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Microsoft recently got some attention for cutting off hundreds of thousands of Xbox Live players for using modded Xboxes — even if there was no evidence they were used for cheating. This is already leading to talk of a class action lawsuit against Microsoft. Even so, Microsoft is now going even further, issuing temporary bans for all of Xbox Live for anyone using a certain “exploit” in Modern Warfare 2 that lets a player set off a grenade after they die in the game. It makes sense for Infinity Ward to create a fix for their own programming mistake, but it seems rather ridiculous for Microsoft to kick people out of the game for doing what the game actually allows. Why blame players for merely doing what is allowed by the game itself?

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The audiobook reviewed here is ‘The Voyage of the Beagle’ by Charles Darwin and narrated by Professor Richard Dawkins. It seems fitting that Dawkins should read this audiobook by Darwin as he travels on his historic voyage around the world. Dawkins narrates with an obvious passion for the work and each sentence is read so convincingly that it became easy to imagine Darwin’s corresponding experiences. Darwin’s writing in this book was a surprise to me. I had expected a concentrated description of the focus of his studies – the varieties of life that he witnessed. However Darwin takes considerable effort to describe not just the wonderful species that he came into contact with but also his own experience on what was a fantastic voyage around the world that would hold appeal to many over 150 years later. I was impressed when Darwin takes the time to describe the injustices that he witnessed against slaves with evident compassion for their plight. He describes the joy of being surrounded by the beautiful vistas, a visit to the Beagle by the Queen of Tahiti – Queen Pomarre, the anxiety of the sometimes dangerous encounters with indigenous tribes and the incomprehensible (to me) breakfast and lunch derived from a passing Armadillo.

Another striking feature is the eloquence of Darwin’s writing and this same writing had wide appeal to his Victorian audience on his return home. He writes humorously at times and I found myself laughing at some of the situations he  described. He also painted a vivid picture of the people that he encountered on his travels. However Darwin also delivers to us a vast number of observations about the taxonomies of the witnessed species but interspersed in the text in such a way as to become almost imperceptible except on further reflection. After this further reflection however it is possible to see at work the great mind of Darwin carefully abstracting his visual and auditory perceptions, integrating those abstractions into his internalised taxonomic structures and then attaching these new labels to his descriptions of the scenery to at once transform this same scene and offer the reader a new vision of the world through the eyes of a naturalist.

Throughout the work, Darwin also refers to the ‘countenance’ of the people he met during the journey and their facial expressions are described in various passages. It was tempting for me to suspect that he had already at this stage started to think about the expression of emotions in humans long before the publication of his book ‘The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals’ in 1872. Similarly there are various references to the pressures on animals in different environments. For instance in one passage he conjectures that a species of bird is adapting through generations so as to learn to avoid human predators which they were unable to do as individual birds in the short term.

This is a fascinating and well narrated book which is both entertaining without being too taxing and which gives an insight into Darwin and his experiences during this historic journey.

References

Charles Darwin. The Voyage of the Beagle. Narrated by Richard Dawkins. Originally published in 1837. Published as an audiobook in 2009 by CSA Word.

Charles Darwin. The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. 1872.

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Disclaimer

The comments made here represent the opinions of the author and do not represent the profession or any body/organisation. The comments made here are not meant as a source of medical advice and those seeking medical advice are advised to consult with their own doctor. The author is not responsible for the contents of any external sites that are linked to in this blog.

While White Knight Chronicles copies in Japan are probably gathering dust by now, the US release just got dated. Yes, the game that was released nearly a year ago in Japan is only getting a US release

Individual investors were not the problem

Paul Krugman’s column is off the mark of how to avoid a future financial crisis, and is a disservice to all investors [“Employment crisis demands action,” Opinion, syndicated column, Dec. 1].

Krugman would have us believe that investments made to save for college, a home, a business, retirement or to try to live off retirement savings is a socially useless activity. That only a long-term buy-and-hold strategy should be encouraged by the government, and any investment strategy short of that should be taxed and discouraged.

Yet the last decade has taught investors that long-term buy-and-hold does not work, that waiting for more than a decade to maybe get a return on an investment is a fool’s game, and that shorter-term investment horizons are needed in order to reach one’s investment goals.

To punish investors who choose not to suffer a long-term buy-and-hold strategy would be to discourage many socially useful activities.

The financial crisis wasn’t caused by investor transactions. It was caused by the creation of a mortgage security bubble that had little underlying value through the failure of federal regulators, by bond underwriters making less-than-honest appraisals of value, and investment banks using excessive leverage. It wasn’t caused by the average investor buying and selling a stock or mutual fund.

I’m baffled that Krugman would focus on punishing individual investors as opposed to fixing the real causes of the financial crisis. His approach is misguided.

— David Street, Ferndale

You can’t keep pushing failed ideas

Paul Krugman’s worrisome argument appears wrong, and is following in the tracks of the Obama administration’s failed policies.

Krugman described two options to help bolster the job outlook, one of which is to start another New Deal work program to create more low-paying, low-skill jobs, exactly the opposite of the family-wage and high-skill jobs we need.

He cited a price tag of $40 billion a year for the next three years, and claims this could create 1 million jobs. This equates to $1.2 trillion. Great idea — let’s spend 8 percent of our GDP to create jobs for .3 percent of our population.

It seems the liberal thought process is to keep pushing failed ideas until they finally work.

Government intervention is not the key to job creation. Supply-side economics is the best way to create lasting jobs. Tax breaks make it easier for existing businesses to grow (aka hire more employees) and easier for entrepreneurs to start the big companies of tomorrow (aka create more employers).

It’s time to stop vilifying the free market and let American ingenuity lead us back to greatness.

— Donald Bricker, Lake Tapps

President announces plan for Afghanistan

Now that President Obama has decided it is in our vital national interest to have 100,000 U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan [“Obama war plan draws hard look,” News, Dec. 3], chasing what the president’s own national-security team has said is fewer than 100 al-Qaida members, it’s time to come to grips with the cost of this war.

To continue as we have done with the Iraq war, and leave to our children and grandchildren the hundreds of billions of dollars in expense for our continuing military operations, is simply immoral. So, too, is relying upon a volunteer military force consisting of 1 to 2 percent of our nation’s people, and forcing them to redeploy over and over and over again to fight our country’s battles.

If this war is really vital to our collective security, then imposing a war tax and reinstituting the draft are the only equitable solutions to allocating its burden among our citizens.

My guess is that the decision makers will see this war quite differently once they start sending their own children and those of their financial backers to Afghanistan.

— Terence Colyer, Shoreline

White House party crashers

The highly paid Secret Service people who allowed Michaele and Tareq Salahi into the White House should be fired and replaced with minimum-wage airport security people [“Celebrity-seeking moron,” Opinion, editorial, Dec. 3].

The White House party crashers would not have able to get past airport security. They insist on ticket, picture identification, coat and shoes before you get in.

Does President Obama and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh not deserve same security?

— Monica Anderson, Shoreline

Gambling to help balance waning budget

Editor, The Times:

Gov. Chris Gregoire wants to add a new Keno game to help balance the budget [“Gregoire takes look at 4-minute Keno,” page one, Nov. 27]. The Washington Indian Gaming Association does not like this idea. I believe it is time for all people created equal to take effect.

I don’t think we need another way to gamble in Washington, we need to let the tribes become equal to the rest of us. The tribes are getting the benefits of being U.S. citizens, plus the benefits of being Native Americans. They have many exemptions that the rest of the U.S. citizens do not.

I think we should tax everyone equally and fairly to balance this budget. In policing other government agencies, double dipping has been caught and punished. The Times is constantly reporting bonuses, severance packages and mismanagement of our tax dollars.

It is time to bring the tribes of the United States into the 21st century with fair taxation for everyone, regardless of events that happened centuries ago, before our time.

— Lynette Mattarocci, Tacoma

We need a road to recovery

News of a $2.6 billion state budget deficit calls for smart action, rather than quick action [“Preserving programs of community value,” Opinion, editorial, Nov. 25]. The Legislature and governor need to take a balanced approach that puts both families and our state’s economy on the track to recovery as soon as possible.

Last year, the Legislature balanced the budget on the backs of the working poor, cutting basic services to the bone, not just trimming fat. If Washington wants to pull out of the recession any time soon, another all-cuts budget is not an option.

In a recession, the needs of working families grow, while the state has fewer resources to meet them. It’s time to identify resources to help struggling families and our economy weather this storm.

— Rebecca Kavoussi, Seattle

Obama administration should come down harder

In regards to the article “Illegal workers quietly let go” [NWMonday, Nov. 23], this is absolutely absurd.

It’s about time our nation step up and pull in the reins on companies that hire and continue to employ illegal immigrants. It’s bad enough legitimate citizens are struggling to keep their jobs and provide for their families, but to have to fight for a job against a person who has no legal right to be here is outrageous.

These companies should be getting slapped with heavy fines, put on probation and continuously checked on. It’s unfortunate that it has escaladed to where companies need to be baby-sat, but President Obama should get more serious about holding these companies and individuals responsible. If not, this will be just another waste of taxpayer dollars and government time.

Also, if these companies are pulling up Social Security numbers that do not match the name or other documentation new hires are providing, at what point does somebody alert the law or look in to what could potentially be identity theft?

— Amanda Gourlie, Bothell

Just let the immigrants be?

I was completely appalled upon hearing of the immigration audit from the article titled “Illegal workers quietly let go.” In my opinion, we need to just let the illegal immigrants be. They have the jobs that no Americans want, which pay wages far too small to survive on, especially in our materialistic society.

People come to America for new opportunities in hopes of better lives, and we cannot even offer that to them. It is pathetic and, quite frankly, I am embarrassed for our country.

The people who support the audit, which quietly lets go illegal employees rather than making a big scene about it, are upset because it does not make them leave America. It allows them to go somewhere else and “take more of our jobs.”

It is an outrage that Yamato Engine Specialists in Bellingham was fined and put on probation for hiring illegal immigrants. They are not bothering us, and they are taking jobs we do not want, even in this horrible economy. I think it is a time to be welcoming and thankful for having them come here to work rather than kick them out.

— Clare Schwieger, Tacoma

Youth immigrants deserve DREAM Act

How difficult is it for us to pass a law that makes sense for everyone?

The government utilizes precious limited resources deporting undocumented youth who were brought into the country by their parents, having no say in the matter. The DREAM Act provides a path to citizenship for these youth, providing options, hope and opportunities after high-school graduation — not to mention the ability to contribute to society by being upright, law-abiding and contributing citizens.

Originally introduced in 2001, the bill still has not passed. One hopes that in a time of financial strife, the U.S. would take measures to cut unnecessary resource utilization. Instead, families are torn apart, aspirations stamped out, and the American dream is foiled.

These youth grew up in the U.S., losing their ties to their countries of birth. When deported, they must suddenly live in a foreign country leaving behind the only home, culture, people and language they’ve known.

Let’s pass the DREAM Act and tell government we don’t want our valuable resources used on investigating and deporting law-abiding youth who contribute to the country. We’d rather they address real issues of danger to our citizens.

— Sarah Houston, Bellevue

John Mauldin, President, Millennium Wave Advisors, LLC

• Friday’s jobs report was a nice surprise, but we need to see several more before we’re out of the woods…
• We’re heading for a double dip recession because of tax increases in 2011
• No way will the government do the smart thing and postpone those tax increases
• 2010 will be a mediocre year for the economy

Produced By: Kamelia Angelova & William Wei

More Video: TBI Calendar Click HERE >

 

John and I talked this morning on TechTicker, too…

 

Upset you missed out on this year’s mega stock market rally? Don’t be.

John Mauldin of Millennium Wave Investments says long-term investors should ignore the temptation to get a piece of the action. In his view, there’s only one metric to pay attention to: Valuations. And, for now, stocks are too rich for his blood — “nosebleed” is the term he used.

That doesn’t mean you should park your money in a CD or under a mattress. “There’s lot of other things you can do while you’re waiting” for valuations to come down, he says.

Among Mauldin’s recommendations are fixed income and dividend yielding utility stocks. And for the more speculative at heart, he thinks buying real estate for rental income is a smart move now that housing prices have come down so dramatically.

But only time will tell if his call about stocks is the right one.

And a second on John’s optimism (after the double dip):

You can sign up for John Mauldin’s free weekly e-letter here >

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• John Mauldin’s Presentation: "Thoughts On The Continuing Economic Crisis"

The ultimate sacrifice; remembering the words of Teddy Roosevelt

Editor, The Times:

May I prevail upon each citizen to observe a moment of silence or say a prayer for the four police officers who were pointlessly slain in Parkland by the man who chose to destroy four innocent lives for reasons known only to his psychotic thinking [“Grief, gratitude for slain officers,” News, Dec. 1].

To Sgt. Mark Renninger, Officer Ronald Owens, Officer Tina Griswold, Officer Gregory Richards, we say thank you. Thank you for your service and sacrifice. We are so very sorry for the unjust fate you suffered at the hands of this madman, and so sorry for the painful loss to your families. Those of us in public service promise to rededicate our efforts to hold dear those ideals, which you made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve.

We remember the words of President Theodore Roosevelt, when he said, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood.”

Each day, we put on the uniform and willingly go in harm’s way. We could have chosen another career, but we chose this path because that is what we are meant to do. We try not to think it can happen to us, but in the back of our minds, we know. We don’t ask for thanks from those we serve, just a little understanding and empathy.

— Bill Fariello, chief of police, DeBeque, Colo., Police Department

Support from law enforcement came from near and far

I was so disheartened to hear of the four officers slain from the Lakewood Police Department.

I am, however, very proud of all of the law-enforcement departments that jumped in to help and support Lakewood from Seattle to Sumner, and even officers who were off duty [“Quietly, public shares grief,” News, Dec. 2].

This only goes to show the support and dedication that every police agency has for their community and families. There was such an amazing response to the Nov. 29 events from different departments, and so quickly, that we should all give thanks to all the men and women in uniform.

— Marv Bird, Auburn

State mental-health system needs evaluation

One of the issues the tragic death of four police officers should bring to the forefront is the state of our mental-health services [“Clemmons’ diagnosis: stress,” News, Dec. 1].

At one time Washington had an excellent mental-health system. People could be referred for admission to mental-health facilities without fear that the clearly disturbed, such as Maurice Clemmons, would be released until they could be safely returned to home and community.

It was an alliance of conservatives, who wanted to save money, and the all-or-nothing civil libertarians who were successful in eliminating these services.

I hope the blame game lets up, and some consideration is given to how our institutions can be reconfigured to provide appropriate retention and treatment for the mentally ill. As it is now, all we have are correctional institutions and a land mine of laws that must be considered before people can be detained or treated. This approach is neither safe nor humane.

— Marilyn Bentz, Kirkland

Bearing the weight of the right to bear arms

The kind of recent violence that was perpetrated at Fort Hood, Texas, and the Seattle-Tacoma area can never be completely eliminated in our society [“‘I didn’t want him to hurt any more people,’” News, Nicole Brodeur staff column, Dec. 3].

One can criticize former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas for granting early release to Maurice Clemmons. Or one can find fault with our state’s penal system, which allowed Clemmons to be released on bail recently, though facing charges of assaulting a police officer and raping a child. Clemmons later killed four Tacoma-area police officers before he was shot and killed by a Seattle policeman.

Much the same can be said for Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, a psychiatrist who killed 13 people in Fort Hood [“Fort Hood shooting suspect had shown troubling signs,” News, Nov. 8]. He had been in contact with a radical Islamic cleric prior to the shootings. To what extent did military officials fail to take note of contacts like these on the part of dangerous personnel like Hasan?

Unfortunately, our society has no way of protecting itself from weapons-bearing characters like Clemmons and Hasan. Short of a military dictatorship like Nazi Germany, we can never totally rid our streets of crime and violence. That is the price we pay for a free society like ours, which allows its citizens the right to bear arms.

— Joseph Delmore, Seattle

A million-dollar question for the NRA

I haven’t yet read or heard of anyone asking the $64,000 question: Where and how did Maurice Clemmons, the alleged shooter, get the weapons he used?

If, as the NRA says, the key to gun safety is enforcing the laws already on the books, what went wrong?

— Frederick Jessett, Sammamish

The bus-stop shooter and concealed-weapons permits

The article in The Times of the woman who allegedly provoked a bus rider with obscene gestures, and then shot him in the chest as he approached her [“Bus-stop shooter won’t be charged,” NWWednesday, Dec. 2] shows that civilians who carry concealed weapons can be a danger to all of us.

A bullet can travel through and exit a human with deadly force, wounding or killing bystanders. The shooter can miss, or the intended target may gain control of the gun and use it against the shooter and others.

Dangerous incidents and injuries are becoming common as more and more people get concealed-weapons permits, which require only minimal training and skill. Police officers go through extensive training and regular practice in handgun use and, just as importantly, in handling difficult situations without discharging a weapon.

A handgun carried by a civilian is just as dangerous as a handgun in the hands of a uniformed officer. The same level of training and skill should be required for a concealed-weapons permit.

— Dan Clawson, Renton

Frightened by article, Sarah Palin

Reading the article “Tri-Cities in Palin country” [NWMonday, Nov. 30] frightened me. Tri-Citians are right about one thing: Some of us snotty Seattleites are afraid of Sarah Palin.

But not because she’s right. We’re frightened because we know she’s wrong, but way too many people think she’s right. We’ve seen the documented articles describing how she’s gone rogue with the facts in her book, but people are eating it up anyway. We’re frightened because she seems more at home being a celebrity than running a state, yet she wants to run a country. Mostly, we’re frightened because this cult following she has supports the idea that Americans are losing their ability to think critically.

I agree with the person quoted in the article who thought we should split the state in half. I don’t want the uber-conservative votes negatively affecting the outcomes of issues that mainly concern Western Washington residents. It’s obvious the feeling is mutual. We’re not only divided by a mountain range, we are divided by cultural gaps that are just too deep to bridge.

— Marilyn Tomlin, Seattle

Democrats, Republicans both live in Eastern Washington

I just finished reading “Tri-Cities is Palin country,” and as a long time Tri-City resident, I find it quite disturbing.

First, reporter Erik Lacitis portrayed everyone in the Tri-Cities as having an anti-Seattle bias and being proudly conservative. This is far from the truth. While it is true the majority of voters in the eastern half of our state tend to vote conservative, there is a large amount of liberals here as well.

While the eastern Democrats may differ from the western Democrats on issues such as nuclear power, we share common ground in other areas. Fighting corporate greed, maintaining a strong labor movement and the need for comprehensive health-care reform are just a few examples.

Secondly is the inference that all Tri-Citians love Sarah Palin and all she stands for. Let me clear this up, I would not cross the street to see her if she were giving out thousand-dollar bills. She is completely unqualified to hold public office, and has no clue of real American’s struggles.

In the future, it would be greatly appreciated by the hardworking men and women of the Tri-Cities if The Seattle Times didn’t lump us into the same boat as the far-right-wingers who just happen to live here.

— Fred Rumsey, Pasco

Klagenfurt, Austria | Small Worlds and Model Towns

Imagine taking all of the most influential and important buildings from around the world, shrinking them, and putting them into a space of 26,000 square meters. Since 1958, that is exactly what Minimundus has been doing. The miniature park in Klagenfurt, Austria is home to 150 models of well-known buildings, including the Eiffel Tower, the White House and St. Petersburg Cathedral. It is perhaps the only place where a tourist can tour the entire world in one park.

The models, which are both educational and entertaining, are built by a group of expert model makers. Many of the models cost around, or even more than, 500,000 Euros each. The ideas for new models usually come from visitors. Upon request, if feasible, a search for facts and documentation of the real building is conducted and the building is then converted to the 1:25 scale and generally built from the same materials as its larger inspiration. A handful of expert gardeners also help maintain the proper environment for each model, allowing visitors to get a real feel for the building and the culture it belongs to.

Fashion Winner

Six $1 sweaters purchased at a thrift store have brought in big bucks for a Harper College fashion student. Sabina Ajdinovic of Hanover Park deconstructed the black and grey sweaters and crocheted them together for a new look – a design that scored her two top titles and $5,000 in scholarships at Fashion Group International’s annual fall competition in Chicago. Ajdinovic’s eco-friendly creation, a patchwork-effect sweater that also incorporated bright blue yarn and an asymmetrical design and used key chains for clasps, took first place in the contest’s Contemporary Sportswear/Wearable Art category and Best of Show. The project also earned Ajdinovic an invitation to study at the American Intercontinental University in London for 10 weeks to further hone her design talents. She’s now in her second year at Harper, and hopes to someday have her own store or merchandise line. The Fashion Group International contest, held in conjunction with a fashion industry career day, drew more than 1,000 students from across the Midwest, many from four-year colleges. Only the top 50 student-submitted designs were featured in the day’s fashion show and judged in the competition.  Twelve Harper students, including Ajdinovic, were among the finalists. They created 19 of the show’s garments.

Media Note: A photo of Sabina Ajdinovic and her winning garment is available. Contact Media Relations Specialist Erin Brooks, 847.925.6159 or [email protected].

Graphic Arts Tour

Enrollment in Harper College’s Graphic Arts program is up nearly 40 percent this fall, and Program Coordinator Patricia Bruner says the department’s newly expanded Imaging Lab and state-of-the-art equipment could draw even more students. Harper’s rejuvenated Graphic Arts area will be on display at a public open house from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday, December 7 in Room Y128 in Building Y, part of Harper’s Avanté Center. Prospective students and others interested in careers in the industry are invited to attend. The expanded laboratory and classroom, built into Avanté space that had been left purposely empty to accommodate growing programs, added 3,600 square feet to the Graphic Arts area. The rooms boast state-of-the-art technology, including a digital press that provides students a chance to learn the industry’s latest techniques. “This open house allows us to showcase the tremendous technology and learning opportunities Harper offers,” Bruner says. “Our students have always learned through hands-on projects, and this new space and equipment will allow us to expose them to the latest skills and trends in the industry. It’s good for prospective students to see that firsthand.” Harper’s four-year-old Graphic Arts program served nearly 350 students last fall and spring semesters. More than 240 students are enrolled this fall, up nearly 70 students from fall of 2008. The College offers associate Graphic Arts degrees in both design and production; many certificates also are available.

Press Contact: Erin Brooks, Media Relations Specialist, 847.925.6159, [email protected].

Speech Success

Members of Harper College’s award-winning Speech Team will take the stage for a public performance at 7 p.m. Monday, December 7 in the College’s Drama Lab, Room L109, Building L. The six-act event will showcase students in the areas of persuasive speaking, impromptu speaking, prose interpretation and more. Harper’s Speech and Debate Team recently took the Community College Division title at the 62^nd annual L.E. Norton Forensics Tournament at Bradley University in Peoria – one of the largest tournaments in the nation, drawing nearly 40 colleges from across the United States. Harper’s squad earned awards in eight categories in its division. Tickets for the group’s Fall Speech Team Spotlight are $6 for general admission. For tickets or more information, call 847.925.6100 or visit www.harpercollege.edu/boxoffice.

Press Contact: Erin Brooks, Media Relations Specialist, 847.925.6159, [email protected].

Winter Music

Harper College’s vocal and instrumental ensembles will stage a host of winter concerts this month, offering the public everything from steel drums and big-band jazz to a capella vocals and the classic wind symphony version of the holiday favorite “Sleigh Ride.” All concerts will be held in the Performing Arts Center on the College’s main campus, 1200 W. Algonquin Road in Palatine.

Concerts Include:

Festival Chorus Christmas Concert, 3 p.m. Sunday, December 6

Steel Bands, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, December 8

Jazz Ensemble, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 9

Wind Symphony and Chamber Winds, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, December 10

Concert Choir and Camerata Singers, 7:30 p.m. Friday, December 11

Piano Ensemble, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, December 12

Symphony Orchestra “’Tis the Season” performance, 3 p.m. Sunday, December 13

Tickets for the Festival Chorus are $15 for general admission; all others are $10 for general admission. Discounts are available for students and seniors, and children ages 12 and younger are admitted free. For tickets or more information, call 847.925.6100 or visit www.harpercollege.edu/boxoffice.

Press Contact: Erin Brooks, Media Relations Specialist, 847.925.6159, [email protected].

Animal Food Drive

As part of her work to help the homeless this holiday season, Jennifer Pitek again is asking for donations of canned food –  and collars, leashes and chew toys. The beneficiaries of her annual Harper College-based effort, dubbed “Santa Claus for Paws,” are the four-legged residents of Illinois animal shelters, and gifts like those help keep them going. With many shelters strapped for cash amid the downturned economy, Pitek, an administrative secretary in Harper’s Center for New Students, says this year’s donations are even more important. “Because of the recession, shelters are finding themselves really in need of basic supplies,” Pitek says. Reports indicate increasing numbers of former homeowners are leaving animals behind as their homes go into foreclosure and money gets tight, putting added pressure on shelters. In addition, fewer families are adopting shelter pets. Pitek has been heading up Harper’s cats and dogs food drive for seven years, inspired after seeing donations from Harper faculty and staff pile up during routine campus drives for the homeless. “I’m an animal lover,” she says, “and I had an understanding of the needs the shelters face.” The effort has yielded good results in previous years, with Harper employees, students and community members stepping up to donate everything from grooming supplies and cat beds to monetary gifts in memory of a beloved pet. Donations will be accepted through Wednesday, December 23, and again after Harper’s campus reopens on Monday, January 4. Needed items include dry and canned foods for cats, kittens, dogs and puppies; dog and cat toys; towels and bedding; biscuits and treats; and leashes and collars. Pet supply store gift cards also are welcome. Donation drop boxes are at the Center for New Students, Room C104 in Building C; the Building A main entrance; the Liberal Arts Office in Building L; the first floor of the Library, Building L; the first floor of Building H; the Math Lab, Room D105 in Building D; and the first floor of Building X in the Avanté Center. All buildings are on Harper’s main campus, 1200 W. Algonquin Road in Palatine.

Press Contact: Jennifer Pitek, Administrative Assistant, 847.925.6314, [email protected];  Erin Brooks, Media Relations Specialist, 847.925.6159, [email protected].

 

Filed under: Government/Legal, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, GM

Back in May, General Motors announced plans to close down a large portion of its dealership network. Since then, a number of those franchisees have lodged complaints to both the automaker itself and appropriate policymakers, leading to possible legislation on how GM is allowed to handle the closing of dealerships. This being the case, The General is proactively drafting a new set of rules as to how it will deal with these to-be-shuttered dealerships, and it promises that some are likely to be reinstated after the process.

Specific details can be seen in the press release pasted after the break, but it seems that the new plan basically will allow these affected dealerships to get some real-life face time with the automaker to hear exactly whey they were targeted for closure. If the dealer still isn’t happy with the outcome, it can elect to enter binding arbitration. If that arbiter finds that GM chose to shutter the dealership for anything other than sound business reasons, the franchise stands to be reinstated.

There’s plenty more detailed in the plan, including a provision for GM to help service technicians and dealership employees find new placement, after the break. This plan will go into effect by mid-January “provided that legislation related to GM’s dealer restructuring does not move forward.”

[Source: General Motors | Image: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]

Continue reading Here’s the Plan: GM reveals how it will deal with shuttered dealers’ complaints

Here’s the Plan: GM reveals how it will deal with shuttered dealers’ complaints originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Roasting sweet potatoes and adding a flavorful Balsamic maple glaze is a great way to enjoy this highly nutritious root vegetable.  They’re so tasty, so easy to cook, and I haven’t met a kid yet that doesn’t love sweet potatoes. 

And I wasn’t kidding about sweet potatoes being nutritious – they actually rank #1 as determined by nutritionists at the Center for Science in the Public Interest.  They earned the honor by being full of dietary fiber, natural sugars, vitamin C, beta carotene, and Vitamin A.  Trader Joe’s makes it easy to enjoy these because they carry bags of conveniently peeled and cubed sweet potatoes.  TJ’s also carries bags of sweet potato spears with are just perfect for making oven-roasted sweet potato fries.  My kids love those and so do I.

When I do a sweet potato recipe, someone usually asks me “what’s the difference between a sweet potato and a yam?”  Well, it seems that what we interchangeably call a yam or sweet potato is really a sweet potato.   It’s a misnomer to call them yams – yams are an unrelated tuber that comes in all shapes and colors and doesn’t grow in the US.  95% of yams are grown in Africa and are more starchy and dry than a sweet potato.  Some yams apparently can grow to 6 feet tall.  You certainly can find yams here in international markets, but what you’re commonly used to eating is a sweet potato.   The Department of Agriculture now requires that anything (incorrectly) labeled a yam to also be labeled as a sweet potato.  If you want to delve into the heated yam vs. sweet potato controversy, you can see photos and a comparison chart here.     And of course, none of them are even potatoes, but we won’t go there…! 

Sweet Potatoes with Balsamic Maple Glaze

1 2-lb bag Cut Sweet Potatoes (or cut your own into 3/4-1 inch cubes)

5 Tbsp peeled and minced shallots (~3 shallots)
3 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
3 Tbsp maple syrup, divided
2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2.) In a medium bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with 2 Tbsp oil and 2 Tbsp maple syrup until well coated.  Spread the sweet potatoes on a lightly oiled baking sheet.  Make sure they are spread out well so that they roast evenly.
3.) Roast sweet potatoes in oven for 20-25 minutes, giving a toss halfway through.  Roast till fork-tender.
4.) While sweet potatoes are in the oven, saute the shallots in a small saucepan with 1 Tbsp oil until shallots are soft.  Add Balsamic vinegar and the remaining 1 Tbsp maple syrup.  Simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes until sauce is slightly reduced and thickened.  Remove from heat.
5.) Remove sweet potatoes from oven and transfer to medium serving bowl.  Drizzle with the sauce and toss to coat.

Serves 4-6

(This post originally appeared on the author’s blog.)

Economists and stock bulls cheered this morning’s better-than-expected November employment report. But was the data as good as it seemed? Consider the following:

Temporary jobs

Could the nine-month rally in share prices and the positive spin pouring out of Wall Street and Washington have encouraged some owners and managers, who are seeing little direct evidence of rebound in the economy, to acquire what might be described as a labor call option — that is, temporary staff (a key factor in the overall increase)?

Otherwise, temporary employees accounted for 52,400 of the hefty 86,000 jump in the professional and business services category. Might this reflect the fact that firms are temporarily taking on accountants, lawyers, and others who can help them further reduce costs (e.g., labor), restructure operations, and maybe even prepare for bankruptcy?

Long-term unemployed

Today’s employment report revealed that the labor force participation rate dropped to 65%, it’s lowest level in more than two decades; the number of Americans who are unemployed over 26 weeks fell to a record 3.8% of the civilian workforce; and, the “underemployment” ratio improved only marginally, to 17.2%.

Could this set of statistics be interpreted as a sign that employers don’t see enough good opportunities to justify taking risks as far as hiring is concerned? In other words, are they are sticking with the safe option — the job market’s “known quantities” (e.g., those who are currently employed or who haven’t been out of work too long)?

Category trends

While much of the focus was on the overall number, the breakdown by category was less reassuring. Those areas of the economy that would naturally be associated with a sustainable rebound in activity, including manufacturing, trade, transportation and utilities, and construction, are still hemorrhaging jobs.

Moreover, recent developments suggest that two categories which did see respectable gains, education and health care, face major headwinds in the period ahead. With municipal budgets under growing strain, school budgets — and education-related hiring — have nowhere to go but down. And with all eyes now focused on the rising cost of health care, the pressure to reign in spending will only increase.

 

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• Foreclosure "Tsunami" Means The Florida Market Won’t Bottom Until 2011
• TrimTabs: The Real Job Loss Number Was 255,000
• We’ve Still Got A LONG Way To Go On Jobs

If you are considering giving a green gift that keeps right on giving al year long, then reusable bags are a super answer. PLUS everyone can use them. With that in mind I’ve got some killer deals to share, just in time for the holidays…

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Reusable Bags is not only having amazing closeout deals on reusable bags right now, (good ones) but also closeout prices on other cool reusable gear; EarthLust water bottles and green cleaning kits to name a couple.

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Not really a sale, but you should know that Original ChicoBags are just $5 which means you can afford to stuff one into every stocking PLUS if you buy any five Original ChicoBag brand reusable bags the fifth is free! All kinds of colors to choose from.

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Post from: Blisstree

Reusable bag sales for the holidays