text:
Boehner: 'We're Legislating; He's Campaigning'
House Speaker John Boehner accused President Obama of giving up on governing the country at a dangerous economic time to focus on campaigning for re-election.
Interviewed by Major Garrett of National Journal on the second day of the Washington Ideas Forum, Boehner said he hoped someone would ask Obama at his news conference Thursday, "Mr. President, why have you given up on the country and decided to campaign full time?"
"Nothing has disappointed me more than what has happened in the last five weeks," Boehner returned to this point later in the interview. "To watch the president of the United States give up on governing, give up on leading and just spend time campaigning."
"We're legislating. He's campaigning. It's very disappointing," he said.
While Boehner said he continued to be ready to "sit down with the president any day, at any time," he also expressed disappointment about how relations with the president deteriorated during the debt-ceiling limit fight.
"I put every ounce of effort that I can into coming to some agreement," Boehner said of the July negotiations. "I told the president I would be willing to do revenues, but only if the president were willing to look at fundamental reforms of our entitlement programs."
"I put revenues on the table even though the president never said yes" to the entitlement reforms, he said, blaming the president for asking for $400 million more in revenues before committing to the reforms Boehner sought.
"I had myself out as far on a limb as I could possibly walk," he said. "But it takes two to tango and the president never said yes."
Of course, Boehner noted, his own caucus could be fractious as well. "When I don't have 218 frogs in the wheelbarrow at one time, I don't have the strongest hand that I can have," he said. And it wasn't just freshman members hopping out either, he said. "More senior members" were behind demands for more in negotiations as well -- a story the press kept getting wrong, he said.
Pressed repeatedly on what he expected from the 12-member congressional super committee that he helped create to seek $1.5 trillion in deficit-reduction measures over 10 years, Boehner declined to get into specifics. "I am committed to the super committee coming to a successful outcome," he said.
"I made it clear to the Republican members of the super committee that I expect that there will be an outcome. There has to be an outcome," he said, adding, "I don't underestimate how hard it is going to be to come to an agreement."
Boehner reiterated his strong opposition efforts in Congress to use legislation to address China's currency valuation strategies, warning that such bills could lead to a trade war: "For the Congress of the United States to pass legislation to force the Chinese to do what is arguably very difficult to do is wrong, is dangerous and you could start a trade war. And a trade war given the economic uncertainty here and around the world is just very dangerous. And we shouldn't be engaged with this."
And he again called out President Obama for not taking a leadership role, asking why he has not been out front against such legislation: "Is he too busy campaigning?"
As for the campaign itself, Boehner said former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, who last night finally put to rest speculation she might run for the GOP presidential nomination, was someone he knew and liked. "I think she made the right decision for herself," he said, welcoming her presence on the Republican trail as a surrogate.
Boehner did have one area in which he praised Obama: national security. "There's clearly more been done under President Obama than under President Bush" to prosecute the war on terror in Pakistan tribal areas, he observed.
"I think our number one responsibility as the federal government is to ensure the safety and security of the American people."
Full transcript of the Boehner session:
By happy coincidence, the President of the United States is going to have a press conference in about 10 minutes. And as you know, sir, I have some vague familiarity with the cable news industry.
So I'm going to give you an opportunity you don't often have, which is to look into those cameras and ask the President of the United States a question, which might be translated at the press conference 10 minutes hence.
BOEHNER: Well, Mr. President, why have you given up on the country and decided to campaign full time instead of doing what the American people sent us all here to do and that's to find common ground to deal with the big challenges that face our economy and our country.
GARRETT: There you go, cable news, have at it.
Mr. Speaker...
GARRETT: Mr. Speaker, the vice president was just on this stage and a moment ago he said roughly the following, that there was a rough agreement between yourself, Eric Cantor, the vice president, and the president on the debt ceiling.
And but for the inability of either you or Mr. Cantor to control your rank and file House Republicans that deal would have gone through.
And he implied that the Republican Party is divided and weak and that's what's holding the country back and prevented that deal.
Would you like to address that assessment from the vice president?
BOEHNER: I sure would.
BOEHNER: You know, all year I talked to the president about the need to do what I call the big deal.
That I thought it was critically important for our country to deal with the -- the debt problem that we had and that the best way to get there would have been for he and I to come to some agreement.
I gotta tell you that I put every ounce of effort that I can and could into trying to come to some agreement.
President said that he needed revenues. I told the president I was willing -- I'd be willing to do revenues but only if the president were willing to really look at fundamental reform of our entitlement programs, which is a big driver of our deficit and our debt.
And -- and so I put revenues on the table even though the president never said, not one time, ever said yes to any meaningful reform of our entitlement programs.
When the president called me and -- and asked for $400 billion of more revenue, before he ever agreed to any changes in the entitlement programs, is when I decided we were never going to get there.
Could never get the president to the point where he would say yes to real changes in our entitlement programs.
I had myself out, as far out on a limb as I could -- as I could possibly walk trying to come to some agreement. But it takes two to tango and the president would never say yes.
GARRETT: Let's look at the legislative record, though, for your first year in Congress.
You have had votes where your own Republicans have defied your request to vote with them. That indicates, both to the White House and to the larger audience, that there are times on significant votes either where you need House Democrats to support you or you can't keep your own side together.
Does this not weaken your hand legislatively and in high stakes negotiations with the White House?
BOEHNER: Well, there's no question that it does. And I made it clear to my colleagues when I don't have 218 frogs in a wheelbarrow at one time, I -- I don't have the strongest hand that I could have.
But having said that, when you look at my colleagues and they're not -- and there's not -- these are not freshman members by and large. No, these would be more senior members.
I think it's a story that's been misunderstood most of the year but our -- some of our members just want more. Listen, I'd -- I want more, too.
GARRETT: Want more what?
BOEHNER: They want more change. They may want it faster. And I don't disagree with them.
But when you've got Senate control by the Democrats, you've got Democrats in the White House, my job is to move the ball down the field, get things done on behalf of the American people and -- and I try to get as much as I can. But I want to be able to move the ball down the field on behalf of the American people.
GARRETT: Getting things done, moving the ball down the field, will you correlate those desires with what is a historic and perpetually low assessment of congressional performance in polls dating to July of this year?
The lowest ratings and I -- Mr. Speaker, you and I have known each other a long time. I've been around Capitol Hill since 1990. I've never seen consistently a disparity of 70 percent or more of approval/disapproval.
How much of that is your fault? How much of it is a fault of being unable to get things done and move the ball down the field?
BOEHNER: Well, listen, the Congress of the United States has been America's favorite whipping boy for 200 years. I understand that.
GARRETT: Not to this magnitude, though, you concede that?
BOEHNER: And -- and -- and the American people have -- they're concerned about our country. The concern that I've seen over the last year, frankly, is turning to what I would describe as fear.
And when -- and when they watch Washington, they -- they don't see the kind of answers that they expect. It's a -- a -- we've got a unique system and right now we've got divided government.
And so when we're having principled arguments in opposition with each other, the American people don't like to watch it, don't like to see it. I understand that.
But my job, and our job everyday, is to listen to the American people, to express their will as we -- we try to address the big challenges that face our country.
GARRETT: You helped create the Super Committee. What should the public expect out of the Super Committee?
And do you have any sense that it will not make its stated goal of putting a proposal before Congress by November 23rd and that it might fudge its way through or get the deadline extended, that this all could come for not?
BOEHNER: Well, based on my experience with the president and my long conversations with the president and the vice president over the course of this year, I believe that the Congress and the administration -- our government has to act.
We've got a big deficit problem. We've got a big debt problem. The problems in Europe continue to loom. Their -- their problems are larger than ours.
And it's incumbent upon us to show the American people that we can do the right thing. And, frankly, I think it's also incumbent upon us to show the rest of the world that they can address their big challenges as well.
And so as a result I am firmly committed to ensuring that the so-called Super Committee come to an outcome and a successful outcome.
GARRETT: That will include some form of tax revenue?
BOEHNER: I'd -- I'm not gonna predict what they will or won't do but there has to be an outcome.
The reason that the...
GARRETT: Does your willingness in the conversations with the president to entertain increases in revenue send a signal that you would like the Super Committee to hear and act upon?
BOEHNER: I made it clear to the Republican members of the Super Committee that I expect there will be an outcome; that there has to be an outcome.
The sequester that was built behind this is ugly. And it was meant to be ugly so that no one would go there.
I don't underestimate how hard it's going to be to come to an agreement by the so-called Super Committee but we have to get to one.
We cannot let these challenges continue to -- you just can't keep kicking the can down the road. And it's happened here in Washington for far too long.
GARRETT: Let me ask you about an issue that's very live in the Senate today and could be live in your chamber in the very near future.
There's a currency bill on the floor of the Senate. It had a 79-19 Motion to Proceed vote. There's 61 co-sponsors of identical legislation in the House. Allen West, yesterday, said you ought to bring it to the floor.
Rob Portman, from Ohio, Senator who you know very well is supportive of this legislation. You are not.
Why are you not supportive? Why is it dangerous? And are you gonna reassess your assessment of that if it passes the Senate?
BOEHNER: Well, there's been concern from -- on my part and, frankly, from a lot of quarters here in America about how the Chinese have manipulated their currency.
There's been every effort that you can imagine out of our Treasury Department over the last seven or eight years addressing this with the Chinese. There's been a significant improvement in -- in the valuation of China's currency as a result of those conversations.
But for the Congress of the United States to pass legislation to force the Chinese to do what is arguably very difficult to do, I think is wrong.
It's dangerous. You could start a trade war. And a trade war, given the economic uncertainty here and all around the world is -- is -- it's just very dangerous and we should not be engaged in this.
And I've made it clear where my position is. I frankly think that the president agrees with me. But why isn't the president speaking up? Is he too busy campaigning?
Why isn't he out there making it clear that this is ill conceived? I believe that he agrees with me but he won't say it.
GARRETT: To your point about exports and imports, if Charles Schumer were here, and I don't want to speak for him, he would say, look, we send about $100 billion of imports. China sends anywhere from $300-$325 billion in exports to us.
They're not gonna engage in a trade war because it would harm them economically. Charles Schumer describes, as does Lindsey Graham and other members of the Republican Party, China as a currency bully. Is it not?
BOEHNER: They -- they -- they have a lot of challenges in China. I've always believed an engagement with them was the right thing for our country and the right thing for the world.
Building a commercial relationship between the -- the Chinese and the United States is in both of our interest. Should be aware that they're probably the largest buyer of United States agricultural products.
There -- there's -- there's a -- there is a balance here that I think for the long-term good of our country and for the future, for our kids and grandkids, maintaining this solid relationship is good.
But any relationship is not gonna be perfect. And there would be -- you can find a lot of imperfections in -- in this relationship.
The administration continues -- needs to continue to work with the Chinese to get their -- their valuation of their currency correct. But this is not, in my opinion, an appropriate role for the Congress of the United States.
GARRETT: You mentioned campaigning. I'd like to know if -- to what degree you were either relieved or alarmed that Sarah Palin is not running for president?
BOEHNER: I like Sarah Palin. I know Sarah Palin. Spent a couple of days in Alaska with her before she ended up in this odyssey of the last few years and I think she made the -- the right decision for herself.
I think she can play a role in -- in the upcoming elections and I wish her well.
GARRETT: Do you want her on the campaign trail with House Republicans who are either seeking seats they don't currently possess or ones they're trying -- trying to defend?
BOEHNER: I think it'd be very helpful.
GARRETT: You mentioned the president is spending, you suggested, an inordinate amount of time campaigning.
Are you saying that is complicating your efforts to achieve results for the American people?
BOEHNER: Well, Major, let me put it this way. I, you know, I've had my share of disappointments this year. Disappointed that the president and I couldn't come to an agreement on the big deal, disappointed that we couldn't pass some stronger legislation in the House from some of my own colleagues.
But I -- I -- nothing has disappointed me more than what's happened over the last five weeks. To watch the President of the United States give up on governing, give up on leading and spend full time campaigning.
I mean, we're on the Hill legislating. We've moved dozens of bills over to the United States Senate that are just sitting there that would help create jobs in America.
No leadership from the president and I can't tell you how dangerous our situation, our economy's in and -- and how dangerous the situation in Europe is.
And yet the president, some 14 months before the election, throws in the towel and decides he's gonna spend all of his time out campaigning.
We're legislating. He's campaigning. It's -- it's very disappointing.
GARRETT: The vice president, a few moments ago, said he believes you're a partner of his and the president's. If I hear you correctly, you are declaring, here and now, the president is no longer a partner of yours.
BOEHNER: I'll sit down with the president on any day, at any time, which I already have all year, but I'll continue to do that to seek common ground.
Yes, we have different ideas about what the appropriate role of the federal government should be in our country and in our society, in our economy.
But just because we have very different views doesn't mean that we shouldn't be seeking to find, all right, where's the common ground? Where's what we can agree on?
You know he sent his jobs bill up. And Mr. Cantor and I sent him a letter back last week outlining areas where we thought we could find common ground, whether it be the free trade proposals, whether it be the infrastructure ideas and a -- and a long-term highway bill, whether it be on one of the tax credits that he outlined.
So there -- but -- but that's our job. Our job is to find common ground to help our country. And while the American people know that we're not always going to agree, they do expect that we're gonna get something done.
But it takes two to tango. And all year, you know, I've -- I've reached out to the president, reached out to the president, but you have to have a willing partner.
I mean, all year I've asked the president, send the trade agreements up. Send the trade agreements up.
And here we are on the eve of the -- of the visit by the president of South Korea and -- and -- and we're gonna have to move these trade bills with expeditious speed in -- in order to maintain our very good relationship with a very good ally.
GARRETT: Two national security questions: as the country is approaching the 10th anniversary of the war in Afghanistan, the country is, to put it mildly, conflicted about that ongoing war.
What has it achieved? How much longer should it continue? And secondarily, related to the war on terrorism, has President Obama been as effective, more effective, or equally effective as President Bush?
BOEHNER: I think if you've watched over the course of the last three years, I've been very supportive of the president's decisions in Iraq and Afghanistan. When I -- when there are questions or concerns I'll -- I'll raise them forthrightly.
But by and large, the president has continued the effort to take on the Taliban, to take on al-Qaeda and -- and to help ensure that America stays secure.
Listen, I think our number one responsibility, as a federal government, is to ensure the safety and security of the American people.
I think that making sure in Afghanistan that -- that the enemy doesn't have safe ground in which to plan, train and execute attacks on Americans here and abroad is -- is the goal. There -- we need to have success there.
And I think so far the president's done -- done just fine.
GARRETT: There would be those who support the president who would say Osama bin Laden, Anwar al-Awlaki, other drone strikes successful in Pakistan and elsewhere, have made him a more effective prosecutor of the war on terror than President Bush. Would you disagree?
BOEHNER: I think that when you look at the prosecution of the war effort against the enemy in the tribal areas, there's clearly more been done under President Obama than it was under President Bush, in terms of a more aggressive effort focused at them.
GARRETT: Mr. Speaker, this is an ideas forum. I want to broaden the conversation before we end. We have about two-and-a-half more minutes.
America lost one of its great innovative minds last night, Steve Jobs. He had a career that was innovative in the early stages of it. Then he was fired, sort of sidelined in his company. Then he came back.
Not to put too fine a point on it, sir, that is in some ways consistent with your trajectory here in Washington.
BOEHNER: I'm starting to get the gist of the question there.
GARRETT: Broadly speaking, Mr. Speaker, what has Steve Jobs taught you, taught America about the power of innovation? And will you ever or have you ever worn blue jeans and a mock turtleneck in public?
BOEHNER: Well, that would probably be no and no.
Listen, we live in the greatest country in the world. And our forefathers gave us an economic system that produced opportunities for our citizens unlike any other country in the world.
I came here for one reason: to make sure that those opportunities were available to our kids and grandkids.
I think a lot of Americans don't believe that the opportunities that we had, all of us in this room had, are gonna be available to our kids and grandkids because we're -- we're -- we're killing the goose that laid the golden egg.
It's America's free enterprise system, it's America's openness, it's American's diversity that has allowed us the -- the opportunities to succeed and, frankly, the opportunity to fail. You can't have one or the other. You're always gonna have both.
And I just think that government's gotten too big. It's gotten way too involved in our society. It's become way too expensive. And all of that gets in the way of what I would describe as the American dream.
But in America, listen, I tell audiences I was born with the glass half full. I'm the optimist. Hell, if I wasn't I sure wouldn't be here.
And -- and I want all Americans to believe and understand that they can do whatever they want to do. They can -- they can succeed. They can -- they can innovate. This is -- this is America.
And I go to -- I used to go to a lot of schools. I don't go to as many of them anymore because I -- I ended up in too many poor schools with great kids. Most of them will never have a chance because they're in a rotten school. And I get a little worked up over it, as you all know.
But, you know, my mission -- my message to all of these kids in these schools is, listen, you grow up and be whatever you want to be.
And I think that, you know, most of us have to work for a living. Life -- work becomes life's central activity so go do something you like. Go succeed at something that you want to succeed at, regardless of what it is.
GARRETT: Mr. Speaker, on behalf the Atlantic, the Newseum, and the Washington Ideas Forum, thank you very much for your time.
BOEHNER: Thank you.


text:
On Friday afternoon I received the following email from John Bowsher, whom you heard from on Unframed yesterday…
From: Bowsher, John
Sent: Friday, April 17, 2009 3:03 PM
To: Agsten, Allison
Subject: fact check please
Ok so I just walked through the park coming back from lunch. I swear on a stack of artworks that I saw the mother wooly mammoth in the tar lake moving her head, and slowly moving in the water.
Is there some way you can confirm?
As you may know, LACMA is literally a few feet from one of the world's most famous fossil localities, the La Brea Tar Pits, which is home to a number of fake prehistoric animals positioned in and around a big, bubbling lake of tar. I was certain John was yanking my chain about the wooly mammoth that we all walk past regularly, but after a few emails back and forth between us, he convinced me to go look for myself. And guess what—the beast was indeed moving. Check it out.
How can it be?
Apparently the mammoth itself is a buoy, as we learned when we went into the Page Museum to enquire. It's attached to wood and shifts around thanks to activity in and above the water. We felt better when we learned that others come in baffled, asking the same question.

subset: commoncrawl


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Wall Street Journal: The West has tried to stop Iran from manufacturing nuclear weapons by diplomacy, sanctions and cybersabotage, and with the threat of military action if Tehran crosses red lines in moving toward the final stages of making a bomb. The Wall Street Journal
By EDWARD JAY EPSTEIN
The West has tried to stop Iran from manufacturing nuclear weapons by diplomacy, sanctions and cybersabotage, and with the threat of military action if Tehran crosses red lines in moving toward the final stages of making a bomb. If Iran becomes discouraged in its efforts, an easier and more immediately dangerous option is available: buying nuclear weapons from North Korea.
When it comes to manufacturing weapons of mass destruction, the Iranian regime is in a bind. To further enrich its current stockpile of lowly-enriched uranium hexafluoride gas to weapons-grade material, Tehran would need to reconfigure its centrifuges. Since those centrifuges are closely monitored by inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran would have to expel the inspectors, explicitly breaking out of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Then it would take four to six months—according to the head of Tel Aviv University's Institute for National Studies, Amos Yadlin—to produce enough enriched uranium for a bomb. During this interval, Tehran would effectively invite an attack by the U.S. and Israel, which have repeatedly stated that they will not allow Iran to produce fissile fuel for weapons. Since the U.S. has munitions capable of destroying all of Iran's centrifuges above ground at Natanz and sealing off the entrances to its underground facilities at Fordo—plus the Stealth bombers to deliver these knockout punches—Iran would likely lose the means to manufacture nuclear weapons before it could make a single one.
But what if Iran buys one or two nuclear warheads from North Korea? The government in Pyongyang has already conducted three nuclear tests and claims that it has nuclear warheads that fit on its No Dong medium-range ballistic missiles. If that claim is true, then mounting the warheads on Iran's Shahab missiles, which are copies of the North Korean ones, would present little problem. After all, Iran has collaborated with North Korea on missile design for more than a decade.
These off-the-shelf weapons would leave virtually no window of opportunity for a pre-emptive attack by the West and its allies. The warheads could arrive in Iran on a plane in the middle of the night and be immediately fitted onto Iranian missiles. Iran would not have to actually use these missiles to have a deterrent. It could renounce the Non-Proliferation Treaty and flaunt its nukes, as North Korea has done for seven years without suffering a military attack by the U.S. Indeed, such a fait accompli would give Iran the same potential for nuclear retaliation as North Korea.
Do we know for sure that North Korea has nuclear warheads it could transfer to Iran? There is little doubt that the country has the means to produce between three and six nuclear bombs annually. In 2011, North Korea invited a former director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, Siegfried Hecker, to inspect a state-of-the-art uranium-enrichment plant at Yongbyon, with just such a capability. According to a Feb. 13 report by the Congressional Research Service, U.S. intelligence believes that, in North Korea, "it is likely other, clandestine enrichment facilities exist" to produce fissile material for bombs.
North Korea has already demonstrated its willingness to engage in illicit nuclear proliferation by selling a nuclear reactor to Syria (the reactor was destroyed by Israeli bombers in 2007.) We also know that Pyongyang desperately needs money and that, even with sanctions, Iran has billions in oil revenue. If the price is right, then, the North Koreans have every reason to make a deal.
One ominous sign that such a deal may be in progress came in February reports by the Sunday Times of London and the Times of Israel that the Iranian physicist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was in North Korea when it conducted its third nuclear test last month. Mr. Fakhrizadeh, one of the architects of Iran's nuclear program, reportedly headed Iran's secret "project 111," which, according to the 2007 CIA National Intelligence Estimate, worked to design warheads that could be used on Iranian missiles. If he indeed observed the test last month, it would not have been as a tourist.
By focusing on preventing Iran from manufacturing a nuke and relying on time to plan a pre-emptive strike, the U.S. may be neglecting Iran's far more dangerous option of buying the bomb. Stopping the delivery of a warheads shipment would not be easy. Not being ready to stop it could prove catastrophic.
Mr. Epstein's most recent book is "The Annals of Unsolved Crime" published this month by Melville House.


text:
2 tablespoons oil
2 packages vegetarian "ground beef"
1 onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
½ cup black olive rings
1 can (15 ounces) corn, drained
1 large can (29 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 package corn tortillas
2 packages (8 ounces each) shredded cheddar cheese
guacamole and sour cream for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sauté meat and onion in oil until onion is soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Add red pepper and sauté for 3 minutes more. Stir in olives and corn and diced tomatoes. Add chili powder and mix well. Remove from heat. In a 9 x 13 baking dish, place half this mixture. Top with a thin layer of cheddar cheese(about 4 – 6 ounces) and then a layer of corn tortillas. Cover this with the remaining "beef" mixture and then another layer of tortillas. Top the whole thing with the rest of the shredded cheddar. Bake for about 45 minutes. Serve over rice with guacamole and sour cream.


text:
Amazon Is Now The 3rd Biggest Music Subscription Service
(…) Amazon's achievement is even more impressive than it first appears. Amazon's music streaming adoption is concentrated among 4 of its Amazon Prime markets: US, Japan, Germany and UK. In these markets 35% of Amazon Prime subscribers are Amazon Prime Music or Amazon Prime Music Unlimited users.
At MIDiA we have long argued that Amazon is the dark horse of streaming music. That horse is not looking so dark anymore. We've been tracking weekly usage of streaming music apps on a quarterly basis since 2016 and we've seen Amazon growing strongly quarter upon quarter. To the extent that Amazon Prime Music is now the 2nd most widely used streaming music app, 2nd only to Spotify which benefits from a large installed base of free users to boost its numbers. So, in terms of pure subscription services, Amazon has the largest installed base of weekly active users.
But it's not just in terms of active users that Amazon is making such headway. It is racking up subscribers too. Based on conversations with rights holders and other industry executives we can confirm that Amazon is now the 3rd largest subscription service. Amazon has around 16 million…
Ursprünglichen Post anzeigen 405 weitere Wörter


text:
DALLAS, TX – One racing exec has come up with a creative way to get press for his track!
Eddie Gossage is the president of Texas Motor Speedway and he's come up with a way to bring attention to his track. He's offered local DJ Terry Dorsey $100,000 to not only change his station's name to TexasMotorSpeedway.com for a year, but to also get a permanent TMS tattoo.
The offer was made yesterday and Gossage gave Dorsey 24 hours to accept. Gossage's idea is brilliant and if accepted will get him undeniable exposure until 2011. If Dorsey turns it down, well he'd be passing up the easiest $100,000 he'll ever make.
"Changing my name to TexasMotorSpeedway.com for a year seems absurd, but the offer $100,000 is also a bit out there," Dorsey said.
As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words. However, sometimes, money trumps both actions and words. Dorsey revealed today that he would be accepting the full effect of the offer. Dorsey revealed on his broadcast today that he will be looking into changing the name of his show by Thursday and that he'll be getting his tattoo live on one of his shows.
Now that's what you call some clever marketing. Some individuals know no bounds when it comes to making a profit or building an empire.
DALLAS, TX – One racing exec has come up with a creative way to get press for his track!


text:
Number of People Seeking Jobless Aid Rises Amid Verizon Strike
WASHINGTON -- Thousands of Verizon workers on strike pushed the number of people seeking unemployment benefits last week to its highest level in a month.
But excluding the work stoppage, layoffs likely fell. That should help ease fears that the economy is on the verge of a recession.
Investors appeared to overlook the report. Stock futures held most of their early gains.
Weekly applications for unemployment benefits rose 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted 417,000, the Labor Department said.
But about 45,000 Verizon workers went on strike Aug. 7. Last week's non-seasonally adjusted total included about 8,500 of those employees, the department said. Unions representing the workers ended the strike earlier this week.
Typically, workers who walk off the job aren't eligible for benefits. But states have specific rules governing labor disputes.
Applications were slowly declining before the strike. They are down from an eight-month high of 478,000 in April. The four-week average, a less volatile measure, rose to 407,500, the first increase in eight weeks.
Still, applications typically need to fall below 375,000 to signal sustainable job growth. They haven't been at that level since February.
The economy is barely growing two years after the recession officially ended. The government reported last month that it grew at an annual rate of only 0.8 percent in the first half of the year and only 1.3 percent in the April-June quarter.
The government will give its second estimate on second-quarter growth Friday. Economists forecast it will be closer to 1.1 percent, according to a survey by FactSet.
Fear that the U.S. may be entering another recession has rattled investors. The Dow Jones industrial average has recovered some losses this week, but is still about 11 percent below its July 21 close.
Some economic data suggest the economy is improving. A big jump in demand for autos and airplanes pushed up orders for long-lasting manufactured goods in July, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. Consumers spent more on retail goods last month than in any month since March. And factory output rose in July by the most since Japan's March 11 earthquake, a sign that supply chain disruptions caused by the disaster are fading.
Employers, meanwhile, added 117,000 net jobs in July, roughly double the totals from each of the previous two months.
Still, double that many new jobs are needed to significantly reduce the unemployment rate, which was 9.1 percent last month.
The Federal Reserve this month said that it expects weak growth for the next two years. As a result, it said that it plans to keep its short-term interest rate near zero until at least mid-2013.
Stocks have rallied this week on hopes that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will announce another round of bond purchases on Friday in a highly anticipated speech in Jackson Hole, Wyo. The bond purchases, known as quantitative easing, are designed to keep interest rates low and boost stock prices. But economists think that Bernanke will likely take minor steps, if any.


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Gator Waders Women's Everglade 2.0 Insulated Rubber Boot
The all new Everglade 2.0 boot was designed for maximum comfort in any outdoor expedition. This boot is extremely light and is constructed with an ultra-abrasion 6.0mm resistant neoprene with reinforcements where you need it the most. This boot will keep you protected and comfortable while providing a full range of motion. The Axis heal hinge technology provides maximum articulation.
- 6.0mm Ultra-abrasion resistant neoprene (1000 gram insulation equivalent)
- Reinforced protective shin guards
- Durable, yet lightweight rubber outsole
- Aggressive cleated rubber outsole
- Axis Hinge Heal technology
- Rear calf adjustable gusset
- Comfort Range: -10F-60F degrees
Disclaimer: Boots may contain some slight discoloration due to the manufacturing and adhesive application process, however, are new and any visible blemish is only cosmetic.


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Women's and Gender Studies
The study of women's and gender studies focuses on the experiences and perspectives of women and considers how gender intersects with other factors, such as race and class, to shape all of our lives. Founded upon the integration of theory and practice, and of critique and imagination, women's and gender studies brings approaches from other disciplines and fields into conversation with each other and with critical theories about gender and power to address and improve the lives of women and, by extension, of children and men. Inspired by both feminist and Marianist traditions, the Women's and Gender Studies Program at the University of Dayton promotes:
- integration, collaboration, and personal engagement in learning;
- the development and dissemination of critical thinking for social justice;
- the appreciation and protection of human dignity and diversity
- and leadership through responsibility and service to community.
The Women's and Gender Studies Registration Guide for the Spring 2023 semester is now available. Click the link below to see the list, and then choose from many interdepartmental course offerings to apply to your WGS major or WGS minor program.
Introduction to key concepts, themes and debates in Women's and Gender Studies. Intersectional, multi- or interdisciplinary and multicultural in approach.
Women's and Gender Studies is now on Instagram. Visit our page to keep up with our events and activities.
Stay connected to what's happening in the Women's and Gender Studies Program. Follow the link below and sign up to receive emailed updates.


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The world is waiting, where can we send you?
Get in touch with our professional luxury travel consultants and let us do the rest
Consider it done!
Get in touch with our professional luxury travel consultants and let us do the rest
We have enjoyed working with Marcy for several years. My family of 7 has traveled to Africa, China, and Australia using Black Pearl Services. Everyone of these vacations have been exceptional!! The accomodations and excursions that have been planned for us were a dream come true!! My children will continually reflect back on these trips as amazing 'trips of a lifetime.' We will continue to use Marcy for all of our travels throughout the world! I truly can depend on my expectations being over exceeded!!
We just returned from our cruise last night. Well, you did it again! Everything you touched (planned for us) in our behalf was amazing. You even planned perfect weather. The gift in our room from you and the Black Pearl Luxury Services was greatly appreciated. I told you that you were a princess. I have now been to Europe for three weeks and I know what a princess is and yes, you still qualify. Sonja and I just wanted to say THANK YOU for making our vacation so special. You have done yourself proud!
Murielle, now that our luggage is put away, the numerous photos are downloaded, and family and friends have stopped asking us about our incredible trip to France, we didn't want to let more time go by without letting you know how EXTREMELY grateful we are to you for putting together such an amazing vacation. We cannot stop talking about how wonderful our France vacation was. And we couldn't have had such a magical experience had it not been for you. THANK YOU -- MERCI -- THANK YOU!!!
We have gone on many fabulous trips with Black Pearl Luxury Services. Marcy Johnson has been the key to the success of ALL our trips. I always know that every detail will be handled, ane don't have to worry about a thing. She put together a fabulous Africa trip, that was one of our best. We travel extensively, and I would not trust anyone to plan our trips but Marcy. I hope she never retires. She is not only the best travel agent we have ever had, she is also a friend after all these years and many, many trips later.
I just want to say Kathy Hirst is an amazing travel agent. I have always planned my own trips and this time we used Kathy after being referred to her by a friend. Our trip to Italy was fabulous!!! Kathy's travel knowledge is so valuable. The hotels, transportation, and tour guides were wonderful. Even when my mother in laws bag was stolen the travel insurance Kathy set us up with made the bad situation not so bad. Our travel party of 11 was truly impressed with how well she organize our 2 weeks in Italy. Kathy is top notch.


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ME's Lulu Group international jumps 14 places from 2013 among world's top 250 retailers has been saved
Press releases
ME's Lulu Group international jumps 14 places from 2013 among world's top 250 retailers
Press release
-Deloitte's 18th annual Global Powers of Retailing report explores innovative trends in the sector
- Deloitte: US$4.4 trillion in fiscal year 2013 revenues of top 250 global retailers
27 January, 2015 - The top 250[1] global retailers generated revenue of US$4.4 trillion in fiscal year 2013, each with an average size of more than US$17.4 billion, according to the 2015 Global Powers of Retailing, Embracing Innovation report from Deloitte in conjunction with STORES Media. This year's report explores innovative trends in retail, forecasts for 2015 as well as the strategies retailers are utilizing to address the disruptive changes impacting the sector.
The 250 largest retailers around the world are analyzed based on their financial performance, geographic region, product sector and e-commerce activity. Revenue growth for the top 250 retailers, which began declining in 2011, continued to slow in fiscal year 2013. According to the report, sales-weighted, currency-adjusted retail revenue was 4.1 percent for the top 250, following a 4.9 percent gain in fiscal year 2012. While growth continued to decline, nearly 80 percent of the top 250 (199 companies) posted an increase in retail revenue in fiscal year 2013.
"The sluggish global economy in 2014 left many consumers financially constrained and retail sales under pressure. Thus, the prosperity of the global retail sector in 2015 will very much depend on the economic stability of several of the largest economies. Despite the recent fall in oil prices, there is little evidence at this stage that it will negatively impact consumer spending in the Middle East. Although European grocers might be slowing expansion, no such problems are affecting those in the Middle East," said Herve Ballantyne, partner and Consumer Business leader at Deloitte Middle East.
"The 2015 Global Powers of Retailing report ranks Emke Group/Lulu Group as one of the best examples of Middle East retailers faring well globally. In 2014 alone, the retailer jumped an impressive 14 places from last year's ranking which showcases the company's growth in the region", said Alfred Strolla, regional managing partner for Oman, and Yemen at Deloitte Middle East.
Top retail trends in 2015
- Travel retailing –International tourism is set to continue to rise above expectations despite continuing global geopolitical and economic challenges. The expanding middle classes of emerging markets are traveling to the world's capitals and boosting retail sales. In 2015, retailers are expected to increasingly cater to high-spending travelers, especially emerging market tourists to drive growth.
- Mobile retailing – Mobile retailing is expected to continue to grow aggressively. Retailers will need to respond by offering free in-store Wi-Fi and mobile-friendly retail websites optimized for different kinds of personal devices. Privacy and security will become increasingly important as trust, transparency and protecting customer information will be critical in retaining loyalty as mobile retailing becomes the norm.
- Faster retailing - Speed continues to remain an important trend in retail. This includes: "fast fashion" (getting runway styles to the stores as soon as possible); limited-time-only products and flash sales to drive urgency and immediate purchase; pop-up establishments to quickly get products and services to market and build buzz; and self-service check-out and kiosks to reduce or eliminate waiting. In 2015, retailing is forecast to get even faster to meet consumers' desires. Millennials will be driving much of this as they are the largest generation, with a lot of spending power, and carry a lot of influence. They prefer fast response and immediate gratification, and retailers will cater to that.
- Experience retailing - Retailing is no longer just about the product, but the experience. Retailers will continue to explore innovative ways to enhance the buying experience for their customers through social media campaigns, festivals, fashion shows and interactive displays.
- Innovative retailing- The retail industry will continue to be disrupted by new technologies and innovative competition. More retailers are likely to adopt innovative practices, embrace technology and use it in creative ways.
"The retail sector is going through a significant period of change. The speed of innovation and the disruption being felt across the industry will continue, as the demands of customers continue to increase. To succeed in this environment, retailers will need to respond quickly to threats and opportunities ensuring they are quick to implement innovations of their own. This will require a connecting strategy, capabilities, and specific initiatives, guided by the insights provided by market data," added Ballantyne.
To view the whole report, click here: http://deloi.tt/15iX09a
[1] The analysis is based on publicly available data for fiscal year 2013 (encompassing companies' fiscal years ended through June 2014).
Press contact
Nadine El Hassan
Middle East Public Relations
Deloitte & Touche (M.E.)
Tel: +961 (0) 1 748444
Fax: +961 (0) 1 748999
About Deloitte:
Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee, and its network of member firms, each of which is a legally separate and independent entity. Please see www.deloitte.com/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited and its member firms.
Deloitte provides audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services to public and private clients spanning multiple industries. With a globally connected network of member firms in more than 150 countries, Deloitte brings world-class capabilities and high-quality service to clients, delivering the insights they need to address their most complex business challenges. Deloitte has in the region of 200,000 professionals, all committed to becoming the standard of excellence.
Deloitte's professionals are unified by a collaborative culture that fosters integrity, outstanding value to markets and clients, commitment to each other, and strength from cultural diversity. They enjoy an environment of continuous learning, challenging experiences, and enriching career opportunities. Deloitte's professionals are dedicated to strengthening corporate responsibility, building public trust, and making a positive impact in their communities.
About Deloitte & Touche (M.E.):
Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) is a member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (DTTL) and is the first Arab professional services firm established in the Middle East region with uninterrupted presence since 1926.
Deloitte is among the region's leading professional services firms, providing audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services through 26 offices in 15 countries with around 3,000 partners, directors and staff. It is a Tier 1 Tax advisor in the GCC region since 2010 (according to the International Tax Review World Tax Rankings). It has received numerous awards in the last few years which include Best Employer in the Middle East, best consulting firm, and the Middle East Training & Development Excellence Award by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).


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FDA quietly increases allowed radiation doses of meats for human consumption
Rather than actually take the time to address the root causes of meat and poultry contamination, which more often than not are a direct result of outrageously unsanitary factory farming practices (http://www.naturalnews.com/025716_antibiotic_animals_antibiotics.html), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has instead decided to simply up the doses of radiation that industrial food producers are allowed to blast on their filthy, contaminated meat products.
In the first new rule recently published in the Federal Register, the FDA specifies that "unrefrigerated uncooked meat" can now be irradiated right alongside refrigerated, frozen and cooked meat. And in the second new rule, the FDA increases the amount of ionizing radiation that can be applied to poultry products such as chicken by 50 percent, bumping the dosage up to 4.5 kilograys (kGy) of radiation from the previous 3.0 kGy.
You can view the two published rules here:
These two rules, which were enacted quietly and without any media fanfare (big surprise), come more than a decade after the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) first petitioned the FDA for their passage back in 1999. And in the years that followed, numerous consumer advocacy and food safety groups decried the proposals, warning that irradiation is dangerous.
But the FDA ignored all the comments made by these groups, which included reputable names like Public Citizen and the Center for Food Safety (CFS), and continued forward with its irradiation agenda. According to Food Safety News (FSN), the FDA actually went so far as to belittle the merit of the input given by these groups, referring to them as "general" comments that did "not contain any substantive information that could be used in a safety evaluation of irradiated poultry."
FDA ignores science showing dangers of irradiation, claims there are no safety issues
This careless dismissal by the FDA is completely bogus, of course, as the CFS and many other groups have repeatedly offered valid scientific evidence showing that irradiating food denatures its quality, nutritional value, and safety. The production of "unique radiolytic products," for instance, which include various mutagens, or radioactive substances, is one major negative byproduct of irradiation that is both proven and undeniable. (http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/campaign/food-irradiation/)
And yet the FDA does not seem to care much about the facts as they concern the safety (or lack thereof) of irradiation, as the rogue agency has been on a crusade for the past several years to irradiate virtually everything that Americans eat. Meat, fruit, spices, breads, you name it — if the grocery store sells it, then the FDA wants to nuke it for your "safety." (http://www.naturalnews.com/023945.html)
And in the rare case that an irradiated food actually bears a proper irradiation label — the FDA, after all, has established incredibly lax rules that allow most irradiated foods to be sold to consumers without labels — the flowery emblem, known as a radura, that has been created for food irradiation is unlikely to have much of an impact anyway, as it was deliberately designed to appear pleasant and insinuate that a product is "natural." You can view the ridiculous irradiation radura here so you know what to look out for: http://www.naturalnews.com/023945.html
If you wish to truly avoid irradiated foods; however, the best way to do this is to purchase only organic or locally-grown and verified foods. You can also learn more about the history of irradiation and how to spot potentially unlabeled irradiated foods by visiting the following two links:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/Irrad/LabelingStatus.cfm and
Sources for this article include:


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I spent my entire first trimester expecting to miscarry.
I knew I was at high risk, given my history, and my autoimmune disease. And the fact that I had numerous episodes of spotting didn't help to quell my fears.
The time that wasn't spent worrying about miscarriage was spent dealing with dreadful morning sickness. At first I welcomed the nausea and vomiting, thinking "hey, this is great! It means my hormone levels are nice and high and the baby is healthy!". So jolly I was not, however, by the time I was being prescribed Zofran and being admitted to hospital for rehydration.
Then for some reason my bladder decided to go on holiday, leaving me hospitalised with a catheter. That was a particularly "what the dickens"couple of days, I can tell you.
And then there were the infections, and the allergic reactions to the antibiotics I took for said infections.
But you know, I got through it. Every scan showed a beautiful healthy baby, despite whatever the hell my body was doing. Eventually the morning sickness eased. I had the all important 12 week scan and was deemed low risk for any nasty pasties. And we told Master D. We told our families and friends. We told the world.
Then a week later I woke up and quickly realised I was soaked in blood.
A lot of blood.
By the time we got to the hospital I was hysterical. I couldn't believe it was happening. In my second trimester. Days after a perfect scan. After the risk for miscarriage was supposedly wildly reduced. After we had told EVERYONE.
Then the doctor switched on the ultrasound machine…one very active bouncing baby, and a healthy placenta.
Another "what the dickens?!" moment.
It turned out I had a blood clot in a place that was of no threat to the baby. The fact that I was on heavy duty blood thinners at the time did not help matters. I stayed in hospital for about four days, took medication to try and stop the bleeding and put on bedrest. I may also need a cervical stitch put in (oh, yay) depending on the results of the next few scans.
So now I am back home again, and struggling emotionally.
I know there was nothing I did that caused this. That it is just a freak thing that could happen to anyone. But this all happened just as I let my guard down and trusted in my body, and my ability to carry a pregnancy. How can I possibly let my guard down again? How can I trust that everything will be ok, when me being admitted to hospital (for one reason or another) is like a broken record?
I'm taking each day at a time, and I'm grateful every moment of every day for the beautiful little human that, against the odds, continues to thrive.
But sometimes, just sometimes, I wish things could be simpler.


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Sunny skies, cooler temperatures expected today
Skies will begin sunny today with increasing clouds as the day wears on. We'll start in the middle 20s with highs in the middle to upper 40s (depending on how long the sun can stick around).
There's a chance of a few sprinkles or light showers tonight.
Saturday will be partly cloudy and mild with highs in the mid-50s.
Sunday will be seasonable with highs around 50.
Monday through Thursday look mighty chilly. Some rain or snow showers are possible Monday night with lingering flurries Tuesday.
Temperatures will stay in the middle 30s for highs Tuesday and Wednesday with Wednesday morning's start up temp in the teens.


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Lolo Jones is a step closer to the Sochi Games, and Lauryn Williams might not have raced in her final Olympics after all.
Jones and Williams are best known for their track accomplishments, Jones as one of the world's elite hurdlers and Williams as an NCAA champion and Olympic gold medalist sprinter.
They were among nine women chosen Saturday for the U.S. bobsled national team, putting them squarely into the mix for spots in Sochi in February.
U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation CEO Darrin Steele called the team "the fastest and most prepared group of athletes we've ever seen."
"It was difficult to narrow the women's push field to six and it will be even more challenging to select the top three for the Olympic team in a few months," Steele said in a statement shortly after Saturday's announcement was made in Park City, Utah. "The hard work and dedication has paid off and I couldn't be more proud of all these athletes."
Elana Meyers will drive USA-1, Jamie Greubel will drive USA-2 and Jazmine Fenlator will drive USA-3. Meyers was a bronze medalist as a push athlete at the 2010 Vancouver Games.
"Jazmine, Elana and I all started driving around the same time so we have that kind of friendly rivalry and I think it works really well for us," Greubel said. "We work together and shake each other's hands at the end of the day, no matter who's on top. I really respect the other girls that are drivers on the team. They definitely help push me to be a better athlete."
The men's national team will be announced Sunday.
Jones is on the women's national team for the second straight season established herself quickly last season on the World Cup circuit. Williams is a rookie who was largely recruited by Jones, especially after the former Miami Hurricane star announced her retirement from track not long after helping the U.S. win the 4x100-meter relay gold medal at the London Olympics.
Jones finished fourth in the 100-meter hurdles at the London Games and four years earlier in Beijing was in position to win gold when she hit the ninth of 10 hurdles and wound up seventh.
"Last year I was just soaking everything in. It was an adventure, it was fun, it was nothing really on the line for me," Jones said. "It was just kind of an escape and there were no expectations. So now coming into my second year, they expect me to be more knowledgeable and more of a leader."
Also selected as push athletes were 2010 Olympian Emily Azevedo, two-time national push champion Aja Evans, two-time world championship medalist Katie Eberling and Army soldier-athlete Kristi Koplin.
Williams touched a bobsled for the first time in July. A week later, she placed third in the national push championships. What wasn't even fathomable - a sprinter who's spent much of the last 15 years in Miami getting into a winter sport and qualifying for the Olympics almost on a whim - now seems more than a little bit possible.
"I know this is the right place for me right now," Williams said. "I've learned so much in the two months already. And do I want to make it all the way to the end? Certainly."
Jones said she recognized right away that Williams, the 2004 Olympic silver medalist in the 100-meter dash, had all the right tools for sliding.
"She's very humble," Jones said. "I was like, `Oh, gosh, I'm going to regret recruiting her if she beats me out for the team.' But I have a lot of respect for Lauryn and I just couldn't see her taking a stab at it. She already has the gold and the silver. I told her she's losing nothing and just go for it."
Lolo Jones on US bobsled Nationals team
Lolo Jones is a step closer to the Sochi Games, and Lauryn Williams might not have raced in her final Olympics after all.


text: The new Pink Mini Deluxe LED Scooter has all the features that made the original Mini the best-rated scooter for children ages 2-5, now with wheels that light up! The Deluxe range has a weight capacity up to 75 lbs and an adjustable T-bar to accommodate little ones as they grow. T-bar adjusts from 17" up to 25" from the deck! Your child will love "surfing the sidewalk" and you will love the years of fun and exercise it provides. The smooth gliding wheels, low-to-the-ground deck and safe steering all contribute to stability that makes the Deluxe Mini perfect for preschoolers and kindergartners. What makes the Deluxe Mini unique and fun is the adjustable T-bar and lean-to-steer design; children steer by using their body weight to lean right and left, intuitively learning to lean into a turn, while developing balance and coordination used in many sports. The Micro Mini Deluxe Pink LED Scooter has the smoothest, quietest ride available thanks to high quality wheels and a flexible fiberglass reinforced deck, which together absorb bumps in the sidewalk. Safety certified by the CPSC, the Deluxe Mini is recommended for children up to 75 lbs. SAFETY - For best protection, we recommend that children wear helmets and knee pads when riding.


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Two Million Light Years
I didn't get a lot of sleep last night, so with the grace of someone dumping her purse out onto the table, I'll just say: here's some stuff that's been happening over here.
Scott and I watched the movie Interstellar. By "watched it" I mean our eyeballs were technically exposed to it. We had to press play and pause about 235 times on account of the baby. It's hard to say if I liked it since I saw it in 118 increments, but I can tell you that it'll be the last time I watch a movie about outer space with a physicist. He kept saying things like OH PLEASE. THEIR SPACESHIP HAS NO RADIATION SHIELDING! and IF THAT PLANET REALLY HAD SUPERGRAVITY THEIR LEG BONES WOULD BE SHATTERED. Then Matthew McConnaughey made it to Saturn in under 20 minutes on half a tank of gas, and words escaped Scott completely. He just sat there looking like he'd swallowed a bad oyster.
In related news, going anywhere with Christopher takes two million light years. First I change his diaper. Then I feed him and pat him on the back until he burps like he's just had a Philly cheese steak. Then I have to catch his hands, which dart about like little fish, and pull them through the sleeves of a sweater. Then I check the diaper bag to make sure it actually has diapers in it and not–as it did recently–a highlighter, a grocery list, and a handful of Reese's cups. When I finally step out the door I'm like Caesar crossing the Rubicon, except I'm wearing slippers and I have toothpaste on my face.
I have two public service announcements to make. First, I'd like to remind everyone to brush up on their idioms. I was at the gas station today when I heard a woman say into her phone "WELL SHE'S NOT EXACTLY A SHRIEKING VIOLET, SHARON."
Second, do not to try to iron burlap. I bought a couple yards of it to use as a tragically hip table cloth, but it had wrinkles in it so I ironed it on the steam setting. Now my house smells like a wet barn.
Ever since I wrote about elf salami, Scott has been coming up with other dishes that he hopes we don't order by accident. They include: tuna malts, scab rangoon, leaf bourgignon. On a related note, a horny seabird would be a stud puffin.
That's about it, stud puffins! Here's a recipe for a quick fresh blackberry sauce that I like to put over ice cream and yogurt:
Blackberry sauce for ice cream or yogurt {Download & Print Recipe}
by eggton
12 oz. blackberries
2 Tbsp. sugar (or more, to taste)
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (from about 1/2 lemon)
Whiz half of the blackberries in a blender with the sugar and lemon juice. Strain through a thin-meshed sieve into a bowl, using a spoon to press all the juice through. Discard the seeds remaining in the sieve. Taste and adjust sugar and lemon as you see fit. Add the remaining whole blackberries, or serve those alongside.


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Hewlett Packard Enterprise SN6010C Managed None 1U MetallicSKU: R0Q97A
Sale Sold out
Regular price $11,964.38
Regular priceUnit price per
Sale price
Que. & Ans.
Description :SN6010C 16Gb 12-port 16Gb Short Wave SFP+ Fibre Channel Switch
Hewlett Packard Enterprise SN6010C. Switch type: Managed. Basic switching RJ-45 Ethernet ports type: None. Switching capacity: 768 Gbit/s. Rack mounting, Form factor: 1U
Are you looking for a high-performance Fibre Channel switch for departments, enterprises, or the edge?
The HPE C-series SN6010C Fibre Channel Switch is a high-performance, flexible, and cost-effective platform providing high-density, 16 Gbps ports for storage networking deployments in small, medium-sized, and large enterprise environments. This switch offers outstanding value by providing high-availability, security, and ease of use at a cost-effective price in a compact one-rack-unit (1RU) form factor. With the flexibility to expand from 12 to 48 ports in 12-port increments, it offers the densities required to scale from an entry-level departmental switch to top-of-the-rack switch to edge connectivity in enterprise SANs. This switch delivers a non-blocking architecture, with all 48 4/8/16 Gbps ports operating at line rate concurrently. With dual redundant hot-swappable power supplies and fan trays, this switch offers high availability scalable to mission-critical deployments.
High Performance with Exceptional Flexibility
- HPE C-series SN6010C Fibre Channel Switch includes 16 Gbps of dedicated bandwidth for each port and aggregate platform bandwidth of 768 Gbps, the HPE C-series SN6010C Fibre Channel Switch is designed to meet the performance and scalability requirements of the most demanding environments.
- Compatible with HPE SN8000C (MDS 9500 Series) and HPE SN8500C (MDS 9700 Series) Multilayer Directors and MDS 9100 and 9200 Series Fabric Switches with up to 48 autosensing Fibre Channel ports capable of speeds of 16, 8, and 4 Gbps.
- Offers flexibility to "pay as you grow" by scaling the HPE C-series SN6010C Fibre Channel Switch onsite by enabling additional ports by adding on-demand port activation licenses.
Intelligent Storage Networking Services at a Cost-effective Price
- HPE C-series SN6010C Fibre Channel Switch supports innovative features such as virtual storage area network (VSANs), port channels, quality of service (QoS), SAN security, SAN management, hardware-enforced zoning, and in-service software upgrade (ISSU) at no additional cost to the user.
- Includes VSAN technology that provides a cost-effective way to consolidate resources while providing high resiliency to potential fabric disruptions.
- Provides advanced traffic management capabilities integrated into the HPE C-series SN6010C Fibre Channel Switch to simplify deployment and optimization of core-edge fabrics.
- NPIV and NPV technology provides independent management for each virtual machine and scaling of SANs without reaching Fibre Channel domain ID limits.
High Availability Platform
- HPE C-series SN6010C Fibre Channel Switch is designed for mission-critical environments in which downtime is unacceptable.
- Offers non-disruptive software upgrades, dual hot-swappable power supplies (integrated fans for redundancy), hot-swappable fans, VSANs for fault isolation, port channels for ISL resiliency, and F-port trunking for resiliency on uplinks operating in NPV mode.
Simplified Management
- HPE C-series SN6010C Fibre Channel Switch supports SAN plug-and-play capability as well as built-in storage network management, with all features available through a command-line interface (CLI) or the Data Center Network Manager for simplified storage management.
- Data Center Network Manager software (included with switch) provides a centralized management tool with task-based wizards that simplifies management of a standalone switch or multiple switches and fabrics at no additional cost.
- Common platform architecture and the use of MDS 9000 NX-OS Software intelligent storage networking services across all MDS 9000 Family switches reduce ongoing operating expenses by providing a consistent set of provisioning, management, and diagnostic capabilities.
- Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.


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Everyone wants to be able to run Flash applications on the iPhone. Or wait, scratch that: Every major software vendor named after a Native American earth-based building material wants to be able to run Flash applications on the iPhone. And if its latest plan comes to fruition, it looks like Adobe might finally get its wish -- albeit not in quite the way it had hoped.
So far, Adobe has been stymied by the same thing that has prevented Sun Microsystems from porting the JVM to the iPhone. According to Apple's iPhone SDK license agreement, "No interpreted code may be downloaded and used in an Application except for code that is interpreted and run by Apple's Published APIs and built-in interpreter(s)." That means Java is out, as is the runtime for Flash's built-in ActionScript language -- ergo no Flash Player for iPhone.
[ iPhone apps are all the rage, but Apple makes it hard on developers. Read about one developer's torturous iPhone app dev journey. ]
But Adobe thinks it has found a way around Apple's requirements. Flash Professional CS5, the forthcoming version of the company's authoring environment, will allow developers to take existing Flash applications and compile them into native binaries for the iPhone. The resulting apps will be completely stand-alone, with no runtimes and no Flash Player required -- if Apple lets Adobe get away with it, that is.
Is Adobe pulling a fast one on Apple?
One thing all of these products share in common, however, is that they don't output native iPhone binaries on their own. All of them generate intermediate code that must be imported into Apple's Xcode IDE for the final build process. It's sort of like the early days of C++, where the C++ "compiler" was really just a preprocessor that output ordinary C code.
Specifics are pretty scant so far, but from the sound of it, this isn't the approach Adobe is taking. Instead, Adobe is using Apple's Low Level Virtual Machine (LLVM) compiler infrastructure to build iPhone binaries directly. Adobe engineers have written a new front end for the compiler that understands ActionScript code, which then gets translated into native ARM assembly language by the existing back end.
The phrase "assembly language" here is a little unclear. Technically, assembly language is source code, which still needs to be run through an assembler to produce a final, machine-language binary. If that's what Adobe is outputting, then Flash CS5 will be much like the other products on the market. If Flash really will be able to output binaries, however, I wonder how Apple will take it.
Apple keeps tighter grips on its iPhone developers than any other smartphone vendor in the market. Its control over the iPhone App Store is absolute. Plus, it has the most expensive developer program around: Sure, the membership fees are reasonable enough, but because you can't output iPhone binaries from anything but Xcode, every iPhone developer also needs to go out and buy a Mac. I doubt Apple wants anyone messing with that sweet setup -- not even a longtime partner like Adobe.
Flash's last chance for relevance
Already the idea of using Web languages and tools to build smartphone applications is taking hold. Palm has built an entire smartphone platform around the idea. Apple supports the use of Web technologies like AJAX to build applications based on the iPhone's Safari browser, though it doesn't emphasize that fact in its marketing. And developers will soon even be able to build Web-based applications for BlackBerry handsets, thanks to a new SDK from Research in Motion.
By comparison, Flash is still a niche player on mobile handsets, where it's used more for playing YouTube videos than for delivering real application experiences. Adobe claims its Flash Lite player will be on 1 billion handsets by year's end -- and Flash video is even coming to TVs -- but convincing developers of its value as a legitimate application development platform remains an uphill battle.
A version of Flash that can output ARM binaries opens the iPhone to all of the developers who are already building Flash games for the Web. That's a potentially huge market, and it will be interesting to see how many take the bait. If Adobe can extend this idea to other smartphone platforms and create a true cross-platform mobile development environment, it would have a compelling offering. Still, it wouldn't be the first. As late to the game as it is, what Adobe needs now is to convince developers that Flash is better than the other options -- and that could be a tough sell.
This story, "Flash for iPhone is a Hail Mary pass for Adobe," was originally published at InfoWorld.com. Follow the latest developments in iPhone, mobile, and app dev at InfoWorld.com.


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The automation of education is one of the big issues of the early 21st century, and in the halls of higher education, where I hang out, it's very controversial.
The leaders of small colleges like mine are watching nervously as the big boys jump on the MOOC bandwagon, throwing their immense resources behind the development of sophisticated online learning platforms designed to serve hundreds of thousands of students at a clip.
So far these courses are not available for actual degree credit, but the accrediting corps is not far behind, busily working on the conceptual architecture needed to award students college credit no matter which institution's logo is on the screen.
Once this is fully operational, students will be able to work towards a college degree in patchwork fashion, taking math and science courses from MIT, liberal arts from Yale, and philosophy from Princeton along the way to their shiny new 21st century B.A.
The minute the technical hurdles to this system are worked out, the floodgates of online learning are going to open for real.
Those who are skeptical of the quality of online learning argue that even video conferencing, now widely available through Adobe Connect or Google Hang-out platforms, cannot match the electricity of ideas exchanged face to face, facilitated by a well-trained, talented instructor.
This is the argument used by small liberal arts colleges like mine to justify the continued emphasis on bricks-and-mortar institutions, and there is truth it, as long as the class sizes are small and the instructors are not only knowledgeable, but also skilled at facilitating discussion.
But let's be honest: most American students do not have the benefit of attending small liberal arts colleges, because the small student/teacher faculty ratio is incredibly expensive to maintain.
Having spent nearly a decade teaching on a State University of New York campus, I can attest that most undergraduates there sit in large lecture halls where they watch powerpoint shows narrated by a teacher down at the podium. That is, when they bother to go to class.
There is no question that such lectures could be more easily and cheaply delivered online, sparing the professor the travails of explaining Chemistry 101 yet again to another generation of yawning, surfing students.
Big institutions are now getting excited about "flipping the classroom," meaning: the student watches the lecture on her own time, as homework, and then comes into the classroom for a discussion about the material.
My question, as a higher education insider, is: who is going to lead that discussion?
My guess is it will be graduate students and adjunct professors doing the discussion leading, as it has been for many years already with tenure-track professors who give the lectures and leave the work of actually interacting with students to their teaching assistants.
The ramifications of this for higher education as a field of employment remain to be seen. For the moment, most people who are thinking about online learning are much more focused on the students (the "clients") than on the labor issues involved.
Clearly, a professor who can teach 100,000 students at a time is going to be offering a lot more value to the institution than a professor who teaches 20 students at a time, especially if at least a percentage of those thousands of online learners start to pay for credits towards a degree.
As the century goes on, we're going to see fewer tenure-track professors and a lot more adjuncts. The field was going this way anyway; online learning is just going to put the trend on hyperdrive.
Faculty advocates in higher education need to be focusing on the issue of a living wage for adjunct professors now, because once American adjuncts are competing with part-timers all over the world, we're going to see the out-sourcing of American education bigtime, with unpredictable results.
Meanwhile, globalization cheerleaders like Tom Friedman are waxing enthusiastic about the idea of beaming lectures by Harvard professors to remote locations around the world.
"For relatively little money," Friedman said in a recent column, the U.S. could rent space in an Egyptian village, install two dozen computers and high-speed satellite Internet access, hire a local teacher as a facilitator, and invite in any Egyptian who wanted to take online courses with the best professors in the world, subtitled in Arabic."
Yes, this would be globalization with gloves on, and certainly far better than spreading American-style ideology at gun and loan-point, as we did in the 20th century.
MOOCs are already opening up the previously hallowed halls of the best American institutions of higher education to new, worldwide audiences.
As Friedman reports, the head of the new Harvard/MIT online platform EdX, Anant Agarwal, said that "since May, some 155,000 students from around the world have taken edX's first course: an M.I.T. intro class on circuits. 'That is greater than the total number of M.I.T. alumni in its 150-year history," he said.'"
In the next few years, we're going to see online learning take off bigtime, as more and more students clamor for the opportunities it affords, and higher education leaders perceive the huge benefits in cost savings that will result from not having to house all the students they serve.
We're going to see more and more students living at home with Mom and Dad right through their undergraduate years, whether it's here in the U.S. or, as Friedman imagines, in some Egyptian village.
From the point of view of the average student, the one who would not in any case be able to afford or get into a selective liberal arts college, this may be for the best. Certainly it would be better to live at home a few more years than to incur heavy debt burdens for the privilege of living on campus.
Students and their parents are already viewing education in increasingly utilitarian terms; as they contemplate getting on the B.A. track they want to know What can I do with this degree? What jobs will it prepare me for?
They're looking for the most practical, value-added route to the goal—a secure, interesting, well-paying career.
There are always going to be elite undergraduate colleges ready to give a premium, face-to-face educational experience to those who can pay for it, just the way there are still deluxe prep schools available even though most Americans go to the public high school down the road.
Faculty at these colleges will continue to teach small classes, where students are encouraged to be creative, critical thinkers, to question authority, to write papers rather than take tests, and to get to know each other both in and outside of class.
Just as future queen bees are given a far richer diet than future worker bee, there will be different educational strokes for different folks.
The real question, as we enter the MOOC era, is whether education will continue to serve as a vehicle for social mobility, as it did so strongly in the 20th century, or whether we'll have online learning for the masses and bricks-and-mortar for the elite, with the gap between the two growing ever wider.


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Russell Brand, Lloyd Dobler And Finding Your Inner Dorothy
While watching Russell Brand's BBC interview, it is not hard to imagine two families in Middle America, neighbors, watching separately in the comfort of their own homes as Russell Brand does his bit and each nod in lonely agreement. "Yes!" they are likely to say, "this Russell Brand fellow is right." But Family A has to work hard at a job they are made to feel they are lucky to have buying something, selling something, or processing something when, like their inner Lloyd Dobler, they don't want to buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, they don't want to do that. And Family B is doing the same thing. Both are trying to keep up with the Joneses, as the expression goes. Family B is competing to send their kids to better schools and than Family A; and Family A is competing just as hard to beat out Family B. They are each other's Jones.
But there is NO Jones.
"Jones" is a construct, a shackle. And don't you know, Jones is like the show put on by the Wizard of OZ to scare you into submission. Time for us all to find our inner Dorothys, click our heels together and build a new world called home. A new world called home. Stop the machine and build a new world called home.


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It's been a season that I didn't write here. Well, as you know the autumn, I said is loading, officially finished three days ago on an Iranian holiday: Yalda Night. It was my sixth Yalda without family. This night is similar to turkey day in North America which families spending the last night of autumn together. Yalda Night is the longest night on the Solar Calendar. Iranian celebrate the birth of Mithra, the Sun God, who symbolised light and thanked for blessings from over two thousand years ago. Any way, now winter is here and tonight Canada celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, and I celebrate my success in college. All this fall, I was so busy with my life as a single independent secondary student which it was excited and exhausted in the same time.
I'm so happy that finally I went to the college especially in my second language. When I supposed to be a freshman at university, I had too many difficulties back then. By the time, I found what's wrong with me and I fixed it in my new home. Thus, I was so excited about been a freshman while someone can say a 29 years old man can not be one. I have an opinion instead of a prof, or it's a theory, that I am raising again in Canada.
Two and half years ago, when I landed, it was too hard for me to asked for a cup of coffee with a broken English, so I went to an adult school to learn English as a second language, here calls ESL. In ESL classes at my local adult school, they had a mandatory partnership courses: With ESL A, drama; with ESL B, civil and career; with ESL C, geography and the last ESL course was D that they taught us how to write an essay with history class in partnership. The school has focus on writing and reading skills; for listening and speaking I should practice on society. After an education year I learned how to performing with drama class, how business and politic work here with civil and career classes, what is the shape of country by study geography and last partnership course taught me the history of Canada.
These are the real courses in Canadian education system which high school students learn it as well. In the second year, grade nine to twelve English classes and a mandatory course to catch the Ontario diploma. After all, I went to the college and most of students are under nineteen. Also, at work, from a kitchen job to street fundraising, I learned to speak better and how the culture really is here. All steps that I took are looks like to toddle for me. Step by step I ran patiently for my future. I toddle by Canada hands and learned how to walk, speak, learn, live and survive here.
I was marginalized by my mother society because I am from a minority ethnic in Iran; I found different beliefs and I am gay. I was a depressed domestic migrant teenager who lost his father at age fourteen and found himself different with his classmates, neighbors and even family. For long time I was ashamed to say I am belonging to my ethnic because in north of Iran, where my family moved, make fun on my people. I was scared of conservative people in place I raised to show my different political and regulars ideology which was one of the causes of getting out of high school, and I hated people tried to be kind because I lost my father. The worst part came while I found I am gay in a country that they sentence same-sex act to death penalty. Even I was different with members of my family who loves me. I will write more about it in "To the West" posts.
A marginalized domestic migrant who is an ex-refugee and migrant as a person of colour in North America that passed too many trauma can have too many post trauma stress disorder, PTSD. And I had bad one this fall, but do you know what happened? I finished this semester, my first semester ever, with 86 percent GPA.
I was looking for over 80 to apply for film and television production program. The best in the country at Humber college that from 900 application they accept just 90 students, ten percent chance. Now they asked me to apply for bachelor of film and media production. I ran for it, I was in competition with English native kids, and I did it all by myself. It was hard and made me tired.
So excited and too exhausted is my feeling about fall 2018. A year that we are about finish it, and I start new year with celebrate of my success.


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SEOContest2008 is an unidentified flying object that crash landed in United Kingdom in the year 2077. It was from an unknown planet somewhere near the UK Webmaster World SEO Contest (The name of the planet was weird, it's like it was taken from an event of some sort). The said UFO crashed beside a pet friendly hotel in the capital. All of the humans were shocked and were so afraid, that's why they can't get near the object called SEOContest2008. They named it SEOContest2008, because it has a mark that states: SEOContest2008.
The UFO suddenly disappeared, and the people of UK forgot that there was an unidentified object crashed within their premises. It was just a sudden spark of light that erased the memory of that unidentified object from their minds. Remember the flashing pen that emits an ultra radiant light and was used by Will Smith in MIB? That light suddenly sparked throughout the city from a small pen inside the UFO, the UFO became half opaque for seconds so that the light can freely spark and be seen from within. After that unusual phenomenon, no one remembered about the SEOContest2008 UFO.02/05/08
UPDATE: Almost on the first spot! Ranked 2nd now! Hopefully to be the first on April 1st. Yay!
02/12/08 UPDATE: It seems that the UFO in Google suddenly disappeared. It was completely swallowed by oblivion. I think there's a problem with my description meta tags that's why my entry was gone. I've fixed it now, and I'll observe if my entry will come back to the first page. SEOContest2008 UFO will be back soon!
02/18/08 UPDATE: The UFO was back, and now it's on the 5th place! and 2nd place on .ph Yay! Hep Hep Hurray! Go seocontest2008!
02/27/08 UPDATE: Currently on the 3rd Spot in all datacenters! Another Hurray for seocontest2008!
03/14/08 UPDATE: Currently on the 7th place and keeps on going downward. Wahehehe…
03/28/08 UPDATE: From page 3, back to page 1, dancing in the 7th and 8th place based on Google Data Centers.
Final UPDATE: Ended up as 12th place in all data centers.. Hayy… But I guess it wasn't bad at all. 🙂


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What's happened in the business of video games this past week ...
QUOTE | "Wii U feedback from retailers is extremely strong."—Reggie Fils-Aime, President of Nintendo of America, talking about pricing the Wii U at $299 and $349, higher than some analysts expected.
QUOTE | "It's about gameplay, stupid."—Seamus Blackley, co-creator of the Xbox and founder of Innovative Leisure, talking about what makes a game great and why a small team can do things a big team can't.
QUOTE | "Once we get past March, I think that the price point will appear high to many."—Michael Pachter, Wedbush Securities analyst, commenting with other analysts about what they think of the Wii U price and launch details.
STAT | 2 million—Number of copies of Guild Wars 2 sold in two weeks, according to NCsoft; the number of concurrent players regularly peaks at over 400,000.
QUOTE | "This is still ultimately a business that's about selling games. Nintendo still does that better than almost anyone else."—Rob Fahey, former editor of GamesIndustry.biz, talking about the lineup of games at launch for the Wii U.
7KEYS Retro Vintage Typewriter Keyboard
Vintage taste meets modern needs
The circular keys with the RGB lights give this Bluetooth typewriter a retrofuturistic look.
QUOTE | "The performance of the A6 looks on par with Xbox 360."—William Volk, CCO of PlayScreen, talking along with other developers about the new A6 CPU in Apple's iPhone 5 and what it means to games.
QUOTE | "This places tremendous pressure both on game makers and hardware manufacturers to raise the bar."—Scott Steinberg, analyst with TechSavvy Global, talking along with other analysts about the impact Apple's iPhone 5 will have on game publishers.
QUOTE | "This might be a case of different vibes for different tribes."—Meelad Sadat, PR director for [a]list games, talking about whether Nintendo holding their press event the day after Apple will reduce its media coverage.
QUOTE | "Games were centre stage for Apple's announcement."—Rob Fahey, veteran game journalist, talking about why Apple's iPhone 5 is important to game developers and gamers.
QUOTE | "If players pay something you can provide ad-free gaming, and if they don't pay why should you care if they stick around?"—Michael Pachter, Wedbush Securities analyst, talking about why he thinks the free-to-play business model for games is ultimately doomed.
STAT | 172,000—Number of copies of Square Enix's Sleeping Dogs that sold at retail in the US last month; the PC version was a download only, so its sales are not included in that total.
STAT | 11,074—Number of Guild Wars 2 accounts that have been hacked or blocked; hackers are using stolen email addresses and passwords from other sites to try and access accounts.
This Week in the Business courtesy of GamesIndustry International
(Image from Shutterstock)


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Editor's Note:
Story highlights
NEW: A sixth lawmaker has turned himself into police
Party leader Nikos Michaloliakos and others face charges of forming a criminal gang
The arrests are part of a crackdown following the stabbing death of a hip-hop artist
Kassidiaris has denied his party's involvement in Fyssas' death
The leader of Greece's extreme right wing Golden Dawn party and four party lawmakers were charged Saturday with forming and participating in a criminal gang.
Nikos Michaloliakos and the other four – all members of parliament – left the Athens prosecutor's office in handcuffs, escorted by counterterrorism officers in bullet proof vests and balaclavas.
A sixth Golden Dawn lawmaker turned himself in on Sunday, police said.
It is the first time since the restoration of democracy in 1974, following a seven-year junta, that a party leader and members of parliament have been arrested.
Michaloliakos' arrests and those of the lawmakers – Elias Kassidiaris, Elias Panagiotaros, Ioannis Lagos and Nikos Mihos – are part of a crackdown following a controversial stabbing death.
At least 10 more people have been arrested, including Golden Dawn party members, police said. More than 30 warrants were issued as police operations were launched across Greece Saturday.
Pavlos Fyssas, a popular anti-fascist figure and well-known hip-hop artist with the stage name Killah P, was the victim of the knife attack that was allegedly committed by a Golden Dawn supporter.
Clashes broke out in a working-class Athens suburb this month, as Fyssas' death inflamed already growing concerns about the rising influence of Golden Dawn. The ultranationalist, anti-immigration party has been linked by critics to street violence and neo-Nazism.
The violence came despite police raids of Golden Dawn offices and the arrest of a 45-year-old party supporter who police say admitted killing Pavlos Fyssas.
Kassidiaris denied his party's involvement in Fyssas' death, calling it a "heinous crime."
The singer's death has nevertheless led to renewed calls to ban Golden Dawn
The Greek constitution does not allow for political parties to be banned, however, and the arrested lawmakers will retain their parliamentary seats unless they are convicted of a crime.
Golden Dawn holds 18 of Parliament's 300 seats.
Deputy Prime Minister Evangelos Venizelos, whose socialist Pasok party is part of the governing coalition, said Golden Dawn "must be dealt with as a criminal organization."
In 2012, the party rode a wave of dissatisfaction among some Greeks over internationally imposed austerity measures amid the country's deep financial crisis, winning 7% of the vote and gaining seats in parliament for the first time.
Recent polls had seen support rise as high as 12%. However, since Fyssas' killing last week, opinion polls suggest that Golden Dawn's popularity has dropped.
A poll carried out from September 19 to 21 by Rass, for the Eleftheros Typos newspaper, indicated that support for Golden Dawn had fallen to 5.8%, down from 8.3% on September 15.
Back in 2009, before the financial crisis and ensuing austerity measures hit Greeks hard, the party polled only 0.3%.