even be a special seal on the label. Of course, sparkling wine producers from outside the appellation would howl, but there's nothing wrong with a little controversy (or buzz, as the case may be). This might even be a good opportunity to get the message across, at long last, that sparkling wine is not just something for weddings and New Year's Eve.
From the consumer's point of view, wine buyers really would be the utmost beneficiaries of a new AVA, because they would have one more powerful piece of information at hand when making a buying decision: the best sparkling wines really do come from that narrow coastal strip between Mendocino County and San Luis Obispo County (and I suppose Santa Barbara County could get into the act if they wanted to, if someone in the Santa Rita Hills got serious about sparkling wine, which, of course, they're not likely to, since a SRH Pinot Noir is worth so much more than a SRH bubbly would be. But that's another story).
I can't think of single case in which getting an AVA didn't help promote its grapes and wines, especially those along the coast that make superior wine anyway. Look at the history of AVAs in California, from Napa Valley through Santa Lucia Highlands and Santa, err, excuse me, Sta. Rita Hills. So, all you coastal sparkling wine houses, how about it? You have nothing to lose but your, uhh, lack of sales. (And maybe TTB would let you continue to use your existing appellation along with the new one, e.g. "Anderson Valley/California Coastal".)
* * * * * *
Dept. of What were they thinking?
Got a nice holiday greeting postcard from the "Sweet and Fortified Wine Assocation" wishing me best wishes, etc., which was very nice of this trade group I've never heard of. I'm always happy to hear from a wine association I can learn more about, but in this case the postcard had no contact information at all. Not a website, not an address, not a phone number, nada. Just the group's name.
As it turns out, they have a website, but it's perhaps indicative of the weakness of sweet and fortified California wines in America that they would send a postcard to a critic, without any way of finding out who they are except through Google.
"one of the reasons California sparkling wine doesn't do better with consumers is because they're unable to associate it with a region or appellation, and if there's one thing consumers can get their (already information-sated) minds around, it's appellations."
When I see the word 'consumers' in this context I assume it's referring to the vast majority of people who buy their wine at supermarkets or big box stores but your assertion doesn't jibe with that. Do you mean to refer to wine geeks or the average wine drinker? I think the latter knows varietal first, brand second and appellation third (or fourth if you consider many don't realize that thought they may know a wine is from Napa they don't necessarily know that that is it's appellation).
For example, I was at a tasting recently where a Cava was poured with five people who drink wine regularly. Most of them knew that they liked Cava but none knew exactly what the word meant. One thought it was a grape, two knew that it was from Spain and nothing more and two thought it meant "Spanish sparkling wine." When told it was an appellation they all got it in a kind of, "oh, of course!" kind of way but that's just not what they generally think of.
Presumably you're speaking to, and about, a more educated consumer…
I love it! I'm curious though, what would be the name? Sparkling is just so generic, whereas Champagne, Cava and Prosecco are more memorable.
I thought I was paying attention while reading your thought provoking post, but now I'm not sure. What's a postcard???
Though I love the idea, I'm not sure the idea of a super-AVA in the regard you suggest would fly with the Feds. However, and in the same breath as the idea of Meritage, perhaps an improved proprietary name could be generated and promoted by producers from the finest sparkling wine regions. They could create their own rules and promote it on their own terms. Hmmm…I see an internet contest coming on!
You read it here first: I suggested "Calpagne" a few years ago.
But wouldn't following the Cava gerrymandering sort of dilute the principle of place and uniqueness that is or should be the basis for an AVA? I know alot of AVAs may be gerrymandered and you find AVAs where regions associated with grapes from diverse climates grow, ie. pinot noir and Cabernet growing side by side or nearby each other. I could see the larger AVA ala Cava model offering strength and marketing power but in terms of AVA as a typicity or "purity of place" the large disconnected AVA model strikes me as a concession and a compromise of principles?
I have thought about this Sparkling wine AVA since Richard Sanford first suggested to me that the area west of the Sta Rita Hills could produce Sparkling grapes. (Though now I know it probably does not get cold enough there every winter to provide sufficient chilling hours. )
The only problem is that there are several wineries producing fantastic sparklings outside of California and it would lower the perception of their quality. I am sure the folks that produce sparklers in Michigan, New Mexico, Finger Lakes, and Long Island would be upset.
I would not be happy if I was producing quality sparklers outside of California that recieve numerious awards and high ratings and then an AVA is devoted to higher quality sparklers only from California.
If several sparkling ava's were created then it could work. (example: Eastern American Methode Champenoise, Upper Midwestern methode champenoise, West Coast methode champenoise, Northwest Coast methode champenoise, Southwest Coast methode champenoise )
The focus should be on the production method as well as the ava.
I suppose, if it could be called "California Champagne Zone", you might be on to something. But, I do not see how an AVA could be designed that only could be used for sparkling wine, and since it could not be, it probably would have a hard time promoting itself as THE SPARKLING WINE AVA for CA.
The other thing that strikes me in this discussion is the question of sales level. Is there anything to suggest that using names like Carneros, Russian River Valley, North Coast, Arroyo Grande Valley on the existing sparkling wines is hurting their sales? I see your point of trying to get a "brand" attached to CA bubbles the way Cava has come to be attached to Spanish bubbles, but I am having a harder time seeing the benefit.
Still, no harm in talking. As you say, maybe some smart head somewhere will figure it out.
I have to say I agree with Mark. The AVA thought brings the TTB into a idea which could easily be handled by a proprietary name by an organized association (i.e. Meritage-like). This would allow producers from all over the country (to brandon's point) could join and agree to adhere to certain quality standards in exchange for a seal (or some other distinguishing emblem) as you suggested above. As a former sparkling wine maker I think this is a fabulous idea. There are too many people in the US that think of all sparkling wine as Champagne and this would be a great way to market American Sparkling wines and change that misperception in the process.
I think its a very good idea. With more and more wine on the supermarket shelves, I think producers need to help the customer choose their wine. With the rise in consumption of sparkling wines I think that being recognized is key. Developing the AVA now would raise more buzz and therefore more interest. As the Spanish developed Cava and the Burgundians developed Cremant, I think its time for Americans to bring it on.
If there were ever an AVA for Sparkling in Cali, Green Valley Sparkling sounds like a winner. This "sub" AVA is perfect for the picking. It is cooler part of the larger RRV which would allow for a longer maturation period (although 18-19 brix comes quickly!). Besides, Green Valley really needs its own gig. No one wants to be a "sub" of anything. And it's already planted to varieties conducive to lovely sparkling wines. Chard, Pinot and dry brut zero Gewurzt;)
What about using the existing AVA's names. A bottle could be labeled with the words 'Sonoma' and 'Sparkling' this way the customers AVA knowledge would still work for them. We could find our favorite AVA for the bubbly.
I think that TTB requires some continuity to the soil type, so your idea of a coastal could work, but vineyards would have to have similar soil types. The only non-contiguous AVA I know of is the islands in the sky Mendocino.
I think a lot of grapes are actually grown in the Lodi AVA, I think the producers actually try to use branding to promote themselves. AVA's might not matter in such a small market, brands do.
i like the idea of a coastal sparkling appellation, but it must be a multi-state appellation, including the leelanau peninsula of michigan, if it is to include all great sparkling wine regions 🙂
Well written and interesting as always but I couldn't disagree more.
I spent the first few years of my career in CA sparkling wine. The old axiom of "you can't change peoples' tastes and preferences overnight – they change slowly over time" is still very true. Most wine consumers use sparkling wine only a few times a year (though most will confess they love drinking it anytime). To that end, AVA is not going to help increase the use of this product. One of my biggest frustrations working with the sparkling winery was using beautiful Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to make bubbles over still wines. I suppose it's the same reason Domaine Chandon swapped out much of their Carneros fruit for still wine production and bought less expensive grapes from cheaper AVAs to make the bubbles. Why make a sparkling wine that you have to discount heavily to drive sales at near $20 when you can sell high end Chardonnay and Pinot Noir all day long for prices north of that (well, before the economy nose dived)?
In addition, AVA in any wine to me is suspicious due to the 85% AVA only requirement. When I can blend 2% Petite Verdot into a wine and see how much it changes the profile, how much can 15% of non-AVA fruit affect a wine? It reminds me of the day at the Napa Valley winery I worked for was receiving Sierra Foothill Cab…heart breaking.
I'll be generating a buzz with sparkling wine…
Here's another problem with the product: saving an open bottle.
In sparkling wine, size truly matters if it's MC (why talk about Charmat at all?) due to secondary fermentation and en tirage. I can't drink an entire bottle, nor should I. Splits are wasteful in their own right, same amount of packaging with a little less volume of glass and back to the size/taste issue.
Perhaps this category is meant to be pure luxury and for celebratory occasions only after all? Sadly, the ginormous producers may be the only viable product us average Janes and Joes can reasonably afford.
Steve – always good to get some discussion on the points, but given the difficulties in getting even the most reasonable of AVA's approved if they in any way overlap or encompass existing AVA's (no matter how good or poor the original AVA is in identifying the unique area), I just don't see how it could ever get done. It does make me wonder, however, why any of the existing AVA's do not do more to promote the sparkling produced from grapes within their appellation. Barely two come to top of mind when associating "AVA" and the words "sparkling wine" – Caneros, perhaps because of the visitability of Domain Carneros, and the Russian River Valley, probably because of the size of Korbel and the fact it is located along the Russian River (Korbel still refers to its sparkling wine as "California Champagne"). Of course, there are many good sparkling wine producers that do justice to the reputation of their AVA, but in any marketing of the area, sparkling just seems to be an after thought.
As far as I'm concerned as a buyer of sparkling wine there is already a piece of information on the bottle to guide the consumer. It is the Anderson Valley AVA and, dare I say, the name Roederer.
sparkling wine is non vintage, the goal of the winemaker is to make something that does not change from year to year. That is why the big French Champagne houses have massive libraries going back many many years so that they can compare and produce consistency.
This is why AVA and vintage do not matter, only THE BRAND matter.
If you worry about what AVA your Champagne comes from then you don't have a palate worth catering too. AVA is a marketing tool for still wine, and BRANDING is how sparkling wines are sold.
I am a bit surprised that Steve did not call you on this, and maybe he still will. In the meantime, let me make a stab at the weakness in your argument.
It is very clear that the Champagne region and the producers there are working overtime to protect the Champgagne appellation. They do, of course, compete with each other on the basis of brand, and so do Mondavi, Beaulieu, Beringer among the big house brands and even Bond, Screaming Eagle, Colgin et al among the cults.
You miss the point that Steve is making. For the product from that region of France, being called Champagne is big-time and they know it. Everything else with bubbles in France, and indeed, in Europe, cannot even reference Methode Champenoise. That was why the Spanish gerrymandered the name Cava. It is meaning as an appellation but it has, they hope, value as a "branding" name.
I don't see how a CA AVA can work for a type of wine. As to whether a category can be created similar to the made-up category of "Meritage" is a different question.
But, they can be no denying (this is not global warming, after all) that both the CHAMPAGNE name and the CAVA name are intended to as categorical brands that go beyond winery name.
There are festivals for varieties, festivals for regions, why not a Sparkling Wine festival? Sparklers from all over could be sampled, maybe some blind tasting contests, and food to match? Would enough producers be interested?
I thought we already have the CM/CV (classic method/classic varietals) labeling in the U.S why not educate about what already exist rather than trying to confuse.
- STEVE HEIMOFF| WINE BLOG » Blog Archive » Time for a new sparkling … | The Bottle and Cork - Napa and Sonoma Wine blog - [...] STEVE HEIMOFF| WINE BLOG » Blog Archive » Time for a new sparkling … [...]


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Business risk is usually an exercise in corporate power. But your own business assumptions are about to become a risk in their own right.
A few months ago, I wrote about risk – suggesting that the 'discipline' of risk management tended to focus on risks which were (a) understood and (b) for which probabilities could be estimated, and that this led to far too narrow a view of risk. In particular, this meant that companies were usually very poor at assessing their blindspots. This second post has taken longer to write than I expected, but in this one I'm going to look at the factors which mean that companies tend to remain blinded by their blindspots.
In the first post, I used a couple of 2×2 models: one by Gary Kass, adapted fromthe work of Andy Stirling, which assessed risk by 'knowledge of outcome' and 'knowledge of probability', and a second one from Sohail Inayatullah, which explored what we know, and what we don't know. I've put these in here as thumbnails by way of reference (click on them to make them larger).
But this leaves an important problem which is insufficiently addressed in organisational research or futures work: an organisation may become aware of an "unknown unknown" (thereby moving it to a "known" space) but precisely because such an insight is alien to their culture and worldview, they are unable to act on it. Either it 'does not compute', or it is understood well enough but is inconvenient. Organisations are not rational decision-makers, any more than individuals are.
And frankly, the evidence is depressing. It's worth spelling out some examples. There's a compelling account in Flirting With Disaster on the pre-launch discussion about the O-rings whose failure doomed the Challenger. This was a "known unknown", an engineering problem whose outcomes were known but whose probability was disputed. It was a "complicated" problem rather than a "complex" one, to borrow some language from Dave Snowden's Cynefin model, which is a useful tool to think about these issues (although this is a discussion for another day).
Recipes for failure
There was political pressure for the launch to proceed, largely from within NASA, which was worried that it was losing the battle to fund the space programme But there were internal voices who argued strongly that the O-ring seals would crack or malfunction at low temperatures, but they were, effectively, bullied into silence.
In the still incomplete story of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, we have already seen similar claims. BP, it is alleged, put pressure on its contractors to take some shortcuts because drilling was behind schedule and every day of delay was costing it another $750,000. The combination of financial pressures and technical over-confidence is a sure recipe for failure. We saw the same combination at work in the banking crisis, with people who pointed out risks being marginalised, victimised, or fired. As James Kwak wrote,
The problem is that there is a systematic bias within these companies against certain assessments and in favor of others. That is, the guy who shouts, "Danger! Danger!" will be ignored (or fired), and the guy who says, "Everything's fine, the model says disaster can strike only once every hundred million years" will get the promotion — because the people in charge make more money listening to the latter guy. This is why banks don't accidentally hold too much capital. It's why oil companies don't accidentally take too many safety precautions. The mistakes only go one way.
Managing risk by increasing resilience
In a co-written article (downloads pdf) in the Harvard Business Review, the 'Black Swan' author Naseem Taleb argues that organisations need to stop trying to assess probabilities of risk and disastrous events, and instead reduce their vulnerability to them: in other words, to increase their resilience. As they wrote, "Risk management, we believe, should be about lessening the impact of events we don't understand".
This is also the thesis of a recent paper by Bernard Lietaer, Robert Ulanowicz and others on the future of the financial system. Drawing on work on ecological systems, it argues that stable systems are on a point of balance between resilience and efficiency. Too much resilence, and you stagnate; but too much efficiency, and the system becomes brittle. It's also worth noting from the article that the point of balance is twice as far from the 'efficiency' end as it is from the 'resilience' end; but most modern corporations are the other way around. And, they argue, there's a relatively small 'window of viability' either side of the point of balance.
But this requires systemic change, because organisations will only behave like this if they are incentivised to do so. Some people argue that this is down to the Board. But the recurring sound of the large business in the early 21st century is still Chuck Prince's notorious remark to the Financial Times, "As long as the music is playing, you've got to get up and dance." And don't even notice that you're on the edge of a cliff.
'A "Black Swan" isn't an alibi for stupidity'
Certainly during the long globalising boom, and so far since the financial collapse as well, boards have mostly been engaged in supporting short-term maximising behaviour and a certain amount of agent-type rent-seeking (for example the cosy "remuneration clubs"that are a feature of modern corporate life). And on the subject of notorious remarks, BP's Tony Hayward's description of Deepwater Horizon oil disaster as a 'Black Swan' was beyond irony. But there is a deeper point here: that one of the ways in which Taleb's Black Swan idea has been used is as cover for a lack of foresight. As Alex Pang once noted, "The idea of a Black Swan shouldn't be an alibi for stupity". But as Pang observes, "The 'nobody could have predicted' defense … insulates leaders and experts from accountability for their failure".
And the nature of calamitous accidents allows for such myopia. As Marc Gerstein writes of the 'friendly fire' which destroyed two Black Hawk helicopters over northern Iraq:
Latent conditions in technology and organisation can exist for a significant time, waiting for circumstances to line up that create a calamitous accident. … A systemic perspective is essential to shed light on the complex interplay of actions and how the loss might have been prevented.
Pricing blindspots
This is the significance of the $20 billion Gulf compensation scheme, and the subsequent government lawsuit. Unlike previous legislation, which capped liabilities arising from pollution, a plausible price has been attached to the "externalities" arising from BP's exploration disaster. It's also been made clear that the fund doesn't represent a ceiling to potential liabilities. For the first time, blindspots are seriously expensive.
At that price, it's large enough for boards and managers to worry about it. Some of the discussion about the financial sector, though nowhere near enough, has been about how to ensure that financial institutions can cover the costs of their failures, rather than leaving the state to step in. Capitalism has to have disincentives as well as incentives; otherwise price signals are incomplete, information one-sided and markets are not effective at allocating resources: so what does a Compensation Fund targeted at Wall Street or the City of London look like?
As systems become more complex, both risks and consequences of failure become more acute. The BP Fund creates both a precedent and a principle, and it is this. Corporate risk assessments which can't tell you what your current business assumptions ignore or preclude, and what you'd have to do to to effect a recovery, are about to become a business risk in their own right.


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Xbox has gone app mad with a load of Xbox apps coming your way as deals have been struck with various partners to bring more to the Xbox Live Marketplace to join the growing list currently available. There's some new additions coming in this week, so keep your eyes peeled on the App tab on the Xbox dash.
Between now and the spring of 2013, Microsoft will be launching the following entertainment experiences on Xbox LIVE:
1. All3M (United Kingdom, United States)
2. Ameba TV (Canada, United States)
3. ARTE (Germany, France)
4. Azteca (Mexico)
5. Canalplay Infinity (France)
6. CBC's Hockey Night (Canada)
7. CrunchyRoll (Majority of LIVE Regions)
8. Deezer (Majority of LIVE Regions)
9. Eredivisie Live (Netherlands)
10. Fightbox (Austria, Germany, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, United Kingdom)
11. Flixster (United States)
12. GameTrailers (Australia, Canada, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Japan, Mexico, United Kingdom, United States)
13. Globosat Muu (Brazil)
14. Gulli Replay (France)
15. HBO Nordics (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden)
16. IndieFlix (Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States)
17. Livesport.tv (Austria, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Sweden, United Kingdom)
18. Machinima (Majority of LIVE Regions)
19. Maxim (United States)
20. MTV (United States)
21. MyTF1 (France)
22. MyTF1VOD (France)
23. Napster (Germany, United Kingdom)
24. Pathe Thuis (Netherlands)
25. PBS (United States)
26. PopcornFlix (United States)
27. Rai TV (Italy)
28. Sainsbury (United Kingdom)
29. Saraiva (Brazil)
30. SBS (Netherlands)
31. SF Anytime (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden)
32. Slacker Radio (Canada, United States)
33. SPORT1 (Austria, Germany)
34. The CW Network (United States)
35. Televisa (Mexico)
36. TV3 (Spain)
37. Viaplay (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden)
38. Vidéo à la Demande d'Orange (France)
39. Vimeo (United States)
40. VIVO Play (Brazil)
41. Watchever (Austria, Germany)
42. Zattoo (Germany)
43. Ziggo (Netherlands)
Also, starting today, several new apps will roll out worldwide on Xbox LIVE including1:
ARTE (Germany, France)
With the ARTE app on Xbox LIVE, you can watch an exciting mix of content from the Cultural TV station including documentaries, concerts and movies.
CinemaNow (Expanding to Canada)
CinemaNow is an Authenticated Video on Demand (AVOD) application providing customers with access to TV and Movie content previously purchased on CinemaNow.com.
CNET (United States, Canada)
CNET offers all the product reviews, technology shows and event coverage you love, now on Xbox LIVE. CNET helps you use technology to enhance and enrich your life. From specially curated content to advice, it's everything you need to buy and get the most out of tech that's right for you. Get the best in technology, right where you want it.
Karaoke (All LIVE regions, excluding Japan and United Arab Emirates)
Karaoke provides access to more than 8,000 songs from the latest hits to the oldies but goodies, available on Xbox LIVE. Your avatar will go on stage and sing with a full complement of stage props and back band. Use SmartGlass to play/stop/pause, browse the database and lyrics or to add songs to the playlist. Songs don't require any download and will playback immediately via streaming for a robust karaoke experience.
Maxim (United States)
Maxim delivers what guys want – beautiful women, cool gear and funny videos – to Xbox 360! From behind-the-scenes of Maxim's sexiest photo shoots to hilarious comedy originals to high-octane sports, it's the #1 destination for couch-bound men looking for a good time.
Napster (Germany, United Kingdom)
With your Xbox and Napster Unlimited plus Mobile, you can play millions of songs instantly. Listen to millions of songs in various genres, play as much as you want, enjoy hours of expertly programmed music. Discover new releases, charts and much more.
SkyDrive (All LIVE regions)
SkyDrive is the place to store your files so you can access them from virtually any device. With SkyDrive for Xbox, you can easily view your photos and videos on your TV. You can also play slideshows and view photos and videos shared with you. For more information, visit the Inside SkyDrive blog.
SPORT1 (Austria, Germany)
Enter the world of sports through your Xbox. The SPORT1 app provides Video-Sport-News, Livescores, Livestreams of popular sport events and access to Pay-TV Sports channel SPORT1+.
VEVO (Expanding to Spain, Italy & France)
With over 45,000 videos by 11,000 artists, VEVO is the world's leading all-premium music video and entertainment platform. Stream live concerts, watch exclusive programming and queue up all your favorite videos. VEVO is available in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom. The VEVO app for Xbox includes high-quality on demand music videos free to the user and allows social interactions between fans, VEVO, and users.
Zattoo (Germany)
The Zattoo app gives you access to free Live TV across 55 channels and an Electronic Program Guide. HiQ accounts feature quick, ad-free channel switches and higher quality streams (including HD), starting at 3.75 EUR per month. Additional premium TV channels, including Sports, Documentary, Kids, Music channels, and International packages are also available.


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Non-Discrimination Policy
The Warrensburg R-VI School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability, age, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:
Assistant Superintendent for Student Services
201 S. Holden St. Warrensburg, MO 64093
(660) 747-7823
For further information on discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age, visit http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/CFAPPS/OCR/contactus.cfm for the address and phone number of the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights enforcement office that serves your area, or call 1-800-421-3481.
Board of Education
Warrensburg R-VI Board of Education
Mission and Goals
The District's Mission Statement, Goals, and Objectives.
Central Office Email Directory
Click here to send an email message to Central Office Staff.
Policies and Regulations
Click here to download District Policy Handbooks.
School Facilities Policies
Click here to download the Use of School Facilities Policies and Guidelines document.
District Accreditation
Click here to view the District's Credentials.
School Accountability Report Card
Click here to visit the District's Department of Curriculum and Assessment Web Page.
Suicide Awareness and Prevention
Click here to view the District's
Suicide Awareness and Prevention Policy
Curriculum and Assessment
Click here to visit the District's Department of Curriculum and Assessment Web Page.
R6 Foundation
Click here to visit the Warrensburg R6 Foundation Web Site.
Food Services
Click here to visit the District's Food Services Web Page.
Health Services
Click here to visit the Health Services/School Nurses Web Page.
Educating Missouri's Homeless Children
Click here for information about the McKinney-Vento Act, part of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which guarantees homeless children and youth an education equal to what they would receive if not homeless.
Section 504 Information
The Warrensburg R-VI School District, as a recipient of federal financial assistance from the United States Department of Education and operates a public elementary or secondary program and/or activity, is required to undertake to identify and locate every qualified person residing in the District who is not receiving a public education; and take appropriate steps to notify disabled persons and their parents or guardians of the District's duty.
The Warrensburg R-VI School District assures that it will provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to each qualified disabled person in the District's jurisdiction regardless of the nature of severity of the person's disability. For purposes of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1974 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the provision of an appropriate education is the provision of regular or special and related aids and services that (i) are designed to meet individual educational needs of disabled persons as adquately as the needs of nondisabled persons are met and (ii) are based on adherence to procedures that satisfy the requirements of the 504 federal regulations.
Please refer to the documents below for additional information.
Section_504_Procedural_Safequards.docx What_is_Section_504.pdf


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- Sixtus V
- Sixtus VPope Sixtus V† Catholic_Encyclopedia ► Pope Sixtus V(FELICE PERETTI).Born at Grottamare near Montalto, 13 December, 1521; elected 24 April, 1585; crowned 1 May, 1585; died in the Quirinal, 27 August, 1590. He belonged to a Dalmatian family which in the middle of the preceding century had fled to Italy from the Turks who were devastating Illyria and threatened to invade Dalmatia. His father was a gardener and it is said of Felice that, when a boy, he was a swineherd. At the age of nine he came to the Minorite convent at Montalto, where his uncle, Fra Salvatore, was a friar. Here he became a novice at the age of twelve. He was educated at Montalto, Ferrara, and Bologna and was ordained at Siena in 1547. The talented young priest gained a high reputation as a preacher. At Rome, where in 1552 he preached the Lenten sermons in the Church of Santi Apostoli, his successful preaching gained for him the friendship of very influential men, such as Cardinal Carpi, the protector of his order; the Cardinals Caraffa and Ghislieri, both of whom became popes; St. Philip Neri and St. Ignatius. He was successively appointed rector of his convent at Siena in 1550, of San Lorenzo at Naples in 1553, and of the convent of the Frari at Venice in 1556. A year later Pius IV appointed him also counselor to the Inquisition at Venice. His zeal and severity in the capacity of inquisitor displeased the Venetian Government, which demanded and obtained his recall in 1560. Having returned to Rome he was made counsellor to the Holy Office, professor at the Sapienza, and general procurator and vicar Apostolic of his order. In 1565 Pius IV designated him to accompany to Spain Cardinal Buoncompagni (afterwards Gregory XIII), who was to investigate a charge of heresy against Archbishop Carranza of Toledo. From this time dates the antipathy between Peretti and Buoncompagni, which declared itself more openly during the latter's pontificate (1572-85). Upon his return to Rome in 1566 Pius V created him Bishop of Sant' Agata dei Goti in the Kingdom of Naples and later chose him as his confessor. On 17 May, 1570, the same pope created him cardinal-priest with the titular Church of S. Simeone, which he afterwards exchanged for that of S. Girolamo dei Schiavoni. In 1571 he was transferred to the See of Fermo. He was popularly known as the Cardinal di Montalto. During the pontificate of Gregory XIII he withdrew from public affairs, devoting himself to study and to the collection of works of art, as far as his scanty means permitted. During this time he edited the works of St. Ambrose (Rome, 1579-1585) and erected a villa (now Villa Massimi) on the Esquiline.Gregory XIII died on 10 April 1585, and after a conclave ( see Conclave ) of four days Peretti was elected pope by "adoration" on 24 April, 1585. He took the name Sixtus V in memory of Sixtus IV, who had also been a Minorite. The legend that he entered the conclave ( see Conclave ) on crutches, feigning the infirmities of old age, and upon his election exultantly thrust aside his crutches and appeared full of life and vigour has long been exploded; it may, however, have been invented as a symbol of his forced inactivity during the reign of Gregory XIII and the remarkable energy which he displayed during the five years of his pontificate. He was a born ruler and especially suited to stem the tide of disorder and lawlessness which had broken out towards the end of the reign of Gregory XIII. Having obtained the co-operation of the neighbouring states, he exterminated, often with excessive cruelty, the system of brigandage which had reached immense proportions and terrorized the whole of Italy. The number of bandits in and about Rome at the death of Gregory XIII has been variously estimated at from twelve to twenty-seven thousand, and in little more than two years after the accession of Sixtus V the Papal States had become the most secure country in Europe.Of almost equal importance with the extermination of the bandits was, in the opinion of Sixtus V, the rearrangement of the papal finances. At his accession the papal exchequer was empty. Acting on his favourite principle that riches as well as severity are necessary for good government, he used every available means to replenish the state treasury. So successful was he in the accumulation of money that, despite his enormous expenditures for public buildings, he had shortly before his death deposited in the Castello di Sant' Angelo three million scudi in gold and one million six hundred thousand in silver. He did not consider that in the long run so much dead capital withdrawn from circulation was certain to impoverish the country and deal the death-blow to commerce and industry. To obtain such vast sums he economized everywhere, except in works of architecture; increased the number of salable public offices; imposed more taxes and extended the monti, or public loans, that had been instituted by Clement VII. Though extremely economical in other ways, Sixtus V spent immense sums in erection of public works. He built the Lateran Palace; completed the Quirinal; restored the Church of Santa Sabina on the Aventine; rebuilt the Church and Hospice of San Girolamo dei Schiavoni; enlarged and improved the Sapienza; founded the hospice for the poor near the Ponte Sisto; built and richly ornamented the Chapel of the Cradle in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore; completed the cupola of St. Peter's; raised the obelisks of the Vatican, of Santa Maria Maggiore, of the Lateran, and of Santa Maria del Popolo; restored the columns of Trajan and of Antoninus Pius, placing the statue of St. Peter on the former and that of St. Paul on the latter; erected the Vatican Library with its adjoining printing-office and that wing of the Vatican Palace which is inhabited by the pope; built many magnificent streets; erected various monasteries; and supplied Rome with water, the "Acqua Felice", which he brought to the city over a distance of twenty miles, partly under ground, partly on elevated aqueducts. At Bologna he founded the Collegio Montalto for fifty students from the March of Ancona.Far-reaching were the reforms which Sixtus V introduced in the management of ecclesiastical affairs. On 3 Dec., 1586, he issued the Bull "Postquam verus", fixing the number of Cardinals at seventy, namely, six cardinal-bishops, fifty cardinal-priests, and fourteen cardinal-deacons. Before his pontificate, ecclesiastical business was generally discharged by the pope in consistory with the Cardinals. There were, indeed, a few permanent cardinalitial congregations, but the sphere of their competency was very limited. In his Bull "Immensa aeterni Dei", of 11 February, 1588, he established fifteen permanent congregations, some of which were concerned with spiritual, others with temporal affairs. They were the Congregations:(1) of the Inquisition;(2) of the Segnatura;(3) for the Establishment of Churches;(4) of Rites and Ceremonies;(5) of the Index of Forbidden Books;(6) of the Council of Trent (7); of the Regulars;(8) of the Bishops;(9) of the Vatican Press;(10) of the Annona, for the provisioning of Rome and the provinces;(11) of the Navy;(12) of the Public Welfare;(13) of the Sapienza;(14) of Roads, Bridges, and Waters;(15) of State Consultations. These congregations lessened the work of the pope, without in any way limiting his authority. The final decision belonged to the pope. In the creation of Cardinals Sixtus V was, as a rule, guided by their good qualities. The only suspicion of nepotism with which he might be reproached was giving the purple to his fourteen-year-old grand-nephew Alessandro, who, however did honour to the Sacred College and never wielded an undue influence.In 1588 he issued from the Vatican Press an edition of the Septuagint revised according to a Vatican MS. His edition of the Vulgate, printed shortly before his death, was withdrawn from circulation on account of its many errors, corrected, and reissued in 1592 (see BELLARMINE, ROBERT FRANCIS ROMULUS, VENERABLE). Though a friend of the Jesuits, he objected to some of their rules and especially to the title "Society of Jesus". He was on the point of changing these when death overtook him. A statue which had been erected in his honour on the Capitol during his lifetime was torn down by the rabble immediately upon his death. (For his relations with the various temporal rulers and his attempts to stem the tide of Protestantism, see THE COUNTER-REFORMATION).VON HUBNER, Sixte-Quint (Paris, 1870), tr. JERNINGHAM (London, 1872); BALZANI, Rome under Sixtus V in Cambridge Modern History, III (London, 1905), 422-55; ROBARDI, Sixti V gesta guinquennalia (Rome, 1590); LETI, Vita di Sisto V (Losanna, 1669), tr. FARNEWORTH (London, 1754), unreliable; TEMPESTI, Storia della vita e geste di Sisto V (Rome, 1755); CESARE, Vita di Sisto V (Naples, 1755); LORENTZ, Sixtus V und seine Zeit (Mainz, 1852); DUMESNIL, Hist. de Sixte-Quint (Paris, 1869); CAPRANICA, Papa Sixto, storia del s. XVI (Milan, 1884); GRAZIANI, Sisto V e la riorganizzazione della s. Sede (Rome, 1910); GOZZADINI, Giovanni Pepoli e Sisto V (Bologna, 1879); SEGRETAIN, Sixte-Quint et Henri IV (Paris, 1861); CUGNONI, Memorie autografe di Papa Sisto V in Archivio della Soc. Romana di storia patria (Rome, 1882); BENADDUCI, Sisto documento inedito per la storia di Sisto V (Venice, 1896); ROSSI-SCOTTI, Pompilio Eusebi da Perugia e Sisto papa V (Perugia, 1893); PAOLI, Sisto V e i banditi (Sassari, 1902); HARPER in Amer. Cath. Quarterly Review, III (Philadelphia, 1878), 498-521.MICHAEL OTTTranscribed by Thomas M. Barrett Dedicated to the Memory of Pope Sixtus V
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume VIII. — New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat. 1910.
Catholic encyclopedia.


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Anonymous donor offers Vernon Co. Humane Society $3K match grant
VIROQUA, Wis. — An anonymous donor is lending a helping hand this holiday season to the Vernon County Humane Society.
The shelter is actually over capacity right now housing more than 50 dogs and cats that are waiting for adoption.
Each year the shelter relies on fundraising from church organizations, school groups and even summer lemonade stands to be able to care for animals that have been abandoned or given up.
"What are you doing in here?" Shelter director Linzi Gronning said to one of the shelter cats. "I can't believe someone didn't want to take you home for the holidays."
Gronning can't even imagine what would happen if these animals didn't have the shelter for a place to wait.
"They wouldn't even have a chance to be alive, and they wouldn't have a chance to get the medical care that they need, and they wouldn't have a chance to be in a facility and hope that someone will come and adopt them," said Gronning.
But operating mainly on donations makes things a little difficult to stay afloat especially in tough economic times.
It takes at least a couple hundred dollars a day to keep the shelter operating.
It runs on an annual budget of about $80,000.
The shelter can only afford part-time employees and relies heavily on the help of volunteers like Casey Engen.
"They need to get their exercise," said Engen. "If they're younger, they need little kids to play with them and just have fun. They need to be loved."
And this year the shelter is hoping to cash in on a very generous donation.
"A benefactor came forward and said they wanted to try and make a difference and help us meet our goal of being able to keep the shelter open," said Gronning.
An anonymous donor contacted the shelter at the beginning of the month offering to match $3,000 if the shelter could come up with the same amount in donations by the new year.
"People normally think about the care for the animals, but you still need a facility, you still need to pay for insurance and heat and utilities and those things add up," said Gronning. "Six-thousand dollars would go a long way."
It's an offer that not only helps keep the shelter open, but also give every animal a chance to find its forever family.
"Bye Suzy," Gronning said to one of the dogs leaving the shelter with a new family. "Have a good life Suz."
So far, the humane society has raised more than $2,000 for the match grant.
The deadline for donations is on Dec. 31.
To donate, contact the Vernon County Humane:
1150 Nelson Parkway
Viroqua, WI 54665
Or visit their website at www.vchumane.org .


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For screen reader problems with this website, please call512-454-45345 1 2 4 5 4 4 5 3 4Standard carrier rates apply to texts.
AudioQuest Cinnamon 48 8K-10K 48Gbps HDMI cable combines superior materials and superior design to produce a superior entertainment experience. Featuring solid 1.25% Silver-Plated Long-Grain Copper conductors with AudioQuest's Level-2 Noise Dissipation, in which a metal layer is placed around the 4 FRL + eARC pairs to further enhance noise-dissipation, Cinnamon 48 is meticulously designed for enhanced sound quality and outstanding overall performance. Of course, all AudioQuest 48G HDMI cables can transfer up to professional 10K Ultra HD video, support Dynamic HDR, and have the conductors and bandwidth required for eARC's enhanced sonic capabilities. Taking performance even further, all 19 conductors, comprising A/V and eARC signals, all Ground-Reference drains, and control and power conductors, are properly controlled for the most efficient dissipation of Radio-Frequency Noise.
The Ultra-High-Speed HDMI Cable is the first cable defined by the HDMI Forum. Ultra-High-Speed HDMI Cables comply with stringent specifications designed to ensure support for high resolution video modes such as 4Kp50/60/100/120 and 8Kp50/60 as well as new features such as eARC and VRR. Ultra-High-Speed HDMI Cables exceed the requirements of the latest international EMI standards to significantly reduce the probability of interference with wireless services such as Wi-Fi.
HDMI Specification 2.1 is the most recent update of the HDMI specification and supports a range of higher video resolutions and refresh rates including 8K/60 and 4K/120, and resolutions up to 10K. Dynamic HDR formats are also supported, and bandwidth capability is increased up to 48Gbps. Supports HDCP 2.3.
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In addition to all 19 HDMI conductors being Direction-Controlled to reduce RF Noise, AudioQuest Cinnamon 48 HDMI cables features AQ's Level-2 Noise Dissipation technology with layers of metal around the 4 FRL + eARC pairs, which further enhances noise-dissipation.
An advancement over the previous Audio Return Channel (ARC), eARC simplifies connectivity and provides greater ease, including audio optimization and the ability to automatically discover associated audio components without manually scrolling through display settings. It supports the latest high-bit-rate audio formats up to 192kHz, 24-bit, and uncompressed 5.1 and 7.1, and 32 channel uncompressed audio. It also supports DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS:X, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Atmos. Because sound matters, eARC gets equal love and affection with the same superior metals, Direction-Controlled Conductors, and Noise-Dissipation technologies as the main AV data pairs.
48Gbps is made possible by 4 balanced audio/video pairs, called Fixed Rate Link (FRL), capable of 12Gbps each.
AudioQuest HDMI cables are precisely manufactured to ensure a high level of reliability, and are backed by a nontransferable, limited lifetime warranty. Proof of original purchase is required, other restrictions apply. Valid in the US only.
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The term "personal brand" gets tossed around a lot, but what does it actually mean?
Your personal brand is how you market yourself. In a matter of speaking, you are the product.
For example, say you're trying to establish yourself as a high-powered motivational speaker, an analytics-savvy marketer, or a master problem solver.
A major way you'd pitch yourself to your audience is your personal branding.
Establishing a personal brand requires brainstorming, taking into consideration who you are, how you want to be known, and what your target audience needs.
To give you a basic tour of what it takes to create a personal brand strategy, Sestyle put together an infographic (Jorgen Sundberg translated it from Italian to English) outlining nine steps:
- Who are you?
- How are you perceived?
- What do you want to achieve?
- Create your brand.
- Create your ecosystem.
- Create your network.
- Create original content.
- Get involved and share.
- Listen and monitor.
Check out the infographic for a breakdown of each step:
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- What Americans Value Most in a Job [Infographic]
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Do you want to help fund a piece of superb science-fiction? Do you want to help create a delicious audiodrama, dripping with sound so luscious it seeps from your ears, creating vibrant images within your brain? Do you want to be a part of and own a little piece of the Doctor Who universe? Of course you do!
Radio Static is currently raising funds to create The Minister of Chance Episode 3: Paludin Fields.
If you are not yet familiar with this brilliantly written and superbly produced audiodrama, The Minister Of Chance takes place in the Doctor Who universe. In this tale, science is outlawed and magic rules. There is war. And of course, there is a Timelord. As described on The Minister's website:
You can read my review of episodes one and two here.
And don't forget about the cast! The cast is second to none and includes two former Doctors, Drake's 7 alum, Logan's Run alum, Game of Thrones alum, Downton Abbey alum and so much more. Who is this cast? The Minister of Chance features the voices of Julian Wadham, Jenny Agutter, Gethin Anthony, Lauren Crace, Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann, Paul Darrow, Peter Guinness, and more.
Originally, new episodes were to be created as funding from the purchase of episodes would allow. Unfortunately, it was not as successful as hoped, which is quite a shame as The Minister Of Chance (@MinisterChance) is unlike anything you'll ever hear. So, Radio Static decided to make episodes available for the cost of FREE.
Now, Radio Static has created an IndieGoGo campaign to raise $10,000 by March 31, 2012, so that they can produce Episode 3. In exchange for your donations, you will receive a number of really cool perks. These perks include an exclusive t-shirt, the opportunity to win a small speaking part in Episode 3, a personalised voicemail greeting from Paul Darrow or Sylvester McCoy, a signed script, your name listed as a sponsor, and more.
What are you waiting for?! Donate! Also, please tell your friends and tell them to tell their friends. It will be a huge shame if more episodes from this brilliant series are not created.


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Anti-depressant Mudra
Naran S Balakumar
Touching Index and Middle fingers with thumb, on both the hands forms the VYAN MUDRA. It is an anti-depressant Mudra.
Be in this Mudra and chant "UP ELATE OVER END".
For old-age people if they are depressed, ask them do it. Chant the switch words over a glass of water and give it to them.
Mudra for surrender
Udana Mudra
It activates the throat chakra that energizes the head. It brings in the clarity of the mind. Apart from that this can be helpful for bad throat condition also.
When you are stuck in a problem situation, be in this Mudra and chant the switch words, "CLIMB CRYSTAL TOGETHER DIVINE".
To sit regularly for a meditation, even though if it is escapism, be in this Mudra, and you will continue to sit for the meditation.
It is also called as Mudra for Surrender.
What is meant by surrender?
Surrender is not inaction. Whatever we are doing we have do it.
You are writing with a pen. Suppose the pen gets a life and says, "I am writing so many things". Will you accept it? The pen is not supposed to say that and that to you.
Let us say the pen says to you that "I am writing so many things. So many good ideas come to me, when I am writing". If so, you will break the pen and will go for a new one.
Similarly, surrendering means, the attitude of ownership is relinquished. 'I am not the doer' – that attitude should be cultivated. It is the training of the mind. That can be cultivated or trained by being in this Mudra.
Everything is coming from the space. Because of the divine, we are doing something. You are doing the action for the divine, by the power of the divine and with the help of the divine. That attitude has to be ingrained in every part of the brain. For which, this mudra will be very helpful.
You are not the doer – understanding and believing it
How to understand and believe that you are not the doer?
It is not the question of understanding. How to believe we are not the doer, but divine is the doer?
Instructions to do the Mudra: On both the hands, keep the thumb at the base of the little finger (first image) and rest of the fingers covering the thumb (next image).
I have been telling the following story about a Hungarian, during all the classes I am conducting these days: http://wp.me/ptUMq-5r
Related Blogs
Develop a surrendering attitude: http://wp.me/ptUKY-4G
Do you know how to surrender: http://wp.me/ptUMq-4M
FAQ on Mudras
Student: What is the significance of putting the thumb with other fingers?
Thumb represents Prana – our life force. If there is no life in the body what is the use of the body? Similarly, if thumb is not used, no Mudra will be activated.
Prana means Universal Life energy.
Instructions on doing mudras
- Except for special Mudras, for all mudras, one had to keep the mudra on both the hands.
- You can chant mantra or switch words silently, while doing the mudra.
- You can walk, lie down, sit down or watching TV while doing the mudra.
- There is no time to do mudras. You can do it all the time. Of course, they are very effective when you do the mudras between 4-6 AM.
- In general, Mudra you can do for 30-45 minutes, Mantra can be done all the 24 hours.
- There are exceptions to that rule. Don't do Linga mudra for more than 15 minutes at a time. However mudras like Chin Mudra and Acceptance mudra can be done throughout the day.
- All mudras are beneficial to us without any side-effects. However, for some it might produce an unwanted side-effect. In such a case, please stop doing it and contact Naran.
- You need not press the fingers hard when you touch the tip of the thumb or while placing them at the base of the thumb. No pressure should be applied. Pressure means, your mind is restless and not stable.
The above points were discussed during the workshop on Mudras, Hyderabad, on 16thFeb, 2013. You can learn about Mudras in the upcoming workshop, dated 15th Dec, 2013, at Bangalore, by Naran S Balakumar.
Beat the Cold
R Mohan
I have a severe cold with running nose.
Do LINGA Mudra (both hands clasped together, with left thumb in upright position) for 20 minutes. Then do SAFE and SECURE Mudra (thumb touching ring and little fingers on both the hands) for another 20 minutes.
R Mohan
I did as you suggested. I took rest for a while keeping in mind that while we sleep, our body does the necessary healing (as mentioned by Naran).
After waking up, I did the Mudras again for 15 minutes. I was alright (without any medication). Thanks.
Due to pollution, we get afflicted with cold.
The thick phlegm produced and deposited inside the lungs will be converted into liquid form by the Linga Mudra and will be sent to the Hara Chakra (the chakra that handles water element) by the Safe and Secure Mudra.
Affirmation for weight loss
Referring the link: https://healbymudra.wordpress.com/2010/05/22/uses-of-fire-mudra/
While doing fire mudra for weight loss. What we can chant?
Thank the body and all the organs.
Pain due to overweight
What is the remedy for too much weight? My husband is overweight and I want him to get fit. He has high cholesterol also.
Due to weight, his knees pains while climbing stairs and is having vitamin D deficiency too.
I have a combination of flower remedies. He can try.
Ask him to keep the ring finger under the thumb daily for 15 minutes. This is FIRE MUDRA, which will reduce his weight.
Ask him to chant Switch words, "CHANGE DIVINE ORDER NOW ON"
I like to add my husband is also taking Allopathy for High BP, Vitamin D and for joint pain. So can he take the Flower remedies along with that?
Flower remedies are for mental state and not for physical problems.
Meanwhile, chant the mantra, "HARE RAMA HARE KRISHNA" for his joint pain.