Teachers - Ideas of what to do during the September break

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><i>This is a guest post from <a href="http://digitalclassroom.co.za/digitalclassroom/latestnews/416-what-to-do-on-your-holidays" target="_blank">Digital Classroom</a>,  which is the Vodacom portal for teachers around the country, telling teachers about the wonderful holiday opportunities that exist for this September break.  We read their excellent article on the Vodacom site and asked if we could use it for a guest post.  Thank you to Digital  Classroom</i></div><div style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">18 September 2013 – The short but welcome spring school holidays are upon us, a time to recharge the batteries and prepare for the challenges of the last term and final exams of the year.</div><div style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpAmVLPgg388Lx5IrWtHsZVH9SsLs5VPmI9xyztayml-g4aF1SwQoj-YJJf1pUX5pQ5hIdiphDoi9T-F9mOfEYoEg1ZTGnX9YoQNTkl6OeKr-Dl7QXU7zEKIgjZkJ-FnAGVAO6ootRuIo/s1600/Google+summit.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpAmVLPgg388Lx5IrWtHsZVH9SsLs5VPmI9xyztayml-g4aF1SwQoj-YJJf1pUX5pQ5hIdiphDoi9T-F9mOfEYoEg1ZTGnX9YoQNTkl6OeKr-Dl7QXU7zEKIgjZkJ-FnAGVAO6ootRuIo/s1600/Google+summit.jpeg" /></a>There are a number of activities and holiday schools and programmes geared towards keeping the younger grades occupied and interested in the sciences, as well as helping the matrics prepare for the last hurdle of their school careers.</div><div style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>International Science Fair Regional Expo</b></span></div><div style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">For starters, the <span style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.exposcience.co.za/index.php/about-us.html" style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">International Science Fair Regional Expo</a></span> takes place from 25 to 28 September at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng.</div><div style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><br /></div><div style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">It is the final step in the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists, the only science fair for schoolchildren in South Africa, where they can exhibit their own scientific investigations. The fair is the result of regional expos held in each province through the year, the winners of which participate. Eskom Expo includes students, teachers, professional organisations and educational bodies and governments from all over Southern Africa.</div><div style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">In taking part, schoolchildren increase their awareness of the wonders of science and add to their knowledge and entrepreneurial possibilities, while broadening their scientific horizons, say the organisers.</div><div style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">Students can enter their own individual projects, or work with one other student on a two-person group project. There is a range of categories – 25 in all – from agricultural sciences through engineering: chemical, metallurgical and mining, microbiology and biochemistry, to social and psychological sciences, some of which are grade specific. But selection for the South African International Science Fair is restricted to grades six to 12.</div><div style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">Participants are judged and awarded gold, silver and bronze medals, and there are plenty of awards made by special interest groups. The Eskom Awards, for example, are made in:</div><ul style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 1em 1em; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.2em;"><li style="border: 0px none; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Best development project;</li><li style="border: 0px none; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Best energy project;</li><li style="border: 0px none; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Best female project;</li><li style="border: 0px none; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">International trip to a science fair or science forum;</li><li style="border: 0px none; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">A science lab for a rural primary and secondary school; and,</li><li style="border: 0px none; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Best energy efficiency project (energy and cost saving covered in all categories).</li></ul><div style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">And some finalists are selected to participate in international science fairs in other countries; however, participation in international science fairs is strictly for selected individual participants and invited Eskom Expo officials.</div><h3 style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Wonderful water</span></h3><span style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.sci-bono.co.za/index.php" style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Sci-Bono Discovery Centre</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;"> in Newtown, in downtown Joburg, is holding a Wondrous Water week, from 21 to 29 September. "We celebrate the blue gold that is one of the most precious and scarce resources on the planet," says the centre. "Although less than 1 percent of all water on the planet is fresh, it is an absolute necessity to sustain all life. Join us as we take you on a journey to discover more about our liquid planet."</span><br /><div style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">The programme will include interactive science experiments, starting at 10am every day. Participants will build their own steam boat and learn how steam can be used as a source of energy; build their own water rockets and see who shoots their rocket the highest. They will learn that hydrogen used in fuel cells can be used as a major source of clean energy in future, what fuel cell technology is, how it works, and how it may develop in the future – and then produce hydrogen from water to run a small hydrogen fuel cell car.</div><div style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">At 1pm each day, there will be an Aqua Spectacle Science Show in which the science of water will be explored further. Participants will learn more about bubbles, what holds them together and why insects can walk on water. Some of the workshops have a minimal entrance fee while others are free and are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis.</div><h3 style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><br style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-size: large;">Google in Education</span></h3><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;">Down in Cape Town, the first Google in Education South Africa Summit takes place at Parklands College on 26 and 27 September, hosted by </span><span style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.schoolnet.org.za/news/836/" style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">SchoolNet SA</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;"> and Google EDU Summit Team in South Africa. Targeting teachers and school administrators, it's a high-intensity event that focuses on deploying, integrating, and using Google Apps for Education and other Google Tools to promote student learning in school and higher education. The programme features Google certified teachers, Google Apps for Education certified trainers, practising administrators, solution providers, Google engineers, and representatives from the Google education teams.</span><br /><div style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">William Florance from Google is the keynote speaker, and each session will have anywhere from six to 13 breakout workshops from which to choose. They will range from "Getting Started" to "Getting Geeky", and each session will have workshops geared towards technical deployment and administrators using Google Apps for Education.</div><div style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">Still in Cape Town, the famed Two Oceans Aquarium in the V&A Waterfront runs a <span style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.aquarium.co.za/education/programmes_at_the_aquarium/young_junior_biologists/" style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">young biologist course</a></span> for Grade 10s who are passionate about the marine environment and are committed to making a change. It takes place from 23 to 29 September. The children will spend four days at the aquarium, and then three days at a camp. Once they have finished the programme, they must commit to at least 30 volunteer hours at the aquarium.</div><h3 style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Coastal clean-up</span></h3><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;">In the midst of the course, on 21 September, the aquarium will host a clean-up of Strandfontein Beach from 10am to noon, as part of International Coastal Clean-up Day, which was established in 1986 and has since grown into a global initiative. Everyone is invited to volunteer.</span><br /><div style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">The clean-up is the world's largest volunteer effort to clean up waterways and the ocean. Volunteers get data cards and each item collected is recorded on these cards. Last year, 561 633 volunteers from across the globe collected 4 603 956 kilos of rubbish. The top 10 items found included paper bags at number 10, plastic drinking straws at number seven, plastic shopping bags at number four, and cigarettes and cigarette filters at number one.</div><div style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">The <span style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.mtnsciencentre.org.za/visit-holiday-programs.html" style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Cape Town Science Centre</a></span> also has activities during the holiday. From 21 to 30 September, there will be daily hands-on workshops, among them Edutraden design and make, Robotics, 3D animation and Scratch workshops, alongside the daily science shows, camera obscura tours and general fun.</div><div style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">In the Living Maths 3D Animation workshop, children will learn to use Blender, an open source 3D animation software programme. They will learn how computer generated graphics are linked to maths. And in the Scratch Programming workshop, participants will learn the basics of programming with Scratch, an award-winning animated programming platform. Scratch, a project from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab, lets users programme their own interactive stories, games and animations, and share their creations online.</div><div style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">The centre also runs Lego WeDo Robotics clubs, where teens are taught to build and programme Lego Mindstorms robots and prepare for competitions.</div><h3 style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Exam revision</span></h3><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;">And finally, there is </span><span style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.mindset.co.za/content/spring-school-exam-revision" style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Spring School Exam Revision</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;"> for matrics with Mindset. The school is well-placed between trial and final exams, giving pupils the help they need.</span><br /><div style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">Spring School runs from 23 to 27 September on DSTV channel 319 and features live and pre-recorded exam revision lessons. Participants are able to work through past exam papers with Mindset's expert teachers or interact with them at learnxtra on Facebook and Twitter. As always, free revision notes can also be downloaded for each topic.</div><div style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">The classes run from 9am to 6pm, and feature videos and notes. They cover everything from maths, maths literacy and accountancy, to the sciences, the humanities, business studies and economics. A detailed programme of what is on when, is<span style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.mindset.co.za/learn/xtra/revision/" style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">available</a></span>.</div><div style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">Previous <span style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.education.gov.za/Examinations/PastExamPapers/tabid/351/Default.aspx" style="border: 0px none; color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">exam papers</a></span> are also available from the Department of Basic Education for extra revision.</div></div>

news Teachers - Ideas of what to do during the September break

This is a guest post from Digital Classroom ,  which is the Vodacom portal for teachers around the country, telling teachers about the wonde...

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Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 09/25/2013

<ul class="diigo-linkroll"> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="https://www.edtrips.com">edtrips | Beyond the classroom</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">I'm going to test this website. It manages class trips, permission forms, and communicates activities with the class. The idea of it sounds great. Yes, it is free. Of course, we'll have to dig down and see how the emails are used and the privacy settings but this is definitely something very needed!</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/field">field</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/trip">trip</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/tumblr">tumblr</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/app">app</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/eduapp">eduapp</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.outlinesoutloud.com/the-app/">The App | Outlines Outloud</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">This app converts study notes to speech. This might be an app that some of you are interested in trying out for your special needs students. "OutlinesOutloud takes the sting out of studying by converting your study outlines to spoken audio. Super-flexible playback controls let you vary speech rate; jump forward and backward with ease, skip rows or whole sections, loop—and more!"</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/spedchat">spedchat</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/apps">apps</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/eduapp">eduapp</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/tumblr">tumblr</a></p> </li> </ul><p class="diigo-ps">Posted from <a href='https://www.diigo.com'>Diigo</a>. The rest of my favorite links are <a href='https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher'>here</a>.</p>

Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 09/25/2013

edtrips | Beyond the classroom I'm going to test this website. It manages class trips, permissio...

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Today's Teamster News 09.25.13

<a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20130923-907319.html" rel="nofollow">Teamsters, Horizon Air Reach Tentative Agreement</a>  Wall Street Journal   ...Horizon Air and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters today jointly announced a tentative agreement on a proposed five-year contract extension covering the airline's 280 aircraft technicians, fleet service agents and other fleet support positions...<br /><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/23/cnrailway-union-idUSL2N0HJ11020130923" rel="nofollow">CN Rail contract talks with Teamsters snagged on health, safety</a>  Reuters   ...Contract negotiations between <a href="http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=CNI&lc=int_mb_1001" rel="nofollow">Canadian National Railway</a> and the Teamsters Union appear to have stalled as CN demands changes that union officials say could jeopardize the health and safety of workers...<br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/19/us-income-inequality-ancient-rome-levels_n_1158926.html" rel="nofollow">U.S. Income Inequality Higher Than Roman Empire's Levels: Study</a>  Huffington Post   ...the top one percent of earners in Ancient Rome controlled 16 percent of the society's wealth. By comparison, the top one percent of <a href="http://www.vanityfair.com/society/features/2011/05/top-one-percent-201105">American earners control 40 percent of the country's wealth</a>...<br /><a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/09/24/banks_find_appalling_new_way_to_cheat_homeowners_partner/" rel="nofollow">Banks find appalling new way to cheat homeowners</a>  Salon   ...servicers like Nationstar often failed to inform homeowners about the change in servicing rights when they are transferred, meaning that the homeowner kept paying the wrong servicer. This is a clever way to facilitate late fees; just don’t tell the customer where to send their money...<br /><a href="https://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/09/23-3" rel="nofollow">Workers Set Factories Ablaze in Call for Decent Wage for Producing Globe's 'Cheap' Clothing</a>  Common Dreams   ...Bangladesh swept by a third day of protests that leaves nearly 150 injured...<br /><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-23/two-hundred-bangladesh-factories-shut-on-labor-unrest.html" rel="nofollow">Bangladesh Garment Protests Enter Fourth Day</a>  Bloomberg   ...Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan met last night with factory owners and labor leaders in an effort to end demonstrations that forced about 400 of the country’s 5,000 garment factories to close yesterday...<br /><a href="http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/09/24/greece-strike-idINL5N0HJ3LV20130924" rel="nofollow">Greeks public sector workers strike as lenders check reform progress</a>  Reuters   ...Greek public sector workers went on strike for the second time in a week on Tuesday, shutting schools and leaving hospitals with skeleton staff, as inspectors from Greece's foreign lenders checked if the country was meeting its bailout targets...<br /><a href="http://business.time.com/2013/09/24/u-s-trade-body-urges-india-to-play-fair/" rel="nofollow">U.S. Trade Body Urges India to Play Fair</a>   Time   ...An American manufacturing representative body is protesting against perceived discriminatory trade practices initiated by New Delhi ahead of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to the U.S on Friday...<br /><a href="http://blackburnnews.com/windsor/windsor-news/2013/09/23/unifor-talking-right-to-work/" rel="nofollow">Unifor Talking Right To Work</a>  Blackburn News   ...The president of Unifor Local 444 in Ontario, Canada says his union is ready to fight Right To Work legislation. Dino Chiodo calls it “work for less” legislation, because that’s what he believes it will leave his members doing if it’s ever imposed on a provincial or federal level...<br /><a href="http://www.alternet.org/walmart-cut-employee-hours-so-drastically-they-cant-keep-shelves-stocked-losing-customers" rel="nofollow">Walmart Cut Employee Hours So Drastically They Can't Keep Shelves Stocked, Losing Customers</a> Think Progress   ...Amid plunging sales and massive strikes, even Walmart has conceded it can’t run a business on a skeleton crew...<br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/23/government-shutdown-deadline_n_3974982.html?ref=topbar" rel="nofollow">Government Shutdown Deadline In One Week</a>  Associated Press   ...With a week left to hammer out a deal to avoid a government shutdown, some lawmakers seem resigned – if not rushing – to that end...<br /><a href="http://www.alternet.org/economy/robert-reich-we-can-save-economy-if-we-get-serious-about-taxing-rich" rel="nofollow">Robert Reich: We Can Save the Economy If We Get Serious About Taxing the Rich</a>  AlterNet   ...New documentary "Inequality for All," starring Reich explains how to fix America's income inequality...<br /><a href="http://www.alternet.org/civil-liberties/nowhere-hide-governments-massive-intrusion-our-lives" rel="nofollow">Nowhere to Hide: The Government's Massive Intrusion Into Our Lives</a>  Tom Dispatch   ...The NSA isn’t the only government agency exploiting technology to make privacy obsolete...<br /><a href="http://www.boston.com/business/news/2013/09/24/smithfield-shareholders-approve-shuanghui-deal/2WvrHGodrVA8380kXsBcNP/story.html" rel="nofollow">Smithfield shareholders approve Shuanghui deal</a>  Associated Press   ...Shareholders of Smithfield Foods Inc. on Tuesday approved a plan to sell the world’s largest pork producer and processor to a Chinese company...<br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/23/bank-of-america-racial-discrimination_n_3977581.html" rel="nofollow">Bank Of America To Pay $2.18 Million In Racial Discrimination Case</a>  Reuters   ...Bank of America Corp was ordered to pay $2.18 million to 1,147 black job applicants over racial discrimination in hiring that kept qualified candidates from getting jobs, said the U.S. Department of Labor...<br /><a href="http://www.alternet.org/economy/401k-revolution-and-inequality" rel="nofollow">How America’s 401(k) Revolution Rewarded the Rich and Turned the Rest of Us Into Big Losers</a> AlterNet   ...It was a bad idea from the get-go, but new research shows that America’s 401(k) revolution has left us even worse off than we thought. Here’s a look at how we got into this mess, and where it will take us if we don’t wise up...<br /><a href="http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2013/09/saddle_river_valley_bank_to_pa.html#incart_river" rel="nofollow">N.J. bank fined $8.2 million over federal money-laundering violations</a>  Star-Ledger   ...Saddle River Valley Bank, a former community bank in Bergen County that once was controlled by private equity magnate J. Christopher Flowers, has agreed to pay $8.2 million to settle federal claims that it broke U.S. anti-money laundering laws... <br /><a href="http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/09/23/chrysler-files-for-an-i-p-o/?_r=0" rel="nofollow">Union Push for I.P.O. Forces Filing at Chrysler</a>  New York Times   ...Chrysler filed for a public stock offering on Monday, acting only under pressure from its second-largest shareholder, a trust set up to provide medical coverage for 115,000 retired autoworkers and their relatives...

Today's Teamster News 09.25.13

Teamsters, Horizon Air Reach Tentative Agreement   Wall Street Journal   ...Horizon Air and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters today...

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Exclusive: Cote de Pablo Talks About Her Decision to Leave NCIS

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://www.tvguide.com/">http://www.tvguide.com</a><br /><h1 style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;">Exclusive: Cote de Pablo Talks About Her Decision to Leave <i>NCIS</i></h1><div class="nw-byline-w clear" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; width: 570px;"><br /></div><div class="img-w" id="imgCont" style="background-color: white; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin: 15px 10px 5px 0px; padding: 3px 0px 0px; width: 210px;"><img alt="" src="http://static.tvgcdn.net/MediaBin/Content/130923/News/2_tues/thumbs/130924cote-depablo-ncis1_210x305.jpg" style="border: 0px;" width="210px" /><div class="caption" id="imgText" style="background-color: #e6e6e6; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 2px 4px;">Cote de Pablo</div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><strong>[Spoiler Alert: Don't read this story if you don't want to know Ziva's fate!]</strong></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><em><a href="http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/ncis/100320" style="color: #0066bb; text-decoration: none;">NCIS</a></em> fans have long memories. They fondly recall the scene back in Season 4 when Ziva David, then still a visiting Mossad agent, announced to Tony DiNozzo, "I will kill you 18 different ways with this paper clip." So when the woman who so engagingly played Ziva for eight seasons, <a href="http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/cote-de-pablo/189721" style="color: #0066bb; text-decoration: none;">Cote de Pablo</a>, announced she was leaving the series, grief-stricken devotees sent paper clips to CBS in protest. But even that couldn't keep Ziva attached.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">"On a September day in New York, I'm looking out my balcony, and I still miss my family," says de Pablo, thinking about not being on the Los Angeles set in the fall for the first time since 2005. "But they're with me all the time, every day, and that won't change." De Pablo is speaking with <em>TV Guide Magazine</em>exclusively after her abrupt decision not to renew her contract just prior to the start of production on Season 11 (which kicks off Tuesday at 8/7c on CBS).</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">As for the fan outpouring, she says, "I was incredibly moved by the blind support people had without ever getting reasons as to why I left. People trusted that what I was doing was what I needed to do, and that's unconditional love from people who don't even know me. That's been the most beautiful thing out of this process."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">The love de Pablo felt from fans is being returned in a farewell hour that airs Oct. 1 and is easily the most anticipated episode in the history of TV's top-rated drama. It will finally provide some clarity to the long-simmering feelings between Ziva and <a href="http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/michael-weatherly/166360" style="color: #0066bb; text-decoration: none;">Michael Weatherly</a>'s Tony DiNozzo. "As far as the 'Tiva' fans, they'll get a resolution they've awaited for years," she says. "There is a level of confession. And if it takes a big change like this to stir things up, it's all for the better. I'm a fan of the show!"</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Such mixed feelings may only deepen the mystery of why de Pablo left. Clearly, there was a last-minute impasse no one wants to discuss, beyond the network's insistence that money wasn't a factor. "As far as my decision to leave, that's a personal thing, and I'd rather leave it at that," she says. "The idea of leaving was not something I toyed around with for a long time. It was an overwhelmingly hard thing — at times terrifying."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">She has no grand scheme for doing a sitcom or movies. "Leaving <em>NCIS</em> was not planned, so there is no plan. If I were panicking now, it would defeat the purpose. I need to get really excited about something, because for eight years I was really excited about this character. I don't want to start anything unless it's like that."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><em>Bittersweet</em> is the word she inevitably uses to describe how it felt to wrap up her storyline at the -beginning of Season 11. "Did I want to leave under those circumstances? That's another story," she says. "But I'm not of the belief that you just take off and leave fans hanging. A lot of people don't get the privilege of going back to a set and being able to say goodbye to people. I left under my terms, and that was wonderful."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">The final shoot was "a beautiful day — a quiet, intimate set," she says. "I'm horrible at saying goodbyes, because I've been saying goodbyes ever since I left my country [Chile] when I was 10, so even though I did not utter the word <em>goodbye</em>, I was able to hug them and let them know how much I loved them. And that's all that matters."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">"We wanted to give her the most graceful, emotional payoff we could," says exec producer <a href="http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/gary-glasberg/327602" style="color: #0066bb; text-decoration: none;">Gary Glasberg</a>. "It was a pretty magical moment. Cote took it and ran with it, and the emotion you'll see on screen is very real."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Ziva's most intimate moments were with Tony, and de Pablo enthuses over "getting to close things off with my partner in crime, Michael. My first scene ever in the bullpen was with Michael, and my goodbye scene was with Michael. I feel like that was a beautiful way of ending — for now, certainly — a beautiful chapter between these two."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Did she say "for now"? Although you get the feeling any reprise would be years in the future, de Pablo has a surprisingly hopeful, never-say-never answer when asked if she could ever return for a cameo or something bigger. "The greatest thing about this last episode is that Ziva doesn't die," she says. "As long as a character doesn't die, the character can always come back. Not that it would actually matter, because we bring back characters from the dead all the time on <em>NCIS</em>!"</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Notice her use of the present tense and the word <em>we</em>. De Pablo may be almost as reluctant to let go of Ziva as all those paper-clip wielders are.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="https://w1.buysub.com/loc/TVM/articleURL" style="color: #0066bb; text-decoration: none;">Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!</a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">(Full disclosure: TVGuide.com is owned by CBS.)</div></div>

Exclusive: Cote de Pablo Talks About Her Decision to Leave NCIS Exclusive: Cote de Pablo Talks About Her Decision to Leave NCIS

http://www.tvguide.com Exclusive: Cote de Pablo Talks About Her Decision to Leave  NCIS Cote de Pablo [Spoiler Alert: Don't read this st...

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What's Ted Cruz's deal?

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://www.cnn.com/">http://www.cnn.com</a><br /><h1 style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 30px; line-height: 33px; margin: 15px 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 600px;">What's Ted Cruz's deal?</h1><div class="cnn_stryathrtmp" style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Utkal, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 1px 0px 14px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="cnnByline" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">By Leigh Ann Caldwell, CNN</div><div class="cnn_strytmstmp" style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 1px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">updated 9:42 PM EDT, Tue September 24, 2013</div><div class="cnn_strytmstmp" style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 1px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill on May 16." src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/130924130644-01-cruz-0924-horizontal-gallery.jpg" /></div><div class="cnn_strytmstmp" style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 1px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Washington (CNN)</strong> -- <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/13/politics/natural-born-president/index.html" style="border: 0px; color: #004276; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Ted Cruz</a> says he wasn't elected to the Senate to stay quiet. And his refusal upon entering Congress to observe its protocol to sit back and learn like a freshman, as expected, rubbed some of his more senior colleagues the wrong way.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph2" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">And while he has angered much of his party over his crusade against President Barack Obama's health care law and the potential government shutdown it could cause, Cruz says he's standing for the same principles that got him elected.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph3" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">On Tuesday, he took that edict to the Senate floor in support of his plan to defund Obamacare, saying he would speak "until I am no longer able to stand."</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph4" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">But his marathon appearance will not do anything to block Obamacare funding with a key procedural vote on the issue still scheduled for Wednesday. Instead, Cruz said his speech was to simply "make D.C. listen."</div><a href="" name="em1" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Utkal, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Utkal, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"></span><div class="cnn_strylftcntnt cnn_strylftcexpbx" id="expand15" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; clear: left; color: black; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Utkal, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 27px 0px 10px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="clickToPlay" id="clickToPlayvideoContainerexpand15" style="background-image: url(http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.e/img/3.0/video/416_player_Click_to_play_off.png); border: 0px; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; height: 42px; left: 45px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 27px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 136px; zoom: 1;"></div><img alt="" border="0" class="box-image" height="120" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/130924192326-erin-dnt-bash-ted-cruz-government-shutdown-00001326-story-top.jpg" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="214" /><cite class="expCaption" style="background-color: black; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; bottom: 0px; height: 20px; left: 10px; margin: 0px; opacity: 0.85; padding: 0px; position: absolute; width: 214px;"><span style="border: 0px; color: white; display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; left: 4px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: 2px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cruz: Speech to last until I can't stand</span></cite></div><a href="" name="em2" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Utkal, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Utkal, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"></span><div class="cnn_strylftcntnt cnn_strylftcexpbx" id="expand25" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; clear: left; color: black; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Utkal, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 27px 0px 10px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="clickToPlay" id="clickToPlayvideoContainerexpand25" style="background-image: url(http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.e/img/3.0/video/416_player_Click_to_play_off.png); border: 0px; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; height: 42px; left: 45px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 27px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 136px; zoom: 1;"></div><img alt="" border="0" class="box-image" height="120" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/130924075331-government-shutdown-navarro-cain-newday-00031127-story-body.jpg" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="214" /><cite class="expCaption" style="background-color: black; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; bottom: 0px; height: 20px; left: 10px; margin: 0px; opacity: 0.85; padding: 0px; position: absolute; width: 214px;"><span style="border: 0px; color: white; display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; left: 4px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: 2px; vertical-align: baseline;">Will Sen. Ted Cruz's strategy backfire?</span></cite></div><a href="" name="em3" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Utkal, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Utkal, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"></span><div class="cnn_strylftcntnt cnn_strylftcexpbx" id="expand35" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; clear: left; color: black; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Utkal, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 27px 0px 10px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="clickToPlay" id="clickToPlayvideoContainerexpand35" style="background-image: url(http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.e/img/3.0/video/416_player_Click_to_play_off.png); border: 0px; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; height: 42px; left: 45px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 27px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 136px; zoom: 1;"></div><img alt="" border="0" class="box-image" height="120" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/130923204211-exp-erin-sot-bash-ted-cruz-threatens-government-shutdown-00013730-story-body.jpg" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="214" /><cite class="expCaption" style="background-color: black; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; bottom: 0px; height: 20px; left: 10px; margin: 0px; opacity: 0.85; padding: 0px; position: absolute; width: 214px;"><span style="border: 0px; color: white; display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; left: 4px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: 2px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cruz: GOP must support filibuster</span></cite></div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph5" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">Critics question his motives, though — is this about his principles or about presidential aspirations?</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph6" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">CNN political analyst Gloria Borger said his Republican detractors think Cruz is putting his political career above all else.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph7" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">"While many others have, no doubt, come to the Senate in the past as a springboard to the presidency, it's hard to recall someone who has created as much controversy within his own party," Borger said.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph8" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cruz has been in Washington for less than a year, but his short stint has been an effective lesson in partisan politics. Only history will tell, however, if his tactics will be worth repeating.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph9" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Texas Republican's counterparts in the House of Representatives have tried 42 times to roll back Obamacare, but their efforts have gone nowhere in the Democratic-controlled Senate.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph10" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cruz has upped the ante. His latest battle to disrupt Obamacare is tied to funding the government in the new fiscal year that starts on October 1. The House passed the measure last week. But Senate Democrats are not about to allow the health care bill to be unraveled, therefore putting at risk a government shutdown.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph11" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cruz's refusal to give up the fight has rankled many of his fellow Republicans, widening divisions in a splintered party. Democrats, meanwhile, are sitting back and watching the intraparty fight.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph12" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Who is this guy?</strong></div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph13" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">His effectiveness at political debate has landed Cruz in many successful places. He was elected to the Senate in 2012, after rebuking the Republican establishment and winning the Republican primary, paving the way to a general election victory.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph14" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">Previously, he was the youngest solicitor general of Texas and has argued multiple cases before the Supreme Court. He got his start at Princeton as head of the debate team and then honed his skill at Harvard Law School.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph15" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">What's his fight?</strong></div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph16" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cruz did not take his Senate responsibilities lightly. As a freshman, he refused to stand on the sidelines until he's gained a measure of seniority, a common tradition in Washington. Instead, he was loud and opinionated.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph17" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">"I find it amusing that those in Washington are puzzled when someone actually does what they said they would do," Cruz told CNN in February. "At the end of the day, I was elected to represent 26 million Texans and to speak the truth. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/21/opinion/liu-ted-cruz/index.html" style="border: 0px; color: #004276; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">You know, I think a lot of Americans are tired of politicians in Washington in both parties who play games</a>.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph18" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cruz was elected, promising to shrink government, especially the new health care law. That battle has been embraced by most Republicans in Congress, but his latest tactic has frustrated many.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph19" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Political novice..</strong><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">.</strong><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">?</strong></div><div class="cnn_strylftcntnt" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; clear: left; color: black; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Utkal, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="cnn_strylctcntr cnn_strylccimg300" style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: arial; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px 22px 20px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 300px;"><div class="cnn_strylccimg300cntr" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; height: 169px; margin: 0px 0px 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 300px;"><img alt="Sen. Ted Cruz at anti-Obamacare rally" border="0" class="box-image" height="169" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/130923193625-cruz-obamacare-rally-gi-story-body.jpg" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="300" /></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sen. Ted Cruz at anti-Obamacare rally</div></div></div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph20" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">New York Rep. Peter King has been an outspoken critic of Cruz' latest crusade — at one point calling him a "fraud."</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph21" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">"Whether it's Custer, whether it's kamikaze, or whether it's Gallipoli or whatever, we are going to lose this," the New York Republican said on CNN's "The Situation Room" last week.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph22" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">And Republican Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee tweeted that he "didn't go to Harvard or Princeton" but that he "can count" that Democrats outnumber Republicans in the Senate.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph23" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">But Cruz said to let his critics talk.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph24" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">"If you get outside of Washington, D.C., there is a frustration with Washington that is palpable. When you ask your constituents what are the problems you're facing, over and over again, the answer that comes back is Obamacare is killing jobs, is taking away my health insurance, is driving up my premiums, is causing small businesses to shrink, to go out of business. If we listen to the American people, that should be our priorities," he told CNN this week.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph25" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">Still, Republicans are frustrated by his insistence at fighting a divisive, losing battle.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph26" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/09/23/ted-cruz-you-cloture-it-you-buy-it/?iref=allsearch" style="border: 0px; color: #004276; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">'Don't break filibuster'</a></div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph27" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">"We are giving Obama the escape out," Republican strategist Ana Navarro said on CNN's 'AC360.' "Instead of now focusing on the problems with Obamacare, everybody's focused on the civil war in the Republican party."</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph28" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">Navarro also noted that the numerous polls, including CNN's latest poll, that while the public is concerned with Obamacare, they don't support shutting down the government over it.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph29" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">"If you want to fix Obamacare or repeal it or fix it or change it, the best way to do it is to elect more Republicans. And the political cost of a government shutdown is really going to affect any -- any possibility of electing more Republicans," Navarro added.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph30" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">...or </strong><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">p</strong><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">olitical genius?</strong></div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph31" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">While Cruz is ruffling the feathers of his colleagues in Washington, he is mobilizing the grassroots outside the Beltway.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph32" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">Conservative groups are praising Cruz.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph33" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">"Senator Cruz came to Washington to advance conservative policies, not play by the same old rules that have relegated conservatives, and their ideas, to the back bench," Michael Needham, president of Heritage Action, recently said about Cruz.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph34" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">His group helps activate grass roots Republicans for conservative candidates and political causes.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph35" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">And Republican candidates running against Republican incumbents in the primaries are using Cruz' crusade in their races.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph36" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">Matt Bevin, who is running for Senate to replace top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell, said in a statement that he would support "conservatives like Sen. Ted Cruz in his fight to defund Obamacare."</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph37" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/24/politics/obamacare-shutdown-answers/index.html?hpt=po_c2" style="border: 0px; color: #004276; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Obamacare: Can it be stopped?</a></div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph38" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bevin bashed McConnell for coming out against Cruz' effort to shut down the government in order to stop Obamacare.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph39" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">Like so many other crucial fights, Mitch McConnell has caved to (Senate Majority Leader) Harry Reid on Obamacare and is refusing to fight to defund this disastrous legislation."</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph40" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">And long-time Sen. Mike Enzi of Wyoming came out in support of Cruz. He is facing Liz Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, in a contentious primary.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph41" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Will Cruz be scarred or be a star?</strong></div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph42" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cruz could alienate his colleagues to a point where he becomes marginalized and completely ineffective in Washington.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph43" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">He has also hinted at a possible presidential run in 2016. If he has no support of the Republican Party, he risks being cut off from its resources and financing.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph44" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">On the other hand, Cruz' principled stand can help to grow a movement of disenchanted conservative voters. If a groundswell of conservative grassroots activists grows between now and 2016 -- and their financial support - Cruz could have carved out a path to the Republican nomination.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph45" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">"I think what Senator Cruz understands is that he has more to gain from adhering to his principles, staying in touch with the grass roots here and around the country than he does being friends with other senators," Brendan Steinhauser, a leading Texas tea party activist who worked to get Cruz elected, said.</div></div></div></div>

What's Ted Cruz's deal? What's Ted Cruz's deal?

http://www.cnn.com What's Ted Cruz's deal? By Leigh Ann Caldwell, CNN updated 9:42 PM EDT, Tue September 24, 2013 Washington (CNN)  ...

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Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 5 Things You Need to Know

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://entertainment.time.com/">http://entertainment.time.com</a><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 5 Things You Need to Know </h2><br /><br /><header class="entry-header" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div class="entry-deck" style="color: #333333; font-size: 1.0625em; margin-bottom: 0.9375em; margin-top: -0.25em;"><br /></div><div class="entry-deck" style="color: #333333; font-size: 1.0625em; margin-bottom: 0.9375em; margin-top: -0.25em;">A quick briefing to make sure you go into the series opener with the right intel</div><div class="entry-meta" style="color: #797777; font-size: 0.8125em;"><span class="entry-byline" style="border-left-style: none; display: inline-block; height: 10px; line-height: 0.875em; margin-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px;">By <a href="http://entertainment.time.com/contributor/michael-roffman/" rel="author" style="color: #1b5288; text-decoration: none;" title="Posts by Michael Roffman">Michael Roffman</a></span><span class="entry-date" style="border-left-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; display: inline-block; height: 10px; line-height: 0.875em; margin-left: 8px; padding-left: 8px;">Sept. 24, 2013</span></div></header><br /><div class="entry-content" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 0.875em; line-height: 1.57143em; margin-bottom: 34px;"><br /><br /><figure class="entry-thumb entry-thumb-m " style="float: right; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 20px 93.265625px; width: 1343.1875px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="MARVEL&#039;S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D" height="425" src="http://timeentertainment.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/131252_group_final_01_ful.jpg?w=360&h=240&crop=1" style="border: 0px; display: block; max-width: 100%;" title="MARVEL&#039;S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D" width="640" /></div><br /><div class="responsive" data-responsive=""></div><figcaption><small class="entry-thumb-credit" style="color: #888888; display: block; font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 1.3; margin: 7px 0px 5px; min-height: 1em; text-align: right;">Bob D'Amico / ABC</small><div class="entry-thumb-caption" style="font-size: 0.85714em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em;">The cast of the new Joss Whedon drama, Marvel's Agents of SHIELD</div></figcaption></figure><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 0.875em; line-height: 1.57143em;"><br />Before you tune in, however, we insist upon a pre-ops briefing. The expansive world of Marvel Comics is as fun as it is confusing with new characters on every page and twice as many villains waiting to pounce in the next inked cel. Series creator Joss Whedon is wont to capitalize on this exhaustive mythology, so here are five things you need to know to start off sharp.</span>Get the popcorn ready. On Tuesday, Sept. 24, <i>Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. — </i>a new show that takes place in the world of last year’s box-office smash <i>The Avengers — </i>will join ABC’s fall lineup. Continuing the story arc last visited in the <i>Avengers</i> movie, Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) — yes, you read correctly — leads a small team of special agents who will investigate big cases and occasionally work with some of the world’s newest superheroes. All on a weekly basis.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 16px;">.</div><h2 style="margin: 0.83em 0px;"><span style="color: black;">1.  What is S.H.I.E.L.D.?</span></h2><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 16px;"><i>From </i>Iron Man<i> (2008):</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 16px;"><b>        Agent Phil Coulson:</b> I’m Agent Phil Coulson with the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 16px;"><b><b>        </b>Virginia ‘Pepper’ Potts</b><b>: </b>That’s quite a mouthful.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 16px;"><b><b>        </b>Agent Phil Coulson</b><b>: </b>I know. We’re working on it.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 16px;">Led by Gen. Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), S.H.I.E.L.D. is a covert agency of non-superheroes, affiliated with the United States government, who often deal with superhuman activity across the world. (In the comics, however, they’ve been linked with the United Nations, as well.) Although Fury serves as executive director, he reports to a mysterious 12-member council whose identities are unknown even to him.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 16px;">A global operation with the most advanced technology at their disposal, S.H.I.E.L.D. keeps their eyes open everywhere. Its central headquarters is aboard the floating Helicarrier, as seen in <i>The Avengers </i>movie, with additional offices located in S.H.I.E.L.D. Central in New York City. Other intelligence hubs and key assets remain confidential, with only Fury knowing of their existence and locations.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 16px;">It’s General Fury, however, who is responsible for uniting The Avengers, which includes Captain America (Chris Evans), Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.), The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner).</div><div class="entry-thumb mceTemp " style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; width: 852.46875px;"></div><div class="entry-thumb mceTemp " style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; width: 852.46875px;"><a href="http://timeentertainment.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/jackson-fury-570x359.jpg" style="color: #1b5288; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury" class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3551891" height="402" src="http://timeentertainment.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/jackson-fury-570x359.jpg?w=240" style="border: 0px; display: block; max-width: 100%;" width="640" /></a><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"></div><div class="figcaption"><small class="entry-thumb-credit" style="color: #888888; display: block; font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 1.3; margin: 7px 0px 5px; min-height: 1em; text-align: right;">Marvel Entertainment</small></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 16px;">.</div><h2 style="margin: 0.83em 0px;"><span style="color: black;">2.  Who’s Agent Coulson?</span></h2><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 16px;">For a while, Coulson was the glue that held together the Marvel Cinematic Universe, aka the string of films produced by Marvel Studios (e.g. <i>Iron Man</i>, <i>Thor</i>, <i>Captain America</i>, <i>The Incredible Hulk</i>, etc.) Portrayed by actor and director Clark Gregg, the quiet if not charmingly witty agent works alongside Fury and was instrumental in bringing together the Avengers. Although he wasn’t an original character in the comics, his popularity amongst the general fanbase has since made him part of the official Marvel universe, specifically with his appearances in <i>Ultimate Spider-man</i>. It should also be noted that Coulson owns an entire collection of rare, vintage Captain America trading cards.</div><div class="entry-thumb mceTemp " style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; width: 852.46875px;"><a href="http://timeentertainment.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/clark-gregg-the-avengers.jpg" style="color: #1b5288; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson in The Avengers" class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3496464" height="426" src="http://timeentertainment.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/clark-gregg-the-avengers.jpg?w=240" style="border: 0px; display: block; max-width: 100%;" width="640" /></a><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"></div><div class="figcaption"><small class="entry-thumb-credit" style="color: #888888; display: block; font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 1.3; margin: 7px 0px 5px; min-height: 1em; text-align: right;">MVLFFLLC. TM & Marvel</small></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 16px;">.</div><h2 style="margin: 0.83em 0px;"><span style="color: black;">3.  But wait, wasn’t Coulson killed in <i>The Avengers</i>?</span></h2><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 16px;">Whoa, spoiler alert much? Yes, Agent Coulson was killed by Loki (Tom Hiddleston, below) in The Avengers, an idea that director Joss Whedon — who’s killed a number of beloved characters in his TV shows and movies — originally conceived prior to Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. As he told NBC, “I absolutely killed him — this was not percolating.”</div><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 16px;">Still, this is the Marvel universe, after all, a place that has brought back to life many a character presumed dead. (I’m looking at you, Magneto.) Coulson is no different, although his resurrection is a mystery that will unravel as the show’s mythos continues to evolve. At this year’s SXSW, Whedon teased fans about his secretive Lazarus pit, stating, “I’ll tell you guys this, Heimlich.”</div><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 16px;">Online speculation has dug deeper, of course. <a href="http://screenrant.com/agents-of-shield-tv-coulson-death-explained-spoilers/" style="color: #1b5288; text-decoration: none;">Screen Rant highlights one theory</a>, provided by their own Deep Throat-esque source, that suggests Coulson’s death was a cover up used to unite the Avengers. They link this to a comment made by Gregg at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, who said: “It would be surprising to me if this was a world where there wasn’t some reckoning for the fact that it’d be … you know, some level of deception must have been perpetrated on the Avengers.”</div><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 16px;">In other words, we’ll see come Tuesday.</div><div class="entry-thumb mceTemp " style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; width: 852.46875px;"><a href="http://timeentertainment.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/the-avengers-loki.jpeg" style="color: #1b5288; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="The Avengers" class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3539274" height="426" src="http://timeentertainment.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/the-avengers-loki.jpeg?w=240" style="border: 0px; display: block; max-width: 100%;" width="640" /></a><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"></div><div class="figcaption"><small class="entry-thumb-credit" style="color: #888888; display: block; font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 1.3; margin: 7px 0px 5px; min-height: 1em; text-align: right;">Marvel Entertainment</small></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 16px;">.</div><h2 style="margin: 0.83em 0px;"><span style="color: black;">4.  Are we going to see superheroes?</span></h2><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 16px;">Yes. And no. Don’t tune in Tuesday night expecting to see Iron Man falling from the sky, or Captain America throwing his shield down for a coffee at headquarters. As <a href="http://splashpage.mtv.com/2013/01/11/joss-whedon-shield-details/" style="color: #1b5288; text-decoration: none;">Whedon insists</a>, the show’s “about the peripheral people” or those “on the edges of the grand adventures.” That explains its call sheet of relative unknowns: black ops specialist Grant Ward (Brett Dalton), pilot and martial artist Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen), computer expert Skye (Chloe Bennet), weapons expert Leo Fitz (Iain De Caestecker), and life scientist Jemma Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge).</div><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 16px;">Outside of the regulars, Whedon has confirmed that <i>The Avengers</i> star Cobie Smulders (below) will reprise her Maria Hill role for the pilot, and that actor Ian Hart has signed on to play Dr. Franklin Hall, who comic book aficionados should recognize as the villainous Graviton. (FYI: In case the name’s lost on you, the guy does wonders with gravity.) What’s more, Samuel L. Jackson has also expressed interest in tagging along, even if it’s a minor vocal addition a la <i>Charlie’s Angels</i>.</div><div class="entry-thumb mceTemp " style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; width: 852.46875px;"><a href="http://timeentertainment.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/131308_6559_ful-e1379953876506.jpg" style="color: #1b5288; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3551797" height="426" src="http://timeentertainment.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/131308_6559_ful-e1379953876506.jpg?w=240" style="border: 0px; display: block; max-width: 100%;" width="640" /></a><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"></div><div class="figcaption"><small class="entry-thumb-credit" style="color: #888888; display: block; font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 1.3; margin: 7px 0px 5px; min-height: 1em; text-align: right;">Justin Lubin / ABC</small></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 16px;">.</div><h2 style="margin: 0.83em 0px;"><span style="color: black;">5.  How will the show tie in with the movies?</span></h2><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 16px;">Since <i>Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.</i> exists within the parameters of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, fans should look out for various references that relate to events from the ensuing film franchises.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 16px;">“It always starts with what’s best for the story – you never do an Easter egg for the sake of doing an Easter egg,” Jeph Loeb, head of Marvel’s television development, <a href="http://www.nbcbayarea.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/Agents-of-SHIELD-Bring-Marvel-to-the-Small-Screen-224605931.html" style="color: #1b5288; text-decoration: none;">explained to NBC</a>. “What we really try to do is just make sure that every single thing that’s in the script feels like it’s real, it’s grounded and that you don’t have to feel like you have to run to Wikipedia after you’ve seen an episode.”</div><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 16px;">In the same interview, references to <i>Iron Man 3</i> and Johansson’s Black Widow (pictured) are confirmed for the series premiere. Though, these little nods will be used sparingly, as Whedon added, “We don’t want to hurt the movies at all.”</div><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; margin-top: 16px;">So, if you’ve been debating to finally stream <i>Thor</i> or <i>Captain America: The First Avenger </i>on Netflix, now might be a good time to clear your queue.</div></div><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div>

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 5 Things You Need to Know Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 5 Things You Need to Know

http://entertainment.time.com Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 5 Things You Need to Know  A quick briefing to make sure you go into the series opener...

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Easy Crockpot Chili Recipe

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Cheeeeeeers everybody, and Happy Hump Day.<br /><br />Y’know?  Now that football season is in full swing and Lady Autumn is here with her cooler temps, many folks will be throwing Saturday and/or Sunday football parties in their homes.<br /><br />Along with the typical chips, dips, wings, and the like, a great football party can be made even more rollicking with some awesome, crowd pleasing chili.<br /><br />I plan on making chili in a couple of weeks when I take a Saturday off to enjoy a full day of College Football.  It is an easy, and uber-tasty crock pot chili.<br /><br />Here’s what <i>Easy Five Bean Crockpot Chili</i> ala Matt-Man entails…<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxTMvq76UpdFH_YKYal4VOzAoVJjLHPxqob77bgyBitLB4ngiVqy3mMwJIkPpJZ2xFr7ZFQpavuohFcvqKeJO5OZJPkzmYk4Hhyphenhyphen3TNvUsNQKrXg0_UeaGi6wjgMvEei3dM20rmpafWO7Z/s1600/Chili+Beans.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxTMvq76UpdFH_YKYal4VOzAoVJjLHPxqob77bgyBitLB4ngiVqy3mMwJIkPpJZ2xFr7ZFQpavuohFcvqKeJO5OZJPkzmYk4Hhyphenhyphen3TNvUsNQKrXg0_UeaGi6wjgMvEei3dM20rmpafWO7Z/s400/Chili+Beans.JPG" width="305" /></a></div><br />Tomatoes, Tomato Paste, Dark Red Kidney Beans, Northern, Black Beans, Lima Beans, and Light Red Kidney Beans...If you’d like, which I do from time to time is replace the one of the kidney beans with butter beans.  But anyhoo…<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnokiBG7WJkvxuPuFOcypo79YSRdvvpMiEQiLkEBRyRnB-E8sc_4MDkoA7kANJYWQaXMRaPegU0zPQTL60tM60ITU7P7VcbgURPI4JFku-wMd-kAAJz5ZTbbwAdcOKLZVQszrlUkbcRj6g/s1600/Spices.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnokiBG7WJkvxuPuFOcypo79YSRdvvpMiEQiLkEBRyRnB-E8sc_4MDkoA7kANJYWQaXMRaPegU0zPQTL60tM60ITU7P7VcbgURPI4JFku-wMd-kAAJz5ZTbbwAdcOKLZVQszrlUkbcRj6g/s400/Spices.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />Not too many spices...Chili Powder, Paprika, Oregano, Garlic, and a secret one which is not shown that replaces Cumin...Liquid Smoke.  Liquid Smoke makes everything better.  A few tablespoons of that into the mix, and bar the door Katy, it’s a TOUCHDOWN!!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZwiAGYn1Y4SmK1EKQFIyAr-waS2_OWtynB-7d-zgFcToErCGP4kdSx33Ke3t1Er4nn0ZTEDIKE9_QcTPc62W8R4NUdp3kDGEZCCIvnWivLHpQAr2RqkCi5IO9dKthOYJrI485q-tU9L2/s1600/Onions+and+Peppers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZwiAGYn1Y4SmK1EKQFIyAr-waS2_OWtynB-7d-zgFcToErCGP4kdSx33Ke3t1Er4nn0ZTEDIKE9_QcTPc62W8R4NUdp3kDGEZCCIvnWivLHpQAr2RqkCi5IO9dKthOYJrI485q-tU9L2/s320/Onions+and+Peppers.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />These are da bomb!! Frozen and already diced onions and bell peppers. Fresh may be best, but too many of us end up wasting them.  So, this an inexpensive and practical way to go.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimnRvVK3w3K7IP1Tl9yIMBHJFhszd96xklpmTxGDZPs67eDjcq_rryFabTse2EbZI7x9UTBbUM8399KglC-wr0zpZxzcBtk37V2uAxQNGvluwOsFcQ9cRA6xyAuFnrHpmLlwqycPT4jJg0/s1600/Chili+Meat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimnRvVK3w3K7IP1Tl9yIMBHJFhszd96xklpmTxGDZPs67eDjcq_rryFabTse2EbZI7x9UTBbUM8399KglC-wr0zpZxzcBtk37V2uAxQNGvluwOsFcQ9cRA6xyAuFnrHpmLlwqycPT4jJg0/s400/Chili+Meat.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />The MEAT!! Two pounds of ground beef, and one pound of sausage which I will slightly brown off with Worcestershire Sauce prior to crocking it. I also add real bacon pieces.<br /><br />I would use REAL bacon, but I cannot bring myself to use sliced bacon for this. Sliced bacon stands on its own, and should be consumed that way!!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7xzeRfOEQ7tNSNrbikpy3aAlfTA1piQITAUaqrzW4i2nlKheIgbLOynbG0b_eRy1MhWJU8vlQmOEGuDKhBjhgNbglTVJfs13zU3ZehePf2ZyhvnEXE-OOTG83ilefmwqYUeWxvX5yIP7/s1600/Crockpot.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7xzeRfOEQ7tNSNrbikpy3aAlfTA1piQITAUaqrzW4i2nlKheIgbLOynbG0b_eRy1MhWJU8vlQmOEGuDKhBjhgNbglTVJfs13zU3ZehePf2ZyhvnEXE-OOTG83ilefmwqYUeWxvX5yIP7/s400/Crockpot.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />The cookery...or, is that, crockery? Anyhoo. This is my newest crockpot. Isn't she sexy and voluptuous?<br /><br />I call her, Samantha. Samantha came with a 2, 4, and 6 quart bowl. I always use the 4 quart bowl.  The 2 is too small, and the 6 quart bowl, I only use when cooking up meth, so it may have toxic residue in it.<br /><br />There you have it. After six to eight hours of simmering, Samantha will be ready to yield her juicy, meaty, and delicious wares.<br /><br />A great accompaniment with the chili is <i>Cheesy Onion Cornbread</i>…<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZybnNG2Y5iw22sE6a_Of1QHUk-WAyb1bEPBR2xuWsN1-wIGClyRWoTHm23T5Z2G4084AVWs99quisCh2q_6nkgRhgKvVkNq6uCAMxNbAGUT_T1_9hDnXdcjL6gDzuitmkVqfXAZBHMWIP/s1600/Green+Onion+Cornbread.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZybnNG2Y5iw22sE6a_Of1QHUk-WAyb1bEPBR2xuWsN1-wIGClyRWoTHm23T5Z2G4084AVWs99quisCh2q_6nkgRhgKvVkNq6uCAMxNbAGUT_T1_9hDnXdcjL6gDzuitmkVqfXAZBHMWIP/s400/Green+Onion+Cornbread.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />Just prepare a box of any inexpensive cornbread mix per instructions, but add some of the frozen onions and bell pepper, along with shredded cheese of your choice and voila!!  Rustic goodness in its most delicious form…<br /><br />Your friends, fans, and fellow football watchers will give you the game ball with two thumbs up.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmst_YPjUgU4LoLsfN92MQZAb7OqFKe7-oSU4NL9AwLNgFoNVR3oMogUqqwiDsQ4e0wnv1FgzBYnbMIt5SLAJO-pWubv-mSkX9yA1bF8ynXpHdq-z4NEkO1snsC_9xT8oE5Hj8zA2-fNu/s1600/Sexy+Chili.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmst_YPjUgU4LoLsfN92MQZAb7OqFKe7-oSU4NL9AwLNgFoNVR3oMogUqqwiDsQ4e0wnv1FgzBYnbMIt5SLAJO-pWubv-mSkX9yA1bF8ynXpHdq-z4NEkO1snsC_9xT8oE5Hj8zA2-fNu/s400/Sexy+Chili.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><i>Five Bean Crockpot Chili</i> and <i>Cheesy Onion Cornbread</i>…Easy and delicious, just like me.<br /><br /><i>Cheers!!</i><br /><br />Matt-Man<br /><br /><a href="mailto:mattmaniws@ymail.com">mattmaniws@ymail.com</a><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/MattMan_IWS" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">@mattmaniws</span></a><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mattmaniws" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">My Facebook Page</span></a> </div>

Easy Crockpot Chili Recipe

Cheeeeeeers everybody, and Happy Hump Day. Y’know?  Now that football season is in full swing and Lady Autumn is here with her cooler temps,...

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LIVE FROM NASHVILLE V

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Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Calibri;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">The last day of House of Bishops was full and busy but I find myself too tired to even remember much of it. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">I do recall that my panel presented this morning on the subject of how our diocese had experienced loss opening the way to new possibilities. I presented on how Latino ministries had sprung up in the wake of parish decline; and how something new seems to be taking shape since the greatly regretted loss of the regional vicars (ministry developers). Other presentations were from Julio Holguin of the Dominican Republic about the new sense of structure and formation there; Diane Jardine Bruce of Los Angeles about congregations dealing with ethnically changing neighborhoods by walking the neighborhood and making friends; Todd Ousley of Eastern Michigan about using new ministry models in the wake of declining population and employment; and Jeff Lee speaking of the merger of the Dioceses of Quincy and Chicago. It was all actually quite inspiring. I was particularly touched by Diane’s account of connecting with the neighborhood. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">We did plodding business in the afternoon, nothing anyone could get exercised about. Then we had our closing dinner tonight, including graduation ceremonies for those who have completed the College or Bishops and farewells for three retiring bishops. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">I have loved seeing these special friends and look forward to connecting with then again next Spring.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">Tomorrow, I fly to Reno for the Empty Bowls Benefit Banquet in Sparks, where I will be a waiter once again this year.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><!--EndFragment-->

LIVE FROM NASHVILLE V

The last day of House of Bishops was full and busy but I find myself too tired to even remember much of it. I do recall that my...

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Confession

Everybody's got that nutty relative. Well I've got tons of nutty, but mostly they ain't the fun kind of nutty. There's one that that keeps everyone in stitches.  She's a tiny little old lady with the most crass mouth and dirtiest mind.  Think the old lady, Sophia, from the Golden Girls.  Just with a heavier accent, nearly black hair, and a foul mouth.  Usually it's little comments worked into conversation that make you pause and think, "Did she really just say that?"  Since it was safe for work, she sent it to my work email so I could share with my friends lol...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjybT_miiRUXelHrxLq3RyowtsiV5BTZKTjf9m96_ftfoAGp_IlyB3Xp3PQIXIC7epD6iQHsqiFBz1YcQ1cC5Z-WvfM2GKLSnnY1kPMx1Qov7Zl6VD0oGpikp6YJ0TvRwOtzZjYs_7WMGc/s1600/7205_10201530820210768_1754291305_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjybT_miiRUXelHrxLq3RyowtsiV5BTZKTjf9m96_ftfoAGp_IlyB3Xp3PQIXIC7epD6iQHsqiFBz1YcQ1cC5Z-WvfM2GKLSnnY1kPMx1Qov7Zl6VD0oGpikp6YJ0TvRwOtzZjYs_7WMGc/s320/7205_10201530820210768_1754291305_n.jpg" width="276" /></a><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45,"tn":"*G"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">'Bless me Father, for I have sinned. I have been with a loose girl.' The priest asks, 'Is that you, little Joey Pagano?' 'Yes, Father, it is.' 'And who was the girl you were with?' 'I can't tell you, Father, I don't want to ruin her reputation.' "Well, Joey, I'm sure to find out her name sooner or later so you may as well tell me now. Was it Tina Minetti?" 'I cannot say.' 'Was it Teresa Mazzarelli<span class="text_exposed_show">?' 'I'll never tell.' 'Was it Nina Capelli?' 'I'm sorry, but I cannot name her.' 'Was it Cathy Piriano?' 'My lips are sealed Father.' 'Well then, was it Rosa DiAngelo?' 'Please, Father, I cannot tell you.'<br /><br />The priest sighs in frustration. 'You're very tight lipped, and I admire that. But you've sinned and have to atone. You cannot be an altar boy now for 4 months. Now you go and behave yourself.' Joey walks back to his pew, and his friend Franco slides over and whispers, 'What'd you get?' 'Four month's vacation and five excellent Leads.'</span></span></span>

Confession

Everybody's got that nutty relative. Well I've got tons of nutty, but mostly they ain't the fun kind of nutty. There's one t...

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Chicago Fed National Activity Index (Musical Tribute)

The following chart shows the 3-year moving average of the Chicago Fed National Activity Index. I have added a 2nd order polynomial trend channel in red.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Zl54NxjhVPlWcoRfuylG7tnfCLCpLO4O_QpTJTLB_IQdPfQV7tEu0tzuI5P1LieqjI7uAd_1G2XaDg6KPH8-TIk-ixVNujI915TCgf4KGTFLOQ3K0yc2QP1oCNMxIgK7GjeVyAvDYCQ/s1600/CFNAI+v.2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Zl54NxjhVPlWcoRfuylG7tnfCLCpLO4O_QpTJTLB_IQdPfQV7tEu0tzuI5P1LieqjI7uAd_1G2XaDg6KPH8-TIk-ixVNujI915TCgf4KGTFLOQ3K0yc2QP1oCNMxIgK7GjeVyAvDYCQ/s320/CFNAI+v.2.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Click to enlarge.</span><br /><br />Gotta love optimism. Assuming that the trend channel holds (might not), then we definitely live in the best of all possible worlds right now. We're hugging the top of that declining channel like glue. Yay.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/vWz9VN40nCA" width="420"></iframe><br /><br /><b>See Also:</b><br /><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2010/06/sarcasm-disclaimer.html">Sarcasm Disclaimer</a><br /><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2007/09/trend-line-disclaimer-time.html">Trend Line Disclaimer</a><br /><a href="http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Where_am_I_going_and_why_am_I_in_this_handbasket">Where am I going and why am I in this handbasket?</a><br /><br /><b>Source Data:</b><br /><a href="http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/CFNAI">St. Louis Fed: Chicago Fed National Activity Index</a>

Chicago Fed National Activity Index (Musical Tribute)

The following chart shows the 3-year moving average of the Chicago Fed National Activity Index. I have added a 2nd order polynomial trend ch...

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Exposing the private companies behind the takeover of government

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/NfXb7cDGEVo" width="420"></iframe><br /><br />Our friends at the <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/" rel="nofollow">Center for Media and Democracy</a> are launching a campaign to expose the corporate privatizers taking over our government -- and costing us more money. CMD has already done an invaluable service by exposing the corporate dating service for state lawmakers known as <a href="http://alecexposed.org/" rel="nofollow">ALEC</a> -- the American Legislative Exchange Council. Fifty corporations and nonprofits have dropped out of ALEC since CMD began its exposes.<br /><br />Their first target is the <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/node/12221" rel="nofollow">Sodexo Food Service</a> contractor, which siphons cash from kids and soldiers while dishing up scandal and subprime food.<br /><br />Sodexo was accused of overcharging 21 New York school districts and the State University of New York from 2004 to 2009. The company was also implicated in the British horsemeat scandal earlier this year and shipped chicken that may have been contaminated with Listeria bacteria  to the Marine Corps' Camp Pendleton.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Read the whole thing <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news/2013/09/12221/outsourcing-america-sodexo-food-service-contractor-siphons-cash-kids-and-soldiers" rel="nofollow">here</a>. </div>

outsourcing privatizing Exposing the private companies behind the takeover of government

Our friends at the Center for Media and Democracy  are launching a campaign to expose the corporate privatizers taking over our government -...

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I-64 over Afton Mountain to receive improvements

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCYV2puNRVb06I1LnDdTJRuCSW_2uW8kv3hp_EONaV6vy9tqyUptQefpZEbICeAKn5Jh4ZQ21eVfEVXp_LCRr0Q3lq8DzkE71L5pYPLgi6-rqpm8mTrOf7a4UtHVcEuOjrHhnuAiBrN5YM/s1600/Afton+Mtn+pileup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCYV2puNRVb06I1LnDdTJRuCSW_2uW8kv3hp_EONaV6vy9tqyUptQefpZEbICeAKn5Jh4ZQ21eVfEVXp_LCRr0Q3lq8DzkE71L5pYPLgi6-rqpm8mTrOf7a4UtHVcEuOjrHhnuAiBrN5YM/s640/Afton+Mtn+pileup.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>For years I-64 over Afton Mountain has been a foggy gap through the mountains in bad weather as well as icy, snowy, windy, and every other weather condition possible. Since it was completed in 1972, this interstate that connects the coast of Virginia westward to the mountains has been used by millions of travelers. It's gentle grade and curves made crossing the Blue Ridge Mountains far easier and safer than in the past, and in good conditions it's a breeze to drive.<br /><br />That is, until bad weather hits, and one particularly nasty deterrent over the years has been fog that can be as thick as pea soup, literally limiting visibility to about as far as the front of your vehicle. With eyes squinting to see through the thick, opaque haze, it can make for a white-knuckle, heart-stopping drive as you go up against Mother Nature.<br /><br />And then there's the other drivers. That's where Russian roulette comes into play because some drivers feel completely safe continuing at the 65 mph posted speed limit even though they can't see beyond their noses. Others slow down ... but how much? Some almost stop while others feel safe at 55 or 45 or 35. That's a dangerous mix on foggy or wintry Afton.<br /><br />For years those living in the area have suggested that a variable speed limit would be helpful under such conditions. Improvements have been made as far as automatic fog lights that outline lanes making it easier not to drive over the side of the mountain, and electronic signs with messages warning of inclement conditions. But the speed limit issue was still there. And pileups still happened even with the improvements.<br /><br />Thankfully, according to the <a href="http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/state-regional/improvements-planned-for-i--over-afton-mountain/article_0e894fc3-9f94-5394-97bf-9b31ac75f5c4.html"><i>Richmond Times-Dispatch</i></a>, a new phase of improvements is going to be put in place and, included in Phase 2, will be the variable speed signs:<br /><blockquote>The variable speed limit would allow VDOT to not only detect inclement weather or changing traffic patterns but automatically alter the road’s legal speed limit to prepare drivers for the conditions.<br /><br />In Afton, Shiley said, “we looked at crash types, not just number of crashes, and it led us to this solution: We really need to have something to get motorists to slow down when we have fog conditions or winter weather conditions.”</blockquote>Afton is legendary for the pileups that have occurred over the years:<br /><blockquote>In April 1992, state police responded to a 60-car pileup that resulted in two fatalities. In April 1998, a 65-car pileup sent 40 people to area hospitals. Then, less than three weeks later, the road was the site of an 18-car collision. In all three incidents, police reported that fog was a major factor.</blockquote>The new improvements will be welcomed. Now if we could just get climbing lanes....

Afton Mountain I-64 VDOT Virginia I-64 over Afton Mountain to receive improvements

For years I-64 over Afton Mountain has been a foggy gap through the mountains in bad weather as well as icy, snowy, windy, and every other w...

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Forbes, Wittman, Rigell: 'Sequester impact on military a disgrace'

By Reps. Randy Forbes, Rob Wittman, and Scott Rigell<br /><a href="http://www.dailypress.com/news/opinion/dp-nws-oped-congressmen-0922-20130921,0,2135044.story">The Daily Press</a><br /><br />If you were told that your son or daughter was going to fly on an airplane that had only 70 percent of its required maintenance, or whose pilot had trained for less hours than optimally required to maintain proficiency, would you allow him or her to get on the plane? Of course not. Yet thanks to sequestration, the U.S. military is facing a situation where our sons and daughters are being asked to do more with less training, less maintenance, and less modern platforms. Today, the military is experiencing the greatest readiness crisis since the Vietnam War. Should the president and Congress fail to find a solution to our nation's budget woes, readiness will likely degrade even further. Forced to find immediate savings, the services have curtailed training and deferred maintenance in ways that threaten to damage our national security for decades.<br /><br />Sequestration's roughly $500 billion in defense cuts over the next decade have come on top of the administration's already substantial reductions to national defense spending. Accordingly, the services have chosen to absorb the majority of these cuts by reducing their near-term readiness, which generally means less training for the men and women wearing our nation's uniform.<br /><br />For Army and Marine units, other than those scheduled for deployment to Afghanistan, this means substantially less time firing live ammunition and fewer opportunities to train with the vehicles they may eventually take into combat.<br /><br /><i>Read the rest of this article <a href="http://www.dailypress.com/news/opinion/dp-nws-oped-congressmen-0922-20130921,0,2135044.story">here</a>.</i>

Daily Press Military Randy Forbes Rob Wittman Scott Rigell sequester U.S. government U.S. military Forbes, Wittman, Rigell: 'Sequester impact on military a disgrace'

By Reps. Randy Forbes, Rob Wittman, and Scott Rigell The Daily Press If you were told that your son or daughter was going to fly on an airpl...

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