The Teacher Tap: Professional Development Resources for Educators
Libraries, Literature, and Literacy
In this section, you'll find quality resources related to the following topics: Literature, Information and Communication Literacy, and Internet Skills.
For additional resources, go to our companion website at Virtual Inquiry.
Literature
Literature Learning Ladders
Author and Illustrator Resources
Book Awards
Book Review Projects
Electronic Books and Online Reading
Face . . .
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Item: Use logorythmic charts because they reveal the rate of growth.
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"Giuseppi Verdi. Joe Green to you"
--Victor Borge
Monday, June 25, 2007
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Smartmoney.com: Print: 10 Things Your Bartender Won't Tell You
Smartmoney.com: Print: 10 Things Your Bartender Won't Tell You: "SmartMoney.com
10 Things Your Bartender Won't Tell You
By Neil Parmar
June 22, 2007
1. 'It's my world; you're just drinking in it.'
Back in the day, bartending was all about consistency and service. From the humblest watering hole to the fanciest hotel bar, bartenders knew how to mix a repertoire of classic cocktails just right every time, and the customer came first. Today, not so much. Ray Foley, author of Bartending for Dummies, says a growing number of the 500,000 working barkeeps in the U.S. are following the lead of celebrity chefs, hoping to make their mark with their own signature drinks. Sure, that means an explosion of creative cocktails dressed with such exotica as cucumber shavings or lavender foam. But good luck if you're in the mood for an old standard such as a sidecar.
The upshot? A lack of consistency, for one, says Tony Abou-Ganim, who created the Bellagio's cocktail program in Las Vegas. 'I can go to the same bar, order the same thing from three different bartenders — and get three different drinks,' he says. Even worse is customer service. Some bartenders have flipped the old equation, Foley says, putting 30% into pleasing customers and 70 into showcasing their personality: "The prime thing we're losing in the bar business right now is service for the customer."
2. "Your top-shelf pretensions are money in my pocket."
From wild-berry-infused vodka to the latest in Herradura tequila, liquor companies continue introducing high-end spirits as the consumer thirst for luxury goods trickles down to beverages. Last year sales of the most expensive brands of vodka, rum, tequila and scotch rose 18%, while those of the cheapest grew by less than 1%, according to the Distilled Spirits Council. But Tony Abou-Ganim warns, "A higher price doesn't always mean better quality." He notes, for example, that many bars now use lime-flavored powder in their cocktails, which can dilute subtler notes in an expensive spirit.
Another concern: scams involving "short pouring" and brand substitution that have ridden the luxury-spirits wave, according to Robert Plotkin, a beverage-management consultant. Say you order two premium cocktails. The bartender might pour only half a shot of alcohol into each — but he'll charge you for two, ring up just one and pocket the difference. Or you might be charged for a premium Cadenhead's rum that's actually a basic Bacardi. Your best defense: Sit at the bar, where you can see your drinks being made.
3. "Tabs are for suckers."
While visiting New York City two summers ago, Chris Romanowski started a tab at ESPN Zone for his family and friends. But once the air hockey ended and they paid the bill, they saw they'd been charged for 21 drinks despite having ordered only 13. Romanowski contested the charges and eventually got his money back. (Susan Abramson, regional marketing manager for ESPN Zone, says the Times Square establishment is under new management and that "we try to make sure [our guests] are satisfied at all times.")
"My advice would be to not run a tab," says Plotkin, who after 20 years behind the bar notes, "it's really easy to inflate tabs." For example, a bartender might give a buddy a free bottle of Heineken, then bury the charge in your bill, especially if you're with friends and not keeping track of who's ordered what. One of the most common ploys, according to Elizabeth Godsmark, author of "Controlling Liquor, Wine and Beverage Costs," involves billing you for a round without breaking it down into separate charges. If you'd still rather run a tab than pay for drinks one at a time, be sure to get a receipt that specifies the number and cost of each drink.
4. "It's all about the bottom line — down to our choice of glassware."
Between 20% and 30% of booze served in a bar never gets paid for, due in large part to bartenders' overpouring their spirits. But management is cracking down and working every angle to curb this practice. In 2005, for instance, a study published in the British Medical Journal found that when bartenders were asked to free-pour a shot of liquor, they dumped an average 20% more into a short, wide tumbler than into a tall highball glass — even though they knew each held 12 ounces. And these weren't amateurs; they had, on average, nearly six years of experience. According to Brian Wansink, the Cornell University professor behind the study, bartenders are subject to an optical illusion that makes them gauge volume based more on the height of a glass than on width.
The industry jumped on the data: Immediately after the study was released, many bar owners and industry publications began advising managers to choose taller barware to save money while giving guests the impression they were getting more. So next time you want a stiffer drink at no extra cost, ignore what your eyes tell you and insist on a short glass.
5. "Fast service doesn't necessarily mean good service."
Much the way fast-food places use the three-minute rule, some bars now require that drinks be mixed, poured and at the table within a certain time frame. And while you might enjoy faster service that way, it doesn't guarantee great-tasting drinks. In fact, it could mean the opposite. Clear cocktails, like the classic martini, should always be stirred carefully to achieve the right level of chill, says cocktail specialist Ted Haigh. But "bartenders are under pressure to make things faster," which is why "shaking has become ubiquitous."
Some drinks take so long to make that bartenders try to deter customers from ordering them. When Heather Leonard, a former bartender from New York City, used to muddle lime juice, mint and sugar for a mojito, she'd often hide it below the counter. "Once everyone sees you're making a mojito, they want one," she says. "And after 30 minutes you're four customers deep." The emphasis on speed can also lead to carelessness. In a rush, bartenders sometimes skip the tongs and jam barware into the ice machine — risking broken glass in your drink. So when a bar seems busy, you might want to order your liquor neat.
6. "This bar is filthy."
Most bars offer dim lighting for atmosphere — but it can also hide a lot of hazards. Slippery floors, sticky countertops and lemon wedges strewn about the floor are among the most common problems undercover investigators find in bars, according to Gwen Lennox, CEO of Keeping Tabs, which conducts independent evaluations for bar owners. Nightclubs frequented by twentysomethings tend to be the worst, she says, but it's not always easy to spot problems, such as open bottles of alcohol that haven't been cleaned or covered between shifts, thus encouraging the buildup of dust and germs.
Bars and taverns are just as susceptible to spreading food-borne illnesses as restaurants, warns Dean Peterson, director of environmental health for San Mateo County in California. Indeed, health-inspection reports for establishments connected to a bar cite all sorts of violations, ranging from dirty floors to lip-stained tumblers. One North Carolina inspector even found black-slime mold in an ice machine — though it might not make you sick, it "would be kind of repulsive to have in your drink," says Frances Breedlove, food sanitation section chief for Wake County.
7. "Restaurants are a terrible place to get a good drink."
Restaurants are a tough business. The majority of new establishments close their doors within the first three years, and only 30% last 10 years. One way to up the chance of turning a profit and running a successful restaurant is to secure a liquor license as soon as possible, since owners can expect to earn up to 40% of their profit from liquor. To further milk every drop of their drink sales, restaurants are micromanaging and automating their bartending wherever possible. By using so-called liquor-control systems, all a bartender needs to do is push a button to fill up, say, a pitcher of beer, thus saving time and controlling the pour to the letter; it even allows workers to serve another customer while the machine pours the next drink.
In a climate like this, "anyone can pretty much bartend," says Tara Clark, general manager of a restaurant and bar located just outside Atlanta, as long as they have a friendly personality. "If people don't get a great martini, as long as you can hold a great conversation, they'll forget about the drink," she says.
8. "I don't know diddly about wine."
You'd think a bar would be the perfect place to order a crisp chardonnay. Think again. Experts say bars tend to minimize their wine offerings because the bulk of their sales come from spirits or beer. Some bar managers and their staff know so little about wine that they leave it up to distributors to develop their menu, even though these salespeople might get rewarded with free trips or other incentives to push certain brands, says Ty Wenzel, author of "Behind Bars: The Straight-Up Tales of a Big-City Bartender." That's why it's not uncommon for bars to limit their list to a single red and a single white offering. In fact, Wenzel says one trick she used to clear out old stock at her own bar was to pass off the house wine — a cheap cabernet — as a more exotic shiraz or syrah. "I couldn't believe they couldn't tell the difference," she says.
One way around the issue is to ask your bartender to show you the bottle and pour the wine in front of you. Also, keep in mind that if bottles are stored near a hot kitchen or displayed on a shelf where natural light can strike them all day, their contents can oxidize or begin to spoil, rendering even a decent wine undrinkable.
9. "Your drink costs whatever I say it costs."
When Alexandria Steppe wants a Corona from one of her favorite clubs in Asbury Park, N.J., she doesn't always know how much it's going to cost: During a recent visit, her beer was $4 when her boyfriend ordered it, then $6 when Steppe ordered one from the very same bartender later that night. What's more, there are three different bars in the club, and she's discovered that the bartenders in the back charge less for drinks than those who work closer to the front of the house. "I don't think it's fair, but there isn't much I can do about it," Steppe says.
While it's not uncommon for bars to feature certain specials like "ladies drink free," many bartenders will go one step further, charging different rates to different people, particularly if a patron appears drunk. "What it usually means is that the bartenders are playing fast and loose, and they're probably not putting all of the money into the register," says Lennox. The best way to avoid getting overcharged is simple: Ask for a receipt, and let the manager know if you note a discrepancy.
10. "Unless you're using a walker, expect to be carded."
There's little logic when it comes to getting your I.D. checked these days. Some bartenders seem to have no qualms letting underage drinkers run rampant, while others wait to see what a person orders before they ask for identification. A toasted-almond cocktail, for example, is often popular among teens, while folks who order a scotch on the rocks are typically assumed to be of drinking age. Then there are the places with tougher rules, where no one who appears under the age of 40 is allowed a drink until they've flashed their license. So no matter how old you are, or appear to be, carry your card at all times.
Even so, policing has become so strict at some places that even a valid I.D. isn't good enough. While waiting for a pool table to open up at a Dave & Buster's in Arcadia, Calif., last year, 29-year-old Jason Flores ordered a few rounds of vodka tonics with his friends. Once a table opened up and the optometrist started carrying his drink toward it, he was stopped and accused of having a fake I.D. Flores spent nearly half an hour trying to convince the management otherwise — going so far as offering to have the police come over and authenticate his I.D. In the end, the group was given permission to stay at the pool table, though no one was allowed to order or drink any more alcohol. Flores says this was after they had already paid for their drinks and tipped the bartender. Manager Steve White says he doesn't recall the situation, but notes that the bar hews close to the letter of the law, "which is extremely strict" when it comes to checking I.D. Cards can be considered suspect if they are cracked or torn or if the laminate has been peeled back.
Links in this article:
URL for this article:
http://www.smartmoney.com/10things/index.cfm?story=july2007
10 Things Your Bartender Won't Tell You
By Neil Parmar
June 22, 2007
1. 'It's my world; you're just drinking in it.'
Back in the day, bartending was all about consistency and service. From the humblest watering hole to the fanciest hotel bar, bartenders knew how to mix a repertoire of classic cocktails just right every time, and the customer came first. Today, not so much. Ray Foley, author of Bartending for Dummies, says a growing number of the 500,000 working barkeeps in the U.S. are following the lead of celebrity chefs, hoping to make their mark with their own signature drinks. Sure, that means an explosion of creative cocktails dressed with such exotica as cucumber shavings or lavender foam. But good luck if you're in the mood for an old standard such as a sidecar.
The upshot? A lack of consistency, for one, says Tony Abou-Ganim, who created the Bellagio's cocktail program in Las Vegas. 'I can go to the same bar, order the same thing from three different bartenders — and get three different drinks,' he says. Even worse is customer service. Some bartenders have flipped the old equation, Foley says, putting 30% into pleasing customers and 70 into showcasing their personality: "The prime thing we're losing in the bar business right now is service for the customer."
2. "Your top-shelf pretensions are money in my pocket."
From wild-berry-infused vodka to the latest in Herradura tequila, liquor companies continue introducing high-end spirits as the consumer thirst for luxury goods trickles down to beverages. Last year sales of the most expensive brands of vodka, rum, tequila and scotch rose 18%, while those of the cheapest grew by less than 1%, according to the Distilled Spirits Council. But Tony Abou-Ganim warns, "A higher price doesn't always mean better quality." He notes, for example, that many bars now use lime-flavored powder in their cocktails, which can dilute subtler notes in an expensive spirit.
Another concern: scams involving "short pouring" and brand substitution that have ridden the luxury-spirits wave, according to Robert Plotkin, a beverage-management consultant. Say you order two premium cocktails. The bartender might pour only half a shot of alcohol into each — but he'll charge you for two, ring up just one and pocket the difference. Or you might be charged for a premium Cadenhead's rum that's actually a basic Bacardi. Your best defense: Sit at the bar, where you can see your drinks being made.
3. "Tabs are for suckers."
While visiting New York City two summers ago, Chris Romanowski started a tab at ESPN Zone for his family and friends. But once the air hockey ended and they paid the bill, they saw they'd been charged for 21 drinks despite having ordered only 13. Romanowski contested the charges and eventually got his money back. (Susan Abramson, regional marketing manager for ESPN Zone, says the Times Square establishment is under new management and that "we try to make sure [our guests] are satisfied at all times.")
"My advice would be to not run a tab," says Plotkin, who after 20 years behind the bar notes, "it's really easy to inflate tabs." For example, a bartender might give a buddy a free bottle of Heineken, then bury the charge in your bill, especially if you're with friends and not keeping track of who's ordered what. One of the most common ploys, according to Elizabeth Godsmark, author of "Controlling Liquor, Wine and Beverage Costs," involves billing you for a round without breaking it down into separate charges. If you'd still rather run a tab than pay for drinks one at a time, be sure to get a receipt that specifies the number and cost of each drink.
4. "It's all about the bottom line — down to our choice of glassware."
Between 20% and 30% of booze served in a bar never gets paid for, due in large part to bartenders' overpouring their spirits. But management is cracking down and working every angle to curb this practice. In 2005, for instance, a study published in the British Medical Journal found that when bartenders were asked to free-pour a shot of liquor, they dumped an average 20% more into a short, wide tumbler than into a tall highball glass — even though they knew each held 12 ounces. And these weren't amateurs; they had, on average, nearly six years of experience. According to Brian Wansink, the Cornell University professor behind the study, bartenders are subject to an optical illusion that makes them gauge volume based more on the height of a glass than on width.
The industry jumped on the data: Immediately after the study was released, many bar owners and industry publications began advising managers to choose taller barware to save money while giving guests the impression they were getting more. So next time you want a stiffer drink at no extra cost, ignore what your eyes tell you and insist on a short glass.
5. "Fast service doesn't necessarily mean good service."
Much the way fast-food places use the three-minute rule, some bars now require that drinks be mixed, poured and at the table within a certain time frame. And while you might enjoy faster service that way, it doesn't guarantee great-tasting drinks. In fact, it could mean the opposite. Clear cocktails, like the classic martini, should always be stirred carefully to achieve the right level of chill, says cocktail specialist Ted Haigh. But "bartenders are under pressure to make things faster," which is why "shaking has become ubiquitous."
Some drinks take so long to make that bartenders try to deter customers from ordering them. When Heather Leonard, a former bartender from New York City, used to muddle lime juice, mint and sugar for a mojito, she'd often hide it below the counter. "Once everyone sees you're making a mojito, they want one," she says. "And after 30 minutes you're four customers deep." The emphasis on speed can also lead to carelessness. In a rush, bartenders sometimes skip the tongs and jam barware into the ice machine — risking broken glass in your drink. So when a bar seems busy, you might want to order your liquor neat.
6. "This bar is filthy."
Most bars offer dim lighting for atmosphere — but it can also hide a lot of hazards. Slippery floors, sticky countertops and lemon wedges strewn about the floor are among the most common problems undercover investigators find in bars, according to Gwen Lennox, CEO of Keeping Tabs, which conducts independent evaluations for bar owners. Nightclubs frequented by twentysomethings tend to be the worst, she says, but it's not always easy to spot problems, such as open bottles of alcohol that haven't been cleaned or covered between shifts, thus encouraging the buildup of dust and germs.
Bars and taverns are just as susceptible to spreading food-borne illnesses as restaurants, warns Dean Peterson, director of environmental health for San Mateo County in California. Indeed, health-inspection reports for establishments connected to a bar cite all sorts of violations, ranging from dirty floors to lip-stained tumblers. One North Carolina inspector even found black-slime mold in an ice machine — though it might not make you sick, it "would be kind of repulsive to have in your drink," says Frances Breedlove, food sanitation section chief for Wake County.
7. "Restaurants are a terrible place to get a good drink."
Restaurants are a tough business. The majority of new establishments close their doors within the first three years, and only 30% last 10 years. One way to up the chance of turning a profit and running a successful restaurant is to secure a liquor license as soon as possible, since owners can expect to earn up to 40% of their profit from liquor. To further milk every drop of their drink sales, restaurants are micromanaging and automating their bartending wherever possible. By using so-called liquor-control systems, all a bartender needs to do is push a button to fill up, say, a pitcher of beer, thus saving time and controlling the pour to the letter; it even allows workers to serve another customer while the machine pours the next drink.
In a climate like this, "anyone can pretty much bartend," says Tara Clark, general manager of a restaurant and bar located just outside Atlanta, as long as they have a friendly personality. "If people don't get a great martini, as long as you can hold a great conversation, they'll forget about the drink," she says.
8. "I don't know diddly about wine."
You'd think a bar would be the perfect place to order a crisp chardonnay. Think again. Experts say bars tend to minimize their wine offerings because the bulk of their sales come from spirits or beer. Some bar managers and their staff know so little about wine that they leave it up to distributors to develop their menu, even though these salespeople might get rewarded with free trips or other incentives to push certain brands, says Ty Wenzel, author of "Behind Bars: The Straight-Up Tales of a Big-City Bartender." That's why it's not uncommon for bars to limit their list to a single red and a single white offering. In fact, Wenzel says one trick she used to clear out old stock at her own bar was to pass off the house wine — a cheap cabernet — as a more exotic shiraz or syrah. "I couldn't believe they couldn't tell the difference," she says.
One way around the issue is to ask your bartender to show you the bottle and pour the wine in front of you. Also, keep in mind that if bottles are stored near a hot kitchen or displayed on a shelf where natural light can strike them all day, their contents can oxidize or begin to spoil, rendering even a decent wine undrinkable.
9. "Your drink costs whatever I say it costs."
When Alexandria Steppe wants a Corona from one of her favorite clubs in Asbury Park, N.J., she doesn't always know how much it's going to cost: During a recent visit, her beer was $4 when her boyfriend ordered it, then $6 when Steppe ordered one from the very same bartender later that night. What's more, there are three different bars in the club, and she's discovered that the bartenders in the back charge less for drinks than those who work closer to the front of the house. "I don't think it's fair, but there isn't much I can do about it," Steppe says.
While it's not uncommon for bars to feature certain specials like "ladies drink free," many bartenders will go one step further, charging different rates to different people, particularly if a patron appears drunk. "What it usually means is that the bartenders are playing fast and loose, and they're probably not putting all of the money into the register," says Lennox. The best way to avoid getting overcharged is simple: Ask for a receipt, and let the manager know if you note a discrepancy.
10. "Unless you're using a walker, expect to be carded."
There's little logic when it comes to getting your I.D. checked these days. Some bartenders seem to have no qualms letting underage drinkers run rampant, while others wait to see what a person orders before they ask for identification. A toasted-almond cocktail, for example, is often popular among teens, while folks who order a scotch on the rocks are typically assumed to be of drinking age. Then there are the places with tougher rules, where no one who appears under the age of 40 is allowed a drink until they've flashed their license. So no matter how old you are, or appear to be, carry your card at all times.
Even so, policing has become so strict at some places that even a valid I.D. isn't good enough. While waiting for a pool table to open up at a Dave & Buster's in Arcadia, Calif., last year, 29-year-old Jason Flores ordered a few rounds of vodka tonics with his friends. Once a table opened up and the optometrist started carrying his drink toward it, he was stopped and accused of having a fake I.D. Flores spent nearly half an hour trying to convince the management otherwise — going so far as offering to have the police come over and authenticate his I.D. In the end, the group was given permission to stay at the pool table, though no one was allowed to order or drink any more alcohol. Flores says this was after they had already paid for their drinks and tipped the bartender. Manager Steve White says he doesn't recall the situation, but notes that the bar hews close to the letter of the law, "which is extremely strict" when it comes to checking I.D. Cards can be considered suspect if they are cracked or torn or if the laminate has been peeled back.
Links in this article:
URL for this article:
http://www.smartmoney.com/10things/index.cfm?story=july2007
Friday, June 22, 2007
At Your Service
Consultation and documentation - Time is charged at the rate of $120 per hour in increments of .1 (1/10th, 6 minutes) of an hour with a minimum of .2 of an hour.
Please put a comment below with your email or phone and I will call you. Thank you.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
ClickZ Internet Marketing Solutions for Marketers
MY DATA: Non-Personally Identifiable Info for Marketing
Clever Boy...
ClickZ Internet Marketing Solutions for Marketers: "EBay auction: bid on my non-personally identifiable info. You laugh, but what if a site launched to aggregate auctions like this? (via adrants)"
I am offering one lucky marketer a treasure trove of my non-personally identifiable information to help you better target ads to me.
Here’s what you’ll get if you win this auction:
*My past 30 days internet search queries
*My past 90 days web surfing history
*My past 30 days online and offline purchase activity
*My Age, Gender, Ethnicity, Marital status (in case you couldn’t figure it out above), and Geo location (in case you can't figure it out below)
*The right to target one ad per day to me for 30 days (now that’s what I call opt-in!)
Ads can be created in any desired format (video, text, graphic, audio, etc.) but must be delivered via email
Behold the true promise of one-to-one marketing.
But wait, there’s more…
Not only do I certify that I will watch/read/listen to your ads but I will also provide daily feedback as to whether or not the ad appealed to me and if I’d like additional information about the product or service.
Face it, the times they are a changin’ and consumers are in control. It won’t be long before paying consumers to view your ads will be the norm (or at least paying them for the right to access their data). Use me as a beta test to determine how best to target ads based on a variety of non-personally identifiable data.
kare11.com :: KARE 11 TV - Vatican takes back annulment of Joseph Kennedy's first marriage
Husband-Son, no, Father-Bastard, no, Husband-Son, no, Bigamist-Adulteress*
kare11.com :: KARE 11 TV - Vatican takes back annulment of Joseph Kennedy's first marriage: "Vatican takes back annulment of Joseph Kennedy's first marriage
" align=left>The Vatican has reversed the annulment of former Congressman Joseph Kennedy's first marriage to Sheila Rauch, a union that lasted 12 years and produced two sons.Rauch and Kennedy, the eldest son of the late Senator Robert Kennedy, were granted a civil divorce in 1991.
She had sharply criticized the Catholic Church for annulling her marriage, alleging in a 1997 book that the Kennedy family's influence in the church had made it possible.
Rauch said she found out about the annulment only after Kennedy married his former congressional aide, Beth Kelly, in a civil ceremony two years later.
Rauch says, 'Things unraveled, but that doesn't mean you didn't have a marriage.'
A spokeswoman for Kennedy had no immediate comment.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)"
* With apologies to Ms. Faye Dunaway.
Nader ponders run, calls Clinton 'coward' - Politico.com
Nader ponders run, calls Clinton 'coward' - Politico.com:
'She is a political coward,' Nader said. 'She goes around pandering to powerful interest groups on the one hand and flattering general audiences on the other. She doesn't even have the minimal political fortitude of her husband.'
'She is a political coward,' Nader said. 'She goes around pandering to powerful interest groups on the one hand and flattering general audiences on the other. She doesn't even have the minimal political fortitude of her husband.'
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
I AM CRYSTAL METH
A word to the unwise and unsophisticated...
link
October 31st, 2006
I destroy homes, I tear families apart, take your children, and that’s just the start. I’m more costly than diamonds, more precious than gold, The sorrow I bring is a sight to behold. If you need me, remember! I’m easily found, I live all around you – in schools and in town. I live with the rich; I live with the poor, I live down the street, and maybe next door.
I’m made in a lab, but not like you think, I can be made under the kitchen sink. In your child’s closet, and even in the woods, If this scares you to death, well it certainly should. I have many names, but there’s one you know best, I’m sure you’ve heard of me, my name is crystal meth.
My power is awesome; try me you’ll see, But if you do, you may never break free. Just try me once and I might let you go, But try me twice, and I’ll own your soul. When I possess you, you’ll steal and you’ll lie, You do what you have to — just to get high. The crimes you’ll commit for my narcotic charms Will be worth the pleasure you’ll feel in your arms, your lungs, your nose.
You’ll lie to your mother; you’ll steal from your dad, When you see their tears, you should feel sad. But you’ll forget your morals and how you were raised, I’ll be your conscience, I’ll teach you my ways. I take kids from parents, and parents from kids, I turn people from God, and separate friends. I’ll take everything from you, your looks and your pride, I’ll be with you always — right by your side.
You’ll give up everything - your family, your home, Your friends, your money, then you’ll be alone. I’ll take and take, till you have nothing more to give, When I’m finished with you, you’ll be lucky to live. If you try me be warned - this is no game, If given the chance, I’ll drive you insane. I’ll ravish your body, I’ll control your mind, I’ll own you completely, your soul will be mine.
The nightmares I’ll give you while lying in bed, The voices you’ll hear, from inside your head. The sweats, the shakes, the visions you’ll see, I want you to know, these are all gifts from me. But then it’s too late, and you’ll know in your heart, That you are mine, and we shall not part. You’ll regret that you tried me, they always do, But you came to me, not I to you.
You knew this is would happen, many times you were told, But you challenged my power, and chose to be bold. You could have said no, and just walked away, If you could live that day over, now what would you say? I’ll be your master, you will be my slave, I’ll even go with you, when you go to your grave.
Now that you have met me, what will you do? Will you try me or not? It’s all up to you. I can bring you more misery than words can tell, Come take my hand, let me lead you to hell.
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Saturday, June 16, 2007
Friday, June 15, 2007
Monday, June 11, 2007
Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal: Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Pulse Surveys
SURVEY QUESTION:
Should Minneapolis get tougher on panhandlers?
Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal: Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Pulse Surveys: "So, in other words, the only place they can panhandle is in front of the upmarket shops and restaurants of Nicollet Mall where my 6 block walk home is interupted 17 times each way by filthy, stinking panhandlers. You should pass an ordinance that makes the panhandlers sit in the gallery for every City Council meeting, no absentees! They'll find a job in a New York minute then. "
Saturday, June 09, 2007
McMillan Weekly
Usually, a top is formed in a rounding manner. That is, the market flattens out and takes some time to roll over and head south. That didn't really happen this time -- mostly because so many longs were sitting on hair-trigger sell orders, which flooded into the market at the first sign of danger. We now expect that the market will decline for several weeks, if not longer.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Monday, June 04, 2007
Charles Lowry Reporting
link
May 25, 2007
Thomson and Reuters Confirm Their Deal
As reported by Information Today, the rumors of a merger between two of the three major providers of financial data, news, and trading systems have become reality. The consolidation will position the new Thomson-Reuters just ahead of arch-rival Bloomberg. Although Reuters is best known as the world’s largest international multimedia news agency, more than 90 percent of its revenues derive from its financial services business. The company’s core strengths lie in providing the content, analytics, trading, and collaboration tools needed by financial professionals—estimated to be some 370,000 around the world. The Thomson Corp, formally based in Toronto but with operational headquarters in Stamford, Conn., provides electronic workflow solutions to business and professional customers, and value-added information, software tools, and applications to professionals in the fields of law, tax and accounting, financial services, scientific research, and healthcare.
Technorati Tags: Thomson-Reuters merger
May 25, 2007 in Corporations, Data, Mergers & Acquisitions | Permalink
Sunday, June 03, 2007
French Viewpoint
Amazon.com: Anti-Americanism: Books: Jean-Francois Revel: "52 of 59 people found the following review helpful:Exposing a mental disease with French flair!, January 26, 2004
By Joburgpete 'irridium' (Johannesburg)
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)
This review is from: Anti-Americanism (Hardcover)
One of the most naïve delusions held by the American Left is that the current administration's foreign policy has made the USA an object of hatred. As a South African, I have news for them: The hatred directed against your president now is really hatred of your country. I first became aware of this loathing of America amongst Marxists and Fascists in the 1980s. By the nineties it had spread into the mainstream media and was much in evidence at the time of Clinton's intervention in Yugoslavia at the end of that decade. Yet these hysterical critics could provide no alternative way to stop Milosevich's ethnic cleansing. They have always hated America for what it is, rather than for what it does.In the chapter Contradictions Revel examines the inherently contradictory character of the diatribes against America, pointing out how European elites that criticise the USA conveniently forget that their own continent made the 20th century the most murderous in history with their two world wars, their criminal ideologies like communism and nazism an . . ."
HillBillary
: "HILLARY CLINTON DEFENDS USE OF CORPORATE JET FOR FAMILY VACATIONS
By DICK MORRIS & EILEEN MCGANN
Published on FoxNews.com on June 1, 2007.
On Wednesday, Hillary Clinton was challenged by the press about the Clinton family�s acceptance of more than $900,000 in free private travel from Infousa, a company linked to scamming the elderly.
Her reply? She said that she had complied with all Senate ethics rules and reimbursed the company for the amount of a first class air ticket � usually about 1 percent of the cost of the luxurious private jet travel. According to Hillary, �Those were the rules. You�ll have to ask someone else if it�s good policy.�
In other words, get lost.
Is there anyone out there who would say it's good policy for a U.S. senator and presidential candidate to accept apparently tax-free gifts of almost a million dollars from a corporation � especially a corporation involved in providing lists of vulnerable elderly people to scam artists?
And it's not like the Clintons couldn't afford to buy an air ticket � the family income since 2001 has been more than $63 million! So why do they have to freeload from rich friends?
Well, evidently Hillary . . ."
The New Criterion — A footnote on Ward Churchill
A footnote on Ward Churchill
The New Criterion — A footnote on Ward Churchill: "Notes & Comments
Who can forget Ward “little Eichmanns” Churchill, the “ethnic studies” professor at the University of Colorado whose odious remark comparing the victims of 9/11 to Nazi bureaucrats sparked a firestorm of eminently deserved criticism? The closer one looked into the case of Ward Churchill, the worse it got. This tenured radical had been battening on the public purse for decades—and for what? A congeries of radical political diatribes masquerading as scholarship in a bogus discipline. Much of what Churchill published was simply fabricated. Much else turned out to have been plagiarized. A university committee went to work to investigate it all and to recommend disciplinary action. On May 16, the Associated Press reported on the committee’s findings. Yes, Churchill “committed multiple acts of plagiarism, fabrication, and falsification” and his work was “below minimum standards of professional integrity.” Nevertheless, the committee recommended that he be suspended for a year, not fired. Why? Because although his case “shows misbehavior,” it does not show “the worst possible misbehavior.” Yes, that’s right: you can be mad, bad, and dangerous to know—you can lie, fabricate research, plagiarize, and turn your college classroom into a center for anti-American propaganda: all that’s just fine. So long as you are not the worst, your tenure at the University of Colorado is inviolable. Or so the committee’s report suggests. But wait: what would count as “the worst”? According to the AP story, the report mentions fabricating data for grant money or endangering people’s lives by not following appropriate research protocols. But surely that betrays a stunning lack of imagination. What about arson, mass murder, or widespread mayhem? Most people would agree such activities are worse than fabricating data to get a grant, which by definition means that such fabrication is not the worst possible behavior. Sancta simplissima! Has it come to this at the University of Colorado?
By the time you read this, Hank Brown, the university’s president, will have decide whether to accept the committee’s recommendations. He might decide to fire Churchill anyway. He might decided to do nothing. If he recommends any punishment, Churchill’s lawyer has warned, Churchill will file a civil rights lawsuit. Our advice? Fire Ward Churchill and let him sue. So what if he wins? You will have done the right thing.
___________________________________________________________________________
The New Criterion, Volume 25, June 2007, on page 1
Copyright © 2007 The New Criterion | www.newcriterion.com
Fred Thompson
AEI - Scholars & Fellows
Visiting Fellow
Thompson studies national security and intelligence (China, North Korea, and Russia). He was a U.S. senator from Tennessee from 1994 to 2003.Professional Experience
-United States senator from Tennessee, 1994-2003 (chairman, Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, 1997-2001)
-Member, Tennessee Appellate Court Nominating Commission, 1985-1987
-Special counsel, Senate Committee on Intelligence, 1982
-Special counsel, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, 1980-1981
-Special counsel to Lamar Alexander, governor of Tennessee, 1980
-Minority counsel, Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities ('Watergate Committee”), 1973-1974
-Assistant U.S. attorney, 1969-1972
-Practiced law, 1967-1969
-Feature film and television actor
Education
J.D., Vanderbilt University
B.A., Memphis State University
Articles and Short Publications
Hugo Opportunity
Terrorized
Remembering
[List All]
Books
At That Point in Time
Events
Five Years Later: A Progress Report on U.S. Security Post-9/11
Address by Senator Fred Thompson
Fortress America?
[List All]"
Research Areas
National security and intelligence (China, North Korea, and Russia)
Downloads
High-Resolution Photo
Contact Information
Fred Thompson
American Enterprise Institute
1150 Seventeenth Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20036
Assistant: 615-390-9944
Fax: 202-862-7177
E-mail: fthompson@aei.org
Latest Book
At That Point in Time
In 1973 and 1974, the author was the Senate Watergate Committee’s chief minority counsel, and he draws on that experience in this memoir. [Read More]
The 13 Most Overlooked Tax Deductions - Kiplinger.com
Tax Ripoff News
The 13 Most Overlooked Tax Deductions - Kiplinger.com: "three deductions that are all-too-easy to miss because they are invisible on the tax forms. Congress failed to okay them for 2006 returns until after the IRS sent the forms to the printer.
1. State sales taxes. As part of the last-minute tax package last December, Congress resurrected the chance for taxpayers to deduct state and local sales taxes. Although all taxpayers have a shot at this write-off, it makes sense primarily for those who live in states that do not impose an income tax. You must choose between deducting state income taxes or state sales taxes and, for most citizens of income-tax states, the income-tax deduction is a better deal. You won't find this break mentioned on the tax forms, but here's how to claim this deduction: Enter your write-off on line 5 of Schedule A and write 'ST' on the dotted line to the left of that line. IRS even has a calculator on its Web site to help you figure the deduction, which varies by your state and income level.
2. $250 educators' expenses. This break, too, lost its place on the tax forms because it expired at the end of 2005 and wasn't reinstated until the 2006 forms were set. Still, teachers and their aides can deduct up to $250 they spent in 2006 for books and classroom supplies. If you qualify, put your deduction on line 23 of the Form 1"
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Jim Cramer's Waffling
Who Does Jim Cramer Think He Is? -- New York Magazine: "Slap me and I’ll change my mind like Faye Dunaway in Chinatown. "
Short-Term Trading System Elements
Financial News - Yahoo! Finance: TradingMarkets.com
7 Trading Ideas for Today
Friday June 1, 7:44 am ET
By TradingMarkets Research
Here are 7 trading ideas ...
Bullish
5+ Consecutive Down Days: These are stocks that have closed down for five or more consecutive days and are trading above their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading above their 200-day moving average that close down for five or more days have shown positive returns, on average, 1-day, 2-days and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
5+ Consecutive Lower Lows: These are stocks that have made a lower low for five or more consecutive days and are trading above their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading above their 200-day moving average that make lower lows for five or more days have shown positive returns, on average, 1-day, 2-days and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
2-Period RSI Below 2: These are stocks that have a 2-period RSI reading below 2 and are trading above their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading above their 200-day moving with a 2-period RSI reading below 2 have shown positive returns, on average, 1-day, 2-days and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
Bearish
5+ Consecutive Up Days: These are stocks that have closed up for five or more consecutive days and are trading below their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading below their 200-day moving average that close up for five or more days have shown negative returns, on average, 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
5+ Consecutive Higher Highs: These are stocks that have made a higher high for five or more consecutive days and are trading below their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading below their 200-day moving average that make higher highs for five or more days have shown negative returns, on average, 1-day, 2-days and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
PowerRatings are courtesy of PowerRatings.net
Reminder: We are in no way recommending the purchase or sale of these stocks. This article is intended for education purposes only. Trading should be based on your own understanding of market conditions, price patterns and risk; our information is designed to contribute to your understanding.
Friday, June 01, 2007
mediabistro.com Courses and Seminars: "
Back to Home > Courses and Seminars > Mediabistro On Demand
Mediabistro On Demand
Courses | On Demand | Corporate Training | Your Courses
Video crash courses, audio toolkits, and a look inside our panel discussions and speakers series"
Back to Home > Courses and Seminars > Mediabistro On Demand
Mediabistro On Demand
Courses | On Demand | Corporate Training | Your Courses
Video crash courses, audio toolkits, and a look inside our panel discussions and speakers series"
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