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Caller ID spoofing
Caller ID spoofing is the practice of causing the telephone network to indicate to the receiver of a call that the originator of the call is a station other than the true originating station. This can lead to a caller ID display showing a phone number different from that of the telephone from which the call was placed.
The term is commonly used to describe situations in which the motivation is considered malicious by the originator.
One effect of the widespread availability of Caller ID spoofing is that AARP published in 2019 "you can no longer trust call ID."[1][2]
Caller ID spoofing has been available for years to people with a specialized digital connection to the telephone company, called an ISDN PRI circuit. Collection agencies, law-enforcement officials, and private investigators have used the practice, with varying degrees of legality. The first mainstream caller ID spoofing service was launched USA-wide on September 1, 2004 by California-based Star38.com.[3] Founded by Jason Jepson, [4] it was the first service to allow spoofed calls to be placed from a web interface. It stopped offering service in 2005, as a handful of similar sites were launched.[citation needed]
In August 2006, Paris Hilton was accused of using caller ID spoofing to break into a voicemail system that used caller ID for authentication.[5] Caller ID spoofing also has been used in purchase scams on web sites such as Craigslist and eBay. The scamming caller claims to be calling from Canada into the U.S. with a legitimate interest in purchasing advertised items. Often the sellers are asked for personal information such as a copy of a registration title, etc., before the (scammer) purchaser invests the time and effort to come see the for-sale items. In the 2010 election, fake caller IDs of ambulance companies and hospitals were used in Missouri to get potential voters to answer the phone.[6] In 2009, a vindictive Brooklyn wife spoofed the doctor's office of her husband's lover in an attempt to trick the other woman into taking medication which would make her miscarry.[7]
Frequently, caller ID spoofing is used for prank calls. For example, someone might call a friend and arrange for "The White House" to appear on the recipient's caller display. In December 2007, a hacker used a caller ID spoofing service and was arrested for sending a SWAT team to a house of an unsuspecting victim.[8] In February 2008, a Collegeville, Pennsylvania, man was arrested for making threatening phone calls to women and having their home numbers appear "on their caller ID to make it look like the call was coming from inside the house."[9]
In March 2008, several residents in Wilmington, Delaware, reported receiving telemarketing calls during the early morning hours, when the caller had apparently spoofed the caller ID to evoke Tommy Tutone's 1981 hit "867-5309/Jenny". By 2014, an increase in illegal telemarketers displaying the victim's own number, either verbatim or with a few digits randomised, was observed as an attempt to evade caller ID-based blacklists.[10]
In the Canadian federal election of May 2, 2011, both live calls and robocalls are alleged to have been placed with false caller ID, either to replace the caller's identity with that of a fictitious person (Pierre Poutine of Joliette, Quebec)[11] or to disguise calls from an Ohio call centre as Peterborough, Ontario, domestic calls. See Robocall scandal.
In June 2012, a search on Google returned nearly 50,000 consumer complaints by individuals receiving multiple continuing spoofed voice over IP (VoIP) calls on lines leased / originating from "Pacific Telecom Communications Group" located in Los Angeles, CA (in a mailbox store), in apparent violation of FCC rules. Companies such as these lease out thousands of phone numbers to anonymous voice-mail providers who, in combination with dubious companies like "Phone Broadcast Club" (who do the actual spoofing), allow phone spam to become an increasingly widespread and pervasive problem. In 2013, the misleading caller name "Teachers Phone" was reported on a large quantity of robocalls advertising credit card services as a ruse to trick students' families into answering the unwanted calls in the mistaken belief they were from local schools.[12]
On January 7, 2013, the Internet Crime Complaint Center issued a scam alert for various telephony denial of service attacks by which fraudsters were using spoofed caller ID to impersonate police in an attempt to collect bogus payday loans, then placing repeated harassing calls to police with the victim's number displayed.[13] While impersonation of police is common,[14][15] other scams involved impersonating utility companies to threaten businesses or householders with disconnection[16] as a means to extort money,[17] impersonating immigration officials[18] or impersonating medical insurers to obtain personal data for use in theft of identity.[19] Bogus caller ID has also been used in grandparent scams, which target the elderly by impersonating family members and requesting wire transfer of money.[20]
In 2018, one method of caller ID spoofing was called "neighbor spoofing", using either the same area code and telephone prefix of the person being called, or the name of a person or business in the area.[21]
Technology and methods[edit]
Caller ID is spoofed through a variety of methods and different technology. The most popular ways of spoofing caller ID are through the use of VoIP or PRI lines.
Voice over IP[edit]
In the past, caller ID spoofing required an advanced knowledge of telephony equipment that could be quite expensive. However, with open source software (such as Asterisk or FreeSWITCH, and almost any VoIP company), one can spoof calls with minimal costs and effort.
Some VoIP providers allow the user to configure their displayed number as part of the configuration page on the provider's web interface. No additional software is required. If the caller name is sent with the call (instead of being generated from the number by a database lookup at destination) it may be configured as part of the settings on a client-owned analog telephone adapter or SIP phone. The level of flexibility is provider-dependent. A provider which allows users to bring their own device and unbundles service so that direct inward dial numbers may be purchased separately from outbound calling minutes will be more flexible. A carrier which doesn't follow established hardware standards (such as Skype) or locks subscribers out of configuration settings on hardware which the subscriber owns outright (such as Vonage) is more restrictive. Providers which market "wholesale VoIP" are typically intended to allow any displayed number to be sent, as resellers will want their end user's numbers to appear.
In rare cases, a destination number served by voice-over-IP is reachable directly at a known SIP address (which may be published through ENUM telephone number mapping, a .tel DNS record or located using an intermediary such as SIP Broker). Some Google Voice users are directly reachable by SIP, as are all iNum Initiative numbers in country codes +883 5100 and +888. As a Federated VoIP scheme provides a direct Internet connection which does not pass through a signaling gateway to the public switched telephone network, it shares the advantages (nearly free unlimited access worldwide) and disadvantages (ernet applications).
Service providers[edit]
Some spoofing services work similarly to a prepaid calling card. Customers pay in advance for a personal identification number (PIN). Customers dial the number given to them by the company, their PIN, the destination number and the number they wish to appear as the caller ID. The call is bridged or transferred and arrives with the spoofed number chosen by the caller—thus tricking the called party.
Many providers also provide a Web-based interface or a mobile application where a user creates an account, logs in and supplies a source number, destination number, and the bogus caller ID information to be displayed. The server then places a call to each of the two endpoint numbers and bridges the calls together.
Some providers offer the ability to record calls, change the voice and send text messages.[22]
Orange box[edit]
Another method of spoofing is that of emulating the Bell 202 FSK signal. This method, informally called orange boxing, uses software that generates the audio signal which is then coupled to the telephone line during the call. The object is to deceive the called party into thinking that there is an incoming call waiting call from the spoofed number, when in fact there is no new incoming call. This technique often also involves an accomplice who may provide a secondary voice to complete the illusion of a call-waiting call. Because the orange box cannot truly spoof an incoming caller ID prior to answering and relies to a certain extent on the guile of the caller, it is considered as much a social engineering technique as a technical hack.
Other methods include switch access to the Signaling System 7 network and social engineering telephone company operators, who place calls for you from the desired phone number.
Caller name display[edit]
Telephone exchange equipment manufacturers vary in their handling of caller name display. Much of the equipment manufactured for Bell System companies in the United States sends only the caller's number to the distant exchange; that switch must then use a database lookup to find the name to display with the calling number. Canadian landline exchanges often run Nortel equipment which sends the name along with the number. Mobile, CLEC, Internet or independent exchanges also vary in their handling of caller name, depending on the switching equipment manufacturer. Calls between numbers in differing country codes represent a further complication, as caller ID often displays the local portion of the calling number without indicating a country of origin or in a format that can be mistaken for a domestic or invalid number.
This results in multiple possible outcomes:
- The name provided by the caller (in the analog telephone adapter configuration screen for voice-over-IP users or on the web interface on a spoofing provider) is blindly passed verbatim to the called party and may be spoofed at will
- The name is generated from a telephone company database using the spoofed caller ID number.
- A destination provider may display no name or just the geographic location of the provided telephone area code on caller ID (e.g., "ARIZONA", "CALIFORNIA", "OREGON", or "ONTARIO"). This often occurs where the destination carrier is a low-cost service (such as a VoIP provider) running no database or outdated data in which the number is not found.
- If the displayed number is in the recipient's address book, some handsets will display the name from the local address book in place of the transmitted name. Some VoIP providers use Asterisk (PBX) to provide similar functionality at the server;[23] this may lead to multiple substitutions with priority going to the destination user's own handset as the last link in the CNAM chain.
Legal considerations[edit]
Caller ID spoofing remains legal in Canada, and has recently become so prevalent that the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre has "add[ed] an automated message about [the practice] to their fraud-reporting hotline".[24] The CRTC estimates that 40% of the complaints they receive regarding unsolicited calls involve spoofing.[25] The agency advises Canadians to file complaints regarding such calls,[26] provides a list of protection options for dealing with them on its website,[27] and, from July through December 2015, held a public consultation to identify "technical solutions" to address the issue.[25][27][28] Regulators have set a March 31, 2019 target date for implementation of a CID authentication system.[29]
On December 19, 2018, the CRTC announced that beginning in a year from that date, phone providers must block all calls with caller IDs that do not conform to established numbering plans.[30] Furthermore, on December 9, 2019, the CRTC also announced that it expects all phone providers in Canada to implement the STIR/SHAKEN protocol by September 30, 2020.[31]
According to a report from the India Department of Telecommunications, the government of India has taken the following steps against the CLI spoofing service providers:
- Websites offering caller ID spoofing services are blocked in India as an immediate measure.
- International long distance operators (ILDOs), national long distance operators (NLDOs) and access service providers have been alerted to the existence of such spoofing services, and shall collectively be prepared to take action to investigate cases of caller ID spoofing as they are reported.[32]
As per DOT, using spoofed call service is illegal as per the Indian Telegraph Act, Sec 25(c). Using such service may lead to a fine, three years' imprisonment or both.
United Kingdom[edit]
In the UK, the spoofed number is called the "presentation number". This must be either allocated to the caller, or if allocated to a third party, it is only to be used with the third party's explicit permission.[33]
Starting 2016, direct marketing companies are obliged to display their phone numbers. Any offending companies can be fined up to £2 million by OFCOM.[34]
United States[edit]
Caller ID spoofing is generally legal in the United States unless done "with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain anything of value". The relevant federal statute, the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009, does make exceptions for certain law-enforcement purposes. Callers are also still allowed to preserve their anonymity by choosing to block all outgoing caller ID information on their phone lines.
Under the act, which also targets VoIP services, it is illegal "to cause any caller identification service to knowingly transmit misleading or inaccurate caller identification information with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain anything of value...." Forfeiture penalties or criminal fines of up to $10,000 per violation (not to exceed $1,000,000) could be imposed.[22] The law maintains an exemption for blocking one's own outgoing caller ID information, and law enforcement isn't affected.[35][36]
The New York Times sent the number 111-111-1111 for all calls made from its offices until August 15, 2011. The fake number was intended to prevent the extensions of its reporters appearing in call logs, and thus protect reporters from having to divulge calls made to anonymous sources. The Times abandoned this practice because of the proposed changes to the caller ID law, and because many companies were blocking calls from the well-known number.[37]
Starting in mid-2017, and with intended culmination in 2019, the FCC pushed forward Caller ID certification implemented via a methodology of STIR/SHAKEN.[38][39] SHAKEN/STIR are acronyms for Signature-based Handling of Asserted Information Using toKENs (SHAKEN) and the Secure Telephone Identity Revisited (STIR) standards.
On August 1, 2019, the FCC voted to extend the Truth in Caller ID Act to international calls and text messaging.[40] Congress passed the TRACED Act in 2019 which makes Caller ID authentication mandatory.[41]
- ^ Doug Shadel. "Who's Calling". AARP Bulletin. p. 36.
- ^ Herb Weisbaum. "Here are the best ways to block robocalls right now".
You can't trust caller ID ... so how to do you stop the incessant ringing?
- ^ Ken Belson (September 2, 2004). "A Commercial Software Service Aims to Outfox Caller ID". The New York Times.
- ^ "Citing threats, entrepreneur to quit caller ID venture". September 11, 2004.
- ^ Robert McMillan (August 25, 2006). "Paris Hilton accused of voice-mail hacking". InfoWorld. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
- ^ Kansas City Star, "Fake called IDs used in Missouri elections" David A. Lieb, Associated Press. Sun. November 14, 2010.
- ^ "Enraged Brooklyn wife Kisha Jones stole doc's Rx pad to prescribe drug to abort baby of hubby's lover". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on December 8, 2009. Retrieved April 24, 2011.
- ^ "Hacking caller id systems on the rise - FOX16.com". Archived from the original on October 23, 2008. Retrieved December 14, 2007.
- ^ KYW Newsradio 1060 Philadelphia - Man Pleads Guilty to Making Scary Phone Calls Archived March 16, 2008, at the Wayback Machine (link rot)
- ^ "The Caller ID Scam You Must Know About". The Fiscal Times. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
- ^ Payton, Laura (February 28, 2012). "Robocalls phone number registered to 'Pierre Poutine'". CBC News. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
- ^ "Robocallers Impersonate Teachers On Caller ID, Scare Parents". Consumerist. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
- ^ "IC3 Scam Alerts (January 7, 2013)". ic3.gov.
- ^ Carmen Duarte Arizona Daily Star. "Pima County Sheriff's detectives alert public about scam". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
- ^ "Authorities Warn About Scam Artists Posing As Law Enforcement Officers In Camden County". Retrieved June 14, 2015.
- ^ "FTC asked to probe fraudulent calls to restaurants".
- ^ Nick Sloan. "Kansas City Kansan: BPU warns customers of phone-scam". Retrieved June 14, 2015.
- ^ "Beware: widespread immigration-related fraud schemes currently on the rise!". Retrieved June 14, 2015.
- ^ "Scammers busy under guise of Obamacare". CBS News.
- ^ "Fort Stockton resident latest victim of Grandparent Scam". The Fort Stockton Pioneer. Archived from the original on February 23, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
- ^ "A New Kind of Phone Scam: Neighbor Spoofing". Better Business Bureau. May 11, 2018. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
- ^ a b ""Don't Believe Your Eyes: Spoofing"".
- ^ "Phone book - VoIP.ms Wiki". wiki.voip.ms.
- ^ Cummings, Madeleine. (August 12, 2015). "The call is coming from inside your house: Caller ID spoofing becoming more frequent for frustrated Canadians". National Post. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ a b "CRTC seeks solutions to help Canadians protect themselves from unsolicited and illegitimate calls". July 23, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
- ^ "What You Should Know About Telemarketing in Canada". CRTC. November 26, 2014. Archived from the original on February 3, 2016. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
- ^ a b "CRTC publishes a summary of protection options currently offered for spoofed and unsolicited calls". CRTC. November 20, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
- ^ Bradshaw, James (July 24, 2015). "CRTC aims to combat 'spoofing' by telemarketers". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
- ^ "Canadian Regulator Mandates Caller ID Authentication". January 28, 2018.
- ^ "Implementation of universal network-level blocking of calls with blatantly illegitimate caller identification". crtc.gc.ca. CRTC. December 19, 2018. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
- ^ "CRTC calls on telecoms to adopt new tool to tackle 'spoofed' phone scams". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
- ^ Harish Kumar, ITS. "Call (Calling Line Identification) spoofing services Offered through websites – Study of Modus Operandi, Impact and Regulatory Framework in India".
- ^ Director General of Telecommunications (December 11, 2003). "Guidelines for the provision of Calling Line Identification Facilities and other related services over Electronic Communications Networks Version 2 (amended 26 April 2007)". ofcom. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
- ^ Finnigan, Lexi (April 24, 2016). "Cold callers forced to display numbers following change in law". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
- ^ "Congress outlaws all Caller ID spoofing (VoIP too)". Ars Technica. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
- ^ "Caller ID and Spoofing". Retrieved June 14, 2015.
- ^ Peters, Jeremy W. (August 12, 2011). "At The Times, Era of '111-111-1111' Nears Its End". The New York Times (Media Decoder blog). Retrieved August 12, 2011.
- ^ Pai, Ajit (2017). "Combating Spoofed Robocalls with Caller ID Authentication". FCC.
- ^ Brodkin, Jon (February 14, 2019). "Ajit Pai orders phone companies to adopt new anti-robocall tech in 2019". Arstechnica.
- ^ Reardon, Marguerite. "FCC gets authority to go after international illegal robocallers". CNET. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
- ^ Trump signs the TRACED Act, the first federal anti-robocall law
External links[edit]
- Anderson, Nate (April 14, 2010). "Congress Outlaws All Caller ID Spoofing (VoIP Too)". Ars Technica.
- "Fake call ID services on the rise". BBC News. April 25, 2005.
- Senator Florez (July 25, 2007). "SJR-15 Telecommunications: caller identification spoofing. (2007–2008)". California State Senate. SJR15. Archived from the original on October 23, 2008.
- Musgrove, Mike (October 30, 2004). "New Tricks Fool Caller ID: Some See Potentially Dangerous Abuse". The Washington Post. p. E01.
- WIRED Staff (March 2, 2006). "FCC Probes Caller-ID Fakers". Science. Wired.


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Here is something I've observed again and again – Mint Chocolate Chip icecream is preferred by more men than women. Almost every man I've dated has been a Mint Chocolate Chip fan. I could take it or leave it, myself. I prefer the more buttery flavors (Butter Pecan, Praline, Caramel Ribbon), if I'm not having chocolate. What do you think?
But back to my outfit…I hardly ever wear this belt. It's too big to sit at the waist and I've found that a low slung belt requires constant readjusting. By wearing it today, I've made a commitment to tug it back into place on a regular basis. (I did wear the belt once before, threaded through the belt loops of a low-slung mini. I liked the look, but then I had to be particular about shirt length. Too long, and the buckle doesn't show. Too short, and I'm baring tummy.)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
"Bruce Anderson's Celebration of Life"
Bruce Anderson's family and friends are trying to get a better idea
of the number of folks planning on attending Bruce's Celebration of Life.
If you would like to attend please RSVP below.
Bruce Anderson
Sunday, May 12, 2013
1:00pm to 4:00pm
Canepa Group, Inc.
4900 Scotts Valley Drive
Scotts Valley, CA 95066
Please RSVP to: email@example.com
Include in Subject Line: Celebration of Life
it's interesting to look back over the years to see resources and individuals that continued to be the authority on the brand and it's enhancement. One of these individuals is Bruce Anderson, a legend in the world of all things Porsche.
(May 27th, 1938 – Feb. 9th, 2013)
Bruce Anderson, the guru, the GOD of the Porsche 911 has passed away today in the early morning on Feb 9th, 2013. Known for his 911 Handbooks and as the Excellence Porsche Magazine Freelance Tech Editor/Writer and Partner/General Manager at Garretson Enterprises, Campbell, California during 1976 to 1988.
This is a my tribute to Bruce Anderson. He will be truly missed by the Porsche community, however his writings will live on forever for Porsche owners, enthusiasts, and fans worldwide. Rest in Peace Bruce! Will miss you very much.
Celebration of Bruce's Life
A "Celebration of Life" is planned by his wife Stephanie on May 12, 2013 (the day after the ALMS race at Laguna Seca, Monterey) at Bruce Canepa's shop in Scotts Valley, CA. The event is tentatively scheduled from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and is open to all who knew Bruce and wish to remember him. If you plan on attending, please contact Stephanie to let her know by emailing her @ (firstname.lastname@example.com) to have an accurate head count.
PORSCHE 935 – Moby and the Warhorse Gang
PORSCHE 935 – Moby and the Warhorse Gang, the award-winning story of the 935 as seen through the eyes of the highly successful Porsche shop Garretson Enterprises. The 935s they prepared won Sebring 3 times in a row, the Daytona 24, the IMSA Championship, and the World Endurance Driver's Championship. Made with the cooperation of the Porsche Archive, and co-written by team member/Porsche guru Bruce Anderson, the production has been digitally re-mastered in 2009, and is now available on DVD at http://www.SmartRacingProducts.com. Porsche fans will appreciate the almost 4 hours of this well-produced video!
911 PORSCHE PERFORMANCE HANDBOOK: ( from Bruce Anderson's Blogspot )
Third edition of Porsche 911 Performance Handbook: Readers, thanks for your help with corrections from the second edition, I think you will like the third edition it is bigger at 304 pages, better, with more up to date thinking (things change) and a lot of color photos. The iconic Porsche Porsche 911 is that rarity–a world class performance car that can still be improved.
The Porsche 911 Performance Handbook focuses on 1963 thru 1998 Porsche 911 model years. It covers a brief history of the model, a very useful buyer's guide, then projects and enhancements you can undertake on your prized Porsche. Everything from rebuilding and modifying the power plant in your 911 to tuning your suspension.
Here are the main sections:
- Porsche 911 Performance History
- Buying a Used 911
- 911 Engine Development
- Engine Rebuild Fundamentals
- Engine Performance Modifications
- Suspension, Brakes, Wheels, and Tires
- Transmission


text:
Michael Phelps earned his fifth gold medal as the U.S. relay team won the 400-meter medley in world record time.
Phlelps, 24, helped his team pull away from Germany and Australia in the butterfly leg -- winning in 3 minutes, 27.28 seconds and shattering the 3:29.34 mark set by the U.S. at the Olympics last summer.
"I think a competition like this that really brings out the best in me," Phelps told The New York Times. "It doesn't matter how much energy I have, it's all going to go into every race. I think that's one of the things that I enjoy most is stepping onto the blocks no matter what kind of shape I'm in and racing."
Phelps, who won a record eight medals at the Beijing Olympics last August, arrived at the world championships in Rome underprepared after taking six months off.
"I think it's not how you start, it is how you finished," Phelps said Tuesday after he lost the 200 freestyle.
Still, Phelps managed to paddle his way back to the top.
New suits made of polyurethane have been credited with the number of records shattered at the championships but the special suits are slated to be banned in January .
Phelps, wearing a supposedly inferior suit, beat rival Milorad Cavic again on Saturday in a rematch of the infamous Beijing Olympic race in which Phelps won by one-hundredth of a second. Cavic has maintained that he hit the wall first.
The Serbian offered to get Phelps an X-Glide polyurethane suit "within the hour" or buy him one so he couldn't make any more excuses.
"How can it not motivate you? When there are things that are said, the only thing it does for me is fire me up," Phelps told NBC. "It does nothing but literally motivate me to no end, and I love it."


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Hugo Award nominee 2006, Locus Award nominee 2006, British Fantasy Award nominee 2006.
Few books have captivated the imagination and won the devotion and
praise of readers and critics everywhere as has George R. R. Martin's
monumental epic cycle of high fantasy. Now, in A Feast for Crows,
Martin delivers the long-awaited fourth book of his landmark series, as
a kingdom torn asunder finds itself at last on the brink of
peace... only to be launched on an even more terrifying course of
A Feast for Crows
It seems too good to be true. The war of the Five Kings has finally ground to an uneasy halt, with House Lannister and their allies the apparent victors. But all is still not well in the land...
With the death of the monstrous King Joffrey, Cersei is ruling as regent in King's Landing. Robb Stark's demise has broken the back of the Northern rebels, and his siblings are scattered throughout the kingdom like seeds on barren soil. Few legitimate claims to the once desperately sought Iron Throne still exist – or they are held in hands too weak or too distant to wield them effectively.
But as in the aftermath of any climactic struggle, it is not long before the survivors, outlaws, renegades, and carrion eaters start to gather, picking over the bones of the dead and fighting for the spoils of the soon-to-be-dead. Now in the Seven Kingdoms, as the human crows assemble over a banquet of ashes, daring new plots and dangerous new alliances are formed, while surprising faces – some familiar, others only just appearing – are seen emerging from an ominous twilight of past struggles and chaos to take up the challenges ahead.
It is a time
when the wise and the ambitious, the deceitful and the strong, will
acquire the skills, the power, and the magic to survive the stark and
terrible times that lie before them. It is a time for nobles and
commoners, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and sages, to come
together and stake their fortunes... and their lives. For at a feast
for crows, many are the guests – but only a few are the survivors.
"Of those who work in the grand epic-fantasy tradition, Martin is by far the best... [He] is a tense, surging, insomnia-inflicting plotter and a deft and inexhaustible sketcher of personalities... This is as good a time as any to proclaim him the American Tolkien." – Time Magazine
"The only fantast series I'd put on a level with J.R.R. Tolkein's The Lord of the Rings… It's a fantasy series for hip, smart people, even those who don't read fantasy… If you're new to the series, you must begin with Book 1, A Game of Thrones. Once you're hooked… you'll be like the rest of us fans, gnawing your knuckles until book 5" – Marta Salij, Detroit Free Press
|Start a new discussion about this book | Show all topics
George Raymond Richard Martin (born 1948 in Bayonne, New Jersey), is an American author and screenwriter of science fiction, horror, and fantasy. He majored from Norhwestern University in 1970.
Martin sold his first science fiction story in 1971 and has been writing professionally since then. He spent ten years in Hollywood as a writer-producer, working on various television series and feature films. In the mid '90s he returned to prose, his first love, and began work on his epic fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire. He has been in the Seven Kingdoms ever since. Whenever he's allowed to leave, he returns to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he lives with lovely Parris, and two cats named Augustus and Caligula, who think they run ... (more)
Reviews (2)
Written by Bluejay 2007-11-22
It's true that A Feast for Crows misses a tiny bit it's other half, The Dance with Dragons, which haven't yet been published.. But there's nothing wrong with this first part, Martin is The Master. The story is great, the characters get even more interesting. My only critique is that the wait between the books of Song of Ice and Fire is waaaay too long.
Written by Seregil of Rhiminee 2007-10-15
A Feast for Crows is the fourth book of A Song of Ice and Fire. This book isn't quite as good as the three previous books, but it's a great book. As almost everybody knows George R.R. Martin had to split this book into two parts, because if he'd put all the material into this book, it would've been too big to publish. This split is easy to notice, because many important and interesting characters are missing. That's why this book isn't as excellent as the previous books. If you enjoyed reading the three previous books, you should read this book. It's an interesting fantasy book.


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Today's post is written by Shirley Braden, author of the blog, gfe--gluten free easily.
Day 23 - Shirley's Tasty Meatloaf in Mere Minutes.
Meat loaf is a somewhat old-fashioned, comfort food that may not get made often because it's traditionally baked in the oven for an hour or more. However, if you use a microwave oven, meat loaf can be ready in a fraction of the time. My meat loaf is usually ready in about 12 to 14 minutes.
This method is a timesaver any time of the year, but it's also a "heat saver" during the summer months. Many comfort food dishes require operating the oven, but I'm not particularly keen on making them when the air conditioner is running and the electric meter is doing its whirling dervish imitation. This meat loaf is quick and tasty and pleases even non-meat loaf lovers.
Shirley's Tasty Meat Loaf (Microwave Version)
1 lb. ground venison, lean ground beef, or ground turkey
1 egg, slightly beaten
¾ cup gluten-free bread crumbs, almond flour, etc. (see notes below)
1/3 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy; may be optional--see notes below)
1/3 cup gluten-free ketchup
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp salt (optional, I'd add if using ground turkey)
1/3 cup gluten-free ketchup
1 ½ tsp dry mustard
¼ cup brown sugar (or Demerara or coconut sugar)
- Lightly grease pan.
- Mix ground meat, egg, bread crumbs, milk, ketchup, and onion. Press into microwave-safe loaf pan, making an indentation in the center.
- Mix topping ingredients and pour over loaf.
- Microwave on HIGH setting for 12 minutes.
- Check doneness at center of loaf at 12-minute point. If not done, continue cooking at 1-minute intervals, checking each time. There should be no pink remaining in the middle, but it may look slightly soft. The middle will continue cooking/setting up for a few minutes after removing from the microwave. Therefore, I like to serve slices from the end first.
- Serve with equally quick sides like salad and/or steamed veggies.
Shirley's Notes:
- Please do not omit the topping; it comes from a Southern Living recipe and really makes this meat loaf special.
- If you don't use a lean meat, there may be too much fat, some of which you can drain off. (Be careful not to drain off too much because the meat loaf will need some for moisture, plus it's not all fat, it's also liquid from other ingredients.)
- Bread crumbs (or another "filler" ingredient) definitely make for a tastier meat loaf, but they are not really necessary. The egg, ground meat, fat content, and milk (if used) all allow binding and add enough flavor.
- Truthfully, I make this meat loaf slightly different each time. For example, when I use almond flour, I add no milk at all, as the liquid is not really needed. However, I do use milk when I include bread crumbs; the liquid is needed in that case.
- Leftovers make terrific sandwiches; you can even fill corn tortillas with slices or chunks of leftover meat loaf, adding cheese, and more.
Not just gf, but gfe!
Shirley is the author/owner of the blog, gfe–gluten free easily. She was diagnosed as gluten intolerant in June 2003 after a lifetime of health issues caused by gluten. She's been gluten free ever since and is now happy and healthy. She leads the King George Gluten Intolerance and Celiac Group, which she formed in 2004. She also serves on the council of a local GIG group and edits its newsletter, and is a founding member of a local health initiative. She's a relentless advocate for celiac and gluten intolerance education, always speaking at health fairs and other public forums.


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Bob was the sixth child born to Eva Dauer and Joseph Plenzler. He was born January 3, 1891 and baptized January 4, 1891 in St. Stanislaus Parish. It's interesting to note on Bob's baptismal record that his mother's lineage is noted. Look closely at the record for Boleslaw Plencner (the first record on the page). Here is a transcription:
Datum Nativ. and Baptism
3rd Januarii Natus
4th Jan. Bapt.
Nomen: Boleslaus
Genus: Mas
Thorus: Leg.
Parentes: Plencner (Plenzler), Josephus, fil Josephi et Evae Dauer
Dauer, Eva fil Andrea et. Marianna n. Omler
Patrini: Michael Brzoskov (sp?) et Antonia Szcrepankorvska (sp?)
So, a clue to Eva's mother would be that Marianna's maiden name may be Omler. Also, when transcribing Mary Plenzler's baptismal record, I have found that Marianna's maiden name was provided as Aumiller. (I will provide more information on Mary on the next post.)
I can find no reason for naming the paternity of the mother, and yet all children born during this period have the paternity of their parents provided as well. Additionally, the priest's name is not provided.
Bob was listed as living with the family at 1541 Avondale at the time of the 1910 census, he would have been about 19 years old at the time.
It appears Bob was drafted into the Army during World War I. His World War I draft card provides his employment as a carpenter. He was listed in the Ohio Soldiers, Sailors and Marines, World War, 1917-18 (as was his brother, Frank). Both Bob and Frank served at Meuse-Argonne and with the American Expeditionary Forces. Bob was also listed as having served at the battle of St. Miheil. Bob was honorably discharged from the Army on July 21, 1919.
A transcription of Bob's record in the Ohio Soldiers, Sailors and Marines, World War, 1917-1918 is below:
3093314, White
1541 Avondale Ave.,
Toledo, O.
NA LB 4 Toledo, O. June 26/18. Br Toledo, O. Feb 8/95. 158 Dep Brig to July 18/18; Co F 336 Inf to Oct 5/18; Co K 358 Inf to disch. Pvt. Meuse-Argonne. AEF Sept 9/18 to June 8/19. Ho disch June 15/19.
The 1930 census shows Bob living again at 1541 Avondale with his sister, Mary and employed as a machinist at a steel mill. It appears as if neither Bob or Mary ever married but continued to live together to support each other.
Bob died December 11, 1973 and was buried at Calvary Cemetery. His obituary was published in the Toledo Blade on December 12, 1973 and is transcribed below:
Robert Plenzler
Robert F. Plenzler, 83, of 1541 Avondale Ave., died Tuesday in his home. He was employed 12 years by the Acklin Stamping Co., retiring 18 years ago. Earlier he had worked 25 years for the Toledo Metal Wheel Co. He was a World War I veteran. Surviving is his sister, Mrs. Sophia Szymanowski. The body is in the Sujkowski Mortuary. Services will be Friday at 10 a.m. in St. Stanislaus Church. The Rosary will be recited Thursday at 8 p.m.
He was buried at Calvary Cemetery through St. Stanislaus parish. The burial record from the church is transcribed below:
Name: Plenzler, Robert
Address: 1541 Avondale
Age: 83
Parents or Spouse:
Sister: Sophia Szymanowski
Date of Death: Dec. 11
Cemetery Date of Burial: Dec. 14, 1973
Celebrant: Rev. S. J. Wojciechowski
The burial record from Calvary is transcribed below:
No. 77881
Name: Robert Plenzler
Residence: 1541 Avondale
Age: 83
Cause of Death: Prov. Death Cert.
Date of Interment: 12/14/1973
Grave: 5
Range or Lot: 193
Section: 44
Funeral Director: Sujkowski
Remarks: R3407


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Luke 24:2-4 New Century Version (NCV)
2 They found the stone rolled away from the entrance of the tomb, 3 but when they went in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, two men in shining clothes suddenly stood beside them.
New Century Version (NCV)
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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1 Cars for sale San Diego CA
#1497, 30,879 mi
#1497, 30,879 mi, 3.6L VR6, 8-Speed Automatic with Tiptronic, Pacific Blue Metallic, Titan Black, FWD, 4D Sport Utility
Retail Price:
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CARFAX Vehicle History Report Highlights
- CARFAX 1-Owner
- Vehicle Qualifies for the CARFAX Buyback Guarantee
- No Total Loss Reported to CARFAX
- No Structural/Frame Damage Reported to CARFAX
- No Airbag Deployment Reported to CARFAX
- No Indication of an Odometer Rollback
- No Accidents / Damage Reported to CARFAX
- No Manufacturer Recalls Reported to CARFAX
*Not all accidents or other issues are reported to CARFAX. The number of owners is estimated. See the full CARFAX Report for additional information and glossary of terms.
All pricing and details are believed to be accurate, but we do not warrant or guarantee such accuracy. The prices shown above, may vary from region to region, as will incentives, and are subject to change. Vehicle information is based off standard equipment and may vary from vehicle to vehicle. Call or email for complete vehicle specific information.


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I read with interest this week's editorial and I thought long and hard about this answer.
I certainly don't believe in sensationalizing a video like that and I'm glad to hear that someone to whom the video was given gave it to a newspaper to publicize the vile act and help further the punishment of the culprit.
But my thought is that a picture is worth a thousand words. While a description of the hunters' repeated failed efforts to kill the deer could paint a picture, not like witnessing it on your news website.
I don't hunt and have to admit to often wondering if hunters kill animals in the most humane way. Do they often do something like this?
I think as a society we should witness acts like this in order to decide our positions on such things. Would it be difficult to watch? Yes, but not as difficult as it was for the poor deer to endure.


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ROYAL OAK Sax music at the library
Carl Cafagna and the North Star Saxophone Quartet will perform at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Royal Oak Public Library, 222 E. 11 Mile Road. The group plays everything from Bach to The Beatles.
Registration is suggested. To sign up for this free program, visit www.ropl.org or call the Adult Reference Desk at 248-246-3727.
MADISON HEIGHTS Learn about wildlife moms
Wildlife Moms will take place from 2-3:30 p.m. Saturday at Red Oaks Nature Center, 30300 Hales St. Cost is $4 per person. Experience nature with the family and learn about wildlife mothers that reside in Michigan such as beavers, does and cottontail rabbits. Make a gift for mom and enjoy a guided nature walk in Friendship Woods. Suitable for families with children ages 3 and older.
Pre-register by Thursday by calling 248-858-0916. Visa, Discover and MasterCard accepted.
DETROIT Light-Hearted Look at Genealogy
The Detroit Society for Genealogical Research will present 'Serendipity: A Light-Hearted Look at Genealogy' from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Detroit Public Library, 5201 Woodward Ave.
The group's president, Richard Doherty, will explain the humorous aspects of genealogy, including serendipitous occurrences, genealogical records with unusual content, and a variety of other humorous genealogy-related items. This program can also be enjoyed by non-genealogists.
For more information, contact Barney Smith at 248-761-8356 or via email at email@example.com.
PONTIAC Peters to give commencement address
Congressman Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, will receive an honorary doctor of humanities degree and give the commencement address for Lawrence Technological University graduates at 1 p.m. Saturday at Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac.
Peters represents the 14th congressional district that includes Pontiac, West Bloomfield, Farmington Hills, Southfield, Oak Park, half of Detroit and the Grosse Pointes.


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Neal says Alternative Minimum Tax Fix a Plus in Fiscal Cliff Legislation
U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, is hailing an agreement reached as part of the fiscal cliff talks in Washington which provided a permanent fix for an oppressive tax burden some middle-class families faced.
The Alternative Minimum Tax was effectively neutralized as a "stealth" tax provision to dread for about 28 million middle-income Americans, including one million in Massachusetts, Neal said. The change indexed the qualifying amounts for families and single tax filers for inflation, ending the need for Congress to annually "patch" the legislation by changing the figures.
"I have battled for years to have this abolished," said Neal, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee. He added, "On that, I am declaring victory."
In a speech on the House floor following approval of the change, Neal said "The minimum tax was never indexed for inflation, which caused millions of middle-class Americans to become subject to the tax even though they didn't make a lot of money."
The AMT, which in its earliest form was enacted in 1969, seeks to ensure that wealthy taxpayers pay a minimum tax even when they take tax deductions that would have reduced their payment to zero.
The income figures and other factors that key the minimum tax weren't, however, automatically adjusted for inflation -- meaning that with inflation millions of middle-class taxpayers would have become ensnared unless Congress annually changed the qualifying figures.
Neal said it was conceivable that a family of four with an income around $45,000 could have been hit with an extra level of taxation. With the indexing feature added during the recent fiscal cliff negotiations, the problem has been solved, he said, adding, "This is clearly one of the better aspects of the deal."
"I had talked to President Bush, lobbied [Treasury Secretary Tim] Geithner, lobbied the vice president [Joe Biden] on this. I am very pleased," he said of the years-long effort.
As for the talks themselves, Neal said, "This was not an argument on the perfect; it was an argument over what was possible."
He said it is imperative that efforts to reach new budget agreements begin before the next possible federal government crisis, this time over raising the federal debt limit, arrives.
The sequestration agreement on steep automatic budget cuts, which is designed to take effect unless modified by Congress and the president, he said, "should not be an option; it is too dramatic."
Fundamental tax reform is needed, Neal said. And he said the priority for Congress and the administration "should be on getting unemployment down."
Achieving an unemployment rate of 4.5 to 5 percent, he said, would "take care of a third of the [federal] deficit" through increased tax revenue and lower social services costs. Those figures have been the average in post-World War II era economic recoveries.
"It's pretty frustrating" watching the cliff-hanging budget deals being negotiated as a member of the minority party in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, Neal said.
But he added, "Their caucus split while ours stayed together," leading to acceptance of an agreement previously passed overwhelmingly in the Senate.
Click here to view the original article.


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Unfortunately, despite my protestations to the contrary, regulators never seem to understand that increased regulations do not prevent criminal or unscrupulous activity. Rather, they just add to the compliance burden of already-overwhelmed small businesses.
With this as a premise, advisors need to appreciate that compliance efforts should be focused on successfully completing a regulatory examination. Compliance is not a series of folders or files—don't drink that Kool-Aid! If you do, it will only provide a temporary—and false—sense of security. When the exam comes, you will be woefully underprepared. Rather, successful compliance is dependent upon just a few key factors:
Knowing what is on the exam. The majority of my travels involve sitting down with advisory firms to review the exam and discuss how to demonstrate compliance with the issues set forth thereon. Once that is completed, the advisor is prepared (or knows what he must do to prepare) to successfully complete an exam without any unnecessary panic or fear of the unknown. Unfortunately, the majority of firms continue to engage in compliance exercises that are neither required nor applicable to their business operations.
Having the right chief compliance officer. The CCO should be an individual who understands the examination requirements and the underlying laws and rules. With this understanding, the CCO will be able to discern between regulatory requirements versus best practices, which are much too often—and quite inconsistently—bandied about by regulators during exams. Best practices are not rule violations. A best practice for Firm A is an awful practice for Firm B. In addition, the CCO must be vested with the authority required of the position. In order to do so, there needs to be an appropriate "tone at the top," whereby senior management leads by example as to the importance of cooperating with the CCO. During the exam, it is the CCO who will be the one interacting with the SEC. The SEC will learn quickly whether or not the CCO is qualified for the position and has been provided with the tools and support necessary to succeed.
Ongoing processes for preparation. Firms can prepare for much of the exam content ahead of time, reviewing their responses on a quarterly basis to make sure they do not require updates or revisions. Once the framework is established, barring substantive exam changes, the time necessary to complete the ongoing quarterly preparation should diminish significantly.
Maintaining appropriate documents. The two key threshold documents (risk assessment and annual CCO review) should be completed on an annual basis. If done properly, they should act as the roadmap for successfully completing the exam. I complete these for firms during a compliance review, knowing that when my job is done, they will have the necessary framework to succeed.
In my upcoming columns, I will discuss the above issues in greater detail, including issues that tend to substantially raise the risk level for advisors, especially if not appropriately understood or, even if understood, not appropriately addressed. Advisory firms work much too hard to permit a disastrous compliance experience to jeopardize their franchise. First, though, the firm needs to understand what is necessary to successfully complete the exam relative to content, the right CCO and preparedness.


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The Rise and Fall of Carolina Championship Wrestling 5 DVD-R Set
DVD-R Version
Please verify you have a compatible player before purchasing our DVD-R titles. We are not responsible for the compatibility of your player to our DVD-R titles.
Click here to check: (DVD-R Compatibility Chart)
A special collector's edition of CCW, Carolina Championship Wrestling. This 5 disc set brings you the historic "Tribute to Starrcade" event held in Spartanburg, SC along with the huge Q&A session that was also held that same day. This includes the clip shown on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Plus we've added a compilation "Best of CCW" disc full of some of the best bouts held in the promotion featuring the legends of professional wrestling. Finally you'll receive a Bonus Footage disc with an interview from promoter Tony Hunter, never-before-seen promos, plus out-takes and more!
Best of CCW - Disc 1
- 2/3 Falls - Ricky Steamboat special referee: Rock 'n' Roll Express vs. Midnight Express (Eaton & Condrey) with Stan Lane in their corner (11/6/04)
- Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson & Dusty Rhodes vs. Dennis Condrey & Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane with Nikita Koloff as referee (12/4/04)
- CAGE MATCH: Rock 'n' Roll Express (Morton & Gibson) vs. Midnight Express (Condrey & Eaton) (1/8/05)
- Dusty Rhodes vs. Tully Blanchard (1/8/05)
- Bunkhouse Match w/Special Referee Ronnie Garvin: Tully Blanchard vs. Dusty Rhodes (2/12/05)
- Special Referee Mick Foley: Abdullah the Butchervs. Dusty Rhodes (3/12/05)
- NWA World Hwt. Title: Jeff Jarrett vs. Dusty Rhodes (4/9/05)
- Scaffold Match: The Rock 'n' Roll Express (Morton & Gibson) vs. The Midnight Express (Condrey & Eaton) (4/9/05)
- Battle for the title of real Living Legend - Texas Bunkhouse Falls Count Anywhere Match: Terry Funk vs. Dusty Rhodes (5/7/05)
CCW "Tribute" Q&A Session - Disc 2
Carolina Championship Wrestling brings legends and more to the historic Spartanburg Auditorium for a huge Questions & Answer Session held before the Tribute event!
On November 19th of 2005 Spartanburg, South Carolina was taken by storm by some of the strongest personalities in professional wrestling. Bill Apter hosts the question and answer session with Jim Cornette, Bobby Eaton, Dennis Condrey, Terry Funk, Mick Foley, and a special guest appearence by none other than "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes.
This Q&A touches on a variety of topics from the death of Eddie Guerrero, Starcade, Dick Murdock, Ric Flair, Abyss, OVW, WWE, scaffold matches, and much more. Don't miss this as one of the fans becomes so overwhelmed that he actually breaks down in tears!!
Another fan gets Dusty Rhodes so fired up, you can't miss what Dream has to say to him!!
This Q&A is exciting and entertaining from start to finish. Don't miss these legends put all the chips on the table in this Spartanburg Q&A.
CCW Tribute Event(11/19/05) - Disc3 & 4
One of the biggest events ever held! Carolina Championship Wrestling brings legends and more to the historic Spartanburg Auditorium for a tremendous night of action!
Big 4 Camera Shoot!
- Tater Kirby vs. Thunderfoot #2
- George South vs. Rocky King
- Tony Atlas vs. Tracy Smothers
- Masked Superstar vs. The Barbarian
- David Flair vs. Brad Anderson
- Dog Collar Match: Greg Valentine vs. Chief Jay Eagle
- Ivory & Bambi vs. Team Blondage w/mgr. Lollipop and special referee So Cal Val
- Dennis Condrey, Bobby Eaton & Jim Cornette vs. Jeff Hardy, Brad Armstrong & Jerry Lawler
- Terry Funk vs. Dustin Rhodes with special referee Mick Foley
- CCW Heavyweight Title to be presented by Harley Race - Special Referee Jimmy Valiant
Tully Blanchard w/mgr. J.J. Dillon and "Perfect 10" Christie Riccivs. Dusty Rhodes w/mgr. Magnum T.A.
David Crockett as guest ring announcer!
DVD Bonus
- Commentators
- Jimmy Hart
- David Crockett
- Bill Apter
- Bonus backstage footage and promos galore!
CCWBonus Footage - Disc 5
- Tony Hunter Response to the Rumors
- Two NEVER BEFORE SEEN Promos with Tully Blanchard
- CCW Tribute Promos with Terry Funk & Dusty Rhodes
- Bill Apter Outtakes
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Standard Form of Agreement Between Client and Consultant for use where the Project is located outside the United States
$24.99 - Each
B161-2002 is designed to assist U.S. architects involved in projects based in foreign countries, where the U.S. architect is hired on a consulting basis for design services and the owner will retain a local architect in the foreign country. The document is intended to clarify the assumptions, roles, responsibilities, and obligations of the parties; to provide a clear, narrative description of services; and to facilitate, strengthen, and maintain the working and contractual relationship between the parties. Because of foreign practices, the term Owner has been replaced with Client throughout the document. Also, since it is assumed that the U.S. architect is not licensed to practice architecture in the foreign country where the project is located, the term Consultant is used throughout the document to refer to the U.S. architect. B161-2002 was re-numbered only in 2007; its content remains the same as in B611INT-2002.


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One last thought about unusual locations for fitness facilities. It seems that health clubs are appearing almost everywhere you go these days — even in the same building as an auto repair shop.
Recently, I read about Kendall Tire & Auto in Montello, WI. I normally wouldn't care about an auto repair shop in another state, but this one caught my attention because it is connected to The Body Zone, a 2,000-square-foot fitness club. Car shop customers waiting in the lobby can peer into a room full of free weights, ellipticals, treadmills and bikes.
One man who was told the fitness facility also had a massage room, responded by saying, "You mean I could have had a massage done while I was having my alignment done?"
Yep, but only if you make sure the massage oil is cocoa butter and not 10W-40.
This combination of an auto repair shop and a fitness club (for more on The Body Zone, see page 18) made me wonder what other businesses might partner well with a fitness facility. After all, even in this day and age of instant gratification, there are still places where you have to kill some time while you're waiting.
Keeping with the automobile theme, how about a fitness center in the local DMV? Take a number, then take 30 minutes working up a sweat on an elliptical before your number finally gets called. (Warning: Long waits could result in longer-than-expected workouts.)
A Laundromat could be another possibility. You spend about 30 minutes waiting for the wash cycle and another 45 minutes for the dryer, right? That's more than an hour of good fitness time. A "green" Laundromat could have dryers powered by people on treadmills. After your workout, you could change into freshly cleaned clothes, provided there's a shower nearby.
Then there's the hair salon or barbershop, where walk-ins are welcome. After walking in and making an appointment, you can continue walking on a treadmill until it's time to take a little off the top. A haircut usually includes a shampoo anyway, but these salon/fitness club combos ought to include showers, too, like the Laundromats.
Concession stands at sports stadiums and arenas are legendary for their long lines and slow service. (I wasted an hour of my life trying to get food on New Year's Day at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.) Instead of waiting in line, concessionaires should follow the DMV model and make people take numbers before they hop on exercise equipment. Sports fans, you're going to need that extra workout before you wolf down your bratwursts and chili cheese fries.
Along the same lines as concession stands, I attended several fitness trade shows last year where the only options for food in the convention center were fast and greasy. (Hasn't anyone invented a healthy fast food restaurant yet?) At these shows, you're going to need a place for mid-afternoon workouts in addition to the early morning workouts. It might as well be next to the hamburger joint.
How about those people who wait in long lines for Wiis and iPhones? Fitness centers could strengthen the marriage of fitness and technology by setting up shop next to video game and computer stores.
And finally, is there any place in the world with a longer wait than the doctor's office? At long last, we may have finally found our solution to the national obesity epidemic with the added benefit of possibly lowering health insurance costs.
Get in a workout in the waiting room at the doctor's office, then get your check-up while there's still sweat on your brow. Sure, the blood pressure and heart rate numbers may be a bit off after a workout, but if we're going to solve this obesity crisis, we have to start somewhere.


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License/Applications and Forms
** Sales & Use Tax Filing Requirements
Filing Requirements and Returns:
If you owe more than $200.00 per month in Sales or Use Tax ($8,000 in taxable sales), you are required to file monthly.
Filed each month and due on or before the 20th of the month following the month being reported.
If you collect less than $200.00 per month, you may select quarterly filing.
First quarter - January, February, and March. Due April 20.
Second quarter - April, May, and June. Due July 20.
Third quarter - July, August, and September. Due October 20.
Fourth quarter - October, November, and December. Due January 20.
Sales/Use Tax returns will be mailed to you at the end of each month or quarter. If you do not receive your return, please contact our office for a replacement. You are responsible for filing a return by the due date, regardless of whether you receive one in the mail.
Returns must be filed even if no tax is due. See Section 2-7-1002 (assessment of Taxes) of the Colorado Springs Sales and Use Tax Ordinance


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Along with the live Paul McCartney tracks mentioned previously, The Ramones return to Rock Band next week, with their one song worth any three Blink 182 or two songs from The Psychedelic Furs that might also be showing up.
The three live Paul McCartney tunes Luke mentioned yesterday are joined by The Ramones classic "Rock N ' Roll High School" in the Rock Band Music Store next week, together completely overshadowing the contributions of The Psychedelic Furs and Blink 182.
It was close at least for the Furs. If one more song was included along with "Love My Way" and "Sister Europe" they would have been just about on the same level as the one song from The Ramones, but two tracks just doesn't cut it.
Blink 182, on the other hand, could have dropped their entire catalog onto the store and it wouldn't have made a ripple. "Adam's Song," "First Date," and "I Miss You" never stood a chance.
Check out the full listing of next week's tracks below, with the plus signs indicating that the tunes are valid for LEGO Rock Band as well.
Available on Xbox 360 and Wii (Jan. 5) and PlayStation3 system (Jan. 7):
· Paul McCartney – "Band on the Run (Live)" +
· Paul McCartney – "Jet (Live)" +
· Paul McCartney – "Sing the Changes (Live)" +
· Blink-182 – "Adam's Song"
· Blink-182 – "First Date" +
· Blink-182 – "I Miss You"
· The Psychedelic Furs – "Love My Way" +
· The Psychedelic Furs – "Sister Europe"
· The Ramones – "Rock 'n' Roll High School" +


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The 17yr Old Kid "Lil Wes" St8 Outta Florida Gives WSHH Another Freestyle! This Time He Rips It Over "Bust Your Window" Beat
Jerry reports "Tha kid Lil Wes outta Palm Beach County, FL reppin dat 56uno, still unsigned, kills the bust your windows beat, show him sum luv, add him & check him out at myspace.com/lilwes00 "
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The Broad Humor Film Festival celebrated its 6th season by opening the festivities with a live show of female comics that had the audience roaring with laughter. The night was billed as a Standup Soiree and, at $15 a ticket with no drink minimum, was the best value night of comedy to be had in LA this month. The show was put together in cooperation with Collective Energy Productions and showed the enormous range of style and humor women can bring to the microphone. Every one of the performers owned the room, and lest you imagine the humor was all for the gals, know that the men in the audience were in tears from laughing so hard.
The women in the Standup Soiree line-up have been seen on stages all over the country as well as on network television. They each brought on a totally different style and content to their acts so that the audience got 5 very different comedy performances in the 90-minute show. The only flaw in the evening was that it ended too soon.
The show's host, Victoria Cordova, welcomed the audience with her goofy, laid back persona and introduced the five femaie comic performers. Aparna Nancharla opened the evening with a dry and deadpan razor wit that showed an original and delightful take on life. Jessi Campbell changed pace with her high-energy stories from a down-to-earth perspective that had people nodding in recognition while shaking their heads in disbelief. Lisa Landry was up next and combined blithe and sexy in a fabulous routine that was sweetly shameless. Erin Foley followed in a routine full of intelligence stunned by the absurdity of humanity. The closing act, Laurie Kilmartin, took on motherhood and relationships and left them skewered and lifeless on the floor before she left.
The Broad Humor Film Festival was started to focus on women's comedic films, and one can only hope that this addition of a live stand-up show harbingers a shift to a broader focus on all forms of women's humor.
The Broad Humor Film Festival Standup Soiree


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The Dallas Cowboys had lost four straight playoff games – their last win coming a decade earlier in 1996 - as they faced the Seattle Seahawks in a Wild Card Playoff game on January 6, 2007. In their fourth season under Head Coach Bill Parcells, the Cowboys were off to a 3-3 start when they replaced veteran QB Drew Bledsoe with unheralded backup Tony Romo. They went 6-4 the rest of the way to finish second in the NFC East at 9-7 and claim a Wild Card spot. Romo tailed off late in the season but still earned selection to the Pro Bowl. Both wide receivers Terrell Owens, in his first year with the Cowboys, and Terry Glenn gained over a thousand yards, Pro Bowl TE Jason Witten was solid, and the running back tandem of Julius Jones and Marion Barber was productive.
The Seahawks, coached by Mike Holmgren, had won the NFC title in 2005 and, while they struggled at times in '06, they also went 9-7 to top the NFC West for the third consecutive year. Injuries were an issue as QB Matt Hasselbeck missed four games and RB Shaun Alexander, who set a record for touchdowns scored in '05, also missed time with a foot injury. Both had subpar years. The defensive secondary was prone to giving up big plays and the pass rush tailed off as the season progressed.
There was a crowd of 68,058 at Seattle's Qwest Field. The Seahawks had the game's first possession and drove 55 yards in nine plays. Hasselbeck completed four passes, including one to WR Bobby Engram that gained 36 yards. Josh Brown kicked a 23-yard field goal to give the home team the early lead.
Following a Dallas punt, Hasselbeck was intercepted by CB Anthony Henry to give the Cowboys good field position at the Seattle 43. They made the most of the opportunity as Martin Gramatica booted a 50-yard field goal to tie the score five plays later.
That was the tally heading into the second quarter until the Seahawks put together a 13-play series that covered 54 yards. With Hasselbeck completing short passes and Shaun Alexander running the ball, Seattle reached the Dallas 12 from where Brown kicked his second field goal, from 30 yards.
Both teams had three-and-out possessions before the Cowboys went 76 yards in ten plays. A third-and-six pass by Tony Romo to WR Patrick Crayton for 18 yards kept the drive alive, as did a throw to Jason Witten for 32 yards to the Seattle three in a fourth-and-two situation. An offensive holding penalty moved the ball back ten yards, but Romo connected with Crayton from there for a touchdown and Dallas took a 10-6 lead into halftime.
In the third quarter, and following a short Dallas possession that ended with a punt, the Seahawks briefly regained the lead with a 12-play, 62-yard drive. Five runs by Alexander gained 32 yards, including one for three yards that converted a fourth-and-one situation, and Hasselbeck completed three passes, the last to TE Jerramy Stevens for a 15-yard touchdown. With the successful extra point, it was 13-10 in favor of Seattle – but the lead didn't last long. The ensuing kickoff was returned 93 yards for a TD by WR Miles Austin and the Cowboys were back in front at 17-13. It was the first touchdown on a kickoff return in Dallas postseason history.
That was the score early in the fourth quarter when Hasselbeck went long for WR D.J. Hackett but was picked off by SS Roy Williams after the ball was tipped by CB Terence Newman. Taking over at their own 43, the Cowboys made the most of the turnover by advancing 46 yards in eight plays. Along the way, Romo completed a pass to Terry Glenn for 16 yards and Julius Jones (pictured at right) had an 18-yard run. Gramatica kicked a 29-yard field goal and Dallas extended its lead to 20-13.
In the ensuing possession, the Seahawks drove from their 27 yard line to the Dallas two, but an incomplete pass on fourth down forced them to give the ball up. However, on the next play Glenn fumbled after catching a short pass from Romo and, initially, the play was ruled a touchdown on a recovery in the end zone by SS Michael Boulware. Upon review, the call was reversed and ruled a safety with the ball having rolled out of bounds in the end zone.
Now down by five points, the Seahawks started off following the free kick with good field position at midfield. Four plays later, Hasselbeck connected with Stevens for a 37-yard touchdown. The try for a two-point conversion failed, but Seattle was now in front by a point.
There were still over four minutes remaining on the clock, however – plenty of time for the Cowboys to respond. After Romo completed two passes, with a short run in between, Jones took off for a 35-yard gain to the Seattle 11. They got it down to the two (narrowly missing another first down) and lined up for a potentially game-winning field goal attempt by Gramatica. However, Romo, who had been the holder for placekicks far longer than he had been the starting quarterback, fumbled the snap (pictured at top) and had to pick up the loose ball and run with it. He came up short of either a score or a first down as he was tackled by CB Jordan Babineaux at the line of scrimmage. With the stunning reprieve, the Seahawks held on for a 21-20 win.
Seattle led in total yards (332 to 284) and first downs (19 to 14). The Seahawks also turned the ball over twice, to one by Dallas. The Cowboys hurt themselves with 8 penalties, at a cost of 74 yards, while Seattle was flagged just three times.
Matt Hasselbeck completed 18 of 36 passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns with two intercepted. Shaun Alexander ran for 69 yards on 24 carries. Jerramy Stevens caught 5 passes for 77 yards and two TDs while Bobby Engram (pictured below) gained 88 yards on his four receptions.
For the Cowboys, Tony Romo was successful on 17 of 29 throws for 189 yards and a touchdown without giving up an interception. Julius Jones had a fine performance running the ball as he gained 112 yards on 22 attempts. Terry Glenn paced the receivers with four pass receptions for 41 yards while Jason Witten contributed 57 yards on three catches.
Of the failed field goal attempt by the Cowboys, Mike Holmgren said, "You coach long enough, you end up seeing just about everything. One more thing for the journal."
"It's just one of those things," said Bill Parcells. "It looked like a good snap. I can't tell you what happened after that."
The Seahawks lost another close game, this time in overtime, to the Bears at the Divisional Playoff level. They again topped the NFC West in 2007 while the Cowboys finished first in the NFC East, but both clubs fell in the Divisional round of the postseason.
Bill Parcells was not at the helm for Dallas in '07 – he stepped down as head coach and the loss to Seattle thus marked his finale. His four-year record with the Cowboys was 34-30 with two playoff losses as well. It was the final stop in a head coaching career with four teams that yielded a 172-130-1 regular season record and 11-8 playoff tally that included three conference titles and two Super Bowl victories.


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- Yield
- Serves 10 to 12 as a side dish
- 3 firm large eggplants (about 3 1/2 pounds), cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick rounds
- 2 to 3 tablespoons coarse salt
- 1 large onion, halved lengthwise and sliced thin crosswise
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 bunch spinach, coarse stems discarded (about 6 cups packed)
- 2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves (about 1 bunch)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 6 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
- Arrange one layer of eggplant on a tray or baking sheet lined with paper towels and sprinkle with some kosher salt. Turn eggplant over and salt other side. Cover eggplant with a layer of paper towels and top with another layer of eggplant, sprinkling with some kosher salt. Repeat layering with paper towels and remaining eggplant and kosher salt and let stand about 20 minutes. (Paper towels will absorb liquid from eggplant.) Preheat broiler.
- On an oiled baking sheet arrange one layer of eggplant and broil about 3 inches from heat until pale golden, about 3 minutes. Using tongs or a spatula, turn eggplant over and broil until pale golden and tender, about 2 minutes more. Transfer cooked eggplant to a platter and broil remaining eggplant in same manner.
- In a large non-stick skillet cook onion in 1 tablespoon oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until soft and pale golden, and transfer to a bowl. Add spinach to skillet and sauté over moderately high heat, tossing and turning with tongs, until wilted. Season spinach with salt and pepper and stir into onion.
- In a blender, pureé basil, garlic, and 6 tablespoons oil until smooth. Season basil mixture with salt and pepper.
- Preheat oven to 450°F. and generously brush a 10-by-3 inch round cake pan with some oil. Line side and bottom of pan with a layer of eggplant. Brush eggplant with some basil mixture and spread some spinach mixture evenly over eggplant. Layer some tomato slices over spinach mixture and brush with some basil mixture. Repeat layering with remaining eggplant, basil mixture, spinach mixture, and tomatoes in same manner, ending with a layer of tomatoes.
- Bake eggplant tian in middle of oven 20 minutes. Cool tian in pan on a rack 1 hour and invert onto a shallow serving dish. (Some liquid will drain from the tian.)


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GAO has had longstanding concerns about Medicaids program integrity, and included Medicaid on its list of high-risk programs because of concerns about the sufficiency of federal and state oversight.[1] The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) estimated that in fiscal year 2012 $19.2 billion (7.1 percent) of Medicaids federal expenditures involved improper paymentsincluding payments made for treatments or services that were not covered by program rules, that were not medically necessary, or that were billed for but never provided.[2] Federal Medicaid expenditures in fiscal year 2011 were $275 billion. Medicaid is the joint federal-state health care financing program for certain low-income individuals and is one of the largest social programs in federal and state budgets. The size and diversity of Medicaid make it particularly vulnerable to improper payments. The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 created the Medicaid Integrity Program (integrity program) to provide federal support for and oversight of state Medicaid program integrity activities with an annual appropriation of approximately $75 million.[3] The following year, CMS established the Medicaid Integrity Group (integrity group) to implement this program.
[1]See GAO, Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Department of Health and Human Services, GAO-03-101 (Washington, D.C.: January 2003).
[2]CMS is an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services.
[3]Pub. L. No. 109-171, § 6034, 120 Stat. 4, 74-78 (2006) (codified at 42 U.S.C. § 1396u-6). For each fiscal year since 2010, the amount appropriated has been the previous years appropriation adjusted for inflation According to HHS, the fiscal year 2013 appropriation is expected to be approximately $80 million.
In November 2012, GAO reported that it had identified duplication in two of the integrity groups six integrity program activitiesthe National Medicaid Audit Program, which consists of audits of state Medicaid claims data to identify overpayments, and state program integrity assessments, one of several tools through which CMS collects data on state program integrity activities.
National Medicaid Audit Program. The integrity group hired separate contractors for each stateone contractor to review states paid claims data in order to identify potential aberrant claims or billing anomalies and another to audit such aberrant claims.[1] This division of labor was inefficient and led to duplication in two key areasunderstanding states Medicaid policies and data analysis. The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 required CMS to hire contractors to review and audit provider claims. According to integrity group officials, they initially believed that the act required the use of separate contractors but, in hindsight, concluded that these activities could have been performed by the same contractor.[2]
The integrity groups decision to use separate contractors to review and audit provider claims meant that both entities had to master the details of numerous state Medicaid policies related to eligibility, benefits, and claims processing to appropriately assess whether payments were improper. For example, the two contractors responsible for reviewing provider claims to identify potential audit targets had to learn and correctly apply the policies of 22 and 28 states, respectively. Similarly, the three contractors hired to audit provider claims were required to master the policies of 8 to 24 states. Officials from one state commented that becoming fully knowledgeable about all the state policies affecting program integrity audits could take 2 to 3 years. According to several state officials, the lack of an in-depth knowledge of state policy contributed to unproductive provider audits. For example, according to one state official, the integrity group and its contractors had mistakenly identified overpayments for federally qualified health centers because they assumed that centers should receive reduced payments for an established patient on subsequent visits. The contractors were not aware that these types of centers are paid on an encounter basis, which uses the same payment rate for the first and follow-up visits.
Moreover, the use of separate contractors to review and audit provider claims increased inefficiencies in data analysis, which also led to duplication of effort. The review contractors primary function was to use algorithms to analyze extracts of states Medicaid claims data to identify any potential improper payments.[3] Audit contractors also analyzed the same data extracts to learn more about providers they were auditing and the services for which the providers billed. As a result, the audit contractors duplicated certain data analyses that had already been performed by the review contractors, such as verifying the completeness and accuracy of the data extracts. For example, one audit contractor reported that the presence of large numbers of duplicate claims in the data resulted in a significant commitment of the contractors analytical and data management resources for 66 provider audits that were subsequently discontinued because of the poor quality of the data.
The inefficiencies of having separate contractors both review and audit provider claims were exacerbated by the integrity groups communication policies. All communication, whether between review and audit contractors or between contractors and states, went through a multistep process that was controlled by the integrity group. As a result, the audit contractors could not easily communicate with the review contractors to verify specific details of the review contractors data analyses. Two audit contractors lessons learned reports recommended closer collaboration between audit and review contractors during the claims analysis process and the selection of audit targets to prevent duplicative data analysis. In addition, the inability to communicate freely with states inhibited the contractors from fully leveraging states knowledge of their own Medicaid policies. The Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General reported a similar finding that the integrity groups communication policy contributed to a duplication of contractor functions.[4]
The integrity group has initiated changes to the National Medicaid Audit Program that may reduce, but will not eliminate, duplication. The integrity group has shifted to a more collaborative approach to National Medicaid Audit Program audits in which states can identify the audit targets. However, integrity group officials told GAO that in some cases the review contractors will continue to analyze extracts of states Medicaid claims data to identify potential audit targets for audit contractors to pursue. According to integrity group officials, the review contractors conducted data analysis on 34 percent of the collaborative audits assigned to audit contractors from January 2010 through December 2011.[5] Thus, review and audit contractors continue to be involved in the shift to a more collaborative audit approach, resulting in continued duplication of effort. In fiscal year 2011, integrity group expenditures for its review and audit contractors totaled about $33.7 million, about half of which covered the cost of the review contractors activities. Merging the functions of the review and audit contractors has the potential to significantly reduce overall expenditures on National Medicaid Audit Program contractors.
State Program Integrity Assessments.GAO also identified duplication in the information that the integrity group collects annually on state program integrity activities through its state program integrity assessments. For example, the number of Medicaid enrollees, managed care enrollment, the number of participating providers, the state program integrity organizational structure, the number of staff, use of contractors, and the number of state audits of claims are also collected during the triennial comprehensive reviews and are included in the published reports available on the integrity groups website.[6] The state program integrity assessments also include state program integrity expenditures and recoveriestwo key metrics for accountability and oversightthat are collected through required quarterly state reporting of Medicaid expenditures to CMS, which are subject to validation and audit. GAO found that the annual state program integrity assessments contained significant errors and were inconsistent with data in reports that covered the same year. Moreover, program integrity officials in several states also told GAO that state program integrity assessment reporting is not consistent or comparable across states. Correcting inconsistencies in the state program integrity assessment data would be of limited value. The 2-year time lag in the state program integrity assessment data (e.g., fiscal year 2009 assessments contain data for state fiscal year 2007) undermines its usefulness in determining which states would benefit from technical assistance or developing measures to assess states performance. Other sources, such as triennial comprehensive reviews, provide more timely and useful information.
[1]As of July 2012, the integrity group had two review contractors and three separate audit contractors. One review and one audit contractor are assigned to each of five geographic areas.
[2]Integrity group officials told GAO that they consulted CMSs Office of Acquisition and Grants Management before deciding to hire different contractors to review and audit provider claims. This office manages contracting activities and develops acquisition policy and procedures.
[3]An algorithm is a specific set or logical rules or criteria used to analyze data.
[4]HHS-OIG, Early Assessment of Audit Medicaid Integrity Contractors, OEI-05-1-00210 (March 2012).
[5]Integrity group officials also told GAO that it planned to retain its existing two review contractors, but reduce their workload and realign their geographic areas of responsibility.
[6]The integrity group performs comprehensive state program integrity reviews of each states Medicaid program every 3 years. These reviews assess each states Medicaid program integrity procedures and processes. Topics covered include program integrity organization and staffing; post-payment review and fraud identification; investigation, and referral. The objective of the reviews is to assess the effectiveness of states program integrity activities and compliance with federal program integrity laws.
In November 2012, to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Medicaid Integrity Program, GAO recommended that CMS take the following two actions:
The information contained in this analysis is based on findings from the reports listed in the related GAO products section. For some of these reports, GAO analyzed the integrity group data on audit assignments as of February 29, 2012, and its contractors lessons learned reports. GAO discussed the National Medicaid Audit Program with integrity group officials, representatives of its contractors responsible for conducting provider claims reviews and audits, and program integrity officials in 11 states. GAO selected these states to ensure geographic diversity and because they account for almost half of all Medicaid spending and beneficiaries. GAO also compared and contrasted the information collected through the integrity groups comprehensive reviews and state assessments. Table 5 in appendix IV lists the programs GAO identified that might have similar or overlapping objectives, provide similar services, or be fragmented across government missions. Overlap and fragmentation might not necessarily lead to actual duplication, and some degree of overlap and duplication may be justified.
In commenting on the November 2012 report on which this analysis is based, the Department of Health and Human Services agreed with GAOs recommendation to merge the functions of the federal review and audit contractors, indicating that it was evaluating options for consolidating the work of its contractors within current statutory and procurement requirements. The department partially concurred with GAOs recommendation to discontinue the state program integrity assessments but noted that its triennial comprehensive program integrity reviews alone might not provide adequate data to inform CMS oversight. It said, however, that it would suspend the assessments while taking steps to address the limitations GAO identified. For example, to address the reporting overlap between the assessments and comprehensive state program integrity reviews, it said CMS was now working to streamline the comprehensive review questionnaires to eliminate duplication. The departments comments did not articulate how it used the data collected through the assessments to inform its oversight or why the comprehensive review data are insufficient. As a result, GAO continues to believe that the assessments should be discontinued.
GAO provided a draft of this report section to the Department of Health and Human Services for review and comment. The Department of Health and Human Services provided technical comments, which were incorporated as appropriate.
For additional information about this area, contact Carolyn L. Yocom at (202) 512-7114 or email@example.com.
The Medicaid Integrity Group's (MIG) hiring of separate review and audit contractors for its National Medicaid Audit Program (NMAP) was inefficient and led to duplication because key functions were performed by both entities. Review contractors analyze state claims data to identify aberrant claims or billing anomalies while audit contractors conduct postpayment audits to determine if payments to p...
Compared to the initial test audits and the more recent collaborative audits, the majority of the Medicaid Integrity Groups (MIG) audits conducted under the National Medicaid Audit Program (NMAP) were less effective because they used Medicaid Statistical Information System (MSIS) data. MSIS is an extract of states claims data and is missing key elements, such as provider names, that ar...
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency that oversees Medicaid, estimated that improper payments in the federal-state Medicaid program were $21.9 billion in fiscal year 2011. The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 established the Medicaid Integrity Program and gave CMS an expanded role in assisting and improving the effectiveness of state activities to ensure proper payme...


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Published September 23, 2013 at 600 × 400 in Willets at the Shore
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AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry talked about Satan, the state budget and his determination to freeze college tuition rates for four years during an appearance Friday evening.
He also stood by his decision to allow in-state tuition for children of illegal immigrants, which damaged his presidential campaign when he questioned the heart of people who disagreed with the policy.
The sit-down interview with the Texas Tribune's Evan Smith before an audience on the University of Texas campus opened with the devil.
"Let me go on the record as saying, I believe in Satan," Perry said when Smith asked him about his recent comments that Satan is running across the world pushing untruths. Perry had said one untruth that's out there is that people of faith shouldn't be in the public arena.
"If you don't want to think there is forces of darkness and spirits and spiritual warfare, that's your call," Perry said.
When the questions segued to budget issues, Perry quipped, "Now we can really talk about Satan."
Perry said he wants to "transform higher education and make it more accessible, make it more affordable."
He cited his push for a $10,000 degree, and he said he wants students who enter college to have a frozen tuition rate for four years "so that the middle class knows that this is what it's going to cost."
"I think it makes sense for us in this state to tell an incoming freshman that here is what your tuition is going to be for a four-year period of time. If you enjoy a little bit too much of college life and you go for your fifth year, there are no guarantees after that," he said.
Perry has pushed the tuition-freeze idea previously, including in the last legislative session. He had earlier presided over a deregulation of tuition rates, and costs soared.
Senate Higher Education Committee Chairwoman Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, who was in the front row for Perry's appearance, said the tuition-freeze idea is something lawmakers are examining.
Perry also defended the state law he signed to allow in-state college tuition for the children of illegal immigrants, saying the young people found themselves in the state through no fault of their own.
"We have to deal with this," Perry said. "We don't have the pleasure of sitting on the sidelines saying, 'Kick everybody out.' … We have to deal with reality.''
And, Perry said, "We made a correct economic decision for this state."
As for his future, Perry continued to leave the door open for a run for re-election in 2014 or president in 2016. He declined an opportunity to endorse Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst for re-election, saying, "That's an interesting idea."
Perry called Dewhurst - whom he had endorsed for U.S. Senate over now-GOP-nominee Ted Cruz - a strong, loyal partner who has been a great lieutenant governor, but said it's early to make an endorsement.


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Two ordered to trial in slaying of EMU's Demarius Reed
- Kristopher Pratt and Ed Thomas will be tried for murder
- Demarius Reed was killed at his off-campus apartment building on Oct. 18
- A pretrial hearing is scheduled March 25
PITTSFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A judge on Monday ordered two 20-year-old Detroit men to stand trial on murder charges in the robbery and fatal shooting of an Eastern Michigan University football player.
Demarius Reed of Chicago was killed at his off-campus apartment building in Ypsilanti on Oct. 18. Kristopher Pratt and Ed Thomas are charged with open counts of murder.
A probable cause hearing resumed Monday in District Court in Washtenaw County's Pittsfield Township.
Lawyers for Pratt and Thomas said there wasn't enough evidence that that their clients committed the crimes.
"At best, they have indicated there was a shooting, that a death occurred and perhaps Ed Thomas was present," said public defender Gina Noveskey, Thomas's attorney. "I don't believe the people have shown that Ed Thomas had any role whatsoever in the death of Demarius Reed."
Witnesses testified that Thomas and Pratt discussed Reed's death. Pratt's lawyer, Stephanie Carson, said there was no evidence that her client admitted to the killing.
County Assistant Prosecutor Nimish Ganatra said there was more than enough evidence to send the case on to trial, and District Judge Richard Conlin agreed, ruling that there was probable cause that Reed was murdered and the defendants killed him. Conlin did dismiss a charge of conspiracy to commit armed robbery.
An open murder charge means that the jury can choose to convict Pratt and Thomas of either first- or second-degree murder.
A pretrial hearing is scheduled March 25 before Judge Donald Shelton.


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The annual Linssen In-Water Boat Show was again a very successful event. In the three days over 300 guests visited the shipyard and over 60 trials on the river Meuse where made. The available yachts where the Grand Sturdy 290 AC Traveller with the special Variobox storage space for (electric) fietsen bicycles at the stern section, the Grand Sturdy 350 AC, the 40.9 Sedan, the 470 Sedan Wheelhouse and the three premieres of the show, the Grand Sturdy 410, 470 and 590 AC Variotop®
If you were unable to come, you can always visit the showroom. It is open 6 days a week. Contact our local sales staff or you local Linssen representative.
Photo impressions of the 2016 Linssen In-Water Boat Show:
Pictures © by MiWe (Michael Wessels):


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Kay wedding just like in the movies
New York City. The Plaza Hotel. Across from the northwest
corner of Central Park. Black tie attire. Two New York personalities tie the knot.
Room full of baseball celebrities and pros. Yankees and YES bosses. Former
mayor of New York officiates. Beautiful people in gowns and tuxedos.
Were we on a movie set???
Of all the swanky details to impress a person at the lavish
Michael Kay and Jodi Applegate wedding February 12, the one that pinned this
Italian girl to her seat was eyeing THE Johnny Cammarerie – a character in my all-time
favorite-seen-it-a-hundred-times movie, Moonstruck
(1987). Only if Cher had walked into The Plaza would I have been more keyed up.
I've been acquainted with Michael Kay since my husband Ken
began announcing Yankees games on the YES Network, yet I never knew
that actor Danny Aiello was his uncle … Johnny! Johnny Cammarerie! (And
apparently Michael never knew Moonstruck
was my favorite movie or he may have shared that little tidbit.)
For all of you aficionados of the movie, you get it …
? "Johnny –
Ronnie's brother"
? "You got a
hat? Wear a hat."
? "Do you
love him, Loretta?"
? "Oh Ma, I
love him awful"
? "Yes, Mrs.
Castorini, I would love some oatmeal."
The movie is timeless. In
Baltimore, where I am director of the Promotion Center for Little Italy, Moonstruck
is the first film – every year – in our Open Air Film Fest summer lineup.
I wonder how many times I've
watched it? Two weeks ago actually – with a friend who had never seen it. (Can
you imagine?) I finally traded in my old VHS version for a DVD. (Although no
one much enjoys watching it with me because I quote all the lines – that can be
just plain annoying. Can't help myself.) We have a Moonstruck movie poster hanging in our theater room, too, to egg me
Please excuse me … here I am gushing over Moonstruck and Johnny as if I were watching the movie. The Kay wedding was
impressive itself – absolutely superb – a Hollywood-type-picture-perfect
ceremony and reception.
Besides our daughter-in-law, Tricia – who we thought was the
most gorgeous bride on earth – Jodi was stunning in her strapless white gown
(which she did not change three
times, contrary to the dumb reports in The
New York Post and other online Kay wedding tales). Michael was very
handsome sweating in his tuxedo. Ken and I are thrilled for the newlyweds –
what a great fit.
Michael and Jodi know a lot of people. The Grand Ballroom
had not a spare inch in which to shake our booties to the tunes of a fabulous
14-member band. The Kays also have a cute sense of humor. Who would have
expected such a posh venue to serve pizza, hotdogs, wings and sliders during
cocktail hour? (There was also a sushi bar and other lavish appetizer fare.)
Moving into the Grand Ballroom, we were served a fabulous
white-gloved sit down dinner – a choice of filet mignon or branzini. Upon
exiting the wedding well after midnight, clear jars boasted a variety of candy
bars there for the taking. Fun!
Yes, Saturday night was indeed one magnificent wedding with distinctive details … like "Johnny Cammarerie" singing to the bride and groom on the dance floor.
We could have been on a movie set after all.
3 Comments
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Kay:
Congratulations. I am so happy to see Michael married such a lovely lady. Now how about children?
A totally devoted Yankee Fan
Suzann Kettler
Is this the same Michael Kay,millionaire, who requested of guests to make a minimum deposit of $750.00 in his account at Citibank????
He's a good play by play for my team,the Yankees,but past that "low rent", requesting money from people when you have millions is beyond words to explain….
Congratul;ations Mike and Jodi!!!!!!!!!!
You 2 make a very attractive couple, a nd I hope you both have many,many years of Happiness!!!!!