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The below text is the opening remarks by ISC Executive Director Linda Butcher at the 2017 Trilateral Symposium that took place at The National Press Club on January 5, 2017
On behalf of International Student Conferences (ISC) we would like to express our gratitude to Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA and Korea Foundation for co-hosting this year's Trilateral Symposium. It's been an honor working with you and we look forward to seeing where today's discussion leads.
This year's theme: Mutual Understanding in a Time of Division brings us back to our roots as to why and how our two conferences were created.
The Japan-America Student Conference was created in 1934, when relations between Japan and America were in decline. Unsure and fearful that their two countries would go to war, students from America and Japan worked together to serve as a bridge of understanding and friendship across the Pacific.
Now 82+ years later, JASC continues to thrive and its mission continues to be just as significant today as when it was founded.
In 2008, ISC launched its second student-led conference: Korea-America Student Conference. Although US-Korea relations had been strong for decades, KASC was founded in a period when the alliance was facing several challenges and the need for improved cultural understanding and people-to-people diplomacy was vital in order to strengthen relations between the two countries.
Now ten years later, KASC has grown and evolved to identify and support future leaders who will continue serving as bridges and ambassadors for their countries.
So why are these conferences and Symposium still important?
As we hear again and again – U.S. relations with Japan and Korea are stronger than ever and they are America's strongest allies in the region.
However, as we go into 2017, all three countries face many uncertainties and many challenges. There are fears that alliances and ties may be weakening. But alliances and ties are not only built by governments, their foundation is the people. Even now, as we hold this public symposium, the deputy Foreign Ministers of all three countries are holding their own trilateral talks. It would be unwise of us to think only the short-term, we must begin to pass the torch and begin preparing the next generation of US-Asia Pacific leaders.
In this week's program, the 23 student Executive Committee Members of JASC and KASC met with the think tank community, government, media and opinion leaders. They held productive multi-generational conversations that focused on ways to overcome challenges facing the relationship. Conversations that we will continue having today.
I'm not going to lie, at times it was pretty sobering. But, these realistic conversations need to occur if we are to educate and support these students leaders who will continue serving as bridges between U.S. Japan and Korea.
What makes this week-long Symposium so unique is that it allows students leaders from all three countries to meet their counterparts, to meet people from countries that they may have never met before. To discuss what their government's perspective is of the opposite country. And although we may read headlines and hear news that alliances may be weakening, I am hopeful and optimistic.
As I look at these student leaders, I see that whatever challenges our three countries may face, we have KASCers and JASCers who built long-lasting friendships that have and will persevere through any obstacles that come our way. If you believe I am painting a rosy color picture, I would recommend taking a look at the history of our Conferences and how it shaped the world views of our accomplished alumni.
Thus it is so important that we continue to carry our Conferences and Symposium, to provide opportunities for students to gain leadership skills, and to expose people to outside cultures in order to gain mutual understanding, friendship and trust between our three countries.
Thank you.


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The Network for Regional Improvement (NRHI) welcomes Amino as the 13th Qualified Entity (QE) recognized today by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). NRHI members make up 10 of the 11 QEs certified by CMS to report regionally and were among the first organizations in the country to earn the designation.
NRHI President and CEO Elizabeth Mitchell explains, "Those first regional QEs believed Medicare data could be a powerful ingredient in their work to improve the quality and value of healthcare in their communities. They have been incredibly effective at helping providers understand and use this data for quality improvement."
NRHI expects Amino's strong ability to provide transparent information to consumers will be an important complement to the effective work performed by regional QEs to help providers use data to improve care. Regional QEs also provides purchasers with a complete picture of what payer performance reporting offers so they can move their healthcare dollars to higher-value providers.
In August 2014, NRHI member Oregon Health Care Quality Corporation (Q Corp) was the first QE to publicly report on provider performance using Medicare, private payer, and Medicaid data. Including Medicare data has allowed Q-Corp to offer providers and consumers more complete information about the quality of care in Oregon. The Medicare data also allowed Q Corp to publish quality measures for clinics that did not have a large enough patient population to permit reporting using only commercial and Medicaid claims.
Today, Oregon physicians are actively using those results to guide their quality improvement efforts. NRHI expects rule-making to implement the broader uses of data from QE programs described in the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) will enhance the ability of regional QEs like Q Corp to generate higher value care in their communities.
NRHI and its members across the country produce and report on the quality, utilization, and patient experience of health care region-by-region and are increasingly collaborating to produce nationally-consistent reporting. They look forward to exploring the opportunity to partner with Amino to increase transparency for all stakeholders.

subset: commoncrawl


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I love the special time of night when we read stories to the kids, but especially reading to Rose. At bedtime I get impatient and cratchity, probably because I'm excited to have some adult time. And we hurry the kids along to put on pajamas, force them to brush their teeth.
But I love reading stories with the twinkle lights. It forces me to slow down and snuggle.
And I love creeping in to check on the kids when they are asleep. And each night I revel in Rose's beautiful, sweet sleeping face and promise myself that tomorrow I'm not going to forget to REALLY look at her and enjoy her and play with her. And yet, somehow, another day passes by, and I feel like time slips away from me.
Finn of course still gets plenty of attention because he's the youngest and is still doing cute little-person things for us to ooh and ah about. And we give Rose lots of love and attention too… But lately I feel like she is slipping away and becoming a little girl. She is turning 5 this summer and is so much more independent than she used to be.
But when I look at her in her bed at night, she is still so tiny. She doesn't even fill up a quarter of the bed. And her arms are little and her hands are little and her face is still smaller than the palm of my hand, her little rosebud lips almost as narrow as her dainty nose. I cannot hang onto those moments long enough. On the one hand, I am hurrying things along so we can get to the next milestone (and hopefully easier, more restful state of parenting), but on the other hand, I am mourning the fact that my children keep growing and time is flying by. While I am so enamored with my baby boy(s), each time I find out I'm pregnant with a boy, I am more and more grateful that God gave me at least ONE girl. She is so precious to me.
Tonight while we ate peanut butter toast and strawberries for dinner, I asked her what her favorite part of the day was. She said having a cookie and Gatorade and watching a movie. I said my favorite part was going to the park with our family and having lunch afterward at Chick Fil A. She said, Oh yeah! And laughed and said this whole day was a good day. And it was. We also watched tv together in the morning and did some living room dancing in the evening (she wore her new flamenco dress from Barcelona).
Tomorrow I will savor it more.
The day she set up a party in her room complete with cut up string on the floor and play food, and invited me straight out of the shower, even picking my party outfit and jewelry


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Version 1.0 is about six months away
Joystiq recently spoke with Chris Wilson, co-founder of the Path of Exile development team Grinding Gear Games, and got some great news for fans of the game. While the free-to-play ARPG has been in an open beta state since January, the official "release" is six months away. The Path of Exile developers have really been working hard, pumping out weekly patches to squash bugs and improve performance.
Perhaps the best news is that Grinding Gear Games plans to keep supporting Path of Exile with expansions "over the next five to ten years," adding content like brand new acts. Grinding Gears seem to be on the right track in terms of customer service, since they really seem to listen to the community and obviously have a passion for working on Path of Exile.
Path of Exile version 1.0 is six months away, one expansion per year after [Joystiq]


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Monique Arenas
Monique started at WPBT2 in December of 2012 as a pledge drive volunteer. With a love for the ocean and a passion for creativity, she quickly discovered Changing Seas and was hired as a Production Assistant in December 2014. Monique attended Florida International University where she received a Bachelor's degree in Mass Communication with an area of concentration in Photography. She is a certified scuba diver who loves all kinds of outdoor adventure. From the sea to the mountains, she enjoys being out in nature and having the opportunity to produce stories that both educate and entertain.


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A husband and wife who were married in the second century (feast day: 27 Tut). They are well known throughout both Western and Eastern Christendom. In the Coptic Synaxarion, their feastday falls on 27 Tut. Their Passion has survived in a great many different languages and versions, which would ultimately appear to have their source in a lost Greek version, similar to one of the three texts extant.
The definitive work on this question, after quite a number of other monographs of different types, is that of H. Delehaye (1919), who distinguishes three Greek versions of the Passion: the premetaphrastic version, which is closest to the original; the metaphrastic version; and the version of Nicetas of Paphlagonia. Ancient translations in Latin, Syriac, Armenian, and Georgian also exist.
The Coptic version has survived in only one manuscript (British Library, Or. 6783, ed. Budge, 1914, pp. 102-127). The content does not differ substantially from that of the Greek original. The original name of Eustathius was Placidus, and he was one of Trajan's generals. In the course of a hunt, the miraculous apparition of the famous stag with the cross persuaded him, together with his wife Theopista and their whole family, to be baptized.
There follows an account of his many misfortunes, his separation from his wife and children, and finally their miraculous reunion in the course of a war against the Persians. He is recognized as Christian, tortured, and, with his family, put to death.
Delehaye recognizes three main elements in the account: that of the stag is a common hagiographical element; that of Eustathius' misfortunes is derived from the popular romances and tales—some of them Oriental—of ancient times; and the Passion proper is a sort of secondary addition.
The presence of this martyr in the Coptic tradition is undoubtedly due to his fame in international circles; the translation must have been made relatively early, perhaps in the fifth century, inasmuch as we do not find the additions that are typical of the later period of the CYCLES.
- Delehaye, H. "La Légende de saint Eustache." In Bulletin de l'Académie Royale de Belgique, classe de lettres (1919):175-210.


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The philosopher Frederick Nietzsche, who popularized the idea that "God is dead," once said, "If these Christians want me to believe in their god, they'll have to sing better songs, they'll have to look more like people who have been saved, they'll have to wear on their countenance the joy of the beatitudes. I could only believe in a god who dances." What Nietzsche failed to realize is our God is very much alive and is a God who dances.
There's a famous painting called "Trinity" by the 14th Century artist Andrei Rublev. It portrays all three persons of the trinity sitting around a table. God the Father is draped in gold, representing his kingship. Jesus the Son is wearing red and blue, colors meant to represent the earth and sky he came to. God the Holy Spirit is in green, symbolizing his involvement as the source of life. They are sharing a common bowl.
As I look at the painting, I get the sense that there is a fourth place at the table, a place that is empty. And what is so intriguing is that there is a mark in the middle, as if something is missing. I am told that on the original painting there is some glue residue on that empty space. Art scholars believe the glue was left by something that used to be affixed to the painting. They say the artist glued a mirror to the table.
The fourth side is vacant because the vacancy is meant to be filled by you. The Spirit is offering an invitation. You are invited to join the dance. God has always existed in an eternal community of love, and he created you to be a part of his love, to join his community.
Maybe, like me, you've spent most of your life avoiding dance floors. However, we have a God who dances, and He is inviting you onto the floor. Maybe if we understand this God of the Dance then we can understand the meaning that is at the core of being of One Mind. If I am even close to being right, then all I have to say is;
It's time to dance!
Breathe Peace,


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Red Bull has its taurine-flavoured fingers in a vast variety of pies, routinely getting involved with everything from F1 sponsorship to blokes parachuting from space. In an attempt to showcase its army of sponsorship ties, the company's created an elaborate Rube Goldberg chain reaction 'athlete machine' involving many of its stars.
A Rube Goldberg machine, in case you're wondering, is a deliberately over-engineered chain reaction device involving a complex array of parts that combine to perform a simple task. This particular contraption involves everything from hurdlers to extreme BMXers, but the most impressive links in the chain are arguably the Red Bull cars – Rhys Millen's Hyundai Genesis coupe drift car and Brice Millen's Ram trophy truck.
The video starts with skydiver Sean MacCormac falling backwards out of a helicopter. He parachutes safely onto a platform that starts the elaborate sequence of events. A bowling ball rolls along to trigger a leafblower, which eventually spins a platform along which skateboarder Joey Brezinski uses to front-wheel balances his board towards yet another trigger point.
Eventually, pro BMXer Drew Bezanson releases red, amber and green flags, giving Brice Millen the go-ahead to hoon his Ram trophy truck across concrete and later in a muddy field. He then, via some plastic barrels, a rocket and a model submarine, releases Rhys Millen, who drifts his Hyundai Genesis Coupe through a spiral layout. The tail end of the car smashes through barriers that eventually allow motocross rider Robbie Maddison to let loose with wheelies and giant backflips.
It's very clever, well-edited stuff that serves as a great reminder that Red Bull will throw its money at any activity in which participants are likely to break bones. Have a gander at the video for yourself below.


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In our first Marina song bracket episode we put 8 of Marina's songs head to head to begin to figure out which song is Marina's best. Join us in this battle royale!
Marina and The Diamonds
6.5: A Hostery Lesson
Tiffany and Tom take a break from discussing RuPaul's Drag Race to talk about how they met and take some questions from some of their listeners!
Here are some things we mention in this episode for your convenience.
Squirrel Friends Cocktail Hour
Show 'Em What You're Made Of – Backstreet Boys Documentary
Hautemess Tom
"Hit Me Baby One More Time" – Britney Spears
"Pills" – St. Vincent
Dragula Season 2
Drunk Elephant TLC Framboos Glycolic Night Serum
Fenty Beauty – Trophy Wife, Confetti, Foundation
Dr. Thayers Witch Hazel w/ Rose Petal
Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless
"The Merciless" – Danielle Vega
"Open Heart Clear Mind" – Thubten Chodron
"Billie Holiday: The Musician and the Myth" by John Szwed
"The Bassoon King: Art, Idiocy, and Other Sordid Tales from the Band Room" – Rainn Wilson
"Purple Hibiscus" Chimamanda Adichie
Chimamanda Adichie
"From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" by E.L. Konigsburg
Instagram – bit.ly/2Gs4dan
Twitter – bit.ly/2GuyQM7
Facebook Page – bit.ly/2DXMr0c
Facebook Group – bit.ly/2DKw5sm
Website – www.itbearsrepeatingpodcast.com
Email – email@example.com


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Waistline Approved FoodsBy Annette Alfieri · June 12, 2013 · Dieting Farmer's Market Health Healthy Eating Lose Weight Motivation Nutrition Psychology of Eating Uncategorized Weight Loss Wellness · Leave a comment
This is the time of year where I really make a conscious effort to pull the plug on store-bought produce. All veggies, fruits and even eggs will be purchased at my local farms.
What better time is there to eat fresh and light than summer? This season has a built-in slim eating plan.
If you are like me, by this time of year I am sick and tired of the usual fare, like apples, bananas, broccoli, etc. And while I can still enjoy these foods, my taste buds are screaming for something new. And, my body wants to feel cooler and lighter in this warm weather.
A trek to a local farm or farmers market is the perfect solution to the clean eating blues; especially for those who are used to having the same things day in and day out. Variety is the key to vibrant health, and the gateway out of monotonous (diet-like) eating.
Seeing produce so close to nature ignites our passion for food again! It opens up a whole new world of possibilities in the pan. Who knew there were so many different kinds of eggplant, or beans or grapes? Heaven!
Also, fruits and veggies taste very different when they are picked at peak ripeness, not forced to ripen in a truck. And we can appreciate the beauty of our food when we see the vibrant colors under sunshine instead of poor fluorescent lighting.
So head on out and find something new to please your palate. As an added bonus, everything under the sun is waistline approved!
And don't forget to thank the farmers who tend our soil more for the love of earth than for profits that can be gained. As the war rages on amongst the agricultural giants like Monsanto, I will quietly take my dollars elsewhere.
Won't you join me?
Tell me about your newest find at the farm/farmer's market. I can't wait to hear about it.


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We develop strategies to protect and further our clients' interests at all stages of planning, development, and operation in a wide variety of cutting-edge environmental and natural resource matters. From rulemaking and policy counseling, to navigating labyrinthine permit approval processes, to defending multi-million dollar Citizens' Suits, we deliver creative solutions to meet our clients' transactional, regulatory compliance, legislative, and litigation needs.
Our comprehensive services cover every facet of environmental and natural resource concerns, including:
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Do you know which customers make you the most revenue?
When you know who your most profitable customers are, you can make your other customers profitable as well.
This post is the third post in our series "4 Secrets To Extreme Profit". You can go back and check out "The Perfect Customer" and "Motivation" if you're the type to read things in order.
If not it's fine, there are no judgments here.
3rd Secret To Extreme Profit — Revenue Tracking
You need to include some factors when you start revenue tracking to figure out which customer pays you the most per hour.
- how many man hours the property takes to work on
- how many people are traveling and working and for how long
- how much you are paid for the work
- how much extra wear and tear on your machines or materials cost you should take into account at that property
Man Hours
Determining your man hours is basically breaking down how much money you want to make for doing a job, and the time you have per person to hit that goal. We have some great infographics to walk you through the man-hour rating process.
The easy way to know what your man hour rating is with each of your customers is to just track it in CLIPitc.
CLIP has a series of reports that can tell you your man hour rating for each customer and even highlight which ones make you the amount of money you want to earn each man-hour, and which ones don't.
When you have your employees track their times in the CLIPitc app or through a route sheet that you input into CLIP, it's pretty easy to find out which customers make you the most revenue.
Materials Cost
You need to be tracking and knowing exactly how much materials you have used on the customer's property and bill them for that separately. If you haven't separated your material costs from your labor costs on your jobs yet, you are likely losing a little bit here and there, and that could be affecting your bottom line.
It's always nice to get a massive check from a customer. The problem is, sometimes those dollar signs can cloud your vision, and you forget all about the truckload of mulch and couple dozen pavers you used to get their job done. Factoring in these extra costs, that check doesn't look as good anymore, and that customer might be your least profitable one.
How Does Revenue Tracking help?
The question becomes; "How could knowing who my best customer is affect my revenue?"
When you know who your best customers are, you can look at the properties and figure out why. Is it because the travel time is down? Is it because the property doesn't have trees to mow around? It could be many different reasons, but if you know which one you can bid your future customers better based on them.
It also tells you something essential — which customers you do NOT want to lose! That means that when you want to send a letter out raising your prices, you better ignore the best customers or you may lose them. Send out the letter to your customers that barely make you enough, if you lose them, you can just replace them.
Know who your highest revenue producing customers are so you can make all your customers give you extreme profit!


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Report Cards: Grading the Yankee SeasonSeptember 30, 2009
First off, I would just like to say congratulations to the New York Yankees on their AL East Division Championship. It is well earned and well deserved.
As another Frank Sinatra song says, "And now, the end is near," so it is time to see who performed well and who underperformed. Here is my individual grading for each of the Yanks' seasons.
Let's start with the rotation.
CC Sabathia: A
CC came in this year with a big contract and big expectations, and he has performed just as expected. He has 19 wins thus far and could possibly have his first 20-win season before the end of the week. With an average ERA and a dominant second half, this ace is primed for the postseason and a great career with the Yanks.
A.J. Burnett: B
This would have been an A, but I had to settle for average. Burnett has had an up and down season, being average in the first half, dominant after the All-Star Break in July, and then just horrible in August. His last three starts have seemed like the July A.J., and it is a good time to be that way heading into the playoffs. If we are going to win it all, we NEED him to perform.
Andy Pettitte: B+
Andy is the rock of this rotation. He is a competitor, and he finds a way to win, even on days when he doesn't have his best stuff, something that Burnett hasn't been able to do thus far. He has a decent record for a third starter and could find himself pitching Game Two of the ALDS with his proven track record in the postseason.
Bottom line is that Andy knows how to win, and that is what we need. He has said that he wants to pitch again next season, and he needs to be in pinstripes.
Joba Chamberlain: B-
Okay, I went easy on Joba; call it "Growing Pains." I'm one of those believers that Joba has been a victim of overprotection. The Yankee brass loves him and wants to protect the future of the 23-year-old, but I think it has played with his mind, and his performance has suffered because of it.
When he is on, though, he is on. In his last start, he was allowed to pitch a REAL game, with no innings limit, and he had a determination in his eye, along with a 95 MPH fastball and devastating slider. That is the Joba we need. Hopefully his confidence will build and he will no longer be babied in his fourth year in the bigs.
Chien-Ming Wang/Sergio Mitre/Chad Gaudin: F+, C-, B+
Wang = absolutely nothing this year. Coming back from a season-ending injury last year, he was never the same and then had shoulder problems. If we can have the Wang from the three previous seasons, this would be an unbeatable rotation. F+ is for failure due to injury, but he did win one game.
Mitre came up and had one really good game, about two decent games, and a bunch of crap after that. He probably won't make the postseason roster.
Gaudin was a waiver pickup and has performed well since joining the Yanks, who have won every game he has started. I think he will be a great long relief guy in the bullpen in the postseason. A pleasant surprise.
Now on to the bullpen, one of the best in baseball.
Mariano Rivera: A
What else is new? He is the best closer in the history of baseball and continues to prove that every year. With a save number approaching 50 at the age of 40, he is an anomaly. All this with one devastating pitch. Amazing. Over 500 career saves and counting.
Phil Hughes: A+
Honestly, who ever predicted this? Hughes is a perfect eighth inning setup man for Rivera.
He started the year at AAA and then pitched in the rotation, and when Wang came back in June, the Yanks didn't know what to do with him. He was too good for AAA but wasn't completely effective in the rotation, though not bad. They didn't want to lose his arm, so they sent him to the bullpen. GREAT MOVE.
No one saw this coming, and it is exactly what we needed and have been missing since the dynasty teams. His ERA in the bullpen is under 2.00, and his fastball is up to 95-96 MPH, along with a great slider and devastating curve, all of which he throws for strikes.
Hughes has gained his confidence, and the Yanks might have found their post-Rivera closer by mistake!
Phil Coke: B-
Up and down season for Coke, both good times and bad times, but nonetheless effective when it really counts. He can get lefties and righties out. Decent.
Damaso Marte: INCOMPLETE
I give Marte an incomplete because he has had a very abbreviated season with an injury. He was signed to a three-year deal, so we will see a lot more of him, and he has been able to get lefties out since coming back in August. He will probably make the postseason roster as a lefty specialist.
Brian Bruney: C
He was great, and then not so great. He has been battling injuries this season, with multiple DL stints. He is a good bullpen arm, with a live fastball that is around 96 MPH. He has pitched better in September, but is it too little, too late? He might not make it onto the ALDS roster.
David Robertson: B+
He is the reason that Bruney might not make the ALDS roster. Robertson, coming back from an arm injury, has to prove he is healthy before the Yanks make any decisions on him for the postseason.
When he was healthy, he turned out to be a very effective, middle innings, righty strikeout guy, something you need in the postseason. He sports a 94 MPH fastball and a 12-6 curve, and he strikes people out. If he is healthy, he is in, and Bruney might be out.
Alfredo Aceves: A-
Also not on the Opening Day roster, Aceves has been a jack of all trades. He has proven to be a great long relief man, along with setup in the middle innings. Being a starter, he is able to work multiple innings. He had one start this season, where he didn't fare too well but wasn't horrible.
He will be a big factor in the postseason if one of our starters turns in a lackluster start. Kudos to Ace for stepping in.
Now, we can turn our attention to the best lineup in baseball.
Derek Jeter: A+
Oh Captain, my Captain! Jeter has made those critics eat their words with a MVP-type season at 35. He is hitting, stealing bases, driving in runs, and fielding the ball like a 25-year-old. It has really been a Renaissance year for Jeet, proving that he's still got it and is not slowing down.
He is the all-time Yankee hits leader, potential AL MVP, and a potential Gold Glove winner. Is there anything else to say?
Mark Teixeira: A
Who says you have to adjust to New York? Just like the other two BIG signings, Mark has had a monster year and has fit right into this team, something the teams of the early 2000s didn't have. He is a Gold Glove first baseman, a switch hitter, and the leader in HRs and RBI for the American League. Who doesn't love Tex?
Robinson Cano: A-
Cano needed this type of season. After trade rumors and a big contract, Cano needed to prove he was worth it. After a dismal 2008, 2009 has been kind to the second baseman. He could very well be on his way to a Gold Glove, is hitting over .320, and has a career high in HRs. The only blemish is his average with runners in scoring position, but that is being nitpicky.
Both he and Jeter have over 200 hits, and they are the only double play duo to do so in the same season while playing their respective positions. Nice comeback year.
Alex Rodriguez: B+
He needed this season. After a spring training filled with a steroid scandal, personal scandals, and a major hip injury, A-Rod was in the spotlight, in a negative way, once again.
When he was out of the lineup for the first month of the season, he was forgotten for a while, and the lineup suffered, but team chemistry seemed to build. Then, when he arrived back in town ahead of schedule on May 8, the lineup woke up, and it has put us where we are today.
Like him or not, he is a major reason the team is where it is. He protects Tex and has had a great season in his own right. He is hitting in the .280s with close to 30 HRs and close to 100 RBI, which is a great season for a regular player and a below average one for A-Rod.
It doesn't matter though; he is relaxed, and with Tex in town, the pressure on him to constantly perform is off a little bit. It has allowed him to be on the team, not above it in one way or another, and he has been able to take a back seat. The team has responded in a very, very positive way. Joe Girardi rests that hip at least once a week, and it is a recipe for success.
Jorge Posada: B
Good year for Jorge. At 38, he still can field his position respectably and call a good game, and he still can hit, which was always his major strength. Still a great presence in the lineup, and still has pop with over 20 HRs and an average around .280-.290. He's still got it!
Johnny Damon: B+
Damon, I believe, has played his way into a new contract. He is having a great year with the bat, slugging 24 HRs at the moment, and has a perfect swing for the stadium. He still can swipe a base and give you a good at-bat. He is a decent left fielder and a personality in the clubhouse. He should return.
Melky Cabrera: B+
Melky had his job taken away, and he has responded. Melky battled for the CF gig in spring training and lost, but just barely. He then recaptured it and has not let it go. He has a career high in HRs and is driving in runs in clutch situations, with several game-ending hits. He plays an above average CF and has an arm. He has proven his place as an everyday starter.
Brett Gardner: B
Overall, Brett has proven that he is a Major Leaguer. He can handle himself at the plate and is just as good a fielder as Melky.
Gardner has one asset that the Yanks really never had, and that is SPEED. He is a fast little you know what and can swipe a base on demand. He is going to be an X-factor in the playoffs, pinch running in the later innings for some of the slower starters.
Don't be surprised if you see the Yanks win a couple of games because of this speed. It is an ace in the hole for Girardi and company. He even swipes a base in pitchouts!
Nick Swisher: A
Had to give Nick at Night an A. Once Tex was signed, no one thought that Nick would factor in that much. But when Xavier Nady went down, he seized the opportunity and has flourished. He is having a great year, hitting close to 30 HRs and being a great presence in the clubhouse as well.
Nick loves this game and shows it with his jovial sense of humor and emotion. He has been an unexpected shot in the arm for the Yanks, one that has worked not only on the field, but off the field too. This team is having fun, and when you have fun, it makes winning a whole lot easier, or vice versa.
Maybe he should get a B for playing, but he gets bonus points for everything he brings to this team.
On to the bench.
Jose Molina: C+
Molina gets a C+ because he only brings one thing to the table, and that is defense. He knows how to handle the pitching staff, call a good game, and throw out runners, but that is it. He is too one-dimensional. Good backup, but you lose something in the lineup when he plays.
Jerry Hairston Jr.: B-
Good pickup and very versatile with some pop. Good fielder overall and can play almost anywhere. He will help in the playoffs if his wrist is okay.
Eric Hinske: C+
Another midseason pickup. He provides lefty pop off the bench and can play 1B, 3B, LF, and RF. Nice pinch hitter but suffers from lack of playing time. He should make the postseason roster, but don't expect him to play all that much.
Rookies/Occasional bench call-ups: A
This group includes Francisco Cervelli, Ramiro Pena, Shelley Duncan, Juan Miranda, Freddy Guzman, etc. I happen to love Cervelli, and not just because he is part Italian. He has great instincts behind the plate, and along with Kevin Cash he held down the fort behind the plate when both Posada and Molina were out with injuries.
I love Cervelli's energy, and his bat is better then what was perceived. Along with Miranda, he has been pied by Burnett, meaning he has hit a walkoff in limited time on the team. I believe he is and should be next year's backup to Posada, and maybe even a replacement when the time comes.
Pena is a great little spark plug who can get hits and can run a bit. He hit his first Major League HR the other night, and after the team joked and gave him the silent treatment when he got back to the dugout, they congratulated him in great style.
Pena can pick it also, which might find him as a key bench player in 2010; he is learning the outfield after being able to play SS, 2B, and 3B. If Hairston isn't back, he's our guy.
Miranda had his walkoff hit, Duncan has contributed a bit, and Guzman has speed much like Gardner, which might land him a playoff spot as well. The rookies have very bright futures.
Joe Girardi and the Coaching Staff: A+
I always thought Girardi was a great coach and that he knew how to play the game. He has been able get everything out of this group of guys and has made the right moves at the right times. Along with Dave Eiland, Kevin Long, Tony Pena, and the base coaches, he has molded this team with tons of talent into a true ball club—a real team.
Brian Cashman: A
Having met the man, he knows his stuff. He does his research. He knows this clubhouse. Since I believe 2006 or 2007, he has been in full control of who he really pursues, and that has changed the team entirely, starting with trusting the youth and building a strong farm system, along with bringing in the right personalities along with the talent. He earns his money, and working for the Steinbrenners is not an easy task.
Last but not least, Team Chemistry: A+
This team has what it takes to be champions. For the first time in a really long time, the team clicks together. They are having fun. They all are having fun together, and that is what wins championships. They laugh together, lose together, and win together.
Will Championship No. 27 happen in 2009? I'll see you in October. Look out baseball—the Yanks are back, so be prepared.


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A Taiwanese study demonstrated that concomitant infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and nontuberculous mycobacteria leads to a greater lung function decline and increased disease severity in patients with bronchiectasis.
The findings were reported in the study "Impact of concomitant nontuberculous mycobacteria and Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis," published in the journal Infection and Drug Resistance.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a well-known bacteria often found in patients with bronchiectasis. It is an opportunistic pathogen, taking advantage of patients' weakened immune systems to persist in their airways.
These bacteria can cause a variety of lung infections, including pneumonia, and severe systemic infections. Bronchiectasis patients infected with P. aeruginosa have demonstrated lower quality of life, accelerated decline in lung function, and more frequent exacerbations or flares.
Bronchiectasis has also been associated with nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), which can cause respiratory infections and lead to progressive lung disease characterized by cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, and weight loss.
The prevalence of NTM in bronchiectasis patients ranges from 2 to 37 percent, and has increased over the years. Although researchers have gathered information about these bacteria, little is known about the effects of NTM infection in patients with bronchiectasis.
A team led by researchers at Chang Gung University in Taoyuan, Taiwan, studied 96 bronchiectasis patients admitted to the Linkou Medical Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, from January 2005 to December 2014.
Medical records were analyzed regarding patients' presentation, exacerbations, number of visits to the emergency department, hospitalization, lung function — measured as forced expiratory volume (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) — and bacterial studies. All patients were followed up upon for at least two years.
Patients were divided into four groups, according to the presence/absence of P. aeruginosa/NTM: group 1 included 41 patients who were negative for the presence of both bacteria (not infected); group 2 included 20 patients who were positive for NTM only; group 3 had 20 patients positive for P. aeruginosa; and group 4 had 15 patients infected with both bacteria.
Researchers found that patients in group 4 had the greatest decline in lung function, in both FEV1 and FVC measurements, and the most frequent acute exacerbations, number of visits to the emergency room, and number of hospitalizations.
Patients in groups 2 and 3 also showed a significant decline in FEV1 and more frequent acute exacerbations and hospitalizations, compared to group 1.
During the follow-up period, there were only nine deaths reported, and the mortality rate was not different between the four groups studied — two patients died in groups 1, 2 and 4 each, while three patients in group 3 died.
Of the 96 patients analyzed, 35 were infected with NTM species; of those, 11 patients had multiple species of NTM, while 24 had a single specimen. Researchers found no differences in NTM species among groups 2 and 4.
Overall, the results show, for the first time, that concomitant infection with P. aeruginosa and NTM worsens bronchiectasis symptoms.
"Our study showed that nontuberculous mycobacteria isolates from the sputum of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis patients are associated with greater FEV1 decline and acute exacerbations. Patients with concomitant positive nontuberculous mycobacteria and Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates have the greatest pulmonary function decline and the most frequent acute exacerbations," researchers wrote.
The results suggest "that early recognition and prompt treatment of concomitant NTM and P. aeruginosa isolates may improve the outcome" in bronchiectasis patients, they concluded.


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Managerial Accounting
This content was COPIED from BrainMass.com - View the original, and get the already-completed solution here!
The exhibit on shows income data for the BNO Company for the year just ended, fiscal year 2009. The company makes industrial power drills at its Alabama plant. The exhibit contains separate columns for the costs of electrical and mechanical components (part A) and the costs of the plastic housing (part B). The direct fixed costs of the two parts are those that were traced to the separate facilities within the plant that manufacture the parts. Indirect (common) fixed costs, such as building depreciation, were allocated to the two parts on the basis of their direct labor costs. BNO's managers have budgeted identical results in the company's 2010 master budget.
How many units in excess of the breakeven point do BNO's managers expect to sell in 2010?
A prospective customer in an unrelated market has just approached BNO's senior salesperson, offering $82,000 for 1,000 drills. These drills could be made and sold in addition to the 100,000 expected to be sold in BNO's current market. The regular sales commission will be paid if the order is accepted. BNO's president is reluctant to accept the order because "the price is below our cost of $96 per unit." What will be BNO's 2010 operating income if the order is accepted? Discuss one important factor other than income that the president should consider in making her decision. Should the order be accepted?
A supplier has offered to manufacture the year's supply of 100,000 plastic housings for $13.50 each. What would be the effect on operating income if BNO Company buys, rather than makes, the housings? Assume that $310,000 of the direct fixed costs assigned to housings will be avoided if the housings are bought. Should the company make or buy the housings?
Suppose that if the company buys the plastic housings for $13.50 each it can use the vacated space to manufacture a deluxe version of its drill. Assume that 20,000 deluxe units could be made and sold in addition to the 100,000 regular units. The unit variable cost of the deluxe drills would be $90, exclusive of housings and of the 10% sales commission. The 20,000 housings needed for the deluxe drills also could be purchased for $13.50. Deluxe drills would sell for $132. All the direct fixed costs pertaining to the plastic housings would continue, because these costs relate primarily to the manufacturing facilities that have been used to make the housings but would be used to make the electrical and mechanical components for the deluxe drills.
a. What will be BNO's operating income if the company buys the plastic housings and manufactures and sells 20,000 deluxe drills and 100,000 regular drills?
b. What should BNO Company do? Briefly, why?© BrainMass Inc. brainmass.com October 4, 2022, 1:44 pm ad1c9bdddf
Solution Summary
The solution explains how to calculate the impact on operating income of sales in excess of breakeven as also of a make or buy decision.


text: Commune Cafe is located in Yaletown of Downtown Vancouver. They are an all day breakfast restaurant which I love because I can have breakfast food all day. It is a small restaurant indoors however they do have a patio seating area which is nice on a sunny day. The staff is friendly and it has a nice and clean atmosphere. Overall It's a decent breakfast place and offers special menu items for weekends and holiday.


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How To Look Out For Property In Ontario?
Whether you're a first time home buyer or try to find a rural property in a suitable area, buying a house is a substantial decision that wishes to be carefully considered and research prior to arriving in a close.
Purchasing a home or a property inside the budget is just one more critical facet to consider together with the website and surroundings of the region.
Location is among the most important facets which you have to keep in mind before buying a property. Ontario is one of the premier residence places in Canada in order to have a vast offering of lavish and comfy homes and land property. There are lots of options available if you want to buy property like countryside house for sale, equestrian property, and rural home for sale in Ontario.
Incorporate new and advanced expansion programs, the tiny rural community of Ontario has reshaped itself into a huge and flourishing group of individuals which has a range of their very best in contemporary and quite important facilities like school, healthcare, and basic communications.
Ontario region comes with a tempting number of possessions in addition to land, the house in sales. The entire region of Ontario is very secure which makes it surrounded by the couple best chairs to begin a family. No material which kind of possessions you want to purchase just hires the best real estate agents to buy property according to your choice.


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Technical Support Staff
At San Antonio College, Technical Support is organized by zoned service area. Each zone represents several buildings with a specific geographical area of the campus. A Zone leader and Zone staff are assigned to each zone.
For additional information on buildings and staff within each zone, please refer to the list below:
Zone 1 Buildings: Fletcher Administration Center, Ashby, Child Development, Longwidth Radio Television Film, Visual Arts Center, District Facilities, CE Annex, Facilities.
Zone 2 Buildings: Moody Learning Center, Eco Centro, and Victory Center
San Antonio College Help Desk
Submit a Footprints to submit a service request. (SAC Employees Please Note: To access Footprints you must enter your workstation username and password).
Alamo Colleges District Help Desk
Call: 210-485-0555
or leave a message and the Help desk will respond within one business day.


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Every September, Denis and Pat Schrank's rural Batesville, Indiana farm is overrun by fourth graders from local schools. For five consecutive days, 50 to 75 students a day come for an up-close look at traditional farm life. They are introduced to everything from tractors and steam engines to basic carpentry and food preservation (separating cream and churning butter, making cider, hulling walnuts) to laundry with a washboard and wringer. There are tractor rides, chats about antique tools, sawing, brief lessons on natural history (counting rings in a cross-section cut from a log) and introduction to household chores of the past, like carrying wood for the kitchen stove to heat water.
After 25 years, the Schranks and a small army of 16 volunteers have the event down to a science. "We keep a tight schedule," Denis says with no small understatement. "You can't lollygag or you won't get through it." At noon, the dinner bell rings. The kids break out sack lunches for a picnic under a tent while a volunteer plays a musical saw and sings.
Hands-on activities like husking and shelling corn, rope-making and broom-making focus youthful energies; wispy threads of history tie the package together. "My wife tells them about the history of our farm and our family," Denis says, "and we talk to them about Indiana history, which they're studying. Poplar is the state tree, so we cut some boards from a poplar log and talk about how lots of barns around here have poplar siding."
Each day ends with a group photo (with a copy of the photo for each student) and a chorus of goodbyes as the kids board familiar yellow buses. "When I was a kid, we made butter and we made cider and we carried wood," Denis recalls. "Kids today never get a chance to do those things. You can't believe how excited these kids are to be here." FC
Learn about Denis' hobbies and the history of the wheel in Wheel Collection Goes on Tour and The Invention of the Wheel.


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Well for someone who swore they would never run a race, I popped that cherry today and then some!
It was a beautiful winter day, one of the warmest I've run in fact, a balmy -6°C (-10°C with wind chill). I met up with L and her friends at the designated area inside the performing arts center. Honestly I felt a bit weird being among all those runners. They looked all way more qualified than me to be running a race.
After a few quick bathroom visits (only one for me!), it was time to walk to the start line. There were several of the half-ers doing some warming up and I saw one with something like a tube coming out of their shirt and asked L what the heck that was – apparently it was a camelback! Brilliant!
We got to the start line and there were a few hundred ahead of us. Next to where we were standing was a mom and her son. I asked the boy how old he was as he looked like my daughter's age. He said he was six and this wasn't his first race. Um … okay. Mom said he would finish under 45 minutes, maybe 40 minutes. Finally, we heard the countdown and started walking up towards the start and off we went. Before the race, L and her friend said I was going to set the pace and by the end of the first kilometer we were under well under 7:00/km which was just fine with me though it was a bit faster than I wanted so I deliberately slowed my pace a bit and ran most of the time just a few strides behind them. There was a bit of chatting but by 2 km I stopped talking and just focused on the road and my breathing. L asked if I wanted to walk and I said no. And then we saw the leader of the 5 km race running towards us on the other side of the road. I looked up his time – he finished the run in 15 minutes.
Suddenly we reached that the halfway point, made our turn and headed back. Already I was sensing this was going to feel like the fastest 5 km I'd ever run even if my time didn't reflect it. At 3 km I was asked again if I was walking and I said no. I did slow down a bit as the girls got ahead of me a little but they slowed for me so we were still running together. Then we saw the 6-year-old running just ahead of us as the 4 km marker approached and he stopped to walk with his mom. As we made our turn, about 200 meters from the finish L said "We are gonna beat that 6-year-old. Let's go!!!!" And we hauled ass to the finish. I tried to look for my husband and kids but realized I needed to focus on not falling over my feet. I crossed the finish line just a second or two after my friend. A minute later, I heard my daughter calling for me and turned towards the sidewalk and found her. I ran over to her and hugged her across the barriers and then she gave me the medal she made for me. It was a special moment I will never forget. A few minutes later we picked up our real medals.


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How to Fix a Broken Police Department
Article exploring the efficacy of reforms in policing policy that emphasize transparency and integration into the communities that law enforcement officers serve.
Read the article here:
Citizens were throwing stones and beer bottles at police officers in front of City Hall, and Maris Herold didn't understand what they wanted.
She was a police officer herself, and knew that her department had made some missteps. Most recently, an officer gunned down a 19-year-old unarmed black man, Timothy Thomas—the fifteenth black man to die at the hands of police in five years. Read more...


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Natural resources and Energy
The Chilean economy relies heavily on the exploitation of the country's natural resources, as well as on the import of fossil fuels for its energy needs. This makes the country dependent on market fluctuations, thereby limiting competitive strength and capacity for development.
In the sessions within this theme, we want to address ways in which Chile can strengthen itself by responsible and sustainable exploitation of its resources and generation of energy.
Since Chile is a country with generous geography, extended dimensions and a long history of national emergencies, one could say that the country is complex to administrate. However, the country is organized based on a model where administration of resources and decision-making is highly centralized. This reduces the regional capacity for planning and prevision and limits the regional government to operational tasks.
In these sessions the audience is presented with two of the pressing issues at the moment in Chile with respect to decentralization: regional productivity and emergency situations.
Healthcare and Education
Education and public health have been an important topic of public debate in the last years and this has started to result in consensus for legislative reform. The problems with the Chilean educational system are clear, as are the asymmetries in the level and quality of national healthcare services. These two themes present an enormous challenge for Chile's sustainable future and at the same time a great opportunity to think of improved ways to satisfy the continuing demand for equal access to high quality education and healthcare.
Social Equity
Social equity is a major challenge in Chile's path towards a sustainable future. Social asymmetries have their impact on society in various ways, but in the end, all reduce the potential of nationwide personal, social and national development.
In these sessions we address social equity from two different, multidisciplinary, standpoints.


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Rosier-than-expected jobs report doesn't improve outlook for long-term jobless
PBS NewsHour - 12/06/2013
We asked Northeastern University economist Barry Bluestone what he made of the numbers.
BARRY BLUESTONE, Northeastern University: On balance, this was a good report today, over 200,000 people back to work. We have got the unemployment rate down from 7.3 percent to 7 percent. That's all good news.
Of course, many of those were federal employees coming back to work after furlough, but we had some good news about manufacturing employment up, construction employment up, pretty much across the board. So, in general, this is good news. Plus, over the last several months, we have been seeing more job growth, in the area of about 200,000 jobs a month.
PAUL SOLMAN: Indeed, job gains were broad-based, from manufacturing and construction to warehousing and transportation, to retail, as the holiday shopping season kicked off.
But amidst the good news, a curiously stubborn fact, says Bluestone.
BARRY BLUESTONE: We continue to see incredibly high levels of long-term unemployment. These are people who have been unemployed for 27 weeks or more; 4.1 million Americans have been unemployed that long. And that isn't moving at all. It's been over 4 million-plus for months. So these are people who are at a point where they're just essentially out of the economy and, of course, hurting very badly.


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Members Only acquired by JR Apparel World
NEW YORK—The Members Only brand has been acquired by JR Apparel World, LLC from Members Only Licensing Group. JR Apparel World has been manufacturing Members Only jackets since 2009 and says it has grown the business seven-fold.
"I have been a licensee for many years and always knew I would acquire a brand one day and become a licensor," said JR Apparel CEO Jaggi Singh. "I saw a great opportunity with Members Only to revive a powerful, iconic American brand. Members Only is one of the few brands that has solidified its reputation in outerwear and can be extended from its core product to other categories such as sportswear and accessories. There is tremendous potential to develop Members Only into a full lifestyle brand."
Singh says that he is in talks with potential licensees for numerous other product categories, like accessories, sportswear, sunglasses, tailored clothing and fragrance.
Members Only was founded in 1975 and became popular in the 1980s for their band collared bomber style jackets. The company was re-launched in 2009 and is currently distributed in Bloomingdale's, Macy's, Urban Outfitters, Kitson, Fred Segal and better specialty stores.
Singh has been an outerwear licensee for Kenneth Cole, Elie Tahari, Joseph Abboud, Rocawear and Nicole Miller.
Members Only will be showing at the Project trade show in Las Vegas next week.


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Order, please.
House of Commons Hansard #145 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was price.
House of Commons Hansard #145 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was price.
Energy Costs Assistance Measures ActGovernment Orders
1:30 p.m.
The Acting Speaker (Mr. Marcel Proulx)
Order, please.
Energy Costs Assistance Measures ActGovernment Orders
1:30 p.m.
Tony Martin NDP Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am just trying to get a handle on what the Conservatives think is an appropriate price for fuel out there. What is it that many of the folks in the fuel industry, with whom they wine and dine almost every weekend, would see as acceptable?
Would you be able to take a message to them--
Energy Costs Assistance Measures ActGovernment Orders
1:30 p.m.
The Acting Speaker (Mr. Marcel Proulx)
Order, please. Let me remind the hon. member that he is to address his comments through the Chair.
As far as exchanges between the hon. member and other members of the House are concerned, there will be a 10 minute question and comment period at the end of his 20 minutes.
Energy Costs Assistance Measures ActGovernment Orders
1:30 p.m.
Tony Martin NDP Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am certainly very interested in those questions. Certainly the Conservatives find themselves sitting across the table from some of these folks in the fuel industry more often than those of us in this caucus do. It would be interesting to know what level they would find acceptable for the price of fuel or oil in the world we live in today.
In fact, would the Conservatives be willing, as I am asking the government to do, to put it to these business folks in the fuel industry that what happened over the Labour Day weekend and has happened since then is profiteering and gouging of the most obvious sort? That is what we want to know.
As I was saying, a 10¢ per litre difference may not sound like much, but every penny per litre generates an additional $2.5 million in profit for the industry every day. For the period around Labour Day, when the difference between the price and what would have been justified by crude oil prices was much greater, at as much as 45¢ per litre at the peak, the industry was bringing in $112.5 million per day in excess profits.
This is what was going on while the men and women in my riding, truckers, farmers, small business people, seniors on fixed incomes, low income people and people working at minimum wage, were having to pay these exorbitantly high prices. There was nobody out there to champion their cause. There was nobody out there except for the New Democrats and except for me in Sault Ste. Marie to stand shoulder to shoulder with them. I spent a morning on a road in Sault Ste. Marie with the truckers as we slowed down traffic to send a message to the industry and to government that something needed to be done immediately or the truckers who were standing with me that morning were going to be out of business.
These truckers were not willing to, nor should they have to, subsidize industry in northern Ontario or in consequence subsidize the fuel industry across this country and around the world. Out on that road, as we stopped traffic and handed out leaflets to people through their vehicle windows, the truckers were asking people to contact the government and let it know that it needs to get tough with the industry.
As we stopped traffic and handed out leaflets to people, the truckers were saying to me that perhaps the government needs to put in place something like the Ontario Energy Board. Then, if the industry wants to increase the cost of fuel, it would have to go before the board and justify that increase, because we all need energy and fuel. We cannot live without it. It is part of the infrastructure of any economy that we are going to have in this country, particularly in the northern and rural parts of Canada.
My constituents were asking for this government to do as I and my colleagues in the NDP caucus have done, to stand shoulder to shoulder with them, in consultation, from a position of strength, face to face with the industry people to ask them to justify any increase in the cost of fuel. If that increase can be justified in a fair market scenario, in a fair marketplace, then okay, God bless them. We are okay with that. We are not against a free market. We are not against people making a bit of profit on the services and products they deliver, but profiteering and gouging should not be part of that marketplace. They should not be part of what we are doing.
We ask the members of the government to work with their leadership to put together a real vehicle, not what is in Bill C-66, as our critic from Windsor West says. What the government has put in place to have people call and let the government know when prices have gone up too much or there is gouging is nothing more than a website, with no ability, no resources and no facility to actually use that information to challenge the industry. It is an exercise in smoke and mirrors.
That is the first thing I want to say this morning. The government has to get serious. The government cannot use tax dollars to subsidize the fuel industry. The government should not be doing this, because the fuel industry is doing very well, thank you very much, and does not need to be subsidized.
The industry has already benefited over the last 10 to 15 years from the corporate tax cuts that the government has given to it. The government does not need to give the industry more now by spending hard-earned tax dollars to subsidize it even further.
However, as I said, because the government is not going to do anything further on this and is not going to get tough with the industry, the little bit of money the government is going to give out is welcome, and some of it is being given because we forced the government to put it into the budget last spring.
Because of that, we will probably support this bill on principle as it goes through for second reading. Then we can sit down at committee and bring amendments forward to improve this bill and actually make it work in the way everyone wants it to work.
I want to comment on a couple of the other pieces of this bill that are problematic. One is the flow of money for low income people who deserve it, need it and want it, and who actually needed it yesterday. We are concerned that the money is not going to get out the door fast enough.
I am told that if we pass the bill, the money will move quickly, but this is a five year program so we are afraid it will be piled up at the end of the five years whereas people need it most right now. We are afraid they might not get it, particularly if we go into an election in the next week or two. Who knows? That money will be left hanging and the folks who need it will be left hanging.
These people are facing the spectre of provincial governments clawing back this money. Because the government has not done anything in this bill about that, we will be making amendments when it goes to committee to stop the provinces from clawing the money back.
In fact, the provinces claw everything back from our most at risk and marginalized citizens. In regard to money that flows from the federal government for the poorest of our citizens across the country, with a wink-wink, nudge-nudge to the provinces the federal government tells them that it is alright, these are the rules and they can claw it back and then use it for whatever they want as it does not necessarily have to go into supports and programs for the poor and those at risk.
We have seen this happen in many programs, particularly with the child tax benefit supplement that flows to those most at risk and marginalized in our communities. We are afraid that in some jurisdictions the fuel tax rebate will be clawed back by the provinces.
For example, we know, because we have been in contact with the people and have read some of the media stories, that the Northwest Territories plans to do exactly that. There is not a whole lot of money up there either and they are looking for ways to get dollars. If this is the only way the Northwest Territories can get money out of the federal government to help it with some of its financial challenges, it is going to do it.
As its representatives told us when we called them, those are the rules imposed by the federal government. That is the template the federal government has out there right now for any money that flows to individuals in different jurisdictions. If provincial or territorial governments decide to claw this money back, they can and in fact are encouraged to do so. The Northwest Territories is going to do just that. What I want to know is what other provinces will follow suit.
We had an example of this with Mike Harris in Ontario from 1995 to 2003. My God, there was nothing that he did not take away from the poor of that province. Few can forget the money he took away from pregnant mothers, the money for milk that he said was beer money.
Energy Costs Assistance Measures ActGovernment Orders
1:35 p.m.
An hon. member
And he left a $5 billion deficit.
Energy Costs Assistance Measures ActGovernment Orders
1:35 p.m.
Tony Martin NDP Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Yes, he left a $5 billion deficit.
There are governments and premiers acting in official capacities who will in fact do that, so we are asking the government to put some mechanism in place to stop that from happening. We are asking the government to put some regulation in place which will guarantee that the provinces cannot do this. We are afraid that otherwise those who need it most, those who are most at risk, those who are most marginalized in our communities, will not get it, particularly this winter.
The other piece of this legislation that is troubling is the fact it is targeted so narrowly to those who collect GIS and those who collect the child tax benefit supplement. There are literally millions of others who are low income working people, some without children, who will go cold this winter because they will not get any of this money. There are people across this province, low income themselves, some of them in small businesses, like farmers and truckers, who also will not benefit from this.
There is no money in the bill to compensate people in industry, particularly in northern and rural Canada where resources are limited to begin with. There is nothing in the bill to respond to their needs.
I launched a petition and campaigned with the truckers over the labour day weekend, the same truckers who I stood with on the highway in Sault Ste. Marie, slowing down traffic to send a message to the government to get tough with the industry.
I have spoken to farmers who are worried. They already have been hammered by the BSE crisis. Three or four generations of equity have been eaten up. Now they will have to come up with more money to put a crop in the field next spring. They are not sure where they will get that money because of fuel and seed prices. Also, fertilizer has oil components in it. It is problematic and troubling.
That is why those truckers and farmers came to the town hall meeting I held. They wanted to give me and the leader of our party, the member for Toronto--Danforth, a message to bring back to the House of Commons. They wanted us to speak confidently and forcefully on their behalf to get the government to do something.
There is nothing in the bill for them. There is nothing in the bill for the hard-working men, women and families across the country who do not now qualify for either the child tax benefit supplement or the GIS. The National Anti-Poverty Organization met with me a couple of weeks ago, before the bill was introduced. It said that if the government flowed the money through the GST rebate, it would help more people. I know the government will say that the last time it did that, people who did not qualify for it, such as students or those who had died, received it. Then it should fix that. Do not throw out the baby with the bathwater. If there is a problem with a vehicle, fix it.
Let us get tough with the industry. If we are going to put something in place, make sure it meets the needs of the most people possible.
Energy Costs Assistance Measures ActGovernment Orders
1:45 p.m.
Scarborough—Guildwood Ontario
John McKay LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, there are days when we wonder about NDP members. It is built into their DNA to hate taxpayers. They hate taxpayers even more if the they pay more taxes. If the taxpayers pay a lot of taxes, they really hate them, to the point where I think they need anger management. It strikes me as strange that the people who pay the most taxes in our country are the ones they hate the most. I do not quite understand the logic of that.
The complaint is that the oil companies are gouging profits, et cetera. Let me go through with the hon. member from the NDP and all House members where the tax points are, and the point at which taxation occurs. We tax the royalties when the oil come out of the ground. We have corporate tax rates which many argue are way too high. Canadians, ordinary and otherwise, get dividends which fund their retirement and other needs. We also have a surtax. If we listen to people on productivity, they say that is about as good a way to kill jobs as any. That is the federal taxation points.
Then we have provincial tax points which are at the royalty level. There also is a corporate tax rate that provinces apply. They also have surtaxes that they apply. Municipal governments apply taxes at property levels.
Therefore, there are a huge number of points at which all these companies are taxed.
What is the hon. member thinking? Does he not realize that if a company makes profits, it will be taxed? There are arguments to be put that it is overtaxed, that in some respects Canada's taxation regime is a disincentive to investment job creation, et cetera. I do not buy those arguments. Nevertheless there are those who make those arguments. Why do NDP members hate taxpayers?
Energy Costs Assistance Measures ActGovernment Orders
1:45 p.m.
Tony Martin NDP Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Mr. Speaker, I do not know to what speech the member was listening. I did not mention taxes at all, except to say that the government is again going to subsidize the fuel industry. The parliamentary secretary's colleague, Mr. McTeague, said that a category five hurricane in the U.S.--
Energy Costs Assistance Measures ActGovernment Orders
1:45 p.m.
The Acting Speaker (Mr. Marcel Proulx)
Order, please. May I remind the hon. member again that we are not to use the names, but rather the titles or the riding names.
Energy Costs Assistance Measures ActGovernment Orders
1:45 p.m.
Tony Martin NDP Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Mr. Speaker, one of his colleagues said that a category five hurricane in the U.S. had given rise to a category five fleecing of the consumer at the pump. We are not talking about taxes. We are talking about the government getting tough with the industry, and the member is afraid of that.
Energy Costs Assistance Measures ActGovernment Orders
1:45 p.m.
Guy André Bloc Berthier—Maskinongé, QC
Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to say that I agree with my colleague from the NDP that there are certain measures missing from this bill. I have a question for him.
What does he think of the response from another hon. member, to whom I put a question earlier, who insinuated that the astronomical profits of the oil companies were justified because they helped create jobs? According to a study by the research chair of the Université du Québec à Montréal, the profits of the oil companies have risen 585% over the last 15 years.
In my opinion, this increase in profits is not proportional to job creation. In fact, profits have risen 585% in the last 15 years, and according to the same study, over those 15 years there has been a 54% reduction in employment. Therefore it is not true that the increase in the profits of the oil companies is creating jobs.
I would like to hear the hon. member on this subject. Keep in mind that we are in favour of this bill. But we believe that other measures could be taken to encourage a greater contribution by the oil companies to these social measures, and of course to ensure that this bill can reach other clienteles who have need of it.
Energy Costs Assistance Measures ActGovernment Orders
1:50 p.m.
Tony Martin NDP Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member. The math needs to be done on the jobs created by the oil industry, although they are less than a few years ago, and the jobs that will be killed by the increase in fuel costs.
In my area truckers and farmers are saying that if the price of fuel stays where it is or goes any higher, they are out of business. Those are people who will not have jobs.
Energy Costs Assistance Measures ActGovernment Orders
1:50 p.m.
Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS
Mr. Speaker, my biggest problem is with the oil companies. In Halifax oil tankers come in once every three months. In April the tankers came in and when the hurricane hit about six weeks later, the new price on the old stock kicked in, anywhere from 10¢ to 15¢ to 20¢ higher. If that is not price gouging, I do not know what is.
Representatives of the industry should be made to appear before a federal committee to justify any increases to their cost. That would be transparent. We do that with the provincial regulations in Nova Scotia. Prior to any increase to fuels, companies have to appear before a board to justify them.
If the government or anybody else truly wants to give an energy rebate to consumers to offset the high cost of energy, the simplest way to do that is to remove the GST or in Atlantic Canada the HST. If those taxes were removed from fuels and home heating energy, that would give an immediate dividend to all people who use fuel.
Would my colleague agree with that? Any other system will leave out a large amount of people. If this is truly an energy rebate, then we should do it for energy itself.
Energy Costs Assistance Measures ActGovernment Orders
1:50 p.m.
Tony Martin NDP Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member. We have to find more creative ways or, in fact, any way, such as convincing the government to get tough with the industry by creating a vehicle where the industry has to come forward and justify its prices.
We have no problem with making a profit or with the market dictating prices, as long as it works and is not profiteering and gouging ad nauseam, which is what we are seeing. We do not want the government to have to continue to on one hand give corporate tax breaks and on the other hand allow free rein with the cost of fuel then subsidize the industry by helping people pay for their fuel. Where does this end?
A member earlier talked about the NDP having some problem with taxes. It has no problem with taxes as long as they are used effectively and properly on behalf of those who need it the most.
Energy Costs Assistance Measures ActGovernment Orders
1:50 p.m.
Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON
Mr. Speaker, I want to make a point and get the member's comment on it. The commodity we are talking about is energy. It is not about gas, or natural gas, or oil or hydro.
As an example of what we will be facing, on July 1 the Ontario Energy Board approved an increase in natural gas per cubic metre from 27¢ to 31¢, about a 15% increase. At the same time, the independent gas marketers were selling three-year contracts ranging from 40¢ to 42¢ compared to 31¢, the currently approved rate. The independent gas marketers purchase these gas reserves under long term contracts. That is the reality. According to these contracts, it is probably a one-third increase in the cost of natural gas by the end of three years.
There is no question that Canadians will be faced with higher energy prices over the next three to five years. We need a strategy to deal with it. However, there comes a point at which time we cannot cut taxes or the GST. It is $400 million per 1¢ of tax which means that 5¢ would be $2 billion. It will not be enough to deal with the massive increase. We need a strategy to deal with energy consumption, particularly with regard to some of the elements of Bill C-66, like the retrofits and the energy upgrades. We need to be smarter with our energy. We just cannot buy our way out of this one.
Could the member comment on this?
Energy Costs Assistance Measures ActGovernment Orders
1:55 p.m.
Tony Martin NDP Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Mr. Speaker, I agree. That is why we support pieces of the bill on retrofitting and working with low income affordable housing units and low income citizens to help them replace windows and doors, which would reduce energy.
We agree that cutting taxes is not the answer. The CCPA said that if we look at what is behind the current high gas prices, we would find that taxes have virtually nothing to do with the increase price in gas. With the exception of the GST, all provincial and federal gasoline taxes are flat amounts per litre and do not go up when prices go up.
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives also goes on to say that the cost of energy coming out of the plants that process it has not changed significantly over the last 10 years. It says that what we have is profiteering and gouging. I am asking the government to get tough with the industry, to go head to head with it and tell it that it cannot continue to raise prices in the way it has.
Energy Costs Assistance Measures ActGovernment Orders
1:55 p.m.
Marlene Catterall Liberal Ottawa West—Nepean, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to address the bill and the measures the government is taking to assist families with the cost of fuel and particularly with the cost of heating.
I am especially pleased that we have a bill in front of us that essentially has three prongs to it. The first one, which is important, is the direct financial assistance to low income seniors or households with children who will be facing increased heating costs this winter.
However we are also using this opportunity to inject extra resources into ensuring Canadians are less dependent on fossil fuels. This would have a benefit in long term savings for families who qualify for these incentives to make home improvements, but it would also have a hugely important environmental benefit, in that as we reduce our consumption of fossil fuels we also would be reducing our impact on the atmosphere and our contribution to the greenhouse effect and to global climate change.
Therefore, not only are we addressing the immediate issue of the cost of fuel, but we are also addressing the long term issue of how we reduce the consumption of fossil fuels.
We also are addressing issues around market transparency. How can Canadians know better about how the price of fuel is determined and where perhaps there are questionable practices in the cost charged for fuel, whether it is gas at the pump or heating fuel going into our homes in the winter?
There have been persistent concerns about competitiveness in the oil industry. Measures are in this bill, as well, to strengthen the oversight of the Competition Bureau and its ability to take action.
I will speak more about this after question period but I hope the bill and the measures the government has announced will be an incentive for the provinces to look at how they can contribute.
We are clearly at a point now where gas prices have returned to, and I think perhaps a bit below, where they were prior to the Katrina storm that impelled a 25% increase in the cost of gasoline at the pumps, but it does not take away from or minimize the importance of these measures in the bill.
Kiyoshi Thomas TsubouchiStatements By Members
2 p.m.
Alan Tonks Liberal York South—Weston, ON
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express condolences on behalf of all members of the House to the family of Mr. Kiyoshi Thomas Tsubouchi whose life was most tragically taken away at the age of 83.
Mr. Tsubouchi was born in Vancouver, raised in Duncan and at an early age left school to help support his family. At the outbreak of World War II, he was sent to an internment camp in northern Ontario where, despite the difficult conditions, he received his high school diploma by correspondence.
After the war, he and his family moved to Thunder Bay where he worked for a logging company, again to help provide for his family. After his marriage to Fumiko in 1951, he moved to Agincourt from downtown Toronto where for 20 years he successfully owned and operated Apex Dry Cleaners.
Kiyoshi was a man of great determination who, along with his wife, sacrificed all for his family. Kiyoshi also loved sports, especially his beloved Maple Leafs, the New York Yankees and, of course, Tiger Woods.
He will be deeply missed by his children, David, Dan and Lynn, his grandchildren and relatives, and remembered as a wonderful father, friend and great Canadian.
Sponsorship ProgramStatements By Members
2 p.m.
John Williams Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
Mr. Speaker, earlier today, Mr. Justice Gomery confirmed what members of the Conservative Party have been saying for years. The sponsorship program was a money laundering scheme by the Liberal Party that is the most shameful scandal in our history.
What is very clear from Justice Gomery's report is that the Liberal Party of Canada is a corrupt organization, plain and simple, and that the culture of entitlement runs rampant in the Liberal Party.
The sponsorship program was directed at the highest levels by Liberal appointees of the government. It was designed not to save the country but to enrich friends of the Liberal Party and to pay the Liberal Party's election expenses courtesy of the Canadian taxpayer. Every law and every rule in the book were completely trashed by Liberal ministers and Liberal lobbyists.
Mr. Justice Gomery has indeed confirmed that the Liberal ethical deficit is like a bottomless pit. It is time to throw the bums out at the next election.
Sponsorship ProgramStatements By Members
2 p.m.
Pauline Picard Bloc Drummond, QC
Mr. Speaker, the first question raised in this House on the suspicions of a scandal involving the program called "sponsorship initiatives" was raised by the Bloc Québécois.
On June 6, 2000, the leader of the Bloc Québécois and hon. member for Roberval asked the first of over 440 questions that would lead to the inquiry by Justice John Gomery.
Since then we have learned that Groupe Everest, Lafleur Communications and many others received contracts for several million dollars from Communication Canada or Public Works and Government Services Canada. These firms contributed to the electoral fund of the Liberal Party of Canada to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars—dirty money, as the government's political lieutenant for Quebec called it.
By following the dirty money trail, the Bloc Québécois denounced and uncovered the worst political scandal in Canadian history, a Liberal scandal.
Justice Gomery might not be able to punish anyone, but the public can. Inspired by Quebec's slogan, Je me souviens , Quebeckers—
Sponsorship ProgramStatements By Members
2 p.m.
The Speaker
The hon. member for Ottawa—Orléans.
People's Choice Business AwardsStatements By Members
2 p.m.
Marc Godbout Liberal Ottawa—Orléans, ON
Mr. Speaker, last Wednesday, the Orléans Chamber of Commerce hosted the fourth edition of the People's Choice Business Awards.
This event is a means to thank the business community and welcome the input from the community at large. It also represents a mechanism for the collectivity and the businesses to work together for the betterment of the Orléans community.
This year, more than 9,000 people took part in this event by voting on the Internet for their favourite local businesses. The 15 winners were chosen from a wide range of businesses and entrepreneurs who were celebrated at the gala event.
I want to join the residents of Orléans in congratulating all the nominees and of course the winners. They are directly responsible for the economic development of Orléans and we are very grateful to them.
It is a job well done by the Orléans Chamber of Commerce.
AgricultureStatements By Members
2:05 p.m.
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
Mr. Speaker, while the government spends and abuses taxpayer dollars into the millions, rural communities and farmers in my constituency are struggling under the weight of increasing operating costs with the rising cost of fuel and fertilizer at a time of record low commodity prices.
The finance minister and the Treasury Board minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board has been dithering, as usual, by failing to increase the initial price for Canadian Wheat Board grains. The net price for feed barley is at 18¢ a bushel. It costs more than that to deliver it. That is as ridiculous as it is shameful.
When will the government act to increase the initial price of grain? Farmers need the cashflow.
In the midst of this dark moment, I wish to pay tribute to the small rural community of Ogema, a bright light in my constituency that, despite the government's national embarrassment, has recently been awarded the Canada Lands Company Sustainable Development Award in the 2005 national edition of Communities in Bloom.
Ogema was recognized in the category of community development. To its credit, it has been able to create 90 jobs through a series of business developments in the community.
I take my hat off to Ogema and its citizens for their dedication and community pride. However I give thumbs down for the government's inaction during a national agricultural farm crisis throughout Saskatchewan.
Suzie BernierStatements By Members
November 1st, 2005 / 2:05 p.m.
Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Mr. Speaker, I would like to draw to the hon. members' attention the recent passing of a great lady, a resident of my riding of Madawaska—Restigouche, Suzie Bernier of Connors.
Mrs. Bernier was always concerned for the well-being of others. She and her family were actively involved in, and committed to, the development of their community. A staunch defender of our heritage, she preserved numerous artifacts in her own home.
I invite hon. members to join with me and the people of Madawaska—Restigouche in expressing sincere condolences to the Bernier children, Armand, Lionel, John, Robert and Margot, and to all her other relatives and friends, in the loss of their loved one.


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A dangerous lack of First Amendment understanding
The freedoms guaranteed in the First Amendment have been the bedrock of the nation's character for more than two centuries. The liberties guaranteed for speech, religion, press, assembly and petition have guided the nation through its historical challenges. The free expression principle is conceived as part of basic humanity, a controversial notion that still escapes the thinking of many other nations.
Americans today, however, seem to have little awareness for what the First Amendment can or should do in helping a highly polarized nation move forward. Recent poll results from the Annenberg Public Policy Center reveal a nation untethered from its constitutional heritage.
The study showed 37 percent of Americans could not name a single right provided under the First Amendment. Less than half could name free speech as a guaranteed right, with only 15 percent naming freedom of religion and 14 percent freedom of the press. The rights to assembly and petition were basically missing from the radar.
The constitutional framers were themselves divided as to what such guaranteed liberties would mean for the young nation. Patriots such as Patrick Henry opposed the First Amendment and even the "Father of the Constitution" James Madison was late to support the idea. It is worth noting these liberties were added in an amendment and not included in the original Constitution. The guarantees of free expression became the First Amendment only after initially being ordered third in a list of 12 amendments, the first two never being ratified. Thus, no assumption can be made of free expression being given the highest priority.
The nation's confusion as to what it means today to have free expression is hardly surprising given how many cultural and political leaders seem to misunderstand or undervalue the principle. President Trump's anti-press outbursts are well documented. Now, Hillary Clinton is also ripping the media for its role in last year's election. Sure, Trump and Clinton have their own free speech rights to bash the media, but their harsh critiques suggest an unnecessary lack of understanding for the role of a watchdog press.
Senators Dick Durbin and Diane Feinstein recently displayed their confusion about the freedom to practice religion in their Judiciary Committee grilling of appeals court nominee Amy Barrett. The senators essentially applied a religious test to Barrett, inquiring about her Catholic faith and suggesting Barrett's religious practices could prevent her from executing judgeship duties fairly.
Speakers at college campuses are now shouted down or not invited at all because their ideas don't conform to campus norms or because certain parties don't want to hear them. Speech codes stifle free inquiry at colleges that presumably were established to allow for robust debate. Even Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi was hounded off the stage by loud protesters recently as she tried to engage constituents.
The results of a recent study conducted by Brookings Institution scholar, John Villasenor, provide cause for concern. A survey of college students shows a fifth of respondents believe physical force is acceptable to shut up a speaker who utters offensive remarks. And, presumably, such censors themselves get to decide what constitutes "offensive" speech. It is dangerous for the nation when so many highly educated, supposedly tolerant, minds are willing to physically shut up speakers with whom they disagree.
The right to assemble has been bastardized to include vandalism, stopping traffic and disrupting the activities of fellow citizens. Exercising constitutional rights was never intended to interfere with the rights of other citizens who want to be left alone. Assembly as expression is different from action that threatens and interrupts others.
The federal courts have tried for years to referee what the First Amendment means in the lives of Americans. The courts try to provide guidance on protecting worthwhile expression while disallowing worthless expression, and in distinguishing speech from actions that are harmful. But the courts face a near impossible challenge of refereeing all free expression issues. Ultimately, it is up the citizenry to embrace the value of the First Amendment, and live up to it in daily life.
The First Amendment was created not just to protect an individual's rights, but the rights of the other guys as well. Today, too many people look at these freedoms in a self-centered manner, protecting their own expressions but not those with whom they disagree. The First Amendment demands an other-centered, functional interdependence and an appreciation that everybody is covered under this ideal. Perhaps the nation would be less polarized if all citizens could buy into this conception.
Jeffrey M. McCall is Professor of Communication at DePauw University. Follow him on twitter @Prof_McCall.


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There are many different factors that play a role in determining our level of mental clarity moment by moment. One of those factors, that is often overlooked is nutrition. There are so many studies out there that talk about the negative impact that not getting all the right nutrients can have, not just on your body, but on your mind too. Its all connected.
One step that a lot of people are taking to improve their mental focus and resilience is to increase their intake of vegetables, specifically greens, such as kale, spinach, chard, parsley and so forth. The cool thing is that now you can get special green drinks that are like powdered mixes that you can shake up and enjoy without needing to juice your own green vegetables. Patriot Power Greens is a special alkalizing green drink made out of greens and many other powerful enzymes, pro-biotics and such. Here is a video explaining about this product. On YouTube.
Patriot Power Greens from The Patriot Health Alliance was developed by a doctor named Dr. Lane Sebring who is an expert on natural anti-aging methods. The thing about this guy is that he developed it for active duty coast guard squads so that they could stay alert and have the energy and vitality that they need, even when they are getting older and things are starting to break down a bit.
Eating fresh greens and cooked greens is considered by most people to be pretty healthy, but it is really astounding how the vitamins in greens and fruits work so well with the human body, and the fact that you can get all those greens in a simple little drink mix is kind of a mind blower.