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Tennessee town mulls ‘stop work order’ as construction of controversial grain tanks beginsSaturday, December 3, 2005
Mayor Scott Jewell of the city of Dyer, Tennessee did not issue a “stop work order” to Dyer Grain Company late Tuesday afternoon as had been expected. The order would have temporarily halted construction of new grain storage tanks.
Dyer Grain’s efforts at expansion have been blocked several times over the past few years both by zoning restrictions on the height of structures and by citizens groups who filed suit against the grain company and the city’s board of zoning appeals. The lawsuit was dismissed two months ago. The Dyer City Council then amended the zoning ordinance to include “grain storage tanks and bins” in a section of the ordinance listing exclusions, such as free standing spires and towers, to the regular 40 foot height restriction on buildings.
Several citizens spoke at the November 28 city council meeting to address alleged deficiencies in the building permit issued to Dyer Grain. The citizens claimed that according to the site plan filed with the application for the permit, the location of the tanks will violate another provision in the zoning ordinance restricting the height of all structures to the distance from surrounding property lines plus ten feet. The citizens were also concerned over a “grain conveyor” that will cross a city street. Mayor Jewell indicated that he would contact the Gibson County building inspector (who is contracted by the city to act as the municipal inspector) to research the citizens’ concerns.
Jewell contacted Ricky Bailey, Gibson County Building inspector, on Wednesday. Bailey reportedly could find no deficiencies with the permit and, based on this advice, Jewell chose not to issue the stop work order himself. The City Council could still meet and vote to issue the order. The council meets the second Monday of each month.
“The main problem is that the grain company is in an industrial zone — which is located smack in the middle of a low-density residential zone.” Nathan Reed, an elected Alderman of Dyer said, “The property values in the area have increased (with inflation) but not at the same rate as other properties.”
Normal buildings, such as offices and warehouses, can’t exceed 40′ plus 10′ to the eave. The requested change in the ordinance changes the status of the towers from a building to the same status of an antenna or tower.
Mr Reed added, “The height to the eave is 76′, the height to the top of the tank is 105′, the height to the top of the elevator (atop the tank) is 133′. The 133′ is the only measurement that matters now because the change to the zoning ordinance means this is no longer a “building”, but rather the same as an antenna or tower.”
“The grain company specifically requested that change to the ordinace — which was opposed by several citizens…They can build it as high as they like so long as it conforms to the overal height restriction for towers, spires, etc.”
Mr Reed commented on additional concerns, “The citizens are concerned about the health effects of (additional) grain dust, noise, and grain explosions.”
The new construction is expected to generate annual property tax revenues of $10,000 to $16,000.
NASA van rolls off California mountainWednesday, December 8, 2004
LOS ANGELES — A commuter van (Van Pool No. 36) from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) plunged 200 feet into a ravine in the Angeles National Forest this morning. The van was carrying ten people: six JPL employees, two NASA employees, and two private contractors. They are identified as:
Three of the passengers — Forks, Galloway, and Agey — lost their lives; the remaining seven sustained various levels of injury, including one passenger suffering critical injury, according to authorities. All victims were airlifted to local area hospitals.
According to witnesses who reported the crash, the van simply drove off the side of Angeles Forest Highway. Despite the presence of fog during the accident, the California Highway Patrol believes that this was not a factor. The CHP has said that the investigation into the crash may take two to three days before the cause is known.
JPL spokesperson D.C. Agle confirmed that the van was from the facility. Initially, JPL refrained from commenting, but JPL security was spotted at the site shortly after the incident occurred.
The Angeles Forest Highway is a two-lane mountain road considered a commuter route for many residents of the Antelope Valley including Palmdale and Lancaster residents. It is an alternative to get to Interstate 210, rather than taking the heavily traveled Antelope Valley Freeway (California State Route 14).
Here’s An Opinion On:
Euroland to score an own goal over Corporation Tax ?
by
Brendan Wilde
At times of deep recession and high unemployment, one of the traditional measures to which governments aspire in order to stimulate their economies is a reduction in Corporation Tax rates. The reasons are two-fold. First, lower CT rates make individual countries more attractive to overseas companies looking to open new offices and / or factories. Secondly, the more profits that corporations can retain in their businesses, the more they have available to re-invest in new expansion and job creation.
If ever anyone wanted proof that this policy works, one need only look at the Irish experience. In Ireland, relatively very low Corporation Tax rates ( currently only 12.5 % ) succeeded in persuading a host of major companies like Dell and Google to set up shop there. Similarly, a steady reduction in rates by the UK’s new Coalition Government is clearly arresting a small exodus of companies to lower tax environments overseas. The only problem is that when most countries are under the same pressure, they can end up in a beggar thy neighbour auction wherein everyone is attempting to underbid everyone else. Also, countries with left leaning governments obviously have a problem cutting business taxes at a time when Joe Public’s finances are under pressure. This dilemma has already raised its head in France where the new socialist President, Francois Hollande, has indicated that he wants all EU countries to adopt a common rate of Corporation Tax. This policy has, in fact, already just been voted through by the European Parliament. Since France’s basic rate of CT is an eye-watering 33.1%, it’s clearly in its interests to make sure no other European countries can undercut it. It will certainly be interesting to see how the UK reacts to this idea. It has gone to great lengths to encourage large overseas corporations to expand here and the government’s Eurosceptic wing will have a field day if this proposal starts to gain any traction. One group which is bound to come out smelling of roses if these socialist inspired tax rates take hold are the numerous tax havens like the British Virgin Islands where huge global corporations can still legitimately shelter a large part of their earnings via some imaginative creative accounting.
Baker Tilly is an independent firm of chartered accountants and business advisers with a specific focus on
corporate business tax.
Article Source:
Euroland to score an own goal over Corporation Tax ?
World’s first double arm transplant undertaken in MunichSaturday, August 2, 2008
A 54-year-old German farmer who lost both arms in a farming accident six years ago has become the first patient to receive a complete double arm transplant. The patient, whose name has not been released, underwent the operation at the Klinikum rechts der Isar, part of the Technical University of Munich (Technische Universität München), last week; he is said to be recovering well.
The operation lasted 15 hours and was performed by a team of 40 specialists in Plastic Surgery, Hand Surgery, Orthopedics and Anesthesiology, under the direction of the head of the Plastics and Hand Surgery department, Prof. Hans-Günther Machens, Dr. Christoph Höhnke (Head of Transplants, Senior Physician; Plastics and Hand Surgery) and Prof. Edgar Biemer, the former Chief of Plastic Surgery at the Clinic.
In a press statement released by the clinic, it was revealed that the patient had been thoroughly physically checked and had psychological counselling prior to the surgery to ensure he was mentally stable enough to cope with the procedure. Since completion of the surgery, the patient has been on immuno-suppressant drugs to prevent rejection of the new limbs.
Following the surgery, the press release from the clinic’s press manager, Dr. Tanja Schmidhofer, included the following statement:
| The flow of blood was [re-]started in intervals of 20 minutes because the anaesthetists had to make sure that the patient would not suffer from the blood flowing back from the transplanted parts. No significant swelling was seen, nor indeed any ischemia (lack of blood flow to the tissues). This is a testament to the surgeons who established a fully functioning blood flow…the main nerves, the Musculocutaneus, Radial and Ulnar nerves were all attached and sewn together, and finally an external fixator was applied, with pins in the lower and upper arms, avoiding the risk of pressure points and sores. The operation was successfully completed after 15 hours. |
Without the immuno-suppressant drugs given to the patient, the risk of there being a Graft-versus-Host Reaction or GvHR, would have been significant due to the upper arm containing a large amount of bone marrow, consisting of ICC’s or Immuno-Competent Cells, which would have triggered a near total rejection of the new limbs. A GvHR is a condition which results in the cells from the transplant attacking the immune system of the body.
Indications from the clinic suggest that the double attachment went well, although it could be up to 2 full years before the patient is able to move the arms.
The donor arms came from an unnamed teenager, who is believed to have died in a car accident.
Virgin Media investors want to discuss company’s strategyTuesday, May 15, 2007
Virgin Media announced weak results last week, in part due to competition from Sky. Virgin Media lost 47,000 customers from January to March 2007, while Sky gained 51,000 customers in the same time period.
Franklin Mutual Advisers, which has 9.4% of the Virgin Media shares (Sir Richard Branson owns 11%) wants to have a meeting with Virgin Media about its “strategic direction, corporate governance and management”. Franklin Mutual Advisers is known to take great interest in the companies in which it invests.
This has caused many of the other investors of Virgin Media to demanding meetings with the management of the company. The demands are due to confusion among shareholders at the direction in which the company is heading, The Guardian reports. After the attempt to buy ITV was stopped last year, the shareholders think that Virgin Media may lose its battle with Sky and TalkTalk.
Another issue causing concerns amongst investors is the £25.2 million pay cheques for the top seven executives of Virgin Media. Virgin Media reported a £15.3 million loss last year.
‘Afghanistan is a 20-year venture’ warns Canadian generalMonday, August 8, 2005
Maj.-Gen. Andrew Leslie, one of Canada’s top generals says Canadians should prepare for a long mission to Afghanistan in order to help it break out of “a cycle of warlords and tribalism.” Leslie told the audience attending the 74th Annual Couchiching Summer Conference in Orillia, Ontario, Canada on The Use of Force Within and Between Nations that Canada’s troops will have casualties. As many as 1,250 Canadian soldiers will be serving in Afghanistan by February 2006. A 250-strong provincial reconstruction team mission is currently gathering to stabilise the Kandahar region joining the nearly 700 troops already serving in Kabul. “Every time you kill an angry young man overseas, you’re creating 15 more who will come after you”, he said.
“There are things worth fighting for. There are things worth dying for. There are things worth killing for”, Leslie told the conference and he said the end result would be worth the cost:
By David P Lee
You have a true friend if you own a cat. Your kitty will love you know matter what you might do to him. Your kitty may have been your companion now for many years. Considering this, a cat is dependant on you for each and every thing he needs. Sometimes a cat can seem pretty independent but at the end of the day, they will always come purring back to you.
Cats do so much to enhance our lives; it is good to know that we can make their lives more comfortable. Cat furniture was designed for the sole comfort of our beloved pets. Cats come in many shapes and sizes and there are many different styles of cat furniture to accommodate them.
The cat litter box is on of the most important items you can get for your cat. Cat boxes are made in several varieties of shapes and have many colors. Because of the private nature of you cat, cat boxes often have a lid and a door to go in and out of. The best litter box you can get your kitty is a cat litter cabinet. This cat litter furniture is a cat box hidden in a cabinet. It looks just like an end table so no one knows it realy for your cat!
Beside the litter box the first piece of furniture you should think of is a scratching post or cat tree. This allows your cat to sharpen their claws without tearing your furniture apart. If you cat is de-clawed, you will find that your cat will use it out of instinct.
These types of cat furniture are usually constructed out of wood that is covered with carpet and cats of all shapes and sizes go wild playing on them. A scratching post can be horizontal or vertical and if you are really creative, you can design one for yourself.
Another function of a cat tree is to provide a cat or kitten with a place to play. This is great for people who go to work everyday and leave their cat home alone. A cat gym is a piece of cat furniture that is similar to a cat tree, only is has more for a cat to play with. It has multiple tiers for your cat to frolicking on and often has toys or feathers to play with.
You might also be interested in a cat house. This type of cat furniture can come in many different configurations as well. Some cat trees have a house at the bottom or at the tip top. Others have a cat litter box concealed at the bottom with the cat house up on top. Some take the shape of a round cat condo. The main reason for the cat house is to give your kitty a suite, private place to rest and relax.
If you have a cat up in years cat furniture can be a big help to him. While some may have special needs or are handicapped cat furniture can assist them in different ways. An older cat can benefit from Pet steps or a quiet cat house to rest up in. A small cat tree or scratching post can give needed exercise to a kitty that does not get out much.
So remember every kitty is special and needs a castle to call home. With all the choices out there, you can find that special
About the Author: David Lee is the owner and designer of AceCatFurniture.com and AceCatHealth.com
Source: isnare.com
Permanent Link: isnare.com/?aid=103171&ca=Pets
Free Software Foundation announces release of gNewSense version 1.0Thursday, November 2, 2006
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) has announced today the release of the first version of gNewSense, a new GNU/Linux distribution based on both Ubuntu and Debian. The goal of the newly created distribution is to offer an operating system which is 100% proprietary software free.
Generally, GNU/Linux distributions comes with proprietary software such as kernel drivers (eg. NVIDIA and ATI card drivers), the Opera web browser or the VoIP Skype software among others. According to its developers: “From a philosophical perspective we wanted to create a GNU/Linux distribution where the user has access to all the sources for all software on the system. This includes everything from the heart of the kernel through to the everyday desktop applications.”
Ted Teah, FSF’s free software directory maintainer explained, “With all the kernel firmware and restricted repositories removed, and the reliance on Ubuntu’s proprietary distribution management tool gone, this distribution is the most advanced GNU/Linux distribution that has a commitment to be 100% free.”
gNewSense will provide users with full security updates and is available for immediate download in LiveCD ISO format along with a version of the Ubiquity graphical installer. The developers have also created a set of tools called Builder that allows users to create their own gNewSense-based distributions.
In the new 1.0 version, gNewSense has removed all non-free firmware from the kernel, removed access to the Ubuntu Restricted component (such as links to LaunchPad which are redirected to the gNewSense webpage for now) and replaced the Ubuntu logos with its own. Also the UniVerse component is enabled by default and Emacs, BSD games, NetHack, and build-essential part of the default install.
There already exists such a distribution called Ututo which aims for zero proprietary software but it never really took off in popularity. A few years ago, Mark Shuttleworth, founder of the Ubuntu distribution, also initiated a similar initiative dubbed Gnubuntu but it never materialized.
UN report: climate change and food shortage major problems for Earth’s futureThursday, October 25, 2007
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has released a comprehensive report on the current state of the global environment. Climate change, food and water shortage and a decline in biodiversity threaten humanity’s survival, so urgent action is necessary, the report warns.
UNEP’s Global Environment Outlook: environment for development (GEO-4) report involved the work of about 390 experts in various fields from around the world.
| Selected key figures and facts from the reportClimate changeThe global average temperature has risen 0.7 °C since 1906 and will rise a further 1.8 °C at best by the end of this century.Some scientists believe a 2°C temperature rise would cause major and irreversible damage.Meanwhile, average temperatures in the Arctic are rising twice as fast as elsewhere.Rising sealevels threaten the 60 percent of the population living within 100 kilometres of coastal lines.Water and foodIncreasing irrigation demands will eventually cause 1 of every 10 major rivers to dry up.Population growth, over-consumption and a continued shift from cereals to meat will raise food demand to a level 2.5 – 3.5 times higher than at present.The slackening expansion of cropland stands in contrast with the fact that by 2030, developing countries will need 120 million extra hectares to feed themselves.BiodiversitySpecies are becoming extinct a hundred times faster than the rate shown in the fossil record. |
While the GEO-4 report salutes some improvements, for example the increased public awareness of environmental issues and political interest, it also warns that “There are no major issues… for which the foreseeable trends are favourable.” Although the report sets out a gloomy scenario, its main aim is to call for action.