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Contrary to what you may have heard, negotiations to establish a new round of trade talks under the World Trade Organization did not come to a complete halt in Seattle last December.
Although protesters did manage to garner maximum publicity for their efforts to derail the talks, the negotiations are alive and well, thank you, according to WTO Director-General Mike Moore.
"So far, 36 negotiating proposals have been made in the agricultural area, covering the whole range of specific issues," said Moore, speaking at the USDA Outlook Conference. "There can be no doubt that governments are intensively and seriously involved and that these negotiations are making all the progress we could expect under current conditions.
Moore said the key words are "under current conditions."
"I think almost everyone involved accepts that however hard the negotiators work we are simply not going to get an optimal outcome from these negotiations unless we can relate them to a wider agenda — to a new round," he said.
"The next stage of negotiations is bound to be tougher, as political decisions are needed to narrow the wide gaps among positions. The arguments on the various sides of the agriculture talks may speak for themselves, but the political logic for most of the participants demands the possibility of broader trade-offs."
Moore, the leadoff speaker on a panel on trade issues at the annual Outlook Conference, said U.S. leadership in the negotiations is crucial.
"It is difficult to overstate what is at stake here," he noted. "The United States is the world's biggest exporter of agricultural products, accounting for 12 percent of the total. This makes up 10 percent of total U.S. exports."
Although the North American Free Trade Agreement has played an increasing role in U.S. trade, three-fourths of U.S. exports still go outside the NAFTA area, 40 percent of those to Asia alone.
"That is why a multilateral approach to agricultural negotiations is so important for the United States," he said. "For the United States and other export-oriented producers, the negotiations could open up, on a secure and predictable basis, better access to the most dynamic food markets of the future."
For other countries, the negotiations offer the possibility of improved growth through trade in products in which they might have a competitive advantage if trade conditions were less distorted. "This, in turn, will make it less attractive to grow illegal crops."
Cutting trade-distorting subsidies, as he called them, also can lower prices for consumers and reduce the incentive to farm in ways that are unfriendly to the environment.
The last round of world trade talks, the "Uruguay Round," laid the foundations of a fair and market-oriented agricultural trading system, he said. It set new rules on subsidies, outlawed non-tariff barriers and began reducing trade-distorting domestic support, export subsidies and tariffs.
"Some governments and their farm constituents feel the Uruguay Round promised benefits that have still not arrived," Moore noted. "Others fear a further erosion of existing protection in terms of a threat to traditional values and lifestyles. And no one should underestimate the reality of the concern for food safety, which is particularly acute in Europe at present but which is by no means only found there."
He said most of the negotiating proposals submitted by WTO members call for improvements in market access, "although there are clearly differences in the level of ambition, approaches and details. In one way or the other, all aspects of market access are on the table."
While difficult negotiations are still ahead, Moore is heartened by the progress made to date. "I can recall when many said that no world trade agreement would ever include agriculture because it was too hard," he said. "We have gone far beyond that stage and into a new era of negotiations."
E-mail: email@example.com.


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Most people would like to believe that there's a kind of economic karma: Companies that treat employees well will see their stock prices rise, and those that treat employees badly watch their stocks fall.
If only it were that simple.
In theory, benevolent employers should have an advantage. "To me, it's absolutely true," says Jerome Dodson, manager of the Parnassus fund. "If a company treats its employees well, the business should prosper and that should show up in the stock price," Dodson says.
It's a philosophy Dodson embraces in his own company. "When you have reduced employee turnover, it makes a huge difference in earnings," he says. "We don't need as many people, we don't have to hire headhunters, we're not continually retraining people."
And, in fact, there's fairly solid evidence that companies that treat employees well see their stocks prosper. It's just that some companies that aren't noted as great workplaces can see their stock prices rise, too.
Consider Google, nearly universally acclaimed as a great place to work. Its stock has soared about 700 percent since its public debut in August 2004.
Google's offices abound with areas designed to promote interaction, from a bowling alley in Mountain View, Calif., to a pub lounge in Dublin, Ireland. The computer search company has a great health plan, a college reimbursement plan, legal aid, even travel assistance. Heck, if an employee dies, Google will continue to pay 50 percent of the deceased's salary to his or her family for a decade.
Or consider Marriott, which offers employee discounts at its thousands of hotels worldwide. Work there 25 years, and you get free stays at the company's hotels and timeshares. Marriott has gained an average 11.3 percent a year for the past decade, vs. 7.9 percent for the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index with dividends reinvested.
The argument for companies that treat employees well, however, is not simply because people like to get benefits, although they do. "The data strongly support the fact that organizations that focus on the engagement of their employees deliver stronger performance," says Julie Gebauer, managing director for talent and rewards at Towers Watson. "It's not just making them happy — that's not a business issue. Engagement is."
Low turnover
Employees who feel engaged tend to do better jobs and are more willing to put in the extra hours, Gebauer says. They also tend to stay at the company — and that, too, is a good thing, says Dodson. "There's all kinds of cost savings when there's low turnover," he says. At his company, 10-year employees become owners, and that, too, trickles down to the bottom line. "It motivates them to save us money," he says.
Companies on Fortune's list of 100 Best Companies to Work For tend to have less employee turnover than average. In information technology, an industry notorious for job-hopping, voluntary turnover is 5.9 percent at the companies on the list, vs. 14.4 percent industrywide. In professional services, turnover in the best places to work is 11.3 percent, vs. 24.7 percent industrywide.
Low turnover means that good employees stay and are more productive. The inverse is also true: Companies that have happy employees are less likely to have unhappy workplace events, such as strikes or class-action lawsuits — events that investors generally hate.
Publicly traded companies in the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list have gained an average 10.8 percent a year since 1998, according to the Russell Investment Group. Many of the publicly traded companies named as Best Companies to Work For in 2013 saw their stocks perform admirably last year:
— Whole Foods soared 31 percent, vs. 13 percent for the S&P 500.
— Marriott gained 28 percent.
— American Express advanced 22 percent.
Naturally, there were some disappointments, the most prominent of which was Chesapeake Energy, down 25 percent last year. Part of Chesapeake's problem was its continuing lavish perks for executives: Directors earned an average of more than $500,000 in 2011, according to the website Footnoted. Its CEO has earned notoriety for similarly lavish perks, including the company's $12.1 million purchase of his antique map collection in 2009. (The CEO later paid back the company, under pressure from shareholders.)
One big question, however, is whether companies that treat employees well do so because they are already successful and growing, and simply have the financial wherewithal to be generous. Google, for example, sits atop $48 billion in cash on its balance sheet; so does Cisco, another company on Fortune's list.
Furthermore, some industries, such as airlines and autos, were long known for generous treatment of employees — but that was when the companies were much more profitable than they are now.
Cutting perks
When a company is struggling, however, its first step is typically to start cutting employee perks, says Charles Bobrinskoy, manager of Ariel Focus fund. That's typically seen as more humane than mass layoffs.
You could also argue that companies in low-margin businesses — think grocery stores and fast-food chains — tend to have the least amount of money to spend making employees happy, and would therefore be least likely to show up on lists of great workplaces, much less great stocks.
But Parnassus' Dodson disagrees. For example, his portfolio includes Costco but not Wal-Mart. "Costco pays their employees well and has good benefits," Dodson says. "They want people who are professional, not just quitting and going on to the next job." Costco has gained 30.5 percent the past 12 months, including reinvested dividends, according to Morningstar, the mutual fund trackers, vs. 19 percent for discount stores.
And even in the beleaguered media industry, some companies still offer outstanding benefits. Morningstar, for example, gives employees a six-week paid sabbatical every four years. And employees are allowed to take as much vacation time as they need, says Bevin Desmond, president of international operations and global human resources at Morningstar. "It can be difficult for people to get used to," she says. "We hire people who are smart, motivated, aggressive and ambitious, and they put everything they can into the job."
Benefits help in transitions
Having a good benefits package also makes the transition easier when Morningstar buys another company, Desmond says. "It tends to warm them up a bit to have a nicer medical plan."
And, she says, Morningstar competes heavily with technology companies, which are noted for generous benefits. It pays off: Their chief technology officer came to Morningstar from Microsoft.
But good employee treatment means more than a good dental plan, says Gebauer of Towers Watson. "What makes the biggest impact are things that don't have significant costs," she says. "How expensive is it for a senior leader to give an employee a pat on the back, or give someone the opportunity to work from home for a day or two?"
While every company that treats employees well doesn't automatically outperform the S&P 500 in the stock market, those that habitually treat employees badly often do suffer for it — and for a long time.
"Companies that have a poor reputation see a bit of a lag," says Linda-Eling Lee, executive director at MSCI. "And I do think that companies that lag — it's amazing that they chronically underperform. They lurch from crisis to crisis."
Happy employees can mean economic boom for company
Most people would like to believe that there's a kind of economic karma: Companies that treat employees well will see their stock prices rise, and those that treat employees badly watch their stocks fall.

subset: commoncrawl


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Answers for the Thessalonians
As an exercise, read 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 three times. Read it first as if the destruction of Jerusalem, near at hand, is in view. Read it second as if it refers to every crisis in history, when God ...Read More
Why Do God's People Pray?
Giving thanks in all circumstances does not mean that we become thrilled with the prospect of pain. Instead, it means thanking the Lord for how He uses our greatest joys and deepest hurts to make us more like Jesus. Regular ...Read More
Unceasing Prayer
In today's passage the apostle Paul tells us to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17). Many people find it hard to maintain a consistent prayer life, and so they neglect this important means of grace in the Christian ...Read More
Providence and Gratitude
The Heidelberg Catechism says that knowledge of God's sovereign providence enables us to be thankful when things go well for us (Q&A 28). That is certainly true. However, we can also be thankful when things go ill, not because of the pain in and of itself, but because we know the Lord is working in it for His glory and our good. Let us cultivate a grateful attitude toward God, informed by the knowledge that everything is truly in His hand.Read More


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We last told you about Typr, a note taking application that syncs between Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 back in early February. The app has just hit version 2.0 and brings some new features to the table.
If you update to version 2, you'll find yourself running an app that has reduced crashing by having completely rewritten code. In addition to those bug squashes, you'll get to enjoy faster performance. Typr has also managed to reduce loading times that plagued the app before. The other cool feature that is supported in the Windows Phone 8 app is landscape typing.
The app is fully featured and ad-supported. You can remove those ads buy purchasing it. For the Windows 8 version hit up this link and part with $1.49. It's $0.99 for Windows Phone 8, go to the Windows Phone Store here to download, use the QR below, or swipe right in our Windows Phone Central app.
This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy for more details.


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Paul and Jeff Agre were tired of getting hit by a dangling foam headliner in their 8070 Allis Chalmers tractor. The glue in the cab's interior had worn off from years of use, leaving the headliner hanging and a left fender panel missing completely. What's more, the seat was ripped and the armrest was rough from wear. "Our arms were getting sore from rubbing up against the old vinyl," Jeff says.
The Agres weren't ready to buy a new tractor. They just wanted their old one comfortable enough to drive until they could afford to trade. So they went six miles down the road to K&M Manufacturing, a family-owned company that makes aftermarket tractor cab replacement kits.
They bought all the parts they needed for a completely new cab interior along with an updated seat and suspension. "The tractor looks like it just came off the assembly line," Jeff says. "We're really pleased with it."
Value. The Agres are not alone. At a time when crop margins are tight and farm input dollars are short, more farmers are buying cab replacement kits as a way to prolong the life of their existing tractors until they can afford to buy new. And there are many advantages to doing it.
One is comfort. You just feel better driving a vehicle that looks and feels like new. Another advantage is less noise. The cab parts are made from acoustical foam and vinyl that help insulate the cab and protect drivers' hearing. Finally, there is the benefit of higher resale value when it comes time to trade. "I can't get top dollar for equipment that looks like heck on the inside," says Brian Crane, part owner of Charles Crane Equipment, a company that buys and sells early-model farm equipment and frequently installs replacement kits made by Fehr Cab Interiors. Crane and other buyers say a new kit more than pays for itself.
Price. The kit manufacturers claim that the cost of an aftermarket kit is on average about half the price you would pay for the same parts through the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). The exact price varies by make and model of the vehicle and whether you are replacing the cab interior or adding a whole new cab to a cabless tractor. On average you can expect to pay $100 to $400 for a kit that includes side cushions, fender panels and posts, plus another $100 to $300, each, for a headliner, floor mat and seat. Installing a whole new cab can cost $1,400 to $2,900.
Labor. Like all do-it-yourself projects, the downside is the labor involved. An interior job can take anywhere from two to 12 hours, depending on the vehicle, and as many as two days or more if you are putting on a new cab.
According to the kit makers we talked with, the easiest interiors to replace are the 86 series IH tractors. The most difficult are Case Steigers and New Holland Versatiles, which have more pieces and more intricate headliners that you have to match up. If you are installing a whole new cab, it may make more sense to hire your dealer to install it for you unless you are mechanically inclined.
K&M Manufacturing says usually a tractor is ready to be reconditioned when it is 10 years old. To give you a sense of the job and what a difference it can make for your tractor, we talked to three buyers of aftermarket cab kits. We asked them about the process and whether they were satisfied with results.
Paul and Jeff Agre
Agre Farms
Sacred Heart, MN
8070 Allis Chalmers tractor
For this story, K&M installed the cab kit for the Agres and took photos of the process. The parts the company replaced were the side cushions, fender panels, posts, headliner, floor mats, seat and suspension.
Company co-owner Kim Mulder and employee Lloyd Pederson performed the installation. Their first step was to pull out all the old pieces of foam and vinyl and remove any remnants using a wire brush. Then they vacuumed it out. "Glue won't stick to dust," Mulder explains. "You have to vacuum it up really well."
Complete overhaul. When it came time to do the installation, they started at the top with the headliner and worked their way down. They fit the pieces in dry before gluing to ensure a proper fit.
K&M cuts a groove in the back of the pieces of foam using a hot nycrome wire, the kind used in toasters, to help the foam bend around corners. Mulder say the wire cuts cleaner than a saw and results in a cleaner fit and more finished edge.
From there they glued in the pieces, spraying both the cab surface and the foam to get the best adhesion. According to Mulder, the hardest piece to install was the headliner. "There were holes in the foam material for the radio, but some of those we had to cut a little bigger," he says. "And to take the old headliner off, you have to disconnect all the wires and then make sure you get them hooked up right."
For the last phase they installed the seat and suspension. K&M makes its own seats and recently bought a laser cutter to cut steel for the parts. Installers used to cut the steel parts by hand using a metal sheer and an ironworker to punch holes. They say the cutter results in a smoother cut, less labor and minimal scrap. "Everything is drawn out on a CAD system and sent from the computer to the laser," Mulder explains. "It tells you how many parts you can get out of a sheet and it will nest them together to get the best yield."
K&M is considering the same technology to cut the foam and vinyl for its cab kits instead of cutting each piece manually using a knife and wooden template. "We're still a few years away from that," Mulder says.
Price. The whole process took the two men about eight hours. The total cost was around $1,000, which included $219 for the cab kit, $265 for the headliner, $155 for the floor mat, $186 for the seat and $146 for mechanical suspension.
The Agres say they will get that money back in resale. "It will bring top dollar," Jeff Agre says. But he adds that they are in no hurry to sell. He says, "We're so happy with the inside that we want to paint the outside."
Brian Crane
Crane Equipment
Clifton, IL
1486 International
Brian Crane, part owner of Crane Equipment in Clifton, IL, has replaced more cab interiors than he can count. As a buyer and seller of quality early-model farm equipment, Crane moves about 80 to 90 tractors a year. He says most tractors that come in have interiors that are in poor condition.
"Usually they are completely trashed out and disgusting," Crane says. "I get in them, power wash the cabs, put new cab kits in, clean them up with some vinyl reviver, do the windows, and before you know it, you have a new-looking cab again."
Precise fit. Crane buys all of his interior kits from Fehr Cab Interiors in Fairbury, IL. He says the company's kits offer him the best quality and best look at an affordable price. "It is the best look and best cut because they do it so precisely," Crane explains. "There isn't much trimming. Everything fits in there back to its original way."
The owners of the company got their start as upholsterers and went out to farms with roll stock and cut and installed the pieces themselves. As their business grew, they started making patterns and putting together kits that farmers could install themselves.
Fehr employees cut all parts by hand using Swiss-made upholstery cutters. The company owns its own thermo-forming machine to make its own molded plastic parts for tractors with plastic headliners. Fehr says making the parts in-house and by hand ensures high quality.
Fehr makes cab interior kits for almost 500 tractors. The one that Crane used most recently was for a 1486 International. "The tractor cab was a big mess inside," Crane says. "It was dusty, dirty and falling part."
Installation. Crane took off the old foam and power washed the cab. Then he installed the new kit for the lower belt line. The kit, which cost $99, contained seven pieces that ran along the seat, underneath the door and under the clutch and brake pedals.
Crane worked from the top down starting with the main piece around the seat area. The entire installation took him only 15 minutes. "I've put in so many I've gotten good at it," he says. He says the average person may take a little longer.
He says the tractor cab now looks like new. And with the new cab interior, the tractor will be much easier to sell and will bring top dollar on his lot. "It's no different than if you went to buy a car and got inside of it and it was disgusting," he says. "The customer is going to like getting into a nice clean cab."
Tim Horton
Carmichael, CA
4310 John Deere
Tim Horton loved the versatility of his 4310 John Deere compact utility tractor. He used it for lifting, digging, ripping out tree stumps and removing concrete on his property in Carmichael, CA. The 32-hp, 4-wd diesel was equipped with a backhoe attachment, box scraper, posthole digger, disc, forks and 3-pt. trencher. The only thing missing was a cab.
Horton wanted a cab to protect him and the tractor's electronic controls from the sun, dust and rain. But his local dealer didn't offer a cabbed version in that size tractor.
Whole new cab. Horton dug out an old brochure from Curtis Tractor Cab he had kept since 1969 when he was a boy. "I remember wanting a cab enclosure for our Cub Cadet International tractor," he recalls. "But back then we were lucky to buy the tractor, let alone any extras."
Horton called the company and told his story to Fred Curtis Jr., whose father had started the company. He then grilled the engineers about the cab design and construction. "The next thing I knew I had a Curtis Cab sitting on my doorstep that I had purchased, and I went right to work putting it on."
Horton, a certified aircraft mechanic and a general foreman for an electric company, worked on the cab along with his brother over a weekend. They started with the door frame and built from there, in accordance with the instructions. Parts included a hard canopy top with an acoustical headliner, electric wipers, front windshield and soft-sided jeep-style doors.
The job took the two of them about 12 to 16 hours to complete. Horton says installation was somewhat challenging but adds that a person with a moderate mechanical aptitude would be able to do it. According to the company, a high percentage of customers have their equipment dealers install the cab for them.
Price. The kit cost a total $1,700. Horton says the cab will not only protect the tractor's electronics from the elements, but will also increase its value.
"My tractor with the cab enclosure and backhoe attachment sitting on the John Deere dealership in Woodland, CA, has been a showstopper," says Horton, who recently brought the tractor there for service. "For a person who likes tractors, it is pretty exciting."
Cab kit manufacturers
Curtis Tractor Cabs
Vehicle cab systems for utility tractors with up to 60 hp; snow and ice control equipment and accessories. Cab enclosure kits include hard canopy top with acoustical headliner, 12v, heavy-duty electric wiper, automotive-style safety glass front windshield, and soft- and hard-sided, pin-hinged doors.
28 different styles to fit John Deere, Kubota, New Holland and other brand-name tractors.
Price: $1,400 to $2,900
Contact Curtis Tractor Cabs, Dept. FIN, 111 Higgins, Worcester, MA 01606, 800/343-7676, or visit www.curtiscab.com or www.freeproductinfo.net/fin.
Fehr Cab Interiors
Original equipment manufacturer (OEM)-quality cab interior kits, headliners, floor mats, seats and door seals. More than 400 kits available.
Price: $100 to $400
Contact Fehr Cab Interiors, Dept. FIN, 10116 N. 1900 E. Rd., Fairbury, IL 61739, 815/692-3355, or visit www.freeproductinfo.net/fin.
K&M Manufacturing
OEM-quality cab interior kits, headliners, floor mats, replacement seats, suspensions, replacement steps, extendable mirrors, warning lights, safety and utility products and toolboxes. More than 75 different kits available.
Price: $100 to $400
Contact K&M Manufacturing, Dept. FIN, Box 409, Renville, MN 56284, 800/328-1752, or visit www.tractorseats.com or www.freeproductinfo.net/fin.
Installation tips
Have patience.
Read all the instructions before you start.
Thoroughly clean the cab, using a putty knife, wire brush or side grinder to get off old upholstery and foam.
Vacuum and wipe down the interior to remove particles and dust.
Dry fit the pieces first before you glue to get a feel for where they go.
Glue both the cab interior and the foam to ensure adhesion.


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October 13, 2010
YouTube & Genealogy
I've used Google Maps Street View to look for their homes (using addresses on the various census records). I've looked at historic postcards. But I've never thought of checking YouTube until recently.
Much to my delight there are many videos, both amateur and professional, giving overviews of various towns and villages in England! Some videos are put out by tourist boards. Some are by people living in a specific town and just walking around while filming. Some are by tourists. But wow, what a treasure trove!
One of my ancestors (Hannah Philpot) was born in 1805 in a tiny village called Pluckley, in Kent. I'd no idea it is considered the most haunted village in all of England until I found dozens of YouTube videos about it. Using the videos in conjuction with Google Maps, I am now able to have a good idea of what Hannah experienced and saw with her own eyes.
Hannah later moved to Lenham Kent when she married Edward Golding, and a quick search of Lenham in the YouTube search engine brought 103 results. Some of course are more interesting to the genealogist-historian than others!
Searching for Ramsgate, where both my grandparents and their parents and their grandparents and so on waaaay back were born, gave me over 2,000 hits. I have only watched a half-dozen but now I have a much better idea of places my grandmother Ruth Fuller talked about.
Youtube has added a whole new dimension to my genealogy searches and knowledge of my ancestors. It adds much needed detail and definitely fleshes out those ancestral bones.
1 comment:
- Colleen Greene said...
I regularly search YouTube for historical film footage, or just photo montages, of my ancestral places. Vimeo too (because they allow longer videos, so more organizations and producers are starting to migrate to that host).
For example, there's a lot of good stuff on the German Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum in Buffalo, where my maternal grandfather and his brothers resided in the late 1920s/early 1930s. Being able to watch that mix of present day footage set against historical photos really helps me get a glimpse into my deceased grandfather's childhood.
Flickr is another great spot to check. Again, I found really cool photos of the present-day ruins of that Buffalo orphanage.
As more and more archives and libraries realize that their patrons are demanding digital access to their collections, these organizations are flocking to free social hosting sites like Google and Flickr to meet their immediate access and budget needs.
And like you, I too use Google Maps Street View to search for ancestral addresses. I love that I have indeed sometimes been able to view a photo of a building there that just *might* date back to year in which my ancestor lived or worked there.
Colleen Greene
Librarian & Genealogist
Colleen's Commentary


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7 reasons to see a physical therapist
September 27, 2017
By: ExploreHealth Content Team
It's that time of year when everything gets busy and we spend a lot of time focusing on packing as much activity into the day as possible. Because you spend so much time focusing on other activities, you might be ignoring some key messages your body is trying to tell you. If you are experiencing any of the following seven symptoms, you might want to visit a physical or occupational therapist:
- A recent injury limits your daily activities
- An old injury has "flared up"
- Routine activity now causes pain (and doesn't improve after 3-5 days with rest and ice)
- You have pain in your body
- Knee, foot or ankle
- Shoulder, eblow, wrist or hand
- Hip, back or neck
- You've diagnosed yourself with Tendinitis, Tennis Elbow or Carpal Tunnel (lower case tendinitis, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel)
- You "pinched a nerve" with shooting pain, numbness or tingling
- Any other general aches and pains are bothering you
A quick trip to a therapy center may make all the difference in your outlook on daily activities. You may even surprise yourself in how much better you feel!


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It sounds like the GOP is going to bring back up the idea of attaching a Balanced Budget Amendment to the constitution.
In a series of tweets this morning, the National Review's star DC reporter Robert Costa basically explained that the idea is to toss a bone to the far right (by proposing a BBA) and perhaps bring Obama to the center on spending. Nobody actually thinks there's any chance of said amendment getting through Congress anytime soon.
This new move towards a BBA was anticipated a bit by George Will, who pushed for one in a column earlier this week, basically arguing that politicians are irresponsible, and only a constitutional amendment could force them to behave.
He starts by knocking over what he see as the "various" counter arguments.
The arguments against a constitutional amendment to require balanced budgets are various and, cumulatively, almost conclusive. Almost. The main arguments are:
The Constitution should be amended rarely and reluctantly. Constitutionalizing fiscal policy is a dubious undertaking. Unless carefully crafted, such an amendment might instead be a constant driver of tax increases. A carefully crafted amendment that minimizes this risk could not pass until Republicans have two-thirds majorities in both houses of Congress, which they have not had since 1871.
Furthermore, requiring a balanced budget would incite creative bookkeeping that would make a mockery of the amendment and the Constitution. For example, New York, which like 48 other states ( all but Vermont) has some sort of requirement for a balanced budget, once balanced its by selling Attica Prison to itself: A state agency established to fund urban redevelopment borrowed $200 million in the bond market, gave the money to the state and took title to the prison. The state recorded as income the $200 million, declared the budget balanced, then rented the prison from the agency for a sum adequate to service the $200 million debt.
All of those points are fine, as it goes, but they're far from the complete range of arguments against the idea.
The biggest problem with a Balanced Budget Amendment is that it would destroy the economy. Yes, destroy.
The size of the deficit is mostly a function, at any given time, not of spending or taxation policies, but of economic growth.
This can easily be demonstrated by looking at a chart comparing deficits as a % of GDP vs. unemployment.
For over 60 years, throughout various policy regimes, the deficit has moved in tandem with employment. Taxation and government policy have never had much to do with how big the deficit is.
To close the deficit by law (rather than by growth) would require extreme austerity. And furthermore, that austerity would be increasingly required as the economy gets worse. So things start going downhill, the government tries to cut spending to counteract the declining tax revenues, the economy gets weaker, and soon you're on a spiral to deflationary, depressionary hell.
Cutting spending to reduce deficits doesn't work in practice. Japan has seen this play out, as its government has flirted with various austerity attempts during its log slog. Each time there's been an attempt to reduce deficits... deficits have gone up.
The top Nomura economist Richard Koo has made this point (and this chart) a centerpiece of his economic work.
So it's a terrible idea.
But that's not really what's interesting here.
What's interesting is the fact that the most basic reason to oppose this idea -- that it would demolish the economy -- isn't even well understood by the BBA's proponents, who only see minor technical reasons (there'd be loopholes!) to oppose.
It'd be fine if George Will and everyone else wanted to say that the above analysis is wrong, and that the economy would be just fine if it had to balance the budget every year. That'd be a fine to debate to have. But at least be aware that this is the main issue.
This problem isn't confined to just Will.
The same ignorance was seen when Joe Scarborough wrote about how Paul Krugman was all alone in thinking that the deficit was not an urgent issue, which was just untrue. Lots of people agree with Paul Krugman on the question.
Clearly in DC, the deficit debate is so one-sided, that many people aren't even aware there are counter-arguments or people who could be opposed, for economic reasons, the wisdom of shrinking the deficit.


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OWINGS MILLS, MD – The York College women's basketball team tuned up for their big Capital Athletic Conference Saturday showdown with undefeated and nationally ranked Mary Washington with a 73-39 victory over Stevenson University on Wednesday night in Owings Mills, MD. The Spartans, winners of nine straight, improve to 19-3 overall and 12-1 in the CAC. The Mustangs, in their final year in the CAC, fall to 9-13 overall and 5-9 in the league.
The Spartans were clicking on offense all night long, even if they weren't scoring early. The Green and White failed to convert on some quality chances in the opening five minutes of the game but the offense started to gear up as York took an 8-0 lead 4:20 into the game. While the offense took a little time getting its footing, the defense was stellar from the opening tip. The Spartans did not allow a field goal until Rayshell Parker hit a jumper at the 14:16 mark. The York lead grew to nine on a Brittany Percich layup before the Mustangs trimmed the advantage to five with 11:36 left in the half.
The York lead vacillated between nine and seven points over the next five minutes as the Green and White couldn't pull away. The Spartan defense turned it up and York finished the final 4:30 of the half on a 12-1 run as their lead grew to 19 at 34-15 at the break.
York held Stevenson to 20% (5-for-25) from the floor in the first half while the guests had nine steals and four blocked shots.
The second half saw the Spartans continue to take the play to the Mustangs as York opened the half by scoring 24 of the first 29 points of the half. That run increased the York lead to 38. The York lead grew to as many as 39 before the Spartans settled for the final 34 point win.
Senior April Sparkman had a milestone night in two different ways in the win. First, she broke into the Spartans' top five in all-time scoring with her fifth point of the night as she passed Jamie Floyd to join the top five. Sparkman then eclipsed 1,500 career points with her 18th point of the night, a free throw with 12:40 left in the game. Sparkman finished the night with 20 points on 8-of-17 shooting from the floor including 1-of-3 from distance. She also canned 3-of-4 from the free throw line. Sparkman also recorded five rebounds, two blocked shots and four assists in the victory.
Sophomore forwards Kristen Haley and Brittany Hicks joined Sparkman in double figures as they each recorded 12 points. Hicks notched her seventh double-double of the year with a game-high 13 rebounds. She also had a career-high six assists in addition to three steals. Haley pulled in eight rebounds while she had five blocked shots for York. Sophomore guard Kelsey Murphy was the fourth Spartan in double figures with 10 points while she also had five rebounds, three assists, a blocked shot and a steal. Sophomore point guard Aja Wallpher had another outstanding floor game as the Spartan floor general had a career-high 11 steals, seven assists, six points and two rebounds in her 36 minutes of work. Wallpher's 11 steals established a new school record for single-game steals.
Sam Murray was the lone Mustang in double figures as she finished with 12 points on 3-of-10 shooting from the floor including one three and 5-of-6 at the free throw line. Murray also had a team-high eight rebounds and two blocked shots for Stevenson.
The Spartans finished the game shooting 45.2% from the floor, 33.3% (4-of-12) from three and an uncharacteristic 56.5% (13-for-23) from the line. Stevenson shot just 21.1% from the floor in the game as the Green and White harassed them into a 12-for-57 shooting performance. The Mustangs made 1-of-2 from three while they converted 14-of-22 (63.6%) from the stripe.
The Spartans now set their sights upon undefeated Mary Washington on Saturday. The Eagles will enter the game ranked in the top ten in both of the national polls but are also coming off just a six point win at Hood College on Wednesday night. Tip time from Wolf Gymnasium is set for 4:00 pm.


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Homeless Lady Offers Words Of Wisdom To A Group Of Young Teens.. Then Throws Them off By Offering Head For A $1!
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text: Soil Fertility Short Course Offered January 18, 2013 05:42 AM Tweet TAGS: Marketing, Overseas December 18, 2014 By Davis Michaelsen Pro Farmer Inputs Monitor Editor Email Twitter Iowa State University is offering a soil fertility short course in February at the ISU Campus in Ames. The following is ISU's release detailing the event which includes links to registration and more information... " AMES, Iowa – With high input costs and volatile nutrient prices, crop production professionals know it's more important than ever to make sound management soil fertility decisions. A two-day short course offered by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will focus on principles of soils, soil fertility and nutrient management to help those in crop production make important decisions. The Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management Short Course will be held Feb. 13-14 at the Scheman Building on the Iowa State campus in Ames. In addition to classroom work, the course includes a tour of the ISU Soil and Plant Analysis Laboratory. Sign-in and refreshments will be available at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 13 with classwork beginning at 9 a.m. The short course will conclude at 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 14. A program brochure and registration form is available at www.aep.iastate.edu. Registrations can be completed online with a credit card, or online forms may be downloaded and completed to be faxed or submitted by mail. Registration is limited to 40 participants and pre-registration is required. Registration and $275 course fee must be received by Feb. 6. Registrations will not be accepted at the door for this program. Registration includes a reference binder and class notes, lunches and breaks. For more information, visit http://www.aep.iastate.edu/soil/homepage.html or contact ANR Program Services at 515- 294-6429 or firstname.lastname@example.com." Back to news


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Advent candles lit round the world declare our longing for the coming of Christ. We wait. And, in our waiting we hope, we pray, we yearn. Advent is a season where our energies and passions for all things to be made right are kindled. Christ, the precious Baby in the manger, is coming for us all to celebrate. Consider Him.
Despite the hunger, the fatherless, the ailing. Despite the wars and senseless violence. Despite all of the reasons to say there is no redeemer.
We wait for the Christ child.
Our faith is rooted in such anticipation. Mockers have innumerable examples to declare the reasons why God is dead. Centuries of proof. Holocausts, molestation, shame. The Church waits despite its own pollution and contribution to the lack of justice.
Yet these things merely point to the coming of the Child. If the world were made right by our collective longings for occupation, for the 99 percent, for cosmic good, we'd see equitable dispersion of wealth, of food, of housing. We'd live the Marxist dream of community. We would all be haves.
Not in this state of lack that propels the protesters in Washington. Protest — the greedy 1 percent. Protest — we need equity. Protest — there's a better way.
Christ is coming and our waiting each year illustrates he is that much more necessary to make all things well. We await the feeble baby, the child God. Much like our faith we may wonder how can this be? This fragile God. So easily broken. Could He deliver us all?
The paradox points each year to the need for freedom. We wait for liberty. To deliver the sexually oppressed. To expose the darkened / hidden (for now) deeds of predators. To reveal truth from a swarm of lies. Free us Baby Jesus. Your tender body will be broken for these malevolent, even misanthropic, souls whose schemes are weaker than our doubts.
All these and more. But we must add to the list, free us from our limited perspectives that fail to grasp Your ways.
And, God laughs. He smiles upon our frailties. Our collective frustrations and doubts of His deliverance. He chose to be nascent. God infantile. Our machinations for social justice unravel in the presence of this luminescent One. For Baby Jesus came to be the Light of the World.
Advent allows us to realign our expectations to His plan. Social justice will not happen in the way that we devise. If God came as this baby Jesus, how will God right all things wrong? It will not be as we expect. Set aside this Advent all of the energies and willful works. Set aside the frustrations to make this world a better place. Set aside the occupations. Baby Jesus is coming. His justice comes swiftly. And slowly. Soon, but not now. Swiftly like a tiny newborn's might. Paradoxes for sure. Our mysterious God — baby Jesus.
Yet none did defeat Him. All of hell's powers combined did not turn Him away from the Resurrection. But that's for another Holy day.
For now we cry out, "Amen. Come Lord Jesus!" (Rev. 22:20) Hear our cries for social justice as we wait for your coming.
Michael D. Bobo has written as Christian Literature Examiner for Examiner.com and has contributed to Burnside Writers Collective, Emergent Village Voice and theOOZE.com. He is delighted to serve as curator of Daily Burnsider and Poetry Editor for Burnside Writers.
Photo: Hourglass, © Mihai Simonia | View Portfolio / Shutterstock.com
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Stolen From Hat Tip Elder of Ziyon
The newest member of the Mossad Animal Agent Squad is a Rhinoceroses. Not just any Rhino, but a Super-Rhino. A genetically modified member of that species.
In what might sound as something out of a fantasy video-game or Nordic mythology, sources close to TX revealed on Sunday evening via email that Israel is working on a heavily-funded bio-engineering program which is funded by a select group of retired elites within the Israel Defense Forces on 'hybrid animals'.
The source, who is a retired security official from a Gulf country, made the claims while referring to one of his junior comrades who was tasked with undercover information gathering in the illegitimate state more than 7 years ago.
"He described a large, underground laboratory adjacent to the Negev desert where a highly-secured bunker was located, guarded by about two dozen troops of the elite Sayaret Matkal commandos and Military Intelligence units".
"He observed various visits to the facility by then Military Intelligence chief Aharon Zeevi-Farkash accompanied by a panel of scientists who changed on rotation every other day. Although he wasn't able to capture any footage owing to the high security and sensors in the area, he was able to have several glances from very narrow openings".
The retired officer described how the underground bunker had another sub-station inside it which had no window at all:
"He recalls those Zionists (Israelis) talking of 'super beasts' equipped with improvised weapons".
Did the said spy who claims to have found such a facility actually see any such 'mutated beasts'? This question was posed to the source:
"Once, he shared details of a group of bizarre rhinoceroses and canines but never spoke on the subject again. Our superiors thought we had been feeding on telltale rumors hence that chapter was closed once and for all".
At the end, the source said that he, along with his subordinate, retired early from service.
First there were 14 squirrels that the Iranians still claim to be Mossad agents. Then Sammy the Shark, Vinnie the Vulture, etc… I am sure glad that these idiots still haven't discovered the flies and fleas that have had electronics embedded in them.
Let us welcome the newest member of Mossad's Animal Agent Squad:
|Reuben the Rhino


text: FORD MOTORS FACTORY 1967 REPAIR SHOP & SERVICE MANUAL INCLUDES : Ford Mustang, Falcon, Falcon Futura, Fairlane, Fairlane 500, Fairlane 500 XL, GT and Ranchero 67 Paperback – Unabridged, 2015. Mercury was an automobile make owned by the Ford Motor Company which produced luxury cars. Unfortunately nothing lasts forever, and sooner or later even the most reliable part goes bad and should be replaced to restore performance.. Our great selection of quality and affordable name brand maintenance and repair parts will help you get the best performance from your 2002 Mercury Mountaineer.. We found 12,544 products that fit the 1997 Mercury Cougar, in these categories:. For the Ford Motor Company model MTX5, M5TX and MTX75 these quality manual transmission parts and overhaul kits are designed to be top of the line overhaul kits.. Keep up with professional automotive industry news and Tech Tips. Get updates on repairs, diagnostics, and factory-issued technical service bulletins.. Dan, I appreciate you asking for more clarification. The 27″ pitch Bravo I XS is the correct pitch if you want to match the rpm of your 25" Fury (remember to test engine height – The Bravo I XS will usually run .5" to .75" higher than the Fury).. Tremec 3 speed Manual Transmission Rebuild Kit . Having problems with you Tremec 3 Speed transmission need rebuild kit or parts? We can provide Tremec 3 speed quality manual transmission rebuild kits and parts.. ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT, MANUALS, COMPONENTS, ETC MILITARY~AMATEUR~COMMERCIAL~ETC. Updated 7/01/16. Email: . [email protected] Click any column header to sort table by that column. OR Enter a word to search for, or leave blank to show all parts (this could be a very long list). The Ford Fusion is a four-door, five-passenger mid-size sedan manufactured and marketed by Ford.Introduced for the 2006 model year, three generations of the Fusion have been produced in gasoline, gas/electric hybrid, and gas/plug-in electric hybrid variants.. The flat rate repair price as listed includes a minimum $65.00 diagnostic fee and overnight shipping in both directions (continental United States only) for ship repair.. Garage Sale. Corvette and high-performance Chevrolet engine parts including correct dated engine blocks, cylinder heads, intake manifolds, carburetors and more for the years 1962 to 1972 exclusively. - www.LightningSpeedShop.com - www.FastSS.com. Autoblog brings you automotive news; expert reviews of cars, trucks, crossovers and SUVs; and pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, find local dealers, calculate loan payments, find.


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Kusakabe Kimbei
Porteur d'eau, vers 1885About this photograph
Japan, about 1885.Read more Read less
The photographs are carefully packaged in order to ensure their optimal protection during transport.
Kusakabe Kimbei (1841-1934), one of the most accomplished Japanese photographers of his time, ran a studio in Yokohama from the early 1880 s until 1913. Kusakabe Kimbei worked with Felice Beato and Baron Raimund von Stillfried as an assistant photographer colourist before opening his own workshop in the Bentendori area of Yokohama in 1881. He also opened a branch in the Ginza area of Tokyo. As Baron von Stillfried's protégé, Kusakabe Kimbei continued the tradition of studio portraits and took shots of the country while he developed his own Japanese sense of photography. Likened today to postcards, his work was collected by tourists and exported for sale as curiosities to those who could not visit Japan. He stopped working as a photographer in 1912-1913.


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Friday, February 3, 2012
Friday, February 3, 2012
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Shop for great finds at this Kuumba presented by TD-themed market.
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Honey Jam alumni perform tribute songs in a reunion concert with a photo exhibit showcasing 16 years of Honey Jam. Hosted by Michie Mee. Featured artists include Jemeni, Belinda Brady, DJ Melboogie, Kellylee Evans, Kim Davis, True, Motion, Eternia, Natasha Waterman, Saidah Baba Talibah and more!
Event run: February 3, 2012
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Staff writer
The Marion Board of Zoning Appeals on Thursday revoked a July administrative decision giving the county the go-ahead to construct an emergency communications tower at the new jail. The board concluded that City Administrator Doug Kjellin exceeded his authority by unilaterally approving the alteration of the conditional use permit.
The board did not discuss the matter in open public session, restricting their deliberations to two executive sessions. As a quasi-judicial entity, the board is exempt from the Kansas Open Meetings Act, according to Kansas statute.
In between executive sessions, the board heard from David Troup, an attorney for Darvin Markley, who requested the hearing. Markley, the chairman of the board of zoning appeals, recused himself from the proceedings at the outset of the hearing.
"What this hearing is not about is whether the tower is a good idea or a bad idea," Troup said. "The hearing is about whether we got to this point legally or outside the bounds of the law."
Troup said zoning regulations described the required process to amend conditional use permits.
"It says before the location or establishment of, or before any changes in a conditional use permit, the application procedures, conceptual plan requirements, public hearing requirements, and actions as outlined in Section 25 of these regulations shall be followed," Troup said.
"Shall is mandatory language. In order to amend the conditional use permit, you've got to go back through the same process that you did to get the CUP in the first place."
Troup said Kjellin's action precluded the opportunity for public comment.
"That's the kind of thing that may affect the neighboring people who are required to get notice when a conditional use permit is sought," Troup said. "They may want to know, and it's the kind of thing that the planning commission might want to know, because it may affect their decision, and it might affect the city council's decision."
Kjellin's action fell outside the scope of his authority, Troup argued.
"His position apparently is he can do anything he wants with a conditional use permit and take the position he's just amending it and he's authorized to amend it," Troup said. "Was it his decision to make? I think the law is pretty clear it was not."
Kjellin responds
Board vice-chairman Margo Yates, presiding over the meeting following Markley's recusal, asked Kjellin for his comments.
Kjellin said public safety was his main concern in acting to amend the conditional use permit to expedite construction of tower.
"I don't want our community to be without 911 communications, and I have no other way of making it happen without doing what I did," Kjellin said.
"Most of you have hired me to look out for the public interest. I want people safe, I want them secure, I want them to know when they call 911 they can actually get someone to their house, and this is the only way I knew how to do it."
Public comment
Dwight Gooding, 431 Moore, asked for the specifications of the tower. County Commission Chariman Dan Holub responded.
"The tower is 92 feet tall.The antennas do not go above that. The tower is placed within six feet of the building. There is no danger to the other property, we've said that over and over again," Holub said.
"Are there any options there?" Yates asked.
"We could go without a tower like we wanted to — that's a $400,000-plus option right up front before we even start with the hardware. We can run wires over to the existing facility which may or may not be there. That again is approaching $100,000."
Markley spoke following comments about the poor quality of radio transmissions in different areas of the county.
"This is not going to benefit anything," Markley said. "All it's going to do is hinder the area that's supposed to be within a historical district. Not only that, a comprehensive plan is what these boards should be following for the development of this town.
"This should be taking place back in front of the planning commission, not here."
"We did go before the planning board for a conditional use permit," Holub said. "We got told they can't help us, go somewhere else. That's where this all started."
After the board emerged from a 30-minute executive session, board member Diana Holub read a prepared four-point motion to reverse Kjellin's decision. Leland Heidebrecht, Yates, and Diana Holub voted for the motion.
Wichita attorney Patrick Hughes of Adams Jones, who specializes in land use and zoning, consulted with the board during closed sessions. Prior to the vote on the motion, Hughes described three options for resolving the tower impasse.
The county could pursue a conditional use permit under the existing zoning regulations, Hughes said, and comply with the restrictions specified for communication towers.
Hughes said the city could also alter the current zoning regulations in one of two ways. They could create a new classification for this type of tower that would be separate from other communication towers. The city could also amend the regulations to keep the tower as a conditional use, but establish different standards and requirements to govern it.
County reaction
"I'm personally frustrated with happenings that have been happening here," Commissioner Randy Dallke said. "It's part of a need we have to have to operate."
"We were planning on shutting the building down for heating season," Dallke said.
"They were flipping through the manual like it was the Magna Carta," Holub said of the city zoning regulations.
"It's very unfair," Holub said of Kjellin's role. "Both sides threw him under the bus. Doug was the only who tried to help."
Holub said a monopole was still an unattractive option because of cost. The difference between the proposed tower and a monopole tower is $60,000.
"If tax payers don't mind shilling out a bunch of bucks," Holub said.
While waiting on a conclusion to the tower saga, Emergency Management Director Dan D'Albini suggested working with Ares representative Russell Groves to have a HAM radio system for the county. He said the advantage is the county would have direct access to the National Weather Service.
"We're not ready to rule it out," Commissioner Roger Fleming said.


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The start of something new — FlakPhoto Digest.
We're developing a new project, a weekly newsletter focused on photography + visual culture recommendations carefully curated from across the Web. You know, the good stuff that deserves a closer look. FlakPhoto Digest is currently in closed beta and will be available to the public later this year. You can request an invite by subscribing below.
Website - ShawnGust.com
Shawn Gust is a photographer currently living in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Shawn searches his surroundings for feelings that trigger memories or thoughts. His images are the result of his reactions to those discoveries. With no formal training in the field, he began working in a professional photofinishing lab and retail camera shop in the 1990s. This experience allowed him to learn at an increased pace. Mostly self-taught on the job, his skills include traditional black and white and color darkroom technique, modern digital retouching, inkjet printing, and studio photography. From there he went to work as a photojournalist for a 20,000 circulation daily newspaper in Coeur d'Alene. In April 2008, Shawn was named one of fifteen photographers from around the globe to participate in the inaugural year of Pause, to Begin. In addition, his photographs have been exhibited in galleries in Tacoma, Los Angeles, Detroit, and Rochester and have been published in numerous magazines, newspapers, and online galleries.
Cataldo, Idaho, 2009
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, 2008
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, 2007
Coer d'Alene, Idaho
Flak Photo is an online photography channel that presents the work of artists, curators, bookmakers and photo organizations to a global audience of people who are passionate about visual culture. Interested in contributing? Click here to learn more »
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Lead generation is one of the most critical aspects in the sales process. It is important that a club and its sales force work together to have a well-rounded marketing plan that constantly evaluates how to attract prospects. This article will cover ideas for club operators that combine external and internal marketing and to help sales reps extend their lead opportunities.
Ask yoursef, What if …
- I could find more qualified prospects to fill up my schedule?
- I had an endless supply of prospects?
- We had a waiting list for membership?
- I could have the confidence that I could not fail?
How would this impact your attitude and your motivation level? It is important to establish the value of your time and expertise with your prospects. You are a professional who is going to help your prospects feel healthier and in some cases, save their lives. That's an incredible responsibility. Be unique, learn and grow to believe in your product and the value of your time and commitment to health and fitness.
One thing that holds us back is our lack of confidence in our abilities. If you felt like you were unstoppable, that you could not fail, what would you attempt and would failure matter? Of course not. Keeping your sales pipeline full will help you maintain your confidence level while focusing your time and energy on qualified prospects.
Keeping your lead pool full will help ensure that your sales production will stay steady and constant. Remember, what you sow you will reap, so understanding that planting enough seeds to harvest is a constant cycle.
Become familiar with your community. Understand the age, population density, gender, income, education and corporate/business areas, which will help identify the types of prospects within your demographic area.
Get a map and identify your market share. Place pins where your competitors are located and then draw a radius around your club. This will be the area where you spend your energy because it will have a 20 percent penetration for membership — the highest return. It usually consists of three- to five-block radiuses, but in certain areas can be up to a square mile.
Define how many leads you are going to need to reach your monthly production goal. For example, if your goal is 50 memberships per month you are going to need "X" number of leads. You can't rely on the club's walk-in traffic and you can't factor in leads already generated by the club. In some cases, you will need to generate 150 to 200 leads per month to reach your goal.
Factor in the type of lead you are working on. Leads that come into the club are usually hot leads and will have a closing percentage of 50 percent to 60 percent. Referrals are also an excellent source of leads because they are word of mouth from an already satisfied member. Sales are all about building a network of people who will be interested in using your product. Who does not want to feel and look better? Stay attached to the members you join at the club and have a goal to get four to five names from each member that would be interested in receiving the same health benefits.
Become a community centerpiece. The first part of becoming involved in the community is to know what is happening. Get the local paper and read the articles, ads, services, classifieds, real estate and politics. Look for opportunities like new businesses opening, festivals, events and group meetings. Your goal is to expose your club in the most time efficient manner. Speak at a local meeting in your community. Also, making announcements in group fitness classes is an excellent way to promote the club and get your name out there within the membership.
Lead boxes were once a way to attract new prospects. Placing lead boxes throughout the community was a way for clubs to increase their lead bases and increase market share, however, a less labor intensive way to achieve the same result is to place signs promoting the club within businesses. The signs are centrally located and drive leads through your Web site by offering a week pass to prospects or some other incentive. All the prospect has to do is log on to the club's Web site. The Web site is then used as a point at which leads can be monitored and evaluated by the club. Another effective way to expose your club is to run quarterly community events to help get your name out in the marketplace. This helps your club become recognized in the consumer's eyes and also helps the community by helping people.
Finally, get out in your community to establish relationships and become your club's walking billboard. There are no short cuts. Be aggressive, have fun and go for it.
External and Internal Marketing Ideas
Direct mailing
New mover list
Radio/TV commercials
Community events
Signs instead of lead boxes
Realtors — welcome kits to new residents
Costumes — prospects will take flyers when in costume
Hospitality company — maids put info on club in rooms
Receipt/bag stuffing's — video/beauty salons
Dry cleaners — logo on hangers
City Hall/city workers
Referral promos
Business card drops — attract corporate leads
Front desk handouts — informing members of upcoming promos/events
Group Fitness announcements
Fitness challenges and contests
Open houses
Douglas Talmage has more than 15 years of experience in the health and fitness industry and is the executive director of Hudson Athletic Club in Hoboken, NJ. Doug can be reached at 201-424-5825 or via e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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March 8 - July 26, 2002
Dale Valena, Museum Curator
Astrida Schaeffer, Guest Curator
Godie's Lady Book, September, 1853
The 19th-century European love for paisley shawls is thought to have started when employees of the British East India Trading Company brought them home from Kashmir, India as gifts to their wives. In Kashmir, as early as the 17th century, the soft "pashmina" underfleece from Central Asian goats was spun, dyed, and woven into colorful shawls. Incorporated in the shawl design was the symbolic "tree of life" motif, the buta. When the European weaving industry started manufacturing imitative versions of kashmir shawls at the turn of the 19th century, the buta motif was transformed into a pine pattern. Paisley, Scotland became the largest manufacturer of shawls; hence the pine motif became associated with Paisley.
This exhibition represented the later period of the industry, from 1840 to 1870, when shawls complemented the bell-shape of the fashionable crinoline dress.
Daisy Deane Williamson collected shawls of all kinds. The first was a gift of an antique wedding shawl that inspired her hobby. At the time of her death, this fine collection numbered 160 shawls. Her interest in Paisley is apparent as one-third of the collection is Paisley-related, including examples of various techniques and designs. Ms. Williamson died in 1942 and bequeathed her shawl collection to UNH.
Ms. Williamson was a home-demonstration leader of the New Hampshire cooperative extension between 1920-42. Her contribution to the state of NH during her tenure has been carefully documented in a series of scrapbooks complied by Ruth Stimson '40 and recently donated to the University Archives. In addition to the myriad of home economics subjects she lectured on, she used her collection to educate about the history of shawls.
The European shawl-weaving industry boomed with the invention of the Jacquard loom. Taking the place of the drawloom, which depended more directly on child labor, the Jacquard loom used a series of hole-punched cards to signal pattern changes in the weaving. Though the Jacquard loom was invented in 1800, the weaving town of Paisley, Scotland didn't fully adopt the new technology until the 1830s. It is at this time that Paisley began producing record numbers of paisley shawls, in a sense flooding the market and making them affordable to most middle-class women. The introduction of the bustled dress in approximately 1870 triggered the demise of the paisley shawl industry.
Plaid shawl
Wool, Probably Paisley, 5' x 12'
ca. 1860-70
Gift of Mrs. Orissa Potter
This example of the long shawl or plaid was the more popular style of shawl after 1840. Plaids are generally twice as long as they are wide and are worn doubled over and "square around the shoulders." (Reilly and Ames, The Paisley Pattern)
Handkerchief shawl
Wool, Probably Paisley, 6' x 6'
ca. 1860
Plaid shawl (wall display)
Possibly French, ca. 1845-50, 6' x 12'
The French dominated western fashion in the early 1800s. Shawls reflected the popular floral, damask designs. By 1820, a well-dressed French lady was described as "well-draped" with a shawl; and no aristocratic girl's trousseau was without a shawl, preferably two French and one Kashmir. (Reilly and Ames, The Paisley Pattern)
Plaid shawl (right mannequin)
Paisley, ca. 1850
Gift of Mrs. Darby


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Press Release
Sent on 11/29/2017 2:01:02 PM
On December 2, 2017, the Pima County Sheriff's Department will be conducting a DUI Sobriety Checkpoint. The Sheriff's Department is dedicated to its mission of taking impaired drivers off the roadway and making it safer for the citizens of Pima County. We will continue our efforts throughout the holiday season to eliminate impaired driving in Pima County. Remember "buzzed" driving is impaired driving. If you are stopped you may: • Lose your license • Have your vehicle impounded • Pay excessive attorney's fees • Be fined upon conviction • Be required to install an ignition interlock device in your vehicle (at your cost) • Spend time in jail • End up with a criminal record Make a plan BEFORE going out and consuming alcohol. Here are a few safety tips: • Preplan your ride home. Get a ride from a sober driver, or use a service like, Uber, Lyft, or a taxicab. • Have a friend drop you off where you will be drinking. This forces you to use another avenue home. • If you are hosting a party, remind guests to plan ahead and designate a sober driver or make plans to stay the night. Operational funding and equipment were made available through grants awarded by the Governor's Office of Highway Safety (GOHS).


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Thursday, November 15, 2007
And Thus It Begins
11 weeks and 3 days in, the bubble has burst.
For all the invasiveness of our IVF cycle, E's pregnancy has felt so natural. So natural, in fact, that E and I pretty much forgot that we didn't just have sex and get E pregnant. Figs is from my egg and donor sperm. It has felt so natural, that we forgot that there are people in the world who were going to Act Shitty about that fact. Two recent Shitty Comments made my head reel.
First up, Giant Ignoramus at a baby shower asked E who the father was. I told E that in response she should have made a confused face and said: "GS, of course."
Seriously, I know I shouldn't be shocked that people are going to ask the question in this way, but I can't help it. Unmindfulness makes my skin crawl - it's pretty much the ONE THING we owe each other as human beings. And while I'm at it, I'll add that I feel the same way when I meet someone who acts awkward when they find out I'm gay, presumably because they don't know any/many gay people. Not only does this endlessly irritate me (who doesn't know any gay people? leprechauns? cave-dwellers?), but I instantly have a low opinion of this person, and they have to work to make it up to me.
Second, and much worse, was E's 85 year old Grandmother's reaction upon learning that her granddaughter, the absolute apple of her eye, is not pregnant via her own egg.
"Why didn't she just adopt?"
This is the same Grandmother who refused to attend our wedding 4 years ago, but who has since embraced me lovingly, referred to me as E's "partner," and, on occasion, has been known to boast of our wedding to others. She was once happy about this pregnancy. No longer.
This hurts for two reasons: 1) It is my opinion that it is beyond primordial to be less enthusiastic about a child who does not bear your genetic resemblance than one who does. This is one of the ways in which humans are more highly evolved than other species in the animal kingdom. 2) It is inconceivable that she would have uttered those words if I were a man, and E needed an egg donor to conceive.
Pray tell, what in the fuck is the difference between a woman and an infertile man when trying to get a woman pregnant?
Moreover, if I were her husband instead of her wife and we had the same failures to get E pregnant, we would have tried with an egg donor. What is the fucking difference here?
E wanted a baby yesterday when we started trying, and, by the looks of things, getting pregnant via her own eggs would take some time. So we used mine. Why? Well, I'm younger, my FSH is better, and hmmm...oh right! WE ARE MARRIED.
More than anything, I can't understand why people focus on the things that don't matter. E wanted with all her heart to be pregant. She had to wait for years, but now she's pregnant with our baby, and she is overjoyed, and that fucking rocks. Why isn't that the focus?
And I'll just end by saying that almost everyone has been loving and thrilled for us, genuinely. Our family, our friends, all of you people out there who, amazingly enough, read this and sometimes share your thoughts with me (you people, by the way, are the best thing going). I feel so vastly fortunate for all of that.
But the small, moronic comments can cut deep. Deep enough to pop a happy little bubble, that's for sure.
15 comments:
- Carey said...
I get all pissy with the 'who's the dad questions' too. I mean, who the f*ck cares??? It's plainly obvious there is NO DAD in our relationship... duh. I just answer, 'there is no dad, just an anonymous sperm donor from a sperm bank' and that usually shuts them up. Until someone asks 'did you use the same father for your babies too?' AGAIN, no freakin' fathers!! We are lesbians... we are married to each other!! LOL Some people just don't get it... hang in there, I am sure the questions will only get better!!!!! :)
- November 15, 2007 at 11:06 AM
- amy said...
the questions will continue. and unfortunately when the baby is here, you will probably get "oh, the baby looks just like you", or something similar. i think those kinds of comments can be hurtful too even if the person saying it intended for it to be a compliment. it inevitably leaves the non-bio parent out which can be a lonely feeling.
we often get which one of you is her mother. it's an easy answer of course, we both are, which rarely results in any further conversation.
hang in there with it all, i guess it's part of our plight in life to have to educate the ignorant...
- November 15, 2007 at 11:43 AM
- starrhillgirl said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- November 15, 2007 at 1:06 PM
- starrhillgirl said...
Ok, so I lamely and accidentally hit publish before I'd finished even pulling together my thoughts. Hence the stupid-looking non-comment above.
Anyway. What shit, y'all. Now I can't remember what I was going to say. Except for I'm sorry for people's ignorance and lack of mindfulness every time I encounter it.
- November 15, 2007 at 1:11 PM
- vee said...
Under no circumstances are you two allowed to let these people do anything more than temporarily dent your bubble. They are not to pop it. Understand? You are pregnant! With your baby! Beautifully yours.
It's just arse that people come out with this crap. And worse that you have to deal with it.
- November 15, 2007 at 1:43 PM
- beeyou said...
as the non-bio sahm mom of 4 year old twins, i second carey.. the questions get weirder and ruder, and that in scottsdale az where people are relatively educated.. aargh!!! BIG CONGRATS
- November 15, 2007 at 1:50 PM
When my partner told me she wanted to have a baby..."holy shit" was my reply (I used my inside voice on that one so not to hurt her feelings). Anyway we started telling people about this amazing new medical development -scientists are able to make SPERM out of a woman's bone marrow. I showed everyone the article that explained how it was done. We have never mentioned to anyone that we were trying, but yet they have over the past year asked me many times about that article. We are now 9weeks pregnant with TWINS and still have not told anyone.... but when we do, we are telling them that it is (chest puffed) MY SPERM!!
PS..love your blog, I now live in AZ but as a fellow NY'a your type of honesty is very missed.
- November 15, 2007 at 3:03 PM
- Melody said...
Some people are always going to be assholes. We are blazing new ground here, though, and the world is going to be better for the children that lesbian moms bring into it. For one thing, they will grow up and not ask stupid questions that hurt and alienate others.
- November 15, 2007 at 3:05 PM
Yes, that is crap. Sorry. Unfortunately, you have signed up for the educator for life plan. There will be many questions and comments that you will both get over-and-over. We are a very out couple and still last Oct. at our daughters pumpkin thing, one of the other kid's moms said to me, "Oh I thought (daughter's name)'s mom was coming today." And I said, "I am (daughter's name)'s mom." She said, "I'm sorry. I meant her real mom." REAL MOM! Fucker! I'm sorry, I meant, STUPID fucker!
Just remember that you can tell people what ever you want when ever you want. You aren't obligated to educate the entire planet. Especially when questions/comments hurt. Some people are good hearted and uneducated, and some people are fuckers. I spend time educating the ones worth saving...the others...that's right, can bite me.
BTW, I love a woman who starts a sentence with, "Pray tell, what in the fuck…", I'm just sayin'.
- November 15, 2007 at 3:15 PM
- the injector said...
i just read your post out loud to kk and we laughed and grimaced simultaneously.
people, even the people we keep on loving--like sweet grandparents and parents and siblings--in spite of their dicky, mean comments, are often fucks--not nice, too concerned with self, too trapped in their own ideas of normalcy, etc.
But your humor and candidness cut through that bullshit and the noble, soon-to-be-damn-good-gay- parent taught a valuable lesson to the good, the bad and the ugly. thanks for sharing...
- November 15, 2007 at 7:05 PM
- EggDropBlogger said...
Well, that's sucks, but maybe Grandma will come around in time. People seem to melt once the baby gets here. I hope that situation changes.
Please don't let that rain on your parade!
- November 16, 2007 at 10:07 AM
- sn said...
if people ask about fathers, they automatically get shut up--there is no father, we're the moms. our line about the donor (which we started practicing before we ever started the ttc process) is that we've thought a lot about who the donor would be, and we're happy with our decision, and now we're focusing on our role as the moms of this kid. we haven't been confronted with the how question yet, but have our snarky comeback all ready to go when that comes along...
- November 18, 2007 at 7:54 AM
- charlotte said...
I know. It sucks, even with all the love and grace you get from others. We got some very ugly comments about S's brother (the donor for LM) being his 'dad' from S's family. And I was thinking Jesus.H. you people even do have a genetic connection, through S, why do you feel the need to go there.I have even had some dumb questions from good friends. The questions get worse as the pregnancy progresses, you just need to find a way to deal with them, but you shouldn't have to. I've always wanted to have the balls to give snarky answers, but good ones never occur to me until later. Balls.
- November 19, 2007 at 9:55 PM
- The Town Criers said...
I was laughing at this line: "who doesn't know any gay people? leprechauns?" and then sobered up when I got to Grandma's comment. I think some people can't see the forest through the trees. E finally pregnant, about to bring a new member into the family, about to give birth to her great-grandchild is the real focus. Hopefully she'll see that reality soon. Maybe she's a little slow on the uptake?
- November 20, 2007 at 6:48 AM
Strangely, I've had more wierd comments from other lesbians than family members or straight people!
The most recent was from one half of a couple who, as of January (last time i saw them) were actually going to try to get pregnant...so it was the last person I thought would have something wierd to say.
First she says "How?" Our other friends all started laughing and said "Kim's a superstar, thats how!" and high-fiving Kim (my partner)
Her next comment? "I mean...Do you know the father?"
I kind of stared at her for a minute before I got over the shock and said "uhh no father here. DONOR. And yes. Obviously I know who it is"
The next question? "Did you have to have sex with him?"
Oh my god are you serious?
Brooke (from Babycenter)
- November 20, 2007 at 10:40 PM


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Ireland 2023: An Irishman's Diary
One of the best things about 2023? 3. Getting to Dublin Airport in under 20 minutes on the Metro.
50 things I love about Ireland in the 2020s
1. The Luas Link Line.
2. The National Children's Hospital.
3. Getting to Dublin Airport in under 20 minutes on the Metro.
4. The new airport Terminal Three. Award-winning architecture and a relief from the desperate overcrowding in T2.
5. Ryanair deciding to use Knock as its Dublin base, with onward bus connections. That helped as well.
6. The Flann O'Brien Bridge.
7. The beautiful new Zen garden in Poolbeg Street, opposite Mulligans. Hard to believe it used to be Hawkins House.
8. Dublin's umbrella rental scheme.
9. The Libeskind-designed banking wing of Mountjoy Jail and its adjoining stone-breakers' yard.
10. Those gourmet horse burger bars that have popped up everywhere.
11. My GPS Auto-drive car bringing me home from the pub at night and always remembering to stop off at the chipper.
12. My 4-year-old grandson programming the GPS Auto-drive for me because I can't do it.
13. The fashion among teenagers for buying print editions of newspapers as an act of rebellion against their online-generation parents.
14. I was walking past a news stand the other day and a headline jumped out at me. It turned out to be one of the new 3-D magazines - they're all the rage now too.
15. 3-D magazines promising "in-depth" news coverage. It's a cracker.
16. Ireland's rise and rise as a rugby power.
17. Seven Nations weekends in Dublin: especially when the Romanian fans are in town.
18. Craig Gilroy still scoring tries in the green shirt - 76 and counting - after all these years.
19. The GAA's recent u-turn on allowing pitch invasions in Croke Park.
20. Although, let's face it, when Monaghan won the All-Ireland last year, they could never have stopped us.
21. Seeing Kerry gain promotion from Division 4 of the league, finally, after a decade in the doldrums. Their decline was fun for a while, but Gaelic football needs them.
22. The new political maturity in Northern Ireland, with respect for all traditions.
23. Orange bands playing the bodhrán during last July's historic parade up the Falls Road.
24. South Armagh republicans agreeing to fly the tricolour only on the President's birthday and 270 other designated days.
25. Signs that the so-called "Arthur's Week" - Guinness's annual drinking festival - is waning in popularity. Maybe there are limits to what evil marketing geniuses can achieve.
26. The quiet dignity of the Saipan 20th anniversary commemorations
27. The fact that Roy and Mick now talk to each other again.
28. RTÉ soccer panel - Billo, Dunphy, and Giles - being listed for protection under heritage legislation.
29. The continued existence of Ireland's Own magazine, against all the odds.
30. I particularly enjoyed the nostalgia of their recent special issue looking back on the financial crisis: "We were where we were."
31. The plethora of events to mark this year's Brendan Behan centenary.
32. The fact that Irish Association of House Painters is hosting a Behan commemoration - with workshops, demonstrations, children's face-painting, etc - and not leaving the whole thing to the literary crowd.
33. The continuing artistic development of Jedward.
34. It seemed all wrong when they announced that their latest album would be a "re-imagining" of Van Morrison's Astral Weeks. Yet somehow it works.
35. Ireland winning the Eurovision again, thanks to the Rubber Bandits
36. The reformed Seanad - especially the decision to fill the seats by public lottery.
37. Watching the Seanad the election results on Winning Streak.
38. Dublin's award-winning street urinals, disguised as Georgian doorways.
39. Henry Street at Christmas: "Get the last of the iPhone 20s - two for a fiver."
40. Those draconian new On-the-Spot fines for dog-fouling. Tough on Spot, but good for the environment.
41. The decision to make losing the run of yourself an offence under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act
42. The way people have stopped calling everything that's even slightly famous "iconic". That used to really annoy me.
43. RTÉ's self-imposed ban on suggestions that the dead man was known to gardaí.
44. Season 13 of Love/Hate. Some people think they're tearing the arse out of it now, but I still enjoy it.
45. The extraordinary success of that new Chinese business park at Cong, in Co Mayo.
46. Or "Hong Cong", as the local wags have called it.
47. The new Galway City bypass, bypassing the old bypass. A big improvement in traffic flow.
48. Getting that honorary doctorate from Trinity recently for my services to Irish journalism.
49. The discovery of a vast oil deposit off the coast of Donegal last year.
50. The inspired decision to buy shares in the exploration company a month beforehand, when they still cost nothing.
*This article is part of the Ireland 2023 supplement published in The Irish Times. The supplement, a project to support Hireland, seeks to envisage how a newspaper might reflect a brighter future for Ireland a decade on.
The Irish Times & Hireland
Hireland is a not-for-profit social movement. It aims to contribute to Ireland's recovery by helping to generate one job at a time by tapping into collective entrepreneurship and by underlining people are central to the solution of Ireland?s current economic and social difficulties. To date its efforts have helped create more than 4,000 new jobs. Run on a voluntary basis and including many young job seekers it challenges employers, institutions of State and Irish people to think differently about how they can play their part in creating a better future for Ireland, most notably in creating jobs.
It also believes that envisaging better conditions for the Irish economy and society helps improve sentiment and translates into an increase in genuine job creation, sooner rather than later when there is overwhelming evidence of up-turn.
As part of their activities for 2013, they wished to feature how a newspaper might reflect a brighter future for Ireland a decade on. The Irish Times is supporting the project by publishing today a special edition of what, perhaps, might be carried in the issue of January 30th, 2023, with contributions from reporters, columnists, outside contributors and letter writers.
The contents may be fanciful, come with a humorous twist or be tinged with wishful thinking, but it is primarily designed to highlight some better options, broader thinking and the possible merits of pursuing certain courses in an imperfect world.


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Contact Details
Phone : +91-22-6121 1000
EZ Press Release -- June 19, 2013 Jet Airways, India's premier international airline, has entered into codeshare agreements with premium European carriers Air France and KLM, open for sales as of today, for travel effective June 19, 2013.
The codeshare agreement enables Air France to place its marketing code (AF) on Jet Airways' domestic flights to three major Indian cities beyond Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai. Customers travelling from Europe to India on Air France flights will now be able to connect seamlessly with one ticket to Chennai via Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai, and to Kolkata, Hyderabad via Mumbai and Bengaluru.
Likewise, KLM will place its marketing code (KL) on Jet Airways' domestic flights to four major cities in India beyond Delhi, allowing guests travelling from Europe to India to connect seamlessly to Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Mumbai via Delhi.
Furthermore, members of Jet Airways' JetPrivilege and Air France- KLM's Flying Blue frequent flyer programs have a full fledged network-wide accrual and redemption partnership in place for many years. With the codeshare in place, members will now have the opportunity to earn status miles/points when travelling on the respective codeshare flights.
Sudheer Raghavan, Chief Commercial Officer, Jet Airways said, "We are delighted with this enhancement in our relationship with both Air France and KLM, as we share a long standing interline and frequent flyer partnership with these carriers. The codeshare arrangements will allow our guests the convenience of enhanced connectivity from across Air France and KLM's networks via their European gateways in Paris and Amsterdam to key destinations throughout India.
Dominique Patry, Air France's Vice-President, International Affairs and Alliances, said: "This new partnership between Air France-KLM and Jet Airways illustrates our Group's strategic positioning that continuously strengthens our offer between Europe and the rest of the world by developing our network ourselves or, like today, with first class partners as Jet Airways. With the code-sharing agreement with Jet Airways, we are strengthening our presence in a key market."
Pieter Elbers, Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer KLM, stated: "KLM is very pleased with this important step in expanding the cooperation between Jet Airways and KLM. Being able to serve our customers an expanded network in India with four important domestic codeshare destinations is considered of key strategic value to our company"
Air France- KLM offers 27 weekly long-haul flights between Europe and India.
About Jet Airways
Jet Airways currently operates a fleet of 111 aircraft, which include 10 Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft, 10 Airbus A330-200 aircraft, 4 Airbus A330-300 aircraft, 70 next generation Boeing 737-700/800/900 aircraft and 16 ATR 72-500 and 1 ATR72-600. With an average fleet age of 5.35 years, the airline has one of the youngest fleet of aircraft in the world. Flights to 72 destinations span the length and breadth of India and beyond, including Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Bangkok, Brussels, Colombo, Dammam, Dhaka, Doha, Dubai, Hong Kong, Jeddah, Kathmandu, Kuwait, London (Heathrow), Muscat, New York (Newark), Riyadh, Sharjah, Singapore and Toronto.
About JetKonnect:
JetKonnect is a dedicated product designed to meet the needs of the low fare segment. JetKonnect will also offer guests a Premiere service on nearly all domestic routes. With its mixed fleet of Boeings and ATR aircraft with over 500 daily flights connecting 52 destinations across India, JetKonnect provides more flexibility and choice to its guests. JetKonnect's convenient schedules, reliable service and low fares, promise to bring greater value and a seamless flying experience to our customers.
Company Name : Jet Airways (India) Limited
Contact Name : Jet Airways
Email ID : email@example.com
Website: http://www.jetairways.com/
Contact No : +91-22-6121 1000
Siroya Centre, Sahar Airport Road, Andheri (East), Mumbai - 400099 India.


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A big bet that Greece wouldn't be forced to leave the euro zone left hedge-fund manager Dan Loeb's Third Point with a $500 million win, news reports said.
Third Point built up a $1 billion position in Greek government bonds in recent months, then tendered the bulk of its holdings in the debt-buyback deal completed by the Greek government on Monday, the Financial Times reported, citing people familiar with the firm.
London's Daily Telegraph reported that Loeb is thought to have started buying Greek debt when the bonds were trading at just 17 cents on the euro, eventually building his position to become the largest hedge-fund holder of Greek debt.
In the buyback, the Greek government swapped holdings of its own debt for notes issued by the euro zone's rescue fund for 34 cents on the euro.
Moreover, the winning trade makes the fund one of the few to profit from the euro-zone debt crisis, news reports noted. The FT contrasted Loeb's winning trade with the track record of John Paulson, who has seen bets centered on a U.S. economic recovery and a deepening of the euro-zone crisis not work out so well, leading his flagship fund to lose more than 60% of its value.
--William L. Watts
Follow on Twitter: @wlwatts