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This might be the best Wordle result yet. To use Wordle, you paste a bunch of text into its Wordle generator. Based on how frequently words occur in the text, those words are emphasized. You can try it yourself at www.wordle.net. Here is the FOMC’s March 15 statement.

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://blog.towerbank.net/the-fed/march-15-fomc-statement-via-wordle/

2013-05-18T06:28:44Z

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Trip Start Sep 02, 2011 16Trip End Sep 30, 2011 Map your own trip! Show trip route Where I stayed We arrived our first day in a daze, we couldn't believe we are here, we saw Times Square, which honestly is alot smaller than you think, but is quite impressive at night, all the lights make it seem like it's daytime. Our second day we walked around almost the whole of Central Park, amazing, and we took our first ever subway ride in Manhattan, we've been using it ever since, it's the best way to get around the city. We also went to the Museum of Natural History and saw the dinosaur skeletons which was cool, then we went to the Lincoln Memorial which is the opera house etc. Whilst visiting Grand Central Station we stumbled across a movie set where we could stop and watch as they set things on fire and the Director shouted at people to get off the street and onto the sidewalk (note my use of the American slang!) Sunday, we went Downtown to Wall Street and the Statue of Liberty and took a boat trip around that and Ellis Island which took about 4 hours and was scorching! Today we went up Rockefeller Centre and saw the whole city, it is crazy tall, and when you fly up in the elevator your have to swallow to unblock your ears you are going so fast. Then we went to Madison Square Park where all the locals were sitting on Labor Day (we didn't know it was a long weekend until we got here so that's perfect timing) watching the US Open. Then we went Madison Square Gardens to book our tickets to Washington for tomorrow. We can't upload any pics just now as there is no slot on this machine to do so. We'll go just now and update again whenever we can. On to DC!!!

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2013-05-18T08:10:32Z

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The Balkan Countries Trip Start Apr 27, 2009 16Trip End Ongoing Map your own trip! Show trip route I decided that I didnt want to be a normal tourist and take a plane back to Zagreb from Dubrovik. I was trying to get to Sofia, Bulgaria and the quickest way is thru Montenegro - passing Kosovo and then into Serbia. 24 hours of traveling: I caught a 5 hour bus ride from Dubrovnik to Podgorica, Montenegro. Montenegro is a country that I would love to rent a car, bike, moped and just travel up and down the harbor. What a beautiful chunk of earth! Met a German and a girl from Macedonnia which was super helpful in getting me a ticket to my next destination. Now Im in the capital of Montenegro and there really is not much. My original plan was to stay the night but after first sight I thought it would be best to just keep traveling. I got an 11 hour bus ride to NIS, Serbia. I felt like I was back in Ecuador. First off I could not fit in my seat so I had to turn and face the aisle. The guy next to me thought it was ok to sit/lay on half my seat. I was scared crapless to recline because I had some fat guy behind me and I think his stomach was already touching my seat without me reclining. Every hour or so I would recline an inch just to see how he would react and by the fourth hour I was finally reclined which wasnt much. There was a negative to this. The fat guy had no where to put his arms so he thought it would be ok to put them on my head. I could feel his breath on my hair and the bronchitis cough that he had was directed towards my neck. I would try to anticipate his coughs and turn my head to the cough so his disease would not land on my skin. Some guy in the back of the bus was drinking and playing loud local music the whole freakin time. Remember this is an overnight bus. No one seemed to care so I had to follow suit. For about 10 minutes I wanted to scream " Let me off this GOD forsaken bus" but then I just had to think about good old Ecuador. The only difference is that I could not communicate with the people on the bus and I really did not know how safe it was for an American to travel. Which leads me to my next story. I was trying to keep the American thing on the DL (Down LOw) but when they collected our passports at the borders they would read off the names and everybody had Russian sounding names and then it comes to me and he just butchers my name and now its clear that Im the only foreigner on the bus. I didnt eat anything because I never knew which currency they used. Half the time during that ride I didnt know what country I was in. Took a local bus from Nis to the border of Serbia and Bulgaria. I have noticed that when I do ask for help people are very friendly and the younger generation seems to know English well.

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2013-05-18T08:12:05Z

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Flight From CDG Trip Start Jul 23, 2008 27Trip End Aug 14, 2008 Map your own trip! Show trip route However, all went fine. We got up, got ready, got everything packed up, stripped the beds, garbage out, final cleaning, and we were ready to go...an hour early! So we hung around and watched the clock tick, watched some t.v., listened to the radio. The shuttle was to pick us up at 10:30 am. The guys that were picking up the keys were supposed to be there before that. The clock was getting ever closer to 10:30 and no sign of the guys. Sigh. Finally at 10:20 the kids started to take the bags downstairs. I started to follow, but the phone rang It was the shuttle people saying the guy was there, waiting, and I had 10 minutes. OMG! I was trying to figure out what the heck I would do if the guys didn't show up...what would I do with the keys? There was a couple coming in this same day to take our place, they needed the keys. The owner had left for vacation in Morocco. Crap! So as I finally started to go downstairs, I see DS taking the elevator down (it's glass). He had gone up one floor, then down, for fun. Then I went down with my bag. When I got at the bottom, this old French guy reprimands me (in French) that DS is too little to ride the elevator by himself and he might "panique." If I had not been "paniqueing" myself about the keys vs. the shuttle, I would have laughed at the guy. But as it was, I said, "Oui, oui" knowing I'd never see the guy again. Do the French raise their kids to be sissies or what? My son is eight years old for crying out loud. So I helped the kids get in the shuttle with the luggage and told the guy I had to wait for the key guys. I then went inside the courtyard to wait. Fortunately, not long after that one of the guys showed up. He seemed surprised that the other guy was not there. I told him I needed to go. I gave him the keys, he went up to check everything, came back down and said everything was ok, and then we left. We had the same shuttle driver as when we got to Paris. This time he seemed in a better mood though. There was some older gentleman in the front seat next to him, so they talked (in French) the whole ride to the airport. We got checked in and waited for our flight to board. We then sat in the plane and waited for takeoff, and waited, and waited. Our flight left late...

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2013-05-18T06:29:05Z

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On that midnight train to Georgia Trip Start Apr 18, 2011 65Trip End Dec 09, 2011 Map your own trip! Show trip route Where I stayed Atlanta becomes a city of firsts for myself; first baseball game, first Amtrak train, first revolving bar, first hitchhike for a car. In fact my first glimpse of the Georgian capital's skyline promptly brought with it another first- sharing a taxi to the hostel with a 70 year old Brisbane resident called Dorothy- I resist the temptation to ask if has been to Kansas yet. It's a fair deal though, she doesn't really know of anywhere to stay and I'm skint; she pays, I direct. The hostel is a renovated old brothel (better than it sounds) but it looks like some serious cash was spent on it sometime around the end of the 70s. It has character, stained glass windows, hearts ingrained into the banisters, the huge balconies are really nice- this feels like I've entered the south I'm not in the deep south but I get my first real taste of southern hospitality. Dave a two week resident of the hostel (waiting to move into a new apartment) sees it as his duty to show tourists the best parts of Atlanta but at local rates. From the $1 Major League Baseball tickets, to free entry into strip clubs. He frequently exclaims at random points throughout my stay "I like to have a good time", and I struggle to disagree with him. My first night is one of the best I've had on my journey so far. Sneaking alcohol into the Braves vs. Brewers game ensures the seemingly slow pace of baseball and the occassional thud of leather on bat becomes just a beat to chat over, meet some more locals and enjoy the Atlanta skyline. I witness my first home run and feel like the dollar ticket just might have been worth it. From here Dave takes us (myself, Johannes and Marcel) to the Westin hotel, apparently the tallest hotel in the western hemisphere, where we are privy to its revolving bar and expensive drinks prices. Not satisfied with the ratio of drinks prices to calibre of view we move onto an extremely dodgy strip club Stumbling out the bar at closing we hitch a lift off a rather large guy called Greg (initially the decision to hitchike was considered a safe option considering the neighbourhood we would otherwise have to walk through, and the fact Dave looked like he'd be handy if anything did kick off- however considering the size of our driver I think that second assumption would have been fundamentally flawed). Either way, we made it back safe and sound, and a little bit more experienced after my first taste of Georgia life. Seeing my Atlanta visit as a place to rest after two weeks of intense travelling, I take it easy for my remaining few days- but this too also brings to light the limited number of things to visit. I miss out the CNN and Coca Cola museums but don't feel at any great loss. It seems the Atlanta Olympics brought with them a great surge of investment which has left a legacy no bigger than a commemorative water fountain/park and several large hotel chains I enjoy my time here- not really as a result of the buildings and monuments that document the city's history. But once again down to the people I meet. It is all too clear that hostel folk have one common trait- the will to explore. Whether motivations stem from an indecisiveness of life's direction, the need to escape or just the desire to find something different to work toward. I miss home, but I love the fact that most people I meet have a laidback philosophy and an underlying need for change, for excitement- I just wonder whether this craving ever stops. For now it definitely doesn't, I sit on another train, this time bound for the Big Easy, New Orleans. I travel down with another German called Max who has just spent 7 months in Ecuador and although two years younger than me, I feel like he could very easily pass for 30- a seasoned traveller. Marcel and Johannes will meet up with us again tomorrow but I am all too aware that after this stint to Louisianna we will all go our seperate ways. I just have to hope New Orleans has a large community of travelling Germans I can co-ordinate travel plans with again.

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2013-05-18T06:32:20Z

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I've just listed these two little card houses on my website. I'm very excited, as I've never seen anything like them in miniature before! The first thing my 3-year-old nephew said when he saw them was "I want to knock them over!" All the playing cards are printed on both sides, individually cut out and assembled. Both houses are constructed just like life-size card houses (except for the glue, which would be cheating in real life, of course). The first house is a "double-decker," made of over 75 individual tiny playing cards - I lost count of those making up the interior structure, so I'm not sure how many there are exactly. It measures just over 1" tall (28mm), and comes with the remaining stack and a couple extra cards to lay out (they are permanently glued together). The second house is 1" tall (26mm) and made of 26 tiny playing cards. It also comes with the remaining deck and extra cards (also glued together). Both houses are available in the Toys & Games section of my website. And don't forget, there is free shipping for all purchases until Monday the 25th! Follower Appreciation Giveaway Winner! 3 months ago

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2013-05-18T06:59:06Z

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TSA employees have posted that they will limit medical items at the checkpoint.TSA management has not made statement correcting these poorly trained screeners.How many TSO's are qualified to practice medicine?Why are TSO's so poorly trained that they do not understand the exceptions to the 311 policies.When will TSA make a public statement about this? As recently as December, 2007, the passenger screening areas at Kansas City International Airport (MCI) had signage that inaccurately states that photo identification is required in order to enter the secure area. Some of the signs bear the TSA seal.I suspect this is in violation of OMB's Agency Information Quality Guidelines.I photographed these signs and have posted them here, here, and here. I'm not surprised you've been shocked by some of the comments left. I've been pretty shocked too.The thing that is the most shocking to me is that people are posting the most horrific stories of flagrant abuse by TSO's like patients with a medical need, babies and small children being denied water and food! A basic, human right and yet the TSA is confiscating baby food, telling parents just how much food they can bring to feed their children. The TSA is abusing the elderly and the sick by forcing them to remove shoes and belts, throwing away water, confiscating needed medicines or creams and so much more. I'm shocked at how many stories there are of items so commonplace as to be ridiculous being confiscated.Please, post a video of an explosive that can be made to resemble peanut butter (down to the smell), or strawberry jam, or barbecue sauce or any of the other hundreds of thousands of items that people carry with them on a daily basis. I've seen some answers to some of the questions here, but I've yet to see anyone address the liquids ban convincingly. If it looks like peanut butter and it smells like peanut butter, why is it considered a "gel"? It's food, not a dangerous substance! If I'm facing a 2-3 hour pre-boarding time, plus a 5-6 hour flight, yes I want to bring real food with me and so do people who are diabetic, have medical conditions, are traveling with children or have dietary restrictions for any reason. The TSA counters that you can get food behind the security check but for real, when one single banana costs $1.50 or more, a small 16 oz. bottle of water goes for $2-3 and there isn't any "real" food to get behind the security lines besides an expensive, greasy pile of fries or a scone from Starbuck's this is just not an option. And as countless people have pointed out, you can't find baby food or formula behind those security lines. Neither can you find healthy food, vegetarian food, halal food, kosher food, vegan food, inexpensive food, non-wheat-based food (celiac disease), low-sodium food, or any other number of representative dietary restrictions. Flying is an all-day ordeal for many, as there are very few cross-country flights which don't have at least one stop, and yet the TSA expects people not to pack food! Some of the ridiculous items I've personally had confiscated in this specific category: a brick of solid cream cheese (a gel!) a home-packed tub of chunky peanut butter (a gel!) slices of cheese (a gel! how do you slice a gel? It's a mystery!). Not to mention the countless times that I have had to throw out a half a 4 oz. bottle of expensive face cream, even though there was clearly not even close to 4 oz. left in the bottle. The most frustrating part is when you say, "well we can't post our rules, then the "terrists will win"and then you get all upset with us, the traveling public, when we can't follow the rules you won't tell us about! And then, when we run into something like never stopping to consider that something as commonplace and easily identifiable as peanut butter will get taken away, because we've never thought about it as a "gel", well we're just told to shut up and follow the rules! Then we are told we can't see a list that says something as simple as "food items such as cheese and peanut butter fall under the "gel" category, so don't even try" because the the "terrists" would know that peanut butter and cheese were banned substances! Follow the logic on that one for a minute! Anybody care to comment on this idea from Lamperd which has garnered interest from DHS (Paul Rudwaldt):"A method of providing air travel security for passengers traveling via an aircraft comprises situating a remotely activatable electric shock device on each of the passengers in position to deliver a disabling electrical shock when activated; and arming the electric shock devices for subsequent selective activation by a selectively operable remote control disposed within the aircraft. The remotely activatable electric shock devices each have activation circuitry responsive to the activating signal transmitted from the selectively operable remote control means. The activated electric shock device is operable to deliver the disabling electrical shock to that passenger."That DHS/TSA would even think to consider something like this is an abomination as well as a total waste of taxpayer money. I am a retired Naval Officer with a hip replacement plus other metalic parts which set your machine off every time I go to the airport. As you have access to my service record of 24 years plus I would pay for a security check for the last 30 years then could I get a chip embedded in my shoulder that eliminate the 10 minute individual check at the airport plus let me keep my shoes on. They are hard to get on without the LONG SHOE HORN that disabled people use. Cliff Woodrick - CDR USN (Ret) Cliff, make certain that you wear tie shoes and tell the screeners that you are wearing orthopedic shoes and cannot and will not remove them.Works for me every time. Hey phil, Kansas City Int. does not have TSA employees. They are a private contract company. And no matter where you fly you are required to show a phot ID.To the retired Naval Officer. You of all people should understand why TSA does what they do. But maybe you never seen what an IED or any other weapon can do. Simple solution to all of your problems. Take a bus, a train, or a cab maybe they will feel your pain. Someone anonymously wrote:"Hey phil, Kansas City Int. does not have TSA employees. They are a private contract company."I understand that. However, they display signage with inaccurate information, some of it bearing the TSA seal."And no matter where you fly you are required to show a phot ID."Sir or Madam, you are mistaken. Passengers on domestic flights are not required to present credentials (to "show I.D.").Please see this letter from Jeffrey R. Sural of the TSA to Senator John Warner confirming that domestic passengers are not required to show any I.D. at airport security checkpoints.Please see also this air travel screening information on the TSA Web site, where they state, "We encourage each adult traveler to keep his/her airline boarding pass and government-issued photo ID available until exiting the security checkpoint." Note: that's "encourage" not "require".I have recently posted related comments to this blog here, here, here, here, here, and here.For more information, see "What's Wrong With Showing ID" at The Identity Project. "To the retired Naval Officer. You of all people should understand why TSA does what they do. But maybe you never seen what an IED or any other weapon can do.Simple solution to all of your problems. Take a bus, a train, or a cab maybe they will feel your pain."You can also fly through General Aviation at 2800 airports and never even see a TSO. To the retired Naval Officer. You of all people should understand why TSA does what they do. But maybe you never seen what an IED or any other weapon can do. Simple solution to all of your problems. Take a bus, a train, or a cab maybe they will feel your pain.I sincerely hope that you are in no way associated with either TSA, the inspection process or dealing with people on a face to face basis. FYI TSA is doing inspections on some trains.The retired Navy Officer is disabled. Your flippant attitude reflects what we, the traveling public, have come to expect from TSA/inspectors at airports. The terrorists do a risk/reward assessment of their attacks. OBL was really amazed at what, with a small investment, they were able to accomplish. That being said the next attacks probably won't involve the airlines since we nailed the barn door shut after the animals all ran into the woods. As to IED and aircraft, they don't give terrorists the reward they seek. I have noticed at some airports that the security lines will have a person greeting the people coming in and making sure that they have a ziplock bag for the liquid items. These folks are so nice and in alot of cases older. They are alot like the greeters at Sam's. I think this little bit of kindness and preperation up front will keep the rest of the security from being angry and will improve all relations. Stop a person from getting frustrated and offer up something as small as a ziplock bag, a trash can for drinks and a friendly smile. I think you might have a winner. I have sent the following to TSA and to my state representatives. I would some relief from the problems of being handicapped and getting through the TSA screening. As you will see it is a horrible experience.This is the letter that I sent out: I have had many bad experiences dealing with TSA agents while traveling. Yesterday was just the straw that broke my spirit and patience. I am handicapped, I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, and have been treated like a criminal, a child, like I am stupid, and like a terrorists. This needs to stop. I know that I am not alone in this problem I have witnessed people with many different problems treated badly, humiliated and threatened. I need to know a list of persons that I can start to contact. I want the name, phone number, and email addresses of the people that oversee all of the TSA activities and training. I would also like to see the EXACT information that TSA agents are trained to especially in regards to dealing with the handicapped. Since every airport seems to follow different rules, at this point I am assuming that there are NO standard rules. Here are the two scenarios that I am interested in: 1.) Handicapped person can not remove shoes and walk. The person alarms when walking through the detector..What happens now? 2.) Handicapped person can not remove shoes and walk. The person does not alarm when walking through the detector...What happens now? I want to see the EXACT wording in the formal documentation that tells the TSA police what to do. Thank you for your time and effort in clearing up my expectations when traveling the "Friendly" airways of my country. I need the name, email, and address for the Director of Federal Security at the Albany Airport to notify him/her of the egregious separation of my eight-year-old daughter from my girlfriend while going through security together. Then security patted my eight-year-old daughter down in a manner that I would be arrested for child molestation if I did it, while she was crying for her mother. Standard TSA policy? Does the TSA not recognize that children can be snatched up and away by evil people during such times. If the TSA is so paranoid about security, doesn't the TSA have a policy of accompanying a child they deem a security risk through the security check point when they have separated them from the adult in charge? "I am handicapped, I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, and have been treated like a criminal, a child, like I am stupid, and like a terrorists. This needs to stop. I know that I am not alone in this problem I have witnessed people with many different problems treated badly, humiliated and threatened." (just part of the post).I'd like the blogger staff to take a serious look at what the above poster stated, and give us your best thoughts about how disabled people, the elderly, and childrencan be treated in a more humane and professional manner. I will state again that a Passenger Bill of Rights should be prominently posted before and after every checkpoint, with the names and phone numbers of the shift supervisors. Gripe:TSOs at Nashville trying to determine my immigration status and not knowing enough to figure out what they are looking at.Grins:The TSOs at Richmond who are so friendly that the entire process becomes virtually pain free. If all your employees acted the way the Richmond folks did, then the complaints section on this site would be dramatically reduced. Hi.I had an umbrella confiscated by the TSA at the Portland (Oregon) Memorial Coliseum prior to a Barack Obama rally because "it was too long." The woman would not tell me where we could pick up these confiscated items afterwards, and by the time the rally ended the TSA were long gone, and so were the umbrellas. This in a city where it rains and lots of people have umbrellas. At no time prior to the rally was I ever told that umbrellas were too long to carry into the arena.I have two requests: The next time your organization runs security at an event, please make sure to tell the organizers exactly what attendees can and cannot bring (the only warning about forbidden items was about large bags, which are always forbidden at the Coliseum).The second request--please stay around until the end of the event so that people have a chance to retrieve their items. This has lots of problems at an airport where travellers may never come back, but everyone going into the Coliseum went back out of it, so most of those items will be reclaimed. If that can't be done with current staffing levels, leave the stuff in a pile outside... or tell us where to claim it.Thanks for having this blog, I really appreciate it.--Darrick I would like to start by saying that I believe TSA employees are conducting the job they were hired to do with respect and vigilance. Are there times when a situation is not handled to everyone's liking? Sure. Unfortunately we all tend to remember the uncomfortable situations because of their personal nature rather than the positive experiences. Passengers have and will continue to experience frustating screening situations, as TSA employees will continually be faced with abusive passengers, but this is not the norm. 95% of what I've experienced is security being conducted by courteous and professional individuals attempting to protect us, and passengers that appreciate and are thankful for the protection. Let's correct the issues, but also try to focus on the positive. "I am a retired Naval Officer with a hip replacement plus other metalic parts which set your machine off every time I go to the airport. As you have access to my service record of 24 years plus I would pay for a security check for the last 30 years then could I get a chip embedded in my shoulder that eliminate the 10 minute individual check at the airport plus let me keep my shoes on. They are hard to get on without the LONG SHOE HORN that disabled people use. Cliff Woodrick - CDR USN (Ret)"Sir;Unfortunately, access to your service record is not that easy to obtain for the screener on the floor. People who already scream that TSA is too intrusive would not be pleased with the idea that we could do some sort of computer background check on each passenger as they came up to our check point.As it stands now I am not aware of any technology in the TSA system that would allow us to make distinctions between passengers based upon some sort of bio-chip. And I very much doubt if congress would be willing to pay to install such a system. We have enough trouble getting them to cough up the money to buy equipment to replace what we wear out.We have no recourse but to treat all passengers as nearly the same as possible. Our SOP has provisions for persons with disabilities, and most airports have local procedures for implementing those provisions. Inform the screeners of your special needs when you arrive at the checkpoint; at most places we can adapt.Yes, I am aware that at some airports the screeners are not as polite or as patient as I would wish. I would ask that you please be patient with us. Most of us are doing the best we can. I have one question: why are we so paranoid as a country to have such ridiculous screening? What is the point of living in the country of the "free" with all these rights, when they really don't exist at all? I'm not saying that other countries don't have it rougher, but let's be realistic! Why do we give up so much for a little security? There is absolutely no privacy anymore... Packing my luggage has now become a "process," just so I can make sure that I don't have anything in my carry on that would be deemed "explosive!" The days of overnighters with a carry on are practically gone... unless you're gonna buy a whole bunch of stuff on the other end. What has the world come to? Anonymous said... Hi.I had an umbrella confiscated by the TSA at the Portland (Oregon) Memorial Coliseum prior to a Barack Obama rallyI thought TSA = Transportation Security Administration. Why in the world is the TSA providing security for Barack? Does the Portland Coliseum have an airport, bus or train station? Providing security for anything other than transportation is CLEARLY NOT YOUR JOB.Who approached the TSA with this idea?Who authorized this outside work? Who paid for the TSA's time and equipment?I think this falls into the category of GROSS mismanagement, GROSS waste, and fraud. I have to fly almost weekly and the deal with the TSA is this... They are A JOKE. I went through a Check point chicky in Charlotte NC and had my buddies boarding pass and he had mine. It was a mistake.. But the TSA crackpot checked them thtoughly and then let us both through. I know that checking a boarding pass is bascailly a joke anyway but my issue with this is if you are going to put me through the hassle then do it right. I also want to address the issue of all of us complaining and REMEMBER 911. Here is the deal.. 911 would NEVER NEVER happen again and nothing that the TSA does will change that or not. Could someone sneak a bomb on a plane today I say YES. I am not sure how because I have no desire to but the bad guys are looking and will find a way if they so choose. The only thing that will stop them is the passangers on the plane. That is precisely the reason 911 would never happen again because the passangers would not let it happen and they have locked and renforced the cock pit doors and some piolets are armed. These are better than any TSA regulations. The TSA is there for the IMPRESSION of security and that is all! If you fools believe that the TSA or even your government is saving the world get a life please! I would like some basic common sense at the airports. I want my civil liberies back and I want the TSA is figure out they are not saving the world. And I am sure this will not get posted how is that for censorship! I am handicapped, I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, and have been treated like a criminal, a child, like I am stupid, and like a terrorists. This needs to stop. I know that I am not alone in this problem I have witnessed people with many different problems treated badly, humiliated and threatened.SIR, WE DO NOT CONSIDER ANYONE A CRIMINAL UNLESS THEY ARE ONE - CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT A TERRORIST LOOKS LIKE??...I THINK NOTI would also like to see the EXACT information that TSA agents are trained to especially in regards to dealing with the handicapped. Since every airport seems to follow different rules, at this point I am assuming that there are NO standard rules.YOU WILL NOT HAVE ACCESS TO SUCH INFORMATION AS IT IS DEEMED SENSITIVE SECURITY INFORMATION BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITYHere are the two scenarios that I am interested in:1.) Handicapped person can not remove shoes and walk. The person alarms when walking through the detector..What happens now?YOU GO THORUGH THE SCREENING PROCESS (SIMPLY SAID)2.) Handicapped person can not remove shoes and walk. The person does not alarm when walking through the detector...What happens now?YOU GO THROUGH THE SCREENING PROCESS (SIMPLY SAID)I want to see the EXACT wording in the formal documentation that tells the TSA police what to do.AGAIN - SENSITIVE SECURITY INFORMATION (YOU WILL NOT SEE IT)Thank you for your time and effort in clearing up my expectations when traveling the "Friendly" airways of my country. I find the TSA workers to be so inconsistent that I never know what is expected. In February I flew from SFO to Sydney, Australia-the TSA workers were very courteous and helpful. I am disabled and they were very nice about screening me and making sure that my belongings were in the control of my husband.I faced an entirely different kind of TSA worker in Honolulu flying home to SFO. The TSA woman was so very, very rude to me saying I needed to put all my electronics in a plastic bag-nothing was said about this when I left the country in February (14th). This worker yelled at me that I was being rude-she had me completely off balance and my boarding pass was in one of the plastic containers that had already gone through the xray machine. She yelled at me again and called me ignorant-I am disabled and this rude,aggressive woman was completely out of line. I was crying as she totally humiliated me and I feel that these people are not making us any safer. Some of them just get off telling people they have to do this and they have to do that. TSA you have made flying Hell!!! Get your act together and simplify your inconsistent rules and weed out the workers that are on an ego trip!!! There is no reason whatsoever that should give a government worker the right to harass an American citizen!!! To speed up the xray process, why not post a sign at the conveyor that tells the people to PUSH there baggage onto the belt, instead of just standing there waiting for instructions wondering why the bags aren't moving. We should see at least a 20% improvement in processing. And speaking of improving the speed of the xrays, instruct the person sitting at the screen to stay focused on the job and not chit chat the the other Tsa employees whoile our bags are just sitting there or while we wait for the bags to come out the other end. Disney has monitors which explain how the process works, so consider a screen with a loop tape that tells newbie travelers how to proceed efficiently through the line. As an honorably discharged,wartime veteran, as far as I'm concerned, the bad guys have already won. These infringements on my liberties and freedom to move around the country I defended are, imho, overboard.Along with the pre-approved, background cleared folks, how about including veterans. We defended this country, we're not out to blow something up. You guys are even a bigger pain than I thought you were. Just getting to the point where I could post my comment was a royal pain.Trying again. As an honorably discharged, wartime vet, it's my humble opinion that your restrictions and scrutiny mean the bad guys have already won. When the restrictions begin interfering with the very freedoms and rights I fought to defend and complicate my everyday life, I have a problem with it.How about including active duty and veterans with honorable discharges in the quick lane? To screener joe.See the note I just posted. I'm a vet., too, with part of a Huey in my leg that occasionally trips the buzzers. While it may be ethnic profiling, there really should be room for us in the mix. Re Signs in KC Airport - the sterile area is restricted to passengers and individuals with a need to conduct business in the sterile area (airport personnel, DEA personnel, secret service etc). Each individual must be able to demonstrate that they have a legitimate reason for being in this environment. Prior to submitting to screening, a flyer may elect not to show their ID...which is a voluntary decision, and voids your 4th amendment rights. The result of that decision is that the passenger will not be allowed to fly for two reasons;1. cannot verify that fraud is not taking place for the airline (is the person using the ticket who bought the ticket)...as nowadays, if IDs were not checked at the security checkpoint, one could;1. buy online2. check in online3. proceed through security4. board the aircraft ALL WITHOUT HAVING VERIFIED THEIR IDENTITY2. cannot verify that the individual has a legitimate need to be in the sterile area, pursuant to the changes that only allow flying passengers and those with a business need to be in the sterile area. Are you guys getting the message. Terrorists can not be stopped if they set their minds to it. Stop stepping on my freedoms. I just read the other blog postings, and that seems to be the general gist.Remember who's the bad guy. OK, can't get the airplane, let's just drive a truck where we want it. (Remember, that's how they started.) It's am intelligence issue, not an airport security issue. Let's knock off this overreaction! Inconsistencies in Appproach ~The regulations loosely state that a Federal Security Director may, at his/her discretion exercise procedures that exceed the minimum requirements. TRANSLATED, this means that any airport can do as they please, and common sense doesn't always prevail. 1. SFO - "please remove your hat when going through the screening process." What? No other airport requires this. Consider the impact on individuals who are going through chemotherapy etc and the potential embarrassment this may cause. Why this is a silly request...A. plastic explosives could be hidden in my hat. Answer - and they could be in my underwear too...or tied to my calf...or anywhere else. Result - dumb practice by SFO2. Las Vegas (good)...most other airports (bad) preparation of the passengers for the screening experience.Example: videos are continuously playing to show travelers what they need to do to be ready for screening...and even done with entertainment value (Elvis characters etc shown going through screening). Imagine how cool this could be for Burbank (Universal Studios or Disney), Orlando/John Wayne (Disney), Vail (skiers) etc...every airport could have unique individuals that are relevant to that geography. What the TSA may say...and my response:1. Space - not all screening checkpoints are created equal and some are very cramped. Answer - TRUE. However consider the impact of a screener saying (often yelling over-and-over) "take off your shoes etc. NO ONE SOUNDS HELPFUL when yelling! * Signs only solve one part of the problem, as a wise friend of mine once said, 'the problem with signs is, you have to read them.' ** Thus video etc are clever and less abrasive ways to address this concern. 2. Cost is excessive. I have a difficult time understanding how this can be a valid answer, as associating 'cost benefit' is simply an exercise of moving funds from one general accounting line item to another...which isn't exactly a new financial practice for any business/organization. Apparently All Plastic Bags are not Created Equal - True Story (JFK) -On day 1 of a 5 day road trip, I had the audacity to have my toiletries in a bag that was a "quart sized bag." I was told I would have to either;a) throw all of these items away (and no, none of them exceeded 4 oz)b) find a smaller bagWhen I folded my 'quart sized bag' into quarters (yes, 1/4 the size), which is smaller than the TSA 'approved' size...I was still told that I needed a smaller bag. I simply asked "why," as I was now transporting less than the approved amount. I didn't receive a real answer, other than a none too polite, "you can't bring that through the checkpoint."As fortune and karma would have it, a nice woman next to me handed me a smaller bag (that was still larger than my folded one - yes I repeated myself)...so that I could fly that day without dumping my toiletries. Trusted Traveler Program (explain this please)~If one were to register, pay and be approved for this service, one is supposed to receive "shorter lines and less stringent screening."To clarify what a screener must do, and my inability to understand the TSA's logic on how our experience will be enhanced;1. x-ray carry on bags (NO CHANGE)2. have electronic items removed from carry on bag (NO CHANGE)3. Resolve any alarms from the walk through metal detector (NO CHANGE)4. Randomly and consistently search carry on luggage (POSSIBLE CHANGE)5. Remove shoes (NO CHANGE)6. Resolve any suspicious or unidentifiable images in carry on bags - also known as the 'Screaming BAG CHECK' (NO CHANGE)7. Remove jackets and have them screened (NO CHANGE)So, if someone can actually explain the benefits from a 'security' standpoint, as the only benefit I see is from a practical standpoint of having a separate line to go through with less volume of passengers with the following impact;1. less screening space at that checkpoint for the remaining passengers (vast majority) TSA Screeners have a thankless job~The job the screeners do is extremely difficult with the limited tools they are provided...under often thankless conditions.Consider this;A. in the majority of airports the most 'private' space a screener can take a break, is usually a coffee shopB. often, when a supervisor needs to have a briefing with their team, they do it in a very public settingC. Being a screener is like being 'on stage' 8-10 hours per day...with every mis-step or frown being noticed D. Screeners are not empowered to effect change - how many times have you questioned a policy and gotten a 'good' answer? In LAS VEGAS, screeners are not required to yell over and over again for passengers to remove their electronics etc. In places like LAX where the screening checkpoints are bottlenecks, the pressure on screeners to move the line along means that they often don't actually stop the belt and examine every bag, as was once the mandatory practice (which was my experience in Austin, TX yesterday as well). * Note - an experienced x-ray operator can easily distinguish when a tub has nothing but a jacket and belt in it (for example), and having to stop the belt in that case is actually silly and somewhat of an insult to their experience and skill level; HOWEVER, when there are briefcases or electronics involved, it is alarming not to see the belt stopped. No one wants their bags checked...wants to take off their shoes and walk on dirty floors...to be treated like a security risk etc...yet these are the realities of the screening experience today. Maybe next time when traveling through the airport, we should all stop and ask ourselves, "is it the screener making these rules, or Washington?" Just maybe, we'll realize the screeners are just doing their job as instructed...and a letter to Washington is better than scorn for the screeners. Communication Skills Start In Washington~Honest, clear and easy to understand communication can help the screeners work with the traveling public. One would suggest that an area for VAST IMPROVEMENT would be easily understandable communication strategies for the screeners to use when explaining a procedure. These explanations could be easily crafted in Washington and passed to screeners via their daily shift briefings. Examples of questions and TSA 'Suggested Answers' (some tongue in cheek): Question - "Do I LOOK like a terrorist to you?"Answer (tongue in cheek) - "I don't know that I have ever seen a terrorist...so I don't know."Question - "Why do I have to show my ID to get through security?" Answer - "One reason is to help the airlines make sure that the person buying the ticket is indeed using the ticket and the other is because by limiting the number of people who go through security to just those who need to...we HOPE to reduce lines for you!"Question - "Why do I have to throw out my food?" Answer - "Because the consistency of foods can be similar to known explosives. While we know it is terribly inconvenient, it is also our policy to err on the side of caution to try and help keep you safe when you travel."Question - "Why do I have to take off my shoes?"Answer - "Experience has taught us that when terrorists try a tactic, they may try it again. There was once a attempted shoe bomber, so we want to make sure that never happens again."Question - "How come I have to show my boarding pass AGAIN (to the screener working the walk through metal detector)?"Answer - "To double check ourselves, because good security requires back up checks."Just for fun...ask these same questions when you travel next and be prepared for poorly crafted answers...which usually start with the words..."the rules say..." Checking IDs - At some airports, I show my ID and boarding pass 3x...other times I show it 2x...and sometimes I show it 1x. Problem - I never know what to do with it. First - ID checker at the beginning of the security line Second - screener at walk through metal detectorThird - upon exiting the 'screening area'Suggestions~1. Ask the carriers to add a field in their data base to enable something like (PLEASE KEEP YOUR BOARDING PASS WITH YOU FOR SECURITY SCREENING) to be printed on the boarding pass - preferably near where the GATE # is printed/written2. Ensure coordination between screeners - as I left Austin I was told I didn't need my boarding pass again...only to be chastised for not having it at the walk through metal detector. The Rules - it used to be a carrier responsibility to ensure that ID/boarding passes were checked (and the carriers would employ the most cost effective solution to staffing that position that did not include their own personnel). This is why there was a disconnect between those companies and the TSA...as they didn't work together. NOW, we have the TSA doing it at significant cost...Next step...instead of simply replacing the prior employees with TSA screeners, look at how to consolidate that work in the actual screening process to eliminate duplication of effort and apply those screeners more effectively across the checkpoints. Neils Post~I agree with you...and offer this bit of information. The TSA is hoping to create a random environment that is difficult to predict for 'would be' bad guys. Everyone knows that the truly skilled bad guys are not fooled by these efforts; however there are others who we don't commonly think about...who are regular folks gone bad...who would do harm. Let's call them the Amateur Bad Guys. The TSA efforts are more akin to stopping these individuals. If one were to talk to the airport police about their day-to-day work day...one would be amazed by all the crazy stuff that they deal with; jilted boyfriend gone mad, failed marriages and ensuing behavior of those folks, people 'testing the system,' Amateur Bad Guys, drug dealers with controlled substances trying to transport them, drug/arms dealers transporting large sums of cash that show up on the x-ray as large blocks of organic material etc. Periodically there are even events that one would never suspect...like the time an airport employee climbed onto the ticket counter and began flapping his arms and crowing like a chicken...just basically losing it and need psychological evaluation. Or another time that an airport empoloyee was found scaling a fence (in uniform) before being apprehended...and was soon found to be mentally unstable and submitted for psychiatric care. All of this brings me to my point...which is that I agree with your assessment that anything that happens on an airplane now will be met by 50 passengers throwing laptops and every imaginable item while pummeling the individual stupid enough to try and take control of the aircraft. As the TSA continues to maintain the illusion of security to keep the Amateur Bad Guy from striking, let's hope that our government focuses on cargo and access to the sterile area by non-screened individuals. Plastic Bags for toiletries~Suggestion - Opportunity - Companies want advertisingOpportunity - TSA (airport authority) could generate revenue and a serviceHave the TSA (or airport authority) allow businesses to provide 'branded' plastic bags to consumers...Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, Kayak/SideStep are just a few that are no brainers...OR, regional identities - * Microsoft for Seattle* Google for San Francisco* Disney for Orlando/Orange County* Ski resorts for Denver ...the list goes on and on! Thank you for having this blog and for your willingness to post even extremely critical comments. I also appreciate that you sometimes respond to the comments. I hope this blog helps the TSA improve. quote: Trollkiller said... Anonymous said... Hi.I had an umbrella confiscated by the TSA at the Portland (Oregon) Memorial Coliseum prior to a Barack Obama rallyI thought TSA = Transportation Security Administration. Why in the world is the TSA providing security for Barack? Does the Portland Coliseum have an airport, bus or train station? Providing security for anything other than transportation is CLEARLY NOT YOUR JOB.Who approached the TSA with this idea?Who authorized this outside work? Who paid for the TSA's time and equipment?I think this falls into the category of GROSS mismanagement, GROSS waste, and fraud.The TSA officers in question were on loan to the Secret Service. This has been common practice since at least the 2004 election. We have the training to conduct searches. While working these events we are following Secret Service directions. I would hardly call this practice waste or fraud. If we did not assist our brother agency, they would have to hire outside contractors. These would have to have some sort of background check and training. Instead, the government is being smart and efficient for a change by using its own employees that are already trained and vetted. The employees that do these events are working on their days off so security at the airport is not compromised. A very upset Anonymous person wrote:And he, along with a great many others, aren't going to be pleased with my answer, but at least I'm trying to give an answer.I would also like to see the EXACT information that TSA agents are trained to especially in regards to dealing with the handicapped. Since every airport seems to follow different rules, at this point I am assuming that there are NO standard rules.You're not going to get it, since I'm fairly certain that would be considered SSI information.However, your assumption would be incorrect. We do, in fact, have a Standard Operating Procedure. The differences between the airports, however, are brought from how any number of various supervisors and managers choose to execute those, and the fact that, while nobody can do less than the SOP requires, they can do moreExample?Shoes have to be removed when going through the walk-through metal detector (I understand there are a couple of exceptions to this, pilot programs and what-not, but that's the general rule). To do less, to not require this (again, in general), is against the regulations. To do more, however, and require that all shoes in a carry-on be removed and x-rayed seperately? I can only imagine that being inconvenient as hell, but it would, technically, be permissable.I want to see the EXACT wording in the formal documentation that tells the TSA police what to do.We're not police, and you're not going to get it. Again, all of that information is considered to be SSI, and cannot be released by any except the.. oh.. I think it is the TSA Administrator himself/herself.Here are the two scenarios that I am interested in:1.) Handicapped person can not remove shoes and walk. The person alarms when walking through the detector..What happens now?2.) Handicapped person can not remove shoes and walk. The person does not alarm when walking through the detector...What happens now?Again, I can't give you the exact wording that you want, but I can tell you, in the scope of those scenarios, what is required:1. The passenger must be sent for secondary screening, and since they alarmed will require a hand-held metal detector screening, followed by a pat-down at the end. The shoes themselves will be tested and screened while remaining on the passenger's feet.(though it behooves the passenger to [while remaining civil, please; civility helps passengers so much] inform the screener that they cannot remove their shoes)2. The passenger will be sent for secondary screening, though since he passed the WWMD without alarming, all that must be screened is his footwear, and in the same method of scenario #1.Now, bear in mind, that's the baseline on what would be absolutely required. Any airport is able to go above and beyond the scope of what is deemed to be minimum - if one of the Powers That Be decided that anyone and everyone being referred for secondary screening had to undergo an HHMD screening, then they would be within their rights to do just that, and the absolute minimum doesn't apply - they're not doing less, they're doing more.I know you're not going to be satisfied with this answer, but it is the best that I personally can give. "I want to see the EXACT wording in the formal documentation that tells the TSA police what to do."I must say that you will almost certainly not be allowed to see the "exact wording." Please, let me explain.Whether we like it or not, there are "bad guys" out there who do intend harm to the U.S. and its citizens. There have been incidents in Europe. There have been plots broken and people arrested both in Europe and in the U.S. They are out there. As a screener, I would like to believe that my work is helping to keep you safe.The mission of TSA is to make it as difficult as possible for the bad guys to act. To that end a certain amount of randomness is deliberately built into our procedures. And we are modifying and changing our procedures as we are made aware of new or different threats. Most of these changes never reach the publics attention.Any information that the bad guys can gain about our procedures and techniques could weaken our systems. If they know what we do and how we do it, they know what they need to avoid. We don't want them to have that advantage. So, we do not allow the public to have access to our SOP.There is an implication in your post, and others like it, that just because you have a disability, you cannot be dangerous. Well, just last fall, a person with a disability smuggled a hand gun into a prison by hiding it in a wheelchair. Nor is that a new idea. Thirty years ago in a newspaper comic strip, I remember a story line in which a person used a disability to smuggle a hand gun onto a airplane in order to commit an act of air piracy.Screening is very uncomfortable for the passenger with disabilities. It is also uncomfortable for the screener. Good screeners understand how intrusive it is. For that reason it is part of our refresher training program and our annual competency testing.I suppose this is not the answer you were hoping for, but I hope it at least help clear up some of the confusion. Screener Joe... I was not in any way satisfied with your dismissive response to the retired Naval Officer who has disabilities and trouble getting through screening:"... I very much doubt if congress would be willing to pay to install such a system. We have enough trouble getting them to cough up the money to buy equipment to replace what we wear out.We have no recourse but to treat all passengers as nearly the same as possible. Our SOP has provisions for persons with disabilities, and most airports have local procedures for implementing those provisions. Inform the screeners of your special needs when you arrive at the checkpoint; at most places we can adapt.Yes, I am aware that at some airports the screeners are not as polite or as patient as I would wish. I would ask that you please be patient with us. Most of us are doing the best we can.March 21, 2008 5:39 PM1. If TSA were particularly adept at managing its budgets (it is not, see the 2007 GAO report that excoriates TSA for its uncertain budgeting practices for example in the way it maintains its screening machines, its high turnover rate -- very costly, and its general mismanagement overall -- "Heckuva Job, Kip")2. Your SOP has provisions for dealing with people with disabilities that include forcing people who can't walk to walk, people who can't remove their shoes to remove their shoes, not providing places for these people to put their shoes on again once they've managed to get through the process, and you're telling me that they will vary from place to place? This sounds like a blatant violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. How is it that you haven't been sued yet? Or is immunity from such suits written into your charter (I admit that I haven't had the bandwidth yet to see if that got written into your enabling act)?3. You ask that we, the traveling public be patient with you? No dice. How about you, the government who serves the traveling public, actually serve the traveling public -- especially those who have given so much for this country. We as a people have been patient enough with the lies and obfuscations of the TSA, and every other government intrusion into our lives that has been brought on in the name of "homeland security" since 9/11 to save us from the "terrists" and the other assorted non-christian brown people from overseas. It's time for the government to show us some results. Most unfortunately, the TSA makes it extremely difficult for the disabled traveler to know that he/she has every right to refuse to remove his/her shoes. All one needs to do is to state to a screener something to effect of "I have a medical condition and cannot remove my shoes." The screener may not ask the traveler any questions about that condition.Those stations that force everyone to remove shoes need to be instructed in the ADA. It is a disgrace to the TSA to force the elderly and infirm (as well as infants) to remove their shoes.I have seen old people in wheelchairs made to get up out of their chairs and walk, shuffle, through the WTMD. That, too, is a disgrace to your agency.The rules need to change.The AARP, the American Diabetes Association, elder care centers, gerontologists, etc. all need begin to instruct their members/clients/patients to refuse to remove their shoes when transiting a checkpoint. Why aren't TSA staff levels matched to the airlines schedules and capacity levels? Why must there be waits of over an hour at large airports (Atlanta, Chicago, etc)? This would take planning and monitoring based on reservations and the actual schedule. McDonalds, grocery stores, Wal-Mart and others can adjust to the ebbs and flows of volume. Why can't TSA at large airports? Screener Joe... You make me want to tear what's left of my hair out:Whether we like it or not, there are "bad guys" out there who do intend harm to the U.S. and its citizens. There have been incidents in Europe. There have been plots broken and people arrested both in Europe and in the U.S. They are out there. As a screener, I would like to believe that my work is helping to keep you safe.How many times do we have to go over this? The TSA has not been responsible for finding so many as one of these so called "plots" or foiling so many as one of these would be "terrorists". Plain old fashioned intelligence and police work has been the key to this. You would like to think that you're keeping us safe, but you're not. You're just keeping people afraid in a very visible way. Keep screening cargo -- or keep moving toward screening cargo (uh, how is it that we have to wait til 2010 when the threat is so omenous?????). Keep screening checked baggage (subject to the many good ideas that people have submitted for keeping the theft problem in check on other parts of the blog) and take the checkpoint security back to what it was pre-9/11. Remember, it wasn't the fact that the guys had the boxcutters that made them able to take over the planes -- it was the fact that they were able to get into the cockpits. We got that covered now.Don't p*** on my shoes and tell me it's raining Joe. I ain't buying it, and fortunately, it looks as if a great number of others aren't either. airport screening is just one example of our society's total over reaction/paranoic collective conciousness. While 9/11 was a horrific event - to put it in perspective: blow up one 747 jet every 10 minutes and that is the rate of how many children under the age of 5 are dying every 10 minutes!!! In the meantime, the terrorists are laughing hysterically and are totally energized by our society's collective psychosis. Does anyone honestly think a plane can by highjacked in this day and age? At least 25% (a guess) of the passengers would be attacking the terrorists...aka...pennsylvania plan heroes on 9/11 TSA does not like screening the disabled and as such want to make the process so disagreable that the disabled will cease flying. Might be time to call TSA about discrimination. Might be time to get the AARP involved as well. Screening is very uncomfortable for the passenger with disabilities.Yes, and TSA makes it even more uncomfortable for the disabled/elderly to fly.It is also uncomfortable for the screener.Part of doing your job so shut up and stop whining about that part of it.Good screeners understand how intrusive it is. For that reason it is part of our refresher training program and our annual competency testing.Make it so uncomfortable for the disabled that they stop flying and you've won. You won't have to deal with them anymore. You will, though have to deal with their letter writing campaigns. Yes, I am aware that at some airports the screeners are not as polite or as patient as I would wish. I would ask that you please be patient with us. Most of us are doing the best we can.You're making your problem our problem. Since when should the traveling public be forced to deal with your inability to properly do your job? What if one of your close relatives was subjected to the torture your coworkers regularly subject other disabled people to? Would you tell them that the screener had a bad day and to just put up with a screening process? What would you do yourself? what's equally disturbing to me is how many people (including me) are reluctant/afraid to post their names. We are choosing anonymous. Even though we have code linking to us, we are "afraid" other people may deem us unpatriotic with potential repercussions. Total paranoid society is developing/has developed. Consider this;A. in the majority of airports the most 'private' space a screener can take a break, is usually a coffee shopB. often, when a supervisor needs to have a briefing with their team, they do it in a very public settingC. Being a screener is like being 'on stage' 8-10 hours per day...with every mis-step or frown being noticed D. Screeners are not empowered to effect change - how many times have you questioned a policy and gotten a 'good' answer? None of those issues are the traveling public's responsibility. If you don't like your job then find another (sort of like TSOs who've said "if you don't like the screening process then find a different way to travel.") Does anyone honestly think a plane can by highjacked in this day and age? At least 25% (a guess) of the passengers would be attacking the terrorists...aka...pennsylvania plan heroes on 9/11Terrorist: Remain calm. This plane is being hijacked.Passengers: WTF?Lots of noise and some screams from the hijacker.Passengers: He's pretty much stopped moving. You don't have to stomp on him anymore. No, really, his hands are crushed. Passengers: Just one more kick to the head for inconviencing us? I love the phrase "I ain't buying it", don't p*** on my shoes and say its raining. thats just gold Paragraph breaks are mine. BGR TSO said...The TSA officers in question were on loan to the Secret Service. This has been common practice since at least the 2004 election. We have the training to conduct searches. While working these events we are following Secret Service directions. I would hardly call this practice waste or fraud. If we did not assist our brother agency, they would have to hire outside contractors. These would have to have some sort of background check and training.Instead, the government is being smart and efficient for a change by using its own employees that are already trained and vetted. The employees that do these events are working on their days off so security at the airport is not compromised.Sorry I am not buying the "outside contractor, background check" argument. If the Obama rally was a "one of" event I would support your "loaner TSO" plan. The fact is TSOs are being used at rally after rally. According to you TSOs have been loaned out since 2004.Do you really think it is more efficient to use a security team that is unfamiliar with the venue, unfamiliar with Secret Service protocol and changes day to day and venue to venue?Don't you think a more efficient use of resources would be hiring a contract security company, assuming the Secret Service does not have enough of their own people, to screen at Obama rallies day after day? The use of TSO instead of professional contract security brings up a few questions.What budget do the loaner TSOs get paid from? TSA, Treasury Dept., or Obama's campaign?What law or rule allows for the loaning of TSOs? (Just a general answer here is good. No need to make Francine look up all the case law on a Easter weekend)Who paid for the moving and setting up the equipment?Are TSOs allowed to take other off duty security jobs and wear their TSA issued uniform?If a TSO makes rude comment or steals, what department takes the complaint? TSA or Secret Service?The TRANSPORTATION Security Agency needs to stick with transportation security until they can do that right on a consistent basis. If the TSA wants to be the Wal~Mart for all the Govt. screening needs, they need to change the name. How about "The Screening Agency", that way you don't have to change the monogram on the Kip's towels. Orlando Airport. Friday 10 AM. Tried to report an unattended bag to Burger King staff since it was at their table counter. Nobody cared. Walked to the nearest gate. They told me to use the courtesy phone. TSA isn't an option. Lost and found is. They said they dont have the manpower to go all over the airport and pick up bags. (this was all recorded on the phone call). Why play "report all unattended bags using the courtesy phone" when you cant actually do it? Anonymous said... Consider this; A. in the majority of airports the most 'private' space a screener can take a break, is usually a coffee shop B. often, when a supervisor needs to have a briefing with their team, they do it in a very public setting C. Being a screener is like being 'on stage' 8-10 hours per day...with every mis-step or frown being noticed D. Screeners are not empowered to effect change - how many times have you questioned a policy and gotten a 'good' answer?***************** None of those issues are the traveling public's responsibility. If you don't like your job then find another (sort of like TSOs who've said "if you don't like the screening process then find a different way to travel.") I disagree, ALL those issues are the traveling public's (read American citizens) responsibility. The TSA works FOR us. They are OUR employees.If we allow poorly trained employees, improper procedures, bad management, or poor working conditions to continue because we take the "too bad so sad" attitude, we will get what we deserve.We are the bosses of our Government. It answers to us, not the other way around. EVERY government employee from the President down to the janitor answers to us, but we must demand answers and not rest until we get them. "YOU WILL NOT HAVE ACCESS TO SUCH INFORMATION AS IT IS DEEMED SENSITIVE SECURITY INFORMATION BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY."Standard operating procedure is now considered SSI? I smell a rat. Why would someone need a security clearance (which, by the way, I have. Are CAC readers so expensive you can't put just one in every airport?) to find out whether or not they need to remove their shoes, and what their basic rights are?Someone later on said something to the effect of "you void your 4th Amendment rights when you travel without photo ID". Though the TSA, through executive charter (which has not yet been reviewed by a judicial body - I'll give it a couple years maximum before it's completely overturned), has "voided" 4th Amendment rights in the first place (who needs probable cause, anyway?), there is no case law or precedent for "no ID = no 4th". In fact, I believe that there's been at least one case that has decided that NOT showing ID is in fact an exercise of one's 4th Amendment rights - which is why the TSA can't require photo ID for domestic flights.Your agency needs to have clearly documented and implemented procedures for every single one of your employees and contractors to follow. There are 43,000 of you total, according to your website. There are three million active and reserve members of the United States military, and we do a much harder job than you much more efficiently. I know you've only been a real government agency for a little under six years, but it's time to pull it together. You often state that "lives are at stake" - please act like it. I've been reading this blog for a month or so, and what strikes me is that the TSOs who post don't understand that they'll never get the trust they want until the TSA changes its approach. Uneven enforcement of rules and refusal to standardize and disclose requirements has created in the minds of many Americans the impression that the TSA is either corrupt or incompetent. Neither impression inclines Americans to be particularly cooperative or sympathetic, as reflected in the comments here.Terrorists seek to disrupt the normal functioning of society through the use of violence, and I'd say that the TSA is proof that OBL and his gang have succeeded nicely. Personally, I preferred this country when it was less safe and less fearful. EVERY government employee from the President down to the janitor answers to us, but we must demand answers and not rest until we get them.Want to fly today? Want us to call a LEO over to have you arrested? Go over there for additional screening.Neither the President nor the janitor can have us summarily either detained or arrested. On the other hand a TSO who has a burr under his saddle can do all of those things plus some. They are an agency running open loop and answer to no one, especially the unwashed masses who fly. winstonsmith said: "The TSA has not been responsible for finding so many as one of these so called "plots" or foiling so many as one of these would be "terrorists"."Do I understand your opinion correctly: you are saying that since we can't prove we're perfect we should quit trying? TSA is not supposed to "catch" terrorists as you seem to challange us to do. We are supposed to create a barrior between the terrorist and the passengers on that airplane. Our job is to make it difficult enough for the bad guy that he does not make the attempt.I cannot prove that the work of the TSA has dissuaded anyone from trying to attack a plane. You cannot prove that we haven't. Standard operating procedure is now considered SSI? I smell a rat. Why would someone need a security clearance BOY, YOU ARE MISSING THE POINT COMPLETELY - DID IT EVER ACCUR TO YOU DO NOT NEED A SECRET CLEARANCE FOR YOUR JOBS SSI INFORMATION THAT USE MUST USE TO PERFORM YOUR JOB??IF YOU ACTUALLY WERE AWARE OF THIS, YOU WOULD NOT HAVE COMMENTED ON THAT. Oh Screener Joe... let's look at what you said:winstonsmith said: "The TSA has not been responsible for finding so many as one of these so called "plots" or foiling so many as one of these would be "terrorists"."Do I understand your opinion correctly: you are saying that since we can't prove we're perfect we should quit trying?Joe, you clearly don't understand much. What you don't get is that you can't claim that you are keeping us safe from plots such as the London bomb plot or any other plot that never actually makes it to a TSA checkpoint. You and other TSOs seem to like to support yourselves by saying that "they're out there and we're catching them." Well, "they're" out there, and actual police and genuine investigatory agencies are catching them while you good people at the TSA are busiliy treating innocent travelers as if they were criminals. Not only can't you prove you are perfect Joe, you can't even prove you're effective. So yes, quit. Please. Take checkpoint security back to what it was pre 9/11 and leave the cockpit doors bolted. We'd all be better off for it.TSA is not supposed to "catch" terrorists as you seem to challange us to do.That's your "challenged" interpretation of what I said. I never used any such language. What you are supposed to do as an agency is to keep guns, large knives, and actual explosives off of planes, a job that was done just as well if not better by the private security companies pre-9/11 as you do today and without all the needless and wholesale violation of people's rights and sensibilities.We are supposed to create a barrior between the terrorist and the passengers on that airplane. Our job is to make it difficult enough for the bad guy that he does not make the attempt.And your own agency's audits, as well as audits by the GAO in 2003, and 2006 have shown that your efforts are largely ineffective in keeping dangerous items from going through the checkpoints (in addition to numerous anecdotal items that appear right here on this very blog about missed items that passengers were surprised made it through). So why are you still on the job?I cannot prove that the work of the TSA has dissuaded anyone from trying to attack a plane. You cannot prove that we haven't.March 22, 2008 9:53 PMJoe, it is not up to me to prove anything. Your agency is making the extraordinary claim to be providing us incremental safety, therefore it is up to the TSA to provide the extraordinary evidence to support the claim. I make no claims, but I do point out the demonstrable facts that you as an agency aren't doing anything any better than we had before, but at a much greater cost to the flying public, to the airlines, and to the rights and civil liberties of all people who fly in the United States. The burden of proof is on the TSA and on the government in general to prove that its extraordinary measures have yielded extraordinary results, not on the flying public to prove that governmental claims of "trust me" are all wet.What's that I smell?... oh that's right, you are still telling me it's raining and my shoes are wet yet there's not a cloud in the sky. No sale Joe. Anonymous said...Want to fly today? Want us to call a LEO over to have you arrested? Go over there for additional screening.Neither the President nor the janitor can have us summarily either detained or arrested. On the other hand a TSO who has a burr under his saddle can do all of those things plus some. They are an agency running open loop and answer to no one, especially the unwashed masses who fly.The President may not be able to but his security team can, or at least Cheney's security can. You are right, at this point the TSA is running in an open loop. It is up to us, to close that loop.I encourage you, do not bow down to threats. Stand up. Refuse shoddy treatment from TSOs. Stand on every one of your Federal Constitutional rights and your State Constitutional rights. I'm sure the TSA has noticed since they initiated these blogs the repition of how passengers report how they are treated or mis-treated. Despite that the TSA has never officially addressed these complaints. Sure the TSA bloggers have at different times and in different tomes replied to some of those complaints but never a blog decicated to treatment of passengers. Yes there has been a blog on liquid, a blog on the legal foundations of TSA, how the TSA searches bags, etc, etc. But nothing on the basic most common gripes posted here. I find it even more surprising that the TSA Mission, Vision and Core Values does not address this most fundamental aspect. MissionThe Transportation Security Administration protects the Nation’s transportation systems to ensure freedom of movement for people and commerce.VisionThe Transportation Security Administration will continuously set the standard for excellence in transportation security through its people, processes, and technology.Core ValuesTo enhance mission performance and achieve our shared goals, we are committed to promoting a culture founded on these values:Integrity: We are a people of integrity who respect and care for others. We are a people who conduct ourselves in an honest, trustworthy and ethical manner at all times. We are a people who gain strength from the diversity in our cultures. Innovation: We are a people who embrace and stand ready for change. We are a people who are courageous and willing to take on new challenges. We are a people with an enterprising spirit, striving for innovations who accept the risk-taking that comes with it. Team Spirit: We are a people who are open, respectful and dedicated to making others better. We are a people who have a passion for challenge, success and being on a winning team. We are a people who will build teams around our strengths. Screener Joe - You said:"I cannot prove that the work of the TSA has dissuaded anyone from trying to attack a plane. You cannot prove that we haven't."The TSA can do better than that. Of all the passengers that have been arrested due to suspicious behavior or fraudulent travel documents, or had firearms found at checkpoints, or artfully concealed prohibited items found at checkpoints, or were involved in a checkpoint closure, terminal evacuation or sterile area breach, or were disruptive on flights, how many actually were involved in a terrorist group or plot?Certainly all of this above issues were further investigated by TSA or LEO. How many were involving a person with terrorist intentions? Any? If some were just "testing" the system certainly the TSA or LEO would have investigated their backgrounds and affiliations. In that case how many were found to have connections to known terrorist organizations?All of the items that were used in the 9-11 hijackings were allowed, then and now, to be brought on a plane. So what is different? The principal difference is that passengers today, like those on United 93 and American 63, will rise-up and defend to the death, any threat to the safety of the aircraft and fellow passengers.It would be totally impossible for an aircraft to be hijacked today and used as a weapon. Sorry I made one mistake in my previous post. One of the items reportedly used during the 9-11 hijackings were box cutters that were allowed then but are currently not allowed. However one item allowed today, and then, are scissors less than 4" in length. As everyone knows a scissor blade less than 4" length is still greater than the length of the exposed blade in a box cutter. i would like to just post a grin and a gripe at the same time...just got home from RSW in FL (Fort Myers)and here is what happened, got to the airport at 430 for a 730 flight (ok, early) checked into Delta, and bags checked in too, and then got boarding passes and then went through security, no problem, fast, the agents were nice etc. go through security, FLIGHT CANCELED... have to go back to delta counter (outside security) and have them book us on a continental flight to NEWARK instead of LGA... then new boarding passes, and into security again and surprise surprise, pulled over for random check cause we had left, got new boarding passes and all...ok, the agent who checked my things was really nice, so i am happy about that as were the female agent who did my sisters things and the other male agent who handled my dads. we got our boarding passes stamped cleared by TSA and the date. went to the gate and then when the 630 (full flight) NEWARK left, we asked if we could get seats together, ok, the ticket agents at the desk for CONTINENTAL were happy to change our seats, but took our freshly stamped TSA CLEARED boarding passes and didnt return them...gripe- went to board the 830 flight to NEWARK already 15 min late, a alarm went off when the new agents checked the boarding passes- hmm we were supposed to be checked by TSA and werent, so we have to be again... telling the agent for continental- ummm we were checked, look it up- they said they had to have a TSA agent come and check us again- is it possible to maybe get a computer system where- TSA agents can input the passengers name on a list, with the airline too, so the airline can pull it up, if a seat change has occurred or if, the alarm goes off?grin- two TSA agents came over, and the female one had already checked us, and was like, you again, and told the flight agents that we were clear and stamped us and sent us on our way... whew!!!! that is awesome, and thank u TSA for that! A couple of recent experienceshave left me deeply troubled about the state of the TSA and airport security in general.In October of 2007, I was returning to Honolulu from Miami International. In the security line, I showed the TSA attendant my photo ID (a Hawai'i driver's licence) and my boarding pass. He told me that my ID was not valid and that I needed a passport. After a moment of stunned silence, I asked why it was valid enough for me to get to Miami but not for the return trip. He once again said that I would need a passport. I then asked him if he realized that Hawai'i was a part of the U.S., at which point he said that he'd "let me go this time" but that in the future, I should have a passport as a valid ID.On another trip between Honolulu and Hilo in December of 2007, my wife and three daughters (ages 4,2,and 9 months at the time) as well as myself were singled out for extra screening. All of us, including my infant, were patted down and thoroughly inspected. I have absolutely no problem being inspected, and I realize there are issues with profiling, but there seems to be a disconnect with reality on the part of many of the screeners. Of the more than 100 passengers on that flight, a couple with 3 young children are singled out for extra screening? Gimme a break! Lowlights~LowLight 1.~Screener Joe...being curt in your response to the individual with a physical hardship, when they simply asked how they would be handled. Just like the checkpoint...unhelpful at times. * HOW ABOUT THIS - anyone who alarms the WTMD will need to have the source of the alarm identified. If that means taking a sterile piece of cloth and 'tracing' their shoes etc...then that's what will happen. DID THIS JUST VIOLATE SSI...nope...common sense Screener Joe. LowLight 2.~ NO VOTING BUTTONS on TSA posts. You would have an immediate feedback mechanism that tells you how your answers/statements are being received. MAYBE this preponderance of evidence/response would be enough to wake some folks up to how things are being done?LowLight 3.~LACKING FACTUAL STATEMENTS - 1) Testing - has anyone bothered to see the results of the Red Team Testing? WATERED DOWN EXPLANATION - (Red Team Testing) - a bunch of folks from Washington DC hit each checkpoint simultaneously with tests that are meant to measure screening effectiveness. Once the first test is registered, a call goes out to the other checkpoints to be on the alert to testing. Despite this...the results are no better than when private screening companies were working the checkpoints. IS IT THE TRAINING? (IMO) - the TSA screeners receive 5x more initial training than the private screeners before them. TSA screeners receive recurrent training that eclipses what private screening companies were budgeted for...yet the results are the same. COULD IT BE THE EQUIPMENT? - the x-ray equipment etc that is used to screen for IEDs etc are inadequate. If one understands how the machines actually function technically, the ability to thwart them is even easier. WHAT THE ISRAELIS DO DIFFERENTLY THAN WE DO - they do through review of boarding passengers (profiling or what the TSA now calls 'behavior officers' or something akin to that). After all...one could have a 10 lb bomb on an airplane...and unless that person had ill intent...the plane is safe. THE LESSON HERE - it is not 'what' is on the airplane...it is 'who' (with the exception of explosives in cargo).OH, and before we have to read another politely structured statement from the TSA about testing effectiveness...can some writer for some paper use FOIA and get the results, as it is shocking. LASTLY...the comments I posted earlier on these points (copied at the bottom) are meant to highlight that Washington is letting down their own people. When the TSA rolled out, the screeners were promised break rooms, lockers, internet access to be able to manage their payroll accounts, proper anti fatigue mats etc...of which the screeners received none of those things. SCHEDULING...WASTED RESOURCES...how many airports are still using excel by a 'Scheduling Manager' who has no way of tying the passenger loads of the airlines into their manpower forecasts? How ridiculous is that...to be unable to 'forecast' the passenger load when every airline knows their loads in advance? THE IMPACT - 1. tax payer money being thrown away by inefficient practices2. Screener Morale is impacted - consider the impact on the screener who asked for a day off...and is told 'no' only to find a half empty checkpoint because the TSA can't forecast passenger loads. 3. Higher burnout and turnover4. Long lines and not enough resources to handle them or too many screeners manning empty checkpoints (back to point #1)If the TSA was less like a government organization and more like a business, these practices would have been fixed out of necessity. Wasteful practices abound... It makes me sad to see a screener have to sit in a gate area to take their break and eat something. It makes me sad when a screener can't have a moment of privacy to call family or loved ones during a break. It makes me sad that the way the screeners have been let down by Washington has caused some to feel like their behavior to the public is OK...like being rude or impatient or unwilling to explain is somehow forgiven...because of what they were promised and didn't receive. Consider this;A. in the majority of airports the most 'private' space a screener can take a break, is usually a coffee shopB. often, when a supervisor needs to have a briefing with their team, they do it in a very public settingC. Being a screener is like being 'on stage' 8-10 hours per day...with every mis-step or frown being noticedD. Screeners are not empowered to effect change - how many times have you questioned a policy and gotten a 'good' answer? Thanks for listening! Please fill the trunk of your car with food, drinks, and condiments and drive to your destination!Don't forget your GAS card! Please fill the trunk of your car with food, drinks, and condiments and drive to your destination!Don't forget your GAS card!I do that if the trip is less than 500 miles.1.5 hours drive to airport2.0 hours early1.5 hours flight0.5 hours waiting for luggage0.5 hours waiting for rental cartotal 6.0 hoursI also get $.51 per mile, tax free, when I drive for business. In flyover country a person can drive at 65-75 MPH. "Please fill the trunk of your car with food, drinks, and condiments and drive to your destination!Don't forget your GAS card!"What a pathetic comment. If you are a TSO you are a disgrace to the job and your fellow TSO's who are attempting to keep people safe. Your attitude is why you personally are held in such low esteem.Any one in this country that wants to avoid people in the TSA who think like this can easily do so, still fly to thousands of locations in the country, and never run into this joker. It is called General Aviation, you are treated with respect, and you will wonder why there even is a TSA. "Please fill the trunk of your car with food, drinks, and condiments and drive to your destination!Don't forget your GAS card!"Well you pretty much sum up what is the worst attitude a TSO could possibly have. Do you hate your job? Do you think that abusing the public is a right that comes with your TSA uniform? I hope your fellow TSO's root you out, their workplace would be a much better place without you. To DuaneObviously I don't have all the facts, but your side was horrifying enough to warrant further investigation. Please don't stop at the Albany FSD. If you indeed believe a crime was committed, contact the local police and file charges. TSA needs to learn that government is "for the people" - and not against them. Maybe if screeners realized that they may have to explain their actions in a court of law, some of this would stop. At the Kalispell, Montana airport, they did not open the security check line till less than half an hour before flight time. We joined the line in plenty of time, but were at the end. The plane took off before we got through the line. We surmise that the contractors maximized their profit by minimizing the time the line was open. Anonymous said... "Please fill the trunk of your car with food, drinks, and condiments and drive to your destination!Don't forget your GAS card!"Why do you automatically assume that this was a TSO?It could just as easily not been a TSO who made this post.If it was a TSO, Shame on you, Quit and go to work at a fast food joint!If it was not a TSO, this shows the abuse that TSO's have to deal with when everyone assume it was a TSO making that statement.P.S. Naysayers, (especially winstonsmith) Please consider the following: What if the terrorist plot is to blow up the plane in the sky over a major American city and not a repeat of 9-11? Does this change the equation for you?Well, does it? The traveling public is comprised of many travelers today that are ignorant to the fact that the world we live in today is not all "PEACHY" and well. I do agree that PEANUT BUTTER nor STRAWBERRY JAM can destroy you. But why make the job harder for TSA or TSO's from doing their job? Because you want to make a point that your hungry and that PEANUT BUTTER won't blow up? If the Dept Of the NAVY would allow me to again volunteer to go overseas and take someone with me to show them what kind of people there are out there. And what they are capable of, I would gladly do so. But in the meantime enjoy your peanut butter and Jelly sandwitch because I will continue to do my job and discard it. I do not understand the TSA policy by which my identification card/passport and boarding pass is checked by a TSA officer at the head of the line, and then the boarding pass has to be checked 10 feet away as I pass through the metal detector. Why can't the first check enough - there is no place for anyone to go or for anyone to join the queue. Figure this one. I have a TSA approved lock (i.e., one for which the TSA has a key) for my suitcase, although I usually carry on. On one flight recently, however, I checked my bag .. but forgot to lock the suitcase. Thus, the lock was attached and secured, but not preventing the suitcase from being opened. When the bag arrived, the lock was removed, gone. Only a TSA person could have removed the lock. My husband and I are travelers in our 70's. We are so fed up with long lines, humiliating searches and inconvenience that we now skip flying entirely and take Amtrak whenever possible. Good food, nice seats, great scenery. We need more trains! Michael wrote:In October of 2007, I was returning to Honolulu from Miami International. ...He told me that my ID was not valid and that I needed a passport. ...I should have a passport as a valid ID.Oh.. my.. God..Far be it for me to rag on my own organization, or one of my fellow coworkers that work for that organization, but God-Almighty that is just stupid.On another trip between Honolulu and Hilo in December of 2007, my wife and three daughters (ages 4,2,and 9 months at the time) as well as myself were singled out for extra screening. ...Of the more than 100 passengers on that flight, a couple with 3 young children are singled out for extra screening? Gimme a break!Yeeeeeah... about that...See, the airline does this thing called selectee designation, which, so I understand, is done through a computer system known as CAPPS - Computer-Assisted Passenger Pre-Screening. While the ins and outs of this system are above my pay-grade, and are probably SSI, I can tell you that the reasons for being so selected number into the small thousands. Everything from a flight being cancelled and being rebooked on a different airline (as far as the computer is concerned, you just walked up to the counter and got the ticket) all the way down to good, old-fashioned random selection.It's one of the more common questions I've been asked over the course of the past six years - "Why was I selected?" - and that's the best I can tell them. I really, really don't know all of the things the airline associates with designating people as selectees; I only know that we have to screen them.And there's not a choice in it for us. One time, an entire flight of 12-year old girls flying home to China after a week in Space Camp got designated as selectees, and the only option we, as the TSA, had was to screen them and perform the bag searches on all of their carry-ons.And, on a final note, the way an airline designates people as selectees is not the much-maligned no-fly list nor even the "terrorist watch list" - it's something seperate from the two of those. It's more like a coding requirement in computers.If (this) is (that[+the other]) then (X), else (Y). The TSA does not make me feel safe at all. I was travelling on business out of BWI and when I was in the line to go through security, the "child" that was screening the bags had his head turned away from the screen and was having a conversation with his girlfriends. What is the point of screening bags when noone is watching? Anonymous said: All of the items that were used in the 9-11 hijackings were allowed, then and now, to be brought on a plane. So what is different? The principal difference is that passengers today, like those on United 93 and American 63, will rise-up and defend to the death, any threat to the safety of the aircraft and fellow passengers.This statement is entirely untrue. The items used in the hijackings on 911 are not permitted items any number of them or even all of them being caught by xray would have taken the tools used out of the hijackers hands. This includes the boxcutters, playdough/clay used in the fake bombs to control the passengers, and knives. Also those hijackers would be on no-fly lists as known terrorists and stopped while trying to purchase tickets. If they managed to get tickets a ticketchecker or BDO most likely would have picked up the very obvious signals and body language and sent them for extra screening. One or any number of these scenarios should have prevented 911 and the great loss of life.I have just mentioned the things the TSA does to prevent another 911. I'm not talking about the cockpit doors, the passengers being aware and willing to stop hijackings as that has also changed post 911. TSA screeners I would like to see what would happen if the tsa stopped working for 1 week. I assure you that after 20 plus firearms, god only knows how many knives, and maybe even an ied or two, gets onto an airplane then youll be a little less likely to complain about losing your 2 dollar toothpaste. In regards to the comments about the retired naval officer with the hip replacement, there is nothing in our policies at TSA that says that all passengers must remove their shoes, no exceptions. If a passenger states for any medical reason they are unable to remove their shoes then we are to do additional screening on the shoes and allow them to leave them on. No passenger can be forced to do anthing, we can only make suggestions. I am under the understanding that the whole screening process is done through passengers decisions. And to the people making the comments that the passenger should take a bus or train, that is not what TSA is about. Security may be number one priority but customer service follows close behind that and as a TSA officer it is our job to work with person's with disabilities and medical requests. I have no idea who some of these TSO's are, responding to some of these "Anonymous"idiots who post here.But as far as I am concerned, my greatest fear is that someone will walk in amongst people waiting in line and detonate a IED! The second fear I have is that I miss a IED that goes on a plane and blows up not only killing the "Anonymous" TSO haters here but those beautiful people who I swore to protect.Here is a few facts...first of all the late flights, the cancelled flights, the over booked flights are attributed to the Airlines and not the TSA. Our job is to do our best to protect you according guidlines set by the Department of Homeland Security.....Long Lines? One of the problems we have is that passengers do not understand or follow the instructions for the screening process. THE LESS ON BOARD BAGGAGE THE BETTER. Follow the 311 rule. If you pack a bag full of electronics and wires, its going to be search. Do you know what a detonator looks like? I do, but when you insist on bringing a bag on board with items that you won't need on the flight, there will be bag searches.Do you know what the latest intel is on IEDs being made to blow up a plane? We do and you won't be happy to know what they are doing. Someone say Peanut Butter earlier? We go to class and learn everyday. We are tested on our job knowledge and capabilities on a daily basis constantly. I am extremely cordial with passengers and go out of my way to greet the passenger, smile at the passenger, give helpful hints to the passenger, and wish them a great day and a happy flight, no matter what duty station I'm on. If you have a situation with a TSO, talk to the STSO and a Complaint form will be filled out. It will be submitted for review.This week I received three written compliments which made me very appreciable. Have you ever tried either one?In closing I see some legit complaints and I see others that are so off base it is pathetic. I thank you very much and if I can be of further service, let me know and folks, you have a great day!!!! I would like to post a complaint. Last week after picking up my checked bag, and getting to my car in long term parking, noticed that the TSA lock on my bag wasn't mine. Had to drive to the terminal, lug the suitcase into the counter, then was told to go to security, where they had to try 5 different keys to get the lock off my bag. Thank goodness they only switched the locks, my clothes were still in my suitcase. Don't think I'll bother buying another TSA lock... Patting down a child is disgraceful. Patting down a 9-month old is beyond belief.It's my suggestion that all parents teach their kids to scream for help if someone from the TSA touches them. They would just be putting into practice what hopefully they are already being taught - that you never let a stranger touch you and if someone does that, you scream. On a direct flight from Memphis to Detroit, jewelry was stolen from my suitcase. The jewelry was packed inside of a box, which was packed inside of a zipped up bagged. The jewelry were the only items taken, and no card was left to indicate that my luggage had been searched. I know that my suitcase had been tampered with, because the zippers were in a different location than where I put them. The only time my suitcase was out of my possession was when I turned it in to the TSA people at the airport in Memphis. The only way someone could have known that the jewelry was there was via Xray. My claims with TSA and the airlines were denied. Now, you tell me - who could have pulled off this theft? It MUST have involved a TSA employee, perhaps in cahoots with someone from the airlines. In any case, DON'T TRUST ANYONE with TSA. They're human beings and not all of them are honest! As one with a replacement knee, I am set aside for "special" treatment. Some TSA employees follow the necessary procedures pleasantly; others go far beyond the minimum procedures.For example, I have been asked to empty my pockets completely, even of items such as handkerchiefs and dollar bills that are clearly non-metallic. In one instance, my wallet was taken to be put through the detector, and was left unattended in plain sight for anyone to steal. I flew from Detroit to Amsterdam in early March. I normally carry a fair amount of tech toys; I get pulled over about half the time, which is understandable. However, this time the TSA official explained I had to remove my portable DVD player ahead of time. I remembered reading this, and pulled up the site on my iPhone; sure enough, it said 'full-size DVD players'. I explained this to the rep, explaining that's what you hook up to your TV at home. His response? "There's no such thing as a full-size DVD player." Since he had been quite polite up to that point (and thanked me for putting all my power cords in a bag), I didn't push the issue, but obviously at least one rep @ Detroit isn't quite familiar with what 'portable' means. How about training ALL TSA inspectors to recognize basic medical devices? I can't believe I still run into TSA inspectors who act like they have never seen nor heard of a CPAP machine. The last time I was at ELP the inspector obviously did not only know what a CPAP machine was, but became downright twitchy when the smear he ran on my CPAP machine came back positive. I explained to him that CPAP machines such as mine have air filters that trap organics and, thus, can give false positives in devices that test for explosives. It was clear to me that he had no idea what I was talking about. ....Long Lines? One of the problems we have is that passengers do not understand or follow the instructions for the screening process. THE LESS ON BOARD BAGGAGE THE BETTER. Follow the 311 rule. If you pack a bag full of electronics and wires, its going to be search. Do you know what a detonator looks like? I do, but when you insist on bringing a bag on board with items that you won't need on the flight, there will be bag searches.The only reason I fly is for business reasons. I fly at least 2x a week for 49 weeks out of the year. I carry lots of computer equipment with me (again job related), no liquids in carry on luggage, and have dealt with snotty TSOs (quite often) and professional TSOs (rarely). I know the routine (empty pockets into laptop bag, shoes, belt and glasses off, coat off, laptop out of bag and into a bin). I've arrived at an airport at 0430 to catch a flight at 0630 only to discover that neither the airlines nor TSA have opened up (what about the 2 hr rule?), have been rousted by a cop (MPLS) for standing at an empty line waiting to be first in line when they opened up the counter, and have been subjected to excesses by TSA hirlings.Your organization has a long way to go before I would consider it professional. I recently traveled through Amsterdam and Helsinki and was pleasantly surprised by how those security types handled passengers (both passport and gate screeners). Why can't TSA learn a lesson from those guys (who've a much longer history dealing with terrorists than the US)? I wince when seeing little children and the obviously disabled getting the 'treatment' from TSO's and have refrained from commenting. No more will I do that. Outrageous conduct, witnessed by me on the part of TSA will be reported to the local FSD and TSA hqtrs. I usually have lots of time on my hands while at the airport (arrive two hours early for check in and security screening). My family and I just flew from Phoenix today. The TSA folks were helpful and friendly through the security checkpoints. When we got home though, it was a big surprise to find all of my husbands sampoo, body wash, toothpaste and cream medicines with caps off leaking all over his clothes. My daughters suitcase had similar issues. I don't see why it has to be this way. It seems as though the people we are trusting and paying to secure our baggage are taking advantage of us. Here's an idea. Seal off the captain's cabin from the rest of the airplane. Give the cabin a separate entrance. Terrorists will not be able to enter cabin. Terrorism problem solved. We go back to reasonable (vs. excessive) precautions at our airports. Another anonymous poster said:P.S. Naysayers, (especially winstonsmith) Please consider the following:What if the terrorist plot is to blow up the plane in the sky over a major American city and not a repeat of 9-11?Does this change the equation for you?Well, does it?So what if the terrorist plot is to blow up the plane in the sky? Is the TSA equipped to catch these terrorists any better than the private screeners were pre-9/11? Nope. They are not. They are certainly no more capable of capturing things going through the checkpoints. Cargo is not yet screened 100%, so we can't claim that. We were already checking for explosives pre-9/11. People's ability to create actual explosives on planes has been debunked thoroughly on this blog and elsewhere, so no, this does not change the equation.Any other questions you want to ask me? I have to agree with retired navy man Cliff Woodrick and others with disabilities who have posted with similar complaints. To the wag who told us to take a bus or cab or train or drive instead, many of us already have chosen to do so.I’ve given up flying until more sane accommodations are made for people with titanium prosthetics. I had both hips replaced ten years ago and since 2001, flying has become an exercise in humiliation that I refuse to participate in any more. I was issued cards following my surgery that are useless. TSA personnel have pointed out that they can be forged and even if they were legitimate, I could still be carrying a weapon. So I understand the predicament. I just don’t like it. Every time with absolutely no exceptions, I have been singled out for searches whenever I fly. Every time it is embarrassing. 80-90% of TSA personnel have been professional and courteous about the situation; but I’ve had enough of the finger pointing and snickering by other passengers. The Denver airport was the worst and the straw that broke this camel’s back. I was put in an elevated plastic cage in full view of all arriving and departing passengers and left there for ten minutes while passengers streamed by and made fun of my situation. Finally being searched in the cage was even more embarrassing. I can now appreciate how fish in a bowl and caged zoo animals must feel.I consider myself a professional in my field, I am civic-minded and active in my community, and outside of a few minor traffic tickets, have a spotless record. So I naturally resent the fact that my country’s security personnel constantly consider me a potential criminal. All because I have fake hips. I wish I had a simple solution for this problem, but alas I do not; but until one is found, I’m driving no matter what the cost of gas or distance. Hi -I fly 1-3x / week and know airports pretty darn well.The TSA is one of the most poorly-run organizations I have ever encountered. Coupled with the significance of their role, it's shameful that we sit still for it.Screeners make under $10 an hour? No wonder I have an awful feeling of "lights on, absolutely no one home ... for years ..." when speaking to many of your employees.Your QA systems - if they indeed exist - are inadequate. Screening is haphazard, rules are not only enforced inconsistently, but there is a constant thrum of belligerence in many of your employees. When I spoke my mind about the intrusiveness of one TSA screener in McCarran (Las Vegas), he followed me into the terminal, yelling at me as I walked away. He was eventually told to stop by a police officer (blonde man, about 30, working the first-class lane in Terminal B). While perhaps more noticeable, this is not an isolated incident. TSA staff are often uneducated, hostile and simply unintelligent (another favorite: having a bracelet of rhinestones mistaken for "drill bits," also at McCarran's first-class lane - wowzers, the stupidity!).This is a problem about which you not only CAN do something, you owe it to us, as well as to whatever shred of personal dignity you folks have left: teach your employees to be fair, rational, and courteous. You are NOT 'doing us a favor,' and the constant sanctimony about "thuh terrorists" sounds like so much self-justifying drivel.As it is now, I get more intelligent and polite service at Del Taco drive-throughs than TSA. What does it take for you to finally become embarrassed to the point of improvement? "But as far as I am concerned, my greatest fear is that someone will walk in amongst people waiting in line and detonate a IED! The second fear I have is that I miss a IED that goes on a plane and blows up not only killing the "Anonymous" TSO haters here but those beautiful people who I swore to protect."So it is them or us again. FYI the beautiful people mostly fly through General Aviation, so they never get the benefit of your "protection".Passengers don't hate TSO's indiscriminately, they just have no liking for the unprofessional behavior that some of them exhibit. Once those few bad apples are eliminated, things will be more pleasant. Anonymous said..."Please fill the trunk of your car with food, drinks, and condiments and drive to your destination!Don't forget your GAS card!"Why do you automatically assume that this was a TSO?Walks like a duck, quacks like a duck.... "Anonymous said... I have no idea who some of these TSO's are, responding to some of these "Anonymous"idiots who post here."Let me see, you are posting anonymously, and complaining about anonymous idiots. Hmmmm... What items are clearly allowed as carry-on food?wrapped Candy/nutrition/fruit bars?homemade sandwiches?bagged nuts/fruit/trailmix?chips or crackers?boxed items- what sizes are permitted?I think that it is fair to say that the guidelines are very unclear about these items and permitted quantities. hi sandrayou commented on child screening and i though it would be nice to explain this process a bit.i am sure u are aware of the fact that profiling is ineffective since a terrorist can look like anyone and be from anywhere. If you’ve read any newspapers there are countless atrocities reported oversees where women and children are harnessed in killings.Given these bleak truths the TSA is trained to screen everyone acordinglyTSO's are not looking to screen your 9 moth old or your 5year old... they are merely insuring that there is nothing prohibited being smuggled in via covert means.Having your child scream at the top of his/her lungs while being patted down... is a bit cruel and excessive and will lead to a bit more of a delay as you explain this disruption to a supervisor.The child will not be screened without an accompanying adult present, so of course you will be briefed on what will occur and you will be watching.if anything you can always complain to the STSO if you feel something was done wrong during your screening.It is never the TSA's intension to cause you anguish. Obviously screening is not something we do for fun but rather to clear any alarms or solve any selectee designations. It is a matter of security and we will not take the risk of assuming.I'm sorry this bothers you but it’s always important to maintain "better safe then sorry" sincerelyTSO :) My gripe is at Kansas City International Airport (MCI) the TSA will not allow a passenger to take drinks into the secure area. Although everytime I fly out, early especially the flight crew are allowed their Starbucks in as well as bottle water. Why as there is no decent place inside the secure area to purchase something are the flight crew allowed? Are they special? The rule should be one rule if it is dangerous then it is dangerous for all. If the captain needs his Starbucks in the morning let him get up early and get it just like the rest of us. Stand in line like us and no you do not have special "Cut in Line priviledge!" As a very frequent flyer this practice is not allowed in larger airports. "I am extremely cordial with passengers and go out of my way to greet the passenger, smile at the passenger, give helpful hints to the passenger, and wish them a great day and a happy flight, no matter what duty station I'm on.If you have a situation with a TSO, talk to the STSO and a Complaint form will be filled out. It will be submitted for review.This week I received three written compliments which made me very appreciable. Have you ever tried either one?"Both good advice and a great attitude. I hope that you continue to post, and that you mentor other TSO's in your method of dealing with the traveling public.Thank You. To Phil, Please ensure that if you post a link to letter that you want everyone to read, you read the letter yourself. It is true that it is not required to show ID, however if you do not show ID you will be subject to secondary(additional) screening. That letter that you refer to was also published 2 months before TSA began checking ID's and boarding passes in place of the contracted company doing so. I may be wrong but it seems to me that there is alot of anti-TSA "spam" here.I'm still waiting for the "anonymous" poster to "school TSO's" about the exceptions to the 311 rule. What are they?I applaud the Navy Veteran with the two replaced knees for his service! However if you walk through the MAG and it alarms you will be asked to exit and reentered. If you set the alarms off again you will be "wanded"! Thats everyone.The poster who has a reason for his CPAP setting off alarms when it is tested....clean it! I've seen filters on CPAP machines co crusted, it is a wonder air gets through. Secondly, TSO's are not trained to accept your excuse why, they have to test to be sure.Ah yes, the DVD player. The rule is that it comes out of the case.Sandra is the best though. Appalled at children being patted down!! I guess we are the only country in the world that does it? BTW, the correct name is a "Process"! The reason that the child is being processed 99% of the time is because the Airline you purchased your tickets from....called for it!!So if you have a gripe against TSO's, at least know what you are talking about. TSA Carry-on Regulations Update — August 4, 2007 As of August 4, 2007, the TSA is requiring travelers to remove full-size game consoles (examples include Playstation, X-box, and Nintendo), CD and DVD players from their carry-on bags for separate X-ray screening at security checkpoints. They will be handled the same way laptops and larger video cameras (that use cassettes) have been for some time. The TSA states that “Small electronic items, such as cell phones, MP3 players, iPods and portable video game systems do not have to be removed from their carrying cases.” Bear in mind, however, that since this is a new regulation, there may be some initial confusion or misinterpretation on the part of the TSA inspectors. Be prepared to remove any and all electronics from your carry-on bag, and allow a little extra time for screening.Also new as of August 4th, the TSA has relaxed the ban on lighters in carry-on luggage: “In an effort to concentrate resources on detecting explosive threats, TSA will no longer ban common lighters in carry-on luggage as of August 4, 2007. Torch lighters remain banned in carry-ons.Lifting the lighter ban is consistent with TSA's risk-based approach to aviation security. First and foremost, lighters no longer pose a significant threat. Freeing security officers up from fishing for 22,000 lighters every day (the current number surrendered daily across the country) enables them to focus more on finding explosives, using behavior recognition, conducting random screening procedures and other measures that increase complexity in the system, deterring terrorists. The U.S. is the only country in the world to ban lighters – all other nations, including Israel and the U.K., do not.”In addition, the TSA has modified the regulations on carrying breast milk through security checkpoints: “Mothers flying with, and now without, their child will be permitted to bring breast milk in quantities greater than three ounces as long as it is declared for inspection at the security checkpoint.Breast milk is in the same category as liquid medications. Now, a mother flying without her child will be able to bring breast milk through the checkpoint, provided it is declared prior to screening.”Travelers will not be asked to taste the milk to prove it is not a liquid explosive. "BOY, YOU ARE MISSING THE POINT COMPLETELY - DID IT EVER ACCUR TO YOU DO NOT NEED A SECRET CLEARANCE FOR YOUR JOBS SSI INFORMATION THAT USE MUST USE TO PERFORM YOUR JOB??IF YOU ACTUALLY WERE AWARE OF THIS, YOU WOULD NOT HAVE COMMENTED ON THAT."Don't be silly. If information is classified, you need a clearance - even if it's only a garden-variety FOUO (For Official Use Only) clearance, which requires no background check. If SSI material is unclassified in your organization, I would call it "SBU" (Sensitive But Unclassified). We call this "open source". It is restricted, but unclassified, which means that it technically can be released to those who have no clearance. The exclusion categories for this include "national security". Good luck fitting that category to include the specific criteria for taking your shoes off in an airport security line.The funny thing about what you said is, not only do you need the SSI information you alluded to in order to perform your job; but travelers need that information to know how to get through your checkpoints. It would be like us setting up a checkpoint in Iraq, not posting any procedures, and then shooting people for violating the procedures that we didn't post.Oh, and would you mind writing using lower-case? All-caps is considered rude on the Internet. Now that a TSA-certified flight deck officer's gun has accidentally discharged during a US Airways commercial flight, who is going to protect us from those who are protecting us?Can one request "handgun-free" flights from the airlines? To the lady, Sandra, with the comment on the patting down of infants. Unfortunately you are not seeing all sides to the enforcement of security at the airports. In your eyes it may seem that the patting down of children is absurd but the TSA is unable to make assunmptions about any individual coming through security and all persons who alarm or children being carried by sn adult who alarmed must get screened.If you did research and thought about the logic behind TSA screening infants you would find that there have been multiple incidents where children and infants have been used as suicide bombers and terrorists. Children are vulnerable and for a suicide bomber they may be a prime choice to try and get past the security process.Unfortunately as absurd as it may seem, it is what our world has come to and it has to be done or the U.S. will be compromised again. While it's unfortunate that we need security checkpoints, I feel that TSA employees have a thankless job. Perhaps if passengers knew what they were doing before getting in the security line TSA personnel would treat people better. When we go through the line we do what we're supposed to do, TSA treats us fine, and we say "Thank You" to each that we have contact with.As with everything in life, acting properly and politely goes a long way.So, we say TSA is doing an adequate job given what they're dealing with. We prefer screening rather than dangerous objects going onto a plane we're riding in. THANK YOU TSA. Hello Anonymous Person:To the following:In your eyes it may seem that the patting down of children is absurd but the TSA is unable to make assunmptions about any individual coming through security and all persons who alarm or children being carried by sn adult who alarmed must get screened.If you did research and thought about the logic behind TSA screening infants you would find that there have been multiple incidents where children and infants have been used as suicide bombers and terrorists.It is theoretically possible to wire a baby as a bomb, true. Can you cite a single incidence where this has been tried (since you claim multiple incidences, just one will do)? No, strollers don't count. We're talking baby here. Similarly for children -- there have been documented cases where people have blown up children as part of a suicide bombing (i.e. leaving them in a rigged car perhaps to make the car look less suspicious to passers by -- an incident that was reported recently coming out of Iraq comes to mind for that) but it was the car, not the kids who were rigged to blow. The children were no less the victims of this than anyone else who may have been unfortunate enough to be in the immediate vicinity of the exploding car.All kinds of crazy things are theoretically possible. It is impossible to guard against every micro threat that comes along. The kid does not understand why a strange adult is patting him or her down and why Mommy and Daddy can do nothing but watch it happen. All the kid understands is that he's scared. So are the parents. So is everyone else who watches this -- is it going to be my turn next?Leave the kids alone. They have enough to worry about with the mess the people in power are leaving to them to clean up without the TSA's help. I'm still waiting for the "anonymous" poster to "school TSO's" about the exceptions to the 311 rule. What are they?Medications?Food/drink for diabetics?OTC medications?We, the traveling public are tired of dealing with made up on the spot rules and regulations. Many of us fly on a weekly basis and know when we're being fed a shovel of used bull food.Oh, and please someone define the term 'reasonable amounts." I applaud the Navy Veteran with the two replaced knees for his service! However if you walk through the MAG and it alarms you will be asked to exit and reentered. If you set the alarms off again you will be "wanded"! Thats everyone.Wanded is one thing. Being frisked like a criminal suspect is something else. 99.99% of the people who fly aren't in any way criminals. TSA treats people (i.e. elderly and disabled) as if those folks were hardened terrorists/criminals on the level of Karlos the Jackal. "I may be wrong but it seems to me that there is alot of anti-TSA "spam" here."Spam? I don't see ads for stuff we neither want nor need. I do see lots of very displeased people complaining about TSA abusing the traveling public. "In your eyes it may seem that the patting down of children is absurd but the TSA is unable to make assunmptions about any individual coming through security and all persons who alarm or children being carried by sn adult who alarmed must get screened.If you did research and thought about the logic behind TSA screening infants you would find that there have been multiple incidents where children and infants have been used as suicide bombers and terrorists. Children are vulnerable and for a suicide bomber they may be a prime choice to try and get past the security process."How many children suicide bombers have there been in the US? Why wasn't this procedure put into place in the 60's when VC used children as bomb delivery systems? How do the Europeans handle infants and children? Do they make the assumption that all infants and children are nothing but wanna be bombers or do they assume innocent until found guilty? I wrote two posts related to a specific question that were barred by the administrator. None had fowl language, and the question was perfectly pertinent (won't post it again to see if this message gets through).I do not believe the Delete-O-Meter! Much more is being deleted!! Considering how many negative posts are here, that thought is rather scary!! In response to my previous comment, someone anonymously wrote:"Please ensure that if you post a link to letter that you want everyone to read, you read the letter yourself."I've read that letter many times. I'm very familiar with it. In fact, I quoted the entire thing in the comment thread of another post of this blog."It is true that it is not required to show ID"Right. That's what I stated that the letter confirmed, and indeed it does. (As does the TSA's Web site.)"however if you do not show ID you will be subject to secondary(additional) screening."I never suggested otherwise. You are not required to present any credentials (to present documents which can be used in the process of identifying you; to "show I.D.") when flying domestically in the United States. Many people incorrectly believe otherwise.For more information, see "What's Wrong With Showing ID" at The Identity Project. re: "If you did research and thought about the logic behind TSA screening infants you would find that there have been multiple incidents where children and infants have been used as suicide bombers and terrorists."Please enlighten us and list some of your several incidents of children being used as suicide bombers and terrorist that you refer to. How many in the Northern Hemisphere?TSA is a larger threat to freedom than any terrorist! "Sandra is the best though. Appalled at children being patted down!! I guess we are the only country in the world that does it? BTW, the correct name is a "Process"! The reason that the child is being processed 99% of the time is because the Airline you purchased your tickets from....called for it!!"You really have missed the point, in less of course you don't think child abuse is a problem. Sexual abuse of their children by strangers is a concern of every parent. TSO's are not immune to arrest for child abuse. Sandra's concern is understandable, your comment shows a blatant disregard for human rights. If the TSO next to you is a pedophile, are you going to cover for him? Do you really think child abuse is a subject for your mockery? Anonymous said... Figure this one. I have a TSA approved lock (i.e., one for which the TSA has a key) for my suitcase, although I usually carry on. On one flight recently, however, I checked my bag .. but forgot to lock the suitcase. Thus, the lock was attached and secured, but not preventing the suitcase from being opened. When the bag arrived, the lock was removed, gone. Only a TSA person could have removed the lock.March 23, 2008 11:44 AM I work in bags and I see locks that have fallen off via the belt system all the time. Sometimes they don't lock all the way (even tho we think that they do) sometimes they pop open, sometimes they get ripped off. I'm sorry that that happened to you but it is not always TSA's fault. Anonymous said... On a direct flight from Memphis to Detroit, jewelry was stolen from my suitcase. The jewelry was packed inside of a box, which was packed inside of a zipped up bagged. The jewelry were the only items taken, and no card was left to indicate that my luggage had been searched. I know that my suitcase had been tampered with, because the zippers were in a different location than where I put them. The only time my suitcase was out of my possession was when I turned it in to the TSA people at the airport in Memphis. The only way someone could have known that the jewelry was there was via Xray. My claims with TSA and the airlines were denied. Now, you tell me - who could have pulled off this theft? It MUST have involved a TSA employee, perhaps in cahoots with someone from the airlines. In any case, DON'T TRUST ANYONE with TSA. They're human beings and not all of them are honest!March 23, 2008 3:45 PMGuess what? After a TSA personell gets done checking your bag (which at least at my airport is ALWAYS under a camera) it gets handed off to an airline worker. I would not risk my job for some jewlery most of my co-workers would not either. i am a photographer who still shoots film. when i travel i usually take 60-80 rolls of 220 film with me. since all the new rules after 9/11, tsa employees routinely open every single plastic packaging of each roll of film, exposing the paper-backed film to the air (roll film is different from 35mm - it is not protected by a metal cannister). because i do not want to put 800asa roll film through the x-ray machine (film ends up with xray lines crosshatching the film) all of my film becomes exposed to the elements, causing the film to take in moisture, which can in turn ruin the film. is there anything i can do to protect my 800asa 220 roll film in the future? Comment-curious as to whether or not spurs on western boots pose a possible weapons threat. Did I also mention knitting needles of various number sizes. Anyone with any knowledge of close quarters contact know that either of the above mentioned items can and will do serious or fatal results. Yet I consistantly see these items being passed through security w/o as much as a look at. Want to witness unqualified, untrained TSA officers, try Fairbanks, AK. I travel through there two to three times a month. One never knows what to expect. Of course, neither do they. Just roll your eye and wonder how these folks were selected for this highly sensative position. Makes for a good time passing conversation with other travelers. Thank you. It is so easy for people to bash TSA and what they do but in all reality the people who are making comments about TSA and how unprofessional they are and how they treat people like criminals (especially elderly, children and people with disabilites)are the ones who are on the outside looking in and have no idea what they are talking about. Bottom line is that there will never be a time when all persons are satisfied with how the security process is. Right now people non-stop complain that TSA does too much and takes away too many items and screens people who should not be bothered with so they think security should be lessened.But the second something happens and the nation is put in an uproar then TSA will be blamed because they did not do enough. TSA is in a lose-lose situation but continues to do their job day in and day out despite all the negativity made about them.TSA as with any company is always trying to improve but nothing in life can ever be 100% error proof. People are so quick to judge TSA and blame them for anything that goes wrong with flying, whether it be their flight being delayed, showing up late, something is missing from luggage, items are broke, what have you. TSA is not the fault of everyones problems and a sensible person would sit back and think about it for awhile and realize that TSA screeners are human just as anybody else. To the lady complaining about the lotions and shampoos leaking all over her daughters clothes, it is called ZIPLOC bags and they sell them at stores so you can put your spillables in them and they will not leak. I am not sure if you are familiar with an airplane and flying but there is such a thing called air pressure and unfortunately when a plane gets high in altitude containers and such tend to expand and burst. The same thing would happen if you brought a bag of chips on a plane unopened, the bag would expand. Just thought i would help you out. This is in response to the person whose jewelry was stolen. I am sorry for your loss, but the TSO's are not the one and only people who have access to your baggage after you check it with the airlines. After the TSO's screen your luggage, there are at least three other people who handle the property. 1. the person who loads the bag on the tug to take it to the plane. 2. the person who unloads from the tug and onto the conveyor into the plane itself. and 3. (most likely of the three) the person in the belly of the plane loading and stacking the luggage where there is no (that I know of) cameras to keep watch on them. I am a scientist, and as such I would like to see factual analysis of the efficacy of TSA screening.The only scientific evaluation of TSA´s work I have found to date is published in the last issue of 2007 British Medical Journal (you can download it at www.bmj.com, archive, 2007, Dec 22). The article (Screening programme evaluation applied to airport security, by Eleni Linos, Elizabeth Linos and Graham Colditz) is very well put together and brings up important questions. Could a TSA person on this blog please answer the questions in that article? Better still, could the TSA please publish a serious, peer reviewed work showing that its policies are effective? First time to the Blog, SHEESH - nothing constructive just a bunch of crybabys with no common sense, venting their frustration about rules and regulations now that they consider themselves adults, I just see the 3rd graders complaining about having to remove their shoes to take a nap. As far as food and such thru the checkpoint for babies, I don't see any under fed kids out their in the lanes, on the contrary. just feed your kids b-4 you fly and use the drinking fountain inside security (poor baby)I always thought the proper terminolgy was "handy capable" stop using your old age or military background as a crutch to skate security. You will be playing golf when you land anyway.GET OVER IT and FACE THE FACTS this is the way it is going to be from now on when you travel the friendly skies. You all probably yell at the McDonalds attendant TOO! "This is in response to the person whose jewelry was stolen. I am sorry for your loss, but the TSO's are not the one and only people who have access to your baggage after you check it with the airlines. After the TSO's screen your luggage, there are at least three other people who handle the property. 1. the person who loads the bag on the tug to take it to the plane. 2. the person who unloads from the tug and onto the conveyor into the plane itself. and 3. (most likely of the three) the person in the belly of the plane loading and stacking the luggage where there is no (that I know of) cameras to keep watch on them."It is TSA that created the opportunity for theft, however. Not properly resealing luggage, cutting off TSA approved locks, and doing nothing to prevent theft is the problem. Handing over the luggage in a non-secure condition just aggravates the situation, as well as annoying the public. Blaming the airline baggage handlers does nothing to make the situation more palatable to the public. The baggage security issue is the TSA's problem, if you wanted to resolve it you could. A tamper proof seal of some description together with a tag that stated that the bag had been searched, a time stamped tag inside the luggage, all would help resolve the issue of responsibility for theft. Some TSA employees have been let go or prosecuted for this very issue of theft. On a direct flight from Memphis to Detroit, jewelry was stolen from my suitcase. The jewelry was packed inside of a box, which was packed inside of a zipped up bagged. The jewelry were the only items taken, and no card was left to indicate that my luggage had been searched. I know that my suitcase had been tampered with, because the zippers were in a different location than where I put them. The only time my suitcase was out of my possession was when I turned it in to the TSA people at the airport in Memphis.Memphis is rather infamous for baggage thefts. I've had more things stolen from there than at any other airport. It is possible, also, that a TSA type was working in conjuction with one of the ramp rats. This doesn't bring back your jewelry. Next time carry it with you to keep the theives at bay. The airlines don't allow for claims for expensive items (jewelry, laptops, medications, etc)in checked luggage because they know that they have both theives working for them and customers who file claims for non-existing items. To the person whose jewelry was stolen - don't pack valuables in your luggage. This is written on just about every piece of travel literature. Either wear them or don't take them. Any many people have access to luggage, not just the TSA. "First time to the Blog, SHEESH - nothing constructive just a bunch of crybabys with no common sense, venting their frustration about rules and regulations now that they consider themselves adults, I just see the 3rd graders complaining about having to remove their shoes to take a nap. As far as food and such thru the checkpoint for babies, I don't see any under fed kids out their in the lanes, on the contrary. just feed your kids b-4 you fly and use the drinking fountain inside security (poor baby)I always thought the proper terminolgy was "handy capable" stop using your old age or military background as a crutch to skate security. You will be playing golf when you land anyway.GET OVER IT and FACE THE FACTS this is the way it is going to be from now on when you travel the friendly skies. You all probably yell at the McDonalds attendant TOO!"Maybe you can get a role in TSA Gangstaz,(watch it on You Tube) Part2.... Seriously, you are guilty of the very whining that you complain about. Got a problem with "traveler envy"?Do YOU have a problem with parents being concerned with the health, safety, and wellbeing of their children? Are you a parent? A good parent? "I wince when seeing little children and the obviously disabled getting the 'treatment' from TSO's and have refrained from commenting. No more will I do that. Outrageous conduct, witnessed by me on the part of TSA will be reported to the local FSD and TSA hqtrs. I usually have lots of time on my hands while at the airport (arrive two hours early for check in and security screening)."It is abuse, and should be stopped! The more that this issue is brought to the attention of the blog,and to the public through the media, the more likely it will be addressed by TSA officials, hopefully before it becomes crisis management. To me its the same neurotic anti-TSA posting here. What a waste of a valuable information tool for people who use the Air Ports, Ports and Railroads.Never mind what the truth is, this mal-content is going to jam this blog with garbage.To other TSO's who post here, do what you wish, but don't waste your time on this "passenger"! Mr. Anonymous Scientist:Thanks for posting the following:The only scientific evaluation of TSA´s work I have found to date is published in the last issue of 2007 British Medical Journal (you can download it at www.bmj.com, archive, 2007, Dec 22). The article (Screening programme evaluation applied to airport security, by Eleni Linos, Elizabeth Linos and Graham Colditz) is very well put together and brings up important questions.Could a TSA person on this blog please answer the questions in that article? Better still, could the TSA please publish a serious, peer reviewed work showing that its policies are effective?March 25, 2008 6:56 AMI have been asking the TSA now since I started posting to this forum to produce some kind of documentable proof that the tradeoffs they force upon the traveling public in terms of dollar cost and lost liberty in exchange for what appears to be effectively illusory security are worth it. One of the central themes of the many things that I have posted is that some security is necessary, but the extremes to which the TSA has gone, particularly with checkpoint security, are ridiculous; constitutionally questionable; morally repugnant; and sickening to anyone who values their rights and the sacrifices people have made to protect those rights in the past.To date, no such proof has been offered. I doubt any such proof exists. There will be plenty of people who will respond in knee-jerk fashion to this by saying, "well prove that it hasn't." It is not for us to prove a negative. The TSA makes the claim that it protects. Let them prove to us that it has succeeded in its mission. I don't like the new lanes TSA are making to get people threw faster.What you are doing is giving blue print on how to figure out how and when to get something threw. This is by having a routine for the family lane or the business lane etcThe TSO's will fall into a routine and when that happens there will be problemsDT "The TSO's will fall into a routine and when that happens there will be problems."Not hardly, if the routine that they fall into is a routine of thorough, professional checks made to the best of their abilities and those of the equipment they use. "To me its the same neurotic anti-TSA posting here. What a waste of a valuable information tool for people who use the Air Ports, Ports and Railroads.Never mind what the truth is, this mal-content is going to jam this blog with garbage.To other TSO's who post here, do what you wish, but don't waste your time on this "passenger"!"This blog is an open forum. The moderators decide what gets posted.What passes muster might not be for the thin skinned, especially people who are unable to accept and learn from the information shared here. It probably isn't a very easy job being a TSO, but there are some who do it well. My own concerns are about the ethical, fair, humane and non-abusive treatment on both the passenger and TSO sides of this debate. The elderly, the disabled, children, and TSO's all have the right to the same fair treatment.Unfortunately, it begins with the TSO community. It is part of your job description to be courteous and professional. Barring some heroic action, your job probably won't get many accolades. Sadly, many people see what you do as an intrusion in their lives. This dialog might seed some changes. Who knows, but we can hope. Dear Winstonsmith,Thank you for supporting my petition for hard data from the TSA. Let us hope that more people read this and force some kind of information (which I also doubt exists) from these people.Don't miss the British Medical Journal article. It is great! This is the conclusion of the British Medical Journal article:"ConclusionOf course, we are not proposing that money spent on unconfirmed but politically comforting efforts to identify and seize water bottles and skin moisturisers should be diverted to research on cancer or malaria vaccines. But what would the National Screening Committee recommend on airport screening? Like mammography in the 1980s, or prostate specific antigen testing and computer tomography for detecting lung cancer more recently, we would like to open airport security screening to public and academic debate. Rigorously evaluating the current system is just the first step to building a future airport security programme that is more user friendly and cost effective, and that ultimately protects passengers from realistic threats." A few of my favorite parts of the BMJ article:"With such high value attached to airport security, the details of efficacy, precision, and cost effectiveness of screening methods are easy to ignore. Protection at any cost is a reassuring maxim for us jetsetters. But preventing any death—whether from haemorrhagic stroke, malignant melanoma, or diabetic ketoacidosis—is surely an equally noble cause. In most such cases, screening programmes worldwide are closely evaluated and heavily regulated before implementation. Is airport security screening an exception?""Since 1969, only 2000 people have died as a result of explosives on planes, yet the US department of homeland security spends more than $500m annually on research and development of programmes to detect explosives at airports. Even the devastating 11 September 2001 attacks caused around 3000 deaths, which is similar to the number of deaths attributed to high blood glucose each day13 or the number of children dying of the human immunodeficiency virus every three days worldwide.""Furthermore, the cost of airport security ($9 per passenger) is 1000 times higher than for railway security ($0.01 per passenger), even though the number of attacks on trains is similar to that in planes. This is analogous to committing mammography resources to screening only the left breast, and ignoring the right side, even though cancer can affect both breasts.""We systematically reviewed the literature on airport security screening tools. A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, ISI Web of Science, Lexis, Nexis, JSTOR, and Academic Search Premier (EBSCOhost) found no comprehensive studies that evaluated the effectiveness of x ray screening of passengers or hand luggage, screening with metal detectors, or screening to detect explosives. When research teams requested such information from the US Transportation Security Administration they were told that evaluating new screening programmes might be useful, but it was overshadowed by "time pressures to implement needed security measures quickly." I had a extremely unpleasant encounter with the TSA officers while traveling through the San Diego airport SAN last saturday (March 22, 2008). How it happened was that I somehow set off the metal detector alarm, I have absolutely no idea how that is possible because the ONLY metallic thing on my body was the underwire in my bra, and other people that I was traveling with were able to walk through with belts on, change in their pockets, jewelry, ect without setting off the same exact metal detector's alarm. So, I was pulled inside and put into the "box" that is on the other side of the metal detectors. As I was standing in there, I politely asked if I or possibly one of the officers could retrieve my stuff which included a brand new laptop, a purse with cash, cellphone and bag, because other passengers were knocking my laptop around and moving it while retrieving their own bags, also I was concerned that my things could be stolen (since airports are one of the highest theft areas). The officer rudely snapped at me "You cannot leave here, and don't worry about your stuff." While I waited, my laptop was knocked onto the floor, and upon turning it on I found that the screen is now damaged. I was treated like a criminal and told to stand in the "box" and not allowed to even place my objects in a safe place. Then they used the wand and patted me down as if I were a criminal. That wouldn't have been so bad if the security officers would not have been complete jerks (There other words that describe them much better). While the officer was waving the wand over my chest area it kept going off, and it was mysteriously going off while passing over my shoulder. The officer rudely asked if I had anything metallic in my shoulder or chest area, and I told her maybe underwire in my bra, but I have no idea why it would be going off while passing my shoulder. Then the officer became even ruder with me. The she patted down my shoulder/chest area, and I was already wearing a skin-tight shirt, it was pretty obvious that there was nothing in this area of my body. Then while searching my bag, the officer asked me if I had anything 'round' in my bag. I had a confused look and said "I'm not sure", and then the officer began to yell at me. I'm sorry that I did not take an inventory of the various shapes of the items that I had packed in my bag. "Do you have anything round?" is such a vague and off-hand question that my only quick on the response could be something like "I'm not sure." Then the officer opened my jewelry bag, and a piece of jewelry fell on the floor and the officer just stepped on it like it was nothing. When I reached to pick it up to place it on the table she yelled "DO NOT TOUCH THAT."I really hate being treated like a criminal and my personal possessions treated like garbage. The saddest thing is that my story isn't nearly as bad as other stories of read on this blog or reports that I have heard on the news. My heart goes out to all of the people who have been harassed and abused by TSA people. Thank you TSA for allowing my brand new $2,000 computer to be broken. (I could not have it retrieved when I asked POLITELY, and of course laptops have to come out of their protective padded bags.)Also, thank you TSA for treating me like a CRIMINAL. The terrorists are getting what they wanted. Our civil liberties and freedoms are being chipped away one by one, and the Bill of Rights is being thrown out the window. I hope these TSA officers enjoy their jobs of treating innocent people like criminals and pieces of crap. Hmmm, I suspect that the SOPs governing the day-to-day operations were written by career paper pushers with little thought given to the what-if senarios that engineers would have discussed. Grammar correct?Spelling correct?Okay we're ready to use this as policy. I suspect that little thought went into reactions of US citizens, or the much longer lasting repercussions for a slip-shod, half baked, SOP. Homeland security and TSA have me shaking my head and wondering just what were they thinking when they put pen to paper. From the TSA's own website: 3-1-1 for carry-ons = 3 ounce bottle or less (by volume) ; 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger placed in screening bin. One-quart bag per person limits the total liquid volume each traveler can bring. 3 oz. container size is a security measure.The rule limits the volume of liquids, gels and aerosols to bottles 3 ounces or smaller (or 100 ml), in 1 quart-sized zip top bag, and 1 bag per traveler.All liquids, gels and aerosols must be in three-ounce or smaller containers. Larger containers that are half-full or toothpaste tubes rolled up are not allowed. Each container must be three ounces or smaller.So just what is allowed? You lack consistancy even on the place, we fliers use. You wonder why you get so much grief over things like this. FYI 3oz doesn't equal 100mL.Fix the minor details like this and your jobs will become easier. The last few years my wife and I have traveled internationally. We had not traveled just with in the USA until this month.We made a quick 4 day weekend trip and packed two small suitcases. One we checked and one we carried on during the out bound trip, as we were taking some Tequila to my brother in law to try.On the way home we decided to carry both suitcases on board, something we have not had the opportunity to do for years. We did not think about some of the liquids that tend to stay in the suitcase we normally check. The TSA people a John Wayne Airport were extremely nice in requesting permission to check our bag, and in explaining why. We knew better but had a brain fade as we were out of our normal routine.I did have to remove my belt and watch, and go through the metal detector again. I was wearing the same belt and watch on the out bound trip, and did not set of the metal detector. Other wise I would have removed them to start with.I understand different machines can have different levels of sensitivity.I do not understand why there are different procedures from one airport to another. Most require shoes removed, a very few do not. This must be training and monitoring issue and should be corrected. Overall we have no problem meeting and complying with the requirements. We have had very few TSA agents who were unfriendly, or difficult. I must say however, that the John Wayne TSA agents were the most pleasant I have ever meet. re post by Duane on 03/21/2008 3:18 PM.It has been mentioned in another blog that multiple attempts were made to respond to the post made by Duane.TSA block all post advising Duane to contact local police for 1 1/2 days, a delay that could prevent an effective investigation of the incident.I have to wonder if TSA places its agenda above the 8 year old citizen that went through the TSA checkpoint? What does TSA have to hide?Smells like an attempt to cover-up the actions of a TSO.TSA continues to disappoint! Here's another horror story from FlyerTalk about the TSA's treatment of a 2 year old child:"I flew out of PHX Saturday March 8th with my wife and 2 year old and they seperated* my son from us and patted him down. I have filed a complaint with Office of Civil Rights which is part of TSA, but have not had any response in almost two weeks. I am spending time today writing my Congresswoman and Senator and trying to find some way to get this addressed. There were two people who wound up being very helpful, but two were hostile and had our 2 year placed on a chair against a wall and had us stand four feet away and turn our backs on him while they decided who was going to pat down my son.I have heard repeatedly that people are horrified by this experience and they recommend I contact legal counsel."*The TSA's website says they will NOT separate you from your child.Among comments to the above were:"This seems cruel. I know that there are many *$&%*##$ TSA types, but surely they don't condone cruelty to children. Is there any sort of logic or justification for isolating a 2 year old and making his parents turn away from him? Are there really TSA staff who are that sadistic, and others who would let such behavior go on without comment or correction?""A situation such as .....'s child endured could very well produce signs of trauma: not sleeping well, nightmares, fear of airports, clinging to parents, not wanting to go to nursery school/day care. What happened to him was despicable and it seems to be becoming the norm rather than an aberration.""....consider filing an abuse complaint with the Phoenix PD"The flying public, as others have said, must start to speak up. If you see the TSA treating a child or a disabled person with disrespect or in an abusive manner, speak up so that other people in line can hear you, point out the abusive treatment, call a police officer, call a supervisor..... don't wait until such things happen to you, take a stand for your fellow travelers.I would love to see a coordinated day of civil disobedience at our airports, where thousands of people join together and say WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH. I had an umbrella confiscated by the TSA at the Portland (Oregon) Memorial Coliseum prior to a Barack Obama rally because "it was too long." only a few of us were tsa the were secret service. they were having tsa do their bag checks. their uniforms look really similar to ours. next time look around. While traveling from Detroit with TSA approved locks---the fastening hole for the lock was snipped thereby making the lock useless. Looks like someone needs glasses. We were following the "directive" for having TSA approved locks. Hmmmm. TSA needs to train their employees to THINK on some passengers. My Dad is in his 80s, has had bypass surgery, wears a pacemaker, has congestive heart failure, and walks slowly, and has to stop to rest. He brings his medical records to the airport, to no avail. He has put up with the indignity of an employee putting their hands inside his belt. Come on! THINK --this is a church official who travels on church business, never had a speeding ticket or parking ticket--Hands off my Dad! This is clearly invasive --and absolutely not necessary. THINK --this is not a 'bomb-carrying' individual--and the medical papers should be enough to let him pass without the indignities in the extra search. He doesn't complain, but I travel with him, and think you should change your policies to include some common sense. Anonymous said... only a few of us were tsa the were secret service. they were having tsa do their bag checks. their uniforms look really similar to ours. next time look around.The use of TSO instead of professional contract security brings up a few questions.What budget do the loaner TSOs get paid from? TSA, Treasury Dept., or Obama's campaign?What law or rule allows for the loaning of TSOs? (Just a general answer here is good. No need to make Francine look up all the case law on a Easter weekend)Who paid for the moving and setting up the equipment?Are TSOs allowed to take other off duty security jobs and wear their TSA issued uniform?If a TSO makes rude comment or steals, what department takes the complaint? TSA or Secret Service?The TRANSPORTATION Security Agency needs to stick with transportation security until they can do that right on a consistent basis. As a traveler with a defibulator, I understand that I must get a patdown everytime I go through security. While inconvienent I understand this. What I do not understand is why some locations require me to leave my belongings and go behind enclosed walls to get to the patdown checkpoint. This happened just 2 weeks ago in San Diego. I was forced to send my belongings through the scanner but since I could not go through the metal detector I had to go around to the exit area while my belongings went through the scanner.After getting to the patdown area I was asked which tubs were mine. However this was AFTER I had them out of sight for about 2 minutes. The people behind me could have easily taken my wallet, phone, keys, etc. What's funny was after I got to the gate area there was an announcement that you should not leave your belongings out of your sight.TSA could easily have escorted me and my belongings to the patdown area and then sent the tubs through the scanner. They could have asked before I left which tubs were mine and made sure they were safe, or at least have special color tubs for these instances so that the agents could monitor the situation.By the way, it doesn't even matter who you are. I am a DHS (not TSA) employee with a top secret clearance and credentials. I was still treated wrong. From TSA's own website:3-1-1 for carry-ons = 3 ounce bottle or less (by volume) ; 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger placed in screening bin. One-quart bag per person limits the total liquid volume each traveler can bring. 3 oz. container size is a security measure.Just for grins I went to take a look at my tube of toothpaste and deodorant. Funny thing is that both of them list the contents by weight instead of volume. FYI TSA weight often doesn't equal volume. How can you possibly state that 3oz of displacement (volume) equals 3, 4, 5 oz of weight? The misaplication of simple mathematics, science, weights and measures calls to question your confiscation of passenger belongings. By the way, it doesn't even matter who you are. I am a DHS (not TSA) employee with a top secret clearance and credentials. I was still treated wrong.Please tell them that you get very excited when separated from your belongings and want them to be visible during your screening process.Good to see someone with some credentials (DHS, TS, ect) complain about the excesses of TSA. Does that mean the rest of us unwashed fliers are now vindicated when we complain? By the way, it doesn't even matter who you are. I am a DHS (not TSA) employee with a top secret clearance and credentials. I was still treated wrong.Just wondering if you took any action after the fact to report this problem to the TSA Chain of Command? Regular civilians only get corrective screening when attempting to voice a concern with TSA! "TSA could easily have escorted me and my belongings to the patdown area and then sent the tubs through the scanner. They could have asked before I left which tubs were mine and made sure they were safe, or at least have special color tubs for these instances so that the agents could monitor the situation."I know it may be hard to do, but next time insist on getting your things before you are screened. This IS something the screener should have did for you. It happens at my airport as well. Here's my two cent's worth on experiences at several airports, in a fair bit of detail. I'm hoping that my describing each situation in some length that the TSA can see where things went wrong and how the experience can be improved.These comments expand on comments I've made previously about Flint MI, Orlando FL, Atlanta GA and Pensacola FL. More gripes than grins, unfortunately....The recent stories are all gripes. These unfold from August of 2007 to February 2008.Flint MI, Story #1My girlfriend (hereafter referred to as Heather) and I are going through security. Bags go through x-ray, and I hear the infamous call for "bag check". We walk up to the tail end of conversation between another passenger and the screener. Both are rather brusque with each other in their tone. Passenger leaves. Screener comments loudly to another screener about how rude that last passenger was to her. (I'm thinking that the screener's tone with that passenger set no example of politeness. Neither did loudly making that comment in public.) Screener starts to look in my girlfriend's carry on, and here's the dialog from there. Screener: Are any "liquids gels or aerosols" in the bag?Heather: noScreener: Is there anything metal in the bag or anything I might poke herself on?Heather: (holds hand above bag, and points to rear pocket) There's a nail file in that back pocket. Screener: (yelling) DON'T TOUCH THE BAG WHILE I'M SEARCHING IT !Heather: I not touching the bag. I'm just pointing to the pocket where my nail file is. I don't want you to get stuck.Screener: (yelling louder) DON'T TOUCH THE BAG WHILE I'M SEARCHING IT !Heather: Fine, whatever. (puts her hands at her side.)Screener: (after encountering a tube of lipstick, yelling) THIS HAS TO BE IN YOUR ZIPLOC BAG.Me: (thinking to myself -- a lipstick has a fixed volume and shape. From what I learned in school, that makes it a solid. No point, however, in arguing semantics of states of matter with a power happy ignoramus.)Heather: Fine, I'll put it in there. (Starts to put lipstick in her ziploc, which was pretty full.)Screener: (no longer yelling, but with smug satisfaction) Your ziploc has to be able to close. (obviously thinking "gotcha")Me: I've got plenty of room in mine. (I place lipstick in my ziploc, close the top, and hold it up for screener to see. My turn to think "gotcha".)Screener: (Walks away without saying a word.)Two major comments:1. The yelling was totally unnecessary and unprovoked. We were being cooperative and trying to play the game by the rules.2. Heather was concerned by for the well-being of the screener, as evidenced by wanting to make sure she didn't get poked by the nail file. The screener reacted by yelling.3. As I have said in prior posts, the TSA needs to stop throwing "liquids, gels and aerosols" around like a catch phrase and define what this means in real world terms. I have yet to find a definition on the TSA web site, and have yet to see a link to an official definition on this blog. (TSO NY has posted his thumb rules, but has yet to provide a link to where they may be found for all to see.)4. If the screener is done with you, they should yet you know that in a definitive manner. (Similar to the phrase LEO's use, "you're free to go.") Just walking away is rude.5. Less cattiness at the checkpoint, please.Flint MI, Story #2I was the first of four passengers in line. The screening area at this airport has very little background noise. I already had my plastic bins on the table, my notebook PC in a bin, my regulation ziploc in the bin and was starting to take off my shoes. The people in line behind me were doing similarly. Obviously, we all "knew the drill." The screener / wannabe drill instructor started barking orders. "TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES AND PUT THEM IN THE BIN. PUT ANY NOTEBOOK COMPUTERS IN A BIN. KEEP YOUR BOARDING PASS AND PHOTO ID IN YOUR HAND AT ALL TIMES."Comments on this one:1. Did the screener really expect people to remove footwear, pull out notebook PC's, pull out ziploc bags, handle bins, etc. one handed in order to keep their boarding passes and photo id in their hand at all times? What is that supposed to accomplish, anyway? 2. What's wrong with a simple request to "please have your boarding pass and photo id in hand as you approach the metal detector"? 3. How about passengers with mobility, strength, or balance issues? For example, there's absolutely no way my Dad could take his shoes off one handed, standing on one foot. I see no accommodation at this checkpoint (or others for that matter) for the elderly, infirm or physically challenged in getting in or out of footwear. Can't the TSA afford a few chairs?4. Is it necessary to yell at four people in a fairly quiet area? The screener only needed to be heard over a distance of ten feet max. A normal conversational voice will carry that far.Orlando FLScreening area is a large open space, and acoustically, it's an echo chamber. PA is blaring endlessly saying to "keep control of your luggage to prevent introduction of prohibited items", interleaved with announcements of the terror alert level de jour. Screener is shouting something in such heavily accented English that passengers couldn't understand a word being said. We could see her gesturing and pointing in an angry manner, presumably trying to direct traffic, obviously irritated that the passengers weren't doing what she wanted.Comments on this one:1. Why do the announcements have to go non-stop ? Put some space in between announcements to lessen the overall noise level.2. What difference does it make to me whether it's a yellow day or an orange day, anyway? What's the point of the announcement, anyway, since we're supposed to just "be about our lives"?3. If a TSA person can't speak English clearly, they have no business getting irritated with passengers who don't understand whatever she's shouting. Time for ESL and / or accent reduction training.Pensacola FLHeather and I are going through security together. I start the bags through the x-ray, and screener #1 calls for a bag check on one of Heather's carryons. She goes on through the metal detector to resolve the situation, while I hang back to make sure our stuff gets into the x-ray OK (especially not wanting to let my notebook PC out of my sight). Here's the dialog from there:Screener #1: (pulls a tube of mascara out of carryon, starts yelling) THIS HAS TO BE IN YOUR ZIPLOC BAG. Me: (I'm through the metal detector and join Heather. Screener #1 has left to go look at the x-ray machine as more bags come through.) Are we done?Heather: I'm not sure. She made it sound like they want to re-xray my bag without the mascara. I don't want to just walk away if they're not done.Me: Yeah. Don't want to give them any excuses.Screener #2: (Walks behind us, and bellows out) THE LINE IS BACKING UP. EXPEDITE GATHERING YOUR BELONGINGS AFTER THEY GO THROUGH THE X-RAY MACHINE. (He shoots a look of contempts at us and continues to where screener #1 is at the x-ray machine.)Me: (I catch the eye of screener #3, who is standing to the side wearing blue gloves and doing nothing. He immediately looks away and stares into space.) Me: (Quietly to Heather.) Let's get out of here. That guy wants people to expedite gathering their stuff, so I'll take that as our cue to leave.Me: (Projecting my voice straight at screener #3) Since he left, I guess they're done with us. Let's get out of here. Screener #3: (No response. Continues to stare into empty space.)Comments: 1. Again, no effective definition of "liquids, gels or aerosols".2. Screener #1 yelled when a normal tone of voice would have gotten the job done. I could hear her yelling from the other side of the metal detector.3. Screener #1 gave no clear indication that we were free to go, and we didn't want to look like we were trying to sneak away. The thanks we got for trying to cooperate was screener #2 yelling orders, when he could have asked us if there was a question or problem. You don't have to yell when you're standing beside us, and spare me the dirty looks. 4. Screener #3 was less than ten feet away when Screeners #1 and #2 were yelling, so he had to know what was going on. By avoiding my gaze, he gave the impression that he did not want to help.5. When I got home and was looking in my bag, I found a 1 oz tube of sunscreen in my carryon that Screener #1 had missed. So much for their self-righteous attitude. If minimal contents of a tube of mascara is such a threat to aviation security, that's nothing compared to a 1 oz sunscreen tube. 6. Again, the yelling was totally unnecessary and unprovoked. We were being cooperative and trying to play the game by the rules.Atlanta GAAcoustics similar to Orlando -- noisy echo chamber. Same announcements going nonstop, too. Big crowds -- it's a few days after Christmas.I walk up to the person checking id's. She doesn't say a word, and just glares at me with a major league scowl on her face and a look of utter hatred in her eyes. (Don't have to be a BDO to detect that.) I say hello, then hand her my passport and boarding pass. She looks at them and silently hands them back. Thinking "if you see a person without a smile, give them one of yours", I wish here a happy new year. No response, and no change from scowl.As I head towards the screening lines, there a person there attempting to direct traffic. He looks pretty frazzled, but I couldn't blame him, under the circumstances. At least he isn't yelling. I wish him a happy new year, and he smiles.In line, there's a screener shouting at the passengers, but I couldn't understand him over the general bedlam. Since the people in front of me were doing the usual drill with shoes, ziplocs and computers, I did the same. Screener at metal detector checks my id and boarding pass without saying a word. I wish him a happy new year -- no response. Talk about being treated like cattle.Get to concourse, and there's a lengthly pre-recorded announcement playing about the 3-1-1 requirement. Comments:1. This is the typical "treat passengers like cattle" situation. Even if you're going to have a distant manner, don't look at me with a look of utter hatred. If you don't like checking ID's, get another job. If I greet you, respond -- that's ordinary courtesy.2. Same comments as Orlando regarding terror alert de jour announcement and keeping control of your bags.3. Seems silly to have an announcement going about 3-1-1 after everyone has already been through security. Talk about shutting the door after the horse has left the barn !And now on a positive noteFlint MI, Story #3This was one of my first flights post 9/11 and before 3-1-1. Still a bit nervous about flying again. (I didn't fly for two years after the attacks.) I get to the checkpoint, empty my pockets into my carryon, take off cell phone, etc. Here's the conversation from there:Screener #1: (Leans across the table, and looks at my footwear.) Sir, you should probably take those boots off so we can x-ray them. They might have metal shanks.Me: They don't have metal shanks -- I've seen them with the soles off at the cobbler shop.Screener #1: It's easier if you go ahead and take them off. If you set off the metal detector, we'll have to x-ray them anyway.Me: Makes sense. No problem.Metal Detector: BEEP.Screener 2: Sir, do you have anything metal on you? Me: Nothing that detaches. (I grin widely to show my braces.)Screener #2: Sir, if you'd step over here please. (Points to mat with two yellow footprints on it.)Screener #3: Sir, if you'd stand on the footprints and hold your arms out to either side.Me: Sure thing.Screener #3: (Starts wanding me. As he goes over my right shin, wand give off a little "beep".)Me: I've got a surgical screw in that shin. It helps hold my knee together. Screener #3: (Keeps wanding.) OK, thanks. We may have to come back and hand check that.Me: No problem.Screener #3: (Keeps wanding. As he goes over my left wrist...)Wand: BEEEEEEPMe: That's my bone-headed mistake for the day -- I forgot to take off my wrist watch.Screener #3: (Pulls my sweater sleeve up and sees it's a watch, and smiles.) No problem. (keeps wanding.)Screener #3: (Finishes wanding.) Thanks for your cooperation, and have a good flight.Me: Thanks. Have a good evening.Comments:1. First and foremost, note the courteous and respectful tone in the screeners' manner. No yelling, and I hadn't been addressed as "sir" that many times in one conversation since getting out of the Navy.2. Despite my dumb mistake, the screener was nice about it. No public ass-chewing in front of everyone else.3. Note that when I questioned the need to take off my boots, the question was answered politely.4. All in all, a very positive experience. The screeners had a job to do, no doubt, but were able to do it cordially.Flint MI, Story #4Another post 9/11 and pre 3-1-1 flight. That trip, I decided to fly in a polo shirt, walking shorts and sneakers. Nothing metal in my footwear, and my right shin is in the open in case that screw trips the metal detector. Remembered to take my watch off that time. I'm approaching the metal detector. Here's the conversation from there:Screener: Sir, you should probably take those sneakers off.Me: There's nothing metal -- they won't trip the metal detector. Screener: True, but you'll have to go through secondary screening if you leave them on, and then you'll have to take them off there so we can x-ray them.Me: (In a puzzled tone.) OK, but what's the issue with my sneakers?Screener: It's the thickness of the soles. Me: The Richard Reid scenario? Screener: Exactly.Me: Aha! Makes sense. Thanks for explaining.Screener: You're welcome.Comments: 1. Again, note the courteous and respectful tone in the screener's manner and response to my questions.2. I learned something about the requirements that day. 3. Notice what was missing from the response to my questions -- no authoritarian attitude, no threats, etc. Summing UpIn the pre 3-1-1 world, the screener's seemed like decent people trying to a difficult job. Post, 3-1-1, though, it seems rudeness and suspicion have become institutionalized. Unfortunately, the 3-1-1 rule is implemented in typical bureaucratic fashion. “Liquids, gels or aerosols” becomes quite the catch phrase with the TSO’s, but the flying public is not knowledgeable of all the nuances of exactly what is a “liquid, gel or aerosol”. In the absence of good operational definitions, the TSO's implement their own interpretations of what is a “liquid, gel or aerosol”. Each TSO expects the traveler to know their particular interpretation of the rules. The TSO's treat a passenger who violates their individual interpretation like they are stupid at best, probably uncooperative, and have criminal intent at worst. The TSO's appear to be inventing requirements, such as the "requirement" that one's 3 oz bottles have to be "labeled" (such as TSO NY's posts), but don't specify in what manner. Hey blog moderators -- can you confirm or deny the "label requirement".Because of the continued confusion, the TSO’s become perpetually irritated with the flying public as a group. They assume the worst of the passengers, feel the need to shout instructions, bark orders like drill instructors, etc., instead of dealing with passengers as individuals. Ordinary civility goes out the window.Is it any wonder that the relationship between the TSA and the flying public can be a little acrimonious? Though the TSO’s are tested frequently for their skill at detecting prohibited items by the TSA, there is little or no accountability for their interpersonal skills. Supervisors seem to pay no attention to the way that passengers are treated. The TSA relies on passenger complaints to deal with heavy handed TSO’s, instead of taking the proactive approach and evaluating the actions of the agency in general and the TSO’s in particular from the point of view of a law-abiding passenger.What about the security camera footage from the checkpoints? Also, I would presume that the checkpoints are also "wired for sound". Why not review camera footage to see how the checkpoint experience can be improved?Why doesn't the TSA do some secret shopper missions with the express purpose of looking at the security experience through the eyes of the public? I recently had to suffer through boarding a flight at the Orlando Int'l Airport (MCO) a few days after a new policy of pre-sorting passengers into 3 categories was put into place: Family, Casual Traveler, Seasoned Traveller. This might have been a good idea, but its implementation was flawed beyond belief. For example:1) passengers sort themselves. there was no enforcement.2) it was so crowded and there were no TSA employees to help guide the flow of people nor rails to handle the long lines.3) as you get closer to the gate, you do see 3 checkpoints, each manned by 2 i.d. checkers. However, beyond the checkpoint, the lines all mix together again! People just naturally went for the shortest line they can see. I got stuck behind a poor mother traveling with her 3 children.What is the point of segregating passengers at all if you are not going to enforce the separate flows all the way through?Why bother segregating passengers if they end up getting the same treatment anyway? I did not see the TSA assigning more personelle to help the "Family" travellers or provide wider entrances or ....It was clear that very little thought went into implementing the idea. Anonymous Sandra said... "Patting down a child is disgraceful. Patting down a 9-month old is beyond belief. It's my suggestion that all parents teach their kids to scream for help if someone from the TSA touches them. They would just be putting into practice what hopefully they are already being taught - that you never let a stranger touch you and if someone does that, you scream."Man walks up to the check point with his family, and suddenly remembers that he still has his four inch blade hunting knife on his belt. He thought it was too much trouble to go back to the counter to try to catch his luggage or make other arrangements. So, he slid the knife down the shirt back of his eight year old son in order to sneak it through screening.Yes, that really happened.A little girl was given a stuffed animal by someone at the motel a few days before the family was due to fly out. When the family went through check point, TSA found a pistol hidden inside the toy. The person at the motel was using the child to dispose of evidence of a crime.Yes, that is a true story also. I was hoping that someone from the Blog Team or TSA would have been a standup guy and addressed why the responses to poster Duane were blocked for 1 1/2 days.Did TSA communicate with Duane during that period?What was the TSA motivation for blocking Blog participants from commenting back to Duane?Was there an effort (this appears to be the case) by TSA to block an investigation by any Law Enforcement Agency of this incident?How about it TSA, would you care to respond? Anonymous said... "Now that a TSA-certified flight deck officer's gun has accidentally discharged during a US Airways commercial flight, who is going to protect us from those who are protecting us? Can one request "handgun-free" flights from the airlines? March 24, 2008 3:47 PM"Oh no! Haven't you been reading the blogs? That armed flight deck officer and the locked cabin door are all the security you will ever need! With them in place all of the TSA and all the things it does can all go away! joe screener said:""Patting down a child is disgraceful. Patting down a 9-month old is beyond belief.It's my suggestion that all parents teach their kids to scream for help if someone from the TSA touches them. They would just be putting into practice what hopefully they are already being taught - that you never let a stranger touch you and if someone does that, you scream."Man walks up to the check point with his family, and suddenly remembers that he still has his four inch blade hunting knife on his belt. He thought it was too much trouble to go back to the counter to try to catch his luggage or make other arrangements. So, he slid the knife down the shirt back of his eight year old son in order to sneak it through screening.Yes, that really happened.A little girl was given a stuffed animal by someone at the motel a few days before the family was due to fly out. When the family went through check point, TSA found a pistol hidden inside the toy. The person at the motel was using the child to dispose of evidence of a crime.Yes, that is a true story also."March 27, 2008 10:04 AMAnd those two items were going to bring down an aircraft how? By the way, are you a/k/a "screener joe" who has been ripped a new one so often on this blog because you don't know what you are talking about?Three cheers to Sandra, winstonsmith, Marshall and all those anonymous posters who are fed up with the TSA and are not afraid to say so. I have a close relative who works for TSA as a Security Officer.She attributes most of the ill treatment of passengers,poor training,and inconsistancies to the high turn over rate at TSA. According to her, many of her coworkers are brand new or on the way out the door. This would lead me to believe that this is the heart of the problem. There has to be a reason why people would run away from a federal job advertised as a career in such high numbers as reported by many news sources.What's going on behind the scenes is my question. What ever you do don't post a comment on how much TSA's turnover rate is responsible for the inconsistancies and poor performance of the workforce because it will be censored. The truth hurts I see. Our tax dollars hard at work. I have read every single comment on this post. Some were hysterical, especially about passengars pummeling a hijacker. I think it's true. Save one of them having a gun, they wouldn't last with annoyed mothers who raised 6 boys, ticked off business men who's secretary won't come in for private meetings anymore, and the guy who's girlfriend cheated on him.Some are a tad off beat, like the one about children screaming if someone touches them. I think it's important for children to be educated about strangers, but in this case I think it's important for children to know that they parent will be there and that there is a law that says some people get searched and others don't. And that this isn't "bad" touching.I just want to say, I hate TSAs. Honestly, I could care less if you're just doing your job. You picked a nasty job. There is a reason I do not have your job. Because I don't want to be the one people are posting comments about on the TSA blog because I am enforcing rules I may not agree with.When I hear them say "We're just following the rules" or "We may not agree with them but we have to follow them" I feel like saying "Then get a job that has rules and regulations you agree with"Same for soldiers. Don't state that you think this "war" is ridiculous and then join the Army/Navy/Marines, etc.That being said, no I don't like you, but *I* put up with *you* because I'd rather not sit on my plump rump for sixteen hours just so I can have my very own sammich made by my grammy.I take off my belt, remove my laptop from the case, take off all my outer layers, so I am left in a tank top or t-shirt.On Tuesday, the 25th of March I flew from JFK to SFO. We got non-stop flights with one weeks notice, and checked in online. My boyfriend and I checked our luggage both under my name, that I was checking too. The agent at the counter didn't even look at his boarding pass but required my ID and boarding pass. Fair enough, he didn't have baggage.We get to the security line and I think for sure we'll be singled out for selective screening. I would much rather go through selective screening!1. It's often a shorter and quicker line!2. The TSA personnel are often nicer because they aren't dealing with hoardes of people. Their human interaction is much less.When we weren't selected we moved on. I always wear flip flops to go through security. Recently I found out I suffer from an overarch in my feet and even walking short distances, or short amounts without the support of my shoes is very painful. I recently found very supportive flip flops and was excited, thinking I would be able to wear them and not be in pain (flip flops often aren't supportive and for someone like me, it is painful to wear them). I was told I needed to remove them. My bin had already gone through so they were simple tossed on the belt.And then I had to walk, BAREFOOT on that dirty skeevy floor where all the TSA personnel walk with their chunky black shoes.Ew.I just wanted to wash my feet.Yes, you're just doing your job. Blah blah blah - if you don't have enough faith in the job you do to say "This is why I am doing this" and not "The rules say..."Don't be a robot. If someone asks "Why?" they are most likely genuinely curious because it's something they haven't encountered yet. Answer the, politely, don't act like they are a criminal.My mom get's visible upset and frustrated, and ornery and nasty, when she is singled out for a search or they want to look inside her bag. I believe it's justified, albeit embarassing. One time the woman, while my mom watched, knocked open my mom and brothers pill holder that she had in her carryone and proceeded to unscrewed a bottle of lotion and not rescrew it.M-o-r-o-n. That's uncalled for. And some may say "That was on TSA official, not all are like that" but it's those one's that people remember.I smile and keep my mouth shut because I prefer to spend less time traveling to a destination and more time at that destination. I would like to see an itemised account of the TSA's expenditures for the lenth of it's existance. Can we say scandal! This is our money paying for this monstrousity. I've got a major GRIN based on a news story I just read about a woman being forced or asked to remove her nipple rings with pliers.If the story is true, my reaction (besides being titillated) is that TSA workers went too far, the really funny part of the story is the official response by TSA spokesman Dwayne Baird: "I'd be really curious to know what this woman had in her nipples. Sometimes they have a chain between their nipples, or a chain between their nipples and their belly button. It would have to be made of heavy metal to be detected."Why is this funny to me? At first blush, it seems a case of TMI. But when one thinks about it, one realizes just how much weird information someone like Dwayne is required to know. I'm sure this is a relatively minor example of bizarre human behavior, too.Anyway, if Mr. Baird reads this, thank you for the laugh. You're handling this with grace and wit. If Mr. Baird's superiors read this, give the man a raise!Lastly, when can we expect to see a video by Bob on this subject? I seriously want to know which genital piercings are allowed! =) Thank goodness my airport has camera's at each screening area so we can no longer be accused of taking items out of bags!!!!!!!!! To the nice Anonymous person who wrote: Three cheers to Sandra, winstonsmith, Marshall and all those anonymous posters who are fed up with the TSA and are not afraid to say so.March 27, 2008 1:40 PMIt is I who thank you for reading and taking your civil rights seriously. It is only when more people start to do the same that we the people will restore actual freedom to our great country. The TSA is only a symptom (albeit a very visible and painful one) of a much larger problem we have in the US. My mom is just about to turn the corner to 70 years old. I took her out to lunch about a month ago and we were talking about stuff in general and she came out with the pearl of wisdom, "I'm glad I'm on my way out. This is *not* the country I grew up in."That's why I write. And that's why I'll bet Sandra writes, and Marshall writes, and even Trollkiller -- a man with whom I don't always agree, but for whom I have great respect because he gets it -- there are legitimate questions to debate here.Please everyone, take it to the next level and start to write your Congress Critters and everyone else in Washington who will or won't listen. Write letters to the editor. Write blogs. Talk to your friends. Get and stay informed from sources you can actually trust. You can make a difference. "Thank goodness my airport has camera's at each screening area so we can no longer be accused of taking items out of bags!!!!!!!!!"Phase one of check-in baggage security, partially complete. At least at one of 450 airports....Now we just need you to do one more thing, secure the bag with a tamper proof seal. Violation of that seal should be a Federal offense.... "The TSA is only a symptom (albeit a very visible and painful one) of a much larger problem we have in the US."Thanks, winstonsmith.As we have seen over the past two months on this blog, the bloggers are opening a channel of communication. To a degree we have some insight into the bottlenecks, issues, and problems that the TSA is facing. It is important that both TSO's and passengers report problems, and work towards resolution. We can only hope that positive dialog will continue.I have been posting anonymously since the beginning, but that is one thing that I can change. I would still like to press for a posted Passenger Bill of Rights.I urge all of you to vote in November. Your voice matters. We use to have TSA zip ties and also TSA cavalar ties but we are no longer able to get them. We loved them so why they are not available any more is sad. "We use to have TSA zip ties and also TSA cavalar ties but we are no longer able to get them. We loved them so why they are not available any more is sad."Lets work on getting them back. With RFID tags if necessary. It is a TSA issue, but affects your credibility, secure check-in baggage and theft is really serious issue with passengers. I recently returned home from overseas thru DTW, most of the TSA employees were polite enough except one who was so rude and crude that anywhere else they would have been fired. If I was not in a hurray to catch a connecting flight I would have asked to see a supervisor. What happen to the comment cards that were available? TSA you need to train your employees to be polite also and remember you are goverment employees paid by the people so technicaly being a tax paying citizen you work for me. I'd be really curious to know what this woman had in her nipples. Sometimes they have a chain between their nipples, or a chain between their nipples and their belly button. It would have to be made of heavy metal to be detected.Mr. Baird's statement is quite accurate. Unless these piercings were of a heavy gauge -- and based upon the photo I've seen in the media where the woman and her lawyer demonstrated the removal with a mannequin, they apparently were not -- they shouldn't have set off the wand. I speak from experience here, as I have the same piercings (and one below the belt, so to speak). I used to give the TSA screeners a friendly warning before they'd wand me -- just because I realize this type of thing makes some people uncomfortable -- but I stopped because the jewelry simply would never trip the metal detector. It's really been a non-issue. "When we weren't selected we moved on. I always wear flip flops to go through security. Recently I found out I suffer from an overarch in my feet and even walking short distances, or short amounts without the support of my shoes is very painful. I recently found very supportive flip flops and was excited, thinking I would be able to wear them and not be in pain (flip flops often aren't supportive and for someone like me, it is painful to wear them). I was told I needed to remove them. My bin had already gone through so they were simple tossed on the belt.And then I had to walk, BAREFOOT on that dirty skeevy floor where all the TSA personnel walk with their chunky black shoes"You sound more angry that your pretty little feet had to touch the dirty floor. if you had work orthopedics and you said you had a medical reason why you cant take your shoes off, they wouldnt have made you but flip flops, you cant be serious. "they simply tossed them on the belt" is there a point to this? i travel 3 times a week and i love how every moron wastes a bin that i could use for their pair of shoes. its like their shoes will get dirt on them by going through the machine . i find this even more redundant seeing they are ya know shoes.Its people like this who make the lines as long as they are, people who think they are special and deserve special screening Don't you people get it? The public is angry because of the extreme lack of transparency, inconsistent policies, and a complete lack of any and all civil liberties once you walk into that TSA checkpoint. The bad guys have already won. Thanks to you, Big Brother. Glad to see you treated this woman fairly, without unnecessarily invading her privacy (hint: sarcasm)Nipple rings? Come on now, you can't be serious. News flash: terrorists are not currently and will never use nipple rings as a weapon. What really gets me is the oh-so-common line "We can't tell you, national security and all." Half of the general public would be satisfied at this point if the TSA just released some honest to goodness information and not more doublespeak. I will admit, I think this blog is an amazing idea - but it is still in a sad state of affairs. How many times have questions been asked and responded to without any real content being contained in the so-called answer? You can practically hear the TSA squirming in their seats as they dodge providing complete answers to many if not most questions asked here. I would love to hear someone try and argue why security through obscurity is a valid model in the TSA when it has proven a failed concept in every other application ever imagined? Keeping secrets doesn't provide any ACTUAL security... it only provides the illusion of security. Of course given the ability of many people to succumb to illusions and doublespeak, how can it possibly surprise me anymore that we as a society tacitly accept this thought process? Someone really ought to officially inform the body modification community that body piercings are not prohibited items. I have worn large gauge steel and titanium nipple and genital piercings for many years and have passed through many US and foreign airports without ever being detected by the metal detectors. Unless she had little razor blade jewelry, you really need to explain yourselves over this one. The worst part about my service in Iraq was not my time there, but the trip home. Thanks, TSA. Upon leaving Fort Dix, I had to take a commercial flight from the Philly airport to get back home on the West coast. Upon reaching the security gate, a Army COL. in uniform who was a Silver Star awardee, was being made to empty all his pockets; he complained that he was not a terrorist, but the screener cut him short and snapped at him "You military folks ARE the terrorists!" I received similar treatment, and when checking my briefcase, her assistant dumped it upside down, mixing up the paperwork and damaging some items in there. The TSA lady told me "If you want to catch your flight, you're going to do nothing about it." I ended up having to put my stuff away without the screeners help, which only delayed me. Several men of Arabic descent behind me were able to pass through without even being given a second look-over by the screener (scared of profiling?). When I got to San Diego, I checked out of my temporary command, and went to fly back home to Seattle a week later from San Diego airport. I was in uniform at the ticket counter, when a TSA official had me step out of line with my seabag, and in front of the other passengers, empty out the entire seabag, whilst she inspected it's contents. She asked for my military ID, because she said my name was on some sort of 'Terrorist Watch List' and she had to look up to see if I was that person (I wasn't). I was told I have the same name as someone else on that list, but there was nothing I could do about it because "That's just the way it is" as she put it. So now I'm 'flagged' for special treatment everytime I fly! Every TSA person I talked to on my return home from Iraq made it clear directly or suggestively, that they had a problem with me and some of my fellow travellers for no other reason than that we were military personnel. I remained courteous and polite to the TSA folks even though I got nothing but attitude and unprofessional behavior from them in return! This type of discrimination against military personnel by TSA screeners happens every day in our airports. This is how TSA welcomes our heroes home.I filed a complaint on the TSA website about my mistreatment over a year ago, and they have not bothered to respond to my complaint, or even apologize. That only shows TSA knows about it, and they care to do NOTHING about the problem, otherwise they would have responded to my complaint! Nipple piercing? Are you serious? This has to be a hoax. There is no way the TSA is this bad.http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8VM3DT00&show_article=1&image=largeWhat is next. I have to remove the metal plate on my hip? Litigation is the answer. Sue 'em more. Get names from badges and, by god, sue 'em. If they lose enough bling in court they'll come around to acting like humans again. Some snippets posted on FlyerTalk recently:"So this morning I'm flying CO from NJ (EWR) to Denver, & I packed a backpack instead of my normal roller. To deal w/ liquid regulations I bought plastic bottles @ Walmart & carry my own shampoo, shaving cream etc. Toothpaste however I've always just bought smaller sized tubes & tossed it in the bag. This morning, I failed to bring my plastic bag & had to put the toothpaste in my dob kit. Of course they pull out my toothpaste telling me it's over the limit - TSA agent stated the limit is 3.5oz - TSA website says 3oz by volume which I knew, & my toothpaste was w/i that limit. I asked the agent if she knew what the limit represented, volume or weight..... blank stare. I asked her again pointing out that although the weight was greater than 3.5 oz, the volume was closer to 2... blank stare & a repeat of "the limit is 3.5oz." In the end I walked away, but just another example of the TSA's utter incompetence."From a recent Patrick Smith column:"In Latin America, for example, our TSA requires local security personnel to set up gateside screening tables exclusively for flights to the United States. After passing through the standard metal detector and x-ray station, which does not enforce a liquids ban, passengers get in line to have their carry-on bags hand-searched for any oversized containers. Those headed elsewhere are exempt from such nonsense. These gateside checks are not only tedious, but useless. In South America recently I was sitting in a crowded gate and witnessed something hilarious -- or maybe sad is the better term: At the screening tables, a handful of contract guards were ransacking carry-ons, but there was no frisking or pat-downs of passengers themselves. So, as the line snaked forward in agonizing slow-motion, people would simply reach into their bags, remove any toothpaste or other personal effects they'd rather not forfeit, and slip them into their pockets!Over the past six years I have written upwards of twenty columns on the airport security and the TSA. Through it all I've found myself searching for a word -- a single word that might possibly encapsulate the nonsense that we go through, from the pointy-object confiscations to the shoe removals to the childish folly I just described. Unfortunately, to the best of my knowledge, there is no single word that can simultaneously account for things wasteful, pointless, humiliating and immature. Neither is there a word to describe the level frustration some of us feel when we are demanded, at the risk of confrontation and hollering, to treat obviously silly rules with unmatched seriousness.What we're dealing with is, to some extent, human nature. At this point the TSA is the kind of self-perpetuating beast that inevitably results when a bureaucracy is granted lots of power and little actual purpose. But also, we have also spent six years living in a state of institutional denial. Our government, willfully or otherwise, refuses to admit a basic and irrefutable premise: that the attacks of September 11th were not, in fact, caused by a failure of airport security."Re: episode where woman was forced to remove her body piercings with a pair of pliars. Rather than address the issue directly, the TSA continues to maintain that its screeners are properly trained and further adds to the fear-mongering in order to justify its existence:"TSA is actively investigating Ms. Hamlin's allegations to ensure procedures were followed appropriately. Our security officers are well-trained to screen individuals with body piercings in sensitive areas with dignity and respect while ensuring a high level of security.TSA is well aware of terrorists' interest in hiding dangerous items in sensitive areas of the body, therefore we have a duty to the American public to resolve any alarm that we discover. Incidents of female terrorists hiding explosives in sensitive areas are on the rise all over the world. This scenario must be addressed at our nation's airports.To the right is a prototype training device that TSA will use to simulate a bra bomb in training and testing its officers."A comment on suggested "overreactions", i.e., child screaming while being patted down:Any attempt to change a bad situation, such as this country is dealing with at this time, needs to start with outrageous actions in order to garner the attention of the general population, in the case of the TSA, the "SHEEPLE" who just go along with the agency's demands. Most know the rules serve no purpose, but most people are scared to death to speak out. (Thankfully, the phrase "anything for security" is heard less and less these days.)In order to embolden the general flying public to speak out, we must ourselves be willing to say in a very loud and a very clear voice: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! As a former TSO, let me help clarify the mystery of liquids, gels, aerosols, etc. This information is available at the TSA.gov website and I will include the link. It seems that many passengers have forgotten much of the science they learned in school, but . . . if you can POUR it, PUMP it, SQUEEZE it, SPREAD it,SMEAR it, SPRAY it or SPILL it; then you are carrying a liquid, gel, or aerosol and those items are subject to the 3-1-1 restrictions. Link -- http://www.tsa.gov/assets/pdf/311-insert.pdfIn general, TSO's are not trying to be difficult, but they are required to follow the standard operating procedures. "We use to have TSA zip ties and also TSA cavalar ties"Cavalar???Is that anything like Corbomite? (Ask the nearest Trekker if you're not familiar with that substance.)Presumably you mean Kevlar, which would make a darned strong zip tie. Interesting that the TSA did make an effort at one point to resecure bags they searched, but no longer. TSA IS A JOKE. All they do is make it more expensive and more of a hassle to travel. Air travel is not fun any more. It is not any more safe than it was before 911. Texas woman claims TSA forced nipple ring removalLOS ANGELES — A Texas woman who claims she was forced to remove a nipple ring with pliers in order to board an airplane called Thursday for an apology by federal security agents and a civil rights investigation.Hamlin said she was trying to board a flight from Lubbock to Dallas on Feb. 24 when she was scanned by a Transportation Security Administration agent after passing through a larger metal detector without problems.The female TSA agent used a handheld detector that beeped when it passed in front of Hamlin's chest, the Dallas-area resident said.Hamlin said she told the woman that she was wearing nipple piercings. The female agent then called over her male colleagues, one of whom said she would have to remove the body piercings, Hamlin claimed.Hamlin said she could not remove them and asked if she could instead display her pierced breasts in private to the female agent. But several other male officers told her she could not board her flight until the jewelry was removed, she said.She was taken behind a curtain and managed to remove one bar-shaped nipple piercing but had trouble with the second, a ring."Still crying, she informed the TSA officer that she could not remove it without the help of pliers, and the officer gave a pair to her," said Hamlin's attorney, Gloria Allred, reading from a letter she sent Thursday to the director of the TSA's Office of Civil Rights and Liberties. Allred is a well-known Los Angeles lawyer who often represents high-profile claims. I work at MSP airport. So I travel often. I cant honestly say that I have had a lot of good security experiences with the TSA. The last time my husband and I flew, I was harrassed by the TSA agents for wearing a button-up hoodie that they were convinced was a jacket. They tried to force me to take it off in front of everyone that was also waiting in line to go through checkpoint. Even though I let 3 male and 1 female TSA agents know that I did not have anything on under my sweatshirt they insisted it come off NOW! They were incredibe rude. The worst part of it was when I told one of the male TSA agents that I did not have a shirt on under my sweatshirt he smiled. They are incredibly rude and have no sense of customer service. They Just dont care! I'm confused by the "squeeze and smear" comment. I can squeeze a block of cheese or a bean bag. I can squeeze my backpack. I can squeeze an empty plastic bottle. I can smear crayons and pencils onto paper -- that's how they work! These are all solids, aren't they? What about candles? And chocolate bars?And technically, some would consider glass (eye glasses) to be not solid. Look it up.So do all of these have to go in that tiny bag as well?And pens, which do contain liquid, do not need to go into the bag.This is why the general population is confused. Lipstick is a solid at room temperature and so is peanut butter (Google it) and therefore does not need to go into the baggie.Maybe we need a chemistry professor at each TSA checkpoint to confirm whether various objects are solid or liquid. Or maybe a printed list at each checkpoint that the TSA can point to. If it's not on the list, and you cannot pour it, it's not subject to the 3-1-1 policy. "You military folks ARE the terrorists!" There are liars, and dam liars and you are one. Philly TSO! We flew from Milwaukee to Phoenix and the screeners in Milwaukee have no respect for personal belongings that have to be screened. They were unnecessarily rough with my son's expensive, delicate camera which he had placed carefully in one of the bins to go through the X-ray. The agent made an exasperated noise as if we weren't supposed to put the camera bag in a little gray bin. Where, pray tell, are the instructions for what goes into the bins and what doesn't? There aren't any posted, and not everyone flies on a regular basis. We fly once a year, perhaps twice a year, and this kind of rudeness and rough treatment of expensive equipment is unwarranted. There is not one sign that states what we need to remove and what we need to leave on...from shoes to jewelry. We've had agents refuse to hand-inspect exposed film; when we have had to dump water out of a Nalgene bottle, there's no place to dump it but into a trash can. Why? This whole security routine is nothing new by this time, yet every time I have had to traverse its labyrinth, there's no improvement in the communications, no improvement in the efficiency, and highly variable attitudes on the part of the screeners. In Phoenix, the screeners were uniformly polite, kind, willing to make the process go as smoothly as possible, and were more than willing to answer questions for us as well as hand-screen exposed film. Every one of our possessions was handled carefully and we were treated kindly. This was not true in Milwaukee. We flew into Indianapolis and found the same incredibly rude attitude on the part of the TSA team there. They wouldn't budge to put a sign on a vending machine that was taking money and not dispensing water...."not our job." These people were standing (sorry, leaning) around with nothing to do while we struggled to find a piece of paper, pen and possibly tape to post a sign that the machine was out of order. This was within 3 feet of the TSA people. Is kindness prohibited? To a person, every TSA employee that we encountered in Indianapolis was surly, rude, and unhelpful. Not a good first impression of Hoosier Hospitality. As far as shipping items to yourself, that's impossible. There is no way to do that when you find that you cannot transport something. By that time, you have no option but to hand the item over to be dumped in the trash. The kiosks for shipping are well-hidden...I looked in Phoenix, Indiapolis, and Milwaukee. As a parent of a child with Celiac Disease, I am constantly worried that we won't be able to travel with the food that my son needs. It's expensive, cannot be checked, and cannot be replaced easily ANYWHERE, least of all in the "secure boaring area." I have comforted myself with the hope that I could possibly ship the food home, but that's not possible from what I can see at the airports. So, TSA, we need uniformity of rules, communication of rules, kindness, clarity, respect for our belongings (no matter what age the passenger), and follow-through on what you tell the public (make the mailing kiosks visible and accessible in every airport). How can we comply when we don't even know what we're expected to do?! Well this should be interesting. I've been following the articles written about the TSA since 9/11. All they have done is provide more fact to Homeland Security and the bush babies that they don't know what they’re doing, don't care and someone is pocketing the money that may make a difference. I cannot believe the ignorance of the TSA at airports and the attitude of superiority these junkie monkeys display. COMMON SENSE is not in any of their vocabulary. I'm guessing someone else filled out their employment applications. It's like Homeland Security went out and hired every thug they could find, slipped them some money, put them on the bush dole and said hey just do this and if this happens, act like a "jack" that never had an intelligent thought in their life. COMMON SENSE. The latest posting... TSA has posted that they "followed procedure" at the Dallas airport with the poor woman and the nipple ring. If any of the agents had any kind of decency or COMMON SENSE they easily could have checked the woman's piercing and not have HARMED her in anyway. But no, the female TSA agent, showing no sense on her own (she deserves the exact same treatment at every airport for the rest of her life), asks a bunch of "jack" males who instead of using COMMON SENSE used their nether regions and FORCED her to hurt herself when a look was all that was needed. It's like the hill, the airports need to be cleaned out of the ignorants as soon as possible and decent people with common sense need to be paid well and establish real protocols that they are RESPONSIBLE for. The TSA lawyers are constantly answering questions with we have establish this or that policy, it just isn't in effect yet, but since we established it, we did our job. NO, YOU DID NOT. I think every TSA agent should be forced to go to another airport, lead to the head "jack" and see what it feels like. People, if you can't do your job, if you're some sicko enjoying the torment of Americans, if you don't like your job, if you're stealing from your job - stop and get out; YOU ARE NOT WANTED. And if you stealing directly from Americans like Homeland Security and the bush babies, I hope your job gets cut, airports shut down because you don't deserve a bailout with your shitty service, and all of you can't find a job for a 2 years. TSA agents, hope you like being a bush baby Americans. I travel extensively through the US and all over the world and i have to admit my experiences with security in US airports is inconsistent. I can't imagine it is a fun job by any means but I have to say that it would be a better experience for all involved if the screeners realized that MOST travellers are innocent and not terrorists. A smile, a courteous manner, a sense of humour would go a long way in getting people through the screening process without feeling like they are in the movie midnight express!I am okay with high levels of security if it makes sense and is consistent. I find the whole no liquids thing ridiculous. I am concur that peanut butter and lip glass are far from explosive. I would also appreciate it that if you have to pat me down you ask my permission first and do so in a gentle, respectful manner. TSA employees would be wise to remember this especially if you are patting down, women, children and elderly. Think about how you would want your mother to be treated. I have been manhandled by TSA agents in both Hawaii and North Carolina airports.I would also show more patience and understanding if some of the security measures made sense. I understand the need to screen laptops and electronics and am happy to oblige. I am also more than happy to take off my shoes, i always travel with shoes that are easy to remove. What doesn't make a lick of sense to me is to screen the bottoms of my bare feet (Hawaii airport). If you can clearly see that there is nothing on the bottom of my feet nor are there any fresh surgical scars that would suggest something had been implanted there. Why waste my time making me go through that only to be sent on to be manhandled by the next screener? I have been dying to ask that question for ages. (BTW this happens every single time i go through the Hawaii airport)At the end of the day i think you would find the general public is grateful for the attention to security but it would behoove the TSA to spend some time with their screeners to teach them how to not only maintain homeland security but do so respectfully and kindly without evoking the ire of the public. Consistency across all airports would also go along way to building confidence with the public. An innocent person shouldn't come away from security feeling, violated, humiliated or like a criminal. The public needs to understand the role of TSA and be prepared to adhere to their regulations. They need to anticipate and prepare for screening in advance to make things go more smoothly by getting there early, being patient, being prepared to remove shoes, electronics etc. and remembering it is for everyone's safety. It has been scientifically proven that an observer will not find what they are looking for accurately if they do not find it fairly frequently (see Wolfe JM, Horowitz TS, Kenner NM. Cognitive psychology: rare items often missed in visual searches. Nature 2005;435:439-40).Considering that, the lack of science behind TSA screening methods and the distractions the officers have (assuring that liquids, laptops, shoes, etc all follow regulation screening procedures), I seriously doubt the ability of this whole process to protect us.The system, however, is a major victory for terrorists, since it created the havoc and mania they always wanted. Regarding the occurance with the woman in texas required to remove her nipple piercings prior to entrance into the airport's secure area.Now, i fully realize the reasoning and necesity of identifying all detector alarms, however this is a case where TSA has overstepped its bounds, and has shown a clear abuse of power. Yet they claim the incident was handled properly as noted in the update on tsa's website.As quoted:March 28, 2008It appears that the Transportation Security Officers involved properly followed procedures in that incident.Yet, if the news article is accurate The woman involved identified them and offered to privatly display them to another female TSA officer, which was refused.She said she heard male TSA agents snickering as she took out the ring. This is proper procedure? She was scanned again and was allowed to board even though she still was wearing a belly button ring.A belly button ring is less dangeous than nipple piercings?Since, i see nothing in TSA's list of prohibited items relating to this sort of jewelery as being not allowed was she then allowed to keep them or required to dispose of them?This entire incident is not only unprofessional, but excedes any authority allowed by security regulations, once it was determined she possessed no dangerous or prohibited items. It also raises the question(s) of what adornments then are allowable?Is it Because of her body being pierced? if so then why was the belly button ring allowed? What then about ear rings that are inserted in ear piercings? or some of the other piercings seen today such as nose, lips, eyebrows? Are only specific adornments at question here?This then brings another question to mind. What about a womans bra that contains underwires, and metal adjustment or fastening devices? Is a woman then going to be required to remove her bra because said metal is hidden?And whats next? "I'm sorry sir (or ma'am) you'll have to remove that artificial joint (knee replacement for example) we cant allow that." or "we're sorry sir, the zipper in your trousers is too long, you'll have to leave your pants here."Its time TSA takes responsibility for its actions, and if a person is informed they are in violation with a prohibited item, then TSA should if necessary be required, and ready to document that with written copies of said violation.Sadly this appears to be nothing more than abuse of power on the part of the TSA officer(s), as well as a lack of understanding of regulations in general, and i sincerely hope this woman pursues this through legal channels as necessary.Based on personal experience, this isn't a totally isolated incident either. Firsthand experience with my spouse, who has BOTH hips replaced, (and again i fully understand the necessity of identifying unknown alarms) When even a pat down discloses no hidden property some airport security employees are at a loss about what to do. The worst airport for this we have been in is Memphis. and on more than one occasion we have been detained long enough to almost miss a flight which was 2 hours in advance of our arrival.Denver on the other hand, seems to have a good handle on problems such as joint replacements and has a procedure in place to deal with these issues. 1. I have a high-level security clearance.2. I am a contractor for DHS (since I am not on site in DC, though, I have no badging).3. I have a Registered Traveler pass(good only at a few airports).I think it would be much more efficient - not to mention a good PR gig - if government or contract employees with security clearances were granted some sort of TSA clearance or consistent access to a speed lane. I have no idea on the number, but I am sure that would speed probably hundreds of thousands of people through security lines. I travel almost weekly, and it irritates me to no end to have an arrogant, ill-trained, ill-mannered screener treat me like I am something he scraped off his shoe. Anonymous said..."You military folks ARE the terrorists!" There are liars, and dam liars and you are one. Philly TSO!March 28, 2008 12:39 PMThank you Anonymous for serving my purposes! But I wasn't lying, it really happened. You see, the fact that you were able to make that baseless imflammatory comment and the TSA Blog Moderator(s) DID NOT see a problem with it and posted it, only proves my assumption (posted in my first comment) that TSA has a problem with military folks like myself. Otherwise, they would not have condoned the above comment like they did at 12:39PM.I can only imagine what kind of treatment they find acceptable for the civilian community? If they screen for the bad guys at the airport as well as they moderate their discussion board as shown above...The we should ALL be worried! I have been reading this blog off and on since its inception. As a Transportation Security Officer for almost six years, I have worked in the smallest airports in Alaska to the largest airports on the east coast. I am amazed every day, of the things that happen and that I see. Certainly, I am concerned about the possibility of a terrorist getting through the TSA checkpoint and onto a plane with an IED. However, I am just as concerned, if not more, by the whiny sucky bottle babies, that write the majority of these posts. It seems most of these people have been spoon fed their entire lives and who knows what they have been fed. Granted, some of the concerns brought up are valid, but by and large... bogus. People, please get your facts straight or at least attempt to do some research before you start throwing stones. I do not agree with a few of the procedures that we must follow, but I do not have a suggestion to repair them and I have not seen anyone offer up any realistic alternatives. Getting through the screening process is only as difficult as you make it. At which Airports have they said they will limit the amounts of Medical items? If the medical item is over the 3.4oz limit and is a liquid/gel/etc then it should be simply tested and go from there. And as for them being poorly trained...do you know how much they have to go through for each person? Especially that guy stuck on the x-ray machine? He's gotta scan each image and look for components of an IED in a matter of seconds. I'm sure he'd love to take longer but we, the passangers, start to complain over it takeing to long without remembering that they are being thorough for our benefit. And as for them being rude or what have you, I feel we should cut them a bit of slack. Of course they are professionals and should act better but they are people too. They will bite back like any of us would in our own professions. Post a Comment

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June 27th Update to ID Requirements: Now that the new ID requirement is almost one week old, we wanted to provide additional stats. Below are the latest numbers: Saturday, June 21-Wednesday, June 25: Total flyers: Approximately 10 million Flyers without ID: 1705 (.000017 of total flyers) Flyers denied access: 59 (.000005 of total passengers) Average wait time for identity verification or decision: 6.9 minutes And an editorial comment: A few bloggers have asked us where we are and why we have not responded to questions. Questions like: “Do these questions being to make you realize why TSA is a joke?” “Of what are you so afraid that you refuse to address this issue?” “Unless you are just going to turn the blog iinto (sic) a carnival or circus?” That last one brings us to an interesting point. As Kip wrote in the opening post of this blog on January 30th, “Our ambition is to provide here a forum for a lively, open discussion of TSA issues… Our hosts…job is to engage with you straight-up and take it from there.” I think we can all agree that comments like: “I am just waiting for Kip to mutter "I would have gotten away with it if it wasn't for those meddling kids." “My tinfoil hat theory is that the TSA knows it doesn't and have given up any pretense of spin control.” “I agree -- more TSA crap. The sooner y'all are simply arrested for violating our rights, the happier I'll be.” don’t really bring anything to the larger debate and really don’t beg for nor want a response. The simple truth is that we’re just about the only government agency engaging in this type of dialogue on security issues and policies and we’re sincerely interested in rational debate and conversation...but we have neither the time nor the desire to respond to random, vitriol filled diatribes that don’t serve passengers or other bloggers in any way. We’ve used this blog as a method of change and hope we have proven its merit on several occasions (ending the electronics problem in Hooray Bloggers, Diamond Lanes, etc.). These posts and the bloggers' comments have had a positive impact on your experience and mine at the checkpoint. We’re more than willing to engage in a vigorous debate on controversial issues and look forward to many more spirited debates without the poison for poison’s sake. We’ve certainly proven over the past seven months that we can take a punch but the constant barrage of body (and low) blows without substance would tire even Mike Tyson in his heyday. EOS Blog Team

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So, what if you show up at a TSA checkpoint and you can’t find your ID? Does that mean you won’t fly? Nope… You’ll still be able to fly as long as you provide us with some information that will help us determine you are who you say you are. Verifying the identity of people coming through checkpoints is an important part of security, just as vetting passenger names against the No Fly and Selectee lists. Using the information you provide, if we can confirm your identity, you’ll be cleared to go through security, and you may or may not have to go through some additional screening. If we can’t confirm your identity with the information you provide or you’re not willing to provide us with the information to help us make a determination, you may not be able to fly. You can find a list of acceptable IDs here. Also, prior to the new ID rules rolling out last year, there were tons of questions, and we addressed the questions with several blog posts you can review here: - 8.13.2008 You won’t be put on a TSA “List” if you forget Your ID - 8.11.2008 Furthering the Dialogue on IDs - 7.03.2008 Yet Another ID Post...With Some Answers to Your Questions - 7.02.2008 ID Q&A - 6.27.2008 ID Update and Word on the Blog - 6.23.2008 New ID Requirements: The First 48 - 6.20.2008 New ID Requirements Begin Tomorrow - 6.11.2008 Why is ID Important for Security? TSA Blog Team

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Monday, August 6, 2012 In the end it was a clear cut victory for the Jamaican, and Twitter timelines were flooded with praise for the man who calls himself ‘The most naturally gifted athlete the world has ever seen’. We love this shot of him celebrating with the Olympic mascots Wenlock and Mandeville: The 100m final drove more than 74,000 Tweets Per Minute yesterday, the highest peak since the Opening Ceremony: The mood was infectious, and even the police were getting into the mood with this move, which was widely shared across Twitter: And here’s BBC presenter Jake Humphrey (@mrjakehumphrey) doing his best Bolt impression: My own tribute... twitter.com/mrjakehumphrey…— Jake Humphrey (@mrjakehumphrey) August 5, 2012 It wasn’t long before he shared this message with his followers, and we're delighted to see that his victory has pushed him over the one million followers mark just this afternoon: Thanks to all the fans for supporting and believing. You have been a part of the journey.. "To the World Me Say"— Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) August 6, 2012 Aside from the 100m, there are many other great achievements going on at the Games. Sailing champion Ben Ainslie (@AinslieBen) became the most decorated Olympic sailor of all time as he won gold yesterday. Sir Richard Branson (@RichardBranson) had this message to share: Was a privilege to sail with— richardbranson (@richardbranson) August 5, 2012 @ainslieben when trying to break transatlantic sailing record. Great to see him getting gold. Congratulations! Here at Twitter, we’re also big fans of gymnast Beth Tweddle (@bethtweddlenews). It’s partly because her name sounds like a combination of Twitter and medal, but also because she did a fantastic job today winning bronze in the Olympic bars event. Teammate Jennifer Pinches (@jempin515) was very excited to see her teammate succeed: She's done it!!! She's got an olympic medal!— Jennifer Pinches (@jempin515) August 6, 2012 @bethtweddlenews. We're so proud of you!!!!! If that wasn't enough action for you, here are some great Twitter accounts to follow to keep on top of tomorrow's activity: - Women's synchronised swimming: Jenna Randall (@JennaRTweets) and Olivia Federici (@Olivia_Federici) - Men's RS-X windsurfing: Nick Dempsey (@nickdempsey1) - Women's 200m double kayak: Louisa Sawers (@louisasawers) --Lewis Wiltshire, @LewisWiltshire

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Movie premieres, awards shows, benefit concerts, and plain old clubbin’ – even though most of us are at home, the beautiful peeps are living it up somewhere. About Last Night puts you in touch with all the action. Megan Fox, Paris Hilton, Jessica Alba, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Rosario Dawson, and the Heroes cast were among the many celebrities at Spike TV’s “Scream 2007.” Kim Kardashian rang in her birthday at Les Deux in Hollywood with her family and friends Brittny Gastineau and Aubrey O’Day (of Making the Band). Reese Witherspoon, Jake Gyllenhaal, Cate Blanchett, Jonathan Rhys Meyers (channeling Tom Cruise), and Monica Belucci were spotted arriving to various premieres at the 2nd Rome Film Festival.

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More than tracing the footsteps of Shaw and Yeats around Bloomsbury, spending an hour or two in conversation over a well-poured pint is a quintessential London-Irish experience. A “good” Irish pub has a certain elusive quality. It doesn’t try too hard to announce its heritage. It is a space that welcomes, warms, and nurtures good conversation. Waxy O’Connor’s – in the heart of the West End – is a cavernous pub that still manages to feel inviting. Order your pint and Tayto crisps, then choose a spot according to your taste: nestle beside the fire in the Cottage Bar, take a pew within the gothic décor of the Church Bar, or explore the fairytale atmosphere of the Tree Room, where you can marvel beneath its massive trunks and branches. With its mix of church architecture, painted panelled ceilings and tiled floors, Waxy O’Connor’s provides a unique and quirky setting for its loyal, lively clientele. If you’re looking for a smaller, simpler experience, try Waxy’s Little Sister, around the corner on Wardour Street. Armchairs, sofas and an open fire set the perfect tone for a quick catch-up pint or a chilled-out evening. For something completely different, The Irish Club is an elegant members’ club that welcomes guests and non-members. Located at 2-4 Tudor Street, the 1903 building previously housed The Institute of Journalists and was later converted to barristers’ chambers. Now tastefully restored, it offers a sophisticated sanctuary from the bustle of Blackfriars. The Club’s Jameson Bar reportedly houses the largest collection of Irish whiskeys in London. If whiskey isn’t your tipple, there’s ample choice of wines, cocktails and beers to enjoy against a backdrop of contemporary Irish art. (At the time of writing, there are more Graham Knuttels than you could shake a stick at.) The secret of a good Irish bar lies in its atmosphere. Whether its customers are reading the papers on a still afternoon, or roaring encouragement to the Six Nations, it’s a space that remains dependable, recognisable, despite its different moods. Whatever it is, you can’t bottle it. Do you have more Irish recommendations? Let us know where you go to find a taste of Ireland in London.

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The original Mapes Hotel, a grand beauty of a building near the Truckee River, was haunted for decades by an unknown spirit. After it was torn down, the same presence has been reported lingering near the ice rink on the spot of the old hotel that is set up in the winter months. A few miles out of Virginia City is the little town of Gold Hill. This is the town where the actual gold strikes began just prior to the biggest gold and silver strike ever (called the Comstock Lode) occurred in Virginia City. Gold Hill has its share of mines that are still under the ground. The Yellow Jacket mine, the Commons mine and all the rest are still here. Miners were killed in some of these mines due to accidents. Right behind the Gold Hill Hotel is the Yellow Jacket mine. The miners didn’t have electricity with which to do their work. They had to use candlelight. Oxygen was limited underground and the gases that emanated from under the ground combined and fires were a constant danger. Unfortunately, a fire broke out in the Yellow Jacket mine in 1873 and 37 miners were killed and were left buried at the bottom of the mine shafts behind this hotel. ~ AKA ~ The Millionaires Club “Locals and tourists rub shoulders and swap stories at The Old Washoe Club. Originally called The Millionaires Club, it was built so that nouveau riche gentlemen might enjoy the pleasures of wealth, in comfort and style. At one time, the building was even used to store corpses when the ground was frozen too solid for digging graves. “Three ghosts haunt The Old Washoe Club; A lovely, blonde apparition, known as the lady in blue, the specter of a scared little girl, and a grizzled prospector who occasionally cadges drinks from unsuspecting patrons. Ladies be warned, the door to the women’s room locks and unlocks itself.” – Janice Oberding, Suite 101 Article. These stories and more are part of the Old Washoe Club. What people don’t know is that there are two totally different sites of the Old Washoe Club. There are two different “parts” to the Old Washoe Club. There is the bar and snack bar downstairs. There you will find the winding staircase. This staircase was the original front door to The Millionaires Club. This would be where respectable men turned millionaires would be greeted. Behind the scenes was where the real action took place. Halloween is just around the corner! Spend it with us as we Ghost Hunt and attempt to communicate with the lovely spirits here at St. Mary’s Art Center, fondly known as The St. Mary Louise Hospital, established in 1876 located in Virginia City, NV. Mark your calendar and make your reservation now. Price includes overnight accommodations plus we have a special 2 nighter package as well. Go to the following link for more info and to purchase your ticket.

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://blog.visitrenotahoe.com/tag/haunted-hotels/

2013-05-18T05:27:59Z

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en

Your wedding can go by so quickly, and that’s why your photographer is there to capture every moment! Here are 5 classic couple shots that your photographer should capture. They may be traditional or non-traditional, but they are fun and creative too. 1. A Historic Landmark Photo: Austin & Dara Photography 2. Kissed by the Sun Photo: Jonathan Connolly Photography 3. Before the Ceremony but NO peeking Photo: Ellie Marks Photography 4. A Goodnight Embrace Photo: Rebekah J. Murray Photography 5. A Swirl of Sparklers Photo: William Walker Photography Kelly + Julian Santa Margarita Ranch – Paso Robles, CA Okay first, I apologize that this post is really long, but when you get down to the end, you’ll know why (and probably decide to scroll through it again). When I received this wedding to feature, I honestly couldn’t decide which photos to use! There were so many amazing photos! And the one thing that stuck out for me was how photogenic Kelly and Julian are…in every photo. In terms of details, minus a few things here and there, all of them were done by the bride. I love the use of seasonal/wild flowers in both the centerpieces and bouquets. Her dress is beyond to-die-for, it was actually her mother’s dress from the 1970′s, and she got it hemmed into a shorter, vintage dress. The entire style is exactly what a rustic wedding should look like. Needless to say, here’s their beautiful day, thanks to Austin & Dara Photography. Enjoy!

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://blog.weddingwire.com/index.php/weddings/tag/austin-dara-photography/

2013-05-18T06:19:51Z

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en

Published by Peggy on 13 Aug 2009 at 04:17 pm Are you leveraging the potential of volunteers within your organization? Volunteers are a wonderful asset, bringing skill sets you may not have, as well as, new perspective and practices. We share some of our experience recruiting and making the best use of volunteers. WiserEarth would have never succeeded over the years without all the amazing volunteers that have joined our global effort and brought their best to the project. One example is the WiserEarth editors’ group, a buzzing hive of activity driven largely by volunteers, now a mainstay of the site, but this was not always so. Late last year, WiserEarth’s Chief Editor Wibowo Sulistio, contacted volunteers and interns who had worked with us in the past to co-define roles for them to serve within the community. Since that time, it has become self-sustaining and community-driven. Wiserearth Editor volunteers have assisted in e-mailing organizations, created a community newsletter, greeted newcomers, helped to keep the directory current, moderated postings, and brainstormed further ways to improve the site. In March this year, Timonie Hood, contacted me through WiserEarth. She shared her interest in sustainable building and and her passion for learning about social media. During a subsequent call, she mentioned that she was working for the EPA in the San Francisco office and was taking a leadership program that allowed her to volunteer full-time for an organization for a period of four months. You can guess what happened next. Timonie has now been with us for three months as our social media volunteer. She not only succeeded in helping us strengthen our online social media strategy but she also discovered new tools we started using for outreach: “Volunteering at WiserEarth has really opened my eyes to global collaboration and great volunteer opportunities. I definitely plan on continuing to volunteer here after my rotation ends.”. Those two examples are two among many stories of individuals that have made a true difference within our organization. Over the years, we have learned quite a lot. To summarize, here are a few tips that have made a huge difference for us: - Ask for help: If you don’t ask, people will not know you need help! You can simply add a small section on your website about your needs, and spread the word through social media. Hey, did you know we are currently looking for a volunteer that can turn wireframe mockups into interactive, clickable HTML pages? Also feel free to use WiserEarth’s free job listings to get your word out. - Clearly state your need: Define your opportunity clearly, you should then have a better sense of the skill set needed and more likely the right candidate will apply. - Create a SMART workplan: Don’t waste your precision volunteer time. Design a mutually beneficial workplan from the start with SMART goals. - Allow for recognition: Are you both formally and informally telling your volunteer about his/her impact on your organization? A mixture of both formal recognition (emails, lunch, meetings) and informal (notes, giving away goodies) is important. - Take the time to appreciate: Ensure that the volunteer feels appreciated, has a satisfying experience, and feels like he/she made a contribution towards the mission of the organization as well as found opportunities for personal and knowledge growth. Much easier to do if s/he has SMART goals! If you have any volunteer experiences you would like to share, please contact us! Or better yet, if you would like to volunteer send me an email at peggy[at]wiserearth.org. |If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader.| Leave a Reply

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://blog.wiser.org/volunteering-that-works/

2013-05-18T07:20:49Z

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en

Welcome to the world!By After several years of feet dragging, I’ve taken a bite of the poison Apple and bought an iPhone. Although I’m still not sure which side of the “work vs. expensive toy” fence it will fall on, it should help out in several areas of my personal and professional life. Of course to do that, I have to know how to use it and thus far, all it has done is tease me from afar. After closing my eyes on the AT&T web site Friday afternoon and clicking “Complete Purchase” (or whatever the button said), I expected – because I was told by AT&T and Apple it could be 5-10 business days until they shipped it – to have a wait ahead of me. And I was cool with that. That coolness went away when the e-mail came announcing the shipping of the phone. “It will get here someday” was quickly replaced by a neurotic rotation back to the AT&T web site to check the status of my order. By mid-day Saturday, my new toy was sitting in a warehouse in Indianapolis and there was nothing I could do but wait. Seriously, I drive past a FedEx warehouse every day, probably the same one holding my phone hostage, and there was nothing I could do about it for two whole days. Finally, today arrived and the phone was marked “out for delivery” and the race was on. The delivery estimate was for 3 p.m. and I had to leave for work at 3:30. By 2 o’clock and no phone, I checked the FedEx site again. “Incorrect Address.” Panic. Calm. Phone calls. To FedEx’s credit, they were very cool on the phone, called back twice to double check our address and at 3:20, the doorbell rang. I’d have better off if they had missed me by 10 minutes. I had enough time to open the box, look at the parts, plug it in and leave. In the meantime, my wife ordered a new BlackBerry at the same time, it was delivered in the mail this morning and she has been busy playing and configuring all day. Such a tease. All I know now is this better live up to the hype, because the last two days have felt like 200. (Okay, a little exaggeration there.) This meandering story of an idiot waiting for his new phone was really a call for help. What do I do now that I actually have the phone? How does a 36-year-old web guy go about best using a shiny new iPhone 4? A call out on Facebook has yielded two parts sarcastic ridicule and 1 part help, but I have access to Indianapolis, and darn it, I’m going to use it! Apps, cases, gadgets, whatever, help me out Indy! What are your favorite parts about the iPhone and why? What can’t you live without?

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://blog.wthr.com/from-the-web-desk/welcome-to-the-world/

2013-05-18T08:11:20Z

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en

As an investment strategy, “Stay Home” has mostly outperformed “Go Global” this year. It may continue to do so in 2013. However, I’m starting to get cabin fever. It may be time to get out a little bit and see the world. Here is what I am seeing: (1) China. China’s new leaders, who will be formally appointed at the Communist Party Congress during November, are likely to spend lots of money to revive economic growth when they take charge in March. Before then, the People's Bank of China is likely to avert a hard landing by continuing to ease monetary policy. The latest data out of China suggest that the country’s economic growth may be bottoming. M2 rose 14.8% y/y during September, up from a recent low of 12.4% during January 2012. The CPI inflation rate, which recently peaked at 6.5% during July 2011, seems to be stabilizing around 2% over the past three months. Exports edged up during September, but have stalled in recent months. On the other hand, September's PPI for industrial products fell 3.6% y/y, the weakest since October 2009. (2) India. Over the past month, India’s government unveiled a series of reform initiatives long demanded by investors and business leaders frustrated by years of policy inaction in New Delhi. They include lifting the bar on foreign investment in the airline, insurance, pensions, and retail sectors. That’s already pumping up the financial markets. The next step is expected to be a roadmap for cutting the fiscal deficit. The Bombay Sensex stock price index has rallied smartly on the government’s reform announcement. It is now up 20.8% ytd, about twice as much as the 9.9% increase in the MSCI World index. During September, India’s M-PMI remained flat at 52.8, while the NM-PMI rose to 55.8. (3) Indonesia. In Southeast Asia’s largest economy, September car sales jumped 28% y/y back to near-record monthly numbers, driven by a rising middle class and low interest rates. Carmakers are expanding their Indonesian production. Their exports surged 58% on an annual basis in the year through August. On the other hand, exports and imports fell the most in three years in August, suggesting weakening third-quarter growth. Yet the World Bank forecasts that Indonesia’s real GDP will grow 6.1% in 2012 and 6.3% in 2013. The Jakarta Composite stock price index is at a record high and up 12.8% ytd. (4) Brazil. The Brazilian central bank reduced interest rates for the 10th straight time Wednesday to spark local growth amid concerns about a prolonged global slump. The bank cut its benchmark Selic interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point to a record low 7.25% and signaled the end to a cycle of cuts that started in August 2011. The central bank's rate-setting committee was divided, with five directors in favor of the cut and three directors voting to hold interest rates steady. (5) Mexico. The IMF estimates Brazil has an economy twice the size of Mexico's at $2.4 trillion, but Nomura’s economists predict that the gap could disappear by 2022 if Mexico grows at the top end of their forecast range and Brazil at the low end. New Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto aims to lift annual economic growth to 6% by overhauling Mexico's labor market, state-run oil sector, and tax base. Mexico’s IPC stock price index is up 12.4% ytd, well ahead of Brazil’s 3.3% gain. Today's Morning Briefing: Beantown. (1) The weather in Boston. (2) Blankfein says avoiding fiscal cliff would be very bullish. (3) Second Recovery is underway. (4) Foreclosures at five-year low. (5) Earned income at record high. (6) Rising stock and home prices boosting confidence. (7) Lots of applications to export US oil and LNG. (8) Tax receipts at cyclical high. (9) Time to Go Global? (10) China may be bottoming. (11) “Argo” (+ + +). (More for subscribers.)

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://blog.yardeni.com/2012/10/global-economy.html

2013-05-18T08:11:15Z

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en

Grand Central Market will be reborn with new food vendors, restaurateurs and foodcrafting space by next fall. The city's largest and oldest open-air market - it opened in 1917 - currently houses more than 45 food stalls but only 30 are occupied. According to the LA Times, owner Adele Yellin, along with consultants Joseph Shuldiner and Kevin West, wants to change that. Shuldiner, who founded the Institute of Domestic Technology and oversees the fantastically funky Altadena Farmers Market, and West, of Saving the Season, will be instrumental in finding new chefs and entrepreneurs, including bread bakers, coffee roasters and retail, cheesemongers, fishmongers and butchers. The vendors currently at the market aren't being replaced - the goal is to have new vendors alongside existing ones. So Downtown's Soi 7 restaurant has already signed on to open there next year, and Las Morelianas will be back with its carnitas. We personally hope Roast to Go stays. Market owners expect to have a dozen more new spots open by next fall, but the full renovation will be a multi-year, multi-phase project. Aesthetically, there's talk of an outdoor "living room" on the Hill Street side with outlets, free WiFi and low-slung couches. There are plans for an exhibition kitchen in the basement for classes, tastings and private dinners. If the whole thing sounds a bit like San Francisco’s Ferry Building, you’re not far off the mark. BCV, one of the architecture firms that collaborated on that project has signed on for this one. Photo: Trader Chris/Flickr

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://blog.zagat.com/2012/12/will-las-grand-central-market-be-next.html

2013-05-18T06:24:36Z

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en

A widely-viewed YouTube of Peter Schiff, the president of brokerage firm Euro Pacific Capital, has been making noise this week. Schiff had been predicting the real estate meltdown and credit crunch in the U.S. since 2006, long before anyone else understood the problems that were threatening the U.S. economy. Schiff was finally vindicated when a YouTube of his multiple TV appearance on CNBC, Fox News, Bloomberg TV and other major U.S. networks, started gaining in popularity this week. In it, Schiff is seen debating with so-called experts, including Arthur Laffer of Laffer Investments, who were bullish on the stock market and the economy. Trouble is, these "experts" didn't have the understanding of economics that Schiff has. The bearish Schiff was right on most of his predictions, including the housing meltdown, the liquidity problem and the recession (which he said would actually be a depression). And he had the guts to go on national TV to debate with arrogant analysts who belittlingly dismissed his arguments without even trying to understand what he was explaining. So, what is Schiff predicting will happen next? He sees Asia as the next place for growth and says the Asian market will experience a tremendous boom. While this shouldn't come as a shocker, his reasons may surprise some. Schiff says that Asia's strong manufacturing sector and its ability to produce goods is its major strength. Schiff also sees the U.S. dollar, which has been gaining against 15 major currencies in the last few months, become weaker again and "fall like a stone." The Chinese Yuan is the only currency that has been gaining against the dollar as of late. <a href="http://technorati.com/claim/cjejms2tuq" rel="me">Technorati Profile</a>

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://blogarchive.hillandknowlton.com/blogs/cedricvanhaver/default.aspx

2013-05-18T06:43:45Z

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The five elements (earth, air, fire, water and sky or cosmos) make up this known world. The world in turn is perceived by us with our five senses (sight, sound, touch, taste and smell). This interaction between us and these elements demand a constant functioning of all the five senses. Each of these senses is unique and has its own importance in the overall sensory experience. In the orchestra of the world attended by the body, the removal of just one sense is enough to throw the experience out of sync. The loss of synchronicity with the beauty of this world because of sensory deprivation causes a tremendous sorrow which cannot be expressed. Such is the agony of an artist who can no longer see or that of a musician who can no longer hear. Beethoven, a legend then and now in the world of mortals left us with immortal musical compositions, some of which were composed even when he was completely deaf. He was in indescribable agony for having been denied the pleasures of hearing his own compositions. His life was dwelt in constant pain over this sensory deprivation from the passion which he most embraced, music. In the now famous letter which he sent his brothers named Heiligenstadt Testament, he writes: "O how harshly was I repulsed by the doubly sad experience of my bad hearing,...but what a humiliation when one stood beside me and heard a flute in the distance and I heard nothing, or someone heard the shepherd singing and again I heard nothing, such incidents brought me to the verge of despair, but little more and I would have put an end to my life - only art it was that withheld me, ah it seemed impossible to leave the world until I had produced all that I felt called upon me to produce, and so I endured this wretched existence - truly wretched, an excitable body which a sudden change can throw from the best into the worst state ... O men, when some day you read these words, reflect that you did me wrong and let the unfortunate one comfort himself and find one of his kind who despite all obstacles of nature yet did all that was in his power to be accepted among worthy artists and men". The above notes of personal grief were written in 1802, a time when the biological body had no choice but to accept what was bestowed unto it by random replications of genetic material and the quality of society. Now, in the year 2007, two hundred and five years later, the modern Beethoven has a ray of hope.

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://blogcritics.org/scitech/article/cochlear-cyborgs/

2013-05-18T06:52:35Z

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en

Jamie Linden, perhaps best known as the screenwriter of We Are Marshall, makes his directorial debut with the high school reunion drama 10 Years. It was released theatrically at a few dozen locations this past fall, where it made little impact. It’s an ambling ensemble piece in which a bunch of classmates meet up for their 10 year high school reunion. The big draw here is the presence of Channing Tatum, hot off his summer smash Magic Mike. Those hoping he’ll take his shirt off are bound to be disappointed. In fact, everyone remains fully clothed for this chaste PG-13 soaper. Somewhere in this tangled web of characters is a potentially interesting character study. The problem is, Linden piled on the drama and didn’t know where to stop. Ultimately he’s interested in what changes can come about in the decade following high school. Some people achieve success, other don’t. But everyone has his or her own problems. Jake (Tatum), a sullen mortgage broker, appears to be happy with his girlfriend Jess (Jenna Dewan, the real-life Mrs. Tatum) but he’s burdened by some unresolved feelings for former flame Mary (Rosario Dawson). Cully (Parks and Recreation’s Chris Pratt) is intent on apologizing to every nerd he bullied in school. He overdoes it, much to the embarrassment of his wife Sam (Ari Graynor). Meanwhile, former party girl Anna (Lynn Collins) seems to be hiding something. We find out exactly what when Marty (Justin Long) and AJ (Max Minghella), two dudes who can’t stop bragging about their supposed successes, TP her house after the reunion. Reeves (Oscar Isaac) hit the big time as a singer-songwriter but never got over his crush on Elise (Kate Mara). There’s also Garrity (Brian Geraghty) and his wife Olivia (another Parks and Rec alum, Aubrey Plaza), who didn’t know her husband when he was known as G-Money in high school. No one at the reunion can believe Garrity married a white girl, he was so immersed in African-American culture a decade before. That’s doesn’t cover everyone, but you get the idea. There’s too much going on for Linden to focus on anyone long enough for us to care. The cast is mostly likable, gamely trying to deepen their thinly written characters. Lynn Collins makes the deepest impression, making one wish the whole movie had focused on Anna. Everyone underplays, probably due as much to the underdeveloped character arcs as any direction they received from Linden. On one hand, it’s admirable that 10 Years wants to rise above some of the typical high school reunion clichés. This isn’t a silly romp like American Reunion. 10 Years is far more mature and subtle. But between those two, I know which one I’ll be quicker to revisit (hint: the dumb one with lots of T&A, I’ll take cheap laughs over unfulfilled potential any day).

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://blogcritics.org/video/article/blu-ray-review-10-years1/

2013-05-18T08:05:32Z

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en

Of Memories Dreams by Lisa Brandel Pinktober Breast Cancer Awareness Image courtesy of Lisa Brandel Pinktober Breast Cancer Awareness is amongst us BlogNosticators.... Do you know what that means??? That means we go Pink and bring awareness to Breast Cancer for the Month of October. We need as many people as possible to help bring Breast Cancer Awareness to the blogging community. How you might ask? Well we will tell you...BlogNostics has joined forces with Jenni De La Torre from For Jens Sake In February of 2011 her younger sister was diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer. Three days after her sister was diagnosed she passed away. Since her sisters passing Jenni has been very active in bringing awareness about Breast Cancer to the world. She supports people who are fighting the good fight with Breast Cancer and connects with survivors on a daily basis. BlogNostics feels that we have chosen the perfect spokeswoman for this cause. Please Join her FaceBook Breast Cancer Awareness Challenge Event It's fun, its safe and the only thing you have to do is wear something pink for the month of October. And yeah, invite your friends and spread the word The BlogNostics Breast Cancer Awareness Contest: Count Me In:Time Frame: Oct. 1 and go through Oct.31, 2011. Writers, Poets, Photographers, Illustrators, Song Writers and Musicians are all welcome to join in. We want you and need you, for without you there is no awareness. Writer please write your real life story about you or a person you chose that has been afflicted with Breast Cancer and How it has Changed your/their lives. Poets please write a poem about your personal plight or the plight of someone you chose who has been hit with Breast Cancer. You can even write about the disease itself. Photographers and Illustrators please tell us your visual story with photos or illustrations. Use a photo/photos or illustrations of the person that you feel tells the story of how their having Breast Cancer affected you. Feel free to use words if you so wish but your goal is to give us the visuals Song Writers and Musicians this is a great time to collaborate and bring us something wonderful to listen to. Song Writers who team up with Musicians can produce a YouTube video so we can all listen to and see. IMPORTANT: All contest entries should include how they battled it, if they are still battling or are now in remission, how many times they have battled it, any organization that they went through for help, and if they died, (R.I.P.) the day their suffering ended. How Do I Rock This Event:Blognostics is asking for donations in the amounts of $1, $5, $10, 25 or more to be donated when signing up for this event. All donations made will go to 1 of the following 5 organization. The donations are useful for the organization and the people they help. Our Goal is to raise $5000.00. Donate what you can! BlogNosticator BCA Winners and Prizes.....First off you are all winners in the Cause for bringing Awareness to Breast Cancer. 1st place winner gets to choose which organization the donation will go to. BlogNostics will issue a cheque to the chosen organization. name. Plus a 500 x 68 banner in which you will get to advertize your site for a month on BlogNostics. We might not have a page ranking with Google yet but our Alexa Ranking is outstanding. 2nd place winner gets to choose from any signed image in Lisa Brandel's collection Art and The Human Condition. (National and International Shipping Free courtesy of Lisa Brandel). Plus a 210 x 200 ad space for a month on BlogNostics Side bar.. 3rd place winner gets a 100 x 100 ad space on the side bar of BlogNostics and will be featured on our landing page as Blogger of the Month in November.

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

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2013-05-18T07:21:07Z

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en

6:19 pm September 4, 2011, by Carroll Rogers Talk about a tough first assignment. Jack Wilson made his first start as a Brave Sunday against Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw and playing at third base, where he’d played only one game in his whole career. But he made a great smothering play on his first chance on his way to a smooth game defensively, and came up with a single off Kershaw in the seventh to key the three-run rally. “I almost wanted to look at their third base coach and say ‘Hey, if you’ve got anything let me know,’” said Wilson, who has played 1,232 games at short, 45 at second and now two at third. “Just making sure I’m in the right spots and before the pitch is made. It ended up working out today. I was happy to be out there. We were 0-2 since I got here, so I was getting a little nervous.” Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more

<urn:uuid:87330c12-c96f-4688-b01b-b68839024160>

CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-braves-blog/2011/09/04/wilson-draws-tough-assignment-in-first-braves-start/?cxntfid=blogs_atlanta_braves_blog

2013-05-18T08:01:43Z

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en

Yesterday’s House passage of cap-and-trade legislation designed to confront climate change is a landmark achievement, the first tangible step taken by the country that emits more greenhouse gas per capita than anyone in the world. The bill itself still faces a tough test in the Senate. Passage is far from assured, and without similar actions by other major emitting countries, it won’t mean much. But it does finally demonstrate to the rest of the world that the United States is prepared to do its part, which puts the pressure on them to follow suit. The bill itself, the product of a thousand political compromises, also isn’t perfect. But it also isn’t what its hysterical opponents claim it is. As Bryan Walsh acknowledges in Time: … critics have vastly overstated the likely cost. In fact, they’re all but lying. During the House debate, Republican whip Eric Cantor, using numbers from an American Petroleum Institute study, said that the bill would eventually cost more than $3,000 per family per year — but those numbers assume that billions of tons worth of inexpensive carbon offsets won’t be available under the bill, which would significantly inflate the overall cost. That’s not going to happen. A more reliable study from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office forecast that the bill would cost the average U.S. household $175 in higher energy costs annually by 2020 — and other studies estimate that the energy-efficiency provisions in the bill might even save Americans money over time. When opponents are forced to lie so blatantly — in this case exaggerating the likely cost 17 times over — they don’t have much of an honest argument.

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http://blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2009/06/27/passage-of-climate-change-bill-a-landmark-achievement/?cp=all

2013-05-18T08:04:42Z

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz

en

Georgia state legislators seem likely to pass a bill that would outlaw almost all abortions once a pregnancy has advanced beyond 20 weeks. (The current legal limit is 26 weeks). The rationale behind the bill is scientifically fraudulent, and its potential impact is tragic. Let’s deal first and quickly with the ungrounded premise behind House Bill 954, which claims that “by 20 weeks after fertilization there is substantial evidence that an unborn child has the physical structures necessary to experience pain.” No, there isn’t. Although a relative handful of scientists claim otherwise — and many of those scientists are pro-life activists — the overwhelming scientific consensus is that the neural connections needed to feel pain do not exist in a fetus until at least 24 weeks into gestation and even beyond that. A 2010 review of all research in that area by Britain’s Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists makes the science behind the question quite clear. Now, let’s talk about the practical impact of such a bill. According to the Guttmacher Institute, nine out of 10 abortions performed in the United States occur in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Most of those are unplanned, unwanted pregnancies that the mother chooses to terminate. However, the small fraction of abortions that occur after the proposed 20-week deadline are a very different matter. Many if not most such abortions occur not because the pregnancy is unwanted, but because prenatal testing has discovered serious or even fatal abnormalities in the development of the fetus. However, rather than create an exemption for such tragic cases, HB 954 cruelly and callously forbids it. In fact, they are the target of the bill. Abortions beyond the 20-week limit would be allowed only to save the life of the mother or “to avert serious risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function,” which is a very high standard for a “health of the mother” exception. There is no provision regarding severe impairment of the fetus. Georgia is not alone in considering such legislation. To the contrary, HB 954 is part of a nationwide crusade to pass such laws. In the handful of states where it has passed, it’s already having an impact. For example, in Nebraska last year, Danielle Deaver suffered a serious setback 22 weeks into a planned pregnancy when her water broke prematurely. Her doctors told her that her fetus’ lung and limb development had ceased as a result, and that even if carried to term, the baby would be born unable to breathe. But under a newly passed state law almost identical to that under consideration here in Georgia, Deaver was denied the right to end that pregnancy. When she finally went into premature labor, the child died 15 minutes after birth. This was considered humane, moral and proper by Nebraska legislators. In Washington, D.C., congressional Republicans are trying to pass a bill imposing similar restrictions on residents of the District of Columbia. At a press conference this week, Christy Zink, a D.C. resident and mother of two, recalled the impact that such a law would have had on her own tragic case. Twenty-two weeks into her pregnancy, tests determined that if carried to term, Zink’s fetus would be born with half of its brain missing and other structures compromised as well. Shocked by the news, she and her husband made the difficult choice to end the pregnancy. Under the so-called “Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act,” however, she would have been denied the right to do so. “Its very premise — that it prevents pain — is a lie,” Zink said of the bill. “If this bill had been passed before my pregnancy, I would have had to carry to term and give birth to a baby whom the doctors concurred had no chance of a life and would have experienced near-constant pain.” Here’s Zink’s statement. Watch it, and as you do, remember that in the eyes of many this mother of two is a murderer because of the difficult decision that she and her husband were forced to make, a deeply personal decision that members of Congress and Georgia legislators want to strip from citizens of this country because as elected representatives, they believe themselves to be more qualified. These decisions are not easy. Several years ago, Rick Santorum and his wife Karen faced a similar dilemma and took a very different course, as he often describes in very moving terms. They decided to see their pregnancy through to term, even knowing that the child would certainly die once it left the womb. Just as their doctors warned them, their son, Gabriel, died two hours after his birth. No one should question the decision that the Santorums made. It was their personal struggle, and they handled it on the basis of their own values, thoughts and faith. It is the essence of freedom to be able to make such decisions yourself, free of government dictate. Likewise, however, I also do not believe it within the purview of the Santorums or Georgia legislators or members of Congress to question or most of all overrule the decisions that other Americans might make in that same situation. It is, or ought to be, unthinkable. – Jay Bookman

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http://blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/02/22/georgia-anti-abortion-bill-strikes-personal-liberty/?cp=9

2013-05-18T05:26:43Z

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en

For all the talk of how America is following in the footsteps of debt-riddled Greece, here is one way our politics is charting a very different course: We are not waiting to reach the very edge of the abyss before moving our parties away from the center. One of the big stories from today’s primaries, which for the most part have been rendered less than front-page news outside the states holding them any given day, will be whether longtime Indiana Sen. Dick Lugar survives a challenge from tea-party favorite and State Treasurer Richard Mourdock. A recent poll (there haven’t been many of them) suggests Lugar’s time is up. The headlines will be about the tea party throwing out a respected member of the D.C. establishment in a fit of ideologically pure pique. Yet, increasingly this kind of result is dog-bites-man news — for both parties. Last month, Pennsylvania Democrats threw out a pair of “Blue Dog Democrats” from the U.S. House. The Blue Dogs, who tried to push laws such as Obamacare in a more moderate direction when Democrats held all the levers of power in 2009-10, have gone from a peak of 54 members in those years to a projected 23 when the 113th Congress convenes next year. Most of those losses have come at the hands of Republican challengers in general elections, or via retirements. But as the New York Times reported about the Pennsylvania races: The ouster of the Democratic incumbents — and the tough primaries being waged against some House Republicans — suggest that redistricting ultimately is going to send more liberal Democrats and more conservative Republicans to the House. That may be true in U.S. House races, where voters can be moved around during redistricting, but we’ve also seen changes in Senate races that cover entire states. Lugar would be one example, with the list of ousted Republicans also including Bob Bennett of Utah in 2010 and, perhaps, Utah’s Orrin Hatch this year. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska lost her primary in 2010, only to win re-election as a third-party candidate write-in Republican [note: the foregoing text has been corrected -- KW] in the general election. So did Connecticut’s Joe Lieberman in 2006, whom Democrats punished for his support of the Iraq war just six years after appearing on the party’s national ticket as its vice-presidential nominee. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas had to go to a runoff to remain the Democratic nominee for Senate in 2010, eventually losing her seat to a Republican that November. On the other hand, GOP voters chose as their nominee the man who, with the exception of Jon Huntsman, was considered the most moderate person in the field — even if the Obama campaign will now spend months trying to convince you Mitt Romney is a dangerous extremist. So the move away from moderation has its limits. When primary voters in both major parties punish moderate incumbents, the idea seems to be that they want to elect more people truly committed to the cause. But can the cause ever be advanced if the other side is equally committed to electing people determined to block it? Can either party, moving away from the center, elect enough of its own members to push through an agenda that will be uniformly opposed by the other party? The huge Democratic gains of 2006 and 2008 were not typical of our electoral history — and their overreach afterward was sharply rebuked by the voters in 2010. Can the Republicans make a similar follow-up gain this year as they are also moving away from the center? Does the pendulum really swing that fast? And why wouldn’t it just keep reversing course rather than staying in your preferred direction for very long? How this trend plays out in the long run is anyone’s guess. My guess is that, sooner than later, the electorate will tire of the pendulum moving so far, so fast. But there are two recent examples from Europe that suggest the mushy middle doesn’t necessarily work, either. The most recent one is, as advertised above, from Greece. Sunday’s elections there were a smackdown of the country’s leading center-left and center-right parties, both of which backed the bailout-and-austerity package from Greece’s European neighbors. Together, the two main parties won just 32 percent of the vote — down from 77 percent in the last elections a few years ago. The largest party won less than 19 percent (although it will have a larger share of the seats in parliament). More pertinent, however, is the nature of the parties that ate into their vote totals. The second-place party is called — this is the translation of the party’s name in Greek, not my editorial comment on its policies — the Coalition of the Radical Left. The Communist Party won 9 percent to finish fifth, and a neo-Nazi party (known as the “Golden Dawn” party) won 7 percent to wind up sixth. Together, the Communists and the neo-Nazis will have almost one-sixth of the seats in the Greek parliament. Two brand-new parties took another one-sixth of the vote. Think about that: A collection of Communists, neo-Nazis and two parties that had never competed before managed to equal the votes of the country’s two longest-standing parties. If that’s not a rebuke of the establishment, I don’t know what is. Another anti-centric example is Northern Ireland. For years, centrist parties representing the two opposing viewpoints there — remaining in the United Kingdom, or separating to join the Republic of Ireland — tried to make deals. It wasn’t until the two extremes on each side took a stab at working together that power-sharing under the Good Friday accord actually worked. Of course, we are not in the dire straits of either Greece, which has already had one technical default on its debt, or Northern Ireland, which suffered decades of self-inflicted terrorism. Nor have we seen if either of those examples yields good results in the long run. (One of history’s greatest — and most humble! — foreign correspondents reported from Northern Ireland just before power-sharing began there, questioning whether two extremes could truly co-exist for very long.) The jury is still out here, too. – By Kyle Wingfield

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http://blogs.ajc.com/kyle-wingfield/2012/05/08/2012-tuesday-should-we-worry-about-the-primary-losses-of-moderates/?cp=all

2013-05-18T08:04:14Z

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It isn’t the bitterest of Georgia’s football rivalries. Just the oldest and most competitive. Georgia and Auburn first played in Atlanta’s Piedmont Park in 1892. They have played 113 times since then. Auburn has won 53. Georgia has won 52. They have tied eight. So, if Georgia were to win this year’s meeting at Auburn on Saturday, the Deep South’s oldest college-football rivalry would pull completely even at 53-53-8. After all these games, all these years, only 56 points separate the teams. Georgia has scored 1,778 and Auburn 1,722. The average score in their meetings is 15.7-15.2. “I think that as we go on during the week the younger guys will get a better picture of what this rivalry is and has been over the years and what it’s meant,” Auburn coach Gene Chizik said Sunday. “It’s just a great rivalry. It’s what college football is all about.” At 113 games, the Georgia-Auburn series is older than Georgia-Georgia Tech (102 games) and Auburn-Alabama (74 games). Georgia has won the past four meetings, the Bulldogs’ longest winning streak in the series since the 1940s. As Chizik mentioned Sunday, no current Auburn player has experienced a win over Georgia. Over the years, it has been a curious series in that the road team has won more often than the home team. Georgia has an all-time record of 14-9-2 in games played at Auburn, while the Tigers have an 18-11 record in Athens. The series was mostly played at neutral sites from 1892 through 1958. Another quirk in the Georgia-Auburn series in recent years is that the lower-ranked team has found disproportionate success. Neither team was ranked entering last year’s game, but the lower-ranked or unranked team has won seven of the past 13 meetings when one or both teams were ranked. As you know, Auburn will go into Saturday’s game ranked No. 2 in the nation and Georgia unranked. In the last meeting of a ranked Auburn vs. an unranked Georgia, the Bulldogs upset the No. 5 Tigers 37-15 in 2006 at Auburn.

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http://blogs.ajc.com/uga-sports-blog/2010/11/08/georgia-auburn-its-what-college-football-is-all-about-chizik-says/?cp=2

2013-05-18T06:51:52Z

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- Backhand Talk - http://blogs.app.com/tennis - Nadal withdraws from U.S. Open Posted By Carol J. Kelly On August 15, 2012 @ 7:49 pm In Uncategorized | 49 Comments First Rafa Nadal skipped the Olympics because of a knee injury. Then he announced he was withdrawing from Cincinnati. And, in a statement today, Nadal said he won’t be able to compete in the last slam of the year — the U.S. Open. How serious is his knee injury? Is it possible he won’t show up until 2013, asks Jon Wertheim . Who would benefit most from his absence? Murray, Federer or Djokovic? For local, national and international updates, follow me on Twitter @cjkel: Article printed from Backhand Talk: http://blogs.app.com/tennis URL to article: http://blogs.app.com/tennis/2012/08/15/nadal-withdraws-from-u-s-open/ URLs in this post: Jon Wertheim: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/tennis/news/20120815/rafael-nadal-mailbag/ Copyright © 2010 Back(hand) Talk. All rights reserved.

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http://blogs.app.com/tennis/2012/08/15/nadal-withdraws-from-u-s-open/print/

2013-05-18T05:24:53Z

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en

By Craig Hubert | Pavel Dmitruchenko, a principal dancer in the Bolshoi Ballet who yesterday, it was reported, was questioned concerning the vicious acid attack on artistic director Sergei Filin, has confessed to his role in the crime, Reuters reports. “I organized this attack, but not to the extent that it happened,” Dmitruchenko told police. Two other men, Andrei Lipatov and Yury Zarutsky, were accused of carrying out the attack, ordered by Dmitruchenko. Although Dmitruchenko’s written statement to police has not been released, it’s being reported that sources close to the Bolshoi Ballet confirmed Dmitruchenko was angry at Filin for not giving his partner, ballerina Anzhelika Vorontsova, more lead roles. Dmitrichenko, known for his villain roles, has been with the Bolshoi since 2002. Image: Yuri Kadobnov/AFP/Getty Images

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http://blogs.artinfo.com/spotlight/2013/03/06/dancer-confesses-to-role-in-bolshoi-ballet-acid-attack/

2013-05-18T06:30:17Z

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Just as there are many variants and forms of electronic malware and Internet-based threats around the globe, so there are many forms of protection against these threats. Signature-based detection is one of the multifarious forms of defense that have been developed in order to keep us safe from malicious content. Although signature-based detection can be argued to have been overshadowed by more sophisticated methods of protection in some environments, it remains as a core ‘technique’ featuring in the anti-virus controls of packages and suites that work to protect a user’s system today. How does signature-based detection work? Signature-based detection works by scanning the contents of computer files and cross-referencing their contents with the “code signatures” belonging to known viruses. A library of known code signatures is updated and refreshed constantly by the anti-virus software vendor. If a viral signature is detected, the software acts to protect the user’s system from damage. Suspected files are typically quarantined and/or encrypted in order to render them inoperable and useless. Clearly there will always be new and emerging viruses with their own unique code signatures. So once again, the anti-virus software vendor works constantly to assess and assimilate new signature-based detection data as it becomes available, often in real time so that updates can be pushed out to users immediately and zero-day vulnerabilities can be avoided. Next-generation signature-based detection New variants of computer virus are of course developed every day and security companies now work to also protect users from malware that attempts to disguise itself from traditional signature-based detection. Virus authors have tried to avoid their malicious code being detected by writing “oligomorphic“, “polymorphic” and more recently “metamorphic” viruses with signatures that are either disguised or changed from those that might be held in a signature directory. Despite these developments, the Internet at large does of course still function on a daily basis. Populated as it is by users who not only have up to date security software installed, but also by those who have educated themselves as to the type of risks discussed here.

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http://blogs.avg.com/business/signature-based-detection/

2013-05-18T06:32:26Z

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en

By Dimitra DeFotis Advanced Micro Devices stock fell 7% at the open following Monday night news that its chief financial officer is resigning after only three years on the job. Shares of microprocessor maker Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) were trading about 29 cents lower, to $3.72, before recovering a bit, down 16 cents, or nearly 4%, to $3.85. For an analysis of the No. 2 microprocessor compared to Intel (INTC), see our nightowl editor’s overnight post on AMD news. Among upgrades and downgrades in the technology space: - Bank of America Merrill Lynch raised its price target on Apple (AAPL) to $850 from $770. - Piper Jaffray initiated coverage of Groupon (GRPN) with a Neutral rating. - RBC Capital downgraded Analog Devices (ADI), Intel, Texas Instruments (TX) and Nvidia (NVDA) to Sector Perform from Outperform. - Macquarie upgraded Liberty Media (LMCA) to Outperform from Neutral

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http://blogs.barrons.com/techtraderdaily/2012/09/18/amd-falls-7-on-cfo-departure-apple-target-raised-to-850-by-bofa/

2013-05-18T07:21:43Z

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Papa Roach Is Smashing Zombies With Aggro-Emo Sentiment in Fort Lauderdale |Jacoby Shaddix is a nü-screamo rap-rocker with a lot of feelings.| Twelve years later, the youth of today listen to electronic music and rapping to rock is a taboo shunned to the most mayo'd suburbs of Middle America. But Papa Roach has never stopped pushing forward with its one-of-a-kind blend of aggro-emo sentiment, nü-metal vocals, and skater-punk guitar riffs. Plus, it kills zombies. Well, at least in music videos. Last year, Shaddix (that is his real name, BTW) told Vevo.com that the concept for the band's video for "Still Swingin'" came from his 8-year-old son, whom he named Jagger Monroe Shaddix. According to the elder Shaddix, he approached his progeny for advice about the Roach's upcoming video. Jagger pitched a totally brutal zombie slugfest with no peanut butter or jelly but definitely a ton of baseball bats. And the rest is nü-screamo rap-rock history. Papa Roach. April 16, at Revolution Live, 100 SW Third Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Visit jointherevolution.net, or call 954-449-1025.

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http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/countygrind/2013/03/papa_roach_fort_lauderdale_concert_2013.php

2013-05-18T06:33:56Z

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en

By Tim Graham When the Buffalo Bills rebooted their operations in January, a point of emphasis was the creation of an analytics department. While no details have been divulged on how the Bills will implement analytics, a common usage around the league is in determining contract values. ProFootballFocus.com, one of the most popular analytics sites, has applied its metrics to the Bills' 2012 roster to determine who underperformed and outperformed their salary-cap figures last year. You can check out PFF for its explanation of each player, but here are the lists: - 1. Jairus Byrd, safety - 2. C.J. Spiller, running back - 3. Andy Levitre, left guard - 4. Kyle Williams, defensive tackle - 5. Alex Carrington, defensive tackle - 6. George Wilson, safety - 7. Nick Barnett, linebacker - 8. Scott Chandler, tight end - 9. Bryan Scott, linebacker - 10. Cordy Glenn, left tackle - 1. Mario Williams, defensive end - 2. Chris Kelsay, defensive end - 3. Ryan Fitzpatrick, quarterback - 4. Brad Smith, wide receiver - 5. Terrence McGee, cornerback - 6. Spencer Johnson, defensive tackle - 7. Mark Anderson, defensive end - 8. Tyler Thigpen, quarterback - 9. Erik Pears, right tackle - 10. Shawne Merriman, defensive end The Bills already have released two of the PFF's 10 most undervalued players (Barnett and Wilson). Byrd, Levitre and Scott could become unrestricted free agents in a couple weeks. From the overvalued list, the Bills have dumped McGee. Kelsay announced his retirement Wednesday night. From the free agents on the list, we safely can assume Thigpen won't be back, Merriman's probably a goner and Johnson isn't worth re-signing. tagged2013 free agency | Alex Carrington | Andy Levitre | Brad Smith | C.J. Spiller | Chris Kelsay | Cordy Glenn | Erik Pears | George Wilson | Jairus Byrd | Kyle Williams | Mario Williams | Mark Anderson | Nick Barnett | Ryan Fitzpatrick | Scott Chandler | Shawne Merriman | Spencer Johnson | Terrence McGee | Tyler Thigpen

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http://blogs.buffalonews.com/press-coverage/2013/02/pff-analytics-show-overvalued-undervalued-bills-for-2012.html

2013-05-18T06:26:09Z

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en

Many technologies and tools in use in universities and colleges are not developed for educational settings. In the classroom particularly teachers have become skilled at applying new technologies such as Twitter to educational tasks. But technology also plays a crucial role behind the scenes in any educational organisation in supporting and managing learning, and like classroom tools these technologies are not always developed with education in mind. So it is refreshing to find an example of an application developed for UK Higher and Further education being adopted by the commercial sector. Archi is an open source ArchiMate modelling tool developed as part of JISC’s Flexible Service Delivery programme to help educational institutions take their first steps in enterprise architecture modelling. ArchiMate is a modelling language hosted by the Open Group who describe it as “a common language for describing the construction and operation of business processes, organizational structures, information flows, IT systems, and technical infrastructure”. Archi enforces all the rules of ArchiMate so that the only relationships that can be established are those allowed by the language. Since the release of version 1.0 in June 2010 Archi has built up a large user base and now gets in excess of 1000 downloads per month. Of course universities and colleges are not the only organisations that need a better understanding of their internal business processes, we spoke to Phil Beauvoir, Archi developer at JISC CETIS, about the tool and why it has a growing number of users in the commercial world. Christina Smart (CS): Can you start by giving us a bit of background about Archi and why was it developed? Phil Beauvoir (PB): In summer of 2009 Adam Cooper asked whether I was interested in developing an ArchiMate modelling tool. Some of the original JISC Flexible Service Delivery projects had started to look at their institutional enterprise architectures, and wanted to start modelling. Some projects had invested in proprietary tools, such as BiZZdesign’s Architect, and it was felt that it would be a good idea to provide an open source alternative. Alex Hawker (the FSD Programme manager) decided to invest six months of funding to develop a proof of concept tool to model using the ArchiMate language. The tool would be aimed at the beginner, be open source, cross-platform and would have limited functionality. I started development on Archi in earnest in January 2010 and by April had the first alpha version 0.7 ready. Version 1.0 was released in June 2010, it grew from there. CS: How would you describe Archi? PB: The web site describes Archi as: “A free, open source, cross platform, desktop application that allows you to create and draw models using the ArchiMate language”. Users who can’t afford proprietary software, would use standard drawing tools such as Omnigraffle or Visio for modelling. Archi is positioned somewhere between those drawing tools and a tool like BiZZdesign’s Architect. It doesn’t have all the functionality and enterprise features of the BiZZdesign tool, but it has more than just plain drawing tools. Archi also has hints and helps and user assistance technology built into it, so when you’re drawing elements there are certain ArchiMate rules about which connections you can make, if you try to make a connection that’s not allowed you get an explanation why not. So for the beginner it is a great way to start understanding ArchiMate. We keep the explanations simple because we aim to make things easier for those users who beginners in ArchiMate. As the main developer I try to keep Archi simple, because there’s always a danger that you can keep adding on features and that would make it unusable. I try to steer a course between usability and features. Another aspect of Archi is the way it supports the modelling conversation. Modelling is not done in isolation; it’s about capturing a conversation between key stakeholders in an organisation. Archi allows you to sketch a model and take notes in a Sketch View before you add the ArchiMate enterprise modelling rules. A lot of people use the Sketch View. It enables a capture of a conversation, the “soft modelling” stage before undertaking “hard modelling”. CS: How many people are using it within the Flexible Service Delivery programme? PB: I’m not sure, I know the King’s College, Staffordshire and Liverpool John Moores projects were using it. Some of the FSD projects tended to use both Architect and Archi. If they already had one licence for BiZZdesign Architect they would carry on using it for their main architect, whereas other “satellite” users in the institution would use Archi. CS: Archi has a growing number of users outside education, who are they and how did they discover Archi? PB: Well the first version was released in June 2010, and people in the FSD programme were using it. Then in July 2010 I got an email from a large Fortune 500 insurance company in the US, saying they really liked the tool and would consider sponsoring Archi if we implemented a new feature. I implemented the feature anyway and we’ve built up the relationship with them since then. I know that this company has in the region of 100 enterprise architects and they’ve rolled Archi out as their standard enterprise architecture modelling tool. I am also aware of other commercial companies using it, but how did they discover it? Well I think it’s been viral. A lot of businesses spend a lot of money advertising and pushing products, but the alternate strategy is pull, when customers come to you. Archi is of the pull variety, because there is a need out there, we haven’t had to do very much marketing, people seem to have found Archi on their own. Also the TOGAF (The Open Group Architecture Framework) developed by the Open Group is becoming very popular and I guess Archi is useful for people adopting TOGAF. In 2010 BiZZdesign were I think concerned about Archi being a competitor in the modelling tool space. However now they’re even considering offering training days on Archi, because Archi has become the de facto free enterprise modelling tool. Archi will never be a competitor to BiZZdesign’s Architect, they have lots of developers and there’s only me working on Archi, it would be nuts to try to compete. So we will focus on the aspects of Archi that make it unique, the learning aspects, the focus on beginners and the ease of use, and clearly forge out a path between the two sets of tools. Many people will start with Archi and then upgrade to BiZZdesign’s Architect, so we’re working on that upgrade path now. CS: Why do you think it is so popular with business users? PB: I’m end-user driven, for me Archi is about the experience of the end users, ensuring that the experience is first class and that it “just works”. It’s popular with business users firstly because it’s free, secondly because it works on all platforms, thirdly because it’s aimed at those making their first steps with ArchiMate. CS: What is the immediate future for Archi? PB: We’re seeking sponsorship deals and other models of sustainability because obviously JISC can’t go on supporting it forever. One of the models of sustainability is to get Archi adopted by something like the Eclipse Foundation. But you have to be careful that development continues in those foundations, because there is a risk of it becoming a software graveyard, if you don’t have the committers who are prepared to give their time. There is a vendor who has expressed an interest in collaborating with us to make sure that Archi has a future. Lots of software companies now have service business models, so you provide the tool for free but charge for providing services on top of the free tool. The Archi tool will always be free, anyone could package it up and sell it. I know they’re doing that in China because I’ve had emails from people doing it, they’ve translated it and are selling it and that’s ok because that’s what the licence model allows. In terms of development we’re adding on some new functionality. A new concept of a Business Model Canvas is becoming popular, where you sketch out your new business models. The canvas is essentially a nine box grid which you add various key partners, stakeholders etc to. We’re adding a canvas construction kit to Archi, so people can design their own canvas for new business models. The canvas construction kit is aimed at the high level discussions that people have when they start modelling their organisations. CS: You’ve developed a number of successful applications for the education sector over the years, including, Colloquia, Reload and ReCourse, how do you feel the long term future for Archi compares with those? PB: Colloquia was the first tool I developed back in 1998, and I don’t really think it’s used anymore. But really Colloquia was more a proof of concept to demonstrate that you could create a learning environment around the conversational model, which supported learning in a different way from the VLEs that were emerging at the time. Its longevity has been as a forerunner to social networking and to the concept of the Personal Learning Environment. Reload was a set of tools for doing content packaging and SCORM. They’re not meant for teachers, but they’re still being used. The ReCourse Learning Design tool developed for a very niche audience of those people developing scripted learning designs. I think the long term future for Archi is better than those, partly because there’s a very large active community using it, and partly because it can be used by all enterprises and isn’t just a specific tool for the education sector. I think Archi has an exciting future. Phil has received some very positive feedback about Archi via email from JISC projects as well as those working in the commercial world. "The feeling I get from Archi is that it's helping me to create shapes, link and position them rather than jumping around dictating how I can work with it. And the models look much nicer too... I think Archi will allow people to investigate EA modelling cost free to see whether it works for them, something that's not possible at the moment.” “So why is Archi significant? It is an open source tool funded by JISC based on the ArchiMate language that achieves enough of the potential of a tool like BiZZdesign Architect to make it a good choice for relatively small enterprises, like the University of Bolton to develop their modelling capacity without a significant software outlay.” Stephen Powell from the Co-educate project (JISC Curriculum Design Programme). “I'm new to EA world, but Archi 1.1 makes me fill like at home! So easy to use and so exciting...” “Version 1.3 looks great! We are rolling Archi out to all our architects next week. The ones who have tried it so far all love it.” Find Out More If this interview has whetted your appetite, more information about Archi, and the newly released version 2.0 is available at http://archi.cetis.ac.uk. For those in the north, there will be an opportunity to see Archi demonstrated at the forthcoming 2nd ArchiMate Modelling Bash being held in St Andrews on the 1st and 2nd November.

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http://blogs.cetis.ac.uk/christina/2011/10/

2013-05-18T05:58:18Z

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en

I just finished reading the much-hyped book, Behind the Beautiful Forevers, which well deserves the hype. It is an extraordinary look at life in Annawadi, a slum adjacent to Mumbai’s modern international airport. Author Katherine Boo spent three years in the slum (researching, interviewing, videotaping, recording) trying to understand “how ordinary low-income people—particularly women and children—were negotiating the age of global markets.” The question that drives her is: “What is the infrastructure of opportunity in this society?” It is a critical question for any society, and one that Boo has been exploring in various poor communities for the past twenty years as a staff writer for the New Yorker. The answer she paints for Annawadi makes me question my relatively bullish assessment of India’s growth prospects. The residents of Annawadi, many of whom earn a living by scavenging through garbage, are remarkably resilient, innovative, determined, and hard-working towards their goal of upward mobility. But they are also stymied at almost every turn by a corrupt system. The plot turns on a woman who, in her desperation, sets herself on fire but frames her neighbors in an act of vengeance. The number of people who try to profit from this calamity is breathtaking. Also breathtaking is how many well-intentioned programs to help the poor do nothing of the sort. Corrupt power brokers appropriate the municipal water and charge their neighbors to use it; a renegade social worker from World Vision, the American Christian charity, collects money for a new water tap but runs away with it; the director of a local orphanage sells for cash the goodies donated for the children; a woman collects money for a school but never teaches. Behind the Beautiful Forevers is not intended as a commentary on global development, but it will inevitably be read as such. Microfinance comes across as particularly misguided: “The government was lending money at subsidized rates to help poor entrepreneurs start employment-generating businesses. These new companies could be fictions, though. A slum-dweller would request a loan for an imaginary business; a local government official would certify how many jobs it would bring to a needy community; and an executive of the state-owned Dena Bank would approve it. Then the official and the bank manager would take a hunk of the loan. Asha, having befriended the bank manager, was helping him select the Annawadians who would get the loans—for her own cut of the money.” The indictments of microfinance in the book will resonate with recent research that suggests that even well-managed programs are not the poverty-busters they have claimed to be. In his exhaustive Due Diligence: An Impertinent Inquiry into Microfinance, David Roodman from the Center for Global Development ultimately concludes that there is no definitive causation between microfinance and poverty reduction. By the end of Behind the Beautiful Forevers, I am left more convinced that simply giving cash directly to the poor is the most effective way to alleviate poverty. As Boo demonstrates in her lively descriptions, the poor in Annawadi are smart, and clearly know better than anyone else what they need. Directly giving cash to the poor is an increasingly accepted development strategy that recognizes that their main problem is not having enough money, that they know how to spend money effectively, and that more middlemen simply create more opportunities for corruption and inefficiency. Direct cash transfer programs such as Oportunidades in Mexico and Bolsa Familia in Brazil offer small monthly cash sums to poor families, often under the condition that they enroll their children in school and take the children to medical checkups. The results of these programs are impressive, to say the least. One Brazilian economist credits Bolsa Familia with 17 percent of the country’s reduction in inequality since 2001. “Pensions and other welfare payments had a similar effect, but at a massively higher cost.” In Mexico, as a result of Oportunidades, enrollment in rural high schools is up 85 percent. Mexico’s success with Oportunidades has inspired forty other countries to implement similar programs. One new NGO that I’m watching closely, GiveDirectly, is using census data to locate the poorest households in Kenya (80% of which report not having enough food for tomorrow), and using Safaricom’s M-Pesa mobile payments system to directly transfer money to them. GiveDirectly doesn’t tell recipients what to do with the money, but recipients so far report using it to buy food, livestock, and clothes, invest in their homes, and pay school fees. Surely the people in Annawadi would quickly figure out how to better their lives with such cash transfers. As The Economist suggests, perhaps once India issues national ID numbers to more of its citizens—proper documentation often determines whether poor people can access services, and India is leading a landmark identification effort—the country could be well-placed to create a robust cash transfer program of its own. I suspect that only through such a program will the all-important “infrastructure of opportunity” in India improve.

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http://blogs.cfr.org/coleman/2012/03/15/behind-the-beautiful-forevers-and-the-fight-against-poverty/

2013-05-18T05:22:51Z

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By Jason Kohn, Contributing Columnist Like many of us, scientific researchers tend to be creatures of habit. This includes research teams working for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. government agency charged with measuring the behavior of oceans, atmosphere, and weather. Many of these climate scientists work with massive amounts of data – for example, the National Weather Service collecting up-to-the-minute temperature, humidity, and barometric readings from thousands of sites across the United States to help forecast weather. Research teams then rely on some the largest, most powerful high-performance computing (HPC) systems in the world to run models, forecasts, and other research computations. Given the reliance on HPC resources, NOAA climate researchers have traditionally worked onsite at major supercomputing facilities, such as Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, where access to supercomputers are just steps away. As researchers crate ever more sophisticated models of ocean and atmospheric behavior, however, the HPC requirements have become truly staggering. Now, NOAA is using a super-high-speed network called “n-wave” to connect research sites across the United States with the computing resources they need. The network has been operating for several years, and today transports enough data to fill a 10-Gbps network to full capacity, all day, every day. NOAA is now upgrading this network to allow even more data traffic, with the goal of ultimately supporting 100-Gbps data rates. “Our scientists were really used to having a computer in their basement,” says Jerry Janssen, manager, n-wave Network, NOAA, in a video about the project. “When that computer moved a couple thousand miles away, we had to give them a lot of assurances that, one, the data would actually move at the speed they needed it to move, but also that they could rely on it to be there. The amount of data that will be generated under this model will exceed 80-100 Terabits per day.” The n-wave project means much more than just a massive new data pipe. It represents a fundamental shift in the way that scientists can conduct their research, allowing them to perform hugely demanding supercomputer runs of their data from dozens of remote locations. As a result, it gives NOAA climate scientists much more flexibility in where and how they work. “For the first time, NOAA scientists and engineers in completely separate parts of the country, all the way to places like Alaska and Hawaii and Puerto Rico, will have the bandwidth they need, without restriction,” says Janssen. “NOAA will now be able to do things it never thought it could do before.” In addition to providing fast, stable access to HPC resources, n-wave is also allowing NOAA climate scientists to share resources much more easily with scientists in the U.S. Department of Energy and other government agencies. Ideally, this level of collaboration and access to supercomputing resources will help climate scientists continue to develop more effective climate models, improve weather forecasts, and allow us to better understand our climate. Powering Vital Climate Research The high-speed nationwide HPC connectivity capability provided by n-wave is now enabling a broad range of NOAA basic science and research activities. Examples include: - Basic data dissemination, allowing research teams to collect up-to-the-minute data on ocean, atmosphere, and weather from across the country, and make that data available to other research teams and agencies nationwide. - Ensemble forecasting, where researchers run multiple HPC simulations using different initial conditions and modeling techniques, in order to refine their atmospheric forecasts and minimize errors. - Severe weather modeling, where scientists draw on HPC simulations, real-time atmospheric data, and archived storm data to better understand and predict the behavior of storms. - Advancing understanding of the environment to be able to better predict short-term and long-term environmental changes, mitigate threats, and provide the most accurate data to inform policy decisions. All of this work is important, and will help advance our understanding of Earth’s climate. And it is all a testament to the amazing networking technologies and infrastructure that scientists now have at their disposal, which puts the most powerful supercomputing resources in the world at their fingertips – even when they are thousands of miles away.

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http://blogs.cisco.com/cle/noaa-how-networks-are-used-in-climate-research/

2013-05-18T08:10:54Z

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Film Club, City Pages film newsletter, launches Thursday To subscribe, you need to log into our site using Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, Yahoo, or your My Voice Places password. Next, click the drop-down by your name and select "newsletters." Scroll down and hit "subscribe" when you see the film newsletters. Et voila! The newsletters launches this Thursday.

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http://blogs.citypages.com/dressingroom/2012/10/film_club_city_pages_newsletter.php

2013-05-18T05:58:54Z

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Barbie, the iconic porcelain skinned, perfectly coiffed doll, is undergoing a Panem makeover. The unattainable hourglass figure will be donning the famous Mockingjay pin as the doll is re-imagined for battle in the Hunger Games arena. No longer a perky blonde, Mattel’s Katniss doll includes Jennifer Lawrence’s hooded jacket and military style pants as well as her trusty bow and quiver –perfect for slaying diminutive Tributes. Although I’m excited to see a 12-inch version of Katniss, I was a little surprised by Mattel’s partnership with the series. It’s hard to envision young girls who haven’t read Suzanne Collin’s books re-enacting the graphic battle scenes. Let’s face it, the Hunger Games arena is a far cry from the Pepto-Bismol pink of the Dream House. Given the mass popularity of the books and film, however, it’s a sound financial investment for the company and they have reiterated that the doll is intended for adult collectors. Rabid fans like myself will likely snatch up the doll quicker than supplies at the Cornucopia. The doll led me to think of some other female characters that are unlikely to join Mattel’s lineup: * Uma Thurman as Mia Wallace in “Pulp Fiction” complete with Jack Rabbit Slim $5 shake, adrenaline shot and bloodied nose. * Hit Girl from “Kick-Ass” — a deadly pre-pubescent assassin complete with butterfly knife, guns and a smattering of potty-mouthed phrases. * Lizbeth Salander — main character in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo– complete with Taser gun, bondage equipment and tattoo needle. * Daryl Hannah’s character, Elle Driver, in “Kill Bill” would come with syringe, nurse’s uniform and with or without both eyes. The Katniss doll made her debut April 9 and is already backordered until August, so evidently the retail sale odds will be ever in Mattel’s favor. Reserve yours here! http://www.barbiecollector.com/shop/doll/hunger-games-katniss-doll-w3320

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http://blogs.dailymail.com/nerdliving/2012/04/11/warrior-princess-barbie-with-kung-fu-grip/

2013-05-18T06:29:21Z

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en

In our 50th podcast, Erik talks with 3-point sharpshooter Megan Charles of Calabasas and point guard Noam Leead of Agoura There is a subtle reference to the guests in the transitional bumper with Jessica Fogel of Sierra Canyon and with the music. See if you can figure out what it is. “Superfly” by Curtis Mayfield “In 3′s” by Beastie Boys

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http://blogs.dailynews.com/highschoolpodcast/tag/agoura/

2013-05-18T06:25:33Z

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en

On December 5, 1971, five men entered the Quality Motel on Main Street and forced their way into the room of Davenport Police Patrolman Leon Washington. The men hit Officer Washington and tied him up, then stole three automatic pistols, a revolver, and a shotgun. It is possible that the men also tried to rob the motel offices—in any case, an alarm went off, alerting the police. Patrolman Sam L. Raley and his partner Patrolman Michael Farnsworth, who had joined the department in August, were among the first officers to arrive on the scene. They observed four men fleeing from the motel and tried to stop them. The suspects started shooting and the police returned fire. Patrolman Raley was lucky—three bullets just missed him. Patrolman Farnsworth wasn’t. The twenty-nine year old man died of a gunshot wound to the head shortly after being rushed to t. Luke’s Hospital. The police, joined by Scott County deputies and five squads from the Iowa Highway Patrol, cordoned off a two block area and searched the motel and surrounding buildings. Four suspects were arrested and charged with first degree murder. A continuous honor guard of uniformed police officers stood at either end of the casket as more than 400 people visited Runge Mortuary to pay their respects to Michael Farnsworth, the first Davenport Police Officer to be killed in the line of duty since 1958.* Donations for the Farnsworth family were sent to the Police station by people all over the Quad-Cities—over $800 was collected in two days. A clothing store offered to give Mrs. Farnsworth a dress for the funeral. The city paid the funeral expenses, and Davenport Memorial Park donated two burial plots to the family—a gift that was usually given only to war veterans killed in action. The funeral, held at the First Presbyterian Church, was attended by almost 200 police officers, active and retired, from as far away as Dubuque, Iowa, and Galesburg, Illinois. All members of the Davenport Police Department and Fire Department, barring those on shift duty, were present, including Patrolman Leon Washington. “His death in responding to the Call of duty deeply touches us all,” said Reverend Dr. Donald Blackstone. “[We must] increase out respect for, and appreciated of, and cooperation with out law enforcement officers and agencies. . . if we will seriously undertake and implement these changes, the death of Michael Farnsworth will not be in vain.”** After the service, a double line of police officers formed and an honor guard of six officers in full dress uniform escorted the coffin as the pallbearers carried it to the hearse. One of these pallbearers was Sam Raley. Officers stood at attention long the route to the cemetery, which led past the Police Station, its doors draped in black. Flags all over the city were flown at half mast. Once the procession reached the cemetery, officers lined the path from the hearse to the gravesite. Davenport police officers are not often lost to us in the line of duty, though they willingly put themselves at risk for us every day. Perhaps it shouldn’t take a funeral to remember how important they are to our community? *Detective William Jurgens was shot while coming to the aid of another officer on July 16, 1958. **Arpy, Jim. “Hundred Mourn Slain Officer,” Times-Democrat, December 9, 1971, p.1. Arpy, Jim. “Hundred Mourn Slain Officer,” Times-Democrat, December 9, 1971, p.1. “Shooting of Officer at Motel Follows Holdup,” Times-Democrat, 6Dec1971, p.1 “Quiet Salute to a Friend,” Times-Dmeocrat, 8Dec1971, p.1.

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http://blogs.davenportlibrary.com/sc/2009/12/09/a-quiet-salute-to-a-friend/

2013-05-18T05:49:25Z

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en

Last semester, when I was elected as the co-president of UR Hip Hop with Shaelom James (a student ran Hip Hop organization in the University of Rochester), I immediately reached out to UR Christian Fellowship and Church of Love Associate Pastor Brian White about hosting a gospel rap concert. White always spoke about the rappers and managers that he was connected to in the industry and how eager they were to perform. When I approached him, it was no different – the only thing that needed to be dealt with was the logistics. But little did I know that that was going to be the greatest obstacle to overcome for our highly anticipated concert. By the time October came along, we were gung-ho on having our concert in the May Room on Nov. 13. The May Room is located in the same facility as one of our major dining halls, conference room locations, practice and study rooms and Starbucks – it was the perfect time and place to attract passer-bys to the show. Unfortunately, despite the fact that the Church of Love had access to all of the necessary equipment for the concert, UR’s Event Support required us to use their services at an estimated $750 for the night. Obviously, as a student ran organization that hasn’t been funded for the past 2 years and only had 2 to 3 weeks left to the event, we had no choice but to post-pone our show to a December date and try to work out negotiations with Event Support in the mean time. Again, we underestimated how difficult it was to use any other services than the one that the University has granted monopolistic control. The tedious process required us to have the Church of Love provide their umbrella insurance (which wasn’t a problem), two recommendations from event coordinators who have used their services in the past (a point which wasn’t bought up until 2 weeks into negotiations), and a completely adjusted insurance policy that would require the Church of Love to cover UR under every section of their insurance company agreement. And yes, all this was for one show. To make matters worse, the manager of Event Support, a full-time non-student employee of the University, was usually tardy with his emails. But in the end, we were finally able to find a financially and totalitarian free alternative: the Interfaith Chapel. This Saturday, Dec. 11, in UR’s Interfaith Chapel from 8 to 10 p.m., UR Hip Hop will be hosting “Saving Hip Hop.” The FREE event will include performances by Jeff Lot, INF, El Pastor, and even some of our MCs. Students and community members are invited to come to a powerful night of rap that sends a message. I can confidentially assure anyone who is unfamiliar with the genre that they will be more than pleasantly surprised. I was completely alien to how much it’s evolved with hip hop and how talented Christian MCs are. Their skill, flow, bars, beats and storytelling structure transcends any reservations that people may have about proselytizing. At the end of the day, they are just rappers who are sharing their story in a unique way; if it inspires you to see or feel about life differently, amen; if it impresses you from an artistic standpoint, amen. I’m just grateful that the show is finally happening after all of the setbacks we faced. I’ve learned so much in the process of planning this show.

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http://blogs.democratandchronicle.com/youngprofessionals/?p=2118

2013-05-18T06:50:12Z

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en

A telling detail of Jeff Leib’s last day at the Denver Post is the amount of paper he is at this moment still pulling out of his desk — studies, reports, memos and even an old phone number from more than 25 years ago for Donald Rumsfeld, who was then president of a pharmaceutical company. Leib, 64, has been a beat reporter at The Denver Post for 25 years, covering business and transportation and heading up negotiations for the newspaper guild. He has more than 3,200 bylined stories, according to electronic archives that go back only to 1993. Leib started in 1986. Leib is one of 19 Denver Post journalists who are calling today their last day at the newspaper, taking more than 400 years of experience with them. The Post in October offered buyouts to about 20 newsroom employees to reduce staffing because of increasing financial pressures. Some names may be recognizable to the reading public, others were key players behind the scenes. Here are those employees who took the buyout:

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http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/topic/wisconsin/

2013-05-18T05:27:02Z

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No injuries were reported this morning after a manufacturing facility caught fire, due to sparks thrown from a welding machine. Spokesman Brian O’Keefe, with Des Moines Fire Department, said firefighters arrived on scene at Titan Tire, 2345 E. Market St., at about 8 a.m. where smoke was coming out of multiple doors on the west side of the building. Employees had already evacuated the building. O’Keefe said there were more than a dozen people standing outside when crews arrived. The flames were located in the basement of the building. O’Keefe said employees were welding in the basement when sparks caught nearby combustibles and machinery on fire. The flames were contained to the machine by the building’s sprinkler system. O’Keefe said the water didn’t put the fire out but kept it from spreading. Amount of damages is unknown at this time. O’Keefe said he didn’t know the cost of the machinery but it wasn’t part of the manufacturing process. The plant has many raw materials and combustible liquids onsite. O’Keefe said the business has permits for storage of such items and were inspected by the fire department in July with no issues.

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http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2012/09/06/welding-sparks-cause-fire-at-titan-tire-fire-officials-say

2013-05-18T06:43:48Z

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Today is the filing deadline for the Dallas County primary, which will be held June 5. Only one person filed for a seat on the Dallas County Board of Supervisors: incumbent Mark Hanson of Waukee, a Republican. In the sheriff’s race, challenger Jim Romar of West Des Moines, a Republican, is running ... Keeping tax rates flat for homeowners while encouraging a healthy mix of residential and commercial growth in West Des Moines will remain top priorities over the next four years, said city council members Jim Sandager and Charles Schneider. The two incumbents retained their seats in Tuesday’s municipal election, and said the ... Refusing to raise property taxes and keeping red-light and speed cameras out of West Des Moines offered common ground for City Council candidates at a forum tonight, but all four men also took pains to distinguish themselves from their competition during the 90-minute debate. Participants included incumbent Councilman Charles Schneider, who ... A questionnaire with City Council candidates published in today’s West Des Moines Register contained inaccurate information about the candidates’ voting histories. At-large incumbent Jim Sandager has voted in five of the last five municipal elections. At-large challenger Jim Romar has voted in three of the five last five municipal elections. At-large challenger Spencer ... Reset your password We hope you have enjoyed your complimentary access. - Unlimited access to our Web site - iPad-optimized edition - Mobile site & iPhone app You now have full access. Thank you for subscribing. - View articles, videos, galleries and more – 24/7 - Access the tablet-optimized site, mobile site and iPhone app - Share your access with any friend or family member - Subscriber exclusive Top 5 daily email newsletter You will automatically receive the DesMoinesRegister.com Top 5 daily email newsletter. If you don't want to receive this newsletter, you can change your newsletter selections in your account preferences.

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2013-05-18T07:19:35Z

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The bacterium Micavibrio aeruginosavorus (yellow), leeching on a Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterium (purple). What’s the news: If bacteria had blood, the predatory microbe Micavibrio aeruginosavorus would essentially be a vampire: it subsists by hunting down other bugs, attaching to them, and sucking their life out. For the first time, researchers have sequenced the genome of this strange microorganism, which was first identified decades ago in sewage water. The sequence will help better understand the unique bacterium, which has potential to be used as a “living antibiotic” due to its ability to attack drug-resistant biofilms and its apparent fondness for dining on pathogens. Anatomy of a Vampire: - The bacterium has an interesting multi-stage life history. During its migratory phase it sprouts a single flagellum and goes hunting for prey. Once it find a delectable morsel of bacterium, it attacks and irreversibly attaches to the surface, and sucks out all of the good stuff: carbohydrates, amino acids, proteins, DNA, etc. - Sated, the cell divides in two via binary fission, and the now-depleted host is left for dead. Hungry for Pathogens: - M. aeruginosavorus cannot be grown by itself; it must be cultured along with another bacteria to feed upon. A 2006 study found that it only grew upon three bacterial species, all of which can cause pneumonia-like disease in humans. A more recent study showed that it can prey upon a wider variety of microbes, most of them potentially pathogenic, like E. coli. - These studies also found that M. aeruginosavorus has a knack for disrupting biofilms, the dense collection of bacteria that cause harmful plaques on teeth and medical implants alike, and can be up to 1,000 more resistant to antibiotics than free-swimming bugs. - The bacteria can also swim through viscous fluids like mucous and kills Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the bacterium that can colonize lungs of cystic fibrosis patients and form a glue-like film. - These qualities have caught the eye of researchers who think it could be used as a living antibiotic to treat biofilms and various types of drug-resistant bacteria, which are a growing problem in medicine. Sequencing the organism’s genome is an important step in understanding its biochemistry and how it preys on other microbes. Clues From the Vampire Code: - The new study found that each phase of life involves the use (or expression) of different sets of genes. The migratory/hunting phase involves many segments that code for flagellum formation and genes involved in quorum sensing. The attachment phase involves a wide variety of secreted chemicals and enzymes that facilitate the flow of materials from the host. - Micavibrio aeruginosavorus possesses no genes for amino acid transporters, a rather rare trait only seen in a few other bacterial species that depend heavily upon their host to help them shuttle these vital protein building-blocks. This absence helps explain the bacterium’s dependence on a narrow range of prey, from which it directly steals amino acids. Although it remains unclear exactly how the microbe attaches to and infiltrates other cells. The Future Holds: - The range of microbes upon which Micavibrio aeruginosavorus can survive is expanding; after being kept in laboratory conditions for years it has apparently evolved a more diverse diet. If this expansion continues, that could be a real problem for its use as an antibiotic; it could begin to eat beneficial gut bacteria, for example. - Researchers claim it is harmless to friendly gut microbes, but it hasn’t been tested on all the varieties of bacteria present in humans. - Several important steps must be taken before testing in people, like learning more about what traits makes another bacteria tasty to Micavibrio aeruginosavorus. Researchers speculate the bacterium may need to be genetically altered in order to go after specific pathogens, or to reduce the risk of it causing unforeseen complications. Reference: Zhang Wang, Daniel E Kadouri, Martin Wu. Genomic insights into an obligate epibiotic bacterial predator: Micavibrio aeruginosavorus ARL-13. BMC Genomics, 2011; 12 (1): 453 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-12-453 Image credit: University of Virginia

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2013-05-18T06:25:54Z

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- November 15th, 2008 - Derek Robertson - Comments: 7 Comments »Tags: Consolarium, Endless Ocean, games based learning, Wii Endless Ocean for the Nintendo Wii was one of those games that immediately caught my eye. A wonderful world in which the player can become immersed in a rich, vibrant and somewhat hypnotically therapeutic underwater world. I’ve written about how I thought it might be used to drive learning before but my initial ideas have been put into place and extended beyond recognition by some really creative teachers. Last week I went with Margaret Cassidy from Stirling Council to Cowie PS to see a teacher that was using Endless Ocean with her class: Mrs Bullivant and her class of P.6 children treated me to an afternoon of sheer joy. I walked in to a class that had been turned into an underwater world that was awash with a tide of enthusiastic and industrious learnning. - Streamers of various shades of blue were hung from two lines that criss-crossed the class.From these lines also hung starfish, sharks and other underwater creatures that the children had made. - The Wii was hooked up to the whiteboard and the gameplay was integral to the learning. - The children were divided into ‘dive teams’ and their ‘dive leader’ had to manage certain aspects of how the children worked together. - Children were engaged with a teacher led leson that investigated buoyancy. - Children were searching the web to find out more about some of the creatures that they discovered in the game. - A spreadsheet activity detailing the range of creatures that they had discovered was in place. - A shipwreck (created by the janitor) was sitting in the class. This helped drive much of the creative writing work. - The children created treasure maps and were using these to look at grid references. - Mermaids were created in art and design and very lifelike they were too! - Reference books were in great demand when I was in the class and the initial stimulus of the game appeared to drive a real interest for what could be found in the complementary resource that was the book. - Children actively encouraged to measure exactly how long 7 metres is as a result of finding out that that was how long a Great White Shark was. This was just a wonderful visit and an example of what learning in class can be. Yes we need creative teachers to lead this but isn’t that what we are meant to be. The work that was in evidence in this class was delightful to witness and further cemented my ideas of the possibilities of sandbox games such as Endless Ocean. Categories Stirling Council

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http://blogs.educationscotland.gov.uk/consolarium/2008/11/15/endless-ocean-and-endless-learning-in-stirling/

2013-05-18T06:43:31Z

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We finished our first projects and listened to the majority of them in class today. While most of the students created soundscapes involving walking, driving, or cooking, mine was somewhat of a black sheep, because whereas they inserted dialogue at an absolute minimum, mine was created around it. I recorded the busy environment of a house show in Olympia, weaving in and out of various conversations, kitchen happenings, and band setups. Th project then transitions into music played by one of the artists who performed that evening, Eleanor Murray. Finally, I recorded some final sound effects off location to add extra dimensions throughout. I really enjoyed doing this project. The finished version is on the Media page.

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http://blogs.evergreen.edu/mputnam/blog/2011/08/04/soundscape-project-house-show-collage/

2013-05-18T05:33:24Z

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The Rocky road to Philly "After a short train journey from Washington DC, we arrived in city number 3 of the east coast in North America, Philadelphia. As it proved pretty difficult to find a decent hostel in Philadelphia, we treated ourselves to a few nights in the Travellodge! Again, it was a luxury we had been missing! The following morning we got up early for our complimentary breakfast, before heading into the city. The Travellodge was located close to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, so we went there first and ran up the steps leading up to museum, as they are the same steps featured in the Rocky films. We weren't the only ones racing up them! We then had our photo taken by his statue. An hour and two very sweaty girls later, we walked into the city centre. The weather seemed even hotter than it was in Washington. We went to the Liberty Bell Museum, as it is now recognised as an international icon of freedom. The museum allows visitors to learn more about its origin and history. It was interesting and certainly worth a visit. We then moved on to Independence Hall and the Declaration House, where Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. Our final stop for the day was Benjamin Franklin's house which was pretty cool. We had also planned to go to Betsy Ross' house, as she is the woman who apparently sewed the first ever American flag, but we were told it was all a lie so we didn't bother! We had worked up quite an appetite by this time so we found a lovely Italian restaurant, where we shared a pizza and salad. Having already been in America for a good couple of months, we soon realised that sharing meals was definitely the way forward. The portions are huge and we often found ourselves only being able to eat half of what we had ordered! After dinner, we found a liquor store and bought a bottle of wine, before heading back for a quiet night in, in front of the TV. Having finished all our sight-seeing yesterday, we had planned to spend the day sunbathing at a local park we had come across. Unfortunately, we woke up to rain and thunderstorms, and we found ourselves with very little to do. We wandered into the city, before walking for miles to the nearest cinema, only to find we had just missed the showing. We walked for miles again back into the city and luckily found this great Mexican bar advertising $5 margarita's..... We didn't have to think twice! It actually turned out that we got 4 glasses each for just $5 each, and even though we were both desperately trying to save as much money as possible for New York, we couldn't turn down this excellent offer! So a couple of hours and 8 Margarita's later, we left the bar feeling slightly tipsy! We walked a few more miles to get a Philly Cheese steak from Pat's; a restaurant regarded as the best in America for Philly Cheese Steaks. The sandwiches also originated from Pat's so we expected them to be delicious, but unfortunately we were disappointed. It is more of a fast food takeaway place as opposed to a restaurant, and because they are always so busy I think maybe they rush them a little bit. The steak wasn't great at all. There are definitely much nicer steak houses in America. The following day was our last day in Philadelphia, and the sun was out again so we went to Fairmount Park for a day of sunbathing, which is just behind the Museum of Art. Sarah had a hair appointment in the morning, so I went down to the park on my own. For some reason, this man who must've been about 55, thought it acceptable to come and sunbathe with me and invite me round to his apartment. I felt pretty disgusted so I put my ipod on ad ignored him hoping he would get the message. Unfortunately, he didn't for a while, and as Sarah wasn't due back for a few hours, it made for a pretty uncomfortable morning. He eventually left and I moved to a different part of the park as he said he might come back! Other than that, Sarah and I spent a lovely afternoon topping up our tans and resting our tired feet before spending our last two weeks in New York City! Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: The Rocky road to Philly. TrackBack URL for this entry:

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http://blogs.examiner.co.uk/phileas/2009/09/the-rocky-road-to-philly.html

2013-05-18T05:25:41Z

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April 23, 2012 in Cooking with Woolies Tomatoes are tough little guys and can be grown practically all year round. But I think summer tomatoes are the best! Sun-blushed with a beautiful deep red hue and sun-ripened until so sweet and tender, you can bite into them just as they are with a little sprinkle of salt. Now that autumn is in full swing, tomatoes are still to be found and still as delicious as ever, just maybe a little firmer and not as sweet. (It’s not just us that have to withstand the cold air this time of year!) My best way to entice the natural sugars and flavour out of them when they are at this stage is to halve them and arrange them snugly into a large, deep baking tray. Sprinkle over 2 cloves finely chopped garlic, 1 chopped fresh chilli, a good glug of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and finish them off with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. The trick is to slow roast them at about 160C⁰ for 35 – 40 minutes if you have them time, if not 180C⁰ for 10 minutes less will do just fine. Don’t be afraid to leave them in for longer if you want a more concentrated flavour and if you want a almost cheat the oven-dried tomato effect. The balsamic encourages and enhances the natural caramelisation of the tomatoes sugars, bringing out all of that fabulous flavour, as does the sea salt. You can’t ever really go wrong with garlic and chilli but feel free to leave it out if you like, but seasoning is a must. Your beautifully roasted tomatoes are now ready to be tossed into a bowls of fresh pasta, a warm autumn salad with roasted wedges of butternut, mozzarella, rocket and coriander or as the fantastic beginnings of a tomato sauce or soup.. Speaking of soup, remember to enter your own, home-made soup recipe in the Woolworths Soup Competition. You could win a R50 000 Woolworths gift card! CHUNKY ASIAN TOMATO-AND-PEPPER RELISH WITH BEEF STRIPS This recipe is also one of my favourite ways to use tomatoes. I just chop them into a saucepan with red peppers and loads of chilli, but roasting them with the peppers will give you a far superior relish. - 4 mixed peppers, chopped - 2 slicing tomatoes, chopped - 500 g Free-range beef, cut into strips - 2 T olive oil - 2 red chillies, chopped - 3 cloves garlic - 1 x 5 cm ginger, peeled and grated - To make the relish, place olive oil in a saucepan over a medium to low heat with freshly chopped red chillies, garlic and the ginger. - Fry for 1–2 minues, or until fragrant. - Chop the mixed peppers and place in the pan. Add the chopped, slicing tomatoes and soya sauce. Fry for 15–20 minutes, adding more soya sauce if necessary. - Pan-fry the beef strips in olive oil for 3– 4 minutes, or until golden but still juicy. - Serve on a bed of fresh leaves and sliced red onion, with the chunky tomato and pepper relish on the side. - Season to taste. Find more easy and delicious ways to use Woollies’ products at The Pantry or pop over to Woolworths TASTE where we have more ideas with sun-blushed tomatoes, including new additions to Woolies’ specialty range, including crisp, yellow tinged Rosalini tomatoes, super-sweet pear-shaped mini San Marzano tomatoes large, ruby-red truss tomatoes and the exotic selection – an exclusive range of colourful, sweet and juicy tomatoes that are ideal for snacking and a perfect ingredient for a tomato quiche or salad.

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2013-05-18T08:09:21Z

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Posted by Liz Herbert on March 22, 2012 At IBM's Smarter Analytics event this week, clients and partners presented success stories about how organizations are driving business value out of big data, analytics, and IBM Watson technology. - City of Dublin, Ireland using thousands of data points from local transportation and traffic signals to optimize public transit and deliver information to riders. - Seton Healthcare mining through vast amounts of unstructured data captured in notes and dictation to get a more complete view of patients. Seton currently uses this information to construct programs that target treatments to the right patients with a goal of minimizing hospitalizations in the way that most efficiently optimizes costs with benefits. The ability to mine unstructured data gives a much more complete view of patients, including factors such as their support system, their ability to have transportation to and from appointments, and whether or not they have a primary care physician. - WellPoint using Watson technology to improve real-time decision-making by mining through millions of pages of medical information while doctors and nurses are face-to-face with patients. But, clients warned that as much as the technology is advancing, the biggest hurdles remained the internal ones. Clients stressed that they face a critical challenge in introducing, driving, and changing the organizational mindset to work in a new way that can take advantage of these great advances in technology. What did they suggest? 1) Executive sponsorship from the top (C-level) 2) Hiring or retraining for new roles like data scientists (schools like Syracuse are introducing and promoting new programs out of their iSchool, which can help with reskilling experienced talent from other areas) 3) Strong governance around the program What is your organization doing in this area?

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http://blogs.forrester.com/liz_herbert/12-03-22-clients_say_big_data_is_now_an_imperative_not_just_an_initiative_at_ibms_smarter_analytics_event

2013-05-18T07:16:00Z

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Miss Pop Rocks: More Pop Culture Items To Be Thankful For This Year Dr. Jan Adams Walks Off Larry King: This one is fresh off the Pop Culture pipeline. Miss Pop Rocks can’t quite understand why someone would show up to talk to The Ancient One, only to rip out the earpiece a few seconds later and walk off the set. What’s crazy is how Larry is being held up as some kind of genius because he handled the incident so well. To be honest, I don’t know if Larry even realized what happened. Rosie v. Donald & Rosie v. Elisabeth: It started with Rosie versus Donald and ended with Rosie versus Elisabeth, and every moment of it was packed with Rosieliciousness. You may disagree, but ladies and gentlemen, when I saw the glorious lesbian comic deliver a verbal beat down to Mr. Combover and Little Miss Ninny Ninny I Love George W. Look At Me I’m Pregnant, my heart swelled just a little. God love Whoopi, but she just ain’t no Rosie. Sigh. I miss her. Lost Season Three Finale: Best. Ending. Ever. I don’t know how in the Hell the Lost folks are going to be able to keep the pace from what is probably the best season finale since Who Shot J.R.? But I can’t wait to find out. When Kate pulled up to that airport that was shrouded in darkness, and Jack begged to go back to the island, and we realized we were seeing the show’s first flash forward…well, Miss Pop Rocks almost dropped spilled her beer in her lap. I cannot wait until February! And who’s in the coffin!?!? When That Preteen Girl Cried for Sanjaya: I suppose Sanjaya, American Idol’s resident freak show of 2007, deserves his own little blurb. But frankly, I think Sanjaya will be remembered more for his ability to make Ashley Ferl sob like she’d just found out someone had offed Hannah Montana. Our job is not to question why, but to merely accept. Getting to Watch Celebrities Backpedal and Squirm after Using a Slur: I’ve admitted before that I’m a Duane “Dog” Chapman fan. So I had to set aside my disappointment in him and tune in as I watched the world’s most famous bounty hunter apologize for dropping the N bomb in a taped phone conversation with his estranged son. The best part was catching Chapman on Hannity & Colmes as he realized he was “not black” and therefore doesn’t have the right to use the word. Dog, here’s a heads-up before you open your mouth again: You’re not Hispanic or Asian either. Just FYI. Now the Dog isn’t the only one who pulled a Mel Gibson this year. Did anyone catch Jerry Lewis using the phrase “an illiterate fag” on the MDA Telethon? The bit proved what Miss Pop Rocks has known all along. Not only is Jerry Lewis homophobic, he is not funny. The Spice Girls Reunite: So the girls are back…and one of them got Eddie Murphy to admit he’s the baby daddy! I love reunions when ALL of the original members get together for one more run to the bank. Sure, they’ve spawned infants and look a little rougher around the edges (then again, so does Miss Pop Rocks), but it’s kind of nice to have these ladies back for a little more Girl Power. Get our your spandex and platforms…and zig a zig aaaaah. – Jennifer Mathieu

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2013-05-18T08:10:09Z

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Last Thursday I set a new record - ten story times in one day!But that wasn’t the week’s only excitement!On Tuesday I ventured to the Humeston Public Library! I almost couldn’t find the library because main street was under construction! I was greeted by kids of all ages! I always love my visits to small towns! Wednesday was a day to rest, and then my marathon beganearly Thursday morning at Jefferson Elementary! There I was asked to use my super powers tohelp these two ladies [...]

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2013-05-18T08:11:46Z

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Poynter has a handy guide for improving your grasp of site stats using real-time analytics tool Newsbeat. Newsbeat combines the functionality of Chartbeat with added features. For example, you can see how every article or page is performing. Chartbeat only shows the 20 most active pages. Plus, Newsbeat enables you to create personalized staff logins. So, for example, reporters’ logins can default to their articles, and editors’ logins can default to their sections. See some of the advantages to using Newsbeat and a full guide to setting up Newsbeat at this link. Tipster: Joel Gunter If you have a tip you would like to submit to us at Journalism.co.uk email us using this link – we will pay a fiver for the best ones published. - Poynter: How to set up Newsbeat, real-time analytics tool for news sites - #Tip of the day from Journalism.co.uk – using Facebook for leads - #Tip of the day from Journalism.co.uk – unfollowing and making lists on Twitter - Newsbeat, an analytics tool just for news sites, launches - #Tip of the day from Journalism.co.uk – Five steps to building a more engaged audience

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2013-05-18T07:20:17Z

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Sedgwick County commissioners on Wednesday will consider a transportation service agreement with the City of Wichita that involves subsidies to AirTran and Frontier. In August, commissioners approved a new contract with AirTran, granting a one-year subsidy of up to $6.5 million for the airline. The state covered $5 million of that through a grant, with the county and city splitting the difference. In addition, the county has a revenue guarantee with Frontier to pay up to $500,000 a year. Read More

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2013-05-18T07:19:38Z

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Downtown Hilton sold Ed Ansbro, executive vice president of Fairwood Capital, confirmed Monday that his firm purchased the hotel last week, and that it will retain the Hilton brand. He said Davidson Hotels has taken over management of the property. Ansbro declined to identify the sales price, but said the new owner plans to spend about $3 million on renovations. Ansbro said the Hilton is Fairwood's seventh property, and that the firm likes markets with big state universities. In a 2008 profile, the Memphis Commercial Appeal said the three principals of the fledgling firm were Ansbro, a former executive with Equity Inns; Robert Solmson, the founder of RFS Hotel Investors; and Richard Reiss, a former RFS board member. That story said the trio had raised $150 million for Fairwood Capital -- which it identified as a private equity fund -- with most of it coming from an investment fund in Boston and another smaller group in the Northeast. The 317-room Hilton was previously owned by an entity with ties to Denver-based investment firm J. Herzog and Sons. According to a marketing brochure, its 2010 occupancy was 67.8 percent, with an average daily rate that year of $111.10.

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2013-05-18T06:56:04Z

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Can Somebody Please Declare the Bacon Trend Over? Now that bacon has been embraced by Denny's, can someone please declare that the trend is finally, mercifully, over? Perhaps Mayor Bloomberg can do this for us, since we seem to be between mayors at the moment. Giant soft drinks, cigarettes -- bacon is arguably just as much of a threat to our national health. Or, if not our physical health, at least our mental health. It was one thing when we were inundated by artisanal bacon whatsits, done prettily by local chefs who doubtless cured it themselves in their secret (to the health inspectors) basements. But now that you can get a $24.95 plastic "Baconalia" plate at Denny's, now that the chain is offering FREE BACON (two free strips of it on Facebook!), and proclaiming that bacon can help you both get a promotion and salve any wounds you might get after jumping into an empty swimming pool, well, maybe it's time to move on. I really don't care what we anoint as bacon's successor. Lardo, pork belly and pastrami seem nicely over-rated and just as unhealthful. They taste good. Why not. Give it all a rest and let the PR cycle click around a few times, until bacon can be just something good that people occasionally eat for breakfast with some eggs and a nicely crappy cup of regular coffee. Want more Squid Ink? Follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook.

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2013-05-18T08:01:42Z

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Following his work with the Cabinet Office’s Efficiency and Reform Group (ERG), Matt Wood finds that political scientists must ask themselves two questions: precisely how they hope to make impact, and which society groups they want their work to be relevant to. Carrying out the core roles of a civil servant (conducting quick and instrumental literature searches, preparing concise presentations for ministers, verifying facts and statistics for government publications), I gained an appreciation for what civil servants want from political research, and how political scientists might meet that demand. I also became acutely aware of some of the problems involved for academics striving for greater ‘relevance’, particularly for researchers at the start of their careers. I can’t claim that my experiences are anything but partial and anecdotal but I hope to focus on some opportunities for academics to develop policy-focused relevance, as well as cultivating an appreciation of some of the barriers to engagement, and how researchers may overcome them. This will hopefully deepen the ‘relevance’ debate highlighted at this year’s PSA Conference by Matthew Flinders and Peter Riddell. The demand for ‘evidence-based’ policy making is growing. Working in the ERG on an evidence-based policymaking project, I found policymakers frustrated at the relative gap between the immense demand for social scientific evaluation and improvement of public policies, and the relative reluctance of scholars to become involved. The current government is particularly keen, given tight fiscal constraints, to evaluate whether policies like payment by results and personal budgets produce better outcomes and value for money. Hence, policymakers are increasingly keen to bring in social scientists to produce such data on the effect of policy initiatives on outcomes such as social mobility, equality and efficiency, which in turn will effect which programmes receive money or are cut. Policymakers are concerned that the majority of social researchers are not nearly engaged enough. Given this willingness within government to close the gap between social scientific research and practice, and use social scientific data to determine public spending, this would seem like a golden moment for the majority of political scientists to step up to the plate and make a real difference in determining how public resources are allocated. Civil servants are keen to engage with political science on academic best practice. They are interested in informal advice regarding best practice in carrying out semi-structured elite interviews, conducting rigorous literature searches, and interpreting and evaluating methodologies and research findings. Particularly in the context of the current civil service reform agenda, I found that civil servants are keen to gain methodological skills that form the bread and butter of everyday social scientific research practice. Junior civil servants are particularly keen to properly evaluating findings and learn about the choices involved in the research process. If my experience is replicated beyond the Cabinet Office, sharing research skills may represent a relatively untapped opportunity for political scientists to assert the relevance of their discipline and justify their value for money. It seems there are big opportunities for political scientists to enhance their influence on public policy and assert the relevance of their subject to policymakers. Yet, there are also severe barriers that exist to political scientists (particularly early stage researchers), preventing them from engaging further with the public policy sphere: It is no secret that the timescales of policymaking and academic research are hugely out of sync. Policymakers want policies evaluated and recommendations published within weeks (if not days), whereas quality research takes months, if not years to complete, write up and disseminate. Due to this time lag, traditional academic centres have been losing out to think tanks like the Institute for Government and Reform who conduct intensive short-term research projects aimed at tying in with the demands of policymakers and the political cycle. Their findings and recommendations are summarised in easily digestible executive summaries, whereas most journal articles in political science require the majority of the article to be read. Moreover, think tank research is also freely disseminated, whilst publishers jealously guard access to the top political science journals. Flinders’ proposal at the recent PSA Conference of ‘triple-writing’ is helpful in terms of wider societal engagement, and I would add that the findings of political science research could be much better communicated within the journal format. Civil servants preparing for a ministerial meeting will never have the chance to sit down and digest an 8,000 word article – they want the key points condensed into a succinct brief. Management journals have considered this and offer précis articles – accessible summaries of longer research pieces. Is this a format that political science journals should consider expanding, to increase impact? Quantitative evidence seems to be king in government. When researching evidence of policy outcomes I was constantly asked to find statistical (or merely numerical) evidence of increased productivity, money saved and value gained. When researching evidence to include in a publication or presentation, it was overwhelmingly an imperative to skip over qualitative studies to find that statistic or number that could be quoted in a publication or media response. Where qualitative evidence was used, it was in the form of internally-sourced illustrative anecdotes or ‘case study’ news pieces. The question for qualitatively-oriented researchers (such as myself and early career scholars without the resources, connections or time to conduct macro-scale quantitative studies), is how to increase ‘impact’ when the very nature of our research puts us at a disadvantage to those who can produce neat sets of statistically significant ‘causal’ relationships. Surely we would not wish to sacrifice a whole arm of empirically insightful political science on the altar of policy engagement? Perhaps the case has simply not been made for why qualitative research is ‘relevant’ to public policy? Critics or activists? The above point leads into a deeper discussion of whether political scientists really want to be that closely engaged. Some agree that engagement is a good thing while others are sceptical of promoting a close relationship with government. Still others might say it is not the job of political scientists to propose solutions to policy problems. Numerous civil servants and think tank researchers told me during my 3 month stint that University academics just don’t have the desire to be engaged. But is there an intrinsic value to academic freedom that means we should balk at the idea of integrating with the public policy cycle? Towards Greater Societal Relevance? In light of these problematic aspects of engaging with policymakers, perhaps we need to step back a bit and ask ourselves what the point of this ‘relevance’ debate really is. The question is precisely how political scientists, particularly those with fledgling careers increase our ‘impact’ and really make our research matter to society in an increasingly competitive and crowded marketplace? This in turn leads to a more fundamental question about the meaning of ‘relevance’ itself. The rush towards greater ‘relevance’ is appealing – after all who would want to be seen as ‘irrelevant’? This does not, however, answer the question of how we wish to be more relevant, or indeed the question of who we wish to be relevant to. I found there was a great hunger for political scientists to become more ‘relevant’ by integrating research into the policy agenda of government, and sharing research skills. This is certainly a laudable form of relevance for political scientists to aspire to, but I also found myself craving something beyond influence within the Westminster bubble. This policy-focused form of ‘relevance’ seems to overlook the broader role Flinders envisages, and also animates numerous young political scientists investigating contemporary issues like, for instance, immigration, environmental politics or global development. They want their findings to reach out beyond technocratic policy spheres to influence, somehow, the opinions of the general public. How might we enhance the impact of political scientists beyond the policy sphere? Political scientists need to have a societal role promoting the public understanding of politics, talking in layman’s English that a variety of audiences can understand and perceive as relevant to their own circumstances. Such an agenda speaks to a desire to expand the public role of political scientists from the standard role of analysing elections or commenting in highbrow, niche Radio 4 programmes to debating on mainstream platforms like Question Time or Radio 5 Live, a role the majority of political scientists do not currently have. There are cultural barriers that preclude political scientists breaking into this mainstream, as John argues. Yet, this does not imply we should lower our expectations of how great the impact of political science can potentially be both in the public and policy spheres. Culture changes, and so long as we are convinced of the importance of our subject then a more detailed analysis of how to capitalise on opportunities and overcome barriers both in the policy and public spheres should prove fruitful in increasing our overall ‘relevance’. Note: This article gives the views of the author(s), and not the position of the Impact of Social Sciences blog, nor of the London School of Economics

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http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2012/05/30/insider-view-relevance-political-scientists-goverment/

2013-05-18T05:48:24Z

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Correctly identifying what is causing a problem is the most important step in pest control. We do our best here to help you do that. Sometimes we can identify the cause accurately enough from your phone or e-mail description of what is happening and what you see. Sometimes we can do this from photographs you submit, either electronically or printed on paper. But sometimes word descriptions and photographs aren't quite good enough, and we ask you to submit a specimen of an arthropod you have found, or the damage it has caused. The information we give you is only as good as the information you give to us. I can't identify specimens that look like the one in the photograph above. Here are some hints that will help all of us: 1. Make sure any photographs are CLEAR and take several, from very close up to farther away. Make sure you have sufficient light, or that you compensate with your camera to make sure we can clearly see what you are trying to show us. Learn how to use the close up mode on your digital camera. 2. You have 20,000 of something flying around? Please give us at least - oh maybe - six of them. If it's something unusual, we need at least one full, intact set of key characteristics. If there are big individuals and little ones, try to submit a few of each size. Maybe they're different, maybe they're not, but we won't know for sure unless we see them. 3. Label your material. Where and when was it found? What does it seem to be doing? 4. You had 20,000 last week, but you can't find even one now? Maybe you don't have the problem anymore. Keep an eye on the situation and try not to worry. 5. That doesn't go for termites. If you think you had a termite swarm, worry! Keep a close eye on it, try to find a least one, even if it's only a wing, and submit it for identification. 6. You can kill most small pests by putting them in the freezer or by dropping them into alcohol. Any sort of alcohol will do. The alcohol not only kills them, it also preserves them. Never submit arthropod specimens in water (unless they are living aquatic animals). Moths and butterflies are easier to identify if they are not preserved in alcohol, so just freeze them and bring them in dry. We can also take live specimens. 7. Some insects and mites are most easily submitted on or in a piece of the plant they are living on. It's best if the sample is as fresh as possible. Don't bake it in a hot car. 8. A few creatures can't be identified from the sample you submit. Ants are most easily identified from the workers (the ones without the wings). Some spiders can only be identified to species if you have adults of both sexes. Small larvae, nymphs and eggs can be extremely difficult to identify. That's just the way it is. 9. Entomologists specialize. Sometimes we have to send things off. If they only have to go to the university, turn-around time can be quick. If they have to go further, it may be a long time before you hear back. This doesn't happen that often, though.

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http://blogs.mcall.com/master_gardeners/2007/03/sampling_for_in.html

2013-05-18T08:01:33Z

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The Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) will announce the winners of the Most Valuable Player, Cy Young, Manager of the Year and Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year awards on live TV. The winners will be named exclusively on MLB Network from Monday, Nov. 12, to Thursday, Nov.15, marking the first time the BBWAA Awards announcements will be televised live. Yes, Philadelphia has it's own BBWAA chapter and we take turns voting for the awards. For example, this year I voted for the NL manager of the year. I did not vote last year. But in 2010, I voted for the NL rookie of the year. We rotate because there are far too many members for us all to have a vote every year. Please keep in mind that all votes are due following the conclusion of the final game of the regular season (meaning nothing that happens in the playoffs is taken into account for these awards). BBWAA Awards Weekwill feature the announcement of an award in the American League and National League live each day at 6:00 p.m. by BBWAA secretary-treasurer Jack O’Connell inside MLB Network’s Studio 42. The rookies of the year will be announced first on Monday, Nov. 12. The managers of the year will be named Tuesday, followed by the Cy Young winners Wednesday. The week concludes with the MVP award winners being announced next Thursday. Hosted by MLB Network’s Greg Amsinger, BBWAA Awards Weekwill feature insight from MLB Network analysts Larry Bowa, Al Leiter, Dan Plesac, Harold Reynolds, Bill Ripken and Tom Verducci, plus live interviews with BBWAA members and this year’s award winners and finalists. Every show will also take an in-depth look at each award’s history. Prior to BBWAA Awards Week, for the first time ever, the five finalists in each league for the MVP Award and the three AL and NL finalists for the Cy Young, Manager of the Year and Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year awards will be announced live during MLB Network’s BBWAA Awards Finalists Show this Wednesday, November 7 at 6:00 p.m. ET.

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http://blogs.mcall.com/phillies/2012/11/bbwaa-awards-such-as-cy-young-mvp-to-be-televised-live.html

2013-05-18T05:23:09Z

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Miami Art Museum Receives $5 Million From MBF Healthcare Partners Chairman Mike Fernandez The funds come from Miguel B. "Mike" Fernandez, chairman of the Coral Gables private equity firm MBF Healthcare Partners, and his family. The donation brings the campaign's total amount of private donations to $75.5 million, overshooting its bricks-and-mortar goal by $3 million. - The Miami Art Museum Name Game - Miami Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross Donates $1 Million to Miami Art Museum Fernandez has spent his career in the business of health insurers, founding and leading a series of health insurance companies and related businesses, then selling them to larger organizations, since 1990. In 2005, he sold CarePlus Health Plans, the company he founded, to Humana. He also has a controlling interest in Navarro Discount Pharmacies. In December 2011, real estate mogul Jorge Perez added that same amount -- an additional $5 million -- to the $30 million he'd already promised, $15 million of it coming from his own art collection. In return, the museum named the new facility the Perez Art Museum Miami, a move critics said amounted to selling out. Collins' announcement doesn't mention any plans to inaugurate, say, a Fernandez Fine Arts Gallery when PAMM opens in December next year. He does call Fernandez a "great leader" who believes "in the transformative role that a museum can play in the life of our city and who are willing to step up and invest to make this public resource a reality." Now that the museum has the money to complete its new structure, Collins says, its fundraising focus will shift to goals for adding to its collection of art and new programming. Follow Cultist on Facebook and Twitter @CultistMiami.

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http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/cultist/2012/12/miami_art_museum_receives_5_mi.php

2013-05-18T08:10:31Z

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Modest swimwear has a pretty bad rap, especially online. Many a blogger without a topic to write about has, from time to time, relied on various "modest" contraptions to entertain his online audience. And frankly, one can see why: there is the swimsuit which resembles a beekeeper uniform, then the frightful housedress-and-wetsuit ensemble which, to me, evokes thoughts of polygamy more than going swimming--the list goes on and on. (My secret belief is that these atrocious ensembles are actually contrived by people trying to make modesty look bad, but of course this is difficult to confirm.) I have been reluctant to step into the fray, primarily because if one so much as mentions modest clothing nowadays, one is always accused of "telling people what to wear." (Curiously, it doesn't work the other way 'round with those promoting revealing clothing, but that is a topic for another day.) Additionally, standards of external modesty differ, so instead of endorsing any particular clothing I have tried to focus my efforts on helping young people make better choices in their relationships in general. And yet, the majority of newcomers to this blog have alighted here after searching for modest bathing suits--or so I am told. Therefore I feel obliged to report on the new generation of modest activewear, the kind which will not cause you to flee in fear. Over the summer I have been conducting an informal contest of sorts, and the good news is that we have some winners. Modest activewear has come a long way since the "Little House on the Prairie" days. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.) The first item I tried out, which shall remain nameless to spare its creator any embarrassment, was a sort of culottes made from light grey nylon. The idea is great--a split skirt that resembles a skirt while walking, but when exercising, gives you the freedom of pants. As you may know, the original long split skirts were developed in the Victorian Era for horseback riding so that women could sit astride a saddle rather than having to ride side-saddle. Alas, this modern culottes adaptation, being made of nylon and Lycra, doesn't quite work in the execution: although the crotch seam is dropped considerably, it doesn't resemble a skirt (or pants, or really anything at all for that matter). The overall effect is what you might expect when a bunch of unflattering, stretchy material folds over in lumps, creases and rolls--and it is all attached to you. I knew something was wrong when my husband told me, "It looks fine, darling--as long as you stay on the bike. Just whatever you do, don't get off the bike." This was his subtle, super-nice way of signaling that this was not his favorite outfit. Needless to say, I moved on. Just because you have your counter-cultural tendencies doesn't mean you want to look like Weird Modest Girl. Or, for that matter, Ali Baba. But then I discovered HydroChic. HydroChic sells a whole line of capris, swimshirts, and skirts that are meant to be worn without a bathing suit underneath. At left is one of their super-comfortable swim outfits (specifically, Seabreeze Sporty Stripe 3/4 Sleeve Swim Surf Top paired with Long Water Skirt/Attached Pants for coverage--comes with a sportswear swim-bra as well). I swam in it at the cottage, I wore it bike riding, and--this was truly the test--it held up while I was chasing after four little boys at the water park. I felt comfortable during all these activities, primarily because the high-quality stretch spandex/nylon combo dried off very quickly, but also because I didn't have to worry about sunscreen except for my face (the garment has a SPF of 50+). Best of all, with its fitted skirt and concealed nylon swim leggings, it really looks great. This was definitely one of my favorites this summer (although, no, that is not me in the picture). Now, I know some people searching for modest bathing suits are simply in the market for a cute retro one-piece à la ReVamp; then there are others who wouldn't consider the above outfit modest enough. I'm not here to judge. But if you're looking for something with a slightly longer skirt (HydroChic's longest just grazes the bottom of the knee) then Modiwear, maker of the blue suit at left, sells a bunch of different modest swim-and-activewear combos which hit well below the knee. Batsheva Asbell, the founder of Modiwear, sat down with me in her Toronto home and shared her journey to creating alternative swimwear that "focused on the person rather than the body": "I was inspired by my experience at a separated women's beach in Ashdod [Israel]. The women were mostly from Jerusalem and wore robes and oversized T-shirts over their bathing suits. They couldn’t swim very well and although they were just thrilled to be in the water, they spent most of their time pulling their coverings down. In addition, I had heard a story of a woman in Florida who lost her life because her wet robe overtook her ability to keep herself from being pulled under. My conscience was hit and I felt obligated to make a difference. I call it a 'Modisuit' because it is flexible for an array of activities, and it included a world of women who were concerned not only about modesty, but also, those concerned about any medical issue." Although Modiwear's skirt is longer, it also features the stretch spandex/nylon skirt over thin leggings--a winning combination. Batsheva told me that a lot of women are wearing her suits "to go to the waterpark, then go to a restaurant, and then go home." I suppose it depends on how fancy the restaurant is, but the garment does dry quickly, so you needn't put other clothing over something wet, nor change at all after swimming, necessarily--certainly a huge advantage when managing young children. Modiwear also makes children's suits which are adorable. (They don't have a website yet but you can email their office to find out more, or to place your orders here: [email protected].) But personally, I think it's well worth it. How many times have you heard women using modesty as an excuse not to get out there and get active? If the Gibson girls could do it in the 1900s, then now so can you.

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2013-05-18T05:54:55Z

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Driven by opportunity and visions of success in the Windows Store, you set to work, turning your gaming idea into code. Maybe you wanted to move something across the screen. Maybe check if it hit a target. Oh, and there’s wind, and friction, and maybe things should bounce when they collide… The specter of forgotten math begins to loom. Thankfully, there are physics engines. Simply put, they take care of some of the math and work involved in games and simulations. Of course they don’t eliminate math and complexity, but they can make many scenarios easier: Why write such things yourself when others have taken the time to create great libraries? That said, you may not need a physics engine at all. For the simplest games, it’s pretty easy to roll your own logic for basic bounding-box collision checking and basic motion. However, games become complex quickly, so even if you don’t imagine you’ll need one, the up-front investment in learning & using physics engines can pay off sooner than you’d think. Home - http://code.google.com/p/box2dweb/ Download - http://code.google.com/p/box2dweb/downloads/list The box2dweb site has an interactive demo and directs you to Box2DFlash for documentation (since it’s a direct port). According to the box2dweb download site, it was last updated in June, 2011. Home - http://box2d-js.sourceforge.net/ Download - http://sourceforge.net/projects/box2d-js/ Like box2dweb, Box2DJS is also port of Box2DFlash/Box2DFlashAS3. It’s somewhat older (at least at time of writing) and does require more files to be added to your project than box2dweb. The Box2DJS home page has instructions, sample code, and demos. Here are a few of them: According to the Box2DJS download page, the last update was in April, 2010. Home - http://box2d.thinkpixellab.com/ Download - https://github.com/thinkpixellab/box2d This version of Box2d by Pixel Lab is a clone of Box2DJS, updated to have better compression and to resolve bugs in the original version. The Pixel Lab Box2d-JS site has some live demos, mirroring the ones featured on the Box2DJS site. Interestingly, this engine was used in the Agent 8 Ball game: According to the download page on Github, the compiled version was last updated in April, 2012. Home - https://github.com/kripken/ammo.js Download - https://github.com/kripken/ammo.js Ammo.js is a 3D physics engine, and an automated port of the Bullet Physics Library (written in C++). Like box2dweb, it is built into a single file (“ammo.js”), making it simple to import. The lastest version of Ammo.js (built as “/builds/ammo.js”) was updated in September, 2012. Again, with this post being primarily an index, see the last section for links to more detailed analysis of Ammo.js. Home - http://brokstuk.com/jiglibjs2/ Download - https://github.com/bartdeboer/JigLibJS2 JigLibJS2 is an automated port of the JigLibFlash physics engine. It’s a 3D physics engine, and on the JibLibJS2 home (and in the download source) there’s an interesting canvas demo (using three.js for 3D rendering) with multiple objects, including a car you can drive: The download page on Github shows the latest updates in September, 2012. Home - http://schteppe.github.com/cannon.js/ Download - https://github.com/schteppe/cannon.js According to the cannon.js download page, the latest updates were made in September, 2012. Here are some other helpful articles to get you started: As I mentioned, this post lists only a subset of what’s out there. If you know of other helpful engines, please post in the comments!

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http://blogs.msdn.com/b/cbowen/archive/2012/09/21/javascript-physics-engines-and-windows-store-games.aspx?PageIndex=4&PostSortBy=MostComments

2013-05-18T06:44:48Z

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Guest post by Kristian Still. Kristian is from Wellington Academy and delivered a great BYOD session in the Microsoft Learn Live Theatre at Bett 2013. This post was started on day 2 of BETT and finished on the train on the way home from BETT. I wanted a little time for my thoughts to ’brew,’ to see if I held the same view a day of two later, and I do. Here is why. Presenting as part of the Microsoft Education team is clearly going to be very different to experiencing a trade show as a delegate. First the day is longer, starting with geek chat over breakfast, the 9am debrief and wrapping up with the 6pm meeting. Second, it’s given me an insight into how ‘business and enterprise’ approach the education sector and the breadth / depth of Microsoft's interests, partnerships (OEM) and investments in education; hardware, cloud, coding (Kodu, Touch Develop), communications, teaching support (PiL) political dialogue and influence. Not to mention – all the meetings held behind the scenes, that we were not involved with or privy to. I am not for one-minute professing to understand the Microsoft business in just three and a half associated days, far from it, but what I do recognise and respect is, the commitment and the expertise of the Microsoft education team. This was best evidenced in how specialist staff responded to delegate questions and queries; carefully filtered or redirected to expert Microsoft staff (and remember we are only discussing just one division of Microsoft here). In two days working along side the team, listening to their conversations with customers, I would urge school leaders to take advantage of their passion for their products and expertise. I was left with little doubt that Microsoft Education could have a positive impact on almost any school in the country given the opportunity - stretching the reducing budget, reducing IT staff workload, enlivening the curriculum (particularly Computer Science), developing teacher skills, extending the schools licensing agreements into the students homes. As good a place to start as any is the UK Schools Blog.

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http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ukschools/archive/2013/02/08/bett-2013-a-guest-speaker-s-view.aspx?Redirected=true&t=Bett%202013:%20A%20guest%20speaker%E2%80%99s%20view

2013-05-18T06:46:44Z

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|Posted on Dec 13, 2011 10:53:40 AM | Jessica Nimon | 1 Comments || The Center for the Advancement of Science In Space, known as CASIS, introduced itself this fall to the community of existing National Lab partners as the new non-profit organization that will manage the National Lab on behalf of NASA. CASIS was founded specifically to fulfill the statutory requirement from Congress that a non-profit entity be engaged by NASA to stimulate, develop, and manage non-NASA U.S. use of the space station. On the NASA side, we are excited to start meeting our new CASIS colleagues as transition work begins. The primary mission of CASIS is threefold: - Maximize the value of the space station to the nation through both research and development and STEM education activities. - Stimulate use of the station by other agencies, academia, and private firms. - Develop tools and techniques to communicate the value of the work done on the station and increase the return on the taxpayer investment. CASIS intends to accomplish this mission by building a strong, interconnected community, which ties together investigators at any level of progress down a particular research pathway, provides both private and public sources of funding, and engages experts in science and economics who can advise the community on technical matters and provide an independent valuation of a particular line of research. These pathways will connect basic and applied research to the resulting mission and market applications. The goal is to shorten the overall cycle time by evaluating projects in terms of the bigger picture and with an understanding of their added value. As a non-profit, CASIS can also bring in visionary, speculative, and commercial funding sources, where appropriate, in the research process by recruiting backers who are seeking the value the project provides. The International Space Station (NASA Image) CASIS will sponsor both a Science Collegium and an Economic Collegium to examine the scientific feasibility and economic value of proposals brought forward to the non-profit, using a value-added approach to complement scientific review, as well as proven algorithms for economic valuation. These valuation models will be benchmarked against real world data from existing National Lab partners before they are formally implemented. All of these various elements will come together in what CASIS calls, the “Marketplace,” where researchers can seek funding and partnerships, implementation partners can offer their expertise with flight hardware and integration services, investors can look for promising opportunities, and all the various participants can negotiate innovative partnerships and collaborations with the help of CASIS. Through its initial seed funding from NASA, as well as partnerships with private investors and other government agencies, CASIS will sponsor annual grant solicitations designed to bolster research lines, education programs, and technology development projects assessed by the Science and Economic Collegiums as having particular merit and value. This will continue over the 10-year cooperative agreement between NASA and CASIS, which has a five-year extension option. The CASIS concept of operations will further develop over the next year as the organization grows and the Collegiums form. The transition will include CASIS progressively taking on more of the payload development support and research prioritization roles, while the International Space Station National Lab Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center facilitates the handover with existing partners. Learn more and keep up-to-date with this promising new collaborative model between CASIS and NASA at: http://www.iss-casis.org/ Presentations from the CASIS Kickoff Meeting can be found at: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/nlab/index.html The Center for the Advancement of Science In Space, known as CASIS, official logo. Justin Kugler, strategic relationships manager for the International Space Station National Lab Office, worked with CASIS leaders in developing this initial blog. Stand by for more details as CASIS establishes their organization for enabling new research on the space station. Tags : General, Guest Bloggers, ISS as a Laboratory, US Research

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http://blogs.nasa.gov/cm/blog/ISS%20Science%20Blog/posts/post_1323791317353.html

2013-05-18T05:30:13Z

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Justine Davies –, Monday, January, 31, 2011, (10:09pm) Well, not necessarily just Gen Y – but there was an amusing article in the Sunday Mail on the weekend, titled ‘Gen Y Women losing “Female” Skills’. The article was commenting on the fact that Gen Y women are far less likely to pop a roast in the oven and do the ironing while they wait for it to cook, than their mothers were. We don’t bake as many lamingtons, either (although most women I know can put together a killer cocktail). And according to the study done by McCrindle Research we don’t serve up stews, trifles, offal, shepherd pie or fruit cake anywhere near as often as our ancestors did. Thank God! The research leads me to my question though: if you’re not hemming your own dresses and lightly frying sheep brains … then who is? In other words, how much do you spend on outsourcing domestic chores? Continue reading 'Gen Y Women: Do you outsource??' |66 comments | Permalink| Justine Davies –, Monday, January, 24, 2011, (9:29pm) Earlier this month I blogged about our love of online shopping, and briefly discussed the disastrous “retail coalition” campaign to have GST imposed on overseas purchases under $1,000 (currently GST-exempt) although they seem to have changed tack now and decided that demanding the GST be removed from Australian-based purchases under $1,000 will be more palatable for consumers. Of course, imposing or abolishing the GST charge is going to make a minimal difference to the price differential between store and online for many purchases, something that has been (unfortunately, from the Retail Coalition viewpoint) highlighted by the campaign. Still, the majority of stores will be fine because there are some things that need to be bought in person - and some occasions where shoppers need the benefit of in-person customer service. Which leads me to my topic today: what’s the best small business you’ve shopped at, ever? Continue reading 'What is the best small business you’ve shopped at, ever?' |41 comments | Permalink| Justine Davies –, Wednesday, January, 19, 2011, (2:41pm) I’ve just finished contacting books (disgusting, sticky stuff that wrinkles when you look at it – why in God’s name do kids need their books plastered with butterflies and ponies anyway?) and putting labels on everything bar their socks and underpants, all in the name of getting them off for their first day of the school year on Monday. And my question for readers today is – how much does it cost you to get your kids to that school gate on the first day of school? Continue reading 'How much does it cost you to get your kids to school?' |24 comments | Permalink| Justine Davies –, Sunday, January, 16, 2011, (1:00pm) The Queensland floods have been top of mind for most of us over the past week. We have read the statistics about the depth, speed and coverage of the water. The statistics about the number of tragic deaths, the injuries, the number of houses and businesses inundated; the possessions and livelihoods lost and memories scarred. But for those of my readers who are not in Queensland, no amount of words can describe the “ground zero” reality - certainly no words that I could write, anyway. The heat, the flies, the smell – stench, actually – the mud. But also the amazing community spirit which is always there, but which often gets buried under the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life. And of course NSW and Victoria are having their own flood issues now as well. My heart goes out to every single one of you. On to finance though and for those of my readers who ARE in Queensland and who have been affected by the flood in some way, then click here for a summary of the types of financial benefits and subsidies that may be available to you. And for all of my readers a general, hypothetic question: should we have “Disastercare”? Continue reading 'We have Medicare – should we have “Disastercare” as well?' |227 comments | Permalink| Justine Davies –, Monday, January, 10, 2011, (9:53pm) Anthony Keane has written a great article for Gen Y this week, covering everything from managing debt to saving superannuation. They are all fantastic suggestions – but one other thing that you need to know when you’re deciding on savings plans and investment strategies is – well – what is it that you actually want? Continue reading 'Gen Y: What do you want?' |29 comments | Permalink| Justine Davies –, Thursday, January, 06, 2011, (6:22am) Well, there has been plenty of comment in the last few days about our – well, shall we say reluctance? – to give up our online shopping. But let’s flip it around for a moment: for those of you who are (like me) online devotees, what could the bricks and mortar retailers do to persuade you to head back in? Continue reading 'Online shoppers: What would persuade you to head back to the store?' |93 comments | Permalink| Justine Davies –, Monday, January, 03, 2011, (9:17pm) Or, if you’re a whiz at all times with your money, what the silliest $$ thing that you’ve heard about? Because the New Year, you know, is all about making change; turning over new leaves; writing a new page and all sorts of other cliches. Which means that you can laugh at whatever silly thing it was that you did last year, safe in the knowledge that that was then, this is now. Continue reading 'What’s the silliest $$ thing you did last year?' |17 comments | Permalink| Join the Your Money team as we discuss the latest finance news and how it affects you. View Entries by Date - December 2012 - November 2012 - October 2012 - September 2012 - August 2012 - July 2012 - June 2012 - May 2012 - April 2012 - March 2012 - February 2012 - January 2012 - December 2011 - November 2011 - October 2011 - September 2011 - August 2011 - July 2011 - June 2011 - May 2011 - April 2011 - March 2011 - February 2011 - January 2011 - December 2010 - November 2010 - October 2010 - September 2010 - August 2010 - July 2010 - June 2010 - May 2010 - February 2010 - September 2009 - August 2009 - July 2009 - March 2009 - September 2008 - May 2008 - November 2007 From around the News Blog Network

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http://blogs.news.com.au/moneystuff/index.php/news/2011/01/

2013-05-18T06:19:58Z

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What You Missed Over The Weekend Part XV On Friday night, Dave Segal watched London duo, Black Ghosts, put on one of the better hipster-dance live shows he's seen in a while. Saying, "It was kind of like a combination of Daft Punk and Chemical Brothers, full of aggressive beats, filthy synth textures and sing-along tunes." Saturday found our own Luke Y. Thompson at the toy store shopping for Iron Man action figures to add to his collection. He found himself a Robert Downey Jr. action figure at the Toys R Us in Irvine. Too bad it looks more like Eddie Izzard than Downey, though. Sigh. Also on Saturday: The Reg-O-Meter's data came back with another negative reading after Rich Kane tore last week's Orange County Register articles apart. Check back next Saturday for this week's reading. (And if you notice a Reg tidbit you feel we should add to the mix, please feel free to e-mail [email protected]) On Sunday, Edwin Goei told us how to properly enjoy an all day Filipino breakfast at Manila Groove in Tustin. Sadly, it doesn't involve a big wooden spoon and fork. While Gustavo Arellano warns cruisers not to hit Bristol (cuz da po po be roamin) and R. Scott Moxley remarks about Gordon Dillow's uncanny ability to generate imaginary dilemmas. And get paid!

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2013-05-18T05:49:30Z

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#GROW Week Day 4: a photo wrap up An issue that we face in telling stories from around the world is language. One of the ways of getting around that barrier, and bring stories to life, is through pictures. Over the last couple of days we’ve had some fantastic images that show how amazing Oxfam’s work can be. Here are some of my favourites: In Burkino Faso they’re talking to university students about GROW issues and one of the ways they’re doing this is with a photo exhibition. I love the images they’ve got – the picture at the top of the page is from there. Throughout the week I’ve been highlighting some of the great stuff going on the Philippines. But this picture, of a female farmer is amazing (sorry I don’t have more details to share) In Belgium, Oxfam has been taking to the streets and protesting outside of the meetings of the European Seed Association. The Association is lobbying for more control over how seeds are bought and sold – this would be bad news for the small-scale farmers that we work with. And in Azerbaijan a strawberry farming project is changing rural women’s lives. Join Oxfam's call for the World Bank to freeze their land deals while they find a fairer way

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http://blogs.oxfam.org/en/blogs/12-10-18-day-4-grow-week-photo-wrap-up

2013-05-18T06:55:32Z

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Jupiter Christian football to play 2011 home games at John I. Leonard Highby Matt Porter The latest home for Jupiter Christian football is in the middle of Palm Beach County. The small Jupiter private school, which lacks an on-campus football field, will play its three home games at John I. Leonard High in Greenacres. Jupiter Christian Athletic Director Scott Loud said his school reached a one-year agreement with John I. Leonard after failing to come to agreements with several schools closer to home. The first game will be against district rival Glades Day at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24. The two schools have faced each other in the playoffs in each of the last two seasons and met at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter for last year’s Class 1B regional final. Loud said his school considered a rematch at Roger Dean Stadium, but uncertainty in forecasting ticket sales forced it to look elsewhere. The other two home games will be Friday, Oct. 14 against Pompano Beach-Highlands Christian and Friday, Nov. 4 against Coral Springs Christian. Both will start at 7 p.m. John I. Leonard’s location may help overall attendance for the three games. John I. Leonard is approximately a 40-minute drive from Jupiter Christian, Pompano Beach-Highlands Christian, Coral Springs Christian and a little more than 50 minutes from Glades Day. Since forming a program in 2002, Jupiter Christian also has played home games at Dwyer in Palm Beach Gardens, Benjamin’s upper school in Palm Beach Gardens and lower school in North Palm Beach, King’s Academy in West Palm Beach and most recently, South Fork High in Stuart.

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http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/highschoolbuzz/2011/08/01/jupiter-christian-football-to-play-2011-home-games-at-john-i-leonard-high/

2013-05-18T05:51:56Z

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Restaurants offering huge deals to draw in customersby Allison Ross A report out last week by private-company data firm Sageworks Inc. found that grocery stores sales are up, while restaurant sales have fallen an average of 3.9 percent in the last year. (Grocery store sales were up an average of 6.7 percent.) So, to try to combat this trend, a number of restaurants are cutting some pretty drastic deals in order to get patrons to fill their booths. One that I ran into this weekend on OurFrugalJourney.com was a $5 off coupon on the purchase of any two adult entrees at Chili’s. If you’re careful about what you buy (no sodas, no dessert), two people can walk away from dinner spending under $9 plus tax and tip. That’s $4.50 each….about the same price as you can buy a regular meal at McDonald’s or other fast food chains. Meanwhile, Italian eatery Buca di Beppo has a coupon for $10 off any food purchase of $20 or more, and TGI Friday’s has an offer of 16 different dishes for only $5 each. Even Hooters is offering discounts in this recession: on Wednesdays, this “delightfully tacky” restaurant is offering 10 boneless wings and french fries for only $5.99. UPDATE: Ruby Tuesday has a coupon (I saw it today in the back of the local section of the Palm Beach Post) for a buy-one-entree-get-one-free deal. It expires June 2. Have you seen any other deals that restaurants are trotting out? Share them! Post a comment.

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http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/malled/2009/05/18/restaurants-offering-huge-deals-to-draw-in-customers/

2013-05-18T05:03:47Z

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Randy Choate fumes, but Jack McKeon doesn’t care because Florida Marlins wonby Joe Capozzi Lefty specialist Randy Choate didn’t mind so much the first time Marlins manager Jack McKeon pulled him from a game in the middle of a count against a batter. On June 21, Choate was yanked with a 2-1 count against the Angels’ Alberto Callaspo, a switch hitter who was batting right-handed against the Marlins reliever. The Marlins won, 5-2, to snap an 11-game losing streak in McKeon’s second game after he replaced Edwin Rodriguez. Last night, McKeon yanked Choate again in the middle of a count. This time, the reliever was not happy. What bothered him was that he was pulled after falling behind 2-0 against Lucas Duda, the Mets’ left-handed hitter. Choate has been stellar this year against lefty hitters, allowing just six hits and holding them to a .107 batting average. “When he did it to me the first time I wasn’t surprised, (because) it was a right handed hitter. I was little more surprised tonight with a lefty. I guess I’ll try to start getting them out,” Choate said after the 4-1 win. Choate initially said he didn’t want to talk when a reporter approached him post-game. He offered up sparse comments after more reporters showed up at his locker. “He pulled me out of the game. It’s the second time,” he said. “He’s the manager. I’m the player. He makes the call to the bullpen, I come off the mound.” Asked if the threat of being pulled makes it tough for a pitcher to focus on a hitter, Choate said: “It hasn’t all year, not usually. I was especially surprised this time, not so much last time.” Are you angry? “He’s the manager, I’m the player.’’ When reporters went into McKeon’s office a few minutes later, the manager praised Choate’s performance. “Choate did a good job. He was being doing outstanding but I thought it was time for a change,” he said. Then McKeon made his point about having no qualms about doing what he thinks is right for the greater good of the team. “I’m interested in winning. I didn’t think he was sharp,” he said. And he had a point: Before Duda came to bat, Choate gave up a single to Willie Harris to open the bottom of the ninth with Florida up 4-0. It was just the sixth hit by a lefty hitter all year off Choate. But McKeon didn’t like Choate falling behind Duda 2-0. “I just didn’t want to see him walk this guy. I just didn’t think he was in the strike zone. Done it before, I’ll probably do it again.” McKeon has done it before this year since taking over last month. He did during his first stint with the Marlins from 2003-05, even pulling Billy Koch in a 3-0 count once. “The name of the game is winning,” McKeon said last night. “I’m interested in winning. If the other guys are not interested in winning, then that’s their problem. “We’re interested in winning. We’re not worried about hurting anybodys feelings. I would think that everyone on this club would be intersted in winning and that’s the way it’s going to be. If someone dosn’t like it, that’s just too bad.” In 2003, McKeon arrived mid-season and told player to “check your egos at the door.” The Marlins went on to win the World Series. But McKeon ruffled a few feathers that season, too, mentioning last night a spat he once had with pitcher Josh Beckett. But the bottom line now: The Marlins are on a roll, two games under .500, winners of nine of their last 10. And McKeon will do whatever it takes to, as he said last week, “keep the train moving north.” Once again this time around, players need to check their egos at the door. McKeon added before reporters left his office last night, “I’m hoping everybody is on the same page as being unselfish and willing to be happy with the ‘W and be a part of contributing to that ‘W.” Tags: Randy Choate

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http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/marlins/2011/07/19/randy-choate-fumes-but-jack-mckeon-doesnt-care-because-florida-marlins-won/

2013-05-18T08:03:33Z

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Top to bottom, Dolphins rookie class proving its worth as season unfoldsby Brian Biggane It takes time to evaluate any NFL rookie class. A training camp bust can quietly develop into a worthwhile contributor, while a guy who looks like he might be the real deal in meaningless preseason games often fades quickly as the real hitting begins. But now, with the season one game short of three-quarters complete, it’s become clear the Dolphins are getting a lot out of the Class of 2011. A round-by-round assessment: 1 _ Center Mike Pouncey might have been the safest pick of the entire draft. His twin brother Maurkice made the Pro Bowl as a rookie with Pittsburgh last year and Mike had the same work ethic, attitude and intelligence when he arrived. The absence of offseason workouts certainly slowed his progress, but Pouncey earned raves from quarterbacks Chad Henne and Matt Moore for how quickly he picked up the schemes and was able to make the calls for the rest of the line. He’s as much a keeper as Jake Long. 2 _ Running back Daniel Thomas would probably tell you this was a lost year due to a nagging hamstring injury that has limited his availability, but Thomas still led AFC rookies in rushing entering the weekend with 406 yards, then picked up another 25 on six carries against Dallas Thursday. He’s not DeMarco Murray, the former Oklahoma star whom the Cowboys selected after him, but he should finish with a respectable 600-700 yards this year, not bad considering Reggie Bush has been the feature back all year. 4 _ With no third-rounder, Clyde Gates is up next, and Gates’ stock made a significant jump in the Dallas game. His 39-yard kickoff return with under a minute left in the half set Miami up at its 44, from where Moore directed a 46-yard drive in seven plays to a Shayne Graham 28-yard field goal that cut the Cowboys’ lead to 10-6. Gates also did a good job blocking on a few runs and made an 11-yard reception. He’s still very raw and a work in progress, but look for the Dolphins to utilize his speed more going forward. 6 _ The role of tight end/H-back Charles Clay continues to evolve as Moore and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll keep finding ways to use him. He’s got excellent hands, good speed and is a load to bring down. Hardly a blip on the radar in the early weeks of the season, he’s become another weapon in the offense and also has earned an expanded role. 7 _ Cornerback Jimmy Wilson has largely faded from the picture since injuries to Vontae Davis and Nolan Carroll forced him into a starting role a few weeks back. He did make an excellent play on a Brandon Fields punt in the first quarter Thursday, jumping into the end zone and knocking the ball back so Julius Pruitt could down it at the 3. The question going forward is whether Wilson will ever progress to where he can fill a starting job. But it’s a plus to get anything out of a seventh-rounder, and Wilson looks like he’ll be no worse than a quality backup. While the only starter in the group is Pouncey _ thanks in great part to the development of Bush as a feature back, at least for now _ General Manager Jeff Ireland’s first draft without Bill Parcells hovering over his every move has been impressive, mostly adding depth in areas the Dolphins needed it and finding an anchor for the O-line for years to come. Will it be enough to save Ireland’s job after previous mistakes like Pat White, Patrick Turner and 2008 fourth-rounder Shawn Murphy? That remains to be seen. But on its own merit it’s a job well done. Tags: Bill Parcells, Brian Daboll, Brrandon Fields, Chad Henne, Charles Clay, Clyde Gates, Daniel Thomas, DeMarco Murray, Jake Long, Jeff Ireland, Jimmy Wilson, Julius Pruitt, Matt Moore, Mike Pouncey, Nolan Carroll, Pat White, Patrick Turner, Reggie Bush, Shawn Murphy, Shayne Graham, Vontae Davis

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http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/thedailydolphin/2011/11/26/top-to-bottom-dolphins-rookie-class-proving-its-worth-as-season-unfolds/?cp=2

2013-05-18T06:44:33Z

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For customer communications to have a positive impact on business results, every message must be relevant, accurate and engaging. Success for most organizations depends on finding the right balance of operational efficiency and marketing effectiveness. Recent advances in digital color inkjet are revolutionizing the production of transactional communications. The same technology that can help businesses [...]Read More... Tag Cloudprint and mail industry national postal forum customer lifetime value customer communications management personalized communications multi-channel communications innovation production print technology voice of the customer drupa 2012 pitney bowes graph expo 2011 direct mail mail Print and Mail white paper factory solution production mail pre-drupa technology showcase intellijet customer communications customer summit personalization dmt color printing

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2013-05-18T06:24:45Z

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Arizona Grenade Bust May Be Linked to Similar Bust in Mississippi The weapons are suspected to have been headed to Mexico to fuel the drug wars going on between rival cartels. Coincidentally, a similar bust was made Tuesday in Pearl, Mississippi and as luck should have it, the person arrested is a Phoenix resident. Pearl police arrested 38-year-old Christopher Gomez Quezada, who the local T.V. station, ABC 13, is quick to point out "is a woman dressed as a man," after they found similar make-shift grenades and assault rifles in the trunk of the shim's car. "They were practice hand grenades that had been drilled and filled with stuff that would make them lethal hand grenades and somewhat jerry rigged back together with duct tape and what have you," Butch Townsend of the Pearl Police Department says. The weapons have been confiscated by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. ATF agents will try and determine where the weapons were headed and what, if any, link there may be to the weapons found in Phoenix.

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http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2009/11/arizona_grenade_bust_may_be_li.php

2013-05-18T07:13:04Z

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“A Fine Addition: New & Notable Acquisitions in Princeton’s Special Collections” highlights recent additions to the holdings of the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, including the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, as well as the Marquand Library of Art and Archaeology. The exhibition is on view through August 5 in the Main Gallery of the Firestone Library. One highlight among many on display is a copy of Andreas Vesalius’s De Humani Corporis Fabrica, first published in Basel in 1543 (read more about the recent acquisition of the first and second edition here). At the official opening on Sunday, April 22, Dr. Eugene Flamm ’58, Jeffrey P. Bergstein Professor and Chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, will highlight Princeton’s recent anatomical and phrenological acquisitions with a talk investigating “Observational and Imaginary Anatomy.” The lecture at 2:30 p.m. in Betts Auditorium will be followed by a reception in the Main Gallery. The exhibition and its related events are free and open to the public thanks to the generous support of the Friends of the Princeton University Library. A Fine Addition: New & Notable Acquisitions in Princeton’s Special Collections Antiquarian booksellers’ catalogs are rife with superlatives: “The finest copy known,” “a splendid example,” “a fine edition of this extraordinary work.” Yet, exceptional rarity and condition are not sufficient justifications for choosing to acquire one item rather than another. How do curators, librarians, and archivists look beyond a “fine edition” and select items that represent a fine addition to collections as vast and diverse as Princeton’s? Building on strength is one obvious approach. To Princeton’s extensive holdings of literary archives come new additions to collections of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Mario Vargas Llosa. Recent additions to the University Archives and the Public Policy Papers highlight pivotal moments in the twentieth century: Princeton’s contributions to the Manhattan Project and Secretary of State James A. Baker III’s reactions to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the beginning of Operation Desert Storm. And the Cotsen Children’s Library has complemented some of its important series of picture books with the acquisition of original artwork for them, such as the archive of drawings for the 34-volume Gerlach Jugendbücherei (1900–1920) and Nathalie Chelpanova Parain’s drawings and unbound dummy for the French-language edition of Baba Yaga (Paris, 1932). Early New Jersey and Revolutionary America have always been well represented at Princeton. A recently acquired map of Pennsylvania from 1791 contains the earliest American illustration of a canal; the map once belonged to Robert Lettis Hooper, a New Jersey patriot who served as deputy quartermaster general in the Continental Army. Even a Western Americana addition has a New Jersey connection: The Yo-Hamite Falls, a lithograph made in 1855 from a drawing by New Jersey native Thomas Ayres, was the first published image of Yosemite Falls. If the pillars of a collection are easily perceived, so are its gaps. A notable omission among Princeton’s landmarks in the history of science has been corrected with the purchase of the first and second editions of Andreas Vesalius’s monumental anatomical treatise, De humani corporis fabrica (Venice, 1543 and 1555). Recent complements to Vesalius in the Graphic Arts Collection and Marquand Library are the original woodblock used for the frontispiece of Realdo Colombo’s De re anatomica (Venice, 1599) and Pietro da Cortona’s Tabulae anatomicae (Rome, 1741). Emerging areas of scholarship also influence collecting choices. Over the past decade the Numismatic Collection has been acquiring coins to illustrate the monetary interrelationships throughout the Mediterranean area in the later Middle Ages. Princeton’s example of a gold florin issued in Clarentza is only the third known extant specimen. The Marquand Library has added first editions of the most renowned works of woodblock print artists Katsushika Hokusai and Kitagawa Utamaro. Hokusai’s experimentation with the “colors” of black ink and Utamaro’s mica-sprinkled images can be truly appreciated only in these originals. Likewise, scholars wishing to study the beginnings of the modern artist’s book (livre d’artiste) can turn to the Graphic Arts Collection to find Pierre Bonnard’s personal copy of his masterpiece, Parallèlement (Paris, 1900). Curators, librarians, and archivists strive to enrich collections by acquiring materials that build on existing strengths, fill perceived gaps, and assist new paths of teaching and scholarship. The diverse acquisitions on display do just that, presenting fine additions to a fine collection.

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http://blogs.princeton.edu/rbscreference/2012/02/a-fine-addition/

2013-05-18T07:20:43Z

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There are many schools of thought on how to conduct therapy. A new dichotomy seems to be growing between those who favor tough love and those who focus on acceptance. In a recent Wall Street Journal Article, clients and therapists discuss how with “tough love” therapists try to eliminate their client’s whining. These therapists might limit what topics a client can discuss or confront a client who is “whining” about their life again. One client says she needs this sort of therapy. That she simply won’t change if she receives unconditional acceptance. And this client is likely right. Unconditional acceptance alone typically doesn’t result in change. But, although confrontation and demanding change does, often, lead to positive life changes, it can also leave clients feeling resentful, angry at therapists and misunderstood. The reality is that change is hard. And therapy is often hard because it is typically an agent of change. We want to feel better, cope better, relate to others better and make positive life changes. Therapy can help us do that with a mixture of unconditional acceptance and a more directed focus on change. Tough love is important, but so is understanding and acceptance. Good therapy can’t have one without the other. You can find more strategies to approach your life with both acceptance and a focus on change in my new book, The Stress Response and by clicking here to sign up for more of my tips and podcasts using DBT strategies to improve how you feel. Counseling session photo available from Shutterstock. This post currently has You can read the comments or leave your own thoughts. No trackbacks yet to this post. Last reviewed: 18 May 2012

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http://blogs.psychcentral.com/dbt/2012/05/tough-love-therapy/

2013-05-18T08:10:30Z

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz

en

Bharti Airtel offers $10.7 billion to pursue dream Bharti Airtel may be about to realize its dream of becoming an emerging market telecom giant. India’s largest cellphone operator has made a $10.7 billion non-binding offer to buy most of Kuwaiti rival Zain’s African assets. The deal would add 40 percent to Bharti’s current enterprise value. The potential transaction appears to have the support of Zain’s board. Bharti’s challenge, however, will be convincing its own investors that the African adventure is worthwhile. They wiped 9.2 percent off the company’s shares on Monday following the announcement that the two companies were in talks. That reaction might seem excessive. The valuation for Zain, eight times the company’s expected $1.3 billion earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) for 2010, is roughly in line with recent comparable transactions. Global giant Vodafone paid around that multiple for South Africa’s Vodacom in 2008 and the Cambodian operations of emerging market operator Millicom fetched around seven times EBITDA in November. And Bharti could raise the funds for the purchase without breaking its balance sheet. The company currently has debt of only 0.4 times its $3.5 billion estimated 2010 EBITDA. It could raise roughly $13 billion and still end up with the same leverage – three times the enlarged group’s EBITDA – as smaller Indian rival Reliance Communications. Yet that level of leverage could prove too high for Bharti. Zain’s African operations need heavy investment. In Nigeria, the continent’s fastest growing market, Zain has been losing customers and is struggling to turn around the business. The management of Bharti, experienced in rolling out networks in low-cost markets, is well placed for the challenge – but it will be expensive. If Bharti decides to settle on a lower level of debt – say twice its EBITDA – it will have to raise roughly $2.4 billion selling stock in order to fund the purchase of Zain. Bharti has until March 25, when its exclusivity period with Zain expires, to square the financing circle. Singapore Telecom, Bharti’s second largest shareholder with an indirect 30 percent stake, could play a role. But investors are worrying that the Indian operator, which twice failed to seal a deal with South Africa’s MTN, will stretch too far for an African deal.

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://blogs.reuters.com/breakingviews/2010/02/15/bharti-airtel-offers-10-7-billion-to-pursue-dream/

2013-05-18T06:23:25Z

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en

Saudi clerics protest against appointing women to advisory body Dozens of Saudi clerics staged a rare protest in front of the Royal Court on Tuesday against King Abdullah’s decision to appoint women to a body that advises the government on new laws, a sign of growing conservative unease at modest social reforms. On Friday, King Abdullah appointed 30 women to the Shura Council, giving them a fifth of the seats in the consultative body – a move he promised to make in 2011. The kingdom’s top religious authorities including the Grand Mufti accepted that decision, but the gathering of about 50 clerics outside the Royal Court suggested wider disquiet among conservatives in the world’s top oil producer. A Saudi activist in touch with the clerics confirmed the accuracy of photographs showing them standing in a group as they demanded a meeting with King Abdullah and his top aide Khaled al-Tuwaijri, seeking to offer them “advice”. Tuwaijri, the Royal Court chief of staff, is believed to be King Abdullah’s right-hand man and is seen by many Saudis as a driving force behind the country’s cautious reforms. Read the full story here. See also Saudi clerics demand fair trials for prisoners Follow all posts on Twitter @ RTRFaithWorld

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2013/01/15/saudi-clerics-protest-against-appointing-women-to-advisory-body/

2013-05-18T05:03:39Z

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en

The brewing controversy over leaks of classified information presumes that disclosures of classified information to unauthorized persons are always impermissible and undesirable. But that presumption does not correspond precisely to the reality of government operations as they are conducted in practice. The leaders of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees said last week that they would work “to ensure that criminal and administrative measures are taken each time sensitive information is improperly disclosed.” In fact, however, classified information is frequently disclosed at the interface between national security agencies and the news media. This is not necessarily a surreptitious or underhanded process. Rather, though it is not often discussed, it is how the system normally functions. “I refer to classified information a lot,” admitted then-Pentagon press secretary Kenneth Bacon at a November 2000 press briefing, when asked whether all of his statements from the podium were unclassified. “There are certain questions that I can only answer by referring to classified information,” Bacon said at that time, adding that “I do this carefully, after consultation with our intelligence authorities, to make sure that I don’t answer questions in a way that causes any problems.”

<urn:uuid:8bfd62da-0a1f-421f-b784-05ec7172d5ef>

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http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/tag/classified-information/

2013-05-18T05:00:52Z

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en

Europeans must not let their “Washington Intervention” go to waste By Mohamed El-Erian The opinions expressed are his own. European officials must feel like that they were just on the receiving end of an “intervention” staged by their colleagues from other countries – a process whereby a group of people come together to “shock” a friend/family member into recognizing the depth of a personal crisis and the urgency of embarking on proper corrective actions. The venue was this past weekend’s Annual Meetings of the IMF and World Bank. This event brings together policymakers from almost 190 countries, along with business leaders and media. It is full of formal meetings, seminars, press conferences, and bilateral discussions. It is a well-attended gathering that serves many purposes. One of them is to enable policymakers to collectively get a feel for the state of a highly inter-connected and complex global economy. At times in the past, this has proved absolutely critical for designing policy responses that avoided terrible collective outcomes. This was certainly the case in 2008. On that occasion, a series of consultations and discussions led policymakers from around the world to the startling conclusion that, after the disorderly collapse of Lehman Brothers, the global economy risked tipping into a great depression. The follow-up was one of the most impressive examples of global policy coordination that culminated in the highly successful G-20 Summit in London in April 2009. The world averted an economic depression that would have spread unemployment, poverty and misery all over the world. Unfortunately, it did not take long for such coordination to give way to competing and, at times, conflicting national agendas and narratives. This was particularly true in America and Europe where policymakers failed to understand and act on consequential global and national realignments. Today the global economy is highly vulnerable to major dislocations on account of three distinct but mutually reinforcing problems: a sovereign debt crisis (whose epicenter is in Europe), banking system fragilities (Europe), and an inability to grow robustly (America and Europe). As Europe features in all three, it should come as no surprise that European officials were approached by lots of people this weekend in Washington. Many wanted to understand what the European policymakers had in mind; and they wished to ring a very loud alarm that would spur these officials into bold and decisive action. Wherever they turned, European officials heard a consistent message which typically consisted of four specific points: • The bickering and dithering of European politicians and policymakers have allowed the crisis that originated in Greece to spread too far and wide; • The crisis is has now gotten close — far too close — to being uncontrollable; • Virtually no country in the world would be immune from the adverse consequences; and, therefore, • Europe needs to finally step up with decisive policies that are underpinned by a common political vision of what the Eurozone should look like in five years time. Initially, the reactions of most Europeans ran the gambit: from denying the severity of the crisis to diverting the blame elsewhere. Some hit back, noting that they were neither blind nor deaf. By the end of the meeting, however, most seem to have heard the messages, taken them to heart, and indicated their intention to act on them. Recognition and proper diagnosis are essential components of a durable solution to a problem. It is therefore good news for the global economy that, especially after this weekend, there is little doubt in the mind of Europeans about the urgency of their situation. They also know that the world is watching and hoping. It is also good news that some key officials even went so far as to identify a timetable for action – the six-week run-up to the next G-20 meeting in France. True, it is a timetable that is excessively influenced by political considerations rather than economic and financial ones. As such, it may be challenged by markets that are unsettled by fragilities in both sovereign debt and banking systems. So, will this Washington intervention and timetable hold? The answer depends on five key issues: First, the Europeans must take immediate — and I stress immediate — actions to stabilize the banking system and counter more effectively the persistent recent rise in yields on government debt issued by Italy and Spain in particular. This cannot wait six weeks. Second, they must quickly come up with operational mechanisms that build secure firewalls around at least one highly troubled country (Greece) so that it can default without triggering a tsunami for others in the Eurozone. This will only be possible if, and this is the third point, the European Central Bank (which has been carrying most of the burden so far) receives much more support from national fiscal and regulatory authorities. Fourth, bold structural decisions must be taken to strengthen the architecture and functioning of what, in the final analysis, is likely to be a smaller, less imperfect and stronger Eurozone. Finally, politicians must secure the airspace for the technocrats that are waging difficult day-to-day battles through better communication, a common vision and a unified purpose. This is quite a list, and there is very little time to waste.

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http://blogs.reuters.com/mohamed-el-erian/2011/09/26/europeans-must-not-let-their-%E2%80%9Cwashington-intervention%E2%80%9D-go-to-waste/

2013-05-18T06:46:44Z

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In the market for a new home? Don’t miss the Open House guide in the paper Saturday and Sunday. View our commenting policy and standards | Commenting FAQ | Report a problem Name is required A valid email is required ([email protected]) Comment is required Your email address will not be published.All fields are required to comment. Fri, 17 May 2013 03:58:53 +0000 The photographers of the Roanoke Times bring you more of the story.

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://blogs.roanoke.com/vignette/2012/10/8th-annual-latino-festival/

2013-05-18T07:14:35Z

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Cute awareness video (plus other resources) For those into security awareness: This security awareness video (on YouTube), made by the infosec people in the state government of the Commonwealth of Virginia, covers some good, basic tips. It’s amusing, and only 13 minutes long. Some of the advice is specific to their security policy, and probably won’t match yours, but at least it’ll get you (or your staff) thinking about some of the issues. If you want something more, the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA) (state government agency) has an Information Security Awareness Toolkit site with copies of the video (both viewable and downloadable, and with subtitles and without), as well as other links and resources.

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http://blogs.securiteam.com/index.php/archives/1220

2013-05-18T06:49:34Z

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Habanero Heyday: Tasting the Hot Jams From Diane's Sweet Heat Food trends, like trends of all other sorts from business to art to comic books, are cyclical. We cycle through salty to sweetness, from bacon to bourbon. Right now we seem to be hopped up on Habanero. With only the draft still freshly saved on the Habanero honey story, we received a surprise shipment of three Fruit Habanero Jams from Humboldt County's Diane's Sweet Heat. Having found flavor in the pepper jams INNA sent us some time back, we set our expectations to simmer and tasted through. All were noted as "Medium" versus the "Mild" they also sell. Here's what we thought. Raspberry Habanero Jam A tad runny. Mild sweetness with modest berry flavor. Mild heat with modest build. Seems like an okay cheese accoutrement, but we'd prefer INNA jam's pepper jelly for that purpose. Blackberry Habanero Jam There's a bit more berry flavor here. Like blackberry pie filling with a nice building heat. Our favorite of the three. Mango Habanero Jam Mid-modest again. We'd rank it okay. A medium building heat. With the exception of the blackberry, we'd like to see more heat, more fruit, and more flavor.The blackberry earned a place in the posts, and you can order it online here or find it at stores listed here.

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/2012/05/habanero_heyday.php

2013-05-18T06:25:43Z

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Father/Daughter Records Is a Family Affair Many local labels are offering obscure reissues and innovative new releases on all conceivable formats. Label Sampler is an occasional column that profiles a different Bay Area independent label in each edition. Father/Daughter's Jessi Frick Name: Father/Daughter Records Headquarters: Spare room, Inner Sunset, San Francisco Owners: Jessi Frick and Ken Hector. Label one-sheet: Father/Daughter is a small indie pop label run by a father in Florida and his daughter in San Francisco. Creation story: Yes, a father and daughter teamed up to found a record label. They live on separate sides of the country, but the distance allows each owner to be scouting talent on their respective coast to potentially add to the label's roster. Cutely, they assert that the label endeavor is a means of bringing the family closer together over a mutual love of the artists they choose to invest in. Early on, Frick recalls having difficulty convincing bands to release on her label, but that only led her to hone artist relationships based on trust and mutual respect. Father/Daughter has slowly built a stable of releases at about the rate of a single for every season since its founding in 2009. Frick's appreciation of personal character: In discussing nearly every group on her label, Frick inevitably mentions what pleasant and thoughtful people the musicians are, implying a criterion for selection that other labels might shirk. "They're two of the kindest people I know," Frick says of Pure Bathing Culture, Father/Daughter's recent signees from Portland. "I'm stoked to help nurture them." Likewise, she describes making the acquaintance her first signee, Family Trees, as if making new friends: "I finally got the chance to meet them over beers and snacks and instantly hit it off." Signing artists is often discussed by label representatives in an austere, businesslike tone -- which makes Frick's insistence on actually enjoying the company of artists on her roster particularly refreshing. Musical focus: As Frick explains, "Like Faygo, Father/Daughter is an eclectic brand of pop." Indeed, its releases include Pure Bathing Culture's lush chamber pop, Leapling's electro-pop, and Cocktails' soulful roots-rock. There is a particular emphasis on mellowness in Father/Daughter's catalog, and much of the label's releases would flow together seamlessly on a single mix tape. Upcoming release: Cocktails, a brand new San Francisco group who've left strong impressions on attendees of their numerous recent shows, will soon release their debut single on Father/Daughter. With their clear affinity for traditional rock 'n' roll and soulful vocal styling, Cocktails command an effective pop sensibility that's driven home by the sheer earnestness and conviction evident in each track. Attitude toward the Internet: Frick fondly recalls discovering music via fanzines and word of mouth while she was in high school, but like so many new label owners, regards the Internet as a superior means to the same end. Impressively, Father/Daughter's Twitter feed, Facebook updates, and blog-style website rivals the slickness and presence of labels many times its size. A built in media player graces the label's sleek home page, and separate contacts are provided for licensing -- surprising features for a label with hardly more than 10 releases. The imprint's releases don't go unnoticed, though. For example, the A-side of its third record, a single from mildly minimal pop artist Levek, was recently featured in an ad for Apple's MacBook Pro. San Francisco's resources: Father/Daughter outsources most of its manufacturing to local businesses and is quick to voice appreciation for the community of other small labels with comparable goals. As Frick explains, "The Bay Area most definitely has a hand in helping the label thrive. It's amazing to be a part of such a close knit and welcoming community of labels... vinyl manufacturers [like] Pirates [Press,] record stores, booking agents, venues, bloggers and bands." Primary format: Father/Daughter is enamored with vinyl. So much so, in fact, that Frick describes the record shopping experience in revelatory terms. "The entire ritual of going to the store, flipping through the bins, taking the record home, opening it, being able to swoon over the big, beautiful cover, it's such a satisfying feeling." She adds as an afterthought, "Vinyl sounds exponentially better than that digital crap."

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://blogs.sfweekly.com/shookdown/2012/11/father_daughter_records.php

2013-05-18T05:54:05Z

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SF Occupier Looking for Roommate to Share Tent for Cheap Rent |This guy sounds fucking cool| For instance, this San Francisco guy is desperate to reoccupy the Financial District, which is why he is looking for someone to help him set up his tent -- and occupy it with him. So he did what any normal searching San Franciscan would do: He posted an ad on Craigslist. Although it's far from your average "looking for a housemate" ad. Here's his sales pitch: "I want a roommate to help set up a new camp and watch my back in case the NAzis with the GERMAN dog come back to kick me out. I also have a video camera we can share in case they harrass us. Aside from sounding paranoid, here's a little more about him: "I am clean and keep a neat tent. I shave and shower every other week, we can alternate so some one is always in the tent. My girlfriend will bring food so we don't have to leave." And if that isn't enticing enough, the rent is cheaper than a cardboard box. "$1.00 rent is due upon our agreement and is due on the first of every month. It is not refundable as your dollar symbolizes your dedication to the tent and our cause," according to the ad. Here's the full ad: Follow us on Twitter at @TheSnitchSF and @SFWeekly

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http://blogs.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2011/12/sf_occupier_looking_for_roomma.php

2013-05-18T06:25:16Z

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Skype 4.1 for Linux Today Skype for Linux has new friends. With this new release, codenamed “The new buddy”, you can sign into Skype using Microsoft account and chat with your friends on Windows Live Messenger, Hotmail and Outlook.com. Please stop by and say hello to all your friends wherever they are, wherever you are! Together with this change we fixed many issues that you experienced with 4.0. Different audio streams: You can now set again a different audio stream for your sound notifications. Dialpad in calls: If you need the dialpad during your calls and there is no button for it, hit ‘d’ on your keyboard and it will appear. All Skype shortcuts are listed under /usr/share/doc/skype/README file. Audio and Video quality: As every release we try to make a better job on delivering to you the best calling experience, if you experienced issues with older versions please give a bite to this new version. We improved the stability of the client. For the full release notes please check out this page. For installation instructions visit this page. Download Skype for Linux 4.1 Skype for Linux is available in the following languages: Brazilian Portuguese (Eduardo Porto Teixeira), Bulgarian (Nikolay Filipov & Nikolina Filipova), Czech (Alexandr Kara), Estonian, French, German (Claudius Henrichs), Italian (Marco Cimmino), Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian (Viktoras Kriukovas), Norwegian (Alexander Stevenson), Polish (Karol Szastok), Portuguese (Francisco Miguel Ferreira), Romanian, Russian (Pavel Shevchuk), Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Thai, Traditional Chinese, Turkish (Ömer Emin Dede), Ukrainian (Oleh Nykyforchyn).

<urn:uuid:1b17300c-7c96-404d-88bc-7b42fc83bb37>

CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://blogs.skype.com/2012/11/15/skype-41-for-linux/

2013-05-18T05:53:37Z

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The most interesting part of this whole experiment was watching my group turn into self-proclaimed experts on how “The Hobbit” should be adapted for the big screen. Guest Post by Gabrielle Bondi… Five Things Readers and Fans Don’t Know About YA Movies But Should (Part 2) They’re more than a tribute, they’re words to live by. In fact, of all the eloquent and heartfelt expressions of loss and appreciation since Ray Bradbury’s passing, these are the ones that, for me, cut to the heart of the matter. I’m talking about what Guillermo del Toro said yesterday in a brief note [...] A connection with the point-of-view character sometimes isn’t made because words and ideas somehow get in the way of immediacy rather than reinforcing it. So when we attempt to show the cost of not appreciating literature by referencing the beauty and profundity of those words and ideas, we’re possibly compounding the problem…

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http://blogs.slj.com/connect-the-pop/tag/fantasy/

2013-05-18T05:54:43Z

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June 8, 2009 Monday, June 8: So, June isn’t busting out all over as far as special events go, sad to say. But there are still lots of regularly-scheduled daily events happening around the mall to enrich your museum-going experience. You can see a complete listing of tours, animal feedings and educational movie screenings here. Tuesday, June 9: Yeah, you see that wimpy events entry above? Ditto that. Wednesday, June 10: Night at the Museum 2: The Real Stuff So, you’ve seen the Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian and now you want to check out the artifacts that inspired the film? Come on out to the Air and Space Museum and get the lowdown on Able, one of the first primates sent into space. Learn about the real-life exploits of this plucky little rhesus monkey (not a capuchin, like in the movie) who was unwitting catapulted into outer space. Free. National Air and Space Museum, 12:00 PM Thursday, June 11: Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah The Hirshhorn’s Summer Camp film series is back! Their 2007 series saw the likes of Barbarella—that timeless tale of a sexually liberated astronaut who can work a pair of go-go boots better than she can work her own spaceship—and 2008 had audiences enthralled by the special effects artistry of Ray Harryhausen. This year, the Hirshhorn would like to celebrate the career highlights (or low lights) of Godzilla, King of the Monsters. Gojira (an amalgam of the Japanese words for “gorilla” and “whale” and later anglicized to “Godzilla”) began wreaking havoc on Japan in 1954 and has sense spawned a series of B-grade monster flicks. Come enjoy the first presentation in this three-movie series, Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah, where the arrival of a UFO rouses Godzilla from his underwater lair for an extreme monster showdown. Free. Hirshhorn, 7:00 PM Friday, June 12: Dimitre Cantemir: A Life in Music Not a fan of today’s over-sexualized, pyrotechnic-laden popular music performances? For those of you longing for the music of a simpler—but nonetheless glorious—age, come on out to the Freer where you can enjoy the hit parade of the Ottoman Empire! In a lecture studded with musical performances by Lux Musica, learn about Dimitre Cantemir, a man of letters and a musicologist who had the presence of mind to document contemporary Ottoman music, ensuring their survival. He was also quite an accomplished composer himself, with approximately 350 pieces to his credit. Free. Freer, 1:00 PM. This event repeats on Saturday, June 13 at the Freer at 2:30 PM. Sign up for our free email newsletter and receive the best stories from Smithsonian.com each week. No Comments » No comments yet.

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http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/aroundthemall/2009/06/smithsonian-events-week-of-june-8-12-night-at-the-museum-godzilla-and-cantemir/

2013-05-18T05:08:28Z

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en

September 27, 2011 Diosa Costello was the first Latina on Broadway. She was a pioneering night club performer. As a producer and club owner, she set trends in entertainment; as a film star and popular musician, she personified them. “I was the original J. Lo.,” Costello says. Last week, as part of an on-stage program and conversation with curators, she donated a set of 11 stage costumes from her storied career to the American History Museum. The 94-year-0ld Costello grew up in Puerto Rico, performing for her father sick in bed and soldiers on the street . “I was born dancing,” she says. “All my life I danced.” After moving to New York with her family as a teenager, she worked her way up the ranks, catching a major break when she was cast in the Broadway musical Too Many Girls. During her long and diverse career, she would record music, appear in Hollywood films, perform alongside Rodney Dangerfield in Catskills comedy clubs and launch Desi Arnaz to fame. In an era when racial diversity was nonexistent on stage, she performed as everything from Latina stereotypes to a Pacific islander, as “Bloody Mary” in South Pacific. Her routines, in particular, were remarkably racy for the time. “I would stick my behind out, and I put a glass of water on top of it. When I was dancing all over the place, and I didn’t spill one drop,” Costello says. “I’m very uninhibited. If I think something, I do it.” “She is a pioneering performer and a significant figure in American entertainment,” says Dwight Blocker Bowers, a curator of the American History Museum’s entertainment collection. He hopes that, after renovations that will create a larger exhibition space for the popular culture artifacts, the museum will be able to put Costello’s costumes on display. Despite her longevity and popularity, Costello never expected for her work to be honored in the Smithsonian. “I’ll tell you, I didn’t even know. I had never been to a museum, I didn’t even know what the heck it was all about,” she says. But Bowers feels the honor is fitting for a career of Costello’s magnitude. “You’re a legend,” he says, “to us and to the American people.” In the upcoming November issue of Smithsonian, don’t miss Around the Mall’s Q&A with Diosa Costello. Sign up for our free email newsletter and receive the best stories from Smithsonian.com each week. No Comments » No comments yet.

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http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/aroundthemall/2011/09/legendary-performer-diosa-costello-donates-wardrobe-to-smithsonian/

2013-05-18T05:09:00Z

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Sharing of thoughts and information is what blogging is all about. This way we can learn from each other. Post A Comment!These postings are provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. You assume all risk for your use. Chris Di LulloSr. IT Pro Marketing Manager Twitter | LinkedIn Pierre Roman Twitter | LinkedIn Mitch Garvis Twitter | LinkedIn Anthony Bartolo Twitter | LinkedIn On Wednesday, we launched Windows Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008, and SQL Server 2008 at the first Heroes Happen Here event in Toronto. As the next few weeks go by we will be visiting other cities across the country to allow you to learn more about how these products can help your organization and continue your technical journey. As we travel across the country we invite you to share your experiences and thoughts about the Heroes Happen Here events with others in the IT community through your pictures on Flickr, blog posts, and Twitter tweets. Through the work of four talented individuals from the Toronto SharePoint User Group, doing this is as easy as tagging your photos on Flickr, Twitter tweets or blog posts with the HHH_CA tag. Welcome to the www.heroeshappenhere.ca site!! Thanks to the work of the four individual pictured above at the Toronto event - (from left) Mark Zanoski, Bill Brockbank, Kanwal Khipple (project lead), and Muhsin Shahid - you have a site where your pictures, blog posts, and Twitter tweets will automatically be aggregated and shared with your peers and all you need to do is remember to include the HHH_CA tag to make it happen. On top of that, the Register link on the www.heroeshappenhere.ca site will allow you to sign up for your own @heroeshappenhere.ca Windows Live Hotmail email address (and Windows Live ID) with a full 5GB of space!! Remember to sign out of any other Windows Live ID before clicking the Sign-Up link on the Register page. One thing I find cool about the site is that it uses some really great new technologies like Silverlight and PopFly to deliver the content. The picture carousel displaying all of the HHH_CA tagged photos, a PopFly component, is really cool so check it out at www.heroeshappenhere.ca. We will be posting a video interview with the team in the next little while so stay tuned!! If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to the SharePoint Buzz RSS feed. Thanks for visiting! This blog posts regular SharePoint 2007 news, updates of web parts, workflows, collaboration efforts, quick fixes and everything about Microsoft Offic..

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2013-05-18T05:16:57Z

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President Lyndon Johnson and the “best and the brightest” who staffed his administration led this country into three quagmires. By far the most famous, but perhaps not the most expensive and dangerous resulted from LBJ’s escalation of the Vietnam War. More than 50,000 Americans and many more Vietnamese died as a result of that policy; our country was bitterly divided in ways that still weaken us today, and the economic cost of the war was immense. It contributed to the wave of inflation that shook the country in the 1970s and in addition to the interest on the debt from this ill-starred venture we are still paying (as we certainly should) pensions and medical costs for the vets and their spouses. The Second Great Johnson Quagmire now destroying the nation is the Medicare/Medicaid complex. These entitlement programs are the biggest single financial problem we face. They dwarf all the Bush-Obama wars; they make TARP look like small change. They not only cost money we don’t have — and are scheduled to cost inexorably more until they literally ruin the nation — they have distorted our entire health system into the world’s most bloated and expensive monstrosity. Thanks to these programs, we have a health system that marries the greed of the private sector to the ineptitude of government, and unless we can somehow tame these beasts America and everything it stands for could be lost. (Note, please, that by comparison Social Security can be relatively easily reformed to be solvent for the next 75 years. The New Deal, whatever its shortcomings, was almost infinitely more realistic and sustainable than the Great Society.) LBJ Signing the Medicare Bill (Source: Wikimedia Commons) But that is a subject for another day. The third Johnson Quagmire is the War on Poverty, and specifically the attempt to treat inner city poverty primarily as a racial problem. After the Medicare/Medicaid catastrophe the single greatest policy failure of modern America is urban policy. Since the Great Society era of Lyndon Johnson, the country has poured hundreds of billions of dollars into poor urban neighborhoods. The violence and crime generated in these neighborhoods costs hundreds of billions more. And after all this time, all this money and all this energy, the inner city populations are worse off than before. There is more drug addiction and more social and family breakdown among this population than when the Great Society was launched. Incarceration rates have risen to levels that shock the world (though they make for safer streets); the inner city abortion rate has reached levels that must surely appall even the most resolute pro-choicers not on the Planned Parenthood payroll. Forty percent of all pregnancies in New York end in abortion, with higher rates among Blacks; nationally, the rate among Blacks is three times the rate among white women. Put it all together and you have a holocaust of youth and hope on a scale hard to match. This is not a lot to show for almost fifty years of fighting poverty — not a lot of bang for the buck. We need to do better. The state of the American inner city is an unacceptable human tragedy, and the costs in money spent and prosperity forfeited create an unsustainable drag on the national economy at a time when we need all the help we can get. There is more. Those neighborhoods — and the prisons in which so many young urban men spend large chunks of their lives — threaten the peace and security of the country as a whole. Extremist cults, some domestically based and others relying on foreign money and enthusiasm, fish in these troubled waters for souls, and sometimes they catch a few. This could turn ugly. An old friend who has spent much of his life fighting violence and extremism in the inner city puts the danger like this: think about “The Wire” and think about all the talent, ingenuity and training that goes into the drug gangs. Think about their ability to operate in defiance of the police, think about their connections with international crime and the amount of money they can raise. Now think about what life would be like in this country if the leaders of those groups embraced violent religious extremism and sought, as many have done overseas, to finance a terror campaign through drug money. This is, I believe, a serious threat down the road; there are already a few early warning signs and while we should not be stampeded into panic about them, the situation is one to watch with concern. Where there is no real hope, people clutch at straws — and on present trends conditions in the inner cities are likely to get significantly worse. Bad and dysfunctional as the remaining Great Society programs are, we are entering an era of government budget cutting. Given the power that unions, middle class and elite lobbies have, inner city residents stand to take a disproportionate share of any cuts. If it’s a choice between helping poor children in the inner city or paying inflated pensions to retired union workers, where will the politicians come down? The Great Society legacy is not all bad. The voting rights legislation and the affirmative action programs introduced at that time helped a solid African-American middle class to expand. Increasingly, the country now has second and third generations of African-American families who have college educations and who are represented at all levels of business, the professions, politics and the arts. Not that the Great Society deserves as much credit as its backers like to claim. Most of African-American progress since 1965 is due to the dogged hard work of people determined to change their own lives. Government action did play a role, but clearly racial attitudes in the United States have dramatically changed, perhaps especially so among conservatives. When conservative Republicans whose parents were Dixiecrat segregationists cheering on Lester Maddox now swoon at the rhetoric of Herman Cain, give standing ovations to Condoleezza Rice, write angry letters to editors when liberal journalists attack Clarence Thomas and elect an African American Republican to the House of Representatives from Charleston, SC, we must recognize that something has changed. In any case, the Johnson-era approach to urban poverty was largely predicated on the idea that our urban problems were a race and justice problem. Discrimination in housing, jobs and education had created the “ghetto”; ending those practices, compensating for them through affirmative action and providing infusions of cash to jump start urban investment and “renew” down at heels urban neighborhoods would win the war on urban poverty. To the extent these ideas and the policies they inspired had merit, things got better. The middle class grew and many African Americans moved out of segregated neighborhoods and public housing projects into the suburbs. But this wasn’t the whole story, and even as Great Society era programs worked for some, conditions in the inner cities worsened for many who remained. The result is the urban quagmire in which we now find ourselves. We are spending massive amounts of money and conditions are getting worse. Liberals recognize this as a problem in Afghanistan; they are more reluctant to see it in St. Louis — but it is true. What we are doing now isn’t working and while some of the reforms being tried (especially in education and perhaps also new ways of handling drug issues) offer promise, there is no light at the end of the urban tunnel. The urban quagmire into which the Johnson administration (blue thought at its zenith) led the United States reflects a massive intellectual failure. We still have racial problems in this country, but the urban problem at its core about much more than race. To think clearly about the inner cities, we are going to have learn to think less racially — to for example learn to think about our inner city problem as if most of the urban poor were white. Inner Cities in Context The first step is to put the African-American presence in the cities in historical context. The Great Migration of African-Americans from southern farms to northern cities was one of many such movements in the modern era. For hundreds of years now, changes in agriculture have been sending people from the countryside into the city. The rising productivity of agricultural workers, the growing concentration of land ownership in the hands of well-capitalized large proprietors and the mechanization of farm work meant that peasants have been leaving the field for the city all over the world. The African American urban migration was one of these mass movements of population. It was not unlike waves of migration to the US from much of Europe; farmers and farm workers were either pushed off the land or drawn to the possibilities of urban life and many of them came to America’s burgeoning cities in search of better lives. As cotton culture was mechanized and sharecropping gave way to large estates directly worked by the owner, millions of African-Americans streamed to northern cities between 1910 and the 1960s just as Italians, Greeks, Russians, Poles and Jews had done between the Civil War and the immigration restrictions of the 1920s. We are, incidentally, seeing many more Great Migrations today: in North America we have rural Mexicans and Central Americans are streaming into cities in Mexico and across the US. The Turkish migration into Germany followed this pattern; much of the North African migration to western Europe and the internal Chinese migration from country to city is of this kind as well. Rural migrants are swelling the population of African cities from Capetown to Cairo; they are filling the cities of South and Central Asia. Globally we are in the middle of a Great Migration that sometime in this century will put a majority of the world’s population into cities for the first time ever. Historically, cities were tough places to move to. Back in the eighteenth century and in most of the nineteenth, mortality rates were often higher and in many cases much higher in cities than in rural areas. Sanitation was primitive; food transport was slow and uncertain and refrigeration did not exist. Social safety nets were porous and weak. The cities were regularly scourged by disease and fire. Urban populations tended to shrink in those years if not continually renewed by fresh migrants from the countryside. Economically and culturally it wasn’t easy, either. Back in the country, young people (the bulk of the migrants then and now) were integrated into strong social patterns. They were mostly honest and hardworking. There were relatively few opportunities for the sons and daughters of poor peasants and laborers to be anything else. When they got to the city, there were no strong extended family networks to provide a social safety net in bad times — or to enforce social discipline and healthy habits in good ones. Cities, classically, have more temptations than the country does — that is one reason adventurous young people in particular like to move to them. With no social safety net, no public health and no support system, many migrants became statistics on the urban mortality rolls. Drinking badly made gin, eating poorly preserved and often contaminated food, and living in unsanitary neighborhoods was not a recipe for longevity. Throw in venereal disease in an era that knew very little about prevention or treatment, and it is easy to understand why cities needed constant replenishment from the countryside. A 1751 engraving of Gin Lane by William Hogarth (Source: Wikimedia Commons) The old urban migration was a kind of Darwinian test. Migrants had to maintain their social discipline and sharply limit their indulgences in the dangerous but alluring diversions of urban life. Failing to do that meant an early and often very unpleasant death. The growing European cities of the eighteenth and early to mid-nineteenth century had what Marx called a lumpenproletariat of deracinated residents who had lost their footing in the country but been unable to establish themselves on steady terms in the city. They were the petty thieves, prostitutes and hustlers of the day — the pages of Dickens are full of them. Their numbers tended to grow as the pace of urbanization sped up, but epidemics and hunger continued to take their toll. Beginning in the nineteenth century and continuing through to the present day, urban demography changed. Mortality rates in cities dropped as people grew to understand the importance of clean water, learned how to fight or prevent infectious disease and the quality of the food supply dramatically improved. Add the provision of a social safety net and the conditions existed for what we have seen: the development of a cycle of urban poverty spanning many generations. When the Great Migration of rural African-Americans came north, beginning around World War One, they were more like the Mexican immigrants of today than like a Marxist lumpenproletariat. By and large they were hard working and clean living people who were willing and able to work at sometimes backbreaking jobs to provide for their families. Despite the corrosive effect that slavery had on family ties and despite the inevitable strains that great poverty places on family life, African American family ties were much stronger then than they are in today’s inner city. Many African Americans established themselves in urban middle class communities; Harlem and Queens (this most glamorous and cosmopolitan of New York boroughs included Jackie Robinson, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong and Malcolm X among its residents) contained vibrant, exciting and safe neighborhoods. Schools often worked much better than many do now; the social infrastructure of African-American neighborhoods was comparable and in some cases stronger than in other neighborhoods of recent urban immigrants from around the world. The Louis Armstong House in Corona, Queens (Source: Wikimedia Commons) Over time, two trends appear in such neighborhoods. Some residents (luckier or more talented) establish secure lives in the urban economy. Over time they tend to move away from the old neighborhoods to less crowded parts of the city and to the suburbs. Those who do not for whatever reason make this transition successfully begin to lose the inherited culture and discipline of the country. In the old days a high mortality (and high infant mortality) rate would limit this population. These days, though abortion, violence, drug addiction and crime take a toll, the modern scourges are less effective than the older ones and many more people survive physically in the city while failing to find secure livelihoods there. As one dysfunctional generation gives rise to another, inherited social structures weaken further, and we see what we see. African Americans formed the first nucleus of what is likely to be an ongoing underclass not so much because of their skin color (though with many craft unions and employers holding to white only hiring practices discrimination had an effect) as because of their timing. African Americans were the last wave of migrants to hit the American industrial belt; while the 1920s immigration laws cut the flow of European immigrants to a trickle, the African American influx continued into the years when American factory employment stagnated and then began its (so far) inexorable decline. Black America showed up for the party just as the bar was closing down. Many African Americans transitioned to the modern economy. Even as factories stopped taking on new workers and laying off old ones, African Americans went to college in record numbers. Like second and third generation European migrants to city life before them, they found middle class jobs on police forces, in schools, in fire departments, sanitation departments and in the civil service. Some pursued military careers and others went into business, finance, politics and law. A critical mass, however, did not make the adjustment in time. Early generations of American immigrants headed quickly from the cities onto family farms up through the Civil War; from the Civil War through the Vietnam era the factories provided a bridge into the middle class. For the last forty years that avenue has been closed; new waves of immigrants have been forced to find new paths into the middle class. For some, it is proving difficult, and we have already seen the signs of social and family breakdown and a growing gang culture among some newer immigrant groups. Once a community has reached the levels of dysfunction and defeat that characterizes the third, fourth and fifth generations of the modern American underclass, conventional social programs no longer work particularly well. Affirmative action does not help a thirty year old illiterate with a drug habit get a job. The most dedicated teachers in the best schools cannot compensate for the lack of basic parenting at home. A community of young men who have never known a father’s care or even seen a father caring for a family cannot be prepared for adult life by anything the government can do. There are no magic solutions to problems this deeply rooted, but we are going to dispel the shadow of LBJ from our urban policy and find new approaches to urban problems that break with the core assumptions of the catastrophically wrongheaded ‘best and the brightest’ of the 1960s. Thinking less racially about urban problems is part of the answer; in future posts I will make more suggestions. This is a complicated subject and clear answers are not easy to find; I will be looking to responses from readers to help me figure things out.

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2013-05-18T07:25:02Z

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Air Canada Threatens to Withdraw NHL Sponsorship Over Headshots According to a report from Bruce Garrioch of QMI Agency, Air Canada issued a threat to withdraw its sponsorship of the NHL if the league doesn’t take “immediate” and “serious” action against headshots. In a letter to Gary Bettman, Denis Vandal, Air Canada’s director of marketing/communications, voiced the company’s concerns over the rising number of violent incidents in the NHL and Zdeno Chara’s hit on Max Pacioretty specifically. “From a corporate social responsibility standpoint, it is becoming increasingly difficult to associate our brand with sports events which could lead to serious and irresponsible accidents; action must be taken by the NHL before we are encountered with a fatality. “Unless the NHL takes immediate action with serious suspension to the players in question to curtail these life-threatening injuries, Air Canada will withdraw its sponsorship of hockey.” Air Canada owns the naming rights to the Toronto Maple Leafs home arena as well as providing sponsorship to all six Canadian teams, according to Garrioch’s report. It’s hard to disagree with the message that Air Canada is trying to put across here, but their execution leaves something to be desired. Some influential members of the hockey media sphere were quick to brush this off as little more than a PR stunt via Twitter, and some took an even more cynical approach and deemed the Montreal based corporation’s tactic as hometown heroism. Like they say, if you really want to something to change then you best do something about it. Air Canada’s threat has the right message, but it’s awfully difficult to envision the NHL taking it seriously. Chara Hit to be Investigated by Police Via a story at CBCSports, Radio-Canada has reported that “Quebec’s director of criminal and penal prosecutions, Louis Dionne, has asked police to begin gathering evidence to help prosecutors determine if charges should be laid against Zdeno Chara”. The result of the hit was a terrible misfortune, but this is getting ridiculous. Max Pacioretty spoke to TSN’s Bob McKenzie regarding the NHL’s lack of discipline on Zdeno Chara. Via Habs Inside/Out: “I am upset and disgusted that the league didn’t think enough of (the hit) to suspend him,” Pacioretty told TSN. “I’m not mad for myself, I’m mad because if other players see a hit like that and think it’s okay, they won’t be suspended, then other players will get hurt like I got hurt. “It’s been an emotional day. I saw the video for the first time this morning. You see the hit, I’ve got a fractured vertebrae, I’m in hospital and I thought the league would do something, a little something,” said Pacioretty. “I’m not talking a big number, I don’t know, one game, two games, three games…whatever, but something to show that it’s not right. “I heard (Chara) said he didn’t mean to do it. I felt he did mean to do it. I would feel better if he said he made a mistake and that he was sorry for doing that, I could forgive that, but I guess he’s talking about how I jumped up or something.” This is Not a Zdeno Chara/Max Pacioretty Story Martin St. Louis scored a beauty of a shootout winner, but was it legal? Pens Extend Bylsma If you’ve developed a non-sexual man crush on Dan Bylsma since viewing 24/7: Penguins/Capitals, you’re not alone. The Pittsburgh Penguins locked up their coach with a three-year extension on Wednesday. Disco Dan will be at the helm through the 2013-14 season, assuming all goes well in the ‘Burgh. Ellis’ Stick Save Leads to Ducks Goal I’ve got a fever, and the only prescription… is more knuckle puck!

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Jump to Content The opinions expressed herein are my own personal opinions and do not represent my employer's view in any way. newtelligence dasBlog 2.2.8279.16125 Email Me (Tim Gaunt) © 2013 Tim Gaunt. I know it's an oldie but it still makes me smile and I haven't seen it for a while (all the more suitable now I drive a car that can go faster than the speed limit)... Don't forget to follow me on Twitter.

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2013-05-18T07:24:50Z

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When it comes to reviews, there’s no right or wrong, as I’ve often said here before, though it doesn’t stop me wondering what kind of madness is about when I disagree so vehemently with some of my colleagues, as happened this summer over The Female of The Species and Zorro. Who was out-of-step with the prevailing wind, them or me? But what’s good is that there is a broad spectrum of opinion being expressed - and there are, at least at the moment, still a wide number of press platforms available in which that can happen. And indeed, some of these are now expanding: once critics would have their last word in their reviews; now, these are just the springboard for challenges elsewhere, and critics are fighting back, with a ferocious new dialogue taking place with readers, practitioners and even each other in the blogosphere. I know I’ve been party to this on this blog myself - but now the battles are going even more public. Michael Billington gave David Hare’s new play Gethsemane at the National an admiring four-star review; this led to the Daily Telegraph’s Dominic Cavendish issuing a lengthy reply to Billington’s suggestion that the big question that the play throws down, “What is a Labour government for, if it doesn’t carry within its portfolio a map of Utopia?”, in which he says, “But to many of us, idealism has been precisely the problem”; and then Billington, in turn, replied in a blog of his own, that went to great lengths to dissect each of Cavendish’s arguments, including one that “that political theatre has lately been ‘ineffectual as a podium for oppositional thought’”. But whatever the state of play, the reviews about the play have clearly created a dialogue for oppositional opinions - and have intriguingly ranged from the five-star (Michael Coveney on Whatsonstage.com) all the way down to one-star (Christopher Hart in the Sunday Times). A similar dialogue has erupted around the issue of the current state of children’s theatre, with the Guardian’s Lyn Gardner taking issue in a blog about Dominic Cavendish’s Telegraph review of the Unicorn’s recent production of Red Fortress, in which Dominic declared, “Once upon a time children’s theatre was all about flying carpets and feats of wonder - now it seems to be about bringing kids down to earth with a disenchanted bump.” For Lyn, however, “Theatres are so worried about upsetting parents and the media that they operate within a straitjacket of self-censorship,” and, she goes on, “As a result, we are shortchanging our children by offering what is - with a few brave exceptions - a diet of theatre (often adapted from bestselling books) that is indeed mostly ‘about flying carpets and feats of wonder’. In doing so, we are giving them a distorted view of reality and theatre. The parental instinct to protect children is a natural one, but just as we must not be ruled by fear and must let our children go out on their own and make their own decisions, so should we let them go into that safest of arenas - the theatre - and confront the issues that they have to face in the real world.” The battle hasn’t stopped there - now Dominic has, in turn, replied in another Telegraph blog, “What immediately riled me was the casual insinuation that if children’s theatre is insufficiently challenging that’s partly down to parental conservatism…. Whether or not you think it’s the role of theatre to confront kids with what many of them already have to grapple with on a daily basis - instead of offering entertainment and even escapism - those remarks seem to come perilously close to saying: if children’s theatre ain’t good enough, that’s your fault, folks. I’d hate to lecture parents like that….” Dominic, it turns out, was one of the few critics to rave about last week’s opening of Treasure Island, too, giving it a generous four-star notice (against several one-star reviews, including my own in yesterday’s Sunday Express as well as the one I also did for the London Paper, and Georgina Brown in the Mail on Sunday), for which he makes an interesting defence in his blog entry, too: “Reviewing children’s theatre is - surprising to some as this may be - one of the trickiest aspects of the job. Even though I’ve got young kids myself, and have developed a fairly shrewd idea as to what I think would enthuse and excite them (it’s not rocket-science, it usually involves a dynamic, clear, and boldly imaginative kind of storytelling), I can get caught out. Sometimes children will appear bored during shows they emerge raving about - sometimes they seem enthralled only to reveal themselves later as wholly bemused. I had a big hunch watching Treasure Island the other night at the Theatre Royal Haymarket that my seven-year-old son would respond in delight to its rambunctious spirit; in this my four-star verdict diverged sharply from that of critics on other papers who, one notes, don’t have kids in the targeted age-range.” While Christopher Hart in yesterday’s Sunday Times was accompanied by 11-year-old Sacha whom he duly quoted from in his review, it’s unfair to dismiss other critics for failing to have children in the targeted age-range (if that’s indeed the target of this piece, which has diligently never specified one), as if they cannot therefore judge it appropriately. We are asked all the time to see things outside of our immediate experience - the job would be undoable if we were expected to have a personal connection to everything we see - but in fact Georgina Brown, who does have two teenage children, might have had one, and yet she, too, didn’t like it at all. Yet, even when a show like Imagine This mostly create a wave of critical consensus about how well-meaning but misjudged it is, you can always count on one or two critics to diverge from the path; and - as well as someone on the freesheet London Lite who gave it four stars - we also yesterday had Tim Walker, who has previously suggested that it’s inhumane to send critics to musicals at all, humanely finding plenty to admire, even “adore” as he put it, in his four-star notice. And then there’s the artist’s own response: after the recent mostly negative notices for Rupert Goold’s new production of King Lear in Liverpool, Pete Postlethwaite - who played the title role - responded on Radio 4’s Front Row last week by agreeing that they were justified. In a report on the BBC website, he admits, “We were overwhelmed, I think, by the ideas. I think what suffered was the performances.” And since the opening, several elements have now been “jettisoned”, he said. “Things have gone that we found unhelpful, distracting, not true to the story… Rupert’s been bold enough to say, ‘Right, that didn’t work.’…. “Let’s face it, it wasn’t all bad, there was a lot of really good stuff going on, bubbling underneath that just needed releasing.” And the reviews, no doubt, have played their part in releasing it, and the production from some of its reported excesses. I’m glad I am waiting till it comes to the Young Vic to see it.

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2013-05-18T06:20:26Z

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The tragic loss of one of America’s greatest heros, a title he tried to avoid, has saddened the scientific community, the country and the world. His work is not done, however, as Neil Armstrong is continuing to help demonstrate NASA‘s accomplishments. His death has helped to rekindle the effort to declare the lunar landing sites National Historic Sites, and to highlight the importance of the artifacts left there. With new trips to the moon being planned, it is hoped that disallowing interference in the Apollo sites will preserve the history that lies therein. For more information on the work being done on lunar landing site preservation, please see: For the guidelines for preservation established earlier this year, please see: Building the World Blog by Kathleen Lusk Brooke and Zoe G Quinn is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

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Sorry for headline. I am running out of ideas for them. Anyways, local Democrats are putting together a pretty cool sounding party this Saturday night. Click on continue reading for details. Join them on Facebook by searching for VCDCC to get updates directly. I related news I have extra Barack Obama signs. If you want a sign, send me an email. $3 each. If everything goes as planned, Democrats and Independents plan on massing in downtown Ventura on Saturday night to celebrate the Obama, and Democratic victories. We hope people will come from all over the county. Wear your Obama garb, greet other revelers and dance in the streets. We'll start the Flash Gathering at the El Rey Cantina on Main Street at 7:30 p.m. and move on from there. A flyer for this will be posted on the VCDCC website www.VenturaCountyDemocrats.com and in their Facebook group tomorrow.

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http://blogs.venturacountystar.com/dennert/archives/2008/11/democrats-putti.html

2013-05-18T05:49:53Z

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Don’t have anything planned for New Year’s Eve tonight? Well, you can’t blame it on a lack of things to do in Windsor. The organizer of a swingers’ event taking place near Windsor in June has a message for unattached men: No sex, please — You’re single. Hard Toffee — a pseudonym used by the operator of an adult lifestyle event service called […] Ontario PC leader Tim Hudak came to Kingsville Wednesday sounding like a candidate on the election trail, offering his party’s plan for job creation in the province. Lower business taxes, cheaper energy, encouraging more students to go into skilled trades […] A teenager says he was threatened with a fist, shoved hard, and suffered a fractured elbow for merely commenting on an Essex County OPP officer’s ‘taunting’ actions. Don Najibzadeh — speaking at the trial of Const. William Scott — said […] Talk about major party poopers. A group of west-side students — thrilled to be on the final stretch of their four-year quest for University of Windsor degrees — were preparing a “going-all-out” St. Patty’s Day keg party. The promise for […] It might be the biggest Windsor homecoming yet. And certainly the hardest-thumping. Global superstar deejay Richie Hawtin, who was born in England but grew up in Windsor listening to techno on underground Detroit radio, will headline the Coming Home Music […]

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http://blogs.windsorstar.com/tag/party/

2013-05-18T06:51:01Z

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By Joseph Walker You’ve heard about things going on your permanent record? Steve Jobs had one, too. The Federal Bureau of Investigation on Thursday made public a background check on the Apple co-founder. The agency assembled the investigation in 1991 because Mr. Jobs was being considered for a presidential appointment by George H.W. Bush to the President’s Export Council, which advises on international trade. Mr. Jobs was appointed to the position that year. The Wall Street Journal/FINS.com requested the file through the Freedom of Information Act. (See the original post on sister site FINS.com.) In the 191-page document, friends and associates describe him as profoundly talented, creative and hardworking. But his many faults are also acknowledged including the fact that he neglected his daughter for the first several years of his life and that his management techniques were considered by many to be abusive. Two individuals, who were acquainted with Mr. Jobs, said he was “strong willed, stubborn, hardworking and driven, which they believe is why he is so successful.” Another source said she was reluctant to discuss Mr. Jobs, because she had “questions concerning his ethics and morality.” The woman, who said that she and Jobs had “experimented” with drugs together in the past, also described him as “shallow and callous.” His success as head of Apple, she said, had given him an “enormous amount of power” and “caused him to distort the truth at times to get his way.” Despite this, she recommended him for the government position. A Palo Alto, Calif.-based man who identifies himself as a former “good friend” of Mr. Jobs said that while he was “basically an honest and trustworthy person, he is a very complex individual and his moral character is suspect.” Mr. Jobs “alienated a large number of people at Apple, as a result of his ambition.” The question of whether Mr. Jobs, who had admitted to drug use in his youth, still used drugs while at Apple comes up frequently in the file. It appears nearly everyone interviewed believed he no longer used drugs. An interview subject from International Business Machines said that he never “witnessed any illegal drug usage or alcohol abuse by the appointee” and said Mr. Jobs “seemingly lives within his financial means and he never witnessed any examples of an extravagant lifestyle having been practiced by Jobs.” An unnamed female source said Mr. Jobs “drank only a little wine and did not use any kind of illegal drugs.” However, “in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Mr. Jobs may have experimented with illegal drugs, having come from that generation,” the report says. Other aspects of the Steve Jobs narrative are referenced in the file, including his pilgrimage to India and his resulting interest in Eastern religion. One person whose name is redacted says that Mr. Jobs “had undergone a change in philosophy by participating in eastern and/or Indian mysticism and religion. This change apparently influenced the Appointee’s personal life for the better.” The person suggests that Mr. Jobs’ apathy toward money and material possessions were manifest in the early 1990s when the investigation was conducted. Mr. Jobs lived a “spartanlike and at times even monastic existence,” the person told investigators. Joseph Walker is a reporter for FINS.com, The Wall Street Journal’s jobs and career website.

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2012/02/09/what-the-fbi-had-on-steve-jobs/

2013-05-18T06:25:49Z

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en

By Brian Aguilar The Wall Street Journal has followed the career of actor Daniel Radcliffe since he skyrocketed to stardom at the age of 12 with the first installment of the Harry Potter series, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” (2001). Since then, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter franchise has pulled in more than $2 billion at the box office and grown to fuel a $15 billion industry. Radcliffe is now 21 years old. With the final film of the series set to premiere in London on Thursday and hit theaters in the U.S. on July 15, we thought it would be worth a look back on how Harry – er, Daniel – has come of age over the years. We went deep into our Hedcut Archive – our internal database of those iconic stipple portraits that appear in the Journal every day – and pulled out these drawings, all created by long-time Journal artist, Randy Glass, and dating from 2001 to 2007. The first five hedcuts featured here were commissioned for the print edition of the Journal to appear alongside Joe Morgenstern’s film reviews. Alas, the fourth drawing shown didn’t make the cut in the end. Randy tells us Joaquin Phoenix got the nod instead leading this review on “Walk the Line” that accompanied a review of “Goblet of Fire”. The sixth portrait in the set was drawn separately by Randy shortly after “Half-Blood Prince” appeared in theaters. Now that the film series is coming to its dramatic conclusion, we decided to have Radcliffe immortalized in dots one last time. Here’s our latest work by artist Bonnie Gayle Morrill: With all of these portraits together for the first time, we can see how Radcliffe’s character has grown up over the years, from being a precocious youth to a determined young man. We can also gauge how much darker the series has become over time. Yet all of these dots make us wonder: When will we see Radcliffe stippled next? CORRECTION: Earlier, we stated that the fifth drawing in the set above didn’t appear in print. It was actually the fourth portrait that never made the cut. The story has been updated. - “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” (11/16/2001) - “Chamber of Secrets” (11/15/02) - “Prisoner of Azkaban” (6/4/04) - “Goblet of Fire” (11/18/05) *A hedcut portrait was commissioned for this review but it never ran in print. - “Order of the Phoenix” (7/13/07) For reference, here are the dates and movie reviews where the first set of drawings appeared in the Journal’s print edition: Follow us on Twitter at @WSJSpeakeasy

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2011/07/06/harry-potter-comes-of-age-one-hedcut-at-a-time/?mod=e2tw

2013-05-18T05:25:38Z

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From the rich, neutral colors to authentic Maasai beadwork, it’s clear to see why we love the Pikolinos summer sandal collection! The earthy, wearable designs are completely on point with this season’s tribal and boho-inspired trends. Wear these lovely sandals with everything from maxi dresses to shorts for the ultimate combo of great style and comfort. Who says you can’t have it all? Zappos Blogs: neutral sandals This week’s Stylists' Picks revolve around the wonderful versatility of the strappy flat sandal. In this case, it’s the lovely Lucky Brand Caryl that gets the fashion spotlight. Getting the most mileage out of a pair of sandals is exponentially more important when packing for that summer vacation. Here, we've put together four distinct looks that all revolve around this must-have warm-weather basic. The flowy and lightweight Brigitte Bailey Flamenco Dress harmoniously works with the Lucky Brand Caryl sandals’ effortless and laid-back style. This flirty ensemble would be perfect for attending a daytime beach wedding or strolling along a fabulous tropical resort. Paired with the stunning tribal-inspired BCBGeneration Aztec clutch and earthy Lucky Brand Ranch Inn turquoise necklace, this look really says “summer goddess” with very minimal effort on your part. For a more low-key, dressed-down look, pair the Caryl sandals with the sweet Lucky Brand Georgia Pintuck Tank Top and laid-back and on-trend 7 For All Mankind Josephina Mid Roll-Up Shorts. This ensemble is particularly appropriate to wear to the beach or the boardwalk. A nautical-inspired bag, like the MICHAEL Michael Kors Marina Large Shoulder Tote in the bright and playful Sun color, makes this breezy look really pop. Of course, don’t forget to protect your locks and your face with a woven fedora like this one by Laundry by Shelly Segal that our stylists handpicked. The next look paired with the Caryl sandal happens to be a picture-perfect daytime date ensemble. The fresh coral and brown palette on the Kenneth Cole New York Tiered Tank goes perfectly with the crisp white on the Paige Premium Denim Roxbury Crop jeans. This soft, feminine look is topped off with a nice dose of turquoise accents in the B.Makowsky Isabel Handheld Satchel and Lucky Brand Wild Flowers Drop Earrings. Showcasing the flat sandal’s utter versatility, the last ensemble is a dressier look that still works seamlessly. The gorgeous BCBGeneration printed dress is perfect for both day and night. Pulling from the soft rose tones on the dress, the ALDO Zembower clutch, in the prettiest shade of pink, really sweetens up this girly outfit. © 2007-2012 Zappos.com, Inc.

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://blogs.zappos.com/taxonomy/term/20192

2013-05-18T06:51:05Z

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SEOPRMarketing is definitely a Search engine optimization firm. It targets to deliver your site with an increase in profits. Getting people to your website is very important, and the SEO company understands this. They’ll try to help you in the very best and efficient approach. If they don’t think that your website has potential, they’ll refuse the task. When the New York SEO company thinks that the charges you will incur is going to be greater than the money you will earn, they’ll tell you that they can’t accept the job. While this may seem a very bad thing, it is an excellent feature of this specific SEO firm, since it means you can be sure that they are not going to allow you to waste your hard earned money. The company caters mostly for smaller businesses that need assistance with their internet sites. The SEO services that they offer will assure that your website is ranking as high as feasible on the internet and that it’ll continue to be there for as long as it possibly can. Social media marketing and also PPC (pay per click) are a couple of the other solutions that they offer to their customers. Their customers consist of numerous big enterprises, in addition to smaller and medium-sized companies. It does not matter what type of a business and website you have because this Search engine optimization agency works together with all sorts of internet sites. You are able to get in touch with SEOPRMarketing and talk about your website with them and find out the things they think about it. Several customers have expressed how impressed they’re with the solutions offered and how they helped the website to get more traffic.

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://blogwired.com/category/internet-marketing/

2013-05-18T07:26:10Z

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