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steve2470
steve2470's Journal
steve2470's Journal
January 20, 2014
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-cfb-transportation-tolls-trains-20140119,0,957947.story
I'm just speechless. Watch out fellow DU'ers, coming soon to a taxpayer-funded interstate highway near you.
Four toll lanes down the middle of a free-to-drive interstate highway ? wtf is this....
Later this year, or possibly early 2015, a massive $2 billion overhaul of Interstate 4 through downtown Orlando is set to start. It will add four toll lanes down the middle of the region's most heavily traveled highway, with the likely construction-caused delays expected to send frustrated motorists scurrying to SunRail.
Both developments are unprecedented in the region, though tolls long have played a role because motorists have to pay to ride Florida's Turnpike and the 109-mile road network operated by the Orlando Orange County Expressway Authority.
What's different this time is placing tolls lanes on a so-called free road such as I-4. That's never been done before in Central Florida and, in fact, was prohibited by federal law for years. The prohibition was dropped in 2012, allowing the state Department of Transportation to move ahead with a pay-to-drive plan.
State officials are counting on a private company – four are in the running – to cover nearly half the cost of the project, with tolls being used to repay the investment over 30 or more years. The state is willing to put up close to $1 billion as its contribution.
Both developments are unprecedented in the region, though tolls long have played a role because motorists have to pay to ride Florida's Turnpike and the 109-mile road network operated by the Orlando Orange County Expressway Authority.
What's different this time is placing tolls lanes on a so-called free road such as I-4. That's never been done before in Central Florida and, in fact, was prohibited by federal law for years. The prohibition was dropped in 2012, allowing the state Department of Transportation to move ahead with a pay-to-drive plan.
State officials are counting on a private company – four are in the running – to cover nearly half the cost of the project, with tolls being used to repay the investment over 30 or more years. The state is willing to put up close to $1 billion as its contribution.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-cfb-transportation-tolls-trains-20140119,0,957947.story
I'm just speechless. Watch out fellow DU'ers, coming soon to a taxpayer-funded interstate highway near you.
January 17, 2014
Thanks Paul, I learned something new today !
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assortative_mating
"assortative mating"
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/17/why-we-talk-about-the-one-percent/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_php=true&_type=blogs&module=BlogPost-Title&version=Blog%20Main&contentCollection=Opinion&action=Click&pgtype=Blogs®ion=Body&_r=1&Thanks Paul, I learned something new today !
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assortative_mating
January 17, 2014
VATICAN CITY (AP) — A document obtained by The Associated Press on Friday shows Pope Benedict XVI defrocked nearly 400 priests over just two years for sexually molesting children.
The statistics for 2011 and 2012 show a dramatic increase over the 171 priests removed in 2008 and 2009, when the Vatican first provided details on the number of priests who have been defrocked. Prior to that, it had only publicly revealed the number of alleged cases of sexual abuse it had received and the number of trials it had authorized.
While it's not clear why the numbers spiked in 2011, it could be because 2010 saw a new explosion in the number of cases reported in the media in Europe and beyond.
The document was prepared from data the Vatican had been collecting and was compiled to help the Holy See defend itself before a U.N. committee this week in Geneva.
Pope defrocked 400 priests in 2 years
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/01/17/pope-defrocked-priests/4592907/VATICAN CITY (AP) — A document obtained by The Associated Press on Friday shows Pope Benedict XVI defrocked nearly 400 priests over just two years for sexually molesting children.
The statistics for 2011 and 2012 show a dramatic increase over the 171 priests removed in 2008 and 2009, when the Vatican first provided details on the number of priests who have been defrocked. Prior to that, it had only publicly revealed the number of alleged cases of sexual abuse it had received and the number of trials it had authorized.
While it's not clear why the numbers spiked in 2011, it could be because 2010 saw a new explosion in the number of cases reported in the media in Europe and beyond.
The document was prepared from data the Vatican had been collecting and was compiled to help the Holy See defend itself before a U.N. committee this week in Geneva.
January 17, 2014
TOKYO -- Hiroo Onoda, the last Japanese imperial soldier to emerge from hiding in a jungle in the Philippines and surrender, 29 years after the end of World War II, has died. He was 91.
Onoda died Thursday at a Tokyo hospital after a brief stay there. Chief government spokesman Yoshihide Suga on Friday expressed his condolences, praising Onoda for his strong will to live and indomitable spirit.
"After World War II, Mr. Onoda lived in the jungle for many years and when he returned to Japan, I felt that finally, the war was finished. That's how I felt," Suga said.
Onoda was an intelligence officer who came out of hiding, erect but emaciated, in fatigues patched many times over, on Lubang island in the Philippines in March 1974, on his 52nd birthday. He surrendered only when his former commander flew there to reverse his 1945 orders to stay behind and spy on American troops
WWII soldier who hid in jungle for 29 years dies at 91
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/wwii-soldier-who-hid-in-jungle-for-29-years-dies-at-91/TOKYO -- Hiroo Onoda, the last Japanese imperial soldier to emerge from hiding in a jungle in the Philippines and surrender, 29 years after the end of World War II, has died. He was 91.
Onoda died Thursday at a Tokyo hospital after a brief stay there. Chief government spokesman Yoshihide Suga on Friday expressed his condolences, praising Onoda for his strong will to live and indomitable spirit.
"After World War II, Mr. Onoda lived in the jungle for many years and when he returned to Japan, I felt that finally, the war was finished. That's how I felt," Suga said.
Onoda was an intelligence officer who came out of hiding, erect but emaciated, in fatigues patched many times over, on Lubang island in the Philippines in March 1974, on his 52nd birthday. He surrendered only when his former commander flew there to reverse his 1945 orders to stay behind and spy on American troops
January 15, 2014
House Passes $1.1 Trillion Spending Bill and Sends It to Senate
Source: New York Times
no link yet
Read more: New York Times
January 15, 2014
WASHINGTON — President Obama will issue new guidelines on Friday to curtail government surveillance, but will not embrace the most far-reaching proposals of his own advisers and will ask Congress to help decide some of the toughest issues, according to people briefed on his thinking.
Mr. Obama plans to increase limits on access to bulk telephone data, call for privacy safeguards for foreigners and propose the creation of a public advocate to represent privacy concerns at a secret intelligence court. But he will not endorse leaving bulk data in the custody of telecommunications firms, nor will he require court permission for all so-called national security letters seeking business records.
The emerging approach, described by current and former government officials who insisted on anonymity in advance of Mr. Obama’s widely anticipated speech, suggested a president trying to straddle a difficult line in hopes of placating foreign leaders and advocates of civil liberties without a backlash from national security agencies. The result seems to be a speech that leaves in place many current programs, but embraces the spirit of reform and keeps the door open to changes later.
The decision to provide additional privacy protections for non-American citizens or residents, for instance, largely codifies existing practices but will be followed by a 180-day study by the director of national intelligence about whether to go further. Likewise, instead of taking the storage of bulk data out of government hands, as recommended by a review panel he appointed, Mr. Obama will leave it in place for now and ask lawmakers to weigh in.
Obama to Place Some Restraints on Surveillance
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/15/us/politics/judge-warns-proposed-safeguards-could-hamper-surveillance-court.htmlWASHINGTON — President Obama will issue new guidelines on Friday to curtail government surveillance, but will not embrace the most far-reaching proposals of his own advisers and will ask Congress to help decide some of the toughest issues, according to people briefed on his thinking.
Mr. Obama plans to increase limits on access to bulk telephone data, call for privacy safeguards for foreigners and propose the creation of a public advocate to represent privacy concerns at a secret intelligence court. But he will not endorse leaving bulk data in the custody of telecommunications firms, nor will he require court permission for all so-called national security letters seeking business records.
The emerging approach, described by current and former government officials who insisted on anonymity in advance of Mr. Obama’s widely anticipated speech, suggested a president trying to straddle a difficult line in hopes of placating foreign leaders and advocates of civil liberties without a backlash from national security agencies. The result seems to be a speech that leaves in place many current programs, but embraces the spirit of reform and keeps the door open to changes later.
The decision to provide additional privacy protections for non-American citizens or residents, for instance, largely codifies existing practices but will be followed by a 180-day study by the director of national intelligence about whether to go further. Likewise, instead of taking the storage of bulk data out of government hands, as recommended by a review panel he appointed, Mr. Obama will leave it in place for now and ask lawmakers to weigh in.
January 11, 2014
Beats Music banks on curation for streaming success
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2014/01/11/beats-music-banks-on-curation-jimmy-iovine-trent-reznor/4397107/SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Jimmy Iovine doesn't do small. The way the producer-turned-entrepreneur sees it, people didn't know they needed sleek $300 Beats by Dr. Dre headphones until they appeared, a point proven by the brand capturing 40% of the billion-dollar headphone market since its 2008 debut.
Iovine is similarly confident that his new streaming subscription music service — Beats Music, which on Saturday announced it will go live Jan. 21 — will awaken fans to what they've been missing with competitors such as Spotify, Rhapsody and iTunes Radio, services that in 2012 accounted for a still modest 8% of the $7 billion retail music market.
Iovine's not-so-secret weapon to grow that figure? Curation.
"Access to music and algorithms aren't enough," Iovine tells USA TODAY. "Music can fuel your highs and lows, but music doesn't do that with 'Here's 16 million songs and give me your credit card and good luck.' Our service will be of service."
Iovine is similarly confident that his new streaming subscription music service — Beats Music, which on Saturday announced it will go live Jan. 21 — will awaken fans to what they've been missing with competitors such as Spotify, Rhapsody and iTunes Radio, services that in 2012 accounted for a still modest 8% of the $7 billion retail music market.
Iovine's not-so-secret weapon to grow that figure? Curation.
"Access to music and algorithms aren't enough," Iovine tells USA TODAY. "Music can fuel your highs and lows, but music doesn't do that with 'Here's 16 million songs and give me your credit card and good luck.' Our service will be of service."
January 1, 2014
*heavily edited, only 4 here, go to link for rest*
.shaw
.wang
.venture
.pizza
Enjoy ! Happy New Year DU !
20 of the Craziest New Top Level Domains We Could Find
http://www.geekosystem.com/2-crazy-new-top-level-domains/*heavily edited, only 4 here, go to link for rest*
.shaw
.wang
.venture
.pizza
Enjoy ! Happy New Year DU !
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Number of posts: 37,457
