Elaine MATTHEWS, Plaintiff-Appellee-Cross-Appellant, v. COLUMBIA COUNTY, Defendant-Appellant-Cross-Appellee, Richard Reynolds, et al., Defendants.
This case deals with the question of whether a county can be held liable, under Section 1983, when some-but less than a majority-of the county's commissioners vote to eliminate a public employee's job for an unconstitutional reason. We conclude that it cannot.
This suit arises out of the elimination of Plaintiff Elaine Matthews's (“Plaintiff”) job with Defendant Colombia County (“County”). Plaintiff was employed by the County as Director of Administrative Services. In 1993, the five-member County Board of Commissioners voted to eliminate several County positions; Plaintiff's job was among those eliminated. Three County Commissioners-Richard Reynolds, Diane Ford, and David Titus-voted in favor of the resolution eliminating Plaintiff's job. The other two Commissioners either voted against it or were absent from the vote.
Plaintiff claims that the elimination of her job was in retaliation for comments she had made about Renaissance Environmental Corporation, a company with which the County was considering contracting. She claims that the elimination of her job therefore violates the First Amendment. Plaintiff sued the County, Commissioners Reynolds, Ford, and Titus, and County Administrator Stephen Szablewski; the people were sued in both their official and individual capacities. A motion to dismiss the suit against Reynolds, Ford, and Titus in their official capacities was granted.
Later, Plaintiff filed, in Georgia state court, a Georgia RICO action against the individual defendants and against Renaissance and two of its agents: Jeffrey Nolan and Rick Byrd. This RICO action was removed to federal court and consolidated with the First Amendment claim.
Except for the First Amendment claim against the County, all of Matthews's claims were dismissed at various stages. Before trial, the district court granted the defendants' motion to dismiss the state RICO claim. And, after the trial had started, the district court granted Reynolds, Ford, Titus, and Szablewski's motions for summary judgment on the claims against them in their individual capacities. The district court ruled that Reynolds, Ford, and Titus were protected by legislative immunity and that Szablewski was protected by qualified immunity.
Plaintiff's claim against the County was tried to a jury, who returned a verdict in favor of Plaintiff. In a special verdict, the jury found that only one Commissioner-Commissioner Reynolds-was motivated by Plaintiff's “protected speech activity” in voting to eliminate Plaintiff's position. But the jury also found that Titus and Ford had been “influenced in [their] vote[s] by another Commissioner who was motivated to eliminate Plaintiff's employment because of the Plaintiff's protected speech activity [.]” 1 After the verdict was announced, the County moved for judgment as a matter of law under Fed.R.Civ.P. 50. The district court denied the motion. The County also moved to set aside the jury's award of emotional and mental distress damages. That motion, also, was denied.
Both parties appeal. The County appeals the district court's denial of judgment as a matter of law on the claim against it and the district court's refusal to set aside the jury's emotional damages award. Plaintiff cross-appeals, challenging the district court's resolutions of the suits against the County officials in their individual capacities and the RICO claim. We reverse the district court's denial of the County's motion for judgment as a matter of law, and affirm on all issues raised in Plaintiff's cross-appeal.
The County advances two arguments against the district court's ruling for Plaintiff: 1) Plaintiff's speech was not protected by the First Amendment; and 2) even if the speech was protected, it is improper to hold the County liable based on the improper motives of only one commissioner. For the purposes of this appeal, we will assume (without deciding) that Plaintiff's speech is protected by the First Amendment. A district court's denial of a motion for judgment as a matter of law is reviewed de novo. See Morro v. City of Birmingham, 117 F.3d 508, 513 (11th Cir.1997). We conclude that holding the County itself liable was error.
The determination of county liability in this case is somewhat complicated by the fact that the unlawfulness of the County's act is not apparent: reductions in force are a perfectly proper way for a government to get its finances in order. Instead, the unlawfulness can only be assessed by looking at the motives of those who enacted the reduction in force (“RIF”). See Scott-Harris v. City of Fall River, 134 F.3d 427, 437 (1st Cir.1997) (“In cases like this one, implicating the exercise of First Amendment rights, liability under Section 1983 can attach to the passage of a facially benign law only if one peers beneath the textual facade and concludes that the legislative body acted out of a constitutionally impermissible motive.”), rev'd on other grounds sub nom. Bogan v. Scott-Harris, 523 U.S. 44, 118 S.Ct. 966, 140 L.Ed.2d 79 (1998). In this case, the jury found that Commissioner Reynolds did act with unconstitutional motive. But this determination does not settle the question of the County's liability.
That a local government “may only be held liable under Section 1983 if ‘action pursuant to official ․ policy of some nature caused a constitutional tort’ ” is well-settled law. Church v. City of Huntsville, 30 F.3d 1332, 1342 (11th Cir.1994) (quoting Jett v. Dallas Indep. Sch. Dist., 491 U.S. 701, 109 S.Ct. 2702, 2719, 105 L.Ed.2d 598 (1989)). And, “[o]nly those municipal officers who have final policymaking authority may by their actions subject the government to § 1983 liability.” Id. (quoting City of St. Louis v. Praprotnik, 485 U.S. 112, 108 S.Ct. 915, 924, 99 L.Ed.2d 107 (1988) (plurality opinion)). In this case, Commissioner Reynolds does not possess final policymaking authority by himself; that authority rests with the entire Board of Commissioners.
Because policymaking authority rests with the Commission as an entity, the County can be subject to liability only if the Commission itself acted with an unconstitutional motive. An unconstitutional motive on the part of one member of a three-member majority is insufficient to impute an unconstitutional motive to the Commission as a whole. Mason v. Village of El Portal, 240 F.3d 1337, 1339 (11th Cir.2001) (granting summary judgment to municipality where plaintiff had only shown evidence that one member of a three-member majority had voted to fire plaintiff for a discriminatory reason); cf. Church, 30 F.3d at 1343 (concluding that comments of one city councilman suggesting an unconstitutional motive was insufficient to show that the city council had authorized an unconstitutional policy).
Plaintiff attempts to get around Mason by arguing that Reynolds's unconstitutional motive can be imputed to the board as a whole because Commissioners Ford and Titus either ratified Reynolds's unconstitutional motive or delegated final policymaking authority to him. See Praprotnik, 108 S.Ct. at 925-26. In support of these theories, Plaintiff points to these things: 1) the jury's finding that Commissioners Ford and Titus were “influenced” by Commissioner Reynolds in voting for the termination of Plaintiff; 2) evidence that Commissioners Ford and Titus knew of Commissioner Reynolds's improper motive; 3) evidence that Reynolds, Ford, and Titus often voted as a bloc, and 4) evidence that Reynolds was the one who selected which County positions would be included in the layoff. Plaintiff's argument lacks merit; these considerations do not change the outcome of this case.
A delegation theory of county liability does not apply here. Local government liability can exist when someone with final policymaking authority delegates that authority to someone else. But, the delegation must be such that the decision is not subject to review by the policymaking authority. See Scala v. City of Winter Park, 116 F.3d 1396, 1399 (11th Cir.1997). Here, even if Reynolds was given the power to select which positions would be eliminated in the RIF, his selections still had to be accepted by a majority of the board. As such, Reynolds never possessed final policymaking power himself; and the delegation doctrine does not apply.
Nor does the doctrine of ratification apply. County liability on the basis of ratification exists when a subordinate public official makes an unconstitutional decision and when that decision is then adopted by someone who does have final policymaking authority. See generally, Bannum, Inc. v. City of Fort Lauderdale, 901 F.2d 989, 998 (11th Cir.1990). The final policymaker, however, must ratify not only the decision itself, but also the unconstitutional basis for it. Gattis v. Brice, 136 F.3d 724, 727 (11th Cir.1998) (“A policymaker's approval of an unconstitutional action can constitute unconstitutional county policy only when the policymaker ‘approve[s] a subordinate's decision and the basis for it.’ ”) (emphasis in original) (quoting Praprotnik, 108 S.Ct. at 926).
That Titus and Ford may have known about the unconstitutional basis of Reynolds's selection and vote or that Reynolds may have affected Titus and Ford's votes by his influence is not enough to show that they ratified the unlawful basis by also voting for the RIF. In reaching this conclusion, we draw not only upon our precedent, but also upon our belief that a contrary rule would put lawmakers in an unacceptable position. Lawmakers' support for legislation can come from a variety of sources; one commissioner may support a particular piece of legislation for a blatantly unconstitutional reason, while another may support the same legislation for perfectly legitimate reasons. A well-intentioned lawmaker who votes for the legislation-even when he votes in the knowledge that others are voting for it for an unconstitutional reason and even when his unconstitutionally motivated colleague influences his vote-does not automatically ratify or endorse the unconstitutional motive.2 If we adopt the rule suggested by Plaintiff, the well-intentioned lawmaker in this hypothetical would be forced either to vote against his own view of what is best for his county or to subject his county to Section 1983 liability. We think the law compels no such outcome.
We conclude, therefore, that, because only Commissioner Reynolds was actually motivated by an unconstitutional consideration, the County cannot be held liable under Section 1983. Mason, 240 F.3d at 1340 (“[T]here can be no municipal liability unless all three members of the council who voted against reappointing [p]laintiff shared the illegal motive.”) (emphasis added). The judgment of the district court on this issue must be reversed.
Therefore, we need not reach the damages issue raised by the County. And, we see no merit to Plaintiff's cross-appeals of the district court's resolution of the claims against the individual defendants or of the state RICO claim. We therefore affirm the district court on the rulings Plaintiff challenges on cross-appeal.
We remand this case to the district court, with instructions to enter judgment in favor of the County.
AFFIRMED IN PART, REVERSED IN PART, AND REMANDED.
1. The district court submitted two verdict forms to the jury in this case. The second form-which included the two special interrogatories discussed above-was submitted after the jury had issued a general verdict in Plaintiff's favor. On appeal, Plaintiff argues that it was error to submit the second form to the jury. But, at trial, Plaintiff told the district court that she did not object to the submission of the second form. Plaintiff cannot now complain about a jury instruction that she explicitly accepted before the district court. See generally, In re Carbon Dioxide Industry Antitrust Litigation, 229 F.3d 1321, 1327 (11th Cir.2000) (“It is a cardinal rule of appellate review that a party may not challenge as error a ruling or other trial proceeding invited by that party.”).
2. We think this proposition is true even where-as Plaintiff argues is the case here-the properly motivated lawmaker has often voted the same way as the improperly motivated lawmaker.


text:
Attacker Lindsey Ronbeck walked the ball back into play after a Florida shot went wide.
When the referee blew the whistle, Ronbeck took off, running in front of the goal and finding the back of the net. Her goal continued a scoring run that put the Gators ahead 5-1.
But she wasn’t done there.
Attacker Mollie Stevens won the next draw control, retaining possession for Florida. Marching downfield and working the ball around, the Gators benefitted from another Ronbeck goal, this time off an assist from attacker Madisyn Kittell.
The goal put the Gators up by five and showed that Florida’s offense was in full force.
“Everyone worked hard in our ride, and we had quite a few players see success on the offensive end,” coach Amanda O’Leary said in a release. “A great day for Florida lacrosse.”
Behind a strong offensive performance in which four Gators scored at least three goals, No. 3 Florida (10-2, 4-0 Big East) defeated Marquette (4-8, 2-2 Big East) 21-7 on Wednesday afternoon in Wisconsin.
The Gators held the Golden Eagles to 19 shots while taking 43 and caused 16 of Marquette’s 22 turnovers. The 14-point margin of victory is the largest gap for the Gators this season.
Ronbeck led the offense with seven points on five goals and two assists, tying her career-high. Attackers Sammi Burgess and Kittell each recorded six points in the game, with Kittell recording a career-high in goals (three), assists (three) and points (six).
Attacker Mollie Stevens scored four goals, midfielder Brianna Harris had a hat trick, and midfielders Sydney Pirreca, Allie Pavinelli, Caroline Benitez and Madi Hall rounded out the scoring with a goal each.
With the score tied at 1-1 ten minutes into the game, Florida went on 7-0 run to build a commanding 8-1 lead. After Marquette scored three straight goals to cut into the Gators’ lead, Florida went on a 9-0 run that started at the end of the first half and lasted until halfway through the second half.
While the offense takes a large part of the credit for the runs, the defense also propelled the Gators forward.
Defender Caroline Fitzgerald caused five turnovers and scooped two ground balls, and defenders Taylor Bresnahan and Cara Trombetta caused two turnovers each.
“I’m really proud of our effort on the defensive end. Especially being able to force turnovers without fouling,” O’Leary said.
The Gators were able to cycle through all three of their goalies, with Haley Hicklen making seven saves and Olivia Cole and Kenzii Kittell combining for eight minutes of playing time. This was also Florida's second consecutive game where every player who was eligible to play received playing time.
“A true team effort today,” O’Leary said. “It is never easy traveling such a distance mid-week, but our team stepped up and played very well.”
Contact Jake Dreilinger at firstname.lastname@example.org or follow him on Twitter @DreilingerJake.
UF attacker Lindsey Ronbeck holds her stick up during Florida's 15-8 win against Denver on March 25, 2017, at Donald R. Dizney Stadium.

domain: news


Jerome Kretchmer, the city's Environmental Protection Administrator, said yesterday that as a result of a six‐day visit to Japan he had switched back to relying on incinerators as means of handling the city's garbage problem.
Mr. Kretchmer said at a news conference in his office here that he had seen a new incinerator in Tokyo so clean “that the guys who ran it were living right on the grounds.”
The new emphasis on incinerators marks another sharp shift in policy on garbage disposal, which has been one of the city's most persistent problems.
Earlier this year Mr. Kretchmer announced the official abandonment of plans for a giant 6,000‐ton‐a‐day incinerator on the site of the old Brooklyn Navy Yard. That incinerator had been heralded as a solution to the mounting garbage problem for many years.
The reason given for the abandonment was that the incinerator, despite the most sophisticated controls, would create an intolerable air pollution problem in the burning of garbage.Continue reading the main story
Mr. Kretchmer said Japan had apparently solved the air pollution problem by keeping the burners small—in the 300to‐400‐ton‐a‐day range. The smaller burners allow for better combustion and because the burning could be dispersed over several small units rather than one large one there was less of an intolerable air pollution concentration in one spot.
May End Night Collections
When Mr. Kretchmer earlier announced the abandonment of the Navy Yard incinerator he said he was putting his faith in new technology that would reclaim much of the waste material. But this technology has been slow in coming, he said yesterday.
The small incinerators would also offer new concepts of locating incinerators in new communities so they could be virtually self‐contained as far as garbage disposal was concerned, Mr. Kretchmer said.
As a result of his trip to Japan, which was the first time he had been out of this country, Mr. Kretchmer said he, might also press for limiting the nighttime collection of trash by private sanitationmen.
Traditionally, private sanitationmen, who are responsible for commercial refuse, collect during the night because traffic is lighter. But Mr. Kretchmer said his office had been receiving an increasing number of complaints about noise from the trucks.
In Tokyo, he said, collections in the Ginza, the business district, are limited to one hour in the morning. If the job can be done in that time there it should be capable of being done here, he said.
During the conference in his Municipal Building office, Mr. Kretchmer also emphasized that he would not take part in the campaign if Mayor Lindsay plans to run for the Presidency. He said he felt he could help the Mayor more by staying here and keeping the city clean.
Last week a close political associate of Mr. Lindsay, David Garth, had said Mr. Kretchmer would have an active role in the campaign. Deputy Mayor Richard R. Aurelio, who is leaving his post next month to head the national Lindsay effort, later denied that Mr. Kretchmer would play such a part.Continue reading the main story


text:
I drew Hollywood Dunit! It started out as just practice at first, and I wasn't going to shade...But then I started shading and I was having lots of fun with it! Then I did something I never thought I'd do...I made it LINELESS! No critique please! I think it looks better without lines
And then I cropped it so you could see the details better...I think the colors for the highlights I used were too light or something because you can't really see them..All well, I'm happy with it!
Oh, and did I mention this was my first ever attempt at shading digitally? It was! I'm really proud of it (for now, lol) I can't believe I spent 3 hours on it XD

domain: artistic


text:
The current drama with the FBI and its investigation into President Donald Trump has had unintended consequences.
The American people are losing faith in the system, and according to a new Rasmussen poll, 49 percent of Americans believe that a special prosecutor should be put in place to make sure the Trump and Hillary Clinton investigations were handled legally:
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 49 percent of Likely U.S. Voters believe a special prosecutor should be named to investigate whether senior FBI officials handled the investigation of Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump in a legal and unbiased fashion.
Rasmussen also found that it’s not just Republican voters who feel strongly about a special prosecutor but those who are unaffiliated as well:
Sixty-two percent (62%) of Republicans are calling for an outside prosecutor to investigate the FBI, as is a plurality (49%) of voters not affiliated with either major political party. Among Democrats, 38 percent favor a special prosecutor; 40 percent are opposed, but 22 percent are undecided.
The results of the poll indicate that people who are ardent Trump supporters believe an investigation is necessary:
Seventy percent (70%) of voters who Strongly Approve of the job President Trump is doing think a special prosecutor is needed to investigate the FBI. Among those who Strongly Disapprove of the president’s job performance, only 36 percent agree.
Another 50,000 text messages have been found to have vanished from FBI phones and records connected to agents who worked on the Trump and Clinton cases.
Trump called out cellphone maker Samsung directly for this happening Tuesday:
Where are the 50,000 important text messages between FBI lovers Lisa Page and Peter Strzok? Blaming Samsung!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 24, 2018
It also became known in recent days that those within in the FBI and Department of Justice allegedly have a “secret society,” and they meet offsite with each other.
It would appear those who would like a special prosecutor to look into these investigations have reason to want that.
Rep. Wasserman Schultz Was Asked to List Wins for Dems in Shutdown Deal — Her Answer…Yikes


text:
Located at the heart of the White Mountains of New Hampshire and the doorstep of the Great North Woods, enjoy our small family owned and operated motel in the town of Gorham. The Colonial Fort Inn has rooms with one, two or three beds all with baths.
Breakfast is available. All rooms have fridges, cable tv, Wi-Fi and ac/heat. There is ample parking.
Whatever your outdoor interests are, we can accommodate your indoor needs all year ‘round.
Gorham has many dining options, shops and a moose tour to view our most popular wildlife.
Nearby are hiking trails on Mount Washington and the surrounding White Mountains, the Auto Road up our highest peak and the Appalachian Trail. There is a new ATV trail from which you can ride from our parking lot either to town or to the trail.
Also in the vicinity are Story Land, Santa’s Village and Fort Jefferson Fun Park. All around us are views of spectacular fall foliage; we can show you off the beaten path roads for lovely views.
Winter fun includes alpine skiing at Wildcat and 5 other ski areas within a 45 minute drive, cross-country skiing at the base of Mount Washington, winter hiking, ice-climbing and snowmobiling on Corridor 19.
Because of our unique location, Colonial Fort Inn is at the center of what the four seasons can offer to everyone in the North Country of New Hampshire; mountains, woods, lakes and tourist attractions.

domain: geography


text:
Don’t be upset, surprised, when a brand your mother used, and then you started using, can’t be found at your favorite retailers. The habit of using the detergent turned into years. It felt like a fourth cousin, friendly.
The recession forced you to pick house brands, store brands, generic brands, which were within your budget. Of course, other shoppers, were coerced into selecting generic brands too.
People, in general, are pleased with the generic brands. Naturally, brands people like, they become loyal to. It’s good for the retailer, because house, store, generic, brands cost less. They are cheaper to stock. Retailers want to accommodate customers, but are on the look-out for bargains too.
Retailers are responding to the recession, their customers, by providing affordable house, store, generic, brands. They have to select which brand names to shelve. It’s a brand ban. Or, some feel it’s the “win, play, show,” strategy.
The “win, play, show,” strategy means each department, division, is analyzed for growth potential, customer confidence, and advantage.
In other words, the retailers on your street and mine reacted to their customers’ behavior by cutting back on the number of items they make room for, shelf space nestles top selling products, and brands crawling to the doors are reduced. Also, brands will be removed from shelves permanently.
The strategy remains in effect until it’s no longer feasible to do. There’s no indicator of when retailers will go back to the “old” way.
Industry experts explained retailers want to contract lower prices on advertising. They, too, are looking to stretch their dollars as far as possible.
It’s reported that Wal-Mart(the United States’ largest retailer), Walgreens, and CVS took the steps to a brand ban.

domain: economics


WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is a synonym for the standard IEEE 802.16. With this technology wide-band entrances for example to the Internet are offered. Different companies develop this system.
WiMAX is used for fix and mobile purposes. It is discussed as an alternative to UMTS. The supplying radius of a basis station in urban environment is usually between 2 and 3 kilometers. In laboratory tests a range of 50 km and a data transfer rate of up to 108 Mbit/s was possible. All users have to divide the available bandwidth like in UMTS.
2 - 11 GHz
Data transmission rate:
70 MBit/s (Brutto)
Transmitting Power and Range:
With 30 Watt to 50 km (typical 4-9 km)
Alternative for the fixed connection


Thanks to a powerful alliance with technology company PATS, Biobest’s extensive portfolio of IPM solutions has gained a scouting tool. From May 16, growers can take advantage of PATS-C, a system that detects real-time flying pests, such as moths, in the greenhouse. This data allows earlier and more accurate introduction of biological agents.
“To measure is to know,” says Sam Gui, Market Development Manager High Tech IPM at Biobest. “The plug and play cameras from PATS provide information about when, where and how much moths are active in the greenhouse. It is completely automatic, requiring no staff, and can often provide data before the pests are detected visually – saving the growers time in their scouting programme.”
“Biobest is a strong believer of data-driven cultivation and the numerous benefits it will create for the growers. This new partnership with PATS will proof a golden combination. With this data, our advisors can provide even better tailored advice, making the IPM programme more robust while further reducing the use of corrective agents. Delivering benefits to several parties, growers can reduce their use of products, making their crop protection programme more efficient, while consumers get products with as little residue as possible.”
“By including PATS cameras in Biobest’s product range, this smart scouting tool will quickly become accessible to growers worldwide,” says Bram Tijmons, CEO & co-founder of PATS.
He emphasises that this is a ‘smart’ system. “PATS-C continuously records the presence and population built-up of moths. This allows the grower to monitor more accurately and time the introduction of biological agents better. The system brings the scouting data to the grower in a form of a dashboard at his fingertips for him to consult the situation in his greenhouse anytime anywhere. With this technology, we also learn more about the behaviour of the pests, such as which hours they are active. This can then be used to improve timing on the day of application itself.”
Present at HortiContact
Both Biobest and PATS Indoor Drone Solutions will be present at HortiContact 2022. Visit their stands for more information or contact your Biobest advisor.


text:
Joe Schoffstall, Fox News, August 11, 2023
Democratic Rep. Cori Bush pocketed thousands of dollars to teach a graduate-level reparations course at a Washington, D.C.-area university last year, filings show.
The Missouri congresswoman, perhaps the most outspoken federal lawmaker pushing for reparations over what she calls a “moral and legal obligation” for the “enslavement of Africans” to atone for the harm it caused, reported earning a $15,000 salary from George Mason University in 2022 on her financial disclosure report.
Bush received the compensation to co-teach a summer class at the university titled “The Public Pedagogy of Truth and Reparations,” according to a May 2022 press release from the school.
“This course will look at the creation of interrelated mechanisms: truth telling processes, participatory critical pedagogy and reparations as political and moral practices that can help address state sponsored violence against African Americans and other targeted groups while opening space for to imagine possibilities for greater racial justice in the United States and abroad,” the university wrote of Bush’s course.
“Students will meet other practitioners working on these issues from across the country and learn about cutting-edge practices being employed to address long running issues of structural violence and systemic racism,” the press release continued. “As a result, students will gain insight into the challenges and opportunities of building grassroots initiatives that support communities directly impacted by violence and gain greater fluency and competence in engaging larger policy debates and legislation at the Federal level.”
The contentious ‘Squad’ member has been a leading advocate for reparations in Washington. In May, she introduced an astronomical $14 trillion reparations proposal to compensate for what she believes are racist government policies that created a wealth gap between White and Black people.


text:
Wage hike a publicity stunt
Author: Michael Saltsman
Publication Date: March 2017
Newspaper: Detroit News
Topics: Minimum Wage
Shortly after announcing his candidacy for mayor of Detroit, state Sen. Coleman A. Young II proposed raising Michigan’s minimum wage to $15 an hour. It appears the state senator has the same careless touch in crafting economic policy that his father often had in running the city.
The younger Young launched his campaign with familiar rhetoric, contrasting the new wave of prosperity downtown with the continuing poverty in “the neighborhoods.” (Coleman Young Sr. preferred using the Detroit suburbs, where I grew up, as his bogeyman.) The $15 minimum wage — which would take effect almost immediately, at the start of 2018 — is presumably part of Young’s agenda to “serve the powerless.”
It’s a quaint thought, but serving the powerless and the jobless requires more thought than simply passing a bill that makes them 68 percent more expensive to hire.
To understand just how radical Young’s proposal is, consider the current minimum wage workforce in Michigan. As of 2015, just 2 percent of the hourly workforce earned at or near the state’s minimum wage. It truly is a “starter” wage that employees earn briefly before moving on to a higher wage. (Two separate studies confirm that two-thirds of minimum wage employees earn a raise in 1-12 months on the job.)
Were a $15 minimum wage to pass, an incredible 40 percent of the state’s hourly workforce would now earn the “minimum wage.” According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, that means new-to-the-job cashiers, dishwashers, or burger cooks would now earn the same wage as rehabilitation counselors, preschool teachers, and social science research assistants — professionals who may have gone to school for years to earn that wage.
If that sounds unsustainable, it’s because it is. For his plan to work, Young would need to adapt his campaign slogan to inform voters, “I’ll fight for $15 — and you’ll pay for it.” Consider the restaurant industry: One estimate from the Heritage Foundation found that fast food prices would have to rise by as much as 38 percent to offset the cost of a $15 minimum wage. But customers are price sensitive — there’s a reason the dollar menu exists, after all — and there’s no way an increase of this magnitude would pass muster, in Detroit or anywhere else.
Instead, employers will adapt to $15 by otherwise cutting service costs. Large fast food chains have already begun this transition, replacing cashiers with self-service kiosks where customers can order and pay — no human interaction required. Other restaurants would adapt by reducing the number of staff on any given shift. (My first job, clearing tables at a restaurant in Canterbury Village in Lake Orion, would not have existed were the minimum wage set at $15 an hour.)
These consequences are as tragic as they are predictable. A 2015 survey of U.S. labor economists, conducted by the University of New Hampshire, found that three-quarters believed a broad $15 minimum wage would reduce the number of jobs available. In states and localities that have experimented with a wage mandate of this magnitude, that’s exactly what’s happened, with businesses shedding staff, leaving the state, or closing altogether. (Dozens of stories are available at FacesOf15.com.)
Wayne County in particular can’t afford this hollowing out of its entry-level workforce. The youth unemployment rate in the county is averaging 20 percent currently — compared to 16 percent statewide and 15 percent nationally. Nearly two-thirds of young adults in the county aren’t in the workforce at all.
Young says he wants to “put the citizens of Detroit back to work,” and it’s a laudable sentiment. But he won’t succeed in his mission by creating unrealistic new barriers to their employment.

domain: sociology


The most beloved musical of all time, Lerner & Loewe’s MY FAIR LADY is back in a lavish new production from Ocean Theatre Company.
April 22 - 24, 2022 BritVic Theatre, LVS Ascot
Ocean Theatre Company will present MY FAIR LADY with music Lerner and Loewe, at the BritVic Theatre, LVS Ascot making it their 27th production in 14 years.
MY FAIR LADY tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young Cockney flower seller, and Henry Higgins, a linguistics professor who is determined to transform her into his idea of a “proper lady.” But who is really being transformed?
The classic score features “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “The Rain in Spain,” “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” and “On the Street Where You Live.”
The original 1956 production won six Tony Awards including Best Musical, and was hailed by The New York Times as “one of the best musicals of the century."
3 performances only.


Michigan begins monitoring wastewater for evidence of COVID-19
Coronavirus is shed in fecal matter before symptoms, so wastewater can provide early warning of illness clusters
LANSING, Mich. (WJRT) - Michigan health officials are turning to an unlikely place for signs of COVID-19 outbreaks: Your wastewater.
Two Michigan departments launching the COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance Pilot Project to monitor water flushed down the toilet and washed down the drain for presence of coronavirus. They hope to provide advance notice of COVID-19 outbreaks for health officials and hospitals.
The project is a collaboration between the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, 29 health departments, 19 laboratories and 135 other organizations around the state.
Health officials say the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is shed in feces and can be detected in wastewater up to a week before the illness shows up with symptoms. Michigan’s contact tracing efforts are stretched thin during the current coronavirus surge, so testing wastewater can provide early warning of illness clusters.
Local health care providers and public health officials could use early warnings of a possible COVID-19 outbreak to adjust testing efforts and prepare earlier for an influx of patients. Long-term care facilities can use wastewater testing to better understand the spread of illness among their residents.
Wastewater testing will begin soon at 270 undisclosed testing sites in 37 of Michigan’s 83 counties. Sites include long-term care facilities, colleges, schools, laboratories, jails and municipal wastewater treatment plants.
Results will be posted on Michigan’s website when they become available.
Copyright 2020 WJRT. All rights reserved.


text:
Blue Tree Landscaping offers property managers and commercial property owners a full range of landscaping services.
When it comes to curb appeal, commercial property owners need to be just as concerned about first impressions as a homeowner does. Whether your property is an office building, an apartment building, common areas in a condominium complex, or a shopping area, the proper landscape design can create a welcoming environment for tenants and visitors alike. Maintaining your outdoor space is the sign of a well-cared for property. People will notice.
See what people are saying about Blue Tree Commercial and Property Management.
Commercial owners face many of the same challenges as residential property owners, only on a grander scale. The landscape design should be planned out, with consideration given to site conditions, drainage, sun and shade requirements of the plant material being installed. Consider shrub and flower selection that complements the space, creating eye-popping areas of color or the clean lines of tailored hedges. Whatever your style, Blue Tree can accommodate the look you have in mind.
And don’t forget about lighting up your landscape. Not only does this create nighttime curb appeal, but it’s also a practical safety consideration. Entryways and walkways should be well lit to provide tenants and their guests' safe passage.
Another key question for commercial properties is the maintenance of the landscape once it’s installed. Outsourcing this upkeep to the experts at Blue Tree will guarantee that your outdoor spaces will look their best year round.
In short, we can help with all of your landscaping needs.

domain: design


text:
Use your head to save your... hands?
Huk 2-0 Ganzi
VODs: Game 1 on Shakuras Plateau /// Game 2 on Shattered Temple
HuK turned on his unit control machine in this match and simply outplayed Ganzi on both maps, both in micro and decision making.
TLO 2-1 Mana
VODs: Game 1 on Shakuras Plateau /// Game 2 on Daybreak /// Game 3 currently missing
On the first map, Shakuras Plateau, it took Mana no more than a handful of forcefields to win the game. After his Stargate harrass failed, it was TLO that chose to attack in poor position. The Protoss trapped a considerable number of Roaches in a ring to fall victim to Colossi almost immediately. Daybreak took a turn in TLO’s favor as he managed to win to huge fights by a major margin and pulling ahead even further after that and then taking Ohana as well.
Strelok 2-0 Axslav
VODs: Game 1 on Shakuras Plateau /// Game 2 on Belshir Beach
Axslav chose to play an upgrade heavy style off two bases and even manages to deny Strelok’s third, but the following counterdrop cripples Axslav too much forces him to gg eventually. The second map is considerably more interesting, as Strelok tried to play ninja style from the start, but to no avail until Axslav walks five High Templars straight into Strelok’s army, which could have helped him win the following battle.
Sen 2-1 Rain
VODs: Game 1 on Shakuras Plateau /// Game 2 on Odyssey /// Game 3 currently missing
Reading this sentence will take you longer than watching the VOD of the first map. Rain builds three bunkers in front of Sen’s natural, loses one, but Sen still taps out instantly. The next map starts with what is a bit of rarity in Terran play: a Reaper expand. The following exceptional Hellion control helped keep economies somewhat balanced until Sen picking up most of the Marines and Tanks left him with double the supply. Sen then used this advantage to come out ahead in the final battle and eventually taking the third map as well.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, or CTS, results in numbness of your fingers, mostly the thumb, the index and the ring finger. People are as of now unsure as to what causes CTS, some say it stems from extensive typing, some say it’s genetics. It is a compression of your median nerve running through the carpal tunnel on the palmar side of the wrist. What it doesn’t usually do (as far as I can tell after a brief Wikipedia research) is grow you a beard. But that is what happened to TLO.
After his CTS kept him from playing to his fullest for several months, he decided to punish himself for poor tournament performances by not shaving until he acquired a certain number of hypothetical points for significant victories. Unfortunately, his beard keeps growing and growing and passed all the stages from slight stubble, over very manly right to straight up hobo. He was held in high regards by fans for having the potential to be a really impressive player and he was equally eager to show just that after his recovery. Hopes were high, but after weeks and months since he regained full functionality of his fingers, one has to wonder when the time will come for TLO to land a big hit again. In 2012 he has so far dropped out in the open brackets against his teammate Jinro at the MLG Winter Championships, lost in the round of 32 at Dreamhack Stockholm, has made it through one round in the IPL4 open bracket and is now stuck in the middle of his NASL division. One has to begin to wonder if or when the German will reel in something great again. Perhaps it’s time for him to go back to his more successful days by playing Terran, or even one of the very few players to play random. Perhaps he just needs a little more time to catch up. Or, perhaps, that man just loves his beard.
The thing that is striking, though, is how the most recent victim to CTS dealt with his injury. That man is Mvp and he has just erased Naniwa from the GSL Code S bracket, while being fully affected by CTS. Admittedly, he has tried to keep his games short, but nonetheless, it is a surprising and impressive feat to accomplish. While other players would have given in, he took his psychological and physiological fatigue and played his games within the rules his body set out for him. For the better probably, because Mvp in beard would look odd.
|Division 3 after week three|
|3-0||+5|| Ganzi||2-1||+1|| Mana||2-1||+1|| SEn||2-1||1|| HuK||1-1||0|| Axslav||1-2||-1|| TLO||1-2||-2|| Vibe||0-2||-2|| Rain||0-2||-3|
Somewhat surprisingly, we see Rain in last place, with only two matches played, though. Strelok appears insanely strong in his division, being far ahead in points and the only with a clean sheet. It will be difficult for the other players to stop him in his run. Despite being the current runner-up, Ganzi doesn’t quite live up to the expectations as many would have perceived him as a clear favorite. It will be interesting to see HuK recover from his loss in the opening match and his game against Ganzi is leaving his fans hopeful for the things to come.
|Division 3 Week 4 matches|
Each of next week’s games will be interesting in its own respect. Can Ganzi prove his status as a favorite to catch up to Strelok? Can HuK start a run to the top spots in his division and show why he is considered one of the best foreigners or will Rain stop him to break out of his own shackles that keep him in the last place? Last but not least, Sen against Mana will decide who will temporarily go up to the top 3 as they are now dead even. Next week can potentially be a very important one to the rest of the tournament for each of the players.

domain: game


Berkhamsted Town Council bosses are facing a rebellion from one of their own backbenchers at a meeting tonight (Monday, December 14).
Conservative councillor John Higgins has put forward a ‘no confidence’ motion against his own party, which will be heard at the town council meeting at the Civic Centre.
And the motion, which has been published on the council’s website, lists an array of complaints against the authority.
He claims the council ‘ignores its own governance structures,’ and that senior councillors ‘do not embrace the principles of open government’ and ‘stifle debate’.
He also includes a list of topics – including cycle racks, organisation, and the impending multi-storey car park – which he says were quashed by his fellow councillors as not being up for discussion.
Mr Higgins, who has lived in the town for more than 30 years, said: “I have talked to nearly all my fellow councillors and it was extremely rewarding.
“They were very sympathetic and saw a lot of merit in what I was saying, but I did not extract any promises of a vote on Monday.”
Mr Higgins admits he is unsure how many, if any, of his council colleagues will second his motion, and says he will have to consider stepping down if none of his fellow Tories support him.
He added: “I realise it’s a high-risk strategy but I truly believe there is evidence in the papers that supports my motion.
“In the cold light of day I think all councillors should agree, but I’m not betting my house on it.
“If nobody supports me at all, I will have to leave as a councillor.”
Town council leader David Collins played down the fears and emphasised the council’s democratic credentials.
He said: “The town council is focusing on the key issues and delivering the manifesto that was fully endorsed by the electorate – and the town councillors – at the time of the election.
“Councillor Higgins will say for himself what his views are, but I believe the town council is extremely democratic, and we are always open to new ideas on how to improve the town.
“In 2011, we had a 50 per cent turn out to the election but this year we had 75 per cent, so to say we are not engaging with our residents is wrong.”
The motion will be heard at the full meeting of Berkhamsted Town Council on Monday evening (December 14).


text:
Paco Casasola, BSc, MSc (Hons)
Music therapist (HCPC registered),
Occupational therapist (HCPC registered),
Paco has worked as a therapist for over 18 years. His relationship with music started in his early childhood, when he undertook piano and music studies at Badajoz Conservatory in Spain. Later on, he completed his degree in Occupational Therapy (University of Extremadura, 2003) and his Masters degree in Music Therapy (ISEP Madrid, 2009).
He has worked in a range of public, private and third sector organisations in Spain, France and the UK, working with adults with various emotional and communicational needs. He has specialised in the treatment of stress and mood disorders, trauma, autistic spectrum, personality disorders, psychosis, dementia, addictions, life transitions and group dynamics.
Also a composer and multi-instrumentalist, Paco has written and produced original music and arrangements for over 20 years.
Paco loves accompanying people in the process of overcoming difficult times through boosting their creativity. He really enjoys the challenge of creating unique environments to meet his client needs.

domain: health


text:
Search Results: Artists
This is a story of greatness and the decline of an era that looks strangely like ours.
We’re a 3 year Heritage Lottery funded programme with a real community focus to our 19 projects.
The Miraculous Theatre Company
After unexpectedly receiving the healing gift from a dying Chinese man, Charlie O’ Taney was forced to make an abrupt career change from hit-man for the Brooklyn Mafia to Healer.
Homespun in Kendal
“Homespun in Kendal” is a project that celebrates ‘making and mending’ through community learning and sharing of knitting and stitching skills, whilst encouraging the rescue and re-use of textiles and yarns.
Ian Douglas is a Storyteller and Theatre Maker living and working in West Cumbria.
Founded over twenty years ago, Circomedia is an internationally respected centre of excellence for contemporary circus with physical performance training in Bristol.
Join Mrs Barbara Nice as she leads a cracking comedy tour through the wonderful world of art.
Street shows and walkabout blending juggling, clowning, comedy and audience participation with a classic vaudevillian twist
The idea here is to enthuse people about science via a unique and entertaining theatrical experience. Yes, its educational, but it certainly isnt boring and If you like fire, explosions, loads of mess and mind bending magic, youll love Pumpernickel.
Old classics and new inventions are performed and shared with much enthusiasm and humour. Often requiring the help of audience volunteers (especially the really messy bits!).
Flex Dance Company
Flex Dance is an emerging professional dance company of artists with a learning disability. The company is based in Durham and is part of TIN Arts, a National Portfolio Organisation focused upon developing inclusive dance opportunities for all.
A stomping street band – 20 strong- of brass, percussion and vocals. Its raw, exhilarating tunes always get the crowd dancing.
Dan Fox – Sound Intervention
Installations, sound art, film, soundtracks, performance and music. Bespoke creative ideas realised. Aural and visual.

domain: entertainment


Yahoo! Is the New E-Biz Satisfaction Leader
Google has lost its customer-satisfaction stronghold on the e-business market for the first time, according to the University of Michigan's latest American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) E-Business Report. Google, which had been the category's frontrunner for five consecutive years, has been dethroned by rival Yahoo!, marking Yahoo!'s first-ever satisfaction victory over the search specialist. (Yahoo! topped the ACSI e-business report in 2000 and 2001, before Google was added in 2002.)
The ACSI formerly split e-business into three categories--online news and information; search engines; and portals--but has since combined the latter two, a reflection of the sector's converging offerings. Online satisfaction measurement firm ForeSee Results uses the University of Michigan's ACSI methodology, which is based on several factors such as site users' likelihood of returning to the site or recommending it to others, to determine scores based on a 100-point scale.
Yahoo!'s customer satisfaction tally (79), just barely edges past Google's (78). But even more noteworthy than Yahoo!'s displacement of Google at the top of the pile is the contrasting change in their individual fortunes, according to Larry Freed, president and CEO of ForeSee Results. Yahoo!'s score grew 3.9 percent year-over-year, from 76, while Google's score dropped 3.7 percent from its 2006 score of 81, marking its second annual decline in a row.
Yahoo!, known for its portal strength, relaunched its homepage last year, making significant changes that included the incorporation of a Rich Internet Application (RIA) mail client. It has "gone through some pretty major transformation, and experienced what we call a relaunch effect," Freed says. "When you go through a major change on your site and relaunch it, especially when it's impacting the way people navigate the site, often you'll see your scores drop. If you're doing a good job in that relaunch you'll seem them rebound, and that's we've seen with Yahoo!"
Meanwhile, a major driver behind Google's drop is tied to promotion and awareness, according to Freed. He notes that Google has very strong complementary tools to its search engine, such as Google Earth and the Google portal. But "the challenge is that the average consumer doesn't know about those things, and Google doesn't really promote them very well on the homepage," he says.
Ask.com, which has strong search functionality, experienced the strongest increase of all contenders, improving its score four points to 75. The site, owned by IAC/InterActiveCorp, "had a relaunch recently, but did a phenomenal job," Freed says. "It has done a good job of keeping the simplicity, similar to Google, yet given a bit more emphasis to some of the complementary things it does."
MSN.com also scored a 75, moving up one point from last year. Freed suggests, however, that the Microsoft site is still searching for a point of differentiation. Rounding out the list is AOL.com, which suffered the biggest slide this year, dropping seven points to 67. "AOL continues to stumble with its transition from a subscription-based service to a free system," Freed wrote in a statement. "But AOL has proven to be incredibly tenacious as it has gone through a transition that no other company has made and survived."
Overall, the e-business sector suffered its first-ever satisfaction skid since the ACSI started evaluating the category in 2000, dropping 1.7 percent to a sector score of 75.2. That score also represents the first time in three years that the e-business sector's satisfaction mark has fallen below, albeit just slightly, the ACSI national average across all industries evaluated (75.3). (The ACSI draws a distinction between e-business and e-commerce, and assesses them in separate reports. In ACSI's view, e-commerce includes online retail, brokerage, travel, and auction sites.)
The e-business category's satisfaction drop can be largely attributed to rising consumer expectations, according to Freed. "On the Internet we expect more, so these standards that consumers are holding it to are getting it higher and higher each year," he says, adding that a mark of 75 and above is "a very good score--but there's still a lot of room for improvement."
Google Is E-Business Customer Satisfaction Leader, Again
Google's satisfaction score took a slight dip, but thanks to Yahoo!'s fall, largely attributable to its option-heavy homepage, Google widens its lead.
WebTrends Launches Dynamic Search
The company's new multivariant testing app automatically uses advertising resources where they're the most effective; one analyst says the paid search market is open for WebTrends.
eBay Clicks With Google
The groundbreaking Web auction site has been experiencing slowed growth in its auction business, but continues its push into text-based advertising and click-to-call functionality.
Facebook Flounders in Customer Satisfaction
American Customer Satisfaction Index E-Business Report '10: FoxNews.com and Google take top honors, while popular social networking sites leave members wanting more.
Google Leaves Users Satisfied
Driven largely by the search engine giant, e-business receives a customer satisfaction score of 81.5 this quarter, up from 79.3 a year ago.


The National Bowel Cancer Audit results
Today findings from the annual National Bowel Cancer Audit have been published. The audit, which aims to improve patient care, measures and compares the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of over 30,000 bowel cancer patients across England and Wales. This report suggests changes to improve care for people with the disease in the future.
Key points from the audit include:
- One in ten patients (10%) are diagnosed with bowel cancer through the National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, and are more likely to be diagnosed at an early stage of the disease. Over half of patients (55%) were diagnosed following a GP referral and a further 18% of patients were diagnosed in an emergency presentation (such as in A&E) where outcomes are less favourable. This is a slight improvement from last year (20%).
- There is large geographical variation for the use of keyhole surgery, ranging from 38% - 76% across England. Patients having surgery to remove their tumour are recommended to have this less invasive approach where possible, which tends to have a shorter recovery time.
- There is considerable variation in the use of potentially curable surgery, where a quarter of patients (25%) aged 75 and over are not receiving surgery with a view to being cured.
- Two thirds (67%) of all bowel cancer patients survive beyond two years. This has remained stable since 2012/13.
- Nearly two thirds of patients (63%) diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer received adjuvant chemotherapy. This is when chemotherapy is offered alongside other treatments, such as surgery. However this varies across hospitals from 55% to 75%.
Dr Lisa Wilde, Director of Research and External Affairs at Bowel Cancer UK, says: “Variations identified in the audit highlight a system defined by a postcode lottery for bowel cancer patients, with where they live affecting whether or not they receive the best available care.
“It is encouraging to see an increase in stage 3 patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy, but more needs to be done to ensure this is available to all patients who need it regardless of where they live.
“The root cause of many of these variations is a system stretched to its limits. There are simply not enough staff in the NHS to diagnose and treat bowel cancer patients. The forthcoming NHS People Plan provides an opportunity to address these issues and must be adequately funded to deliver a system to provide the best care for all.”


Friday September 11, 2009 - 12:48:09 GMT
Share This Story
Black Swan Capital - www.blackswantrading.com
â€˘ Chinaâ€™s industrial production rose more than forecast in August. (Bloomberg)
â€śRun for your life from any man who tells you that money is evil. That sentence is the leper's bell of an approaching looter.â€ť
FX Trading â€“ Divergence confusionismâ€¦
A very astute member of Black Swan services pointed out the latest growing divergence between the bond price action the last couple of days, and the dollarâ€¦ The question: What does it mean?
The short answer may be that global markets are now normalized and the tight correlations weâ€™ve been witnessing the last several years, during both the boom and the bust, are changing.
The chart above [charts not available in text format] compares the US$ index with the 10-year Note futures. The reason this is a divergence, compared to the recent past, is because higher 10-year Note prices have usually defined risk aversion, and risk aversion is usually met by a rising dollar. We know thatâ€™s not happening.
But this divergence, or differing environments, i.e., risk aversion versus risk appetite, can best be viewed comparing the 10-yr Note futures to the S&P 500 futures index. Since mid-August, this pair has started to move togetherâ€”higher stocks and higher bond prices.
If this represents some outside portfolio flow into the US, why is the US dollar getting creamed?
And if the US dollar is getting creamed, why are people buying paper denominated in US dollarsâ€”10-yr Treasuries?
This isnâ€™t the only major change in correlation we are witnessing, we see a major â€śdivergenceâ€ť (divergence based on past price action, doesnâ€™t necessarily make it a divergence now; we need Mr. Hindsightâ€™s visionary powers to prove that) between the Japanese stock market and USD-Japanese yen pair. Good news for Japan is finally also being reflected in the Japanese yen. In the past, any good newsâ€”reflected by the stock marketâ€”was usually met with a weaker yen as it juiced local risk appetite to go offshore for yield. Maybe this can be more easily explained by the weight of portfolio flow into Japan on optimism the new regime will make some real changes.
Back to the buck vs. 10-year Note â€śdivergenceâ€ťâ€¦.
Does a weak currency have to be met by weak bond prices, i.e., does selling the currency automatically mean selling the bonds? Not necessarily if the government is issuing and buying at the same time (or maybe domestic consumer savings is growing rapidly and going there).
Buying bonds domestically and using the currency internationally as rocket fuel to boost other asset markets in the hopes of reviving demand based on asset wealth effect, i.e., implicit weak dollar policy, could be the game Uncle Sam and his advisory staff are playing.
There has been much talk, and obviously much price action, to support the idea the US dollar is now the world carry trade currency, i.e., with short-term yields being so lowâ€” grabbing the mantle from Japan. Maybe!
But if we consider real yields (nominal minus inflation) on the 10-year Notes, the US is still among the highest of the major currency countries. We are not sure if this indicates there may be a floor on the dollar, as global investors can buy relative safe yield cheaply. Or whether it means nothing at all and the US dollar has become the carry trade currency of choice.
Or of course a third option, the bond guys see troubles ahead and are positioning before the double-dip hits the fan. Place your bets.
Black Swan Capital LLC
Forex Trading News
Daily Forex Market News
Forex news reports can be found on the forex research
headlines page below. Here you will find real-time forex market news reports
provided by respected contributors of currency trading information. Daily forex
market news, weekly forex research and monthly forex news features can be found
Real-time forex market news reports and features providing
other currency trading information can be accessed by clicking on any of the
headlines below. At the top of the forex blog page you will find the latest
forex trading information. Scroll down the page if you are looking for less
recent currency trading information. Scroll to the bottom of fx blog headlines
and click on the link for past reports on forex. Currency world news reports
from previous years can be found on the left sidebar under "FX Archives."


LED. I designed a box for it and frenched it in in addition to the taxi. The back of the truck was looking pretty good, but not quite sufficient so I made a decision to create a customized tail gate. I bought a different tail gate Along with the intention of constructing it to ensure that it could open. I manufactured it that has a frenched in license plate sideways, like I had usually wanted. Soon after this I checked out it and imagined to myself why not shave it all in? Making sure that’s what I did. There was a lot of welding within the back of that truck, but I need to say its my favorite A part of the truck.
Cody has sent us a blow by blow description of your suspension put in with loads of images. You’ll see just how awesome it can be to lessen these older king pin “Effies”, and why they are getting to be so common!
What I need to do is decrease the truck 3″ or 4″ front & back, I've a fantastic finances, but saving in this article & there normally assists, as everyone knows!
Many thanks for the compliments, we attempt pretty difficult to develop high quality parts that fit and operate as advertised. Send out us a picture of your respective decreased Tahoe!
There is an additional nut about the bolt that went up in to the coil spring choose it off. Then just one very last bolt where the I beam bolts up towards the body. Now you normally takes the beam While using the spindle to a piece bench, helps to have vice take the nut off the pin that maintain the king pin in place knock it out, acquire off the grease caps knock out the king pins, and Get the dream beam and put everything back with each other. Put the tie rod extender on the spindle, (you don't have to tighten it up nevertheless.) Then if you are likely back again on Using the coil spring get your tie rod begun inside the tie rod extender. Now when you neglect to get started on the tie rods you normally takes the pitman arm off and acquire them like that.
Many the Chevy kits for seventy three-87’s all reference the Stacey David KnuckleBuster Establish. I really have to say, amongst my buddies created a truck a couple of years back utilizing your merchandise Which matter taken care of like ridiculous and was definitely relaxed. I just would like he had held that detail..
Meaning you’ll have no wheel clearance difficulties if your 22″s aren’t larger than the inventory combo, if they are then eventually you should have a rubbing issue somewhere. Here is a backlink to your package that gives the 4/seven″ fall!! Mark
Ive been studying many of the posts, endeavoring to check if somebody had already questioned my dilemma but didn't stumble upon it. I have a 2000 Tahoe Confined And that i choose to acquire your decrease Management arms.
If you try to decrease your F150 with coil springs you'll have damaging camber complications which you won’t manage to alter out. So using the beams for just a 3″ fall will be the best Option for you! The journey doesn’t modify since you nonetheless contain the factory spring, with comprehensive manufacturing unit suspension travel and you can make use of a factory size shock also! Then on the rear You can utilize that shackle package for 2 inches of fall and If you need a little more drop You can even install brackets (hangers) to the front end from the leaf spring for yet another two″ of drop.
Garrett Dykes says: March seventeen, 2015 at 12:eighteen am Also I had been it's possible trying to set 22s on my truck as opposed to the 20s however it doesn’t look like I’ll be capable to healthy them now with the front being so lower. I’d relatively not have them tucking from the fender properly and rub whenever I switch.
You need to put in the top bolt With all the nut on the outside (needs to be precisely the same way it arrived out.) Should you don’t you might operate into clearance challenge afterwards.
If you can’t find a set from the junk property, your rv wheel alignment near me best wager is most likely manufacturing unit replacement components from the NAPA keep. Federal Mogoul, Moog and Some others manufacture “factory substitution” components For a lot of apps. Superior Luck!!
In addition, it is wise to lower initial then buy wheels/tires if your Not sure. Due to the fact normally the cost of wheels/tires is very abit in excess of the reducing kit it actually stinks on ice to spend a big chunk of cash on wheel/tires only to determine for those who reduce your truck the wheels strike!
In case your beams are equal duration probably? I can’t let you know needless to say. Lots of guys have thought about what your considering but I haven’t talked to anyone who has built it function. That’s not to mention it could possibly’t be done, just don’t want to give you lousy suggest.


text:
It's been way too long since I've posted on this blog, as some of you keep reminding me. Lots of distractions, lots on my plate, lots of procrastination: these are my lame excuses. Before I knew it, two and a half months flew by, so now I have lots of to catch up on.
Way back in early March, we had our first "Altered Images" class. I made name-tags for everyone, using pictures from a 1958 high school yearbook. The hairstyles and glasses and funny phrasing cracked me up, and I had fun making the silly tags. (click on any image to enlarge.)


SDIER Machinery offers customized shredding and crushing/granulating solutions. The solutions provided by SDIER are well recognized by customers and are widely used in the treatment and recycling of various solid wastes.
Compared with our competitors, SDIER's equipment advantages are durability and reliability, while taking into account cost performance.
The solutions we provide have a wide range of material applicability and high production capacity, which have been widely proven all over the world.
We have a wealth of product information and customer cases, you are welcome to contact us to obtain them. We design plans and manufacturing equipment based on the types of materials. We cannot give a quotation online. Please fill in the form below and we will contact you as soon as possible.
Pet Bottle Flakes Manufacturers
Progerex Sdn Bhd Malaysia is located in malaysia, we are the car track batteries scrap, ubc cans, pet bottle flakes, ldpe films, a/c fridge compressor scrap supplier. Telephone 60-10-2897678 Address 58 Jalan Temenggong Salau Bau Sarawak 94000 Sarawak, Sarawak, Sarawak, Malaysia Latest ads in plastics and rubber processing I Cooperation : Plastics recycling service 04.01.2021; ID: 202112969; We offer free capacity of the regranulation line for LDPE, HDPE, PP and EVAC materials. The materials can be filled with limestone / talc and can be in the form of bales, crumbs, moldings, cakes, overflows, coils, etc. Line output 700 - 1,100 kg / hour depending on the raw material / waste.
Australian Recycled Plastics
Australian Recycled Plastics innovation is a manufacturing plant which is a first in Australia that can process kerbside collected recyclable 442 plastic materials (442) to produce PET Flake and HDPE Flake. These can be repurposed by many other industries. There are very few plants worldwide that can process 442 materials. 442 waste materials are made up of 40 percent ... Plastic Grinder - Granulator For Sale | Crusher Those small-sized plastic granulator machines are specialized in granulating/crushing small size plastic (soft plastic & hard plastic) and rubber material, including PET bottles, HDPE sanitary containers, nylon, molding sprues, molding runners, purgings, PP sheets, plastic packaging, rubber rings, rubber sheets etc..
Strong Crushers for sale from China Suppliers
Guangzhou Binyi Plastics Machinery Co., Ltd. China Manufacturer with main products:Strong Crusher Series ,Double Shaft Shredder Series ,Auto Loaders/Conveyors Series ,Plastic Mixer/Stirrer Series ,Various Scrap Recycling Whole Line Distributor granules for plastics | Europages www.zakzory.pl & purchase of plastic materials, granules, regenerated, crushed, films and www.zakzory.pl have a large number of containers and our own vehicle fleet to ensure that we provide our suppliers with the best... Supplier of: Granules for plastics | Plastics - recovery and recycling | Plastics - industrial products | Plastics - industrial raw materials | we purchase plastics [+] we sell plastics ...
Granulators for Shredding & Granulating Plastics, Scrap
American Pulverizer Granulators are capable of shredding and granulating plastic for recycling, scrap rubber, pre-shredded tires, phone cable, and much more. They are designed for grinding waste polymeric materials to sizes needed for consequent processing. PROSINO - Industrial Shredder | Granulator For Sale | Crusher Ningbo Sinobaler Machinery co., LTD. Sinobaler Machinery, a pioneer in the waste recycling market, supplies industry-leading, cost-effective waste reduction equipment covering balers and shredders. From standard alone vertical presses to fully automated horizontal baling lines, from small granulator to top-force shredders, we offer a complete range of baling and shredding ...
Scrap Metal Recycling Business for Sale
According to the EPA, approximately 7% to 10% of landfill waste consists of scrap metal. That may not sound like a lot, but it’s the equivalent of over 20 million tons. Some statistics indicate that ferrous metal (iron-based) accounts for two-thirds of all steel manufactured in the U.S., while non-ferrous is especially important for resource conservation. Lead-acid batteries are an ... Plastic Scrap Grinder Machine at Best Price in India Plastic Type: PP, PET, PVC. Capacity: depends on size of machine . Crushing Chamber Size: depends on size of machine . We are mfrs. of plastic scrap grinfer in various sizes ranging 50 to 2000 kgs per hour. Note: price varies
Used Plastic Machinery for Sale
Dealers of used machinery for sale & second-hand plastic machinery, plastic extruders machine, plastic injection moulding machine, plastic bottle making machine Plastic Scrap Buyers from United Arab Emirates! The Trust Mark for scrap buyers is an indication of the authenticity of the plastic scrap buyer. Higher the Trust Mark, better the trust. You can sort the plastic scrap buyers from United Arab Emirates by Trust Marks, RIM Verified, Posted date etc. by selecting the appropriate field in the drop down menu.
Sarnago & Sons Recycling & Materials
Using are portable crusher reduces construction costs and time generated compared to transporting material to and from are yard. Are portable Machine can crush concrete and asphalt rubble at up to 200 tons per hour or more. All our concrete is 100% recycled. Used Ball Mills | Ball Mills for Sale | Phoenix Equipment Used, unused and refurbished ball mills available for a fraction of the cost of new. US-based Phoenix Equipment is a global buyer & seller of ball mills, as well as other industrial equipment. Check out our extensive inventory or talk to a knowledgeable representative today.
Used Crushers Steel Metal Scrap for sale. Top quality
Scrap Metal Crusher Machine / Impact Scrap Metal Hammer Mill / Crusher for Sale. Manufacturer: DIANYAN; Scrap Metal crusher , Waste metal recycling machine Our metal crusher recycling plant used in the scrap processing industry is a kind of equipment used to crush and break waste metal s and other material , Like: S... Vecoplan Industrial Plastic Shredders For Processing Plastics The types of plastics materials that are being recycled determine the types of recycling machines required such as a plastic granulator. A closed-loop plastics recycling system, or one in which scrap material is taken from a processing line, in a factory manufacturing a single product from one resin type and in one color, can be quite simple.
Al-Ghori Plastic Recycling Factory L.L.C || Manufacture of
ALGHORI PLASTIC RECYCLING FACTORY LLC. Mobile - 056 5866322,- 050 8664736. Office - 06 766 4028, Email - firstname.lastname@example.org . P.O. Box 1157,Plot Number 1, Block 2, Granulators for Shredding & Granulating Plastics, Scrap American Pulverizer Granulators are capable of shredding and granulating plastic for recycling, scrap rubber, pre-shredded tires, phone cable, and much more. They are designed for grinding waste polymeric materials to sizes needed for consequent processing.
Plastic scrap buy & sell
The world's largest plastic recycling marketplace. Connect and trade directly with suppliers & buyers of recycled plastics and plastic scraps from 140 countries How To Start Plastic Recycling Plant - Business Plan Apr 10, 2018 · The first time recycled plastics are used in manufacturing high quality plastic items while the 2-3 times recycled plastics are used to manufacture plastic bottles. The lowest quality of recycled plastic is used in manufacturing use and throw plastic bottles, polythene, one time use containers, boxes and their likes.
A Leading Scrap Source
Jul 23, 2001 · Granulator – a machine for shredding small materials such as plastics. Hammermill – a high-speed rotor equipped with large hammers for pulverizing material into smaller sizes. Large machines are often used to crush automobiles and other heavy-duty scrap metal. Material burden – the material on the conveyor belt that needs to be sorted. RecycleInMe – Scrap Metal Dealers | Current Scrap and RecycleInMe is the online B2B scrap trading portal connects local and international scrap buyers/sellers. We deal with 200+ sorts of metal and scraps.
All our shredders have earned the reputation for efficiency, durability and reliability and come with the support of our service and inventory for many years of hassle free operation.


text:
Malaysians seeking employment in Singapore post-pandemic or when land travel resumes may not have many job options waiting for them across the border.
Johor Indian Petty Traders and Small Business Association chairman D. Ravindran said those who lost their jobs when the border between the two countries closed in March last year may not get them back.
He said gone were the days when Malaysians were the preferred choice of Singaporean employers, especially for blue-collar jobs.
Many also worked in essential services such as healthcare and public transport, he added.
“Singapore will give priority to their own citizens to fill these vacancies instead of foreigners, ’’ said Ravindran.
He said like other countries, Singapore was not spared from the economic uncertainties brought on by Covid-19.
He noted that some employers in Singapore decided not to extend the work permits of their foreign workers including Malaysians.
Ravindran said some Malaysian workers, who were stuck in the republic since March last year due to the border closure, also decided to return here for good.
“Prior to the pandemic, thousands of locals commuted daily from Johor Baru to the republic to work, as they earned in Singapore dollars, ’’ he added.
But when they were forced to stay in Singapore, they found their salary was insufficient due to the high cost of living there.
Ravindaran said Singaporeans, who previously shunned “3D” jobs (dirty, difficult and dangerous) might not be so picky now.
“This is especially so for those who lost their jobs, ’’ he added.
Johor South SME adviser Teh Kee Sin said Covid-19 might be around for a few years.
He highlighted that many countries were now entering a third wave, with India recording over 400,000 infections daily.
“I personally feel land travel between Malaysia and Singapore is unlikely to resume anytime soon, ’’ said Teh.
He added the retail, hospitality and tourism sectors in Singapore were badly hit by the pandemic and there was no need for them to hire new employees or expand their operations.
Teh noted that most Malaysians in Singapore, especially skilled workers and professionals, had opted to remain there.
He said this was especially so for those with financial commitments such as paying their housing and car loans as well as their children’s education.
“Sometimes, you have to make sacrifices for the sake of your family in Malaysia, ” he added in explaining their motivations.
Teh said locals, especially Johoreans working in Singapore, had helped boost the state’s economy.
Prior to Covid-19, unofficial figures showed that some 300,000 Malaysians commuted daily from Johor to the island republic to work, while another 400,000 Malaysians worked and lived in Singapore.


text:
Price of gold in Vietnam retreated by VND70,000 a tael (1.2 ounces) over the previous day on July 19 although global gold trade changed little.
|Although gold plummets, a few people ask to buy it (Photo: A. Quan)|
Saigon Jewelry Company, Vietnam’s biggest gold processer and trader, bought the metal at VND41.6 million and sold at VND41.7 million as of 9.44am Vietnamese time.
Hanoi-based Phu Quy Jewelry Company purchased SJC-brand gold at VND41.67 million and sold at VND41.75 million as of 11.10am Vietnamese time.
Sacombank in Ho Chi Minh City quoted price of its own SBJ-brand at VND41.69 million for buying, and at VND41.75 million for selling at 11.30am Vietnamese time.
Domestically, gold fetched VND2 million a tael higher than global price.
Meanwhile, Vietcombank quoted the rate at VND20,82 per dollar for buying, and at VND20,86 per dollar for selling.
Eximbank purchased dollars at VND20,80 per dollar, and sold at VND20,86 per dollar, with little change from previous day.
In the world market, gold struggled on dim stimulus hopes. Spot gold traded nearly flat at $1,573.04 an ounce. U.S. gold future contract for August delivery inched up 0.1 percent to $1,573.
India's gold imports fell by more than a half in the June quarter and could slide by a third in the next three months as prices inflated by a weak rupee and a 4 percent import duty encouraged traders to use scrap.
The euro steadied in Asian trade on Thursday but remained under pressure after reported comments by German Chancellor Angela Merkel rekindled fears about the eurozone debt crisis.
Crude oil futures rose in Asian trading Thursday, after U.S. housing starts surprised on the upside, reaching their highest level in nearly four years. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, light, sweet crude futures for delivery in September traded at $90.18 a barrel on Thursday, up 0.01 per cent, off from a session high of $90.36 and up from an earlier session low of $88.91.


text:
The rulctant fundamentalist
What does it mean to be an american what do you think of when you see the stars and stripes on the american flag the answer to that. This chapter examines self-reflexive scrutiny in mohsin hamid's the reluctant fundamentalist, a novel about america's post-9/11 surveillance of those who look. A third of the way through mohsin hamid's second novel, “the reluctant fundamentalist,” the narrator, a young pakistani man named changez.
A description of tropes appearing in reluctant fundamentalist excuse me sir, but may i be of assistance a controversial and thought provoking 2007 novel. A journalist interviews a princeton-educated pakistani man in an attempt to thwart the execution of a kidnapped professor. Mohsin hamid's 2007 book, the reluctant fundamentalist, has been widely recognised as a subtle and emotionally compelling treatment of. Mira nair's latest film includes a character who's a journalist and cia agent is this responsible filmmaking.
Mohsin hamid - the reluctant fundamentalist book at bedtime pakistani- american new yorker changez finds his affluent life is turned upside down in the . Buy the reluctant fundamentalist first edition by mohsin hamid (isbn: 9780241143650) from amazon's book store everyday low prices and free delivery on. In his novel the reluctant fundamentalist, moshin hamid imagines the effects of elevated levels of discrimination on the life of a fictional pakistani muslim.
Mohsin hamid's second novel, the reluctant fundamentalist, is a quietly told, cleverly constructed fable of infatuation and disenchantment with. The reluctant fundamentalist is the story of changez, a young, princeton- educated pakistani who goes on to work at a prestigious financial analysis firm in new. The reluctant fundamentalist: a novel desperately wanted, or at least have claimed to want, to understand the workings of 'the islamic fundamentalist mind. The reluctant fundamentalist is a 2012 political thriller drama film based on the 2007 novel, the reluctant fundamentalist by mohsin hamid, directed by mira.
The reluctant fundamentalist mohsin hamid's slender, gemlike novel receives illuminating but heavy-handed screen treatment. Mira nair's the reluctant fundamentalist follows the transformations of the wide-eyed pakistani changez khan (riz ahmed), who arrives in. Based on the best-selling novel, the reluctant fundamentalist is a riveting international thriller it follows the story of a young pakistani man, changez, chasing. Timeliness is certainly on the side of mira nair's uneven but fascinating “the reluctant fundamentalist” adapted from the 2007 novel by. Whether it's a case of life imitating art or art imitating life, “the reluctant fundamentalist” makes for queasy but fairly worthy viewing less than a.
From award-winning director mira nair, and based on the acclaimed novel by mohsin hamid, comes this explosive film which explores bias. A film adaptation of the reluctant fundamentalist opens friday in la and new york it's director mira nair's interpretation of hamid's novel. In contrast to others who have read mohsin hamid's the reluctant fundamentalist exclusively as a political novel, i argue that the novel's most. Reviews, awards, and publishers of the novel the reluctant fundamentalist by mohsin hamid.
The reluctant fundamentalist is a novel by pakistani author mohsin hamid, published in 2007 the novel uses the technique of a frame story, which takes place. In 1989, i was invited to a party in london i was a graduate student at oxford, supposedly writing a dissertation on dh lawrence but actually.
The reluctant fundamentalist has 45891 ratings and 5148 reviews prashant said: at a bookstore in india sir, i see that you are checking out this. Drama photos riz ahmed at an event for the reluctant fundamentalist (2012 ) kate hudson and riz ahmed in the reluctant fundamentalist (2012) kiefer. A pakistani professor tells a journalist his post-9/11 us experiences however, it emerges that the professor has more on his mind than the past watch trailers.Download the rulctant fundamentalist

domain: library


text:
U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman issued the following statement on passage of the government-wide funding bill, which includes the Omnibus Travel and Tourism Act establishing a new Assistant Secretary of Travel and Tourism at the U.S. Department of Commerce:
“This is a tremendous win for travelers, the travel industry and America’s economy.
“The idea to create a presidentially appointed, U.S. Senate-confirmed position to lead federal travel policy has been around for decades. Thanks to a bipartisan and bicameral group of congressional leaders, the United States will now join all G20 countries with a senior federal official focused on travel.
“The Assistant Secretary will play an important role as we partner with government to lower visitor visa wait times, modernize security screening and leverage new technologies to make travel more seamless and secure.”
The U.S. Travel Association thanks Senate Commerce Chair Cantwell and Ranking Member Wicker, Senate Subcommittee Chair on Travel and Tourism Rosen and Ranking Member R. Scott, Senator Sullivan and Representatives Titus and Kuster, as well as all of the bill’s sponsors for their efforts to ensure the passage of the Omnibus Travel and Tourism Act.
U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing the $1.2 trillion travel industry, an essential contributor to our nation's economy and success. U.S. Travel produces programs and insights and advocates for policies to increase travel to and within the United States. Visit ustravel.org for information and recovery-related data.

domain: travel


text:
Audubon : Early Drawings
Publisher: Harvard University
- Book Category: Arts and Photography
- Format: Hardcover
- Number of Pages: 272
In 1805, Jean Jacques Audubon was a twenty-year-old itinerant Frenchman of ignoble birth and indifferent education who had fled revolutionary violence in both Haiti and France to take refuge in frontier America. Ten years later, John James Audubon was an American citizen, entrepreneur, and family man whose fervent desire to 'become acquainted with nature' had led him to reinvent himself as a naturalist and artist whose publication of "Birds of America" would soon earn him international acclaim. The drawings he made during this crucial decade, of specimens he collected in France and in America - now held by the Houghton Library and the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard - are published together here for the first time in large format and full color. In these portraits, we watch Audubon invent his ingenious methods of posing and depicting his subjects, and we trace his development into a scientist and an artist who could proudly sign his artworks 'drawn from Nature.' The drawings are enhanced by an essay on the sources of Audubon's art by his biographer, Richard Rhodes; full transcription of Audubon's own annotations; ornithological commentary and an essay on Audubon's science by Scott V. Edwards; and an account of the collection's history by Leslie A. Morris.Splendid in their own right, these drawings also illuminate the self-invention of one of the most important figures in American natural history. They will delight and inform all those interested in American art, nature, birds, and the life and times of John James Audubon.


text:
Guide to dividing Hosta plants
Our garden expert shows you how to divide hostas. You'll learn about the benefits, the right time and technique of dividing hostas and spreading the color and joy around your garden.Transcript
Hi everyone, this is Scott from Spring Hill Nurseries and today, on step-by-step gardening, we're talking about dividing hostas. As you know, hostas are one of the best perennials for your shade garden. Hostas grow very quickly, so you want to divide the plants to keep them healthy. They grow from spring through fall, so the best time to divide is either early spring or in the fall. Just like today! The first part of dividing your hostas is to make sure you have the right tool. You want a good flat bottom shovel, not a pointed spade. A pointed spade can damage the roots of your hostas. So, when you're digging your hole, it's very easy. Just dig that hole all the way around your plant about three to five inches from the base. Let's take a look. So, here's my hosta. We're going to go out about three to five inches from the base. We're going to go all the way around so we can get that plant out in one shot. Let's dig that hosta. Okay, so I've dug up the plant, now let's pull it out here. Alright, look at this, this is a great looking plant. This is going to be excellent and very easy to divide. There are a couple of different ways you can divide. You could use a big knife, like a bread knife or you could use a saw. You could even use your hands. I find the easiest thing to do it is just use the shovel. Alright, let's split it. So, you're just going to want to move your foliage here a little bit so you can see the center of the plant, put your shovel in there, okay? A good chop, let's see what we got. Okay, alright, this is going to be perfect. Now come take a close look at this. See this, each of these is called an eye root and each of these eye roots could be its own plant, so you can have lots of new hosta plants. Now if you're just dividing it to keep it healthy like we did today, just one split right there in the middle is perfect. All you've got to do now is plant another hosta plant. Let's go find a good spot. Okay, so now it's time to plant the hosta. This is the easy part. All you have to do is dig a hole that's two times the size of the root mass. I've already dug mine. You want to add a little bit of plant food to the hole, about two teaspoons per square foot, okay! You want to mix that around with your good soil-compost mix. Just simply place the plant in the hole, backfill it. Then when you're all done, you'll just give it a nice drink of water, add a little bit of mulch around the planting area, and you're all done! That's it. So, dividing hostas, very easy and good for the plant. Jut dig it, split it and plant it. For Spring Hill Nursery's step-by-step gardening, I'm Scott. Thanks for joining me.

domain: agronomy


text:
Florence’s Sant’Ambrogio market makeover
Dario Nardella, Mayor of Florence, announced on social media: “Sant’Ambrogio market is about to change look: new facilities, projecting roofs and lighting with a wide central corridor”.
The plans also include a new external loggia and the replacement of the old projecting roofs. More surface area will be given to the facilities, which will be modern but respectful of the existing building. The market stalls are expected to benefit from a better layout, hidden infrastructure, and energy-saving lights.
The price tag is 750,000 euro, financed by the City of Florence, and the renovation is slated to take 14 months, with work beginning in the autumn.