Co-Opting the US Department of Energy

Maxim Lott of Fox News has an interesting article drawing attention to the co-opting of US Department of Energy funders by CRU and their associates – co-opting in the sense that the US Department of Energy totally failed to ensure that their grant procedures complied with US federal policy for requiring grantees to archive data.

In the article, Lott quoted extensively from Jones’ emails between 2007 and 2009 in which he assured correspondents that the US Department of Energy had assured him that he didn’t have to archive data:

Making that case in 2009, the then-head of the Research Unit, Dr. Phil Jones, told colleagues repeatedly that the U.S. Department of Energy was funding his data collection — and that officials there agreed that he should not have to release the data.

“Work on the land station data has been funded by the U.S. Dept of Energy, and I have their agreement that the data needn’t be passed on. I got this [agreement] in 2007,” Jones wrote in a May 13, 2009, email to British officials, before listing reasons he did not want them to release data.

Two months later, Jones reiterated that sentiment to colleagues, saying that the data “has to be well hidden. I’ve discussed this with the main funder (U.S. Dept of Energy) in the past and they are happy about not releasing the original station data.”

A third email from Jones written in 2007 echoes the idea: “They are happy with me not passing on the station data,” he wrote.

I was contacted by Lott and drew his attention to correspondence in 2005 between Warwick Hughes and the US Department of Energy, which was reported at CA in October 2005 here. Earlier in February 2005, Jones had famously refused Warwick Hughes as follows:

Even if WMO agrees, I will still not pass on the data. We have 25 or so years invested in the work. Why should I make the data available to you, when your aim is to try and find something wrong with it. There is IPR to consider

In my October 2005 post, I reported Hughes’ email to Tom Boden of the US Department seeking Jones’ data, together with Boden’s response advising Hughes that the terms of Jones’ grant did not require him to provide the funding agency with the data. Curiously, in the early 1990s, under earlier Department of Energy contracts, Jones had provided the US Department of Energy with a complete station data base which was published online by the DOE. (The University of East Anglia has never provided any theory of how alleged confidentiality agreements from the 1980s remained “actionable” given that Jones had either not been prevented by these agreements from providing station data to the US Department of Energy for their online publication or had done so without complaint by the NMSs at the time.)

The October 2005 post is well worth re-reading as it reviews US federal policy which would appear to have required the DOE to ensure that grantee CRU archived data. It also quotes policy from UNFCCC which also clearly required NMSs to have ensured that a system for archiving station data was established. The position of Nature and other defenders of CRU as justified due to elusive confidentiality agreements entails that IPCC participants who rely on these supposed agreements have failed to live up to these UNFCCC obligations. In my opinion, Jones, in his capacity as IPCC AR4 Coordinating Lead Author, ought to have reported such NMS consent refusals to IPCC participants as breaches of UNFCCC commitments. Jones’ failure to do so is hard to separate from his expressed desire as CRUtem proprietor to prevent critics (for reasons that remain unclear) from examining this data.

In my October 2005 post, I wondered at the tactical wisdom (from the Team’s standpoint) at obstructing access to this (and other) data, noting then (as on numerous subsequent occasions) that I did not necessarily anticipate large changes in the temperature history, but equally, given the wide public interest, why the record should not be made available for scrutiny.

The whole point of the thread (and many like this) is that the data on which conclusions are based are not available, and in defiance of the stated policies of several parties involved in funding the research and disseminating the results.

Replication must begin with access to the data used otherwise it isn’t science.

And a lot of analysis has been done here – the briefest exploration confirms that.

Why do you think it is your place to decide the remit of climateaudit, steve mcintyre, or any other interested party? There are a class of people who find the data interesting. They find the data interesting for a variety of reasons:

1. to confirm what they believe
2. to find errors
3. to satisfy their curiousity

There are other classes of people who find the whole process of government sponsered science
interesting. These people may only be interested in seeing that the government processes we
fund are actually followed. That is a legitimate interest. You dont answer the questions about how processes were or were not followed by attacking the watchdog or by suggesting that the
watchdog should do something else.

Personally, I am interesting is making sure that the science my tax dollars funds, follows
a well defined process. The same way I am interested that the money spent on defense weapons
is properly spent. Nobody ever suggested to ralph nader that he should build his own damn
cars rather than criticize motor city. When defense teams look at old cases to free innocent men convicted of crimes, nobody suggests that they should become prosecutors. No, we welcome investigations into processes so that we can build better systems. At least some of us do.

Has this website now sunk to hitting the people behind data you do not like rather than researching the data that proves them to be incorrect?

Or is this impossible because you have done no research?

How can one dislike data that are unavailable? The issue, were you to actually read the article, is that the data were not available and Phil Jones to refused to make them so. Without that, as others have pointed out, the conclusions advanced by Jones and his associates can’t be replicated. Their feelings might be hurt that other scientists may be dubious of their apocalyptic conclusions, or that experienced statisticians doubt their skill at obtaining empirically meaningful results, but, in fact in all the sciences – except climatology – the ultimate balm to bruised egos is to be able to say “I told you so.” That cannot happen unless the data, physical assumptions, adjustment methods, and analytical algorithms and the logic behind them all are not available for analysis.

The sole apparent benefits of not publishing the data and the rest of the list above is that 1) the researcher is not embarrassed by another analyst pointing out a drop sign or unphysical result in a badly framed calculation, 2) the researcher continues to draw grant money, and 3) the bureaucrats of the grant-dispensing agency are not embarrassed.

But their own actions shall you known them , in other words the ‘quality’ of the data can be strongly implied by the actions of the person creating it . Especial when the the data its and origins is so hard to even get your hands on given the ‘Teams’ approach keeping things within their group or even ‘losing’ it

Steve,
Thanks for your persistent efforts to highlight bad behaviour among IPCC and CRU leadership.
I appreciated your link to this long-brewing impropriety.

Is it correct to say that the DOE-funded ‘HadCRU recipe” is still a secret?
It seems that they have made a ‘pro-forma’ release of some data, but it is still insufficient to deduce and test their ‘secret’ recipe?

The disability-to-replicate (caused by their non-disclosure) seems to me to be the core issue, no?
RR

In the original post in October 2005, I quoted various policies that mandated DOE to require Jones to archive data e.g. the US GLobal Change Research Program directive to fnding agencies on grant language:

SUGGESTED DATA PRODUCT REQUIREMENT FOR GRANTS, COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS, AND CONTRACTS
Describe the plan to make available the data products produced, whether from observations or analyses, which contribute significantly to the grant results. The data products will be made available to the grant without restriction and be accompanied by comprehensive metadata documentation adequate for specialists and non-specialists alike to be able to not only understand both how and where the data products were obtained but adequate for them to be used with confidence for generations. The data products and their metadata will be provided in a standard exchange format no later than the grant final report or the publication of the data product’s associated results, whichever comes first.

and the following statement from DOE:

OSTI {office of Science and Technology of DOE] assures access to the results of DOE research by the scientific research community, academia, U.S. industry, and the public.

In 2005, attitudes towards providing data had hardened. I made the following observations in October 2005, which seem sensible to this day:

As to why the Hockey Team is so keen on data secrecy, I have no idea. It makes them look bad for very little point – if I were coach of the Hockey Team, I’d tell them to stop acting like prima donnas, archive their data and get on with things. But that’s just me.

If I were an American citizen, I’d want to know why the bureaucrats who have been funding all this work have failed to include adequate contractual language in Jones’ contracts to ensure that there was archiving, just like there is for so many other D.O.E. programs.

If I were advising a congressional oversight committee, I’d sure add this to my list of questions.

If I were a D.O.E. manager who had funded these primadonnas, I’d tell them that, regardless of the technicalities of past contract language, if they wanted another nickel from me, they’d better get their asses in gear and set up a proper data archive – and they’d better do it by yesterday so I didn’t look like an idiot if I heard from some congressional committee.

Needless to say, up to Climategate and FOI appeals in the UK, little had changed and, indeed, in some cases, matters had got worse.

I remind readers once again that I’ve consistently discouraged readers from thinking that Jones’ obstruction implies that there is some smoking gun in the CRUtem data. Quite frankly, I’ve always been a bit puzzled as to why Jones was so adamant about archiving data. My own theory has been that it was to avoid showing precisely how little work went into it. For example, here is my contemporary (2009) reply to Peter Webster’s comment mentioning that Jones had sent him the email:

Having said that, Jones’ obstruction is a disgrace as is the acquiescence in his obstruction by the Community. Every day that this goes on, Jones embarrasses the “Community” and does a disservice to the cause that he’s advocating.

As I’ve said before, readers should not expect that there’s some smoking gun in the secret data set. I don’t expect one. My own opinion, as I’ve said before, is that Jones doesn’t want to reveal the negligible amount of quality control that they do.

Gavin Schmidt says that GISS spends 0.25 man-years on their index. CRU probably does the same. They probably have old, old programs that like GISS, sort of work, but they’d be embarrassed to show anyone. And for running these ancient programs once a month on data prepared by others, they get lots of money.

Once their data and methodology is disclosed, my guess is that it wouldn’t take me very long to put a CRU emulator online and call into question why they get $1 million per year or whatever to calculate their index.

I think that the obstruction is monetary and has nothing to do with climate change. (I could be wrong.) HAving said that, the Community should not tolerate Jones’ behavior any longer.

I made similar comments on other occasions.

Even in the October 2005 article, I did not encourage readers to expect that close examination of CRUTem would lead to a “material change” in the index. My own interest was in the proxy reconstructions. Temperature indices were topics that interested others. However, I was sympathetic to their efforts to access data and quite prepared to use whatever influence I had to support those efforts as expressed in 2005 as follows:

I am extremely sympathetic to Warwick Hughes’ attempt to get access to the station data used in the CRU temperature reconstructions. I cannot say whether a close examination of that data set will lead to any material change in the view of temperature changes over the past century, but checking the dataset seems a worthwhile exercise. Jones’ secrecy seems unacceptable to me. In particular, the bureaucrats who have written contracts that permit Jones to withhold the data should be brought to account.

RuhRoh asks – “Is it correct to say that the DOE-funded ‘HadCRU recipe” is still a secret?”
I have seen no evidence that the DoE is funding the Hadley Centre/UK Met Office. DoE funding that I am aware of is to Prof Jones – and his CRUT2 series has not been updated post 2005. From 2006 the HadCRUT3 series was born with Prof Jones a minor author – last in the list – so I assume he still has some role in data for HadCRUT3.
The UKMO has never published anything remotely resembling the DoE books documenting the Jones et al methodology that were published up to 1991.
I always thought the UKMO took the management of CRUT away from Prof Jones because key people were unhappy with stewardship.
Who knows where all this will go and what we will ever learn. I have just posted;
“US Dept of Energy – should come under more scrutiny”

in the climategate 1 files there is a mail where they discuss getting a grad student for crutem3

also, it would be great if you put together all your correspondence in a chronological order.

I will note this. Often we see the defense made that skeptics really never cared about the data. we see the charge that they never published anything. and we see the charge that they wouldnt pay for data. I think your story and Geoff’s story is a very nice prequel to the entire history.

Just wondering if Mr. Mosher read this thread RE: his FOI/EIR requests? It’s an interesting discussion about who determines what is considered a confidentiality agreement. Phil lists just about everything but a secret handshake. Altho that doesn’t mean there isn’t one . . .

As Phil says, “The agreements that we’re talking about are not really confidentiality agreements that you’re talking about.”

Hi Matt,
My comments were tongue in cheek! The agreements that we’re talking about are not really confidentiality agreements that you’re talking about. Lots are unwritten agreements that we make scientist to scientist. Where there are written agreements they are signed between me (or previous Director’s
of CRU) with other academic institutions, which were not with their central administration (but again a sub part). CRU doesn’t initiate these, but if the other side wants it and it will help us do some work then we go ahead and sign. There is never any obligation on CRU or UEA. They are generally
about agreeing to work together on something.
The agreements Dave is talking about are ones that relate to us not making climate data available to third parties, which we have got from a National Met Service.
FOI is causing us a lot of problems in CRU and even more for Dave, as he has to respond to them all.
It would be good if UEA went along with any other Universities who might be lobbying to remove academic research activities from FOI. FOI is having an
impact on my research productivity. I also write references for people leaving CRU, students and others. If I have to write a poor one, I make sure I get the truth to the recipient in a phone call. I’m also much less helpful responding to members of the public who email CRU regularly than I was 2-3 years ago.
I’ve seen some of what I considered private and frank emails appear on websites. Issue here is blogsites have allowed these climate change deniers to find one another around the world.
Cheers
Phil

This does present something of a ‘issue’ in terms of drafting a response and dealing with any potential follow up request/query regarding our practices in this regard. I
wonder if whether said policy was in force at the time the agreements were entered into would be a way around this… the request is for current policies clearly…. I will
enquire further with Matt Hume….

From: Palmer Dave Mr (LIB)
Sent: Wednesday, August 05, 2009 3:23 PM
To: Hume Matthew Mr (ACAD)
Cc: Walker Alan Dr (ACAD)
Subject: RE: FOI/EIR request [FOI_09-69]
Matt,
Thanks very much for this… You have given me a bit of a conundrum on how to respond but we do at least have something to work with….
What policy are you actually quoting from and is it publicly available? As the request was for the entire policy, is there any issue with making the policy publicly available? If the policy in regards confidentiality agreements is within a larger document with unrelated material, I am happy to quote but I do think we will need to provide a proper citation…

REDACTEDWe all just had a very good laugh at Phil’s comment “We do sometime ignore the
REDACTEDRegistry advice”… If this is going to have the kind of publicity that you suggest,
REDACTEDI would prefer if you do not quote ANY of his answer to question 1.

REDACTEDThe UEA actually has a very strict policy on entering into confidentiality
REDACTEDagreements, however as Phil so blithely admits, a handful of academics take it upon
REDACTEDthemselves to foul things up!

REDACTEDAs you will note from points 1 & 2 of our policy; no UEA employee, except members of
REDACTEDour office, has the right to sign anything on behalf of the university – the problem
REDACTEDis that funders/other parties can be sneaky by sending the agreement in the name of
REDACTEDthe academic.

REDACTEDOur policy is:-
REDACTEDSomeone from the Commercialisation & Enterprise Team should approve and sign all
REDACTEDConfidentiality Agreements:
REDACTEDonly our staff have the legal authority to sign agreements on behalf of the
REDACTEDUniversity
REDACTEDall agreements should be between the University of East Anglia and the party
REDACTEDrequesting the agreement (not an individual academic or school)
REDACTEDwe will negotiate with the other party on any issues within the document that may be
REDACTEDcontentious
REDACTEDby doing this we will ensure you the best protection of your IP rights
REDACTED(In special circumstances, authorisation may be obtained from the Commercialisation
REDACTED& Enterprise Team allowing you to sign the agreement yourself. Such authorisation
REDACTEDmust always be obtained in advance, will only be valid for a specific instance, and
REDACTEDthe standard university agreement must be used without amendment – unless we have
REDACTEDauthorised an amendment)

REDACTEDIn all cases, a copy of the fully signed confidentiality agreement must be retained
REDACTEDin our office.

REDACTEDFYI – we are currently finishing off the final touches to our new intranet pages –
REDACTEDthere will be a page on CDA’s with this info on it.

REDACTEDAlso, I am away on holiday next week (10th -14th), so if you do any more info on our
REDACTEDpolicy regarding agreements etc, please contact Anne Donaldson, one of our
REDACTEDCommercialisation Managers ([1]REDACTED).

REDACTEDA bit of context – in response to a rejection of a request for data, we have
REDACTEDreceived over 50 requests for agreements, data and a combination thereof in
REDACTEDrelation to data sets that CRU maintains/holds. This is pretty high profile
REDACTEDand has been noted in blogs in the Guardian and Telegraph as well as in the
REDACTEDsource of all of this (see: [2]http://www.climateaudit.org). Be assure that
REDACTEDwhatever we state in response to this request is likely to be on the web,
REDACTEDshared and very public within hours of sending….

REDACTEDWe have a request from another individual exactly the same as below so there
REDACTEDwill be multiple recipients of the answer we give.

REDACTEDOur deadline for a response is 21 August but as I’m on hols commencing 17
REDACTEDAugust, the ‘effective’ deadline is 14 August.

REDACTEDThe first part of the query will be answered in line with the answer given to
REDACTEDother requesters for the agreements.

REDACTEDIn regards the second part, I will need some assistance as noted below

REDACTED. A copy of policies and procedures regarding employee responsibilities
REDACTEDregarding entering into confidentiality agreements. REDACTEDns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” />
REDACTEDSteve, do we have any contracting policy on this? Phil – anything with CRU on
REDACTEDresponsibilities regarding entering agreements on behalf of CRU? I don’t think
REDACTEDwe wish to state that we don’t have any policies or procedures in place, but
REDACTEDI’m not sure what to actually put here…
REDACTEDI don’t think there is anything – if there is I’ve never seen it. People in
REDACTEDCRU (not just me) enter into
REDACTEDagreements about data and/or writing papers and getting involved in projects.
REDACTEDUEA signs research
REDACTEDcontracts for us. UEA employees do the work, but UEA administers the grant.
REDACTEDThe various
REDACTEDagreements that UEA signs may say things about data access, but it will vary
REDACTEDdepending on
REDACTEDthe funding body. Some are more stringent than others. The Registry goes
REDACTEDthrough these.
REDACTEDThey mostly help the researchers by not letting ourselves sign away any
REDACTEDrights and IPR. We
REDACTEDdo sometime ignore the Registry advice, preferring to fall back on the verbal
REDACTEDagreements we
REDACTEDhave with the funders (their project officer). If we ever have a problem, we
REDACTEDprobably wouldn’t
REDACTEDwork with them again. This has happened with some scientists I have
REDACTEDcollaborated with in the past.

REDACTED. A copy of policies and procedures regarding employee responsibilities
REDACTEDregarding the preservation of written agreements.
REDACTEDAh, records management rears its head.We have a general statement on our
REDACTEDwebsite regarding our responsibilities for RM but we do lack any overarching
REDACTEDrecords retention schedule or policy Phil, does CRU have anything in-house?
REDACTEDCRU has nothing in this regard.

REDACTED. A copy of policies and procedures regarding employees entering into verbal
REDACTEDagreements.
REDACTEDSee question 1; same issue here although more likely to have a nil response
REDACTEDhere consequences of that?
REDACTED As said in the 2 pager we’re working on, we put some of the agreements in
REDACTEDthe letters we
REDACTEDwrote to Met Services requesting data (some of which we paid for).
REDACTEDThere has been a lot of time and effort gone into making these contacts. It
REDACTEDseems as
REDACTEDthough this counts for nothing.
REDACTEDAgain – unlikely to be anything. People agree things with other academics at
REDACTEDmeetings.
REDACTEDThis is how science works.

REDACTED. A copy of instructions to staff regarding compliance with FOI requests.
REDACTEDWe have web guidance that can be referred to, and a brochure that I distribute
REDACTEDthat could go here. and a statement regarding the training on offer
REDACTEDI’m not sure you want to go down this route!

REDACTEDPursuant to the Environmental Information Regulations, I hereby request
REDACTEDthe following information in respect to any confidentiality agreements
REDACTEDaffecting CRUTEM station data involving station data in NIGERIA,
REDACTEDNETHERLANDS, NORWAY, NEPAL,NAURU
REDACTED. the date of such agreement;
REDACTED. the parties to the agreement;
REDACTED. a copy of that part of the agreement that prevents further
REDACTEDtransmission
REDACTEDof the data to non-academics or others
REDACTED. a copy of the entire
REDACTEDagreement

I don’t know if this branch of “science” follows the practice set out in the publication of medical papers, if it does, the inclusion of Prof Jones in last place on a list of a paper’s authors, simply reflects him as head of department and may have had no input into the paper at all.

Standard practice in my field (molecular biology) is first author did the work and last author was the head of the group – who usually got the grant and was responsible for editing final versions, submission etc. I only ever looked at first and last authors to get an idea of who was involved and to see Prof. Jones as last author signifies a lot more than minor involvement to me.

There is another aspect to the whole DOE funding thing. The money to CRU actually was a big slush fund for them to do whatever they wanted, and the official task(s) listed on the grant(s) actually took very little of their time. While there is expected to be some play in the work done under a grant, I have known people who went off and did something completely different on a long term NSF grant in USA and got their grant terminated, and when I got DOE grants for 7 yrs at Argonne Lab I was expected to AT LEAST deliver what I promised (extra was extra). Very fishy. It is also odd for DOE to be funding a long term project like this in another country. Odd.

Craig. as I said on the other thread, the quote from Jones email 1577:

Any work we have done in the past is done on the back of the research grants we get – and has to be well hidden. I’ve discussed this with the main funder (US Dept of Energy) in the past and they are happy about not releasing the original station data.

Appears to point to the DoE knowing that CRU was using the ongoing grants as a general fund for whatever they wanted to do. What Phil appears to be saying needs to be hidden is that the research is done “on the backs” [diverted from ~ me] the grants. The cited withholding of the station data seems just to be an agreed upon strategy with the approval of the DoE to maintain general opacity lest a trail appear to the actual use of funds. This is a small stretch from the language above, but not much of a stretch. We’ll see how forthcoming the DoE will be with the current FOI requests.

One explanation would be that the funders understood that the true output of CRU and related institutions was nothing as boring as averages of anomalies of the modern instrumental record but the picture that alone seemed to prove that recent temperatures were unprecedented: the hockey stick. They weren’t interested in the detail as long as the Team promoted and defended the ‘dangerous blade’ – and this was made clear to the recipients.

All the way back to (at least) Reagan. That’s five presidential administrations. One would think think in all that time, somebody like an auditor, an IG, or a political operative looking for $600 toilet seats would say ‘we keep giving these guys money but we have nothing to show for it’.

The Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC) of the U.S. Department of Energy has been heavily involved in global warming research since the early 1980s and began their sponsorship of Phil Jones and CRU at that time. Station data and documentation for the early studies(TR022 and TR027) on 2873 stations (NDP-020) was made available around 1990. Since then, there have been several iterations of the dataset, including an increase in the number of stations from 2873 to 5129. However, to my knowledge, there has been no updating of the archive on station documentation. Limited updating of the archive of station data was done in 1994 but again, to my knowledge, nothing in the last decade – thus almost nothing since IPCC came on the scene and transformed the politics of the issue.

This leaves it open that the DOE got something for their money before 1994. On the original interest in CO2 and the carbon cycle, from around 1978, see Freeman Dyson’s memories of Oak Ridge that I brought to CA’s attention three months ago. The work in Carter and Reagan’s day was surely on the level. As Steve implies, only as the IPCC came on the scene did things go wrong.

I deal with people in various personal predicaments all the time and for me it seems clear as daylight that either they don’t have the data (or some substantial portion of it)or the data cannot be retrieved, which amounts to much the same thing. Of course, this remains my own personal opinion and is not proof.

Knowing that an admission to this effect would be absolutely devastating for their reputations, not to mention ‘the cause’, they have turned to obfuscation and denial in the somewhat misguided hope that it will simply ‘go away’.

But the internet has changed things. NOTHING remains hidden for very long. One will inevitably be found out!

@ Kohl
Jones admits in the emails that he doesn’t have the data?
Search the Foiaa emails jones Britton and you will see?
Steve
You have always given the Fiddlestick Team the benefit of the doubt and you were right to do so. However this latest release shows something both insidious and corrosive going on. If Honest Phil can say, I paraphrase,
Don’t tell him we haven’t got the data tell him it’s subject to confidentiality agreements. If he try’s FOI we’ll say it’s vexatious.
The above is an extract of just one of thousands of emails where the tone and tenor is quite frankly disgusting.
I wish Honest Phil and The Fiddlestick Team no harm, just time to come clean because it ain’t cricket.

Let’s say researchers have found a cure for a “OMG!!! WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE1!!” kind of problem, like heart-disease or cancer. Let’s say statins or “antineoplastons”. Then any “rivaling” researcher groups – or any person from the public – will want to look into the research data, and they have every right to do so. The biggest problem in medical sciences is surely plain old confirmation bias, but there are larger incentives to fudge odds-ratios, make the effect size appear bigger and downplay side-effects. In medical science this is a recognized problem and data has to be publicly available – especially because medical problems are a matter of life or death. Why should climate science get more slack, when they claim that climate is matter of life or death?

Explanation is seldom given and certainly no promise of explanation is given. But the quality of the final result, especially for the interested reader with limited time, stands as testimony that Steve’s policy works well, if not wonders.

Note this comment itself is eminently snippable, especially if the host does wish to explain. Maturity for me is to write one’s best and not complain if it’s considered surplus to requirements, governed by the greater good.

It’s not necessarily personal: I recently had two attempts at posting a short comment that merely corrected a previous comment of mine disappear into thin air. After I waited a while, my third attempt went through, at

Even then I managed to spell Donna Framboise’s name wrong! She is the owner of http://noconsensus.org, not to be confused with http://noconsensus.wordpress.com. The latter is the Air Vent, owned by Jeff Id, whose site, along with Tallbloke and CA, is the subject of the US DoJ’s investigation that apparently prompted the Tallbloke raid.

I think there are two reasons why the CRU has not released the data.
1. My first point is similar to Steve’s point which is that they were embarrassed by how little work went into it. I would go further and suggest it was to hide a general lack of professionalism. It is quite easy to calculated global temperatures from the currently available data bases; what is difficult is to maintain an audit trail which preserves the original data, intermediate data sets using slightly different algorithms, identification of data sets rejected and the reason for it, etc. The indications are that the CRU did not do these things.
2. Many countries, including the UK, charge for meteorological data (this I know from firsthand experience in many countries). That explains why some countries insisted on confidentiality agreements; the fact that the CRU could not find these agreements reinforces my first point.
I should add that whilst I believe it is a disgrace those whose work is used to justify the expenditure of trillions on combating climate change have been so cavalier with their data, that the costs of going back to national meteorological services for the original data would be justified, I don’t think the outcome in terms of global temperature would be much different.

Ron, As I’ve posted a couple of times, Australia at least did not seem to have a limiting agreement with CRU or UEA at many relevant times. Rather, the tendency seems to be for a timid Australian Government to fail to investigate if some at least of the Australian data were altered and distributed by CRU contrary to express clauses in the Australian Copyright statement as it stood from time to time.

2. Many countries, including the UK, charge for meteorological data (this I know from firsthand experience in many countries). That explains why some countries insisted on confidentiality agreements; the fact that the CRU could not find these agreements reinforces my first point.

This is true. I know from experience that GISS charges for detailed terrain maps, for example (you can get the coarse maps for free, however). GISS’ terrain data is not expensive (I don’t recall the actual cost since the coarse data was sufficient for my needs at the time), and readily obtained from their website.

What should have been done, however, was supply all the data not covered by such agreements, then point requesters to each of the sources for data covered by any agreements. As you note, the fact that said agreements couldn’t even be found indicates their lack of professionalism as well.

The position of Nature and other defenders of CRU as justified due to elusive confidentiality agreements entails that IPCC participants who rely on these supposed agreements have failed to live up to these UNFCCC obligations.

Quite interesting to contrast Nature’s position on CRU data with their recently reported statements on the bird flu data (see here for the BBC news report).

Apparently the US gov are demanding certain details of a recent study into the ability of bird flu to spread through ferrets to humans be redacted in case it could be used by terrorists; Nature and Science are taking a stand, insisting that researchers MUST have access to the redacted data.

I haven’t looked at the bird flu aspect in any depth and have no strong view on it, but it is astonishing to see the difference between this approach and their handling of the CRU data access, where they were all too quick to defend refusal of access to data by researchers.

I wonder if they are learning from their past errors, or if they are just showing staggering and brazen hypocrisy?

Unless someone can show otherwise, I dispute the statement “Progress has been made in the SH since AR4, where new tree ring records from the Andes, northern and southern Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego, New Zealand and Tasmania (Boninsegna et al., 2009; Cook et al., 2006; Villalba et al., 2009)” … in respect of Tasmania at least.

As observed by the late John Daly, the main trees studied in Tasmania grow in the wet, cold, mountainous west, where there are few (really nil) reliable long term temperature records. The calibration was done with stations some 150 km or more east, on the hotter, drier lowlands.http://www.john-daly.com/hockey/hockey.htm see his Exhibit 8, though the whole article is relevant.

Unfortunately, though we can core more trees and erect more weather stations, we cannot calibrate to past temperature in a way that avoids serious questions without answers. Ed Cook’s studies on Huon Pine predate AR4, and I can find no relevant Villalba paper later than AR4.


is Best Tourist Point of Rajasthan Is situated in Udaipur District Near Hawala’s Village Distance from Udaipur City 3 Km.
Shilpgram Festival is held annually in the west of the city of Udaipur. Shilpgram Crafts Fair is organized to promote art and craft of Rajasthan. Since, Rajasthan has always been famous for its handicrafts and artwork; this fair is a perfect destination to try out the hand woven clothes, embroideries, mirror works and handicrafts.
Situated 3 kms west of Udaipur city near the Havala village is the Centre’s Shilpgram – the Rural Arts and Crafts Complex. Spread over an undulating terrain of 130 bighas (70 Acres) of land and surrounded by the Aravallies, the Rural Arts and Crafts Complex is conceived as a living enthnographic museum to depict the lifestyles of the folk and tribal people of the West Zone. Within this complex, huts of the member states are constructed incorporating traditional architectural features of different geographical and ethnic groups residing within the West Zone of India comprising of five Federal States.
The Rural Arts and Crafts Complex – Shilpgram – would also provide an opportunity to rural and urban artists to come together and interact through the process of camps and workshops. It is hoped that through intimate observation of different styles and experiences, urban and rural artists would learn from one another and enrich their skills and art forms. The Centre promotes contemporary urban ceramists, potters, designers, visual artists etc. to work with their traditional counterparts in creating works of everyday art which would then be put up for exhibition and sale for visitors.
The Center developed two Museums in the Shilpgram where simple objects of day-to-day use, that represent the sense of wonder and aesthetics in rural and tribal life are put on display. In addition, a Crafts Bazar in the fashion of a traditional ‘haat’ was made where visitors could buy traditional crafts from the Zone. Craftsman were invited periodically to demonstrate their skills and sell the crafts to the visitors at the Shilpgram.
Shilpgram Festival is a continuing activity at Shilpgram in which traditional performing artists and craftsmen are used to draw from the interior villages of the member states. They are regularly invited to exhibit their skill and to demonstrate their crafts, and sell their masterpieces in order to have direct access to the buyers. This programme has encouraged the rural craftsmen and performers in a big way. The Shilpgram Festival has become an important landmark in India and Government of India has decided to replicate them in all the Federal States of India.
In these traditional huts, household articles of everyday use – whether terracotta or textile, wooden or metal, along with decorative objects and implements – agricultural or craftsmen’s tools, etc. are featured with appropriate signages and explanatory details. The objective is to give a realistic glimpse of the people and their belongings representing Unity in Diversity and National Integration.
In order that the above is vested with its own internal dynamism, the huts are constructed around an interlocking occupational theme. Traditional village life was said to have been, to a considerable extent, self-contained and self-sufficient with a potter, a carpenter, a blacksmith, often a weaver, living alongside one another. The Centre’s Rural Arts and Crafts Complex adopts this cellular approach such that each individual hut is at once an organic entity and at the same time nourishing and husbanding a series of such transactions.
In this integrated pattern are 5 huts from Rajasthan, representing weaver’s community from Marwar. There are 2 huts named after the two sand bound villages of Rama and Sam from the desert region of western Rajasthan. From the hilly region of Mewar, is a potter’s hut from the village Dhol, 70 kms west of Udaipur. Two huts represent the tribal farmer communities of the Bhil and the Sehariyas of the Southern regions of Rajasthan.
There are 7 representative huts from the state of Gujarat. A cluster of six huts from Banni area and one from Bhujodi have been selected from the arid wastelands of Kutch. the Banni cluster consists of two huts each of the Rebari, Harijan and Muslim communities famous for their weaving, embroidery, bead & mirrorwork, wood work and rogar work. Equally well known for its valiant horses, Lambdia village near Poshina in North Gujarat is represented with a potter’s hut. Adjoining to the Lambdia potter’s workshop at the Shilpgram is the weaver’s hut from Vasedi village in Chota Udaipur area in western Gujarat. Two huts represent the Dang and Rathwa tribal farmer communities of southern Gujarat. In addition to these, there is an ornately carved wooden house from Pethapur near Gandhinagar.
Selected after an exhaustive survey of the Konkan coast of Maharashtra, the Koli hut is from a seashore hamlet in Raigarh district. Close to the Koli hut stands one from Kolhapur – representing leather chappal craftsmen from southern Maharashtra. From Thane district in north Maharashtra is aWarli hut replete with its wall paintings. The tribal farmer community of the Kunbis is also represented along with two huts of the Gond and Maria tribal communities from eastern Maharashtra famous for their ‘dokra’ work.
From the member state of Goa, there are 5 representative huts. A potter’s hut from Bicholim stands in close proximity to a Hindu hut and Christian hut made of local laterite stone. From the lush green taluka of Canacona is a typical hut of the Kulumbi tribal agriculturalists renowned for their grass and cane weaving work. A hut chosen from the Mandovi riverside represent the traditional fisherman’s way of life.
Thus each member state of the West Zone has huts derivative of certain basic occupations fundamental to the way of life of the people of the area. In addition, certain occupations feature a commonality so as to offer a basis for comparison. For example, three member states have a potter’s hut since working with the earth is fundamental to all our cultures. What is interesting to highlight is how Indian people have fashioned and reshaped this basic element to suit their environment, needs and aesthetics. Similarly, two member states of the West Zone feature weaving, again as an affirmation of how geography and needs have given rise to such a variety in this most basic of occupations. Also while the above are illustrative and not exhaustive, the occupations and crafts to be shown will differ so as to cover a wider variety of our crafts heritage.
In order to ensure that a visit to Rural Arts and Crafts Complex – Shilpgram Festival Udaipur – becomes an educative and enriching experience, the hut from Sam (Marwar) is planned as the Activity and Documentation Section where workshops, seminars etc.can be organised. Similarly the cluster of Banni and Bhujodi huts from Gujarat would comprise of Guest Room facilities for the visiting master craftsmen, researchers and scholars. A Goan mainstream hut and Mewar potters hut can accommodate children and students.
Udaipur is also famous for destination weddings.


The overall goal of this research is to determine how transfusion-induced iron overload affects hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) outcomes. HSCT is the only cure for multiple malignant and nonmalignant conditions; however, its use is limited by significant morbidity and mortality. Iron overload is common in patients undergoing HSCT, and in observational human studies, transfusion-induced iron overload is a risk factor for poor HSCT outcome. Our preliminary data implicates iron-mediated changes to gut microbiota as a modifiable therapeutic target in the peri-transplant period. Recent studies show that modulating the microbiome of mice and pediatric patients undergoing allogenic HSCT decreases the adverse effects associated with this treatment. Thus, to connect iron-mediated effects on gut microbiota with HSCT outcomes, we will expand upon our preliminary results to further characterize the effects of transfusion-induced iron overload on the bone marrow microenvironment and the gut microbiota. In Aim #1, we will test the hypothesis that transfusion-induced iron overload disrupts the bone marrow microenvironment by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the supporting cells of the niche. In Aim #2, we will test the hypothesis that the gut microbiota affect the response of the bone marrow niche to iron overload and hematopoietic recovery following HSCT. This will provide evidence for a relationship between iron and the gut microbiome in mediating HSCT outcome, and determining the contribution of specific microbial products to the relevant underlying mechanism(s). This research will lead to innovative and eminently translatable approaches for improving HSCT outcome in the setting of iron overload, in conjunction with improving our understanding of host-microbiome interactions.


Chicken wings are all-American and teriyaki is an all-Japanese method of cooking. Trust me when I tell you, if you walk into a restaurant in Japan, you aren't likely to find teriyaki chicken wings on their menu. That said, Japanese teriyaki sure does turn out a really good version of American chicken wings, however, unlike our traditionally-prepared wings, which are typically plunged into the hot oil of a deep fryer, teriyaki wings, in order to render their signature fall-off-the-bone tender interior with a slightly-crispy, sticky exterior, they require a kinder, gentler treatment.
Broil until bubbly & charring, turning once, 3 minutes per side. Allow wings to rest, on pan, for 4-6 minutes -- just do it.
Japanese Teriyaki Meets American Chicken Wings: Recipe yields 1 1/2 cups teriyaki sauce and 16-20 chicken wings.
Cook's Note: While related by sauce, when it comes cooking anything teriyaki-style, depending on what it is, each food gets treated and cooked a bit differently. Two examples are my recipes for ~ Open Sesame: Japanese Teriyaki Steak Skewers ~, and, ~ Japanese-Style Oven-Broiled Teriyaki-Style Cod Fish ~.


Art. 1425. Experts; pretrial disclosures; scope of discovery
A. A party may through interrogatories or by deposition require any other party to identify each person who may be used at trial to present evidence under Articles 702 through 705 of the Louisiana Code of Evidence.
B. Upon contradictory motion of any party or on the court's own motion, an order may be entered requiring that each party that has retained or specially employed a person to provide expert testimony in the case or whose duties as an employee of the party regularly involve giving expert testimony provide a written report prepared and signed by the witness. The report shall contain a complete statement of all opinions to be expressed and the basis and reasons therefor and the data or other information considered by the witness in forming the opinions. The parties, upon agreement, or if ordered by the court, shall include in the report any or all of the following: exhibits to be used as a summary of or support for the opinions; the qualifications of the witness, including a list of all publications authored by the witness within the preceding ten years; the compensation to be paid for the study and testimony; a listing of any other cases in which the witness has testified as an expert at trial or by deposition within the preceding four years.
C. If the court orders the disclosures of Paragraph B of this Article, they shall be made at the times and in the sequence directed by the court. In the absence of directions from the court or stipulation by the parties, the disclosures ordered pursuant to Paragraph B of this Article shall be made at least ninety days before the trial date or, if the evidence is intended solely to contradict or rebut evidence on the same subject matter identified by another party under Paragraph B of this Article, within thirty days after the disclosure made by the other party. The parties shall supplement these disclosures when required by Article 1428.
D.(1) Except as otherwise provided in Paragraph E of this Article, a party may, through interrogatories, deposition, and a request for documents and tangible things, discover facts known or opinions held by any person who has been identified as an expert whose opinions may be presented at trial. If a report from the expert is required under Paragraph B, the deposition shall not be conducted until after the report is provided.
(2) A party may, through interrogatories or by deposition, discover facts known by and opinions held by an expert who has been retained or specially employed by another party in anticipation of litigation or preparation for trial and who is not expected to be called as a witness at trial, only as provided in Article 1465 or upon a showing of exceptional circumstances under which it is impracticable for the party seeking discovery to obtain facts or opinions on the same subject by other means.
(3) Unless manifest injustice would result, the court shall require that the party seeking discovery pay the expert a reasonable fee for time spent in responding to discovery under this Paragraph; and with respect to discovery obtained under Subparagraph (2) of this Paragraph, the court shall also require the party seeking discovery to pay the other party a fair portion of the fees and expenses reasonably incurred by the latter party in obtaining facts and opinions from the expert.
E.(1) The expert's drafts of a report required under Paragraph B of this Article, and communications, including notes and electronically stored information or portions thereof that would reveal the mental impressions, opinions, or trial strategy of the attorney for the party who has retained the expert to testify, shall not be discoverable except, in either case, on a showing of exceptional circumstances under which it is impractical for the party seeking discovery to obtain facts or opinions on the same subject by other means.
(2) Nothing in this Article shall preclude opposing counsel from obtaining any facts or data the expert is relying on in forming his opinion, including that coming from counsel, or from otherwise inquiring fully of an expert into what facts or data the expert considered, whether the expert considered alternative approaches, or into the validity of the expert's opinions.
F.(1) Any party may file a motion for a pretrial hearing to determine whether a witness qualifies as an expert or whether the methodologies employed by such witness are reliable under Articles 702 through 705 of the Louisiana Code of Evidence. The motion shall be filed not later than sixty days prior to trial and shall set forth sufficient allegations showing the necessity for these determinations by the court.
(2) The court shall hold a contradictory hearing and shall rule on the motion not later than thirty days prior to the trial. At the hearing, the court shall consider the qualifications and methodologies of the proposed witness based upon the provisions of Articles 104(A) and 702 through 705 of the Louisiana Code of Evidence. For good cause shown, the court may allow live testimony at the contradictory hearing.
(3) If the ruling of the court is made at the conclusion of the hearing, the court shall recite orally its findings of fact, conclusions of law, and reasons for judgment. If the matter is taken under advisement, the court shall render its ruling and provide written findings of fact, conclusions of law, and reasons for judgment not later than five days after the hearing.
(4) The findings of facts, conclusions of law, and reasons for judgment shall be made part of the record of the proceedings. The findings of facts, conclusions of law, and reasons for judgment shall specifically include and address:
(a) The elements required to be satisfied for a person to testify under Articles 702 through 705 of the Louisiana Code of Evidence.
(b) The evidence presented at the hearing to satisfy the requirements of Articles 702 through 705 of the Louisiana Code of Evidence at trial.
(c) A decision by the judge as to whether or not a person shall be allowed to testify under Articles 702 through 705 of the Louisiana Code of Evidence at trial.
(d) The reasons of the judge detailing in law and fact why a person shall be allowed or disallowed to testify under Articles 702 through 705 of the Louisiana Code of Evidence.
(5) A ruling of the court pursuant to a hearing held in accordance with the provisions of this Paragraph shall be subject to appellate review as provided by law.
(6) Notwithstanding the time limitations in Subparagraphs (1), (2), and (3) of this Paragraph, by unanimous consent of the parties, and with approval by the court, a motion under this Paragraph may be filed, heard, and ruled upon by the court at any time prior to trial. The ruling by the court on such motion shall include findings of fact, conclusions of law, and reasons for judgment complying with the provisions of Subparagraph (4) of this Paragraph.
(7) The provisions of this Paragraph shall not apply to testimony in an action for divorce or annulment of marriage, or to a separation in a covenant marriage, to a property partition, or to an administration of a succession, or to testimony in any incidental or ancillary proceedings or matters arising from such actions.
(8) All or a portion of the court costs, including reasonable expert witness fees and costs, incurred when a motion is filed in accordance with this Paragraph may, in the discretion of the court, be assessed to the non-prevailing party as taxable costs at the conclusion of the hearing on the motion.
Acts 1976, No. 574, §1; Acts 2003, No. 545, §1; Acts 2007, No. 140, §1; Acts 2008, No. 787, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2009; Acts 2014, No. 655, §1.
NOTE: See Acts 2008, No.787, §3 re: effectiveness of Act.


Since 1779 AE Williams tankards have been handmade from pewter by skilled craftsmen. Gravity cast out of antique English moulds, turned on a lathe and then polished. Own a modern piece of England's pewter past.
AE Williams Pewter Beaded & LiddedTankard - 5.75 in. - 16 oz.
AE Williams Pewter Windsor Tankard 4.25 in. - 19 oz.
AE Williams Pewter Marlborough Tankard - 4.5 in. - 17 oz.
AE Williams Pewter Beaded Tankard - 4.25 in. - 17 oz.
AE Williams Pewter Georgian Tankard - 5 in. - 17 oz.
AE Williams Pewter Straight Tankard - 4.25 in. - 17 oz.
AE Williams Pewter William and Mary Tankard - 17 oz.
AE Williams Pewter Baluster Tankard - 5 in. - 17 oz.
AE Williams Pewter Baluster Lidded Tankard - 6.25 in. - 17 oz.


For attendance, the camp meeting held at Groveland, Massachusetts, reached an all-time high. It opened Thursday, August 24, and ran for five days. The grounds, near Haverhill, some 30 miles (50 kilometers) north of Boston, were easily reached by train and river excursion boats from both Boston and Haverhill. There were 55 tents, including the three pavilionsó45, 55, and 65 feet (14, 17, and 20 meters) in diameterópitched in the beautiful grove. The weather was so fine the meetings were held under the trees, and the three large tents were used for sleeping quarters. The women occupied one, and men the other two. Five hundred camped on the grounds. The "auditorium" swept up in a natural amphitheater from the speakers' stand, the well-cleared grove affording delightful shade.
Sunday was a lively day on the campground. Special trains were run from the cities of Lawrence, Newburyport, Haverhill, et cetera, and at 9:00 a.m. the auditorium was filled with intelligent people to whom Elder White preached about one hour.
Still the people poured in from the towns about, and the trains came loaded with their living freight. After an intermission of thirty minutes, Mrs. White ascended the platform, amid the profound stillness of that vast multitude, and addressed the people on the subject of Christian temperance. Her original and comprehensive manner of handling this subject elicited the highest commendation of all that heard.
The morning trains were crowded, but the noon trains flooded the grove, and the two-thirty train from Lawrence brought fifteen cars literally packed with people, the platform and steps were full also, and the conductor was obliged to take the roof in order to signal the engineer. He reported that it would have taken twenty-five cars to bring all the people who were waiting at the depot to take passage for the campground (ST, Sept. 14, 1876).
What a scene is before me! It is estimated that twenty thousand people are assembled in this grove. The third train, of fifteen cars, has just arrived. Every seat was filled and every foot of standing room, also the platform and the steps. A sea of human heads is already before me, and still the cars are to come. This is to me the most solemn sight I ever beheld. Hundreds in carriages are driving away because they cannot get within sound of the speaker's voice (ibid.).
All standing room throughout the entire enclosure was taken, and some, like Zacchaeus, climbed trees to get sight of the speaker. The vast throng gave good attention. Ellen White, speaking slowly with a low, well-supported voice, made them hear.


A record crowd saw four spectacular Welsh finals on an historic day at Virginia Park, Caerphilly last Sunday (August 19)..
It was the first time in Wales Rugby League history where the Premier League Senior Conference final and the Junior Finals were held at the same venue.
The last final of the day saw the reigning champions the Bridgend Blue Bulls take on the unbeaten Bonymaen Broncos for the coveted Premier League Title.
The Broncos started the game the stronger building momentum with strong running from their forwards and scoring two tries through Rob Jones and Dwayne Eager both converted by captain Ian Brookes.
The Bulls then replied with a well worked try for winger Huw Rosser making the score to 12 – 4. The Bulls then failed to capitalise on their possession, on the Broncos next set they worked towards the halfway line, on tackle four and intricate move put winger Robbie Ford into space and the speedster run 50 metres for an outstanding finish converted by Brookes.
The Bulls defended well from the kick off to regain possession and a complete set sent Lewis Tutt over for a try converted by Gareth David. Broncos had the last word of an entertaining first half when Duane Eager broke through for his second of the game, goaled by Brookes. That made the half-time score 24-10 to the Broncos.
That left the score at 36-20 to the Broncos, and with15 minutes to go the next score was crucial.
The Bulls had possession but were forcing the passes and with an offload in the tackle not going to hand the Broncos were awarded a scrum.
The Broncos were clinical with Chris Stokes crashing over in the corner. To the Bulls credit they battled on and were rewarded with tries from Richard Howells and Ricky James. Collecting the ball from the restart the Bulls look to spread the ball wide but a speculative pass was intercepted by Robbie Ford who sprinted 70 metres for his second try which was converted by Brookes.
And that meant that the Broncos took the title by 46-28.
Wales Rugby League would like to congratulate Bonymaen Broncos on winning the Premier League title in their first season at this level and our commiserations go to the runners up Bridgend Blue Bulls, the game was played in excellent spirit with both teams being superb ambassadors for the community game in Wales.


Wombat's Gaming Den of Iniquity: Arr! Winter Be Comin': Thanks for the mentions!
Arr! Winter Be Comin': Thanks for the mentions!
To celebrate, I thought I'd get together a page to thank people who have mentioned the Winter Is Coming Festival on their blogs. I'll add more links as I find other links, so if you find a mention or if you mentioned Winter Is Coming yourself you can comment here or let me know via Twitter (@twwombat). I'd track twitter mentions as well, but I'd go completely batty trying to keep up with it. Suffice to say thank you for all the retweets and mentions!
I do want to specifically mention @blindgeekuk, who has been an unflagging supporter in word and deed since the start, and without whom Winter Is Coming might not even exist. I also want to shout out to @markmeredith, who volunteered to design and within a day publish the perfect stark logo for the event, pun fully and cheerfully intended.
I appreciate every mention given. Getting the word out isn't so much about tooting your own horn as it is about others, and I'm grateful for you exerting the effort, however trivial you may think it is, to help promote Winter Is Coming. Thank you!
Winter Is Coming on Dice Monkey, which contains the original logo image files courtesy of festival participant Mark Meredith.
Weekly Roundup on Roving Band of Misfits, under whose auspices I participate in the Game Night Blog Carnival. And now a festival participant!
Extra-Site Participation on Blood, Sweat, and Dice. A plug from festival participant Matt Brenner, winner of the PAX East 2011 GM's Challenge and fellow Birthright enthusiast.
Argyle & Crew Reviewed and More on Troll In The Corner. My buddy and festival participant Ben Gerber gave us a shout. If you have elementary-age kids, check out his Argyle & Crew - how can you go wrong with a sock puppet RPG?
Winter Is Coming on A Walk In The Dark. Festival participant David Flor, aka @BrainClouds, wrote up a quick overview of what he's doing and his experience so far. Can't wait to see his delve!
Seasons on Dungeons and Imaginings. Here's an overview of an ambitious seasons-based plan from festival participant silentjudas. I can't wait to see what you come up with!
Winter Is Coming! on The Iron Tavern. Festival participant IronWolf gives us a preview of the upcoming entries into the festival. I'm looking forward to the Linnorm Ice Throne - who couldn't use an artifact in Pathfinder?
Winter Is Coming! on The Learning DM. Festival participant Marc Allie gives a preview of his entries. Thanks for the "great blog with a snappy title" comment!
Winter Is Coming (Just Came) on The Spirits Of Eden. Festival participant Dennis, aka @WyattSalazar, mentioned the fun he had writing for Winter Is Coming and resolves to be better about participating in future blog carnivals.
Winter Is Coming/Winter Is Here on the Dragonlance D&D Game Blog. Festival participant DMFumbl points regular readers of his blog over this way. Thanks!
The Endless Winter and Upcoming Projects on A Walk In The Dark. Festival participant David Flor, aka @BrainClouds, recaps his delve and mentions plans to start charging money for it. Given the size and quality, it's well worth the money. If you liked that, he's got more projects on the way.
Weekly Roundup: One Last Winter Is Coming Link Edition on Roving Band of Misfits, under whose auspices I participate in the Game Night Blog Carnival. This weekly roundup gives a recap of the festival, plus a link to a podcast episode detailing ways for players to add a cold theme to their character, colloquially called "Frost Cheese".


Sara received her Master’s Degree in Nursing from the University of Cincinnati and received her Nurse Practitioner certification in 2010. She worked for several years as a Registered Nurse in Labor and Delivery at Baptist Hospital East. Sara also worked as a Relief Charge Nurse in Labor and Delivery at Norton Suburban Hospital. She is a Certified Lactation Counselor. Sara joined Women First in December 2011.


That is a touching gift indeed. Good for you!
I think he enjoyed it very much.


Craig leads a guided imagination exercise that will help improve your inner feeling of good carriage and alignment. Try it!
"It seems like a lot of Williamson Muscular Retraining is similar to meditation, but I don't hear you refer to meditation specifically. Is meditation something you teach people?"
In this discussion, the meditation qualities of receptivity, self-awareness, and attentiveness to the present moment experience are described as components of muscular retraining.


↑ "Province: Davao del Sur". PSGC Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: National Statistical Coordination Board. Archived from the original on 15 October 2007. สืบค้นเมื่อ 1 May 2014.
↑ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Davao del Sur, Philippines". Weatherbase. 2011. สืบค้นเมื่อ 2011-07-15.
หน้านี้แก้ไขล่าสุดเมื่อวันที่ 26 พฤษภาคม 2561 เวลา 17:33 น.


JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. -- Staff Sgt. Robert Bales made a mid-massacre confession, asked for help bleaching his blood-stained clothing and deliberately destroyed his laptop computer, fellow soldiers have testified -- statements that prosecutors say show he knew what he was doing the night 16 civilians were slaughtered in two villages in southern Afghanistan.
The remarks, offered by soldiers testifying for the government Monday and Tuesday, could pose a high hurdle for defense lawyers who have indicated that Bales' mental health will be a big part of their case. Testimony continues with several more witnesses Wednesday in a preliminary hearing that is being held to help determine whether the case goes to a court-martial.
Bales, a 39-year-old father of two from Lake Tapps, Wash., faces 16 counts of premeditated murder and six counts of attempted murder in the March 11 attack on the villages of Balandi and Alkozai, which counted nine children among its victims.
A prosecutor, Lt. Col. Jay Morse, said Bales spent the evening before the massacre at his remote outpost of Camp Belambay with two other soldiers, watching a movie about revenge killings, sharing contraband whiskey from a plastic bottle and discussing an attack that cost one of their comrades his leg.
Within hours, a cape-wearing Bales slipped away from the post and embarked on a killing spree of his own, said the prosecutor, Lt. Col. Jay Morse. He attacked one village then returned to Belambay, where he woke up a colleague and reported what he'd done, Morse said. The colleague testified that he didn't believe Bales and went back to sleep.
Bales headed out again, Morse said, and attacked the second village before returning once again in the predawn darkness, bloody and incredulous that his comrades ordered him to surrender his weapons.
A medic, Sgt. 1st Class James Stillwell, said Tuesday he saw Bales covered in blood and knew from the pattern of the staining it wasn't his own. He asked where it came from and where he'd been.
The statement was one of many attributed to Bales that suggest he knew what he was doing, prosecutors say.
Soldiers testified that after being taken into custody, Bales told them, "I thought I was doing the right thing."
And Stillwell said Bales told him that the soldiers at Camp Belambay would appreciate his actions once the fighting season ramped up: "You guys are going to thank me come June."
At another point, Bales remarked, "I guess four was too many" -- an apparent reference to the number of family compounds in the attacked villages, Morse said Monday.
Bales was largely calm and compliant when he turned himself in following the massacre, several soldiers testified Tuesday. He followed orders and sometimes sat with his head in his hands, as though the magnitude of what he had done was sinking in, one said.
At one point, Bales made a joke -- pointing his finger, in the shape of a gun, at two soldiers guarding him -- in what they took as a failed effort to ease the tension.
But Bales also deliberately mangled his laptop, said two soldiers assigned to guard him as he gathered his things.
One of them, Sgt. Ross O'Rourke, testified that he removed the laptop from Bales' rucksack after the defendant told him he didn't want to take it with him. O'Rourke said Bales then grabbed the computer and folded the screen back, breaking it.
That didn't damage the hard drive, O'Rourke said, and investigators still could have retrieved information from the computer. O'Rourke didn't testify about what information might have been uncovered.
On Monday, Cpl. David Godwin testified that Bales asked him to bleach his blood-soaked clothes.
Two other soldiers, Pfcs. Derek Guinn and Damian Blodgett, testified Tuesday that they were on a guard shift early March 11 when they heard scattered gunfire coming from Alkozai, the first village attacked. They used thermal imaging and then shot up flares to illuminate the area, but couldn't make out what was going on.
Blodgett said he reported it to the operations center on base, and a specialist told them to monitor it and let him know if it came toward them.
The shooting lasted for 30 to 40 minutes, Blodgett said.
Guinn said he considered Bales to be bipolar: "Sometimes he was in a really good mood, and he seemed really angry sometimes, or easily annoyed."
Two other witnesses said that later, an interpreter arrived with two Afghan National Army soldiers who reported that they had seen an American come and go from the base. Guinn gave a slightly different account when he recalled that the interpreter said the soldiers had seen two Americans arrive on base, and one head back out.
After the shootings, some Afghan villagers questioned whether they could have been carried out by one soldier.
Bales has not entered a plea, and is not expected to testify. His attorneys, who did not give an opening statement, have not discussed the evidence, but say Bales has post-traumatic stress disorder and suffered a concussive head injury during a prior deployment to Iraq.
Bales has not participated in a medical evaluation known as a "sanity board," because his lawyers have objected to having him meet with Army doctors outside their presence.
Bales' lawyers called their first witness Tuesday, a soldier who bagged the blood-soaked clothes Bales had been wearing as evidence. The testimony focused primarily on how the evidence was handled.


Home » blog » Truck Accidents
Truck accidents and motor vehicle crashes continue to take over 40,000 lives each year due to:
Distracted Drivers (DWD – Driving While Distracted
Increasing number of vehicles on the road
Limited regulation of drivers and the trucking industry
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of injury and death for drivers under the age of 34.
Large trucks present even greater dangers to the public. Fatigue is a major factor involving truck crashes, and even with governmental regulation there is still an economic incentive on the part of truckers to drive longer hours at greater speeds. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board estimates that driver fatigue as a probable factor in 20-40% of truck crashes.
In Florida there are over 375,000 car accidents each year. And Florida leads the country in bicycle fatalities from car crashes by a large margin (56% more than the next most dangerous state).
Experienced, successful and aggressive Florida truck accident lawyers
Leighton Law has extensive experience with truck accident cases involving cars, trucks, tractor-trailers, trains, motorcycles, scooters, ATVs, bicycles and mopeds. Board certified trial lawyer John Elliott Leighton aggressively pursues the optimal recovery for our clients.
Mr. Leighton has extensive experience with litigating and trying complex motor vehicle and trucking accident cases throughout Florida and around the country.
He is the past Chairman of the Motor Vehicle and Highway Liability Section of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. He frequently lectures and teaches other trial lawyers on techniques for handling such cases and maximizing damages at trial. He recently taught attorneys at Harvard Law School at the American Trial Lawyers’ “Ultimate Trial Advocacy College.”
A long history of outstanding verdicts and settlements
In a record setting recovery, Mr. Leighton obtained an $8 million award for the parents of a 19 year-old girl who was killed when the car in which she was a passenger struck a large commercial truck which had made an illegal u-turn on the Florida Turnpike.
This was the only child of Mr. Leighton’s clients, and she had just completed high school and intended to join the military and go to college.
Just recently, Mr. Leighton won a $7.4 million verdict in Central Florida on behalf of a client who lost his leg when the tractor-trailer shown above was negligently operated and caused a multi vehicle crash. Erb v. Peninsula Logistics, Osceola County Circuit Court.
A family visiting from the United Kingdom was in a taxicab which violated the right of way of another car. The cab was hit, injuring this family who had just come to enjoy the attractions in Orlando. Mr. Leighton obtained a $1 million recovery on behalf of this family prior to trial.
Leighton Law – Miami truck accident lawyers
Leighton successfully recovered more than the insurance policy limits against a trucking company who was responsible for a terrible crash in Broward County. Their trucker changed lanes into our client, causing the car to run off the road and flip, striking a tree. The client sustained serious brain injuries.
Among the many trucking crash cases he has handled in over 30 years, Mr. Leighton recovered for the family of a woman killed when the truck above lost part of its axle and two wheels went flying across traffic on an interstate highway, as well as trucks which have been speeding and violated a car’s right of way.
Mr. Leighton has also recovered verdicts and settlements in motor vehicle and trucking crash cases of $6 million, $5 million, $3,650,000, $3,500,000, $2,000,000 and many others in excess of $1 million.
How do you choose the best truck crash lawyer?
When considering which lawyer to represent you in Florida, there are a number of things to consider before you make your decision.
Is the lawyer board certified in civil trial law (the highest level of professional achievement available)? Most lawyers who claim to be personal injury attorneys are not board certified, so this is important to determine.
Is the lawyer you are considering preeminent in his or her field?
Has he or she written extensively, lectured, taught or been recognized as being at the top of the field in trial law?
Does the lawyer regularly litigate and try cases of the type you have? If so, find out what kind of results that lawyer has had in court.
Is the potential attorney a member of The Best Lawyers in America? Has he or she been selected for inclusion in Florida SuperLawyers, Florida Legal Elite and “Top Lawyers” in the South Florida Legal Guide?
Does the lawyer hold an “A-V” preeminent rating (highest possible rating for ability and ethics) by Martindale-Hubbell?
Does the lawyer have a 10.0 rating by AVVO.com?
These are a few things that you want to consider when selecting a personal injury lawyer in Florida. Leighton Law’s John Leighton has all of these qualifications and often litigates and tries major personal injury cases throughout Florida, having obtained some of the state’s highest verdicts.
Considered one of the best personal injury lawyers in Florida, John Leighton is the past Chairman of the Motor Vehicle, Highway and Premises Liability Section of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, which has thousands of members from around the world.
He has extensive experience handling and trying complex motor vehicle and truck accident cases which has resulted in record-breaking verdicts and settlements. Please see our “Verdicts & Settlements” section for more details about the past results obtained by Leighton Law for our clients.
DWD: Driving While Distracted
Driving While Distracted has become one of the leading causes of crashes and preventable deaths in the United States. On April 30, 2010, declared by Oprah Winfrey and the media as national “No Phone Zone Day,” John Leighton delivered a groundbreaking lecture on “DWD: Driving While Distracted – The New DUI” to the American Association for Justice at its annual Jazzfest Seminar:
Litigating Auto Collision Cases in New Orleans. The speech capped a day in which the national media focused on the perils of driving while distracted, particularly the use of texting while driving.
Mr. Leighton has lectured and written on the serious problems of driving while distracted, including texting, emailing, web surfing, telephoning, use of electronics while driving (including GPS, audio/video equipment) and other distractions that drivers today face.
He has spoken to national audiences about the effects on reaction time that these distractions have, even telephone conversations. The fact that over 600 billion text messages were sent last year highlights the problem.
Drivers engaging in texting were 23 times more likely to have a crash than other drivers. Amazingly, drivers who text have twice the accident risk than a legally drunk driver.
One reason is that texting drivers spend 400% more time with their eyes off the road. 26% of teens admit to driving while they text, and 48% admit they have been a passenger in a car when the driver was texting.
After years of ignoring this problem, in 2014 Florida’s Legislature finally made texting while driving against the law. But the law has very little power and texting and other distracted driving continues to be the biggest threat to our on-road safety.
The law is a secondary offense — meaning that the driver must first have committed a primary offense before they can be pulled over.
Mr. Leighton has represented many victims of distracted driving. Unfortunately he will likely continue to do so since Americans have continued to drive with their faces in their phones, GPS devices and other electronics.
By not paying attention to the roadway, or even taking a few seconds away from watching where they are going, drivers create a situation known as “inattention blindness.” Just a second or two can result in hundreds of feet driven without any visibility of what is in front of this two ton machine.
In one case Mr. Leighton handled, the driver of a car was busy texting on a phone while speeding through a school zone during the time young children were crossing. Our client’s daughter, an honor student, was crossing the street when this woman took her life while busy on her phone.
Leighton Law will continue to fight for ways to prevent drivers from texting while driving and will continue to represent victims of careless drivers whose negligence, whether caused by distraction or inattention, cause injuries and death to members of the public.
Mr. Leighton has also been a vocal proponent of treating texting drivers as drunk drivers for the purpose of obtaining punitive damages in order to punish and deter such behavior. In his latest article, he proposes ways to eliminate or reduce distracted driving since so far no other effort has worked to stop this hazardous lifestyle. (South Florida Legal Guide, Dec. 2015)
Truck accident attorney Miami
Do you need help after you’ve been injured in a truck accident in Florida? Leighton Law has decades of experience helping people like you recover from trucking accidents, which can be devastating and life-changing.
If you’ve been involved in an accident involving an 18-wheeler or commercial vehicle and you need an accident lawyer who has experience handling truck and commercial vehicle injuries.
Get a Truck Accident Lawyer in Miami and Orlando who is Professional and Preserves Your Rights
It’s important to contact a truck accident attorney as soon as possible after the accident to preserve your legal rights. These accidents are usually serious and typically require medical attention.
You may be left in shock after the accident, and getting medical treatment is certainly your top priority. Still, it’s important to receive a medical evaluation even if you have no apparent injuries. Some injuries are not apparent at first or not visible to the naked eye, such as back injuries or brain trauma.
Leighton Law has been handling serious truck crash cases for over 30 years and has the experience, skills and past success to maximize recoveries for injured victims and families of those who have been tragically killed.
After medical attention is received, the next step is reviewing the police report and gathering evidence. Notes should be taken about the weather conditions, time of day and any hazards on the road.
If possible, pictures can be taken with a cell phone. Any witness information should also be gathered. Never discuss the cause of the accident or admit fault.
Retaining an accident lawyer who is a skilled and experienced trial lawyer with a strong track record in these cases is the most important step to retaining your rights and ensuring you receive compensation for the accident.
The car and truck crash lawyers at Leighton Law are experienced in handling accident investigation. Our team of traffic crash professionals will immediately begin the process of preserving crucial evidence that can disappear or become damaged even in a short time.
It is critical that you retain lawyers experienced in traffic crash evidence preservation to protect your case. You can be sure the insurance company and corporation investigators and lawyers will try to influence witnesses and may not preserve evidence the way you will need it to prove your case. Leighton Law aggressively pursues all evidence to protect our clients.
Recovering Damages after a Truck Accident
Once you contact Leighton Law to represent you after the accident, we will investigate the crash to determine liability and responsibility. This determines who is actually responsible for your property loss and injuries. Depending on the accident, damages may be collected from the driver of the truck, the trucking company that operates the vehicle, the government agency that maintains the roadway, the truck maintenance company, the truck manufacturer or the insurance carrier.
If you are not at fault for the accident, you may be entitled to receive compensation for your injuries and losses. Compensation will cover your medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages and even your reduced earning capacity, if this applies. Depending on the truck driver’s conduct, you may even be entitled to punitive damages.
Truck accidents are devastating and almost always serious. In 34 years of handling serious truck crash cases, we have helped many clients who have suffered loss after an accident with an 18-wheeler, semi-truck or other large commercial vehicle. We can help you too. If you or a loved one have been involved in a trucking accident and suffered injury, property damage or even loss of life, we will represent you to recover the compensation you’re entitled to.
Our experience in truck crashes is extensive. Founding partner John Elliott Leighton has been litigating and trying truck accident cases since 1985. His victories on behalf of truck crash victims have been significant, most recently resulting in a $7.35 million verdict in Osceola County against a truck driver and a trucking company.
One of Mr. Leighton’s first truck crash cases in the 1980’s resulted in a $2 million recovery for the family of a man killed in central Florida by a semi-tractor trailer. Mr. Leighton’s commitment to victims of truck crashes continues today with recoveries for families throughout Florida.
After you’ve been injured and received medical care, it’s important to contact us immediately. We will work with you to gather evidence of the crash, including the nature of your injuries, witnesses, weather conditions and insurance information.
Depending on the situation, you may even be entitled to punitive damages if the driver was impaired or driving aggressively.
If the other driver’s insurance company contacts you, give them no more than your contact information. Do not admit fault or provide details of your injuries. We will represent you and attempt to negotiate with the insurance company or decide if your case needs to be heard in court.
Why You Need a Truck Accident Attorney in Miami and Orlando to Help You
After a motorcycle or truck accident, you’re left with extensive damages, including out-of-pocket property damage expenses, medical bills, physical therapy and rehab and lost wages.
You may even have lost earning potential if your injuries are serious. Unfortunately, most insurance settlements you are offered will rarely cover these expenses, let alone your pain and suffering.
At Leighton Law, we will investigate the accident fully and gather evidence to show the other driver was at fault. We will help you get the maximum monetary recovery in your case and cover your medical bills and other expenses. We will also help you get the money you deserve for your pain and suffering and lost earning potential.
It’s important to speak with us right away. The longer you wait, the harder it is to gather the evidence necessary to prove your claim. Everything must be documented, from the road conditions and details of the collision to your injuries.
We aggressively pursue and preserve critical evidence to prove our clients’ cases. When you need an accident lawyer Florida firm to represent you, look no farther than Leighton Law.
Lawyer John Leighton
Lawyer Max Panoff
Disclaimer: The information about past verdicts and settlements of the firm’s cases are based on the unique facts of each case. These amounts reflect the gross recovery in each case (before attorneys fees, expenses and medical costs are deducted). Although these results were obtained by our firm, they may not indicate the success or value of any other case as each case is unique. By clicking on Verdicts and Settlements you are acknowledging that every case is different and each case must be evaluated on its own merits. The information contained here has not been reviewed or approved by The Florida Bar.


Fresh on the Trail
By Lydia DePillis
What Organizing for America did right and wrong in its first election.
The senate special election in Massachusetts was, for reasons that have been articulated on this site and others, a complete disaster. The Coakley campaign was hopelessly inept. The White House didn’t step in until too late. An insurgent tea party fringe was too much to beat back.
It was also, however, the first electoral test of the operation that’s designed, in part, to overcome these sorts of situations: Organizing for America, the skeleton of Barack Obama’s campaign apparatus that morphed into the Democratic National Committee’s grassroots arm. Since its debut this time last year, the group has focused almost exclusively on health care reform; it also sent out a few emails on behalf of Democratic gubernatorial candidates in Virginia and New Jersey.
Once Martha Coakley’s peril became apparent, OFA went into emergency rescue mode, sending many of its top operatives to Boston and mobilizing chapters across the country to place calls into the state. It wasn’t enough to save Coakley’s candidacy, but it might have saved the Democrats from an even more embarrassing defeat. And, crucially for future races, this first outing tells us a few things about what OFA is doing right, and what it’s doing wrong.
The outside game: Clearly, there’s a huge advantage in being able to marshall out-of-state manpower for a tight election. OFA sent an appeal to its 13-million-person email list, and volunteers around the country responded by calling Massachusetts two million times. (They downloaded call lists from the OFA website—if you ever gave your phone number to the Obama campaign, it’s available to anyone who signs up at www.barackobama.com.) One local organizer reported that they had burned through the entire voter contact list two days before the election itself.
In normal elections, there might be less remote assistance available for tight races, but presumably volunteers in safer districts could still divert their efforts to where they’d have most impact (not unlike vote-trading). Still, it doesn’t do much good if calls become duplicative—robocalls from Coakley and Barack Obama were also in the mix, and voters were starting to get annoyed. Meanwhile, all of this help was likely dwarfed by the swarms of tea party activists who actually traveled into the state, swelling rallies and canvassing neighborhoods for Scott Brown. Unlike OFA, they just didn’t have nifty web tools to quantify their “impact.”
The ground game: Having out-of-staters do the phone calls is perhaps most useful for freeing up local volunteers to canvass in person. But because of the late mobilization, precious little of this happened until the last two days of the campaign—which meant that Coakley may never have reached the independent voters who weren’t picking up their phones, or weren’t on an Obama call list (meanwhile, the Brown campaign was using a brand-new iPhone app to plan walk routes). Deep-blue Massachusetts typically exports its volunteers to swing states like New Hampshire, so the idea of knocking doors in their own backyard was not second nature for Democratic campaigners. The Coakley campaign, which had basically no field operation during the primary, was ill-equipped to organize direct voter contact—but OFA didn't remind them when it might have mattered.
Online: Micah Sifry over at TechPresident broke down Coakley vs. Brown on tools like Twitter and Facebook. Brown’s clear victory here can certainly be laid at the feet of the Coakley campaign, but again, the power of OFA’s online tools were not brought to bear. However, OFA did add numbers to some of the local phone banks by allowing activists to register their events on my.barackobama.com (or MyBO, as it’s affectionately known) and sending them out in e-mail blasts.
The state chapter: John Spears, OFA’s 29-year-old Massachusetts state director, has been praised from all quarters. But as the only paid staffer for the entire state, he has his hands full (by contrast, other states have as many as ten people on staff). And for this election, rather than working with the local volunteers whom he’s gotten to know since he was hired in August, he was delegated to manage volunteers arriving from out of state. Overall, though, the state-level strategy seems confused: Spears says he was not planning to get involved in a serious way in the race, and only did so when asked by the Coakley campaign ten days before election day. OFA’s plan for getting involved with future campaigns—namely the midterm elections—remains unclear. “We’re thinking about how to be engaged,” Spears told me. “What extent depends on what campaigns want our help.”
The grassroots: If the performance of the official OFA structure in Massachusetts is mixed, the Obama campaign’s real legacy—the networks of citizens who remain engaged in developing their own priorities—is alive and well. In the months after the 2008 election, a corps of about 25 organizers had formed Massachusetts for Change, and were coordinating events that loosely followed the OFA agenda. They’re happy to work with John Spears, but don’t need instructions from Washington. And that’s a good thing, because OFA still doesn’t know how to harness their energy with a top-down, one-size-fits-all approach.
One of those who kept working was Harmony Wu, a 38-year-old PhD and mother of twins in Scott Brown’s home district of Needham. After the election, she helped organize a group called Yes We Can Needham, which met independently of OFA all through 2009. When the senate primary rolled around, she backed City Year founder Alan Khazei against Martha Coakley—the old Obama network went overwhelmingly for him and Michael Capuano, not the attorney general. Still, the organizers were willing to campaign for Coakley if she needed it in the general election.
As the polls started looking bad, Wu was expecting either the Coakley operation, or OFA, to ask for her help—but they didn’t, until a friend of hers told a Coakley staffer, “You need to call Harmony.” The staffer did call, but continued to blunder, directing her to a phone bank in a neighboring town. “This isn’t how we do things,” Wu said, frustrated, the morning after the election. “This isn’t how we did things on the Obama campaign. Someone would have some cookies and beer, people would come with their cell phones and fucking call people.”
The Coakley operation failed to tap into the deep well of Obama-inspired volunteerism in Massachusetts. But OFA hasn’t done a much better job of cultivating and channeling the kind of movement from which it was born—there’s a disconnect. “I think it’s not about the campaign,” says Massachusetts grassroots organizing consultant Tony Mack, who’s involved with a similar group called Cambridge-Somerville for Change. “If they were doing real organizing, which is encouraging leaders to think for themselves and developing their own priorities, then people would be ready to mobilize more when the time came.”
“The way you build up a strong leadership capacity is to give people independence and power,” Mack goes on. “They didn’t have that, and to some degree, the OFA model right now ends up being that people wait for instructions.”
Lydia DePillis is a reporter-researcher for The New Republic.
For more TNR, become a fan on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Politics, Twitter, Boston, Facebook, America, Barack Obama, Martha Coakley, Scott Brown, Micah Sifry, iPhone, John Spears, Wu, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Virginia, Senate, White House


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Like the guitars themselves, only 300 hoodies will be made like this and once they are printed, it will never be printed again. Only 1 of each serial number will exist. Priority will be made to those who own the DNA and so initially, a picture with the serial number of your DNA will be required along with proof of ownership to ensure that those who want to match their guitars can do so. Contact Us. To claim you must provide a photo of the headstock and your name next to it.
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Real estate developer BPI Realty Services has just announced that In-N-Out is slated for the Y Shops at Park West Shopping Center. The restaurant will be located at 806 Katy Fort Bend Road. This new location will provide an additional Houston-area burger indulgence to The Grid, located in Stafford. The Stafford restaurant is located at West Airport and South Kirkwood on Highway 59.


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