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Obama, Christie laud 'working relationship' on storm
- President Obama, Chris Christie tour storm damage -- and praise each other
- Burned houses, busted boardwalks -- and a puckish tribute to Mitt Romney
- White House aide says politics not part of the tour
President Obama and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie -- the newest political odd couple -- pledged Wednesday to work together to repair the damage wrought by Hurricane Sandy along the Jersey shore.
The Democratic president praised the Republican governor -- and backer of White House challenger Mitt Romney -- for his "responsive and aggressiveness" in launching efforts to restore power, clean up streets and cities, and produce clean drinking water.
"I just want to thank him for his extraordinary leadership," Obama told reporters after spending more than three hours in damaged parts of the New Jersey. The president also promised federal help to local officials and residents throughout the northeast who suffered major storm damages.
Christie, normally an outspoken critic of Obama's policies, praised his leadership during Hurricane Sandy, saying the president "sprang into action immediately," and has exhibited "concern and compassion" for the residents of New Jersey and the northeast.
"It's been a great working relationship," Christie said.
Obama and Christie spoke after a helicopter tour that included sights of charred houses, sand-packed and water-logged streets, and busted bridges and boardwalks.
At least one Jersey resident showed some puckish political humor; on the sand at Point Pleasant Beach, someone wrote ROMNEY in large letters.
Obama and Christie also traded compliments during a meeting with local residents. "I want to let you know that your governor is working overtime" to help repair the damage, Obama said.
"The entire country has been watching what's been happening -- everybody knows how hard Jersey has been hit," Obama said, adding that his "top priority" is to get power restored.
"The country comes to help because you never know when someone is going to get hit by a disaster," Obama said.
Christie told his constituents, "it's really important to have the president of the United States here."
The governor, wearing a blue polar fleece, slacks, and white sneakers, greeted Obama earlier in the afternoon at the airport in Atlantic City. The president wore khaki pants, a blue windbreaker and brown hiking boots.
The two men and Craig Fugate, administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, boarded Marine One helicopter for their tour. Obama and Christie also planned to speak with local officials about rescue and recovery efforts.
While the Atlantic City boardwalk appeared to be intact, observers saw mountains of sand covering city streets up and down the Jersey coast. Pools and pools of standing water also dotted the landscape.
In Beach Haven, on Long Beach Island, entire streets were underwater. Buildings were boarded up or bore broken windows.
Some of the worst damage occurred at Seaside Heights, where roads were covered by either water or sand. Both the boardwalk and a nearby carnival got smashed by Hurricane Sandy, leaving wood fragments everywhere. A fire that burned down at least eight houses still smolders. Other homes lost their decks to the storm's fury. Abandoned cars remained on a bridge knocked down at one end.
Earlier in the day, Obama visited FEMA headquarters in Washington for another briefing on recovery plans.
The president also called the New York University-Langone Medical Center to thank doctors and nurses for evacuating more than 200 patients as the storm approached, said White House spokesman Jay Carney.
One topic Carney would not address: What impact, if any, will the storm have on Obama's fortunes on Election Day next Tuesday. Carney said the president is dealing with governors, mayors and other local officials "regardless" of political party.
"This is a time to focus on what was a devastating storm and the terrible aftermath of that storm," Carney said. "This is not a time for politics."


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Culture Shock
Once in the U.S. participants face an adjustment period referred to as "culture shock." Moving to the U.S.can be a very stressful experience. Everything is unfamiliar; from weather, landscape and language to food, fashion, values, and customs.
The degree of "shock" depends on such factors as length of study abroad, flexibility, tolerance for ambiguity, degree of difference between home and host culture, prior experience abroad and his or her expectations. Culture shock is a normal part of study abroad, and it shows that your daughter or son is experiencing the differences between American culture and that of the host country.
Everyone goes through three similar stages when adapting to a new culture. Some of us are able to go through the process quicker and with less stress, while others go through these stages and find it difficult to adjust.
Symptoms of culture shock can include: homesickness; depression; feeling lost and out of place; frustration; irritability; and fatigue. The following information may be helpful to understand the three phases that occur in culture shock:
Three Phases of Culture Shock
Phase I – The Honeymoon
During this initial period participants often feel excited to embark on their new journey. You are open to trying new things and exploring your host country.
Phase II – The Rejection
You may miss your usual ways of dealing with school, work, relationships, and everyday life.
You may find yourself studying for hours, longer than your classmates and colleagues because of language differences. If you are trying to speak and listen to a new language every day and trying to understand how things are done, it may feel like an overwhelming effort.
You may feel homesick and idealize your life back home, while being highly critical of life in your new community. Feeling frustrated, angry, anxious, or even depressed is not uncommon.
You may experience minor health problems and/or disruptions in sleeping and eating patterns.
Your motivation may diminish, and you may feel like withdrawing from your new friends. This is a natural reaction to living in a new culture.
You may contemplate going home early before completing your program, degree or research.
You may be angry at not finding what you had expected.
Helping your spouse and children adjust to life in their new culture may pose an additional challenge.
Phase III – The Recovery
It is important to understand that as time passes you will be better able to enjoy your new surroundings.
Your feelings and attitudes about living in a new country may improve, but you may never get to the high level experienced during the first phase.
You may become more relaxed, regain your self-confidence, and enjoy life in your new country. Major obstacles that occurred in the earlier phases, such as misunderstandings and mistakes, will be easily understood and resolved.
Ways to Diminish Feelings of Culture Shock
– "Plunge" into your host culture and wrestle with the differences.
– Keep an open mind; it is natural to have preconceived ideas and beliefs that come
into question while abroad.
– Athletic activities like team sports or taking walks may be helpful.
– Get to know others at your host school or organization.
– Do not isolate yourself.
– Find a local person with whom you can discuss your frustrations and encounters.
– Learn as much as you can about your host culture.
– Maintain a support structure with others, particularly those going through the same
experience. However, do not retreat into a clique" to avoid the discomfort of
– Keep a journal. Record your impressions of new experiences and the transformations
that are occurring within you.
#source – web

subset: commoncrawl


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Virtual Grocery Shopping
Where the rest of us see subway walls, Tesco's South Korean supermarket chain Home Plus sees grocery shelves. In a trial run, Home Plus has plastered a subway station with facsimiles of groceries, labeled with a unique code for each product. As commuters pass by on their way to work, they can use a mobile-phone app to take pictures of the products they want, then check out. The groceries are automatically delivered to their doorstep by the end of the work day.
The virtual grocery store has been a hit among more 10,000 customers, with Home Plus reporting a 130 percent increase in online sales. The experiment is just one of the increasingly innovative ways mobile devices are being used in retail. Location-based smart-phone advertising is seen as a potentially valuable way to reach new customers. Some companies in the United States are also using indoor positioning technology as a way to guide shoppers to products and show them special offers. And software makers are exploring different ways of paying for products by smart phone.
In Home Plus's virtual store, each image of a grocery item is accompanied by a quick-response (QR) code, a boxy geometric image that encodes data—the product and its price. When each code is scanned, the item goes into an online shopping cart. Customers then use their phones to pay before hopping the train to work.
People have long been able to scan QR codes with their smart-phone cameras to access whatever information the code holds. And online grocery shopping has been around even longer. Still, the grocery industry has seen little technological innovation since the implementation of the universal product code (UPC) bar code in the 1970s. As of 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that just 0.2 percent of the food and beverage industry's sales were made online. This new strategy could allow retailers to target highly specific audiences. The success of Home Plus's project may prompt other retailers to think about new approaches to shopping that could cut overhead expenses.
Whether or not virtual markets catch on, some experts think radical changes in shopping are right around the corner. "For sure, your cell phone will be the graphical user interface to the shopping services," says Abel Sanchez, research lead at MIT's Intelligent Engineering Systems Laboratory. "Think of the early days of the Web versus today. In the early 1990s, the Web was one way, like a paper book. Today, the Web is full of interaction; it's how we do our jobs. I think the supermarket will go through a similar transformation."
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by JB Williams, ©2013
(May 24, 2013) — Simply stated, they can't control freedom, liberty, or any society which enjoys these inalienable rights. The fundamental desire of all progressives (aka Democratic Socialists) is to control all others for their own benefit. This is the opposite of freedom.
In sum, freedom (aka free will) allows every individual to make winners or losers of themselves, the right to self-determination. Leftists want the power to create winners and losers, always based upon making winners of those who support their political agenda, and losers of those who stand opposed.
In America, freedom and liberty are not luxuries afforded by our elected officials at the whim of their political ambitions. Freedom is not a gift from Congress, the White House or the Supreme Court.
It is a gift from a "free will" God, protected by our founding documents known as our Charters of Freedom, and paid for with the blood of heroes who give all in defense of these concepts. An undying belief in a "free will" God is the cornerstone of all freedom and liberty, period.
This is why leftists insist upon a false premise of "separation of church and state," a term or phrase which does not appear anywhere in our nation's founding documents. The aim is to separate morality and ethics from government, leaving in place an immoral, unethical and unrestrained government free to rule over all mankind for benefit of their own tyrannical ambitions.
This also explains why the first objective of communism and socialism (aka progressive Marxism) is the destruction of all free religious expression via creating "religion-free zones" such as education, government and even public areas. It explains the full-court press to feed sexual perversions into every facet of society, insisting that women have a constitutional civil right to murder their own offspring.
But a society which places its trust in a higher power will always know better than to trust simple men with dominion over mankind. As our Founders stated quite clearly, freedom and liberty are suited only for a moral people.
This is not to promote any form of theocracy. Once again, Amendment #1 of our Constitution strictly prohibits the government from establishing any theocratical form of government. It protects the open individual exercise and expression of all peaceful religions and the right to peacefully assemble.
All students of history know that the point of origin for the phrase "separation of church and state" is Thomas Jefferson's letter to the Danbury Baptists following the ratification process of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.
It is Jefferson's personal beliefs written in his letter to the Danbury Baptists in which he stated –
"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State."
But to fully appreciate Jefferson's commentary, one must fully appreciate what question was asked of Jefferson by the Danbury Baptists.
"Our ancient charter, together with the laws made coincident therewith, were adapted as the basis of our government at the time of our revolution. And such has been our laws and usages, and such still are, [so] that Religion is considered as the first object of Legislation, and therefore what religious privileges we enjoy (as a minor part of the State) we enjoy as favors granted, and not as inalienable rights."
Of concern to the Danbury Baptists was the fact that seven of thirteen original colonies had already established individual state religions by the passage of the U.S. Constitution. The authors of the letter to Jefferson were seeking direct assurances from Jefferson that the Constitution of the United States did not authorize Congress (the only branch of the federal government with the power to make laws) to govern religion or infringe upon the free exercise thereof…
With a deeply held conviction to the "free will" God, the Baptists made the following statement, later affirmed by Jefferson's response.
"Sir, we are sensible that the President of the United States is not the National Legislator and also sensible that the national government cannot destroy the laws of each State, but our hopes are strong that the sentiment of our beloved President, which have had such genial effect already, like the radiant beams of the sun, will shine and prevail through all these States–and all the world–until hierarchy and tyranny be destroyed from the earth."
Jefferson responded quite succinctly…
"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature would "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church and State."
This is the point of origin for what we refer to today as the separation of church and state clause. It is not an actual clause found in the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights or any other founding document. It was Jefferson's response to a very specific question posed by the Danbury Baptists… Does the Constitution give the United States government via its law-making branch the power to regulate religion through law. Jefferson's answer… NO.
The letter from the Danbury Baptists was dated October 7, 1801. Jefferson's response was dated January 1, 1802 and it was based upon the text of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution ratified on December 15, 1791 which reads in part – "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;"
Under the First Amendment, the United States Government is strictly prohibited from making any laws governing the establishment of religion or making any laws prohibiting the free exercise of religion. The federal government is prohibited from creating or acting as a theocracy. It is also prohibited from infringing upon the people's right to freely express their religious beliefs and convictions through public discourse.
So, how has the federal government managed to prohibit the free exercise and expression of Christianity in government and everything funded by the American taxpayer, while at the same time forcing the teaching of Islam under the guise of "tolerance" for the world's most violent religious cult in those same places, also funded by American taxpayers?
And why would our federal government work to squash the teaching of Christian principles and values in a country which is more the 70% Christian, while forcing the nation to learn and tolerate the world's most violent and tyrannical religious cult, Islam?
I started this piece with the answer to these questions… The Christian faith is based entirely upon the teachings of a "free will" God. Political leftists, who want to be seen by and treated as gods by society, the makers of winners and losers, must first eliminate freedom.
They must eliminate "free will…" They must destroy the world's only "free will" God, a deity which both Jefferson and the Danbury Baptists referred to as "the Creator of all things" and the author of all inalienable rights. However, as a matter of settled American history on the matter…
We didn't need the Supreme Court to tell us what our Founding Fathers told us repeatedly, basing everything they created on Natural Law and God-given Rights. But the Supreme Court did tell us, repeatedly…
In Vidal v. Girard's Executors (1844): The Court produced a ruling which said, "Christianity is not to be maliciously and openly reviled and blasphemed against, to the annoyance of believers or the injury of the public." The Court's decision asked the question, "Where can the purest principles of morality be learned so clearly or so perfectly as from the New Testament?"
In Holy Trinity v. United States (1892): The Supreme Court cited document after document from American history and concluded, "There is no dissonance in these declarations. There is a universal language pervading them all, having one meaning; they affirm and reaffirm that this is a religious nation." The ruling states bluntly, "This is a Christian nation."
In United States v. Macintosh (1931): The Supreme Court declared, "We are a Christian people…according to one another the equal right of religious freedom, and acknowledging with the reverence the duty of obedience to God."
It wasn't until 1947 in Everson v. Board of Education that the Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment erected a "wall of separation" between church and state. Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black, author of the decision, stated, "We could not approve the slightest breach" of that separation. The Court cited no precedent from previous rulings. It was an open assault on America's Christian heritage and the beginning an era in which the vast majority of Americans would be stripped of their freedom and their "free will" nation.
Still, according to recent stats on religion in America, 78.4% of Americans proclaim the Christian faith, 1.7% are Jewish, .7% are Hindu, .6% Muslim and 4% are atheist or agnostic. Why are nearly 80% of Americans allowing their government of, by and for the people to destroy "free will" by violating the First Amendment on behalf of a handful of non-believers?
The purpose of today's misuse of the so-called "separation clause" is not to keep government out of religion, where it tinkers around all day on behalf of Islam. The purpose is to destroy "free will" (aka freedom and liberty) by forcing the "free will" God out of American society.
From the earliest settlements in America, our nation was indeed founded entirely upon Christian principles and values as stated in the Mayflower Compact which simply states –
"In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland king, defender of the faith, etc. having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the Northern parts of Virginia, doe by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politick, for our better ordering and preservation, and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape-Cod the 11th of November, in the year of the reign of our sovereign lord, King James, of England, France and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Dom. 1620."
Let there be no doubt that America was indeed founded upon Christian principles and values by Christian men, on the teachings of the Christian Bible and the basis of freedom and liberty, free will.
The revision of history and destruction of America's moral social fabric gained a foothold in 1947 and over the last sixty-six years since, the nation has been indoctrinated, driven from its Christian roots.
In Engel v. Vitale, Murray v. Curlett, and Abington v. Schempp (1962–1963): These three separate cases effectively removed prayer, religious instruction, and Bible reading from America's public schools. At about the same time, students began to be taught that there is no God, no absolute truth, that the universe is a cosmic accident, and that they evolved by the chance collision of sea-slime molecules and hold the same status as apes.
In Florey v. Sioux Falls School District (1979): The Court ruled it unconstitutional for a student to ask at a school assembly, "Whose birthday is celebrated on Christmas?" In Grove v. Mead School District (1985): The Supreme Court refused to remove from the required curriculum of a class a book that referred to Jesus as "a poor white trash God."
For the last sixty-six years, it has been a steady assault on America's Christian heritage in the courts and within our federal government, despite the fact that the First Amendment to the Constitution strictly prohibits the federal government from making any laws that in any way infringe upon the free will right of American citizens to freely exercise and express their religious beliefs throughout public discourse.
The result is a completely anti-American, immoral and unethical government which now operates at odds with the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights and 78.4% of all Americans, even openly identifying 78.4% of the nation as "right-wing extremists" and "potential domestic terrorists" while promoting Islam with American tax dollars.
Why is the very real history so important to the future of our once great nation?
Because without our foundations, our house divided will fall, and it is crumbling right before our eyes as the Democratic Socialist Obama regime seizes control of every private sector asset and turns every federal agency against the people of the United States, using the full weight and power of the federal government to silence all voices of dissent and enslave a people who have lost touch with their past and control of their future.
What Democratic Socialists hate about free will is this… as long as a society believes it has a God-given right to personal freedom and individual liberty, it can be ruled by no man. America must rid itself of all progressive Marxist (aka Democratic Socialist) principles and values or it will not be able to save itself from total ruin.
Only a moral and righteous people are suited to do battle with the massive evil that grips America today. All others will falter in the face of evil. "Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak; not to act is to act." – Dietrich Bonhoeffer


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Virtual Poker Gets Real
Inside a cramped, windowless office near downtown Nashville, Tennessee, a thickly built, squinty-eyed CPA with a small goatee encircling his mouth fires up his computer and heads for one of the dozens of online poker sites on the Internet. A couple of minutes later he lets his incoming calls go to an answering machine as he bullies his way to a pot on one of the site's $10/$20 games of Texas Hold'em. "This guy's got a diamond-flush draw or eights," the CPA says of his opponent. "He hasn't done anything in these few hands to show me that he can bluff worth a flip."
After powering in a couple of bets and raises, the CPA forces the other player to fold and adds 100 or so dollars to his bankroll of $800. Scared as the opponent appears to be, he'd be downright terrified if he knew whom he was up against: Chris Moneymaker, reigning World Series of Poker champion.
But there's even more reason for the opponent to be concerned. Besides being an excellent poker player—better than the sort of guy you'd expect to randomly encounter at a virtual card table—Moneymaker is particularly superior online. He not only stole the World Series crown last year, but the upstart entered the big game by winning an online tournament with a $40 buy-in. "Playing online you are always mixed up in a lot of hands," he says, working the mouse as if it's an extension of his right arm. "You learn to play aggressively and you learn to steal blinds." He makes a big raise and smirks. "But that comes natural to me. I'm an action junkie."
Moneymaker may be the reigning poster boy for online poker—and the real-world glory that a long string of well-played hands can help bring—but he is far from alone in his passion for Internet gambling. According to pokerpulse.com, which, figuratively, takes the pulse of the online poker world, more than $100 million is wagered online in ring games during a typical 24-hour cycle. When this year's World Series of Poker championship event kicks off on May 22 , expect to see many Moneymaker types winning their entries into the big game with tiny investments of cash put up online. At the moment, on just the one site where Moneymaker is playing, a few thousand people from around the world are competing. But that number is low: at peak times, partypoker.com, the most popular site, draws more than 20,000 gamblers.
That's a lot of poker. And it's moving beyond the screens and into the casinos.
On any night of the week, poker rooms across Las Vegas are packed with players who learned the game online and watched the pros on TV ("World Poker Tour" is the Travel Channel's top-rated show). These players now flock to the flesh-and-blood games where they don shades, mull over hands and copy the affectations of TV poker stars such as the thoughtful Howard Lederer, intense Gus Hansen and hard-betting Phil Ivey. "Poker rooms have seen revenue go up 30 percent over the last 12 months," says Mike Sexton, a professional poker player, columnist and co-commentator on "World Poker Tour." Sexton says that online poker not only gets people comfortable with the game, but also shortens the learning curve that previously stopped the hoards from entering casino poker rooms. "Online moves so much faster that you play at least twice as many hands per hour than you do in a casino. Plus, you get to play when you want to, you don't have to drive anywhere, and there are tournaments every hour."
And as it allows players to get in several years, worth of experience in a 12-month period, the online game is creating nothing short of a poker revolution. New players are minted faster than the casinos can put out tables and roll up chairs. Additionally, online play is impacting the overall tenor of the game as well. "People [who are used to playing online] want to play faster in the casinos," says Russ Hamilton, the 1994 World Series of Poker champion and a consultant with the online poker site UltimateBet.com. "You sometimes have to change your style when you play against those guys. They want to gamble, they want to play more hands, and they're young. Poker was getting to be an old game, but when [UltimateBet sponsored a tournament in Aruba], there were all these young people participating."
While it's clear that the online game is as much of a computer experience as it is a card experience, not every Internet player is exactly a loose-chipped wild man, making big bets with dreams. Some of them are meticulous and technologically savvy, taking advantage of online features that allow them to type in notes on players (which pop up whenever you encounter that particular player in the future) and analyze past betting patterns.
Tight and controlled, Scott Buller, a train conductor from Lincoln, Nebraska, has managed to turn online poker into a profitable sideline. He plays $10/$20 Hold'em, three games at a time, and goes against the prevailing style. "I play a lot more conservatively online," says Buller. "Online you can't look for tells, but you can look for
people who play too many hands. That's the best thing for someone like me, who's playing tight but aggressive."
It's enough of a cash cow for Buller that he treats online poker as if it were a part-time job. Just about every night in his home office, he ventures online to find a game where his style of play will be different enough to provide him with an edge. "I have a laptop, and I bring that with me when I'm on the road; I usually log on for one to five hours a day," continues Buller, adding that he actually prefers playing in live games. "I like the interaction and the pats on the back when you win. It's almost anticlimactic to win a tournament online. It's 3 in the morning, you're sitting alone in a room, and you need to spend two hours calming down. Usually I watch TV and hope it,ll bore me to sleep."
Live or online, however, Buller seems to have a knack for winding up in the money. He recently won $29,000 after finishing first in a live tournament at the Bellagio. On a poker cruise sponsored by partypoker.com, he sat at a table full of professionals and still managed to take home $43,000. "In an instant, I went from being a guy playing on his computer to a guy who's competing alongside Phil Helmuth and Chris Ferguson and Kathy Liebert," recalls Buller. "I was nervous, but I knew that I could hold my own."
With nary a bit of hesitation, Buller explains that online poker is a perfect testing ground—and one with limited financial risk, as plenty of tournaments require buy-ins of only $10—for anyone looking to hone his flesh-and-blood poker skills. "There are tournaments online with 1,400 people," he says. "To survive in a tournament that big, money management skills are critical. I've learned to hang in there and not change my playing style when I'm low on chips. That helped when I played in the Bellagio tournament. I was the low stack of the final 20 people left in the game and I managed to win the whole thing."
For all its advantages, however, online poker does have its drawbacks and pitfalls. There's no substitute for the real rigors of playing live with tells and ticks and physical bluffs (you know: a guy looking at his cards, looking at you, looking at his chips, even though he's got a lock on the hand). And a reputation as a great online player will not buy you a lot of respect at a table full of flesh-and-blood opponents.
"During the World Series, when I sat down with Johnny Chan and Phil Ivey, I was an Internet player and perceived as easy money," says Moneymaker. "I was wearing a T-shirt with the pokerstars.com logo and that tattooed me as a sucker." Initially, the other players treated him precisely that way. "I remember having a pair of 10s and raising $6,000, Chan moved all in with $20,000, I had $180,000 in chips and folded. I wasn't going to get mixed up in a hand with Johnny Chan, a guy I'd watched on TV." Moneymaker shakes his head ruefully, making it clear that Chan clearly bluffed him out. "He and the other pros played into me like I was afraid."
Then there is the very real fear of collusion: two or three guys playing as a team, keeping in touch via instant messaging or telephone, and working together to raise and bluff and draw money into the pot when one of the team members has what promises to be a winning hand. Just about everybody who plays online fears that some collusion is happening. And they all agree that it is virtually impossible to stop. Vikram Bhargava, the CEO of partypoker.com, insists that he and his company do what they can to minimize risks for their players.
In fact, he insists that cheating is more efficiently monitored online than it is in flesh-and-blood games—conversely, of course, it's a lot easier to collude online where you don't have to communicate by silently signaling, so, broadly speaking, his point does not quite hold up. "Online you have logs of how people play," says Bhargava. "If people are winning more than they should, red flags go up. We look at their play and issue warnings. If the behavior is repeated, then people get kicked off the site for good. Almost every day we bar people from sitting together. There are scores of people on our site who are not allowed to sit at the same table."
Bhargava, who has worked at partypoker.com for two and a half years, has witnessed the online poker boom firsthand. Six years ago, planetpoker.com was launched, becoming the first site to offer poker online. Initially, the concept made potential players nervous. After all, who wants to send their money or credit card number to some potentially sketchy operation that exists offshore or on an Indian reservation in Canada? But, gambling being what it is, some players were willing to take the chance. Things proved to be on the up-and-up. Slowly, planetpoker, with its once unwieldy interface, grew and improved. It attracted competitors who brought enhanced technology to the game and helped the industry grow to the point where it's not unusual for there to be more than 50,000 people online playing poker. Planetpoker is no longer the leading site, and competition for the ever-growing pool of players is fierce.
In spite of that, online poker is basically a parity product—one site's interface and technology is not all that different from another's—and the rake, or the house's take, is standard, capping at $3 per hand. Like a lot of things on the Internet, the point of differentiation for online poker is marketing. "Our banners are on more sites than those of our competitors," says Bhargava. "We pay for that. What matters at the end of the day is visibility."
When Chris Moneymaker won the World Series last year, pokerstars.com, the site from which he earned his Series entry, received an unprecedented degree of visibility in the print media, on TV and online. "Pokerstars got very lucky," states Bhargava. "They took $150,000 [in Series entry fees] out of their system and got lucky." Sounding a bit bummed, he insists, "I felt good for them but not so good for myself. They took a risk, but I don't think it was calculated."
Maybe not, but it's not unlike telling Moneymaker that he was lucky to have won the World Series. Although he hears it all the time, Moneymaker still smiles and replies, "Fine. I was lucky." He's quick to acknowledge that everybody who wins a poker tournament needs some luck. "But you've got to give a person credit for winning the World Series."
It was an amazing achievement for Moneymaker and for online poker. His victory showed that the Internet has completely leveled the playing field, allowing stone-cold neophytes to beat the professionals. Since winning the big one, Moneymaker has competed in a few major tournaments, and recently managed to outplay a bunch of pros to make a final table—but, alas, he failed to win. No matter, as acing the series has irrevocably changed his life. After winning the $2.6 million first-prize, Moneymaker gave half of the winnings to his father and a friend (who had kicked in a total of $5,000 to buy a piece of him), purchased a new house and car, paid off credit cards, curbed his sports-betting habit, amped up his poker skills, and gained a kind of fame among the game's top players. "I don't know if they respect me," he acknowledges as he eats a slice of pizza at his desk while screwing around in a $200 buy-in tournament. "But they talk to me. If I hadn't won the tournament, they wouldn't even do that."
Moneymaker has no interest in being the Internet champ who turns pro and blows his winnings. He says he likes his job as a CPA and his life in Nashville as it is. Pokerstars.com will sponsor him in this year's World Series and he,ll surely get a lot of TV exposure in his sweatshirt and baseball hat.
Although he's accomplished something extraordinary, Moneymaker accepts the daunting odds that are stacked against him ever winning the World Series again. "People keep telling me that I need to win another big tournament to prove that it wasn't a fluke," he says before making a statement that clearly differentiates the new breed of poker player from the old. "That doesn't mean much to me. Right now I'm more interested in holding on to my money." v
Michael Kaplan is Cigar Aficionado's gambling columnist.


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When a vehicle is purchased there are two opportunities to make decisions about extended warranties, at the point of purchase and then later via mail or phone solicitation. These purchase decisions need to be evaluated carefully regarding cost and actual benefit. Often, these warranties only cover specific repair expenses and in many cases only up to defined capped limits. In addition, they often require co-pays or deductibles. As a Shop Owner for many years, I have witnessed firsthand the disappointment on the part of the consumer when repairs were not covered in full.
These extended warranties are highly profitable for the marketers, financing institution and warranty companies themselves. These warranties are designed to be profitable and rates are formulated to maintain this profitability. Consumers should be particularly wary of after the sale solicitations and are advised to not agree to any purchase until they have had a chance to carefully review the coverage and the terms of payment.
Many consumers have discovered at the time of repair that the warranties do not cover to the extent assumed. Additionally, the consumer is often required to pay the full term of the warranty without an opportunity to drop the program.
There are, however, instances where these warranties make sense. If the vehicle purchase price is above $40,000, a reputable warranty may be a good investment. These high-end vehicles tend to have higher than normal average repair costs due to the more complex technology and expensive accessories. These higher repair costs often justify the upfront expense of the extended warranty.
There are several important points to consider when deciding to purchase an extended warranty. Warranties offered by Auto Dealerships are usually reputable and could be considered a safe purchase.
Aftermarket warranties need to be researched by asking your local repair center, OEM Dealership as well as checking the company's reputation on Internet. You will also need to carefully review items covered, deductible or co-pay requirements and payment terms.
Professional Fleet Services does not sell or endorse any of these products but has had positive experiences with Guardian Warranty, Wynn's Warranty and OEM extended warranties. If you run into problem it is time to call Sam @ Your Lansing Auto Repair Experts! http://www.professionalfleet.com


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Wolf Blitzer delivers the most important breaking news and political, international, and national security stories of the day. Tune to The Situation Room weekdays 5-7pm ET on CNN.
CNN's Pamela Brown reveals new details in the quest for a motive in the shooting at Fort Hood military base.
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text: Character Analysis Justine Moritz Justine is the housekeeper for the Frankenstein family. We do not learn much about her character except that she embodies the best in suffering for a just cause. She represents graceful suffering in the face of injustice, much like a martyr. Justine is well treated by the Frankenstein family and is regarded not as household help, but with the esteem and affection accorded a family member. Also, Justine endures the rejection by her own family through no fault of her own. It is the Frankenstein family, specifically Elizabeth, who rescues her and allows her to continue her work as a housekeeper. Through the character of Justine, Mary Shelley addresses the issues of equal treatment for domestic help and the accommodation of those in need of aid. Because of all that she endures, Justine is a sympathetic character who elicits a favorable response and empathy from the reader.


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BTKH SharePoint: Data, Current Information and Announcements
Follow-up report and results for the BTKH initiative for children in out-of-home placement:
Bring the Kids Home is a partnership between the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, the Department of Health and Social Services, the State planning boards, Families, Youth, Providers, Tribes, and other Stakeholders.
From 1998 to 2004, Alaska's behavioral health system became increasingly reliant on Residential Psychiatric Treatment Centers (RPTC) for treatment of severely emotionally disturbed youth. Out-of-state placements grew by nearly 800 percent. Alaska Native children were over-represented: 49 percent of children in state custody and 22 percent of non-custody children in out-of-state placements were Alaska Native.
Children were placed outside of Alaska for long periods — even years — for treatment. Families making these hard choices often found that out-of-state placement created unanticipated problems. It was difficult for families to participate in their child's treatment, transitions back to home were challenging, and Alaska Native children sometimes experienced a cultural loss because their experiences diverged widely from those of their families.
These issues drove the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) and the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority (The Trust) to establish and jointly chair the Bring the Kids Home Focus Group to address the reliance on out-of-state services. Cross-system collaboration became a key BTKH strategy. Family and youth advocates, tribes, schools, providers and community stakeholders participate in the BTKH Focus Group. The Alaska Planning Boards (Alaska Mental Health Trust Board, the Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special Education, The Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse and the Traumatic Brain Injury Board) are key Focus Group members, bringing statewide stakeholder feedback. Tribal health organizations, the Denali Commission, the Department of Education, the University of Alaska and school districts all partner with DHSS and the Trust on BTKH. Most of those involved in the BTKH Focus Group also participate in project-specific work groups. The Trust, DHSS, the Alaska Legislature and the Governor have allocated the essential resources required to address these problems.
As a result of BTKH planning, capacity development, management and policy shifts, and the investment of new resources, BTKH has been extremely successful at reforming Alaska's behavioral health system of care for children and adolescents. Many fewer children are now receiving Medicaid funded out-of-state mental health treatment, there has been a significant decrease in recidivism to RPTC (within one year), and new supports are available to support children and their families in the community.
Medicaid Expenditures Data from DHSS BH: Policy & Planning BTKH Initiative: Indicators for SFY 2011


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That's the question on many people's minds considering everyone fromThe New York Times
to Miley Cyrus are pondering the merits of a GF diet. But the answer, it turns out, isn't so simple.
For some people, about 1% of the population with celiac disease, eating foods with gluten causes severe damage to the lining of their intestines, which can lead to a host of uncomfortable symptoms as well as an increased risk of cancer. For them, avoiding gluten is crucial and no amount is safe. Families living with someone who has celiac disease have to take special precautions to avoid cross-contamination, say by devoting a toaster to gluten free foods and by taking care not to use the same serving utensils for dishing out foods that contain gluten along with foods that don't.
Far more people suffer from gluten sensitivity, a condition with complaints that range from headaches to fatigue to diarrhea. Doctors aren't sure why, but these people also feel better after removing gluten from their diet. Since there is no evidence of any actual damage, like the intestinal damage seen in celiac disease, these people don't need to be as hyper-aware of things like cross contamination.
More From Good Housekeeping
Then there are those who believe that giving up gluten is an enlightened way of eating. The boon of gluten-free products on the shelves and the celebrity following inspire this thinking, but in my view—and one I share with many experts—giving up gluten is akin to giving up fat in the 90s. Who else remembers going through a sleeve of Snackwell cookies simply because they were fat free? Years later, we learned that we were in sugar shock and calorie overload! Apply that logic to GF diets. If you're trading in whole wheat breads for GF versions, you may be falling into a calorie trap! I found some shocking examples, which I shared with Dr. Oz.
If you're looking to lose weight, a better way to go is to look at the ratios on your plate. Grains, whether they contain gluten or not, should generally occupy about a quarter of the space—about a half-cup worth of things like quinoa and brown rice (both gluten free) or whole wheat pasta and couscous. Fill half your plate with veggies and the remaining quarter with some lean and filling protein, like skinless chicken breast, flank steak, eggs, or tofu. And scale back on chips and baked goods, whether or not they contain gluten. (I know, a no-brainer, but still…)
If you're still wondering whether to go gluten free, our 2011 article may help steer your answer.
If you're looking for great gluten-free recipes, Good Housekeeping has a terrific resource for you—our very own Good Housekeeping Easy Gluten-Free! Cookbook. And our food pro, Erin Phraner, has some sweet suggestions for a gluten-free Valentine's Day.


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Kokatat Fosters Women's Paddling Through Host of Projects
Kokatat is a founding sponsor of Anna Levesque's "Girls At Play" paddling program - an organization designed to encourage female participation in watersports and to empower women in their daily lives.
Get access to everything we publish when you sign up for Outside+.
Kokatat, a 38-year-old, independent paddlewear and accessories company, is a founding sponsor of Anna Levesque's "Girls At Play†paddling program. Girls At Play (GAP) is an organization designed to encourage female participation in watersports and to empower women in their daily lives.
A longtime Kokatat sponsored athlete, Levesque has seen the sport's popularity among women steadily increase and she has traveled the world competing and spreading the message of a healthy, active, and balanced lifestyle. Levesque and Kokatat have a number of projects in the works including the January 2010 Girls At Play Mexico paddling trip.
Kokatat is donating a limited edition Girls at Play logoed "Rogue†Gore-Tex® Dry Top for participants who book their spot in the GAP Mexico paddling trip by October 31st. These early registrants will be entered into a drawing for the GAP-logoed Rogue.
The Rogue is Levesque's personal dry top of choice as it's the most durable dry top available on the market. Its Latex gaskets covered with punch-through neck and wrist closures are comfortable and functional, and the cummerbund waist improves the fit.
Levesque just released a trailer for her latest Girls at Play whitewater kayaking instructional video for women, Kayaking with Anna Levesque: A Woman's Guide to Paddling. Viewers will be able to see firsthand Kokatat product being used on the water. To watch the trailer please visit: www.watergirlsatplay.com. The film will be released in Spring 2010.
Don't miss Levesque's appearance at American Whitewater's Gauley Festival September 18-20. She will be operating a Kokatat/GAP booth, where GAP logo embroidered Ronin PFDs will be for sale. Kokatat has also donated raffle products for the ladies who attend Levesque's women's specific paddling event at the Gauley Festival, dubbed "Ladies on the Lower G.â€
For news, event announcements, and updates from Anna directly, please visit watergirlsatplay.com.
About Kokatat Watersports Wear
For the past 38 years, Kokatat has built a reputation as a friendly company of paddling enthusiasts, dedicated to creating innovative paddlewear and accessories. Kokatat is a highly trusted brand known for its independence, high level of quality in addition to an extremely well respected, service-driven business model. Kokatat is an incredibly strong brand and is known for authenticity and launching game changing paddling products.


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WWDC is drawing close, and while some of you are breathlessly awaiting the undoubtable Utopian state that will be Leopard, others are obsessed with six little letters: Mac Pro. Intel's had a busy summer, pushing highly anticipated chips out like they were new iPod models (remember those days, Steve?) and while those chips are certainly off to do some terribly interesting things in interesting little boxes, some of those chips are destined to live life inside a Mac. The only problem? We don't know for certain which chips they are, yet!
Here at the Orbiting HQ, Woodcrest (now the Xeon 5100) has seemed an obvious choice for the Mac Pro for some time. Not only is it tailored for the kind of dual-core multiprocessor configuration that the G5 Quad has created a demand for, but its release schedule has left Apple with just enough time to polish up "one more thing" for August.
While some sites are still confident that the Pros will be Conroe/Core 2 Duo machines, others are starting to come around to the idea of Woodcrest being for more than just servers. AppleInsider, citing "people familiar with the Mac maker's plans" insists Apple will harness Woodcrest's multi-processor capabilities to offer "versions of its upcoming Mac Pro professional desktops that will sport two of the dual core chips." They also expect Apple to offer a single-processor version "for a substantially reduced cost." A single-processor Woodcrest? Isn't that like giving a fish a bicycle? And what of Conroe? According to AppleInsider, the new chip will be sent off to update the iMac, dashing its hopes of ever being a pro-sumer product.
Apple's decision to base the Mac Pro on Woodcrest rather than Conroe may also help the company further diversify its four primary Mac product lines as the holiday shopping season rolls around -- offering the potential for each line to differentiate itself from the others via a unique Intel chip variant.
What seems a little unlikely here is that Apple would need to brand their computers strongly by processor to avoid confusing consumers. Anyone who really buys based on the chip inside should be able to fairly readily determine which chip is inside and get the one they want. Reading between the lines, the third, unspoken possibility is the Mac Pro could come in a lower-cost single-processor Conroe version (or two) and a premium, quad-processor Woodcrest version to keep the desktop options fairly in line with current offerings.
Whatever chip goes inside the Mac Pro, a new enclosure is a must at this point. Hopefully WWDC will bring and end to the chip drama and start up a whole new round of design drama. Could beige be the new brushed aluminum?


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With the manual gauge fixtures and portable measuring instruments, you can immediately identify even the most minimal deviations of your components from the standard.
Dimensional metrology checks the diameter, length, spacing, shape and position of your workpieces. Three different measuring methods are used for this purpose: pneumatic, tactile and optical. The metrology you choose depends on which measuring task you wish to complete.
Pneumatic metrology impresses with a very high resolution. In addition, it is extremely robust and resistant to dirt, making it ideal for use in tough manufacturing conditions in industry. Jenoptik plays a pioneering role in the field of pneumatic metrology. Our pneumatic method conforms with the stringent requirements of DIN 2271 — Jenoptik took on a leading role in the revision of this standard.
The tactile method uses contact probes that record the measured values extremely quickly. Tactile probes are typically used for multipoint metrology. For these tasks, the individual measured values must be detected quickly to maintain a short cycle time. The optical method also takes measurements within an extremely short timeframe as well as being highly flexible.The Jenoptik solution allows you to combine the advantages of the different metrologies. In addition, we develop customized systems for highly complex measuring tasks that take your individual wishes and requirements into account. We can ensure that you are able to produce workpieces of a consistently excellent quality. You benefit from our years of experience and our diverse range of knowledge.
- Flexible: Combine the advantages of different metrologies.
- Versatile: Individual solutions for dimensional measuring tasks.
- Easy to use: A single software package for all products.
- Standard-compliant: Pneumatic metrology fully complies with the requirements of DIN 2271.
- Automotive industry: Measure engine components.
Product recommendations
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text: Classic Sudoku for beginners and advanced players. Whether you'd like to relax or keep your mind active – pass time in a pleasant way! Get a small stimulating break or clear your head with Sudoku. Take your favorite game with you wherever you go. Playing Sudoku on mobile is as good as with a pencil and paper. Choose any level you like. Play easier levels to challenge your brain, or try expert levels to give your mind a real workout. Our Sudoku has some features that make the game easier for you: hints, auto-check, and duplicates highlight. You can use them or complete the challenge without help – it's up to you! What's more, in our Sudoku each puzzle has one solution. Get an amazing Sudoku experience: · Complete Daily Challenges and get unique trophies · Challenge yourself figuring out your mistakes, or enable Auto-Check to see your mistakes as you go · Make notes to keep track of possible numbers. Each time you fill in a cell, notes are automatically updated! · Choose one of three appearances to play Sudoku with more comfort, even in the dark! · Highlight duplicates to avoid repeating numbers in a row, column and block · Hints can guide you through the points when you are stuck · Express yourself with funny ninja stickers for iMessage! Challenge your brain with Sudoku anywhere, anytime!


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Brian Houghton Hodgson lived in Kathmandu from 1820 to 1843 and in Darjeeling from 1845 to 1858. He was the British Resident in Nepal for ten of these years, from 1833 to 1843. During his time in Nepal and India, he amassed a huge collection of documents on multifarious subjects in a wide variety of languages. The bulk of the Hodgson Collection has been preserved in over 100 bound volumes, rolls and boxes in the British Library in London for nearly 150 years. Various scholars have dipped into it in the past, but there has never been a comprehensive descriptive catalogue and this immense resource has remained under-utilised as a consequence.
In 2001, Michael Hutt of the School of Oriental and African Studies in London and David Gellner (then of Brunel University, now Professor of Social Anthropology, University of Oxford) proposed that a descriptive catalogue of the Collection should be created, and successfully applied to the Leverhulme Trust for funding. Ten years later, due to the efforts of all involved—particularly Ramesh Dhungel, John Whelpton, Mark Turin and Burkhard Quessel—not to mention the additional funding generously provided by Michael Palin and the Friends of the British Library, we are ready to share this with the world.
At present, the website offers a 'browse-only' interface for users to view the catalogue entries. Additional functionality (search, images, etc.) and interactivity will be added in the near future. To submit comments, corrections or additional information concerning items in the Collection, please contact Michael Hutt.


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I Hope you are having a great Monday!!
I just wanted to let you know today (5/9) you can get a FREE Blockbuster Express movie rental, also there are some great freebies a Rite Aid this week.
Please feel free to share any of the deals you find from my blog Dazzling Daily Deals but please give a link back to my site.
Thank you,
I look forward to sharing many more deals with you!!
If you havn't already... make sure you "LIKE" Dazzling Daily Deals on facebook to get "real time" updates on the latest deals
sure will-- but tomorrow, ok?
Welcome to MBC!
Just wanted to share my blog with you :)
Little Boys are Made of Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails
I'm also a Scentsy consultant and looking for other moms to join my team: Kick the Wick
I host a blog hop for moms every Tuesday! Come link up with us...it's a great way to get new followers!
You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter
I'm looking forward to reading your blog!
I hope you are having a wonderful day
If you have any photos to print off come check out my blog at http://www.dazzlingdailydeals.com/2011/04/few-target-freebies-this-week.html
and print off a Target coupon to get 20 FREE prints along with several other freebies.
I post several hot deals and freebies each day... if you would like to stay up on what is happening and never miss a hot deals again please follow or FB friend me.
Than you -
Welcome to MBC! It is a great place to find new blogs and new friends!
I would love for you to stop by my blog at www.myadventureinmommyhood.blogspot.com and tell me what you think. Just leave a comment and I always follow back! While you're there, sign up for one of my great giveaways from Princess & My Pea Boutique and Scriptiva Paper Studio!
Also, join up for our weekend blog hop starting the Friday! I hope to see you there!
Enjoy your time on MBC and let me know if I can help you in any way!


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Zebra ZM600 Direct Thermal Description
Zebra is one of the largest convertors of thermal supplies in North America. Featuring the largest selection of ZM600 Direct Thermal pre-tested, high-quality labels, tags, receipt paper, wristbands, cards and ribbons.
Additional Zebra ZM600 Direct Thermal Strenths and Advantages:
The use consistent manufacturing and quality processes, insure customer satisfaction. We never substitute materials, insuring crisp, readable and scannable output without needing to adjust ZM600 Direct Thermal printer settings.Zebra can provide a solution for virtually any Zebra ZM600 Direct Thermal label application. ZM600 Direct Thermal supplies are extensively tested to insure print quality, chemical resistance and adhesive strength.
Additional Zebra ZM600 Direct Thermal Strenths and Advantages:


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GEt 20% additional discount use code "arars"
Rs. 1,649.00 – Sold Out
blue colour saree. The colour of the saree is exactly as shown in the image. • care instruction: dry wash only, saree length: 6.20 meters including 0.80 meters blouse piece (saree length 5.4 meters and bloue 0.80 meters). saree weight is 400 to 600 grams
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"The love for equals is a human thing – of friend for friend, brother for brother. It is to love what is loving and lovely. The world smiles.
The love for the less fortunate is a beautiful thing – the love for those who suffer, for those who are poor, the sick, the failures, the unlovely. This is compassion, and it touches the heart of the world.
The love for the more fortunate is a rare thing – to love those who succeed where we fail, to rejoice without envy with those who rejoice, the love of the poor for the rich, of the black man for the white man. The world is always bewildered by its saints.
And then there is the love for the enemy – love for the one who does not love you but mocks, threatens and inflicts pain. The tortured's love for the torturer. This is God's love. It conquers the world."
Frederick Beuchner from The Magnificent Defeat


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Texas on the Potomac regularly presents guest commentary from across the political spectrum. Today, we offer a column written by Rep. Kevin Brady of The Woodlands. This piece was originally published on the Houston Chronicle's op-ed page.
"We come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics."
– President Barack Obama, Inaugural Address, Jan. 20, 2009
President Barack Obama has yet to deliver on his promise to change the way Washington works. His steadfast refusal to move past his party's worn-out spending dogmas and preference for economic redistribution is putting America on a fiscal path toward Greece.
On the issue posing the greatest risk to our current and future prosperity – trillion-dollar budget deficits – the president has been all talk and no action. Still, he has one last opportunity in the budget that he will unveil on Feb. 13 to move us toward sounder fiscal footing. If he does that, he will find many Republicans prepared to work with him.
Relying on meat-cleaver sequesters, such as those contained in the Budget Control Act, isn't a smart way forward. Such an approach only touches surface-level discretionary spending, while leaving the greater threat, mandatory spending, unchecked. This is akin to putting a Band-Aid on a patient's paper cut and declaring him successfully treated, while a severed artery is ignored.
Washington knows how to spend money. If Washington were a factory, it would manufacture spending. To achieve responsible budget savings, government must be retooled with an effective spending-control system. The good news is that such a proposal already exists. Republicans and Democrats can find common ground in this system without ceding ground on philosophical differences regarding taxes and other important policies.
That new system – the metrics of which have been praised by economists such as John Taylor of Stanford and Simon Johnson of MIT – is embodied in the Maximizing America's Prosperity (MAP) Act, which I introduced last year.
MAP incorporates lessons from our global competitors and U.S. states to put guardrails around future spending. It would return federal noninterest spending to the levels achieved during the budget years of the 1990s, when a Democrat president and a Republican Congress worked together to balance the budget. Such an approach can work again.
Unlike other proposals, MAP focuses on the spending Congress truly controls, discretionary and mandatory. This noninterest spending is rightly recognized as the problem and is capped as a percentage of America's potential gross domestic product.
Capping noninterest spending is a superior approach because Congress cannot control interest spending on the debt. This approach discourages politicians from applying pressure on the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates artificially low, masking the true cost of deficits, and leading to harmful inflation. Using potential GDP, which is what the economy would produce at full employment without inflation, is a smarter measurement as well, allowing for a more predictable budget path and eliminating the effect of cyclical swings in GDP.
MAP would be enforced by a modest yet meaningful sequester. This is necessary because time and again, we have learned that Congress doesn't have the willpower to implement an all-or-nothing sequester. MAP provides a new middle way forward – one that won't simply be ignored by a Congress squirming to avoid politically difficult spending reductions.
MAP also introduces powerful budget reforms including a Sunset Commission; prefunding national emergencies through the regular budget; insisting on an annual White House budget that stays within the budget caps; and requiring the Congressional Budget Office to assess legislation's impact on interest outlays and the federal debt.
If President Obama is unable to accept some of these proposals, let us negotiate our points of disagreement. If the president has additional ideas to add fiscal restraint to the spending caps, we want to hear them. The point is that both sides must begin somewhere.
Make no mistake; the most pressing issue of our day, which we must tackle to ensure the future prosperity of all Americans, is government overspending and debt. The harsh reality is that we simply cannot tax our way out of our overspending and debt problem. We need a balanced approach that includes both a stronger economy to generate new tax revenues and bipartisan guardrails, which will help ensure that future presidents and congresses spend within our means.
Brady, a Republican representing the 8th District of Texas, is vice chair of the Joint Economic Committee and a senior member of the House Ways & Means Committee.


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Have you ever seen a person flipping and spinning signs advertising things like 'We Buy Gold' or '$5 Pizza' on busy street corners? In our new birthday eCard, Sign Spinner Birthday, the spin artist let's everyone know it's their birthday! We got to talk with SurfMonkey a bit about filming this new Starring You eCard.
1) Where did you shoot?
We shot in Commerce, CA.
2) How did you find the perfect sign spinner?
We went through an agency called AArrow Ads. We told them what we were looking for and they gave us a few options. Much easier than a regular casting session!
3) What did the actual sign say that he was spinning?
Aarrowads actually made all of the signs to the exact specifications that we wanted for the video!
4) How did you pick the music?
The music just fit so well for the card. It made sense for the quick spot, a lot of energy in not much time!
5) How long did this take to shoot?
We shot about five cards in one day with ONE sign spinner. He was a trooper!
Start spinning today and let that birthday person advertise it's their birthday.


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The first professor I ever TAed for was the urban historian Stan Schultz. Before he retired a few years ago, Stan taught the 500-person US History II survey at UW-Madison, and he was a local legend. Administrative assistants from the department office used to slip into the back of the classroom when he did his impersonation of Billy Sunday during his 1920s lecture because it was just that good.
Shortly after I worked for him, Stan began to offer a version of the course on local public access television. At different times during the day you could watch taped Schultz lectures filmed in a special studio. I heard later that people would stop Stan in the grocery store to tell them how much they enjoyed seeing him on TV (even though they weren't taking the course), but this still wasn't the same as the in person experience. He couldn't impersonate Billy Sunday on television for fear of offending someone. He didn't quote Harry Truman saying "fuck" twice like he did during another one of his in person lectures.
While I'm tempted to take this post down a well-worn path (and you can read an earlier Schultz-inspired post along those lines here), an article from the Boston Globe I read over the weekend made me think of Schultz for a different reason. It's called "For online professors, a celebrity side effect." The subheading reads: "Wardrobe worries and groupies, too." Much of the text consists of various current or future superprofessors offering quirky stories about the somewhat dark side of Internet fame. To borrow and slightly augment a point that Noel Jackson made on Twitter, the movement of MOOC stories from the business pages to the front page to the Living Section is all the evidence you'll ever need to argue that MOOCs have jumped the shark (if they hadn't done so months ago already). However, I'd rather make a different point in the rest of this post.
The great argument in favor of xMOOCs has always been that the best professors now become accessible to anyone, whether they can pay tuition or not. Yet the majority of the superprofessors quoted in that article are assistant professors. No disrespect to the assistant professors of the world, but they have less teaching experience than higher-ranked professors do almost by definition. Equally importantly, by definition, they do not have tenure. [Tenure, of course, being the only reliable guarantee of academic freedom and academic freedom being the best available guarantee that the material being taught is true in both the literal and spiritual senses of that word.]
My understanding was that Stan taught the 500-person history survey because he was the only professor in the department willing to do it. Because he was the only professor willing to do it, he got very good at it over time. Because he was very good at it, they let him try to teach it over public access television. Stan could do a spellbinding 50-minute lecture from nothing but a 3×5 index card. That is a standard I have only recently reached (although I use 25-odd historical pictures on PowerPoint instead). I often think of Stan when I hear or read that all lectures are inherently boring. He's living proof that they're not.
Why then are so many assistant professors teaching MOOCs instead of more people like Stan? Well, of course, these assistant professors might all be just as excellent, but anybody who's taught online for a community college for any length of time is more qualified to bring college learning to the general public through the Internet than anybody teaching just face-to-face at an elite institution, experienced or not. In truth, rank doesn't matter to commercial MOOC providers. Their entire reason for being depends upon the name identification of their partners: Harvard, MIT, Wellesley, whatever. The superprofessors are merely the embodiment of that brand.
That's why scholarship or teaching skills don't matter to Coursera or edX anywhere near as much as the places where their superprofessors teach. It doesn't matter then that the "best of the best" may be someone who's actual teaching experience is rather slim. Indeed, as my friend Kate reminded me this morning, even if your superprofessor is an experienced educator, their inevitable huge team of underpaid grad students likely perform most of the functions that we used to associate with actual teaching.
Perhaps so many assistant professors are quoted in that article because most of us who've been around for a while know that the proper academic response when the papers want to know whose shirts you wear is, "Buzz off!!! It's not about me. It's about the material." Anything else is an invitation to create a cult of personality.
We academics are a funny bunch. Most of the ones I've known (my own father included) would go to great lengths to avoid drawing attention to themselves. Think of the number of academics you follow on Twitter whose avatars aren't pictures of themselves and you'll get an idea of what I mean. This blog, my Twitter account, the fact that I actively want to write for popular media outlets – all of these things might be construed as my trying to call attention to myself, but I would draw a distinction between calling attention to yourself and calling attention to your ideas. I mentioned my twin causes last week. I also want to sell books full of my ideas. While none of these goals are particularly noble, at least they don't require my telling you about my wardrobe or my nonexistent groupies.
They say that all publicity is good publicity, but the fact that Niall Ferguson periodically shows up in the gossip pages does nothing to improve the quality of his teaching or his scholarship. All publicity may be good publicity if you want to be Niall Ferguson when you make it in academia, but if you want to be Niall Ferguson when you make it in academia then I think your priorities need some serious readjustment.


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US Has Highest First-Day Infant Death of Any Industrialized Nation: Report
A new report shows that when it comes to the health of first-day infants, the U.S. ranks last among industrialized nations.
The annual State of the World's Mothers report was published by Save the Children and showed that more than 11,000 babies die each year in the U.S. within the first 24 hours of entering this world. That adds to the more than 1 million infants to die within their first day of life around the globe.
But the authors of the report contend that the problem seems to be worsening, given that in last year's report, the U.S. ranked 25th and this year's report showed the country fell to 30. There are several reasons that contribute to the high first-day infant mortality rate in the U.S., with the main factors being underutilization of inexpensive medical services as well as inconsistent access to pre-natal care, the report detailed.
A newborn's riskiest day is its first one, but it doesn't have to be, according to Save the Children CEO Carolyn Miles, who is advocating for women to have broader access medical care during a pregnancy and after birth.
This includes providing bag-and-mask devices to help newborns breathe, antiseptic to prevent umbilical cord infections, antibiotics to infections, and steroids to delay pre-term labor– a major cause of first-day infant death– all of which are inexpensive and readily available.
"Antibiotics are very simple and very low tech. It doesn't take a doctor to administer an antibiotic injection. It can be administered by a nurse," Miles told CBS.
Poverty and education do play a significant role, according to the authors of the study. The U.S. also has the highest rate of teenage pregnancies of any industrialized nation.
"Teenage mothers in the U.S. tend to be poorer; less educated, and receive less prenatal care than older mothers. They are also more likely to suffer chronic medical conditions, do poorly in school, and give birth during their teen years (continuing the cycle of teen pregnancy)," the report says.
Half of all U.S. pregnancies are unplanned. Women whose pregnancies are accidental are much less likely to receive pre-natal care, including vaccines and vitamins that can greatly reduce the primary cause of first-day infant deaths– premature births.
"We need to make sure particularly poor mothers get access to quality prenatal care and actually go to the doctor and go to the doctor on a regular basis," Miles added.


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PRESS RELEASE, December 27, 2007
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan is shocked and deeply grieved at the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, Chairperson, Pakistan People's Party.
HRCP strongly condemns the barbaric act and demands an inquiry by an international team of investigators. The Commission holds the Government of Pakistan and all the law enforcing authorities under it, responsible for this tragedy. It notes that in spite of the suicide attack on the former prime minister's convoy in Karachi in October and her frequent concerns of safety communicated to the authorities, adequate protection was not provided.
HRCP salutes the courage of Benazir Bhutto who, in spite of threats to her life, continued to address public rallies and be close to the people. She demonstrated in life and in death her commitment to the revival of a democratic process in Pakistan.
Issued on behalf of the HRCP Council (governing body).
Asma Jahangir,Chairperson,
Iqbal Haider, HRCP Secretary General
Zohra Yusuf, HRCP Vice Chairperson, Sindh
Mr. I. A. Rehman – Director, Mr. Shahid Kardar – Treasurer, Mr. Zahoor Ahmed Shahwani (Advocate) – Vice-Chairperson Balochistan, Mr. Kamran Arif – Vice-Chairperson NWFP, Ms. Hina Jilani – Vice-Chairperson Punjab, and HRCP Council Members Mrs. Surriya Amirrudin, Ms. Rahila Durrani, Mr. Tahir Husain Khan, Mr. Malik Adeel Mengal, Mr. Habib Tahir, Mr. Afrasiab Khattak, Advocate, Ms. Musarrat Hilali, Mr. Sher Mohammad Khan, Ms. Salima Hashmi, Dr. Mubashar Hasan, Dr. Mehdi Hasan, Air Marshal Zafar Chaudhry, Ms. Shahtaj Qizilbash, Mr. Nadeem Anthony, Mr. Attiq-ur-Rehman, Advocate, Ms. Uzma Noorani, Mr. Rochi Ram, Ms. Perveen Soomro (Advocate), Mr. Ali Hasan, Mr. Jam Saqi, Mr. Ronald de Souza, Mr. Ghazi Salahuddin, Mr. Amarnath Motumal, and Mr. Asad Iqbal Butt.


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Having finished the body of ze blue cardi, I've hit the inevitable fork in the road. To the Left: lord, there are two sleeves to go. To the Right: find a way to make it FUN!
Most fun for me? Doing other work on the piece that will incite me to finish the parts that annoy.
First up? The Left Button Band.
Now this is logical because it gives lots of information about both the final look of the piece and it gives a roadmap on where to put the buttonholes when the Right Band is worked.
And because I had a few spare moments this morning, I dug out the Button Basket!
It's been in the mix for years now, and it seems it fills it self to bursting when I'm not looking. Inside, buttons sorted by color and type — on the left, there's the Black Buttons in their place of honor: a now old Le Droguerie bag from Paris. I own more black buttons than any other type. What's simply amazing is the variety of size, shape and materials one can find.
But, I'm thinking white buttons on this one and even though there's some blue lovelies in there, this is chock full of cards of white, in a bag from my other favorite button palace, MJ Trims in NYC.
I like to staple all the same-type cards together so I can just pull them out en masse — here's some shell buttons. And here's some vintage cards of plastic fantasique that have flea-marketed their way into the basket over the years.
Will it be the smooth and shiny modern buttons or will the vintage disks hit the catwalk? Gives me something big to think about while I knit Sleeve #1.


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Welcome to Karl Smith Car Sales in Blackpool. We are a used car specialist with over 40 years' experience in buying and selling quality used cars from our established car showroom in Blackpool, Lancashire.
This family run business is committed to offering an easy and welcoming used car buying experience to customers in Blackpool and the surrounding areas including Lytham St Annes, Poulton le Fylde, Fleetwood and Preston.
We offer a fantastic, hand-picked selection of used cars and vans sourced from the most desirable marques including Audi, Citroen, Chrysler, Ford, Fiat, Honda, Mazda, Mercedes, Renault, Peugeot, Vauxhall and Volkswagen.
Our stock is updated regularly and all cars are competitively priced to ensure that our customers always get the best deal.
With over 60 vehicles to choose from we are sure to have the ideal used car in Blackpool for you. Enjoy browsing our current selection of used cars in our online used car showroom.
Every one of our quality used cars is prepared to the highest standard with a pre-delivery inspection, MOT and Service carried out. Extended warranties and delivery are also available.
If we do not have the vehicle of your choice on our website, please do not hesitate to ring us.
Our stock is changing daily and we have a vast network of dealerships across Lancashire and the UK where we can source your requirements.
Excellent service and a reputation which is long established will ensure you have a pleasant buying experience at Karl Smith Car Sales. As a family run business customer satisfaction is our number one priority.
We cater for all budgets and our friendly sales staff can offer you genuine advice to help you find the perfect vehicle.
We have a high rate of return customers who appreciate great value and service.
Customers regularly visit us from outside Blackpool including Preston, Lytham Saint Annes, Fleetwood, Poulton le Fylde and all across Lancashire.
Enjoy browsing our website for used cars in Blackpool and we hope to see you soon.
Visit our contact page to view a map of our easy-to-find used car showroom and forecourt in the heart of Blackpool, Lancashire.
Our MOT and Service department will take care of any maintenance needs and our body shop can deal with anything from a minor scrape to a full insurance claim.
To assist you with the purchase of your next car we offer a range of used car finance options to suit your individual needs and can provide advice on the most suitable finance product for both your circumstances and the car you are purchasing.
We are happy to take any car in part exchange against the new car you are looking to purchase. We offer a comprehensive appraisal service enabling us to give you an accurate trade-in valuation.
If you have a good quality used car that you are looking to sell, please do not hesitate to contact us by phone or simply complete our vehicle valuation form.
tag of all pages where Visitor Chat should be available:


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Architect Paul McKean has sent us the Neal Creek residence he designed, which is a rural vacation home located near Hood River, Oregon.
From the architect:
The Neal Creek residence treads lightly upon its surroundings, maximizing valley and water views with minimal impact to the natural environment. The owners – windsurfing and snowboarding enthusiasts – were interested in a modest weekend retreat that would be highly efficient and ecologically minded. Their wooded two-acre parcel of land presented many unique challenges including wetlands, creek protection setbacks, and floodplain restrictions. The design solution for the two-bedroom house addresses these issues by elevating the habitable space one full floor above grade. Views to the creek are enhanced from this position and the living spaces float within the tree tops. Lifting the main space protects the house from potential flooding and brush fire damage while making way for a covered outdoor patio and much needed gear storage below. At the uppermost level, the roof has been sized and detailed to allow for a future planted roof that will replace the landscape lost to the building footprint and reduce heat gain to the interior spaces.
Visit Paul McKean's website – here.
More description from the architect:
Material selections have been made that include mostly local, renewable, recyclable and natural building products. Renewable materials include west coast cedar siding and wood framing, cabinetry and an FSC certified wood floor with a vegetable wax finish. Natural wool and rubber carpet tiles in the bedrooms can be easily replaced if damaged. The TPO roof can be recycled after its long life, protected by the planted eco roof. All interior finishes are no VOC applications. A Solatube skylight provides natural daylight into bathroom. High efficiency windows and wood screens are placed to maximize daylight and views, as well as protect against summer heat gains
System selections have been made that are energy efficient, durable and healthy to its occupants. A rainscreen wall system will safeguard the wall assembly from moisture intrusion and subsequent mold problems, as well as guarantee a longer life for the cedar siding. Dual flush toilets and low flow fixtures reduce domestic water consumption. An Advantex, dual stage septic system protects creekside soil quality and provides digital, off site monitoring of waste water quality.
The project was completed after 11 months of construction, on budget.
The house is available as a vacation rental – here.
Visit Paul McKean's website – here.


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Press Release | Fact Sheet
The United States Department of Justice (Department) initiated this matter as a compliance review of the City of Poplarville, Mississippi (City) under title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12131-12134, and the Department's implementing regulation, 28 C.F.R. Part 35. Because the City receives financial assistance from the Department of Justice, the review was also conducted under the authority of section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 794, and the Department's implementing regulation, 28 C.F.R. Part 42, Subpart G.
The review was conducted by the Disability Rights Section of the Department's Civil Rights Division and focused on the City's compliance with the following title II requirements:
As part of its compliance review, the Department reviewed the following facility, which – because construction or alterations commenced after January 26, 1992 – must comply with the ADA's new construction or alterations requirements: Poplarville Park.
The Department's program access review covered those of the City's programs, services, and activities that operate in the following facilities: City Hall; Poplarville Police Department; Chamber of Commerce; and Poplarville Library.
The Department reviewed the City's policies and procedures regarding voting, emergency management and disaster prevention, and sidewalk maintenance to evaluate whether persons with disabilities have an equal opportunity to utilize these programs.
Finally, the Department reviewed the City's Police Department's policies and procedures regarding providing effective communication to persons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
The City will ensure that all buildings and facilities constructed by or on behalf of the City are constructed in full compliance with the requirements of 28 C.F.R. § 35.151, including applicable architectural standards.
For the City:
For the United States:
JOHN L. WODATCH, Chief
By: ____________________________
|Date: ______________________________
|Date: November 25, 2009
Project Civic Access | archive.ADA.gov Home Page
November 30, 2009


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[This article was contributed by the SQL Azure team.]
Dinakar Nethi has written an interesting TechNet Article about how the Dynamic Management Views that are available in SQL Azure and how they can be used for troubleshooting purposes. Take a look and get a feel for how easy it is to use SQL Azure.
Click here for the TechNet article, "Troubleshooting and Optimizing Queries with SQL Azure.


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Dee Gordon, SS
Mark Ellis, 2B
Matt Kemp, CF
Andre Ethier, RF
Bobby Abreu, LF
Juan Uribe, 3B
James Loney, 1B
A.J. Ellis, C
Aaron Harang, P
I've made a few references to Aaron Miles this year, wondering why, with all the issues the Dodgers have had at third base, the Dodgers didn't take him for another spin. Not that Miles was a problem-solver – but compared with Adam Kennedy or Justin Sellers, it just seemed odd that he wasn't invited to the party. He came to the plate a whopping 490 times for the Dodgers last year.
Well, here it is. Dylan Hernandez of the Times reports that Miles has signed a minor-league deal with the Dodgers and has begun working out at the team's Arizona facility. Miles "misplayed the free-agent market," Hernandez wrote, implying that his contract demands were too high after a .314 on-base percentage and .360 slugging percentage in 2011. Miles hit .231 after July 1.
In Friday's game, the Dodgers never trailed and won, 7-3. Chris Capuano turned in another striking performance, extending his scoreless inning streak to what would have been the 25-inning mark before allowing a seventh-inning home run to Michael Cuddyer.
Mark Ellis was the Dodgers' early hitting star with a home run and two-run double, and Andre Ethier came a triple shy of the cycle. Juan Uribe joined Ellis in hitting 2012 home run No. 1, while James Loney reached base three times and Matt Treanor had two singles.
Ellis has a .472 on-base percentage and .533 slugging percentage in 37 plate appearances this month. For the year, he is 10th in the National League in OBP (not counting A.J. Ellis, whose day off Friday left him two plate appearances short of the minimum), and he has yet to make an error.
Pitching with a 7-1 lead in the ninth, seldom-used Todd Coffey faced five batters and allowed three hits and a hard-hit sacrifice fly that Ethier caught with perhaps the best defensive play of his career, sliding into the wall in the corner of right field. Coffey has now allowed 13 baserunners in 3 1/3 innings this season.
There was some fear that Ethier might be hurt, but he professed to be fine.
"I just banged up my toe a little bit," he told Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A.. "I was trying to avoid hitting my knee. I tried to kick the wall to avoid sliding into it."
MIke MacDougal, by the way, is not coming back to the Dodgers. MacDougal "has cleared waivers and rejected an outright assignment to the minors," according to Tony Jackson of ESPNLosAngeles.com. "The Dodgers thusly have requested unconditional release waivers on him, meaning MacDougal's time with the club is over."
Matt Kemp, who was recovering from hamstring issues earlier this week, has gone hitless in consecutive starts for the first time this season. (Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports has more on Kemp.) In May, Kemp is 7 for 28 with a double, triple and seven walks (.746 OPS) – and is no longer the hottest player in baseball. That would be Texas outfielder Josh Hamilton, who in his past five games is 11 for 21 with four walks, a double and eight home runs. Shawn Green of the Dodgers was the last to hit more homers in such a short span.