I am in a situation where I'm dealing with my father's estate and family, and I need some outside advice. First some background...My father and I weren't very close, but we spoke on the phone every few months or so and I tried to visit him at least 4 or 5 times a year spending the day and/or evening catching up. He was very private. My husband and I have been there to help my father when he needed us moving and for medical issues recently. My brother has not been in the picture for over a decade and refused to have a relationship with him.
My father died intestate the end of last year and left me as his roth IRA beneficiary of about $40,000. He left a car that was paid for, a home with a mortgage of about $123,000 (and in disrepair of about $30,000 to $40,000 worth of siding/windows/etc), and about $2,000 in credit card/other debt. My brother signed forms to allow me to become the sole administrator of his estate. I sold the car and tried to get my brother to agree to let my husband and I take over the home and rent it out and I would split the IRA with him. I don't think the home will sell without repairs. He said he wanted $30,000 or to try to sell the home, and he doesn't care if it goes into foreclosure. I have just gotten the home listed on the market (it needed some cleaning and other interior completion work). It is listed for about $175,000 and am now running out of funds in the estate. We have a few more months of mortgage payments, and my hardship case was denied with the bank. We've had an offer on the home that was terminated once their contractor took a look at the home and gave the potential buyers an estimate on repairs that they weren't comfortable with.
With all this going on, my brother has been pressuring me to give him half of the IRA because he's scared I will put it into the house. I have refused until the estate is settled and I figure out what I need to do in my father's estate's best interest. He hasn't been here to help clean up the home or clean out my father's things, and this has been disappointing to me--I've realized all he is after is money.
My husband and I have a decent financial position. I work part-time as needed editing and take care of our 2-year-old, he works full time, we have a rental property that just about breaks even, and we bring home about 55,000 a year. I have about $80,000 in a 403b/pension plan, he has about $20,000 in a roth, and we have $30,000 in savings. We own our cars and have a few month's operating expenses in the bank. Now I also have in my name a beneficiary roth left to me by my father of $40,000. We're in our mid 30's and I'm going back to school for nursing in August (which will incur, of course, educational and childcare expenses we are not used to--so I may have to find another part-time position). We also have about $50,000 in home equity in our primary and rental homes.
My husband wants me to have a lawyer draw up paperwork for my brother to walk away from the house for $20,000--a buyout for the house. I think he would agree to this. My problem with that is that renting the home after we finance the $123,000 remaining loan encumberence will only cover the mortgage, property manager, insurance, and taxes. There won't be anything left to cover maintenance/repairs or other unforeseen expenses. I feel like it is possibly too great a financial risk as we don't have any free income as it is.
I've toyed with all kinds of ideas in my head. I've spoken with a lawyer who seems to think I've got this and to come back when I decide what I want to do if I need him. Does anyone have any kind of advice? I'm wanting to put half of the IRA my father left me into the home to lower the mortgage when we refi and keep the other half for maintenance/repairs/expenses/etc, but we're scared my brother will come after me in the future legally. I am feeling terrible about the home possibly moving into foreclosure. I know it is NOT smart to do business with my brother if he were to have any interest in the home, because I've now seen his true colors. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
because he's scared I will put it into the house. I have refused until the estate is settled and I figure out what I need to do in my father's estate's best interest. He hasn't been here to help clean up the home or clean out my father's things, and this has been disappointing to me--I've realized all he is after is money- .if he were to have any interest in the home, because I've now seen his true colors. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Wow - true colors? Just after the money?
OK, "after the money" need not be a pejorative, after all, that's all he is left with - so of course he wants to protect his interests. And fiddling the money away on repairs/upgrades IS a very common problem.
I'm a long-tine landlord, rental houses for 40 yrs. When you spend $40,000 on siding/windows, etc, on a for-sale house - it adds only about $20k to the value (about 50%). That is an instant $20,000 loss to you & bro. It is better to do an "as is" sale, (except for clean up & maybe some paint). Bro is trying to keep you from making that mistake.
I would finish the administration of estate, "as is", get the house appraised "as is". And then decide if you want to purchase it from the estate, - or sell it. Don't let the upgrades/repairs become involved in the estate split. Later, the new owner (you or a new buyer) can decide how much to spend on it. (Usually siding is a maintenance item that protects the building - and new windows are more likely to be 'nice/more energy efficient').
Finish the estate first - bro doesn't want it, he is trying to keep you from spending too much on the house. After the estate is complete, he won't care if you spend $200,000 to add a second story and $50,000 for golden plumbing (I think you are misreading his concerns).
But don't spend money to add equity to the house, do the opposite, ie get a bigger loan. That way you will have more money in reserve - and you won't need a bunch of high interest, shortterm loans for upgrades.
Agree with OldGuy. Repairs to the house can end up being a financial black hole, as it seems like there is a fair amount of "deferred maintenance". If you and husband can do some easy cosmetic work: paint, curb appeal yardwork, anything to make it appear nicer...then do that and proceed with the "as-is" approach. Especially as you state that keeping it as a rental will barely break even - which in reality means it will cost you $$$.
Have a sit down with your brother - estates and money from deceased parents often bring out the worst in family members, and you are already at each other. You need to come to agreement on how to proceed!
Try to get some affordable legal advice about your father's debts and what the estate is liable for so that you both have good and reliable info from which to operate from to clear the estate and split any proceeds.
Thank you so much for the other points of view. This is all a learning process for me.
I'm not doing unnecessary repairs. We are only doing absolutely necessary stuff--biohazard cleanup after 3 weeks of a decomposing body in a floor in one room. I also cleaned really well, cut the yard, touch up painted, repaired doors and windows after EMS forced entry, etc. Insurance helped with a lot of this (and my husband is in construction) so we were lucky for that--but we still have to pay the mortgage while the home is going through all these repairs, hence why the funds are gone. I'm going to have to use the IRA to pay the mortgage, and my brother is completely against that. He says he would rather see the home go into foreclosure than use half of the IRA that he thinks is his to pay to keep it on the market. Homes in this area average 6 to 8 months to sell, and so far buyers are turned off by it needing other structural repairs. So far the "as is" sale seems to be meaning we are either breaking even or not even bother cause it won't sell for what we need it to to pay all fees and remaining loan on home. I'm hoping we are lucky and get a buyer who can see the pros of the property (huge yard, man cave, bonus room, almost immaculate interior, freshly painted, etc). It's hard to take so much time out of your life to work so hard on something and earn no return on it.
The estate account only has a few thousand dollars left, and the mortgage payment is $730 a month. I can't borrow more money cause it will be costing me monthly to hold onto the property with an uncertain employment future. I did think of that though, good idea! Also, the estate will not be able to close until the loan encumbrance is met from what I understand, unless I'm understanding something wrong.
Thank you all for your comments and advice. It is much appreciated. I just hope my brother doesn't continue to make it difficult for me. He is expecting half of the IRA, which I guess is the whole problem. He doesn't understand that his interest should be in the home, what he has a right to. Now that it looks like it won't sell he's not happy. And I really need to use the IRA to get the monthly payment down on the mortgage--but I think he will fight me on the home. His issue is he knows real estate is worth more in the future and he doesn't want to see us sell it and make a profit in the future. Almost exactly what he said in the beginning.
I also hate to let it foreclose, drawing out the estate. Ugh, I just wish we had a will to make this easier.
Thank you again for your advice. It is much appreciated!
He says he would rather see the home go into foreclosure than use half of the IRA that he thinks is his to pay to keep it on the market. Homes in this area average 6 to 8 months to sell, and so far buyers are turned off by it needing other structural repairs. So far the "as is" sale seems to be meaning we are either breaking even or not even bother cause it won't sell for what we need it to to pay all fees and remaining loan on home.
Well, spending more money won't improve the "breaking even" part, it will worsen it. When you spend $40,000 for repairs it usually adds only $20,000 to the sales price - ie, the more you spend the more you lose.
As for dragging out the selling period to 6 or 8 months - I would not - while you wait to squeeze a higher price, you will be paying $9000/yr for mortgage, taxes, etc. I would sell it right away at today's price. (Last yr we sold a rental house within hours of the listing).
But don't worry about having to pay, you are not responsible for the debts of the deceased - after the house is sold, the money in the estate goes to pay the bills - and after the estate's money is gone, that's the end of it - you won't be asked to pay for your father's outstanding debts.
When you notified the mortgage holder of the death, did they suggest that you keep paying the loan? Or stop?
I'm not a tax expert so please double check me. I was under the impression an inheritted IRA could be rolled into your existing IRA at no tax hit and not effecting your annual limits. I always see tax advantaged money as worth a more, I'd agree with the above at prioritizing getting the house unloaded and try as hard as you can to not tap the IRA funds.
Well,... to be blunt - your brother needs to get a grip (or in the vernacular...Man Up!)! Your (and his) father left the IRA to YOU. Technically you have no responsibility with this money in any way towards your brother.
As you say, his interest in the estate is whatever your father left, NOT including the IRA - i.e., assets minus debts. AND, as OldGuy said, once the house is "liquidated" any funds will likely have to be used to pay any estate debts (your father's outstanding debts). IF there is any $ left after that you can split with your brother. If there are debts unpayable after the house is sold, you need not worry - no person or entity can come after YOU or your brother for paying a debt of your father unless you or your brother's name(s) are attached to the debt (via some co-signing contract).
I agree with OldGuy - sell the house "as-is" for whatever the best deal is that you can get. It is not really worth hanging on to if it will cost you money - it could seriously deplete your inherited IRA, and the IRA is obviously something that your father hoped would be a benefit to YOU, .... NOT to his estate...!
I wish you well. It seems to me that you are proceeding in a responsible manner.
My colleague too had some property related issues and this issue can be best sorted by lawyers. Various social media are excellent to find about various qualified lawyers. I saw the details about the lawyer Bechara Tarabay on Yelp. Lawyers know how to deal with such issues and they also help in paperwork and guide the clients well.


text:
Firefighters battle second day of blazes near Jerusalem
JERUSALEM (AFP) – Fires tore through the hills west of Jerusalem for a second day on Monday (Aug 16) as firefighters struggled to contain an expanding blaze, Israeli police and the fire service said.
Police and local officials "began evacuating hundreds of families" from communities on the western outskirts of Jerusalem, police said in a statement.
Ten firefighting planes and a helicopter supported hundreds of firefighters, the National Fire and Rescue Authority said in a statement.
"The rate of fire progress is extremely fast," it said, adding that in some areas, firefighters were able to contain the blazes but not overcome them.
Fire and Rescue Commissioner Dedi Simchi announced he was calling all fire and rescue personnel to help battle the "huge" blaze.
The fires had broken out in the wooded hills east of Jerusalem on Sunday, sending acrid-smelling clouds of smoke that hung over the holy city and its iconic Dome of the Rock and forcing the evacuation of a psychiatric hospital.
Firefighters managed to contain the blaze before strong winds sent flames racing through the trees again on Monday afternoon.
A spokesperson for the Fire and Rescue Authority told AFP three communities had been evacuated so far.
Police said the cause of the fire was not clear.
Fires have flared this summer around the Mediterranean basin, including in Greece, Turkey, Algeria and Morocco.
Israel experienced a week-long heatwave in early August.
As storm looms, medics rush to hospitals overrun by Haiti quake
Russia says Kabul situation 'stabilising', claims Taleban 'restoring public order'
July was world's hottest month on record: US agency
Canada's British Columbia rebuilds after floods, more rains on the horizon
Pressure on Dutch hospitals mounts as Covid-19 cases break records

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text:
Ike and Kemah Boardwalk
F5Twister
Hurricane Ike is a real threat to this area- even though the current forecast takes the storm in farther down the TX coast, a slight shift north would devastate this area. Lets hope it hits in the more unpopulated areas further south.
BB is built strong, and Ike weakened considerably by meandering directly across the mainland of Cuba instead of staying more over water. I'd worry more about the potential flooding of the oil-refinery areas in/around Houston moreso than the direct wind-effects on Bullet.
yes, but it is forecast to re-strengthen to a cat 3 by landfall- How close is the Bullet to the water? storm surge and waves could be pretty big, and if it is a cat-3 the wind will be a lot stronger than it is now....
Jeffrey Seifert
Bullet sits right at the edge of the seawall.
http://www.aceonline.org/census/PhotoDetail.aspx?ID=4312
Storm surge is definitely a reasonably concern, esp. if it lands nearby and synched with a high tide. Wish I hadn't been forced to become knowledgeable about hurricanes (other than DBH's).
A rollercoaster is on the bottom of my list.
Raven-Phile
^ 100% agreed. I understand that it's our hobby, and it's always going to suck if something you like gets destroyed, but it's the least important thing in the world when you're dealing with lives and homes.
Apparently, an oil refinery, too - cause gas went up 40 cents a gallon here! yay! :-D.... sigh...
R.I.P LeRoi Moore 9/7/61 - 8/19/2008
Future models show Hurricane Ike strengthening in the gulf to a possible Cat 4 at landfall. Each model keeps wanting to push the forecast model farther north towards the Galveston area. Only time will tell.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008 11:05 PM
Jeffrey Seifert said:
Wow, if that area takes a direct hit, you can kiss that wooden coaster goodbye.
janfrederick
Thursday, September 11, 2008 10:33 AM
Probably not a direct hit, but we should hope for the best for Houston: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCDAT4+shtml/110845.shtml
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at4.shtml?5day?large#contents
"I go out at 3 o' clock for a quart of milk and come home to my son treating his body like an amusement park!" - Estelle Costanza
Thursday, September 11, 2008 12:55 PM
As of this morning, even though Ike is a a Cat 2 storm, Ike has a very large area of hurricane force winds, and a very large area of tropical storm force winds. Having such large areas of strong winds make Ike a storm capable of lots of damage.
Kick The Sky
Thursday, September 11, 2008 1:36 PM
I agree with janfredrick. Our prayers right now should be going out to those in Houston who look to be getting a direct hit from this monster of a storm. We'll worry about the wood coaster after all these people's lives are back in order...
Certain victory.
Friday, September 12, 2008 3:08 AM
^If you were referring to my statement, I never intended it to say I care more for a coaster over peoples homes, businesses, and lives.
I just responded to the picture Jeffrey posted which has this wooden coaster right on the shore basically. Kind of surprised they would construct a wooden coaster with wooden supports instead of steel.
I hope homes, businesses and lives in terms of damage are kept to a minimum. Screw this coaster when it comes to that.
Rob Ascough
I don't think anyone is suggesting that a wood coaster is more important than a few million lives, but this is a coaster site and right now a coaster stands in the way of a potentially-dangerous storm. It's not unreasonable for us to be talking about the "what ifs" and it certainly doesn't paint anyone as callous and heartless.
Friday, September 12, 2008 10:20 AM
^It does if it makes me feel morally superior! Seriously though, hope everyone stays safe, and has plenty of gas in their tanks. Thankfully Ike hasn't grown much stronger in terms of wind-speeds, but the area affected is going to be enormous.
DaCoasterMan
I think most people thought when they built this coaster it wasnt a matter of IF but WHEN it would get pummeled. Odds are against it based on location solely. I think the large waves might do it in rather than the surge. they are saying 25+ waves. Its inland but has an almost direct route to the gulf.
Korey Kiepert told us the coaster was built to withstand hurricane force winds. As to the waves, Kemah is on Galveston Bay, which itself is very shallow and there is a relatively small opening to the Gulf of Mexico. I don't think the waves will be that bad, but I do suspect the area will probably be under water from the storm surge. That is something they have anticipated and something they have dealt with before.
Schlitterbahn Galveston is probably going to be a lot worse off, as they are right on Galveston Island. I also asked about Hurricanes there, and they said once they remove all the fabric from the shade structures and folded up their movable roof, it is "supposed" to be hurricane proof, though I suspect there will be a lot of cleanup.
Friday, September 12, 2008 1:08 PM
I guess it depends on how wide that normally narrow opening will get during the storm. its at least 1 mile wide at normal tide.
my mom lives right off clear lake and they are anticipating 20+ surge in her area.
An hour ago I was watching a live webcast from Kemah Boardwalk on KHOU and waves of water were already coming up through the planks of the boardwalk. Some of the planks were already loose as well. The storm is still about 12 hours from landfall. Godspeed to all of you down in the area.
sfft2108
Don't know how much will be left after seeing this.
http://governor.state.tx.us/files/press-office/ike-pc-slides/Ike-Governors-Brief-1100-1_17.jpg
Last edited by sfft2108, Friday, September 12, 2008 1:33 PM


text:
7+ readers
A Boy Called M.O.U.S.E.
Written by Penny Dolan
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An evocative and thrilling tale, set in a richly colourful Dickensian world, featuring a small boy, Mouse, whose parents are lost at sea, and whose life is threatened by the claims of his money-grabbing and debt-ridden Uncle and he is sent by him to a school that lives by fear and terror.
All the characters are truly memorable, some for good and some for evil but most though are warm-hearted and generous characters who see the plight of Mouse and each in their own way help him towards finding his family. But will they be able to help? It's a real jewel of classic storytelling in the making that will pull at the heartstrings.
The author is well known for her younger fiction and this longer novel for an older age range is a thrilling departure.
A Boy Called M.O.U.S.E. Synopsis
'Once upon a time there was a boy, and they called him Mouse'. That is how the story began when I told it to myself in the long darkness. Of course, it wasn't the whole story, but back then I knew nothing, almost nothing at all ...Mouse is unaware of his privileged background: of Epton Towers, the luxurious home in which he was born, and its magnificent surrounding grounds. He barely recalls his loving parents, who are lost at sea. He certainly does not remember the threat posed by his Uncle Scrope, who, penniless and in debt, is driven to threaten Mouse's very life. But Mouse does remember Hanny, the loyal and loving nursemaid who saw the threat and whisked him away to safety. Mouse lives a happy and carefree life with her until the evil Mr Button darkens the door, threatens Hanny and takes Mouse away. Mr Button takes Mouse to grim Murkstone Hall, a school that lives and breathes terror and fear. Can Mouse escape and find his way to his true family again? A brilliantly evoked tale full of memorable characters, including Nick Tick, the tiny but clever clockmaker, Aunt Indigo and Aunt Violet, two strong-minded seamstresses and washerwomen, and Charlie Punch and his amazing dog Toby. These warm-hearted and generous characters see the plight of Mouse and each in their own way help him towards his destiny. But will they be enough to upset the continual scheming of the villainous Mr Button?
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Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Publication date: 4th October 2010
Author: Penny Dolan
Suitable for: 7+ readers, 9+ readers
Recommendations: Books of the Month
About Penny Dolan
Penny Dolan is well known for a host of books for younger readers. A Boy Called M.O.U.S.E, published by Bloomsbury in October 2010, is her first novel for older readers.Penny grew up in North London, where her favourite things included a Pollock's Toy Theatre, a ragged makeup bag full of used greasepaint, a small stuffed alligator and a wooden box of old paints. School taught her she was too tall to act, too awkward to be a dancer, to dim to learn the Reform Laws and not quite good enough an artist. Penny loved ...
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Scunthorpe United maintained their unbeaten record as they held Burton Albion to a 0-0 draw at the Pirelli Stadium.
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The Iron also had a goal scored by Andy Dales disallowed for offside as the Iron were frustrated upfront.
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Home Comic Starro Coming To DC Universe Online on April 5th
ComicDCDC Universe OnlineMMORPGNews
Starro Coming To DC Universe Online on April 5th
DC Universe Online is an MMORPG that lets players become a part of the DC Comics universe by creating their own hero, or their own villain, and interacting with some of the greatest characters in comic history. Throughout the series run, there have been many major events that have happened that were pulled straight from the pages of DC Comics history. Classic team-ups, classic events like Crisis on Infinite Earths, and even off-shoots that would focus on a specific hero or villain. Now, DC Universe is about to bring the arrival of one of the most feared villains in all of comic, Starro the Conqueror.
To the untrained eye, Starro the Conquerer looks just like a starfish with an eyeball, but in fact, he is indeed one of the most formidable villains in DC Comics history. For two reasons. One, he can regenerate from even the smallest part of himself, so even if you chopped him to pieces, he could still live. Two, Starro is able to reproduce smaller versions of himself. These replicants can attach themselves to summon and perfect control the person. Meaning that Starro is capable of conquering whole planets just by controlling its inhabitants into doing what he wants.
It is this kind of thing that DC Universe Online players can expect, as the concept art for his arrival shows smaller versions of Starro flying around and controlling heroes like Wildcat. The event itself will happen on April 5th, and with the event comes new open world missions, a duo mission, an alert mission, and a new raid for both everyone, and for end-game players.
So be ready heroes and villains, Starro is coming, and it looks like he's playing for keeps! Will you be able to repel the conqueror? You're going to find out soon.
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How Blockchain Is Finding a Place at Your Thanksgiving Table
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Crashlytics Buys FireTower, Gears Up for WWDC Bash as Post-PC Era Dawns
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It's not always the terms of an acquisition that make it interesting. Sometimes it's the stuff going on around it. That's usually the case for young, fast-moving fields of technology and business that have yet to coalesce into something stable.
And that's a good thing, because I can't tell you all that much about the Crashlytics acquisition of FireTower App, which is being announced today. No financial terms, no number of employees joining the Crashlytics team, not even a time frame for integrating the technologies. It sounds like the deal is just for the technology and intellectual property, though.
Crashlytics is the Cambridge, MA-based mobile-bug-fixing startup led by techies Wayne Chang and Jeff Seibert. FireTower is also based in the Boston area, and is pretty young (around a year old); its original creator is Aaron White, the co-founder of ed-tech startup Boundless Learning. From what I gather, FireTower's software helps developers detect errors and bugs in Javascript code for Web apps, and then helps them manage the errors via a dashboard. So the combination seems to give Crashlytics a boost in supporting HTML5 and mobile Web developers, in addition to mobile apps on Apple's iOS platform.
This is the first acquisition for Crashlytics, but it sounds like it won't be the last. "We think there's going to be a consolidation coming on the horizon," says Chang. "We want to be one of the consolidators, and make sure we get the best talent and technology." He adds, "We're trying to make sure we make a huge impact on the developer community. We really, really think hard about what it is they really want."
According to Chang, an undisclosed competitor made an offer to buy FireTower before Crashlytics swooped in and won the deal. There were "heated" negotiations over the course of a couple months, he says. "The space we're in is heating up."
Just to remind you, all this activity isn't just about mobile apps or crash reporting. It's about the much more pervasive notion of "empowering post-PC development," Chang says. In other words, if your technology becomes crucial to mobile and Web developers, you put yourself in a position to own a big slice of the software development industry of the future. That is Crashlytics' plan, anyway.
And to get there, Chang and Seibert have to stay very close to the developer community. Next week, on the evening of June 11, they are hosting a party to (unofficially) kick off the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), at the W Hotel in San Francisco. As of yesterday, the bash had 600-plus RSVPs—including developers from Apple, Facebook, Path, and Yelp—and Chang says that number could double or even triple by Monday.
Sounds like a very fun and productive opportunity for the Crashlytics guys. Let's just hope they come back.
Gregory T. Huang is Xconomy's Editor in chief. E-mail him at gthuang [at] xconomy.com. Follow @gthuang
Salesforce Buys HeyWire to Help Businesses Reach Customers Via SMS
Oracle Acquires Dyn, Continuing Its New England Software Takeover
Rightpoint Buys Mobile Firm Raizlabs to Form "Agency of the Future"


One of the great advantages that Australia has always had is its Westminster System of Government under Australia's Constitutional Monarchy, which is both representative and responsible.
Representative in that it is elected by a majority of electors but once elected represented the whole community, and responsible in that once elected, the elected Government is responsible not only to the people but also for the day-to-day administration of the Nation.
Over the last thirty years or so we have seen these simple but effective principles eroded away by successive governments until we now find these very same elected governments want to remove the 'protections' and 'freedoms' of our traditional Westminster principles, by advocating Australia becomes a 'republic'.
In the 21st century it is not difficult to believe that our government does represent us, provided only that our interests are concurrent with some loftier international agenda.
In other words our representative government represents international interests firstly, and then represents us within that framework. We are all familiar with phrases such as "the level playing field", "in order to comply with the treaty", "in the interests of free trade", "we have international responsibilities" and, we must be more "pluralistic", whatever that means.
On the concept of responsible Government, when did you last hear of a Minister resigning for "misleading the House", or even for that matter, the electorate? Again, over the last thirty years or so we have seen an even greater erosion of this concept until we have arrived at the point where public servants, and not even senior ones at that, can decide what their Minister, and for that matter the public, should or should not know of any particular incident.
How many non-elected bodies do we now have setting Government policy?
How many of our politicians voted along party lines for the US/Australia Free Trade Agreement, whether or not it was in the interests of Australia. How many have supported the operations of the World Trade Organisation, which in many cases has simply meant the exporting of Australian jobs, or even for that matter, who supported the present escapade into Iraq?
We are, right now, certainly at a defining point in our history. At the coming Federal election the major questions will not be the 'red herrings' that will be pulled across our paths, but rather for the elector to decide if they want truly representative and responsible government for Australia, or for some other internationalist cause.


Pileated woodpeckers and a pristine forest are just two highlights of this East Texas treasure.
Wherever you live in Texas, it's worth the fuel to make the drive to the Texas/Arkansas border for a visit to Daingerfield State Park. Located southwest of Texarkana, the park is forested in loblolly and shortleaf pines, oaks, maples and sweetgums, dogwoods, redbud trees, and wisteria and is situated on 80-acre Lake Daingerfield. The spring-fed lake is clear enough for scuba diving and popular among anglers for bass, catfish, crappie, sunfish and chain pickerel.
Nature trails border the lake, and alert hikers may spot white-tailed deer pausing for a drink, drowsing turtles, red-cockaded woodpeckers, pileated woodpeckers, ducks, geese, squirrels, armadillos and the occasional copperhead snake. The fall colors at Daingerfield State Park are breathtaking when the hardwood trees contrast with the dark evergreens. Nature pulls out the stops again in the spring when the rolling hills are blooming with wisteria vines, redbuds and dogwoods. The friendly staff at the park will arrange tours with the park's interpretive specialist by request, or you might be so fortunate that you receive a campsite visit from Park Ranger Tad "Tater" Wallace, who will regale you with hilarious stories of dumpster-diving raccoons and other tales of the park.
A picnic by the lake's swimming area with its floating platform can be combined with playground time or fishing from the pier. Canoes, kayaks and pedal boats are available to rent from March to October for an excursion on the quiet lake, or bring your own boat to launch from the ramp. No fishing license is necessary when fishing from the bank or pier, but is required when fishing on the lake. A handy fish-cleaning facility is right at hand when you return with your catch.
Campsites offer everything from water and electricity tent sites to ten pull-through spaces with full hookups for RV use. The popular and completely refurbished cabins, built originally by the Civilian Conservation Corps, are a gentler way to rough it and are heated and air-conditioned. The full kitchen and living area are spacious and clean. Linens are furnished, but utensils, dishes and silverware are not. The cabins are popular with visitors year-round for their secluded location and cozy amenities, so be sure to make your reservations early. Groups can reserve the Bass Lodge, which will sleep 20 people in five bedrooms with two baths, and also utilize the amphitheater by the lake or the group picnic area. The old pavilion, with its vintage jukebox, is a popular spot for class reunions, school groups and, on occasion, even the local high school prom.
Load up the car and make the scenic trek to East Texas to experience this natural treasure.


text:
Select other Nationals Barrera, Tres Barrett, Aaron Bourque, James Braymer, Ben Cabrera, Asdrúbal Castro, Starlin Corbin, Patrick Difo, Wilmer Doolittle, Sean Eaton, Adam Elías, Roenis Fedde, Erick Finnegan, Kyle Gomes, Yan Harris, Will Hudson, Daniel Kendrick, Howie Kieboom, Carter McGowin, Kyle Noll, Jake Rainey, Tanner Read, Raudy Robles, Victor Ross, Joe Sanchez, Adrián Sánchez, Aníbal Scherzer, Max Soto, Juan Stevenson, Andrew Strasburg, Stephen Strickland, Hunter Suero, Wander Suzuki, Kurt Taylor, Michael A. Thames, Eric Turner, Trea Voth, Austin Williams, Austen Nationals Roster
Austin Voth
Team: Washington Ht / Wt: 6-2 / 210
Position: RP Born: 6/26/1992 Birthplace: Redmond, Washington
Bats/Throws: R/R Draft: 5th Round by Nationals (2013)
Hitting Breakdown 2019
Splits AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS TBB K GDP OBP SLG
Total .111 7 9 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 .111 .111
vs. Right .111 - 9 - 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 .111 .111
Home .000 5 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 .000 .000
Away .333 2 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 .333 .333
Grass .111 7 9 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 .111 .111
Day .250 4 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 .250 .250
Night .000 3 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 .000 .000
Runners and Outs
None on .000 - 4 - 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 .000 .000
Runners On .200 - 5 - 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .200 .200
Scoring Pos .333 - 3 - 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .333 .333
None on/out .000 - 1 - 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 .000 .000
ScPos/2Out .500 - 2 - 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .500 .500
Inning 1-6 .111 - 9 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 .111 .111
Pre All-Star .000 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000
Post All-Star .143 5 7 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 .143 .143
June - 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - -
July .000 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000
September .143 5 7 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 .143 .143
vs. Team
vs.Cle .000 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000
vs.KC .000 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000
vs.Atl .000 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 .000 .000
vs.NYM - 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - -
vs.Mia .500 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 .500 .500
vs. AL 75 1 6 1
vs. NL 80 4 6 1
Pitching Breakdown 2019
Splits W L ERA G GS S IP H R ER HR TBB IBB K
Total 2 1 3.30 9 8 0 43.2 33 16 16 5 13 2 44
Home 1 0 3.33 5 4 0 24.1 17 9 9 2 5 1 28
Away 1 1 3.26 4 4 0 19.1 16 7 7 3 8 1 16
Grass 2 1 3.30 9 8 0 43.2 33 16 16 5 13 2 44
Day 0 0 2.70 5 4 0 23.1 19 7 7 2 7 2 23
Night 2 1 3.98 4 4 0 20.1 14 9 9 3 6 0 21
As Starter 2 1 3.48 8 8 0 41.1 31 16 16 5 13 2 40
As Reliever 0 0 0.00 1 0 0 2.1 2 0 0 0 0 0 4
Pre All-Star 0 0 5.52 3 3 0 14.2 15 9 9 2 5 0 16
Post All-Star 2 1 2.17 6 5 0 29.0 18 7 7 3 8 2 28
June 0 0 4.35 2 2 0 10.1 10 5 5 2 2 0 10
July 1 0 4.35 2 2 0 10.1 9 5 5 1 4 0 10
September 1 1 2.35 5 4 0 23.0 14 6 6 2 7 2 24
vs.Bal 1 0 1.50 1 1 0 6.0 4 1 1 1 1 0 4
vs.Cle 1 0 3.00 1 1 0 6.0 2 2 2 0 0 0 5
vs.Det 0 0 6.23 1 1 0 4.1 6 3 3 0 2 0 3
vs.KC 0 0 8.31 1 1 0 4.1 5 4 4 0 3 0 6
vs.Atl 0 1 2.87 3 3 0 15.2 11 5 5 4 4 1 19
vs.NYM 0 0 0.00 1 0 0 2.1 2 0 0 0 0 0 4
vs.Mia 0 0 1.80 1 1 0 5.0 3 1 1 0 3 1 3
vs. AL 2 0 4.35 4 4 0 20.2 17 10 10 1 6 0 18
vs. NL 0 1 2.35 5 4 0 23.0 16 6 6 4 7 2 26
Batter vs. Pitcher
AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS TBB K OBP SLG
Total .213 155 16 33 9 2 5 12 0 2 13 44 .283 .394
vs. Left .263 76 - 20 6 2 1 7 0 1 8 14 .329 .434
vs. Right .165 79 - 13 3 0 4 5 0 1 5 30 .239 .354
As Starter .212 146 16 31 8 2 5 11 0 2 13 40 .287 .397
As Reliever .222 9 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 4 .222 .333
Home .198 86 9 17 5 1 2 7 0 1 5 28 .247 .349
Away .232 69 7 16 4 1 3 5 0 1 8 16 .325 .449
None on .248 105 - 26 6 1 5 5 0 0 7 29 .307 .467
Runners On .140 50 - 7 3 1 0 7 0 2 6 15 .237 .240
None on/out .244 45 - 11 2 1 1 1 0 0 1 12 .261 .400
Scoring Pos .130 23 - 3 1 0 0 5 0 1 4 5 .267 .174
1st IP .167 30 - 5 1 1 1 3 0 1 3 11 .278 .367
Inning 1-6 .213 155 16 33 9 2 5 12 0 2 13 44 .283 .394
Bases Loaded .000 4 - 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 .200 .000
Vs 1st Batr 1.000 1 - 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1.000 2.000
After (0-1) .163 80 - 13 3 0 1 3 0 0 4 33 .218 .238
Pitch 1-15 .200 25 - 5 1 1 1 3 0 1 2 7 .300 .440
Pitch 16-30 .194 36 - 7 2 0 1 2 0 0 2 12 .237 .333
Pitch 46-60 .308 26 - 8 0 1 0 3 0 0 3 6 .379 .385
Pitch 91-105 - 0 - 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1.000 -
Pre All-Star .259 58 9 15 3 1 2 5 0 1 5 16 .328 .448
Post All-Star .186 97 7 18 6 1 3 7 0 1 8 28 .257 .361


Join us for the next Open Board Meeting on Friday, November 4 at 7pm at JRs Public House, 1229 Hull Street, Baltimore, MD.
The format will be similar to January's Open Board Meeting: the Board will present results from the recent Summer League Survey and allow members to voice their opinions on Summer league and other CMUA offerings.
As such we are currently soliciting proposals. We want to know what worked well and what could be improved. You must RSVP to cmuacomm@gmail.com by October 28 if you'd like to present feedback to be placed on the list.
Proposals can be league-specific or about all leagues. Each proposal presentation will be 5 minutes; 2 minutes to present and 3 minutes for the board to ask questions. Please type up your proposal for the board. Questions? Email us at cmuacomm@gmail.com.
Event updates will be posted on the Facebook event!


…as well as the countless benefits of being a part of an exclusive sport community!
Upon acceptance as a member of the Ontario Blind Sports Association (OBSA), I agree to abide by the rules and procedures of the Association as approved through Rules, by-Laws and Regulations. As a member of the Association I shall uphold the high standards of the Association and shall never do anything to damage the reputation of the Association.
I understand and agree that the Association and/or any of its officials, affiliates or sponsors are not responsible for any injury, damage or loss resulting from any accident from known or unknown conditions howsoever caused. I also understand and agree that any violation of this contract will result in the immediate termination of my membership.
I, for myself and on behalf of my heirs, assigns, personal representatives and next of kin, HEREBY RELEASE AND HOLD HARMLESS the Ontario Blind Sports Association their officers, officials, agents and/or employees, other participants, sponsoring agencies, sponsors, advertisers, and, if applicable, owners and lessors of premises used to conduct the event ("Releasees"), WITH RESPECT TO ANY AND ALL INJURY, DISABILITY, DEATH, or loss or damage to person or property, WHETHER CAUSED BY THE NEGLIGENCE OF THE RELEASEES OR OTHERWISE.
This is to certify that I, as parent/guardian with legal responsibility for this participant, do consent and agree to his/her release as provided above of all the Releasees, and, for myself, my heirs, assigns, and next of kin, I release and agree to indemnify the Releasees from any and all liabilities incident to my minor child's involvement or participation in these programs as provided above.
I, the participant and/or the parent/guardian, authorize the Ontario Blind Sports Association (OBSA) to collect and use personal information about me or my child/ward for the purpose of receiving communications (newsletters, publications, promotions, images and results) from the Ontario Blind Sports Association and articles of interest, newsletters, promotions, images and results on the clubs website. This consent is in the compliance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act and the Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation.
Furthermore, I, the participant and/or the parent/guardian, grant permission to the Ontario Blind Sports Association to photograph and/or record my or my child/ward's image and/or voice on still or motion picture film and/or audio tape, and to use this material to promote the Ontario Blind Sports Association through the media of newsletters, websites, television, film, radio, print/or display form. I waive any claim to remuneration for use of use of audio/video materials used for these purposes.
I understand that I may withdraw such consent at any time by contacting the Ontario Blind Sports Association's staff. The staff member will advise the implications of such withdrawal.
Do you belong to a Sports club?
If 18 or under a parent/guardian with legal responsibility for this participant must complete.


text:
Banking Bailout: "It's All About Restoring Confidence"
Tom Field (SecurityEditor) • October 15, 2008 15 Minutes
Tuesday's news was mainly about Wall Street, with the U.S. government pledging to invest up to $125 billion in nine of the nation's largest banks.
But Main Street banking institutions and their customers will be the ultimate beneficiaries of this financial boost, says one industry analyst.
"It's all about restoring confidence in the banking system," says Guillermo Kopp, Executive Director and Global Research Fellow at TowerGroup, the Boston-based financial services research and advisory firm. "This is an interdependent system, and it's important to ensure that banks don't hurt, because they sustain the economy."
In an exclusive interview, Kopp discusses what this investment truly means to the banking industry, sharing insight on:
Ways financial services organizations of all sizes will benefit from government investment;
How banking institutions can step up and reinforce customer confidence;
Immediate business priorities for these institutions;
Outsourcing trends in the near term.
TOM FIELD: Hi, this is Tom Field, Editorial Director with Information Security Media Group. The topic today is the state of the banking industry and we are speaking with Guillermo Kopp, he is Executive Director and Global Research Fellow with TowerGroup. Guillermo thanks so much for joining me today.
GUILLERMO KOPP: Thank you Tom, it's a pleasure.
FIELD: Earlier today we heard from President Bush and government leaders outlining part of their rescue plan for financial institutions. I'd like for you to put this in perspective for us, what does it mean to the banking industry?
KOPP: Tom, this is a much-needed move. It's all about restoring confidence in the banking system, in the financial services system as a whole. You know the financial services has been suffering from the sub-prime crisis, so this move by the government is injecting capital into banks to make sure that they can respond to the liquidity needs of the moment. And I would point out that business is on interdependent systems so it is very, very important to ensure that banks don't hurt because they enable the functioning of the economy; and there is systemic risk, there are interdependencies between banks and commercial companies. So if anyone were to fail, a big one, it would create an effect on the other banks and on the underlying economy.
FIELD: Well, you make a good point there about the banks and the interdependencies. I wanted to ask you, what are the ramifications for institutions of all sizes, both from Wall Street and from Main Street?
KOPP: First, there's been like a controversy between Wall Street and Main Street, it's one or the other, and I would say it's both and the two work together. The two are interdependent. Like, Wall Street provides credit to commercial, industrial, media companies, government entities, you name it and that credit needs to come at a fair price, and the financial services systems, banks, enable economic growth. So to the extent that financial capacity is available from Wall Street, Main Street can grow.
On the other hand, as economic momentum in Main Street drives the economy further and enables job creation and expansion, there is an opportunity for banks, financial services companies, to take part in it and then at the reasonable premium benefit from everybody's growth.
What we are seeing because of the liquidity crisis, the trading in complex, various instruments and having capital in the form of assets that are, today they don't have a certain value, then liquidity came to a stall, there is less availability of credit in the inter-bank system, there is less credit available for commercial and industrial companies and for the public in general, and therefore there is a big danger that overall the economy may hurt.
FIELD: Now you have worked in banking institutions. How can banks and credit unions now go about reinforcing customer confidence, which we have heard is so much in danger?
KOPP: Yeah, banks and credit unions, financial institutions in general, have a business that is predicated on trust, or if you wish, customer confidence and investor confidence. Now, trust has been damaged because the banks and services systems had a major shock given the liquidity crisis, and there is this big concern whether deposits are insured, whether loans would still be there, whether consumers have access to credit, companies have access to credit. So to the extent that the capital injection translates into an availability of funds and it guarantees that the funds that customer deposit with institutions will be there, progressively there will be a rebound of confidence.
I feel at this very moment there is uncertainty in the market; too much volatility in the financial system has impacted on the wealthiest of companies and individuals. So that has hurt the trust and the confidence. It will take time to restore it, and I would say that it is not just the capital, it is the behaviors, the credibility of the leadership teams in institutions, what they do in the form looking after customer service, what the do in the form of walking the talk and making reasonable credit available and also financial responsibility and accountability showing that banks in spite of all the problems, can still perform.
And one of the challenges as earnings get announced in the next few weeks, and probably earnings are not going to show too much of a pretty picture when it comes to banks and credit unions, at the very least put in perspective that they have the support, the financial wherewithal to move further and to move forward and to hammer out of this liquidity crisis in good health and continue fulfilling the role of the enabler of the overall economy growth.
FIELD: So as they do come out of this liquidity crisis, what do you see as being some of the top spending priorities of banking institutions in the coming months?
KOPP: Well, one thing that we saw very clearly is the ability to provide better risk management and financial reporting, more transparent, more granular. Really understanding the interdependencies between risks like the liquidity risk and credit risk and market risk and that is prompting more sophistication, if you wish, technology upgrades in the banks.
We in TowerGroup have found that there are other priorities in the technology standing categories that are equally important, you know like predictive analytics that supplement the analysis. Another example is technology advances are relentless, so we see a lot happening in the world of electronic delivery channels. You are very familiar with the internet as a delivery channel and how companies outside financial services have been tapping vehicles like social networks and other creative delivery models to reach out to customers. And information security is an enabler, a key enabler of this electronic delivery capability.
Now what we see is with broadband connectivity banks finally embracing the mobile delivery channel, and this is likely to continue, particularly we saw successes in high growth areas in international markets, but it is also picking up speed in the U.S.
So anything to do with integration and modernization as well. You know, the ability to pull data together to feed risk management analysis, customer intelligence analysis, and the analytics that get banks to work smarter. Another area where technology plays a big role is that we see a lot of consolidation and rationalization of duplicative technology resources is the use of virtualization technologies, or if you wish, integrated architectures like SOA. And in that vein, the use of business process management tools, BPM, as a driver of restructuring and re-engineering business prophecies to gain better efficiency.
I just published the report the TowerGroup is calling the TowerGroup Top Ten and it looks like business drivers across the industry, and we also have analysis that go in detail for every vertical, like retail banks for example. And in those lists, what are the business drivers, what are banks doing in the form of strategic responses and what are the technology needs that address those strategies. And most of the top ten technologies are the ones that I just mentioned.
FIELD: Now obviously there has been a lot of regulatory focus on vendor management this year. What do you see is the future of outsourcing with banking institutions in the near term?
KOPP: I would say in the near term it is going to be a mixed agenda, and the reason for that is there is so much consolidation happening in the industry, so many banks are busy with just that. The agenda is mixed because outsourcing continues with strategic force.
So in spite of the overall downward momentum in IT spending, third-party services, outsourcing in particular, are seen by many banks as a solution to pull the efficiencies, and in many cases it is very hard to consolidate technology resources under one umbrella. So a third-party fulfills the role of the catalyst and, you know, getting the best in breed out or at the very least offering banks a way to immediately afloat the fixed technology cost and trade it for some valuable cost that the outsourcing companies transparently [ph] do pass that to the banks.
So the net effect in the fourth term for the bank is a reduction in the overall technology spend and the gain for the outsourcing vendor is with the ability to effectively consolidate and rationalize resources, push the technology costs even further down. Also the advent of new technologies facilitates that, I mentioned -- virtualization for example -- that is a resource that many banks have been polling.
The outsourcing movement will continue. The only offset to the double-digit growth that we have seen in past years is that the overall spending in the industry is rebooting for a while. and that tactically in the short-term many banks are going through the pains of mergers and deciding what remains and what goes out, and they may not all be ready to make an outsourcing decision at this moment.
FIELD: Makes sense. Guillermo, one last question for you. With the announcement today of the rescue plan, we saw nine major institutions named as recipients of this initial investment into banks. The question becomes what are the other 8,000 banking institutions in the United States, what are they going to see from this investment that is being made in banks?
KOPP: Yeah Tom, this is important. The announcement today focused on multi-billion dollars, $25 billion dollars here, $25 billion dollars there, that go to the big names. But by the same token, the U.S. government, the Treasury in particular, had the wherewithal to invest in smaller institutions and they have announced that they will communicate a package later on.
The big issue here is the ability of the government to maintain a fair playing field. Like it is easy with the big ones because there are few of those remaining, so it is a matter of deciding what goes into whom and making sure that they are all qualified to receive and wiling to receive and just making it happen.
In the case of the 8,000 maybe 10,000 smaller institutions out there, there needs to be some sort of criteria and rules because I would say that one of the goals is that the injection of capital be used productively.
To the earlier point of Main Street and Wall Street, what you want to understand is that help, that financial help doesn't go into just securing the financial results of a bank. You want to make sure that it is passed on to the economy, that it is passed on to companies, and that it is passed on to consumers. So once those criteria are well established, it is going to be a straightforward job of saying who gets help.
Now another challenge there is the auditability and the big names that are getting help now have been working at this closure and making a more accurate of reporting of their financial condition. In some of the smaller institutions they may not yet know what they don't know. Meaning some of the holdings that they think are okay or some of the customers and the companies that they are doing business with and they believe they are okay, when push to come to shove they may not be in such good health. So the big surprise is not going to come any time soon, I think it is only when auditors get to look at the financials from smaller banks that some surprises may come to light.
Economic Crisis: Compliance and Security Remain Top Priorities
View from Main Street: Interview with Michael Jacobson, Chair of the Nebraska Bankers Association
https://www.bankinfosecurity.co.uk/interviews/banking-bailout-its-all-about-restoring-confidence-i-143


Hello Asia! Radio's May episode is full of tunes from all over Asia! Listen Now!
For fans of geek and costuming, cosplay fever is returning to SMASH! Sydney Manga and Anime Show to a whole new level.
Coming up next weekend at Sydney's Factory Theatre, the third annual Sydney Psych Fest will be taking place for what's set to be another blistering year.
Enigmatic music duo White+ are soon to be in Australia for their debut Australian appearance as part of the Sydney Psych Festival, alongside a run of shows in Melbourne.
Billboard Radio China presented a total of 8 awards for 2016 at Billboard Radio Live.
The annual South By Southwest (SXSW) Music, Film and Interactive conference and showcase is coming up and Asia will again be out in force.


Bob Harper has an extensive background as a personal trainer and is perhaps best known for his role on NBC's The Biggest Loser. He has been a part of the show since its first season in 2004 as a trainer and has recently transitioned into the role of host. He found CrossFit in 2011 and hasn't looked back since – he incorporates CrossFit workouts on the show and has been intimately involved in the CrossFit community. You can find him working out and coaching at Brick CrossFit, taking black and white photos, or hanging out with his dog, Karl. We sat down at the 2016 CrossFit Games to record my first ever LIVE episode of Pursuing Health.
You can learn more about Bob on his website, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
Pete Servold developed a love for food and cooking early on and worked in the culinary and restaurant industry since the age of 17. He graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Atlanta GA in 2007 and worked at Restaurant Eugene where he experienced the true meaning of farm to table fine dining. While he was there Restaurant Eugene won Cuisine of the Year from Bon Appetit, Best New Chef from Food and Wine Magazine, and Restaurant of the Year from The Atlanta Journal Constitution. However, working in the restaurant industry took its toll on Pete's health and after meeting his wife and a scare with pericarditis he decided to join his local CrossFit affiliate. While participating in a 30 day Paleo challenge, he realized the similarities between fine dining and the principals of Paleo. It wasn't long before friends were asking him to cook their meals and Pete's Paleo – a meal delivery service – was born. I've been using Pete's Paleo meals for about 6 months now and have been blown away by their quality and convenience. I was excited to sit down with Pete to talk about his background, the principles upon which his company was founded, and his advice for getting the most out of your local CSA and meal prep.
You can learn more about Pete on the Pete's Paleo website, Facebook or Instagram.


text:
package de.siegmar.fastcsv.reader;

import java.io.Closeable;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.Reader;
import java.io.UncheckedIOException;
import java.nio.charset.Charset;
import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
import java.nio.file.Path;
import java.util.Collections;
import java.util.LinkedHashSet;
import java.util.Set;
import java.util.Spliterator;
import java.util.StringJoiner;
import java.util.stream.Stream;
import java.util.stream.StreamSupport;

/**
 * Header name based Csv reader implementation.
 *

 * Example use:
 *
{@code
 * try (NamedCsvReader csvReader = NamedCsvReader.builder().build(path)) {
 *     for (NamedCsvRow row : csvReader) {
 *         ...
 *     }
 * }
 * }

 */
public final class NamedCsvReader implements Iterable<NamedCsvRow>, Closeable {

    private final CsvReader csvReader;
    private final CloseableIterator<CsvRow> csvIterator;
    private final CloseableIterator<NamedCsvRow> namedCsvIterator;

    private Set<String> header;
    private boolean isInitialized;

    private NamedCsvReader(final CsvReader csvReader) {
        this.csvReader = csvReader;
        csvIterator = csvReader.iterator();
        namedCsvIterator = new NamedCsvRowIterator(csvIterator);
    }

    private void initialize() {
        if (!csvIterator.hasNext()) {
            header = Collections.emptySet();
        } else {
            final CsvRow firstRow = csvIterator.next();

            final Set<String> headerSet = new LinkedHashSet<>(firstRow.getFieldCount());
            for (final String field : firstRow.getFields()) {
                if (!headerSet.add(field)) {
                    throw new IllegalStateException("Duplicate header field '" + field + "' found");
                }
            }
            header = Collections.unmodifiableSet(headerSet);
        }

        isInitialized = true;
    }

    /**
     * Constructs a {@link NamedCsvReaderBuilder} to configure and build instances of this class.
     * @return a new {@link NamedCsvReaderBuilder} instance.
     */
    public static NamedCsvReaderBuilder builder() {
        return new NamedCsvReaderBuilder();
    }

    /**
     * Returns the header columns. Can be called at any time.
     *
     * @return the header columns
     */
    public Set<String> getHeader() {
        if (!isInitialized) {
            initialize();
        }
        return header;
    }

    @Override
    public CloseableIterator<NamedCsvRow> iterator() {
        if (!isInitialized) {
            initialize();
        }

        return namedCsvIterator;
    }

    @Override
    public Spliterator<NamedCsvRow> spliterator() {
        return new CsvRowSpliterator<>(iterator());
    }

    /**
     * Creates a new sequential {@code Stream} from this instance.
     *

     * A close handler is registered by this method in order to close the underlying resources.
     * Don't forget to close the returned stream when you're done.
     *
     * @return a new sequential {@code Stream}.
     */
    public Stream<NamedCsvRow> stream() {
        return StreamSupport.stream(spliterator(), false).onClose(() -> {
            try {
                close();
            } catch (final IOException e) {
                throw new UncheckedIOException(e);
            }
        });
    }

    @Override
    public void close() throws IOException {
        csvReader.close();
    }

    @Override
    public String toString() {
        return new StringJoiner(", ", NamedCsvReader.class.getSimpleName() + "[", "]")
            .add("header=" + header)
            .add("csvReader=" + csvReader)
            .toString();
    }

    private class NamedCsvRowIterator implements CloseableIterator<NamedCsvRow> {

        private final CloseableIterator<CsvRow> csvIterator;

        NamedCsvRowIterator(final CloseableIterator<CsvRow> csvIterator) {
            this.csvIterator = csvIterator;
        }

        @Override
        public boolean hasNext() {
            return csvIterator.hasNext();
        }

        @Override
        public NamedCsvRow next() {
            return new NamedCsvRow(header, csvIterator.next());
        }

        @Override
        public void close() throws IOException {
            csvIterator.close();
        }

    }

    /**
     * This builder is used to create configured instances of {@link NamedCsvReader}. The default
     * configuration of this class complies with RFC 4180.
     *

     * The line delimiter (line-feed, carriage-return or the combination of both) is detected
     * automatically and thus not configurable.
     */
    @SuppressWarnings({"checkstyle:HiddenField", "PMD.AvoidFieldNameMatchingMethodName"})
    public static final class NamedCsvReaderBuilder {

        private char fieldSeparator = ',';
        private char quoteCharacter = '"';
        private char commentCharacter = '#';
        private boolean skipComments;

        private NamedCsvReaderBuilder() {
        }

        /**
         * Sets the {@code fieldSeparator} used when reading CSV data.
         *
         * @param fieldSeparator the field separator character (default: {@code ,} - comma).
         * @return This updated object, so that additional method calls can be chained together.
         */
        public NamedCsvReaderBuilder fieldSeparator(final char fieldSeparator) {
            this.fieldSeparator = fieldSeparator;
            return this;
        }

        /**
         * Sets the {@code quoteCharacter} used when reading CSV data.
         *
         * @param quoteCharacter the character used to enclose fields
         *                       (default: {@code "} - double quotes).
         * @return This updated object, so that additional method calls can be chained together.
         */
        public NamedCsvReaderBuilder quoteCharacter(final char quoteCharacter) {
            this.quoteCharacter = quoteCharacter;
            return this;
        }

        /**
         * Sets the {@code commentCharacter} used to comment lines.
         *
         * @param commentCharacter the character used to comment lines (default: {@code #} - hash)
         * @return This updated object, so that additional method calls can be chained together.
         * @see #skipComments(boolean)
         */
        public NamedCsvReaderBuilder commentCharacter(final char commentCharacter) {
            this.commentCharacter = commentCharacter;
            return this;
        }

        /**
         * Defines if commented rows should be detected and skipped when reading data.
         *
         * @param skipComments if commented rows should be skipped (default: {@code true}).
         * @return This updated object, so that additional method calls can be chained together.
         */
        public NamedCsvReaderBuilder skipComments(final boolean skipComments) {
            this.skipComments = skipComments;
            return this;
        }

        /**
         * Constructs a new {@link NamedCsvReader} for the specified path using UTF-8 as the character set.
         *
         * @param path    the file to read data from.
         * @return a new NamedCsvReader - never {@code null}. Don't forget to close it!
         * @throws IOException if an I/O error occurs.
         * @throws NullPointerException if path or charset is {@code null}
         */
        public NamedCsvReader build(final Path path) throws IOException {
            return build(path, StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
        }

        /**
         * Constructs a new {@link NamedCsvReader} for the specified arguments.
         *
         * @param path    the file to read data from.
         * @param charset the character set to use.
         * @return a new NamedCsvReader - never {@code null}. Don't forget to close it!
         * @throws IOException if an I/O error occurs.
         * @throws NullPointerException if path or charset is {@code null}
         */
        public NamedCsvReader build(final Path path, final Charset charset) throws IOException {
            return new NamedCsvReader(csvReaderBuilder().build(path, charset));
        }

        /**
         * Constructs a new {@link NamedCsvReader} for the specified arguments.
         *

         * This library uses built-in buffering, so you do not need to pass in a buffered Reader
         * implementation such as {@link java.io.BufferedReader}. Performance may be even likely
         * better if you do not.
         * Use {@link #build(Path, Charset)} for optimal performance when
         * reading files and {@link #build(String)} when reading Strings.
         *
         * @param reader the data source to read from.
         * @return a new NamedCsvReader - never {@code null}.
         * @throws NullPointerException if reader is {@code null}
         */
        public NamedCsvReader build(final Reader reader) {
            return new NamedCsvReader(csvReaderBuilder().build(reader));
        }

        /**
         * Constructs a new {@link NamedCsvReader} for the specified arguments.
         *
         * @param data    the data to read.
         * @return a new NamedCsvReader - never {@code null}.
         */
        public NamedCsvReader build(final String data) {
            return new NamedCsvReader(csvReaderBuilder().build(data));
        }

        private CsvReader.CsvReaderBuilder csvReaderBuilder() {
            return CsvReader.builder()
                .fieldSeparator(fieldSeparator)
                .quoteCharacter(quoteCharacter)
                .commentCharacter(commentCharacter)
                .commentStrategy(skipComments ? CommentStrategy.SKIP : CommentStrategy.NONE)
                .errorOnDifferentFieldCount(true);
        }

        @Override
        public String toString() {
            return new StringJoiner(", ", NamedCsvReaderBuilder.class.getSimpleName() + "[", "]")
                .add("fieldSeparator=" + fieldSeparator)
                .add("quoteCharacter=" + quoteCharacter)
                .add("commentCharacter=" + commentCharacter)
                .add("skipComments=" + skipComments)
                .toString();
        }

    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
module Blog
  class Engine < ::Rails::Engine
    isolate_namespace Blog

    initializer :append_migrations do |app|
      unless app.root.to_s.match root.to_s
        config.paths['db/migrate'].expanded.each do |expanded_path|
          app.config.paths['db/migrate'] << expanded_path
        end
      end
    end

    initializer :factories, after: 'factory_girl.set_factory_paths' do
      if defined?(FactoryGirl)
        FactoryGirl.definition_file_paths << root.join('spec', 'factories')
      end
    end

    config.generators do |g|
      g.test_framework :rspec, view_specs: false
    end
    config.autoload_paths << root.join('lib')
  end
end


text:
LACMA Acquires Shizu Saldamando's La Brownskin
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has acquired La Brownskin, a portrait by CalArtian Shizu Saldamando (Art MFA 05). La Brownskin is a colored pencil portrait of Sebastian…
March 9, 2021 // Categories: Art
Mark Bradford Elected to American Academy of Arts and Letters
On March 5, the American Academy of Arts and Letters, an honor society of the country's 300 leading architects, artists, composers, and writers, announced 29 new members and four honorary…
Michael Worthington and Alums Talk CalArts Poster Show at REDCAT with EoB
East of Borneo (EoB), the online magazine of West Coast contemporary art and its history, published by the CalArts School of Art, currently features an interview with Graphic Design faculty…
March 4, 2021 // Categories: Art, Faculty, Graphic Design
Center for Integrated Media Presents Three New Projects
The CalArts Center for Integrated Media's (CIM) online curatorial initiative, archive, and virtual studio viralnet-v4.net launches its 2021 edition with three new projects: a podcast series titled Now|Swerve, hosted by…
March 2, 2021 // Categories: Art, Integrated Media
EventMarch 2, 2021
Visualizing Abolition Series Features Ashley Hunt and the Underground Scholars
On Tuesday, March 2, the Visualizing Abolition series from UC Santa Cruz Institute of the Arts & Sciences presents writer, artist, and CalArts Art faculty Ashley Hunt in conversation with…
February 26, 2021 // Categories: Art, Events, Faculty
Born in a Pandemic: Full Service Creative Provides Fabrication, Consulting Services to LA's Art Community
"We want to solve artists' problems," explains Kenneth Yuen (Art MFA 20), who with Casey Baden (Art MFA 20) recently co-founded Full Service Creative. Having graduated into the worst economy…
February 26, 2021 // Categories: Art, Faculty
EventFebruary 23, 2021
In Conversation: Cauleen Smith and Tisa Bryant on Give It Or Leave It
Artist and CalArts faculty Cauleen Smith's exhibition Give It Or Leave It is currently installed at LACMA, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, the museum is closed. One of the only…
February 22, 2021 // Categories: Art, Events, Faculty, Film/Video
Short Films by Akosua Adoma Owusu Featured on the Criterion Channel
This month, the Criterion Channel is featuring a collection of short films by CalArts alum and Ghanaian American filmmaker Akosua Adoma Owusu (Art, Film/Video MFA 08). A Criterion Channel exclusive…
February 19, 2021 // Categories: Art, Film/Video
HBO's The Lady and the Dale Co-Directed by Zackary Drucker
On Jan. 31, HBO released The Lady and the Dale, a documentary miniseries directed by CalArts alum Zackary Drucker (Art MFA 07) and Nick Cammilleri. The four-episode series features, "an…
EventJanuary 23 - May 16, 2021
KMFA Presents Full-Scale Retrospective Tony Oursler: Black Box
The Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts (KMFA) in Taiwan presents Black Box, an exhibition of works by prominent multimedia artist Tony Oursler (Art BFA 79). The exhibition, which is being…
February 8, 2021 // Categories: Art, Events


text:
Prosecutor: sister hired 'killing crew'
NewsCrime and Public Safety
Deborah Ann Perna
By Larry Welborn | Orange County Register
April 19, 2010 at 3:04 p.m.
SANTA ANA – A Buena Park businessman was gunned down on a residential street not far from his home in October 2002 because his sister offered "coffee cans full of cash" to street gang members if they would kill her brother, a prosecutor told a jury here Monday.
David Montemayor was kidnapped at gunpoint in Compton by the three gun-toting gang members on Oct. 2, 2002, after his sister promised they could have all the money he secretly stored in coffee cans in his garage, Deputy District Attorney Howard Gundy said in his opening statements of a death penalty trial.
But Montemayor refused to show the "killing crew" where he lived because his wife and children were there getting ready for school, Gundy said.
Instead, he bolted from a car begging for his life a few blocks away. The gunmen opened fired, killing Montemayor on a sidewalk, and then raced from the scene in an SUV. The early morning shooting ignited a wild police chase through Orange County freeways that ended in Anaheim when Buena Park police executed a maneuver to disable the kidnappers' SUV.
The getaway driver, Gundy told the 10-woman, two-man jury, was Alberto Martinez, a Pacoima Flats street gang member who went by the moniker "Crook."
The prosecutor said he will ask the jury to convict Martinez of first-degree murder, plus the special circumstances of murder for financial gain, murder during a kidnapping and murder for the benefit of a gang.
If the jury agrees, Martinez could receive a death sentence from Superior Court Judge Francisco Briseno.
Martinez, now 32, is the fourth of six co-defendants to go on trial for Montemayor's murder.
Deborah Ann Perna, 53, Montemayor's sister, is serving life without parole after she was convicted of hiring the gang members to kill her bother so that she could gain control of the family's trucking business.
Gerardo Lopez, a Pacoima gang member who was a 17-year-old juvenile when he was arrested in the crashed SUV – is also serving life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Co-defendant Anthony Navarro, 43, who was the go-between from Perna to the gang members, was convicted of first-degree murder plus several special circumstances and was sentenced to death in 2008.
Another co-conspirator pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and is cooperating with prosecutors.
And Armando Macias, 34, another gang member who was captured after the chase, faces his own death penalty trial later this year for allegedly taking part in the slaying in order to get the money that Montemayor supposedly hid in the coffee cans.
It turned out, however, that was only a rumor: Montemayor did not have a secret stash of cash in his garage, Gundy said.
Marlin Stapleton, Martinez' attorney, acknowledged in his opening statements Monday that Martinez was the getaway driver after Montemayor was gunned down.
But Stapleton insisted that his client had his hands on the steering wheel and did not fire any weapons when Montemayor bolted from his car and was shot and killed.
The trial is expected to last several weeks.
Contact the writer: lwelborn@ocregister.com of 714-834-3784
Larry Welborn
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