L.A. served up with an indi twist: Booby Trap offers an alternative scene for Hollywood’s hip, lesbian partygoers.(PARTY ROAD TRIP)
Curve, November, 2009 by Wetherbe, Jamie
Los Angeles is home to a series of rotating women’s nights for a variety of tastes–from martini-sipping power lesbians to barely legal barhoppers. The kitschy-cool (and aptly named) Booby Trap offers a more artistic take on L.A.’s lesbian nightlife. Regulars line up on Wednesday nights at Temporary Spaces, a slightly sleazy club so hip that no sign is required. They’re there for two reasons: stylish women and alternative music.
Booby Trap hosts and resident DJs, Kim Anh and Anon, created the club almost two years ago real estate for sale by owner and since then it’s become a hotspot for queer up-and-comers and celebs alike, so don’t be surprised if you bump into someone like actress-model Jenny Shimizu (Make Me a Supermodel)
Apple: AT&T didn’t ask us to reject Google Voice: company lifts veil on App Store approval process.(iPhone Central)
Macworld, November, 2009 by Snell, Jason
Responding to questions from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (macworld.com/5244) about the reported rejection of a Google Voice app from the App Store, Apple recently provided some intriguing details about how its App Store approval process works.
In a Web site posting entitled “Apple Answers the FCC’s Questions” (macworld.com/5243), the company explains the App Store process in general and replies to some specific questions from the FCC. Since many of those questions center on the fate of a Google Voice app paper shredding for the iPhone and the iPod touch, much of the document focuses on that
First-time jobless claims fall by only 1,000
0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Oct 30, 2009 | by Christopher S. Rugaber Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The number of people claiming jobless benefits for the first time dropped less than expected last week, evidence that the labor market remains weak even as the economy is recovering.
The Labor Department said Thursday its tally of newly laid-off workers seeking unemployment insurance fell by 1,000 to a seasonally- adjusted 530,000. Analysts expected a steeper drop to 521,000, according to a survey by Thomson Reuters.
The report came on the same day the Commerce Department said the economy grew at a 3.5 percent pace in the July-September quarter, snapping a record streak of four straight quarterly declines. But the economy isn’t growing quickly enough to spur much hiring.
Initial claims need to fall below about 450,000 to signal that employers are actually adding jobs, several economists said. Still, many saw some positive signs in the report.
The number of people continuing to claim unemployment insurance benefits dropped 148,000 to 5.8 million, a steeper fall than expected and the sixth straight decrease. Those figures lag initial claims by a week.
That doesn’t include the nearly 4 million people receiving benefits from federal emergency programs during the week of Oct. 10, a decline of about 71,000 from the previous week. Many of those recipients likely are exhausting their benefits and falling off the rolls without finding illinois auto insurance quotes jobs, some economists said.
The National Employment Law Project, an advocacy group for the unemployed, has projected that 1.3 million people will use up their benefits by the end of the year. Congress has added up to 53 extra weeks of support on top of the 26 typically provided by the states. The Senate is considering whether to provide another 14 to 20 weeks of emergency support for those about to run out.
About 52 percent of recipients in the past year have exhausted their regular state benefits, the highest proportion on records dating from 1972, according to Labor Department data.
But the decline in the total benefit rolls could also mean at least some are finding jobs.
The drop suggests “people are returning to work rather than shifting” from the regular program to emergency benefits, Zach Pandl, an economist at Nomura Securities, wrote in a note to clients.
Meanwhile, the four-week average of claims, which smooths out volatility, fell for the eighth straight week to 526,250, its lowest level since early January. That indicates that companies are laying off fewer workers.
Initial claims have fallen at a faster pace than after the last two recessions in 1991 and 2001, according to John Canally, an economist at LPL Financial. The unemployment rate didn’t peak until more than a year after each of those recessions ended, leading economists to dub them “jobless recoveries.”
Claims have fallen by 19 percent since their peak in March, better than the 14 percent drops in the seven months following each of the last two recessions.
But claims fell about 27 percent in the same period after their peak in October 1982, as the economy quickly added jobs during the recovery. That suggests the current rebound could fall somewhere between the rapid hiring following the 1981-82 recession and the last two anemic recoveries, Canally said.
Economists closely watch initial claims, which are considered a gauge of layoffs and an indication of companies’ willingness to hire new workers.
The unemployment rate rose to 9.8 percent in September from 9.7 percent, the department said earlier this month, as employers cut 263,000 jobs.
More job cuts were announced this week. Apparel maker Hanesbrands Inc. said Tuesday that it is shutting a hosiery plant in Winston- Salem, N.C., and laying off 240 employees.
Among the states, California had the largest increase in claims, with 5,774, which it attributed to layoffs in the construction, services and agricultural industries. Puerto Rico, Minnesota, Nevada and Nebraska also reported increases
The relentless quest for environmental sustainability has finally come to its logical conclusion: people are the problem–so get rid of them.(While We’re At It)(Brief article)
First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life, November, 2009
The relentless quest for environmental sustainability has finally come to its logical conclusion: People are the problem–so get rid of them. The best way we stewards of the earth can preserve the planet for our children and grandchildren is not to have those children and grandchildren. According to a report data storage software from the London School of Economics titled “Fewer Emitters, Lower Emissions, Less Cost,” contraception may be the most cost-effective method of reducing future carbondioxide emissions and thereby slowing climate change.
You see, for every $7 spent on contraceptives over the next four decades, carbon-dioxide emissions would be reduced by more than a ton; it would cost nearly five times that much to achieve the same result with low-carbon technology
Seamless Corp. and Gadgetenterprises.com Announce Dr. Gadget Gives Away Over $100,000 in Products During November, Only on EXTRA
Market Wire, October, 2009
Seamless Corp. (OTCBB: SMWF) announces that
Dr. Gadget is returning to EXTRA with over $100,000 in the latest consumer
products for The EXTRA Friends With Benefits giveaways. Dr. Gadget and
Mario Lopez will gift over $100,000 of unique gadgets to EXTRA’s Online
“Friends.” “The giveaway program is one of the biggest and best I have
ever been part of on national television,” said Dave Dettman, AKA Dr
Gadget. “I am thrilled for EXTRA and our more than 650,000 Online EXTRA
Friends.”
This November on EXTRA, featured items include Tailgate BBQs, Remote
Control Helicopters, 42″ HD Televisions, Cell Phones, High Tech Alarm
Clocks, HDTV Media Players, Pedicure Foot Baths, 22″ HDTV/DVD Players, Air
Purifiers and much more!
Known as the Guru of Giveaways on Radio and Daytime TV, Dr. Gadget has made
a name for himself by showing off the latest household gizmos and high tech
gear on national TV shows like “The View” and “EXTRA.” His goal is to
endorse products that are practical and user friendly providing the
consumer quality, value and convenience. He was recently featured on GSN’s
2009 Game Show Awards hosted by Howie Mandel
A charitable endeavor.(Catholic charities in the United States)
First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life, November, 2009 by Chaput, Charles J.
To understand Catholic charities in the United States today, we need to remember two simple facts. First, the Catholic experience in America has been different from the Church’s history in Europe. Second, while the founders’ belief in religious liberty remains deeply ingrained in the American spirit, a new and belligerent kind of secularism, alien to the American character, now threatens the mission of Catholic charitable ministries.
It also attacks America’s historic commitment to religious freedom. Since the nation’s earliest years, the Catholic Church has worked with American civil authorities in many mutually supportive ways to advance what Thomas Jefferson called the “wholesome purposes of society.” As the country has grown, so have its herpes dating challenges
SmartMetric, Inc. Retains Redwood Consultants, LLC to Assist in Shareholder Relations and Strategic Planning
Market Wire, October, 2009
SmartMetric, Inc. (OTCBB: SMME)
SmartMetric, Inc. is pleased to announce today that the Company has
retained California-based Redwood Consultants, LLC to assist in shareholder
relations and investor communications.
SmartMetric CEO Colin Hendrick stated, “We are delighted to announce our
relationship with Redwood Consultants and we are committed to providing
timely and consistent updates to the investment community. We will be
working closely with senior management of Redwood to keep the global
investment community apprised of our progress at all levels.”
Redwood Consultants Managing Director Jens Dalsgaard observed, “In
screening hundreds of new client opportunities this year, and after meeting
with SmartMetric’s CEO, Colin Hendrick over the past six months, we became
increasingly aware of the blockbuster potential of not just the company’s
technology but the brilliant vision of the founder himself. The time is now
for this technology to be commercially exploited, as it’s the right product
in the right sector at the right time. We are elated to represent
SmartMetric, Inc in this exciting endeavor.”
About Redwood Consultants, LLC
Redwood Consultants, LLC is a full-service investor relations firm that
works closely with emerging, publicly traded companies to guy gets girl communicate their
value to the investment community and build and sustain greater investor
sponsorship. We are committed to our clients’ success
Insurance.com Wins ‘Best Practices in Business Intelligence’ Award From Business Intelligence Perspectives
PR Newswire, Oct 5, 2009
Leading michigan auto insurance quotes online auto insurance agency recognized for outstanding business intelligence solutions
CLEVELAND, Oct. 5 /PRNewswire/ — Insurance.com, the country’s largest online auto insurance agency, has won the “Best Practices in Business Intelligence” award from Computerworld’s Business Intelligence Perspectives, the premier conference for leaders in the business intelligence and IT management sector.
The award identifies and acknowledges excellence among users of business intelligence solutions and approaches. Winners were announced September 16 during a special awards ceremony at Business Intelligence Perspectives, at the Westin Chicago River North, Chicago, Ill.
“Everyone on the team was honored simply to be recognized for this award,” says Scott Noerr, Insurance.com’s director of IT Services. “To win the award only drives home the fact that we’re building world class solutions to everyday problems right here in Solon.”
Other team members included Harshad Kulkarni, Business Intelligence manager, and Business Intelligence developers Amith Vangala, Irina Karpov, and Mike Nowak.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our team and what we’re doing at Insurance.com,” says Rob Klapper, CEO. “Not only is our team’s solution best-in-class, it helps deliver on Insurance.com’s brand promise – to make insurance companies compete, so our customers win by choosing the policy that fits them best – by building a more efficient sales force, giving them a greater opportunity to communicate with our customers and address their auto insurance needs.”
To increase sales center efficiency and decrease idle time per insurance agent, Insurance.com set out to level each agent’s workload. This, in turn, led to reduced operating costs and maximized potential revenue.
“We created a real time, closed loop system that looks at 15 different variables from four different source systems to determine the amount of capacity available in the sales center,” explains Noerr. “It recalculates the capacity every five seconds and adjusts the amount of time an agent sits idle.”
Business Intelligence Perspectives conference’s annual awards program, Best Practices in Business Intelligence, identifies and acknowledges excellence among companies in the following areas:
-- Creating an Agile BI Infrastructure -- Driving Process Management with BI -- Expediting Information Delivery, Retrieval, Reporting and Analysis -- Innovation and Promise in Business Intelligence
“Today’s competitive economy demands that IT enterprises effectively and efficiently implement successful business intelligence strategies. Insurance.com has fully demonstrated the ability to devise and implement solutions that ensure the most efficient IT infrastructure and advancing the larger goals of the organization,” said Ellen Dally, senior vice president events, IDG Enterprise.
About Insurance.com
Located in Cleveland, Ohio, Insurance.com is the top online auto insurance agency in the U.S., and offers comparison auto insurance quotes consumers can buy online or by phone
Iowa First Bancshares Corp. Reports Third Quarter Financial Results and Dividend Payment
Business Wire, Oct 29, 2009
MUSCATINE, Iowa — Iowa First Bancshares Corp. (OTCBB: IOFB) today reported net income of
$674,000 for the quarter ended September 30, 2009, compared to net
income of $992,000 for the quarter ended September 30, 2008, a decrease
of $318,000 or 32.1%. The decline in net income was heavily influenced
by provisions for loan losses which increased to $500,000 during the
third quarter of 2009 compared to $132,000 during the third quarter of
2008. Moreover, FDIC insurance premiums which were $165,000 during the
third quarter of 2009 totaled only $12,000 during the same quarter of
2008.
Basic and diluted earnings per share were $.59 for the three months
ended September 30, 2009, $.27 or 31.4% less than the same period in
2008.
The Company recorded net income of $2,362,000 for the nine months ended
September 30, 2009, compared with net income of $2,704,000 for the three
quarters ended September 30, 2008, a decrease of $342,000 or 12.6%. Once
again, the primary reasons for this reduction in net income were
increased provisions for colorado auto insurance quotes loan losses as well as much higher FDIC
insurance premium expense during the first nine months of 2009 compared
to the same period in 2008
The assault upon kings and tyrants in the Moses tradition
Biblical Theology Bulletin, Nov, 2009 by Robert K. Gnuse
Abstract
The biblical traditions concerning Moses in the book of Exodus and Numbers contain an obvious critique of tyrannical kings and their oppressive deeds, as dramatically metaphored by pharaoh and his actions. Movies and cartoons over the years have captured the power of this dramatic symbolism. A close reading of the text unveils how even more deeply penetrating this critique of power and the wielders of power is within our biblical narratives. At times with deadly seriousness and at times with humor our biblical author assaults the prerogatives of kings and their advisers. This essay is not so much a scholarly exposition as a theological reflection upon the powerful political imagery of our sacred text. Too often in our biblical theology we fail to appreciate the depth of the biblical assault upon tyranny and the corresponding affirmation of human freedom and equality.
Key Words: Moses, Miriam, pharaoh, kingship, book of Exodus, plagues
**********
When we speak of kings in the Bible many stories might come to the fore, such as David’s affair with Bathsheba, Absalom’s rebellion against David, Solomon’s wisdom, Solomon’s decision to cut the baby in half, Solomon’s meeting with the Queen of Sheba, Solomon’s building the temple, the opposition of Elijah and Elisha to kings, and the ultimate overthrow of two royal houses by Elisha. In the New Testament we remember Herod the Great, who sought to kill Jesus by slaying all the babies in Bethlehem, or Herod Antipas who beheaded John the Baptist and yamaha rx v765 saw Jesus before and after Pilate dealt with him. We have a collection of memories about kings that are a mixture of good and bad actions by these royal and regal figures, which is a fairly accurate ideological portrayal of kings in the Bible. Rhetorical statements about kings, most of them negative, appear in the books of Kings and the oracles of the prophets. Even statements about the future ideal messiah really throw negative light on the actual practices and lives of real kings. The more we read the biblical text, the more we sense that the Bible has more negative than positive things to say about kings. We have come to take this for granted, after years of Sunday school and Bible class, so we fail to appreciate how really radical these texts are.
The Role of Kings
Kings in the ancient world were important to the social, religious, economic, political, and intellectual fabric of society. Myths of legitimation are told about kings in primitive society as well as ancient Near Eastern society that speak of how kingship arose and why kings are necessary to the harmony and healthy functioning of society. The emergence of such rulers in the ancient world was necessary for civilization to develop and advance. Kings organized the life of the community or the territory they ruled in many ways.
They were the chief leader of the military in defending the people against foreign conquest. Often they were generals, especially in Mesopotamia, or they at least worked closely with generals, as in Egypt.
* They were responsible for collecting and then redistributing food, so that everyone was sufficiently fed and the population of the community was sustained. Some rites focused upon the king’s role in bringing fertility to the crops of the land, especially the New Year’s ceremonies in Mesopotamia.
* In the riverine societies of Egypt, Mesopotamia, India, and China, they were responsible for development of irrigation systems to bring water from the rivers to the crops so as to maximize the crop.
* Kings proclaimed themselves to be the representatives of the gods to the people, and sometimes they conflicted with the priests over this issue in the equivalent an of early “church-state” conflict, especially in Mesopotamia.
* Kings played a significant role in trade. They often coordinated the trade within their own country, for the royal capital often was the center to which various goods came and were sent forth to other parts of the country. The kings also engaged in international trade, bringing goods from afar that could not otherwise be obtained in the homeland.
* Kings were responsible for law and order in society, and they issued law codes to standardize or update law, claiming to have received them directly from a god. Frequently these royal law codes were not really binding upon the judges in the law courts, but they were advisory, and they were used to train scribes in the scribal schools, thus performing an educative role vis-a-vis the intelligentsia and the leaders. Kings could function also as the final court of appeal.
* Kings were a religious and psychological symbol in the minds of the people for the unity and health of the community.
* Kings could be portrayed as the ultimate symbol of order and wisdom in the land. Pharaoh was the incarnation of Ma’at, the cosmic principle of wisdom, in Egypt, and in Mesopotamia he was the perfect man in terms of courage, wisdom, justice, and power, and the steward of the gods.
* Finally, kings could function as priests, even though they usually did not belong to the priestly guild. The king might offer the most important sacrifices, such as those offered by Mesopotamian kings in the New Year festival of akitu, which insured that the world would not be destroyed