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Checking in On… the Mountain WestPosted by Brian Goodman on November 29th, 2011
Andrew Murawa is the RTC correspondent for the Mountain West and Pac-12 conferences and a microsite staffer for the Pac-12.
Reader's Take
A Look Back
While a couple Mountain West teams took their lumps early in the week, the weekend was an unabashed success for the teams at the top of the conference, clearly highlighted by UNLV knocking off the nation's #1 team, North Carolina, at the Las Vegas Invitational Saturday night. In the process, and with preseason co-favorite New Mexico struggling to find its stride early, the Runnin' Rebels have grasped the mantle of sole favorite in the conference. The Lobos lost their second game of the season on Thanksgiving night, dropping an overtime game to Santa Clara at the 76 Classic, but they rebounded to sweep through an unimpressive consolation bracket in that tournament. And San Diego State confirmed the fact that they are, in fact, a contender not only for an NCAA Tournament bid, but a league title, despite losing the bulk of last year's Sweet Sixteen team. While there are some other solid teams among the rest of the conference, these three have risen to the top as the cream of the conference, but the strength and depth of the conference can be seen in the MW's collective 39-10 record (second in the nation behind only the Big Ten's 63-10 record) including a 3-0 record against the ACC and a 6-2 record against the Pac-12.
Team of the Week
UNLV – Last week the Rebels probably should have been the pick here, but in the interest of mixing things up, I went with Boise State. This week Dave Rice's team leaves no other option. Not only did the Rebels beat the #1 team in the country, they handled them pretty well, winning 90-80, outrebounding the vaunted Tar Heel front line (31.7 OR%, 78.6 DR%) and knocking down 13 threes (spread out over five players) to seal the deal. Last year at this time, the Rebels were coming off of an impressive championship performance at the 76 Classic, but were never really able to capture the energy they showed that weekend the rest of the season. It remains to be seen if this vintage of the Rebels has a staying power that last year's team did not.
Player of the Week
Mike Moser, Sophomore, UNLV – Much like the TOTW award, Moser could have and probably should have taken down this award last week. This week, no such slight as he averaged 13.3 points and 13 rebounds per game, and stepped up his game even another notch in the UNC upset when he had 16 points, 18 boards, added six assists and even dropped in his first two three-pointers of the season (although, his shot selection may be one area he could still stand to work on). With his long arms, freaky athletic ability and feel for the game, you can expect to see his name here again this year.
Game of the Past Week
San Diego State 76 UC Santa Barbara 75 (OT) – The Aztecs traveled north to Santa Barbara to face a formidable foe Saturday night and needed a late 11-0 run in regulation to eventually force overtime, then an improbable ending to seal the victory in overtime. SDSU head coach Steve Fisher was the Michigan coach when Chris Webber infamously called a timeout that his team didn't have in the waning moments of a national championship game. On Saturday night, Fisher's Aztecs were on the receiving end of a similar play. With SDSU up three and the clock under ten seconds, UCSB's Orlando Johnson lost control of the ball near midcourt. After Johnson recovered the ball in a scramble, an unidentified Gaucho called for timeout; unfortunately for them, they had just used their final timeout minutes before. Jamaal Franklin sank one of two technical free throws, effectively sealing what had been a great back and forth game. Point guard Xavier Thames had his best game as an Aztec, going for 20 points, ten rebounds and six assuists, while UCSB's Johnson had 26 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Games of the Upcoming Week
Creighton @ San Diego State, 11/30, California @ San Diego State, 12/4 – The Aztecs stretch of incredibly tough non-conference opponents wraps up this week with visits from the favorites of the Missouri Valley and the Pac-12 conferences. By the end of the week, SDSU will have played six top-75 teams (according to Ken Pomeroy's ratings), and if they can continue the success they've had in the opening weeks of the season, they could earn serious consideration for a national ranking. Creighton's sophomore wing Doug McDermott leads a Blue Jay team that is #1 in the country in effective field goal percentage, and the Aztecs defense will have to take a big step forward to slow down that offensive attack on Wednesday. Then on Saturday, the Golden Bears backcourt duo of Allen Crabbe and Jorge Gutierrez will be pitted against SDSU's backcourt in a battle of the two team's strengths.
Fun Stat of the Week
In honor not only of UNLV's 13 three-pointers in their win over UNC on Saturday, but also of the 25th anniversary of the introduction of the three-point shot to the college game, it is worth noting that the Rebels hold the NCAA record for consecutive games with at least one made three-pointer, with 812 games. The Rebels are joined by Vanderbilt and Princeton as the only three teams in the country who have made at least one three-point field goal in every game since the rule was implemented, but since the Rebels have played more games than the other two schools, they currently hold the record.
Power Rankings
1. UNLV (7-0): Okay, I've made it this far without bragging about the fact that I had UNLV hanging tough with UNC in the LVI final, several days before the matchup was even official and then again after the win over USC was final. Well, enough fake humility. Now that's out of the way; more details from the upset over UNC. First, senior forward Chace Stanback set a career-high with 28 points and added ten revounds, a breakout performance for the team's leading returning scorer who had been almost invisible the previous night (four points, two rebounds in 17 minutes against USC). Second, Oscar Bellfield was brilliant, scoring 16 points, knocking down four threes and handing out nine assists in what may have been the best game of his UNLV career; if he can continue that type of play, this Rebel team has got a bright future. Third, the three-headed center of Brice Massamba, Quintrell Thomas and Carlos Lopez was solid if unspectacular against the future pros along the Tar Heel front line – the three combined for 14 points, nine rebounds and a couple blocks, while deftly using 11 of their 15 fouls in 44 minutes of action. And finally:
A Look Ahead: Tough week for the Rebels, especially in the penumbra of the North Carolina victory; the team travels to UC Santa Barbara on Wednesday night (and RTC Live will be courtside there) and heads to Wichita State on Sunday.
2. San Diego State (7-1): It's important to remember what the Aztecs are missing from last year's Sweet 16 team. First, NBA lottery pick and freak-of-nature Kawhi Leonard's double-double and lock down defense are gone. Senior forwards Billy White and Malcolm Thomas (21.7 highly efficient points and 12.5 rebounds between them) are also gone. And floor general-supreme and master of the clutch hoop, D.J. Gay, also gone. The only two returnees who played significant roles for last year's club – Chase Tapley and James Rahon – were merely low-usage role players. This year, however, Tapley has stepped up and taken over not only a leadership position on this team, but also the role as go-to scorer. He has attempted double-digit field goals in six of the Aztecs first eight games, scored in double figures in the same number of games and done so while knocking down exactly half of his 46 three-point attempts to this point. Rahon hasn't been quite so lucky yet, as an ankle injury kept him out of SDSU's first three games and he has yet to really hit his stride yet. The three-point specialist did post a career-high 20 in the win over Long Beach State, but he's struggled with his stroke from deep, hitting just three of his 20 attempts thus far.
A look ahead: We detailed the Aztecs' tough stretch at home above in our Game of the Week section, but after this week, SDSU takes a significant step down in the remainder of its non-conference schedule, with games against Division III and NAIA teams mixed in with ho-hummers against Big West and WCC also-rans.
3. New Mexico (4-2): It hasn't really been the start that New Mexico fans expected. The loss to in-state rival New Mexico State? Okay, it's a hard-fought rivalry game; anything can happen. You can write off a loss there with any number of excuses or explanations. But the 76 Classic opening round loss to Santa Clara? That one was inexcusable. Defensive problems were exposed in that game (notably the fact that as athletic as Kendall Williams is, he had no chance chasing SCU's Kevin Foster off multiple screens every possession), but give the Lobos credit – their defense looked better in the final two games of that competition, albeit against lesser competition. Further, the New Mexico offense showed signs of coming into its own, with freshman Hugh Greenwood clamping down the point guard position that he'll likely hold for the next four years with a three-game, zero-turnover performance over the weekend. Moreover sophomore wing Tony Snell continued his vastly improved play, hitting 18 of 32 field goals (and 12/24 threes) on his way to a stellar weekend. Williams and Drew Gordon, the established stars on this club, still have yet to really get comfortable out there, but with Greenwood running the offense smoothly and Snell giving opposing defenses a third scoring option to worry about, expect the Lobo big guns to have a bit more room to operate.
A look ahead: A visit from Idaho State on Wednesday precedes a tough matchup in the MW/MVC challenge on Saturday when Missouri State visits Albuquerque.
4. Boise State (4-1): The Broncos got brought back down to earth a bit on Tuesday with a ten-point road loss at Long Beach State, but given that the 49ers are a high-caliber opponent, there is no shame in that loss for BSU. The Broncos bounced back Saturday with a 14-point win over Northern Illinois, and the trend of new players stepping up every night for head coach Leon Rice continued as sophomore guard Jeff Elorriaga went for 14 points on the night. Offensively, Elorriaga is nothing but a bomber. On the year he has attempted 20 field goals; 18 of those (and all six of his makes on the year) were from behind the arc. Kenny Buckner, a bruising jucotransfer, also picked things up this week, posting a season-high 14 points in the loss to LBSU. Buckner provides a good presence in the middle for the perimeter-oriented Broncos, averaging 5.4 rebounds in 18.8 minutes on the season.
A look ahead: The Broncos host a couple of MVC opponents this week, with Drake coming in on Wednesday night before Indiana State visits on Saturday. The latter game is the only official part of the MW/MVC Challenge.
5. Air Force (3-1): The Falcons only played one game this past week – a 76-73 overtime loss to Colorado – but they'll hold on to the #5 spot this week, if only because, you know the Pac-12 is so strong that a loss to one of its member institutions is no big deal, right? Anyway, Michael Lyons continued his sparkling start to the season by going for 31 points, seven rebounds and three steals in the losing effort. Junior Todd Fletcher continued his solid play at the point by handing out six assists in the game; he's had at least six assists in every game this season against Division I competition. And junior center Taylor Broekhuis has shown that as long as he can stay out of foul trouble (which he did not do in the Falcons' season opener against Army) he can provide a strong interior presence for the Academy.
A look ahead: It's another slow week for the Falcons, with only a trip to Des Moines on Saturday for a matchup with Drake ahead.
6. Wyoming (6-1): The Cowboys have lost the toughest game they've played this year – a road trip to face Green Bay, a team that is just 2-4 on the year – and have beaten no one of consequence (they're best win is over Northern Colorado, another 2-4 team). But the mere fact that the Cowboys are beating these teams is an accomplishment. Last year, Wyoming lost to Northern Colorado by 14, to North Florida by 16 and to South Dakota by ten. While this team may not have the talent to measure up with the big boys at the top of the league, at the very least they are competing under new head coach Larry Shyatt. This week it was redshirt junior guard Luke Martinez, who misses all of last season with a broken elbow, who led the way, averaging 17 points per night and knocking down 16 out of 26 three-pointers in the Jim Thorpe Classic round-robin tournament in Laramie. Fellow guard Francisco Cruz pitched in with three consecutive double-figure games, while freshman forward Larry Nance, Jr. (does that name ring a bell?) had his best game of his young career on Saturday with nine rebounds and four steals, although his offensive game is still not quite ready for primetime. Also worth noting is that JayDee Luster, who struggled to take care of the ball under previous head coach Heath Schroyer, has handed out 26 assists this season while only turning it over three times.
A look ahead: Utah Valley on Wednesday won't raise the bar much, and a visit from a poor Bradley team in the MW/MVC Challenge on Saturday means the Cowboys have a good chance to get to 8-1 before they face Colorado on 12/9.
7. Colorado State (4-2): The Rams won both of their games this week, but the fact remains that the team's best win was in the opener over an average Montana team. With no real producers on this team over 6'6", this team is going to go as far as its backcourt triumvirate of Wes Eikmeier, Jesse Carr and Dorian Green will take it. This week, in close wins over Texas-San Antonio and Manhattan in the NIT Season Tip-Off consolation bracket, Eikmeier and Green were strong, each scoring in double figures in both games (Eikmeier 20.5 PPG this week, Green 16 PPG). None of the three guards are true lead guards, but all share the duties at point; the problem is that none of the three are great at creating opportunities for teammates. Up front, Greg Smith and Will Bell are hard workers (the two combined to average 18.8 PPG and 10.5 RPG), but they could get overpowered even by a relatively small frontcourt like SDSU's.
A look ahead: The Rams will get a couple of good tests this week, with Colorado visiting on Wednesday, followed by a trip to Northern Iowa on Saturday.
8. TCU (4-2): After a strong opening win in the Paradise Jam, the Horned Frogs dropped their final two games, with Ole Miss sending the team back home with an 11-point loss. But they bounced back on Saturday with an exciting one-point win at Houston. After Houston took a one-point lead with six seconds left, senior wing J.R. Cadot rebounded his own miss and scored with under a second left to give TCU their fourth win on the year. The 6'5" Cadot has taken it upon himself to hit the glass with abandon this season, leading the team in rebounds and generating offense for an team without a lot of offensive options by crashing the offensive boards. Juco transfer Adrick McKinney has also been helping out on the glass and while this is still a relatively undertalented team, head coach Jim Christian is getting the most out of the players he does have.
A look ahead: Lamar visits Fort Worth on Wednesday, with a trip to Evansville lined up on Saturday.
Reader's Take II


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Boffins at Britain's University of Manchester have created a transistor out of an atom-thick sheet of carbon. The high-speed device is so small only one electron can pass through at once. Crucially, the transistor operates at room temperature making it potentially viable for future microprocessors.
Details of the breakthrough were announced in the science journal Nature this week. The team, led by Professor Andre Geim of the Manchester Centre for Mesoscience and Nanotechnology, built the transistor from graphene, an allotrope of carbon that essentially fits all its constituent carbon atoms into a single plane. Discovered only three years ago, graphene is highly conductive.
The transistor itself is of a type known as the single-electron transistor. The controlling gate electrode is capacitively coupled to an electrode called the island, which sits between the source and the drain. At a certain voltage the island forms what's known as a Coulomb blockade, preventing an electron in the source quantum mechanically tunneling through to the island and then through to the drain. Apply a positive voltage to the gate, and the electron is free to pass from source to island to drain.
The single-electron transistor design is not only inherently very small, but the tiny voltages required to switch it on and off make it very sensitive, to the extent that it's seen as a possible fast yet low-power successor to today's chip transistors.
The single-electron transistor isn't a new design, but past attempts to create one have used more standard semiconductor materials, all of which have needed cooling to near absolute zero to operate. The graphene single-electron transistor operates at room temperature.
There's still some way to go to create a working chip from graphene single-electron transistors. Etching the transistor isn't a certain process - most attempts produce transistors that are too large to allow just one electron to pass through, and the process makes structural changes to the graphene around the transistor that can scatter electrons, the effect of which is not yet fully understood.
However, the research may well show how chip designers may continue their work once they have exceeded the limits of silicon.

subset: commoncrawl


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by Lesley Conner on Jan 2, 2017 in Blog | 10 comments
A new year is here and so many of us are happy to have a fresh start, but before we close the book on 2016 once and for all we need you – the Apex Magazine readers – to select your favorite story from the past year!
Since 2012 we have opened up the polls and sent out the call, giving the readers the power to bestow one lucky author the title of Apex Magazine Story of the Year. Past winners include Katharine E.K. Duckett, Alethea Kontis, Brian Trent, Marie Vibbert, and Samuel Marzioli.
We published more than 30 original stories in 2016, so we know choosing just one would be nearly impossible. For that reason when you vote, you can select up to three stories. Voting will remain open until January 15th. On January 16th, we will announce the winner!
Use the form below to cast your vote! And be sure to vote in our Apex Magazine Cover of the Year poll as well!
Voting for EK Wagner
Great story
This is my all time favorite!!
beautiful and touching story.
Voted for EK Wagner. Hands down one of the best short stories I've read this year.
If you're not voting for EK Wagner, what are you doing?
Great story!
PagPag is one of the most creative spellbinding story I have ever read!
Voted for Samuel Marzioli. Excellent read!!
The island in the Attic by Natalia Theodoridou
is a story which broke my heart
and this happens again and again every time i reread this so emotionally story


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Monday, June 22, 2009
A Bit of This and That: Stratford, some really good coffee, and a great local book club
Earnest was hysterical as always. The revelation here was the performance by Brian Bedford as Lady Bracknell. He was spot on, and several of the students we went with (and my own German daughter, S) didn't even realize she was being played by a male actor until the first intermission, when we told them. Ha! It was also fascinating to watch Mike Shara transform from the somewhat dull Christian of the day before to the sparkling, witty Algernon. I'm not saying he gave a dull performance, but again, he did justice to Christian's role.
I also have to acknowledge the fact that given my theater design roots, I was able to see the work of three of my design heroes: Santo Loquasto's sets and Alan Brodie's lighting for Cyrano, and Desmond Heeley's sets and costumes for Earnest. As per their reputations, Loquasto's set was as functional and brilliant as Heeley's work was over-the-top and simply gorgeous. What a total treat with the addition of being able to discuss it competently with C, who now understands the ins and outs of theater design. D has had to listen to me babble about it for years, and he smiles, but has no idea what I'm talking about.
Again, a brilliant time, and if you live nearby and want tickets, go here.
We also enjoyed our sojourn to Stratford. It's a charming town and the walk along the river is lovely. We also found Cafe Balzac, on Ontario Street between Downie and Waterloo, a place after my own heart. It's a fair trade coffee bar, with Mapleton's Organic Ice Cream (the maple crunch was to die for), local baked goods and sandwiches from Sirkel Foods - another local Stratford institution. All I can say was that everything there was wonderful (we returned twice in one day - for coffee and baked goods for breakfast and for ice cream before Earnest), and these lovely pictures by S can give you a sense of the place:
Lastly, a bit of local (Ann Arbor) love:
Gene Alloway, of Motte and Bailey Booksellers (which will surely be a Local Love Friday business, if he's interested - it's a wonderful, independent bookshop), wrote me and asked me to let people know about a culinary book club that will be taking place there (and it's right next to the PFC, so you can stop by there, first). This is what he wrote to me:
The first book is CURRY : TALE OF COOKS & CONQUERORS by Lizzie Collingham. Future books will be Jennifer Lee's FORTUNE COOKIE CHRONICLES and Ian Kelly's COOKING FOR KINGS : THE LIFE OF ANTONIN CAREME, THE FIRST CELEBRITY CHEF. Thereafter the group will have a chance to choose what is next.
The first meeting will be July 15th at 7:30 p.m. here at Motte & Bailey, 212 N. 4th Ave. I will have used copies in nice shape for sale here at the shop, and in selecting the first books I made sure inexpensive used copies were available online for those wishing to buy for themselves as well.
Since the second two books are on my list in any case, I'm very excited about this venture. I know that Kitchen Chick gave a shout out about this in her wonderful blog, as well.
21 comments:
Welcome back!
The book group sounds super...I wish I wasn't in two other book groups, or else I'd totally join! Thanks for posting about it!!! :)
- June 22, 2009 at 9:59 AM
- Jen said...
Thanks, Patti. It was a fun trip! I'm really looking forward to the book group, too.
- June 22, 2009 at 10:01 AM
- nyc/caribbean ragazza said...
glad you had a great trip!
- June 22, 2009 at 10:07 AM
- Luisa Perkins said...
Heavenly! It all sounds fabulous.
- June 22, 2009 at 10:34 AM
- anno said...
Sounds like a wonderful trip, but glad you're back! Not sure how I've missed Motte and Bailey, but I will catch up with them soon!
- June 22, 2009 at 12:29 PM
- Karen Olson said...
Have always wanted to go to the Stratford festival, and this makes me want to go even more. Glad you had fun!
- June 22, 2009 at 3:27 PM
- Eleonora Baldwin said...
Welcome back, and wow what a wonderful trip this has been, Jen!
[I had the priviledge of working with Colm Feore in 1998 on a film entirely shot here in Rome called Titus. It was the Julie Taymor (Frida; Across the Universe) adaptation of the Shakespearean Titus Andronicus. A very dark tragedy in which Colm played Titus's (Anthony Hopkins) younger brother.]
- June 22, 2009 at 4:12 PM
- Jen said...
NYC - thanks!
Luisa - it truly was.
Anno - it's a wonderful shop - it's right between the PFC and Dogma and Catmantoo.
Karen - have you been to The Mount? They had a wonderful Shakespeare Festival there each year in Lenox, MA. That's a bit closer to you, I think.
Lola - I will definitely put that on my list of things to see. What an extraordinary experience that must have been. Julie Taymor AND Anthony Hopkins are two more of my "arts heroes"
- June 22, 2009 at 4:40 PM
- painted maypole said...
the theatre sounds great (particularly after a HORRENDOUS show I saw on Friday. painfully bad. ack. And I knew someone in it, so had to be as kind as possible about it. even though he clearly knew it sucked as well)
- June 22, 2009 at 8:53 PM
- Mariposa said...
Welcomes back! You sure had fun... ;)
- June 23, 2009 at 1:54 AM
- Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...
Now that I live in the "wild, wild, west" I no longere visit Stratford but it is a town with history and rivals it's namesake in England:D Glad you enjoyed the plays so much:D
- June 23, 2009 at 5:13 AM
- Jen said...
PM - somehow I feel bad theater is one of the most painful experiences out there. I guess because I love it so much. You never can tell, though - D and I have only walked out of a show once - and it was an RSC production! I'll write you about it - ugh. It's worse when you know someone who's in it.
Mariposa - we really did!
Val - ah... but there are so many lovely things out in that Wild, Wild West of yours! I'd so love to live there. Sigh.
- June 23, 2009 at 6:44 AM
- Keith said...
Isn't Balzac's great! The vibe is so relaxing, I could spend hours just hanging out. I'll add it to my list of reviews at StratfordFestivalReviews.com and Jen I agree, bad theatre is painful. It's a shame so many people get turned off by "bad thatre" and then pass up the chance to see great theatre.
- June 23, 2009 at 7:17 AM
- Jen said...
Keith, I'll definitely be checking out your site. I just loved Stratford and would like to stay "connected" there. And yes, despite our enormous wealth of fabulous local coffeehouses in Ann Arbor (another review of one is coming up for Local Love Friday here), I know I would become a Balzac's addict in a heartbeat.
- June 23, 2009 at 7:21 AM
- Oh said...
loved hearing about Cyrano! It's been ages since I've seen/read it. And enjoyed your pictures and that cafe! This is soooo cafe time of year. I wish I could take my office (at work) outdoors to the picnic area or something. After all, what's a laptop for?
- June 23, 2009 at 9:10 AM
- Jamie said...
Sounds like a fun time! I have naver seen Cyrano live but I cried at the end of both versions (José Ferrer and Gerard Depardieu). And I love Oscar Wilde. Lucky you!
- June 23, 2009 at 9:25 AM
- Jen said...
Oh, it truly is. I'm sitting in my fave local spot now, and prepping for my next Local Love Friday post (or that's my excuse, anyway)...
Jamie - May I also recommend the DVD of the Kevin Klein/Jennifer Garner recent Broadway version? Klein's performance was absolutely marvelous. It may be my favorite Cyrano ever. Garner had a somewhat different interpretation of Roxanne, but she still did a beautiful job, I thought.
- June 23, 2009 at 10:09 AM
- Acedog said...
Welcome back! Sounds like you had a lovely trip.
- June 23, 2009 at 8:23 PM
- Rosa's Yummy Yums said...
That coffee place looks great! A wonderful trip!
- June 24, 2009 at 2:14 AM
- Jen said...
Acedog - I really did, and I got at least some of my Canada craving taken care of.
Rosa - It was a delightful place. We truly enjoyed it!
- June 24, 2009 at 9:07 AM
- Goofball said...
I feel very very very theatre illiterate when reading this. I have no clue what you were talking about
- June 26, 2009 at 3:53 PM


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Online Special Area Teachers – Central European Summer Time
July 29 @ 10:00 am - 5:00 pm$329
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Interactive and Engaging Features
|9:45 – Participants log in to zoom
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Special area teachers face unique challenges—tasked with imparting expertise across grade levels, in small windows of time, often with an entire week between classes. You are also uniquely positioned to become experts in child development, supporting students as they grow and change year after year. Learn how core Responsive Classroom practices can be used to explore the opportunities and address the challenges of special area settings.
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- Time:
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- Cost:
- $329


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Leaving an abusive relationship or having just left one can be an extremely difficult time, made even more complicated by the concerns that come with your work and home. Thankfully there are laws in place that help prevent employment and housing discrimination — such as being evicted or refused time off because of the abuse.
Employment Rights
If you're planning on leaving an abusive relationship or you've just left, knowing your rights regarding your job can be crucial. These laws vary state by state and may fluctuate depending on what kind of job you have.
The state you're living in may have laws that prohibit your employer from firing or punishing you if you need to take time off to go to court, for example. Some of these laws allow for unpaid leave in such circumstances.
There are also laws against 'wrongful termination' if you've been fired, demoted, suspended or forced to quit if your employer learns that you're a victim of domestic violence.
This is a useful resource for learning about federal and state employment law protections.
Some employers also have Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) offering different assistance and counseling services. Speak to your HR department to see what types of options may exist for you.
Housing Rights
Housing discrimination against victims occurs far too often, so learning about your rights can be extremely important if you're thinking about leaving a relationship or have recently left.
Some states have laws that allow victims to terminate their leases, have their locks changed and more. There are also laws that help safeguard against being evicted or losing your housing because of the violence. These laws differ on local, state and federal levels.
The recently reauthorized Violence Against Women Act has expanded provisions about housing rights of victims.
Laws are continually being changed and interpreted in different ways. Visit Women's Law to find out about how to speak with a legal advocate in your area.
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Everyone has the right to apply for different public assistance programs. State Welfare Programs known as TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) are for families with low or no income. There are also community assistance programs that you may be eligible for in your area.
Calling 2-1-1 can connect you to local services to get help with food, housing, employment, health care, counseling and more.
If you call NDVH at 1-800-799-SAFE, our advocates can also help look up the local offices in your area so you can begin to learn more about what you may qualify for (ex. Medicaid, food stamps) and how to apply.


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Throw Them Away,
Or A Keepsake?
A positive pregnancy test is a huge deal — whether it's your first pregnancy or your fourth (or more!), it represents the moment when you knew that your life was going to change. Do you keep your pregnancy test?
It's undeniable that a positive pregnancy test is something that many moms would want to keep. But the "ick" factor is too much for some. After all, you pee on it. And after pee has been sitting awhile, it tends to get funky.
If you want to keep your test, one good thing in your favor is that many modern pregnancy tests come with a neat little cap you put on the end that you pee upon, so the unique essence of urine is captured within. Of course, this doesn't eliminate the window of the test turing yellowish, but if you can get past that, it really isn't all that smelly or disgusting.
Whether you keep it or not, many moms take photos of the test. Some post them on social media as a way to announce the pregnancy, others use them for their blogs, and others print them out for the baby book. This is a great way to forever keep a pregnancy test "fresh" and presentable. Some moms, often those who have struggled with infertility or suffered a loss, will take several pregnancy tests and photograph them as they grow darker and darker.
None of this should be judged. The way a mom celebrates her pregnancy and chooses to remember the special moment her pregnancy turned positive is unique to her. Whether she has a drawer full of positive pregnancy tests (guilty here — after three years of secondary infertility, I took a ton of tests and kept them all), posts a million photos of them on her Facebook page, or simply chucks them in the trash, it's her pregnancy to remember the way she wants to remember it.
More on pregnancy tests
Pregnancy tests: The mystery of evaporation lines — explained!
This pregnancy test can tell you how pregnant you are
When your pregnancy test lies to you


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U.S., EU begin sanctions relief for Iran
- IAEA confirms that Iran has halted certain nuclear activity as agreed upon in November deal
- White House estimates Iran will receive roughly %247 billion in deal
- Backers of tighter sanctions worry that U.S. will lose leverage by easing sanctions
WASHINGTON — The United States and European Union began easing some economic sanctions against Iran on Monday as Tehran announced that it has ceased certain nuclear activities that it agreed to halt as part of its breakthrough deal with western powers.
The announcement that the plan for sanctions relief was activated came after the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, confirmed Monday that Iran had met its part of a November agreement. The deal called for Iran to cease enrichment of uranium above 5%, begin the process of diluting some of its stockpile of 20% enriched uranium, and verify that it has not installed additional centrifuges at two key nuclear facilities.
"These actions represent the first time in nearly a decade that Iran has verifiably enacted measures to halt progress on its nuclear program and roll it back in key respects," White House press secretary Jay Carney said in a statement. "Iran has also begun to provide the IAEA with increased transparency into the Iranian nuclear program, through more frequent and intrusive inspections and the expanded provision of information to the IAEA. Taken together, these concrete actions represent an important step forward."
The Obama administration has estimated that sanctions amount to a modest $7 billion in relief.
As part of the deal, Iran will gain access, in installments, to roughly $4.2 billion of its restricted reserve funds over the next six months. The funds will be dispersed as Iran makes progress in completing its dilution of 20% enriched uranium.
Another $2 billion will come as a result of loosening some trade restrictions in the petrochemical, precious metals and auto industries. Iran is also expected to receive some relief that will allow it to make payments for humanitarian goods, university tuition assistance for Iranian students abroad and Iran's U.N. obligations.
Some lawmakers and Iran watchers backing tighter sanctions against Tehran say the impact could be even greater than the $7 billion advertised as Iran's economy has shown signs of recovery. Easing of sanctions has led to a "changing market psychology, and expectations of more economic relief to come," according to a new report from the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD), a group that backs tighter sanctions.
The World Bank projects that Iran's real 2014 GDP is expected to grow by 1% after a recession in 2012 and 2013. The Iranian economy is further projected to grow by 1.8% in 2015 and another 2% in 2016, according to the report.
The argument, which has been made by groups such as FDD, is that as Iran's economy continues to improve, the Iranian leadership would have less incentive to negotiate a comprehensive nuclear deal.
Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, lamented that the U.S. and allies were getting "limited nuclear concessions" in exchange for the sanctions relief.
"While the positive economic impact on Iran will go beyond this relief, as foreign investors are rushing in, our leverage over Iran shrinks," Royce said. "Meanwhile, Iran's nuclear program continues."
The Obama administration counters that the overwhelming majority of more than a decade of sanctions against Iran's oil, banking and financial industries remain in place and the U.S. remains committed to aggressively enforcing the existing sanctions. Inflation in Iran also stands at one of the highest rates in the world.
The interim agreement, which was hatched just months after the relatively moderate Iranian President Hassan Rouhani came into power last summer, expires July 20. The permanent five members of United Nations Security Council — the U.S., Britain, China, France and Russia — plus Germany, the European Union and Iran now will begin the process of trying to hammer out a long-term agreement that would bring the international community greater assurance about Iran's nuclear program and could lead to more sanctions relief for Tehran.
On Tuesday, Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman, the lead U.S. negotiator in the talks, is set to meet with fellow P5+1 negotiators in Geneva to begin charting the way forward.
State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Monday that the Obama administration remains "clear-eyed about the difficulties ahead" as negotiations for a long-term deal begin.


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It has been a while since I've posted, but it's never too late to come back. For all who are reading this, many thanks for sticking around in some form. I've been finishing my dissertation and, between that, family, and work, it is all I can do to ensure that I am properly dressed in the mornings, much less find time for blogging. I have also mixed in stints on the radio, for I co-host the Illinois-World Labor Hour every Saturday at 11 a.m. CT on WEFT 90.1 FM, streamed online at weft.org. I have also hosted some music shows at WEFT, including a show featuring jam-band and jam-oriented artists, and another on jazz. So in all, the time away from blogging has been busy, productive, and satisfying.
I felt the urge to write after seeing that my blog is still linked at LoHud (thanks to whomever is responsible for that, Chad, Sam, or someone else), which I noticed when I was reading their typically good work on one Carsten Charles Sabathia. Primarily, my initiative to write is him, for he's simply been outstanding this season. While he has been great in pinstripes since the beginning in 2009, and cranks it up every summer in terms of velocity and performance, there has been something even more impressive about his 2011 season than the others. Maybe it is the lower ERA, the higher strikeout totals, going 8-9 innings of late when going deep into games has always been his bailiwick, all those factors combined with trademark pitch efficiency–maybe just all of it.
For me, it is that despite previous excellence that makes me wonder if he will continue to match it, C.C. not only does, but has surpassed expectations. This year, he has done so when the team has needed it most–with a rotation that thus far has overachieved as a group, that has missed Hughes for almost the entire first half, with a bullpen that has been terrific despite missing several key parts in Joba, Soriano, Feliciano, and Marte. C.C. has been more than reliable, his dominance has been reliable. This season, he has been every bit as good, as dominant, and as vital if not more so to his team's success as Roy Halladay, Justin Verlander, or Tim Lincecum.
The numbers are gaudy: 14-4. 2.64 ERA, 1.139 WHIP, 134 K/38 BB in 153 2/3 IP and 21 starts.
Broken down further, they become even more impressive. Only three times has he not reached the 7th inning this year. He has pitched into the 8th eight times thus far, including in four of his last five starts. His recent stints have been nothing short of brilliant, with his hits allowed diminishing a hit a game from 8 to 3 despite throwing at least seven innings each time out. He has only allowed 2 earned runs in his last five starts, and has struck out 50 in 39 2/3 over that span. Additionally, until the first-inning run yesterday against Toronto, Sabathia set a career-high of 24 consecutive scoreless innings. Despite going winless in his first four starts, C.C. has amassed a major-league best 14 in a season that still began well, but has become outstanding.
By comparison to his top counterparts Verlander, Halladay, Lee and Lincecum, C.C.'s season ranks with the best of them, with only Halladay perhaps surpassing him.
Halladay: 11-3, 2.45 ERA, 1.019 WHIP, 138 K/17 BB in 143 1/3 IP and 19 starts (admittedly amazing)
Lee: 9-6, 2.82 ERA, 1.056 WHIP, 137 K/29 BB in 137 1/3 IP and 19 starts.
Lincecum: 8-7, 2.99 ERA, 1.191 WHIP, 139 K/48 BB in 129 1/3 IP and 20 starts.
Cole Hamels has surely returned to alpha status this year (11-5, 2.71 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 124 K/28 BB in 136 1/3 IP), but my larger point here is to compare C.C. to the most dominant and consistent starters of the past several years and this generation. Hamels may become that, it would surely be a frightening thought to have the Phillies with Halladay, Lee, Hamels, and a healthy Oswalt match the Braves' stellar rotation of the 1990s. Right now, however, I'd prefer to wait to see perennial consistency.
In the AL, while a few other alpha starters stack up to C.C. this year and merit mention, I will relegate my comparison to Verlander. While James Shields is having a tremendous year, as regular reader and friend Michael Fierman has reminded me, I wouldn't put him in among the best, most consistently dominant starters of the past several years. Nor would I include Josh Beckett, despite his return to excellence, for he has vacillated between near-greatness (2003, 2005, and 2007, with 2009 being very good) and decent to sub-par seasons (2006, 2008, 2010) in curious every-other-season fashion. Jered Weaver has steadily improved to become outstanding, but his excellence is of a far shorter span than Verlander's or Sabathia's.
Since a down 2008 (11-17, 4.84 ERA and 1.403 WHIP), Verlander has been a true alpha starter, annually posting single-digit losses, throwing his second career no-hitter this season, and becoming a threat to do so every time out. Even with a bad start this past week, his 2011 numbers are ridiculous–12-5, 2.25 ERA, 0.898 WHIP, 153 K/33 BB in 157 IP–and his control, like C.C.'s and the others, is tremendous for a power pitcher.
Given the number of pitchers have standout seasons–the list of which includes Jair Jurrjens, Gio Gonzales, Tommy Hanson, Justin Masterson, former Yankee Jeff Karstens (for a resurgent Pirates team whose rise has me smiling), Clayton Kershaw, Matt Cain, Alexi Ogando, C.J. Wilson plus more–the temptation arises to dub 2011 "the year of the pitcher," as a few radio hosts on WSCR in Chicago have done. I am reticent to do that, and not just because I am here–in addition to not being blessed with the time–simply doing a limited year-by-year breakdowns of pitching statistics. I will save that for another time. Plus, the season is not over and, having entered the second half and the dog days of summer, hot hitting may arrive just as easily to diminish that moniker's validity.
However, it is not a stretch to say that there is as much if not more talented young pitching to complement the experienced greats as there has been in some time. Perhaps it is this last detail, the overall excellence of the pitching this season, that makes C.C.'s own year all the more remarkable. Amidst this, with Derek Jeter's reaching 3,000 hits in grand fashion (going 5-5, homering for #3,000, and driving in the game-winning run in the 8th inning), with Granderson's resurgence, and with all the team's injuries, C.C. has emerged as the Yankees' best player.
Since 2009, but never more than at present, it is a pleasure and privilege to watch C.C. perform. He is as good as the Yankees have had on the mound in a decade or more–and does it cleanly and without the drama of Clemens. That he seems to be so universally well-liked is the icing on the cake for a guy who has achieved greatness, and deserved every bit of it.


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Sarah Palin is speaking candidly about her daughter's second pregnancy.
Shortly after Bristol Palin passed the 34-week mark, her mom is putting on a positive front as the due date quickly approaches this holiday season.
"I can't wait for about 45 more days, and I'm gonna have a little baby granddaughter," Sarah Palin shared on CBS' "Sunday Morning." "And I'm happy about it."
U.S. & World
Reporter Tracy Smith, who traveled to Palin's home in Alaska for the personal interview, couldn't help but wonder if this is what Palin pictured her daughter's life to be like at 25-years-old.
"That can't be how you saw this playing out," she asked. "Unmarried and pregnant again?"
Palin replied, "Heck no because being a single mom is, oh my goodness, my heart goes out to the single parents. But my enormous admiration for what it is that they're able to accomplish doing double-duty. And I watch Bristol do double-duty all the time, you know, with her little boy, Tripp."
Back in June, Bristol announced that she was pregnant with her second child. While sharing the news on her blog, the former "Dancing With the Stars" contestant called it a "huge disappointment to my family" but admitted "there's nothing I can't do with God by my side."
One month earlier, Bristol called off her wedding to Marine Dakota Meyer just days before the ceremony.
Fast-forward to today, and Palin is happy to call her future granddaughter a "blessing." She also believes that Bristol's faith in God will help her along the way.
"Well, the cool thing about putting your faith in God is he certainly is a God of second chances, and third, and fourth and fifth chances," she explained. "I screw up all the time."
PHOTOS: See all of the 2016 presidential candidates
APP: Download the E! Online app to get the latest celebrity news on the go


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Pandora's a nice place to visit – but is it worth returning to over and over?
We'll learn this weekend whether nine minutes of new footage is enough to draw droves of moviegoers to the re-release of "Avatar" – a film most who care probably already saw in theaters and possibly on DVD not all that long ago.
The box office take also could provide a clue to the franchise's long-term fate.
Don't get us wrong – any new "Avatar" flick will drive fans, covered in blue makeup, to wait on line for days to don the 3-D glasses at the first midnight showings. What this weekend could offer, though, is an indication of how strong and lasting a hold Pandora will have on the popular imagination – a point that's not lost on "Avatar" director James Cameron.
In a revealing interview this week with The Los Angeles Times, Cameron made clear he's set on raising Pandora to the pantheon of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth and the enduring worlds of the "Star Wars" and "Star Trek" series.
"You've got to compete head on with these other epic works of fantasy and fiction, the Tolkiens and the 'Star Wars' and the 'Star Treks,'" Cameron told The Times. "People want a persistent alternate reality to invest themselves in and they want the detail that makes it rich and worth their time. They want to live somewhere else. Like Pandora."
That's both a humble and arrogant statement – and a daunting self-challenge from the man who gave us "The Terminator" and what, by some measures, are the two most successful movies of all time, "Titanic" and "Avatar."
He's aspiring to tread into some pretty heady territory. Tolkien's classic "Lord of the Rings" trilogy was long thought untranslatable to film, but Peter Jackson pulled it off in three movies that Cameron no doubt is looking to for lessons. We're hoping Jackson will opt to try to create similar magic with the planned two-film version of "The Hobbit."
Things don't always go, though, quite as fans hope: George Lucas and Co. gave us three incredible "Star Wars" films, and then three others that didn't live up to everybody's high expectations. The "Star Trek" series is even spottier in terms of spinoff shows, and movies of varying degrees of quality.
But all of those franchises, as Cameron notes, created their own universes – ones we're happy to lose ourselves in time after time.
For Pandora, entry into that exclusive club will be about a lot more than the enveloping 3-D and motion-capture technology that will be old hat by the time Cameron is done making "Avatar" sequels. The most memorable parts of the series the director aims to compete with are the characters, who are more vital to their worlds than the fantastical settings.
We're still a little annoyed at the "Avatar" re-release, which seems like a gimmick to grab more money – especially at the end of a relatively blockbuster-free summer. But we're heartened by Cameron's drive for excellence and his implicit admission that he has a long way to go before "Avatar" hits the ranks of modern mythology.
We'll be sure to visit again when Pandora is open for more than nine minutes.
Hester is founding director of the award-winning, multi-media NYCity News Service at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. He is the former City Editor of the New York Daily News, where he started as a reporter in 1992. Follow him on Twitter.


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Summary Report for:
43-4041.01 - Credit Authorizers
Authorize credit charges against customers' accounts.
Sample of reported job titles: Business Manager, Credit Administrator, Credit Director, Credit Manager
Tasks | Technology Skills | Tools Used | Knowledge | Skills | Abilities | Work Activities | Detailed Work Activities | Work Context | Job Zone | Education | Credentials | Interests | Work Styles | Work Values | Related Occupations | Wages & Employment | Job Openings | Additional Information
- Keep records of customers' charges and payments.
- Evaluate customers' computerized credit records and payment histories to decide whether to approve new credit, based on predetermined standards.
- File sales slips in customers' ledgers for billing purposes.
- Receive charge slips or credit applications by mail, or receive information from salespeople or merchants by telephone.
- Mail charge statements to customers.
- Prepare credit cards or charge account plates.
Technology Skills
- Accounting software — Financial accounting software
- Data base user interface and query software — Data entry software
- Electronic mail software — Microsoft Outlook
- Internet browser software — Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Office suite software — Microsoft Office
- Presentation software — Microsoft PowerPoint
- Spreadsheet software — Microsoft Excel
- Word processing software — Microsoft Word
Hot Technology — a technology requirement frequently included in employer job postings.
Tools Used
- English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Computers and Electronics — Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Mathematics — Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Law and Government — Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
- Administration and Management — Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
- Economics and Accounting — Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
- Clerical — Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
- Transportation — Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
- Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Writing — Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Social Perceptiveness — Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Time Management — Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Complex Problem Solving — Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Active Learning — Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Negotiation — Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
- Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Written Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
- Information Ordering — The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
- Speech Clarity — The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Inductive Reasoning — The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Category Flexibility — The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Work Activities
- Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
- Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
- Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
- Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
- Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
- Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others — Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others — Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
- Developing and Building Teams — Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
- Performing Administrative Activities — Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
- Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
- Coaching and Developing Others — Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
- Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others — Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
- Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information — Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Monitoring and Controlling Resources — Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
- Scheduling Work and Activities — Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
Detailed Work Activities
- Analyze financial information.
- Maintain financial or account records.
- File documents or records.
- Obtain personal or financial information about customers or applicants.
- Send information, materials or documentation.
- Execute sales or other financial transactions.
Find occupations related to multiple detailed work activities
Work Context
- Face-to-Face Discussions — 100% responded "Every day."
- Telephone — 100% responded "Every day."
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — 98% responded "Every day."
- Time Pressure — 95% responded "Every day."
- Electronic Mail — 90% responded "Every day."
- Contact With Others — 90% responded "Constant contact with others."
- Letters and Memos — 79% responded "Every day."
- Frequency of Decision Making — 78% responded "Every day."
- Deal With External Customers — 88% responded "Extremely important."
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results — 75% responded "Very important results."
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — 70% responded "Extremely important."
- Structured versus Unstructured Work — 77% responded "A lot of freedom."
- Work With Work Group or Team — 73% responded "Extremely important."
- Freedom to Make Decisions — 77% responded "A lot of freedom."
- Coordinate or Lead Others — 67% responded "Extremely important."
- Spend Time Sitting
- Frequency of Conflict Situations — 23% responded "Every day."
- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks — 31% responded "Very important."
- Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions — 15% responded "Never."
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People — 26% responded "Once a week or more but not every day."
- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results — 22% responded "High responsibility."
- Level of Competition — 33% responded "Highly competitive."
- Duration of Typical Work Week — 68% responded "40 hours."
- Physical Proximity — 32% responded "Slightly close (e.g., shared office)."
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting — 28% responded "Never."
Job Zone
|Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
|Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
|Related Experience
|Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
|Job Training
|Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
|Job Zone Examples
|These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, travel guides, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters, and medical assistants.
|SVP Range
|(6.0 to < 7.0)
Interest code: CE Want to discover your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler at My Next Move.
- Conventional — Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
- Enterprising — Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Work Styles
- Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
- Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical.
- Stress Tolerance — Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
- Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
- Persistence — Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
- Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
- Self Control — Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
- Independence — Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
- Initiative — Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
- Leadership — Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
- Achievement/Effort — Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
- Adaptability/Flexibility — Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
- Concern for Others — Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
- Analytical Thinking — Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
- Innovation — Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
- Social Orientation — Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Work Values
- Independence — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
- Support — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
- Relationships — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Related Occupations
Wages & Employment Trends
Median wage data for Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks.
Employment data for Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks.
Industry data for Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks.
|Median wages (2019)
|$19.28 hourly, $40,100 annual
|State wages
|Local wages
|Employment (2018)
|30,300 employees
|Projected growth (2018-2028)
|Decline (-2% or lower)
|Projected job openings (2018-2028)
|State trends
|Top industries (2018)
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2019 wage data and 2018-2028 employment projections . "Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2018-2028). "Projected job openings" represent openings due to growth and replacement.
Job Openings on the Web
Sources of Additional Information
Disclaimer: Sources are listed to provide additional information on related jobs, specialties, and/or industries. Links to non-DOL Internet sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute an endorsement.


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Take your event to new heights at UCCS.
People gather for many reasons- to explore common interests, exchange ideas, solve problems, nurture camaraderie, celebrate milestones- and the most successful among them know that memorable events begin with a memorable venue. One like UCCS.
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Ready to meet? Great! Then aim high and remember, whatever your get-together, you'll get something at UCCS that other venues just can't promise. Second-to-none services from a first class management staff.
Catering - Distinctive menus & delicious, budget-friendly meals
Flexible Meeting Venues – Facilities up to 27,000 sq. ft.
Group Services – Serving from 5 to 1500 guests in any one group
Location - Historic setting in storied Pikes Peak Region, central to all major services
Lodging – Secure resident lodging, on campus
Parking – On-campus, covered stalls
Planning – Expert event coordination
Technical Logistics - On-site event facilitators & AV technicians, smart classrooms, wireless computing
Smart People. Smart Venue. Smart Choice.
UCCS. The Most Intelligent Meeting & Event Venue in the Rockies


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The Book Thief
*Due to COVID-19, The Little is Temporarily Closed*
Read our statement, consider becoming a member or donating, and check our blog for updates.
The Book Thief
The story regards the tumultuous events from the perspective of Liesel (Sophie Nélisse), a 9-year-old girl who is given up by her mother and taken to live with Hans (Geoffrey Rush) and Rosa (Emily Watson) in a small German village circa 1938.
It spans the next seven years and includes Kristallnacht, book burnings, air raids, violent deaths, threatening Hitler youth and an extensive period in which the family hides a young Jewish man named Max (Ben Schnetzer). No corners are cut when it comes to the totality of the experience from this family's perspective.
About the Film:
Ends on Thursday Dec 19th
Based on the beloved international bestselling book, The Book Thief tells the story of an extraordinary, spirited young girl sent to live with a foster family in WWII Germany. Intrigued by the only book she brought with her, she begins collecting books as she finds them. With the help of her new parents and a secret guest under the stairs, she learns to read and creates a magical world that inspires them all.


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Beyonce had a baby girl named Blue Ivy Carter as I'm sure you've heard. I'm really happy for her and Jay-Z -- truly I am. But I am not happy about how things went down at Lenox Hill Hospital in NYC where she gave birth. I almost feel like I can't blame Beyonce and Jay-Z though. All they did was ask the hospital if they could rent out an entire floor while Beyonce had her scheduled c-section. The hospital could have said no. But a lot of money was paid and well, hospitals do need money, and so it was allowed.
And yes, scheduled cesarean. Maybe she had a preexisting condition that made a c-section inevitable. But maybe it was because of her celebrity status that her birth had to be planned in order for them to be able to rent out an entire floor at Lenox Hill. That just makes me sad. It's a bad example for moms. And I'm upset for the families and moms who were birthing there that were very disrupted as a result of all of this. Parents who were denied seeing their newborns.
New dad Neil Nash-Coulon said that he was denied access to the NICU to see his baby because of the security lockdown going on while Beyonce and family were there. He said that this was the case for many as the NICU was on same floor rented out by the singer.
It's been reported that Jay-Z paid 1.3 million dollars for the entire floor, but the hospital has so far kept quiet on the confidential matter.
More on Beyonce's Delivery: Beyonce Addresses Baby Drama & Denies a Diva Delivery
I remember when I tried to get a private room after I had my twins because I wanted my husband to be able to spend the night to help me in-room with my two newborns. We were willing to pay the added fee, but were told that there was only one room and it was already taken. Which is fine. I get that. But then I hear of things like this ... renting an entire floor for a one-baby birth and I feel like more should be done for the everyday average Joe and Jane who have multiples and actually NEED to have more space or be able to have the dad stay to help mom. I'm talking about a room too, not a floor.
I also feel that because Beyonce had a scheduled c-section (for whatever reason) it makes so many other women who admire her think that is the glamorous way to birth. It's not. If it's necessary, then it's necessary and that is a different story, but too many of these diva births will have us ending up like China, where the c-section rate is 50 percent. And they have a one-child policy. So a mom is denying herself the rite of passage that is vaginal birth. But China says it's about risks because of the one child policy. So if anything seems less than perfect, then they choose cesarean.
Birth advocates know this is a bad decision. It's bad news for moms. Just look at the story of a mom who had twins, both breech, vaginally without any pain meds. This is trusting birth. Something we all need to do. Doctors need to give women more credit when birthing. Women need to give women more credit when birthing. And like many believe, I too think it's become a women's rights issue. If a doctor tells a woman she can't birth vaginally, she believes and trusts that doctor. But we need to start believing in ourselves. In our abilities. We can't believe in the Beyonce diva way of birth. We can't expect floors to shut down for our baby's arrival. I wish Beyonce didn't feel that she needed that. I get extra security, but how that hospital behaved was wrong. And I'm glad parents are speaking out about it.
We have to stop being passive spectators of our births and be active participators. We have to be very present and patient and active when we are parents, so it should start with the birth of our children.
What do you think of these diva births? Are we generally too passive when it comes to birth? Do you think we need to trust our bodies more?
UPDATE: At the press time of this article, all major news outlets were reporting a 'scheduled c-section' (sourced). The couple has since spoken out and called the birth natural. With or without Beyonce in the mix, the mentality of being 'too posh to push' in childbirth exists.
Image via Dave Q/Flickr


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FORT CARSON, Colo. -- Military officials say a small plane crashed at Fort Carson's Butts Army Airfield, injuring the two crewmembers aboard.
Fort Carson spokeswoman Dani Johnson says the crewmembers were hospitalized Wednesday afternoon. She says the plane - a DA20 - had been contracted by the U.S. Air Force for a training mission out of Pueblo.
The Colorado Springs Gazette reports the crewmembers, who are listed in good condition at a nearby hospital, were participating in the Air Force's initial flight screening program when their plane crashed. The training program is the first step in a long process of earning an Air Force pilot's wings.
The newspaper reports Doss Aviation of Colorado Springs runs the program under a 10-year, $200 million contract.
The National Transportation Safety Board will help investigate the crash.


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I was lucky enough to have received the entire collection for my review. Upon trying the products, my initial impression is how pleasant the scent is. I love that after using Infusium 23, my hair smells like I have just left a saloon. I like that each bottle is clearly labeled with Step 1, 2 and 3. There are 3 different choices for Step 3: Leave-in Treatment Forming Mousse, Leave in Treatment and Leave in Treatment with Serum. Depending on what my hair needs for the day, I would follow it up with the different choices. Since I began to use Infusium 23, I have noticed visible difference on how much softer my hair feels and how much healthier it feels.
All in all, I am very happy with the products I received to review, and I would definitely recommend them. To buy Infusium 23, please visit your local drug stores or supermarkets.
Many thanks to Infusium 23. The company has generously offered the same products I received to review as giveaway prizes to one of my lucky readers. This giveaway ends on March 30, 2014.
*You must also leave me a comment using the blogger comment form for this post to be eligible to win this giveaway.


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The nation is mourning Monday's deadly tornado that whipped across Oklahoma killing at least 24 people and injuring dozens. But some heartening news of residents discovering pets as they search through the rubble has set social media abuzz.
During a live interview with CBS News, Moore resident Barbara Garcia found her missing dog beneath the debris. Garcia explained that she rode out the storm in the bathroom of her now-decimated home, but was separated from her dog. As she's telling her story, someone off-camera spots the dog, buried beneath the rubble. As the camera rolled, Garcia was able to lift up the debris and free the pup.
"Well I thought God just answered one prayer to let me be okay," Garcia said, "but he answered both of them."
Below are more images of rescue workers and locals finding furry friends amid the debris and devastation.


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How to Buy a Home in San Francisco – 8 Easy Steps
1. The Big Questions
The home buying process is far from easy. But before asking how to buy your first home, you need to ask an even bigger question — why are you buying your first home?
Is it for security, economic reasons, or because you just feel you should?
Once you have answered to your own satisfaction, it's time to hash out the basics.
What's your purchase timeline? What do you need in a house? What would you like in a house? What's your budget? Which local San Francisco talent is going to represent you in the buying process? Will this house serve your needs in 5 years time? 10? 30?
Get concrete. Write out your answers in a word document so you don't get blown off course by the inevitable twists and turns of the hunting/purchase process.
2. The Approval
You've hashed out the core questions in your mind. Now it's time to hop on a mortgage calculator to work out the basics, and get pre-approved for a mortgage. You'll be needing:
> Proof of income: think W-2 statements, pay stubs, and tax returns
> Proof of assets: bank statements and investment account statements
> Personal documentation: social, driver's license, and a signature
> A solid credit score: we're talking 740 or above
> Verification of employment: this overlaps proof of income, but lenders may want to call your employer as a safety measure.
The more prompt and cooperative you are with lenders, the faster the approval process. Of course, if you're one of the lucky few paying up-front, none of this applies.
3. The Hunt
Congrats, you just got approved for your first mortgage! Now comes the fun part: house hunting.
Refer back to the set of parameters, needs, and wants you hashed out in step 1.
For instance, if you were moving to San Francisco, you'd want to know which neighborhoods in SF tick the boxes? What are the pluses and minuses of each? What does the market look like?
Before starting any conversations, get fluent in real estate terminology — for your own sake, and the other party's.
4. The Offer
After more tours and open houses than you thought you could handle, you've wound up with a short-list of options. Offer time.
Most westerners are not used to haggling: things cost what they cost. But to get the best deal on your new home, you need to learn the subtle art of negotiation — a blend of reasonability, firmness, intuition, and proper tone.
Of course, your realtor should help you at every stage of the negotiation process — but no third party cares as much about this deal as you and the seller do.
Remember, there are no hard and fast rules for making offers on a house, just a broad set of considerations which include:
How under pressure is the seller. Are they moving? Recently divorced?
What's thrown in with the offer? Furniture? A nice grill? Appliances?
What constitutes a lowball? Will this flag you and end negotiation early?
Who is the seller? Building a personal relationship can smooth the transaction and mark you out from competing buyers
5. The Escrow
The word escrow is most closely associated with real estate, but it refers to any deal where a third party holds on to something valuable while the two sides are negotiating. Essentially, it minimizes the risk of the seller running off with a large scale money transfer.
In the home purchase process, an escrow officer will ensure all the conditions of your pre-agreed contract are met on both sides. They will also make sure all necessary inspections and qualifications are met on time.
6. The Homework
So you've got the escrow sorted, but what sort of due diligence has to be run? Some common house inspections include:
– General home inspections are surveys of a house's overall condition. They encompass structural assessment, a look at the piping and sewage, the condition of appliances, and a rank ordered list of issues minor to major.
– Wood Destroying Organism (WDO) inspections look for termites and other insects that erode wood over time.
– Lead-based paint inspection tests for the presence of lead-based paint inside and outside the home – and is legally required for any home built before 1978.
All these tests and inspections may seem like unnecessary bottlenecks, but it's better to get a full picture of what you're buying before you close than after (when the pipes have burst and your garage collapses from wood rot).
7. The Final Week
The inspectors have done their job, and everything checks out. You're one week away from being able to move into your new family home.
During this stressful 7 days you can expect a final walk-through of all legal documents, a review and signature of the closing documents, your final deposit, and the actual funding of the loan you worked so hard to get.
8. The Big Day
At long last, the day has come. You've put your foot on the property ladder.
In this pivotal 24 hours your escrow will close, seeing the middle-man off. Your deed will also be recorded — meaning it will placed into the official records of the County Recorders or Recorder of Deeds office.
And finally, you will receive the keys to your new home — a logistical consideration that feels equally symbolic.
With this thin strip of metal you now own your very own home.
All you have to do now is start and raise a family. Simple.
Bonus: Know Your Tools!
To help you in the buying process we've aggregated all of our most helpful tool in one place. Check them out below:
San Francisco Neighborhood Map


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08 January 2010
2005 Red Diamond Chardonnay
Nose of toasted marshmallows, buttered popcorn, just a hint of apricot in the background. Big, buttery mouthfeel with very low acidity, dry and fruity but with an ashy balancing element. Served with an omelet and hash browns after Christmas, sort of a comfort meal around the holiday, where the wine ended up carrying the buttered toast and fruit of a "breakfast for dinner" meal.
I briefly mentioned this wine on Facebook after trying it, and it was funny to read the responses. Some thought it sounded terrible, some thought it sounded delicious. Others just found it interesting. I'll admit that this style surprised me from Washington, and while it's not my favorite Chardonnay profile I do smile when I encounter such a wine. It stands out from the crowd of "Another Boring Chardonnay".
I bring this up not to criticize any of the responses, but rather to illustrate my method of reviewing wines. It should be obvious by now that I don't use scores, stars, or anything like that. Occasionally I'll praise a wine's quality-price ratio, or I'll say something is highly recommended, but mostly I just say, "here's what it smells and tastes like, and here's how it worked with food". In this case I described the wine honestly; if you like toasty/buttery/caramel Chardonnays, then this was a positive review. If you prefer a lighter, more restrained style, then this was a negative review. Take from that what you will.
5 comments:
- fredric koeppel said...
well, as I'm sure you know, I'm with the "sounds terrible" crowd on this one. This is the kind of chardonnay that I find undrinkable.
- 08 January, 2010 04:15
- Samantha Dugan said...
I believe I said something about my gag reflex when you posted...
- 08 January, 2010 08:17
- Benito said...
Fredric & Sam,
Well, I wasn't going to pinpoint any names...
I prefer lighter, restrained Chardonnay. Completely unoaked is wonderful. Somehow I had gone a long time without encountering a "butter bomb", and so it stood out as something different merely by contrast.
This one is so over-the-top with oak that it would be great for teaching newbies how to spot those aromas and flavors in a more subtly oaked white.
- 08 January, 2010 14:15
- Michael Hughes said...
Perfect example of how interest & pleasure of taste is in the eye of the beholder. Even though I am absolutely obsessed with WA wines this style doesn't sound appealing to me. However, it is to some people.
- 09 January, 2010 09:30
- Benito said...
It's definitely odd for Washington, it screams California with every sip. Honestly I wasn't even going to write this one up, but a bunch of people got really excited by the description when I mentioned it on Facebook. Could be a fun one for a party if you wanted to do a compare and contrast with, say, a White Burgundy or unoaked Aussie chard.
- 09 January, 2010 16:08


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N° 45–2002: ESA supports Reuters humanitarian trust
20 June 2002
A collaboration arrangement was today signed between Reuters Foundation Director, Maureen Marlowe, and ESA's Director of Earth Observation Programmes, José Achache, at Reuters Corporate headquarters in London.
Under this arrangement the European Space Agency will assist Reuters Foundation and its AlertNet service in providing information and imagery from ESA Earth observation missions and promoting the use of satellite remote-sensing data by the international humanitarian aid community. More specifically, ESA will provide access to information from its satellite data archives and from the current ERS-2 and Envisat missions. .
ESA will also involve Reuters Foundation in the user consultation processes it is conducting for the purpose of identifying the satellite data requirements of humanitarian aid organisations, as a contribution to the definition of the European GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security) programme..
A dedicated "satellite image" web page will be developed on Reuters Foundation's AlertNet site, with images provided by ESA, setting out a number of case studies and a guide to Earth observation..
On signing the arrangement, José Achache, stated : "Today we have taken a major step forward in raising awareness among humanitarian aid organisations of the contributions satellite data can make in support of their missions. This will also help clarify their specific requirements so that they can be incorporated into the European GMES programme"..
Maureen Marlowe said: "AlertNet's service to its member organisations will be significantly improved. The pictures and graphics from space will not only show terrain clearly, but enable our member agencies to track the movements of displaced people and monitor the impact of natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes more accurately and quickly".
Reuters Foundation, created in 1982, is a humanitarian and educational trust, primarily funded by Reuters, the global news, information and technology group. The Foundation focuses on areas where Reuters skills and expertise in information gathering, technology and communications can be put to use in ways which will benefit the communities in which Reuters works worldwide..
Reuters Foundation AlertNet service (www.alertnet.org) was launched in 1997 to provide fast news and communications for international disaster relief. Membership of the service currently includes more than 175 aid agencies from 35 countries. AlertNet acts as a platform for vital communication and information sharing within the humanitarian aid community worldwide..
For further information, please contact:.
ESA Media Relations Office.
Tel.: + 33(0)184.108.40.206.55.
Fax: + 33(0)1).188.8.131.52.
Website: www.esa.int.
Reuters Foundation.
Charlotte Poskitt (Marketing Executive).
Tel.: + 44 207 542 7398.
Fax: + 44 207 542 8599.
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com.
Website: www.foundation.reuters.com.
For further information:
ESA Media Relations Office
Tel: +33(0)126.96.36.19955
Fax: +33(0)22.214.171.12490


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PrimeraDx Receives CE Marks for the ICEPlex System and C. difficile Detection Assay
PrimeraDx Receives CE Marks for the ICEPlex System and C. difficile Detection Assay Sep 2012
Mansfield, MA, September 12, 2012 – PrimeraDx, a molecular diagnostics company, announced today that the ICEPlex system, a quantitative multiplex PCR system, and their C. difficile detection assay both received the CE mark. "Obtaining the CE mark on our instrument and assay is an important step in the process of global commercialization of our extensive pipeline of molecular diagnostics products in infectious disease and oncology," said CEO and President Matt McManus. Dr. McManus continued, "The CE mark demonstrates to current and future customers, and strategic partners, our ability to develop and support high quality diagnostic products."
The ICEPlex system consists of a platform on which PrimeraDx develops high multiplex, quantitative, molecular diagnostic products. These products span multiple clinical areas including infectious disease, oncology and companion diagnostics. The system's unique ability to test for many different target types "all in one well" is critical to satisfying the next generation of clinical diagnostic needs.
C. difficile is one of the common and deadly hospital-acquired infections and is linked to about 14,000 US deaths annually, according to the Centers of Diseases and Prevention Controls. The ICEPlex C. difficile assay is a molecular diagnostic test for the detection of the Clostridium difficile. Based on a novel, game-changing clinical platform which combines PCR with capillary electrophoresis, the ICEPlex C. difficile Assay is performed on nucleic acids purified from human stool samples.
"The two CE Marks, and our previously announced ISO 13485:2003 certification demonstrate our commitment and ability to develop regulated molecular diagnostic products," added Fayyaz Memon, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance.
About PrimeraDx
PrimeraDx is a molecular diagnostics company that has developed and is commercializing a novel, game-changing clinical platform which combines PCR with capillary electrophoresis. The result of combining these two well-known technologies into a bench-top instrument is the ability to deliver highly multiplexed and quantitative answers to the clinic. The company is pursuing a two-pronged strategy to sell the system in an Open Platform Mode to clinical labs and to independently develop high-value molecular diagnostic products. Users can easily design very complex multi-modal assays that test for disparate target types, like SNPs, expression biomarkers, microRNAs and fusion genes. PrimeraDx's technology represents the next generation of quantitative, multiplex PCR. The Company is backed by a strong group of experienced venture-capital investors, including Abingworth, InterWest Partners, CHL Medical Partners, and Malaysian Technology Development Corporation. The Company's website is: www.primeradx.com or www.multiplexpcr.com.
CONTACT: Ted Myles, CFO, (508) 618- 2300


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Netflix and The CW are close to finalizing a megabucks new deal covering scripted series that significantly speeds up the availability of the shows to less than two weeks after each season ends on the network.
The expanded pact with Netflix comes as The CW and Hulu are parting ways on the deal that made selected current episodes of CW series available for streaming on a rolling-five basis. The network first set its streaming deals with Netflix and Hulu in 2011. Those deals were crucial to shoring up the future of The CW five years ago, and now the expanded Netflix pact is a testament to the network's improved performance.
With the Hulu deal ending, in-season streaming access to CW series will flow through the advertising-supported CWTV.com website and app as well as its affiliate stations' VOD deals with various providers. In-season access will remain limited to a rolling-five most recent episodes, in most cases.
Reps for The CW, Hulu and Netflix declined comment. The CW-Netflix deal is expected to be unveiled later this week.
The limited access to episodes was the big sticking point for Hulu, which is said to have pushed The CW to offer full stacking rights — access to the full season, in other words — on its Hulu service as a condition of renewing the deal. Hulu and CW parent companies CBS and Warner Bros. negotiated on and off for months, but late last week the sides formally ended the discussions. The existing deal is believed to expire in early October.
Netflix, meanwhile, has stepped up the financial terms of its output deal in order to speed up the arrival of the shows on the SVOD giant. Previously, CW series came to Netflix after a months-long wait, usually timed to land a week or two before the start of a new season for continuing series.
The total pricetag of the deal is tricky to estimate for Netflix because it involves so many shows and variables such as escalators that kick in depending on how long a series has been on the air and how it performs. But it is sure to rank as one of the largest output deals in the SVOD arena to date with value that could exceed $1 billion.
The deal is believed to run five years, with a tail that gives Netflix access to the CW library for several years after each series ends its run on the network. The deal covers domestic rights to the shows, not the vast expanse of Netflix's worldwide footprint. It also marks the closest window Netflix has ever secured to the in-season period for primetime entertainment series.


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Hynix and Numonyx are throwing their weight behind NAND flash memory in an extended five-year deal to beef up development of the cash-starved sector.
Together the companies will produce the memory technology that is used in high-end mobile phones including Apple's iPhone, MP3 players and other digital devices. It offers higher storage capacity than NOR memory, used in older mobile phones.
Hynix has been having a rough time in the past few months. In July it posted its third consecutive loss of $700m for Q2, largely because of weakness in the DRAM and NAND markets following a glut in 2007 pushing down prices in the sector this year.
Meanwhile, Numonyx - a flash venture between Intel and STMicroelectronics NV, which finally got off the ground in April following a delay attributed to "significant turmoil" in the financial markets - will be hoping the deal with Hynix will strengthen its NAND position in the wireless segment.
NAND memory production is proving to be much trickier for vendors as the technology scales, or moves to smaller and smaller manufacturing lithography nodes, said Numonyx.
In April chip analyst iSuppli revised down its growth forecast for the NAND market this year to nine per cent. It said it will reach more than $15.2bn, from a previous estimate of 27 per cent growth. It also said signs showed that buyers were scaling back expectations for products using NAND-based chips.®