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Who Is Monitoring McKinney Municipal Utility Districts?

McKinney Municipal Utility District No. 1 (MMUD1) is the legal subdivision of the state located in the City of McKinney’s ETJ but not in the city limits as of now. I am going to refer to it as MMUD(s) because documents refer to MUD1 and MUD2, but MUD1 is the Master District. The City has control of a number of construction requirements and is party to an agreement that allows the City to even contract with the MMUD for the City to provide certain services. MMUD was created in the 80th legislature in 2007 by Rep. Jodie Laubenberg as HB 3979.

This MMUD is also the entity involving the Trinity Falls Development. From everything I hear, the Developer is experienced with these kinds of financing vehicles. This blog is not about the developer per se. It is about MUDs in general and the MMUD as an example in particular. MUDs are about helping the developer get a project financed. MUDs are in abundance in the Houston area. Missouri City, as an example, has 25 MUDs in their city limits. MUDs are not so popular North Texas. And for a reason. Take a poll of the Houston area cities with MUDs and ask if they could undo the MUDs today if they could?

MUDs help with leapMMUD-frogging development. Leap-frogging is not a positive term. In many cases it means allowing islands to be created. Everybody knows that the best growth management is in contiguous concentric circles, but that never happens like the textbook pictures. There are always people wanting to get away from the city where land is cheaper. And almost always the growth fills in between until the outlanders become just like the city, too.

In the map below from the Municipal Advisory Council (MAC), it shows Collin County in green, McKinney ISD in blue and MMUD in pink. MMUD is 880.42 acres in size. In other disclosures, the Trinity Falls property is shown to be 1,700 acres. Therefore, one must assume that MMUD could expand. I have heard that there will be a MUD3 and MUD4 at some point in time.

The purpose of the MMUD is to sell bonds to pay for the infrastructure (and substantial other costs) put in place by the Developer. By infrastructure, it is meant to be roadways as well as water and wastewater lines. How much in bonds are anticipated? That becomes a very interesting question. We turn to their bond disclosure documents to understand. MMUD shows the authorized debt to be as follows:

$133,050,000  Roadways.
$145,000,000 Water & Sewer System.
$  10,240,000 Fire Protection Related.
$288,290,000 Total Bonds Authorized.

You are probably asking if this could be correct? It’s going to take $288,290,000 to provide infrastructure for 880 acres of mostly residential development?

Again, we look to official documents to understand. As it turns out, they show only 680 acres of development, and it is all residential. The remainder is for parkland, an elementary school or is undevelopable.

Unless you’ve beat me to it, then $288,290,000 divided by 680 acres is $423,956 per acre. Based on an average of what they have disclosed so far, the average lots per acre is 2.935. That would mean the bond authorization placed on a per lot basis is $144,443 per lot!

Before we go further, it is important to realize that bond authorization does not mean they will sell that much in bonds to repay the developer. However, the significance is still there, and I guarantee you $144,443 is probably not a number shown to the McKinney City Council or that staff bothered to calculate or that the council bothered to ask.

So What If The Lot Cost Is Very High?

You can say that if the buyer wants to purchase a house that has $144,443 in it before any vertical construction begins, then that is their business. But that is why we must dig deeper. If it goes into the value of the house, then you know the full cost. However, homeowners in the MMUD must be on their toes to realize the cost of the house they pay to the builder is only part of their costs.

In addition, they have to pay a MMUD tax that covers the $144,443 per lot:

House Price Paid by Mortgage.
+Infrastructure Paid by MMUD I&S Tax Levy Paid.
= The Full Cost of the House & Property.

The MMUD tax is the issue that can become troublesome. Take a poll today of the MMUD occupants and ask if they understand the MMUD taxes?

How Much Is The MMUD Tax?

There are two parts to the answer. The first is how high could the MMUD Tax be. The McKinney ISD has a maximum rate that is very high. It is a total of $1.67 per $100 value. That is broken down into Maintenance & Operations (M&O) of $1.17 and $0.50 for Interest & Sinking (I&S or Debt Service). Both components are at the maximum the state allows.

The City of McKinney’s tax rate, although not charged to the MMUD property owners, is $0.5830 with $0.4100 being for M&O and $0.173 for I&S. It is nowhere near the maximum allowed by state law.

The MMUD is quite different. The M&O maximum tax rate is $1.20. However, there is no limit on the I&S portion of the tax rate. Therefore, there is no legal limit on the tax rate.

However, the question first at hand is what is the current MMUD tax rate? The answer is $1.05 per $100 broken down into $0.505 for M&O and $0.545 for I&S.

Therefore, if you live in the City of McKinney, the total tax rate is $0.5830. If you live in the MMUD, the tax rate is $1.050.

Okay, So What?

Your next thought might be the same as mine, and that is won’t the house price and taxable value of the house reflect a lower amount since part of the home is financed out of the mortgage and part out of the MMUD tax?

Let’s check. One MMUD home on Sabine is valued at $397,392. The land value is $80,000 for the lot, and the improvement value is $317,392.

The lot is 7,500 square feet or $10.67 per sf. The improvements, based on 3,612 sf would be $87.87 per sf. for a total of $110.02 per sf when the total value is stated on the main area of 3,612 sf.

What do you think? Discounted or not?

Of course, these are Collin County Appraisal District values and not the actual purchase price. The purchase price could have been lower. Or higher.

It must be mentioned that these are the market values as shown by CCAD before any exemptions are taken into consideration.

What We Do Know.

The total tax bill on the example property, before exemptions, would be $3.03696 per $100 when adding in the MISD ($1.67); Collin County ($0.235); College District ($0.08196) to the MMUD’s rate of $1.05.

These are the current year’s rates. The tax rolls will not be certified until July 25, 2016 for the tax bills mailed October 1, 2016 and due January 31, 2017. So sometime between July 25 and October 1, the MMUD will be setting their tax rate for the bill to be mailed by October 1. It could be the same or lower. There is virtually no ceiling on the topside.

When the tax bill is received (again, before exemptions) of $12,068.64 ($397,342 x $3.03696 / $100), the homeowner will realize what they have bought into by being in the MMUD.

Were they told of the MMUD tax potential at the closing of the purchase? Oh, yes, they signed a document along with dozens more when they were just hours away from getting the key. The tax bill may have been incorporated into the mortgage, so the homeowner will have a wake up call to examine their escrow every year when insurance and taxes possibly change. A fully informed potential buyer would be educated when they drove into a subdivision of MMUD. I drove around this morning and didn’t see a sign.

Lewis, Why Do You Care If The MMUD Homeowner Gets Riled?

I don’t. My concerned being raised is about the City of McKinney. Maybe even the County/CCCD. If you read through the documents, you can find quite a bit of language that says, read our lips, the City and the County are not responsible for the debt and payments of MMUD. But you would be quite naïve if you think there are no repercussions.

First, I don’t like it that the MMUD has the name “McKinney” in it. If there was ever a MMUD default, the headline would not be favorable for the City. Also, the history of MUDs all over the state is for the homeowners to get restless or irritated with a dose of buyers’ remorse once they realize their tax bill would be lower by $1,846.68 annually ($1.05-0.5853 x $397,392 / $100) if they lived in the McKinney city limits. Take a poll of the highest tax rates in Texas and you will find mostly MUDs at the top of the list.

If the MMUD homeowners believe they got duped paying a competitive price for their house plus a tax rate that included part of their house (meaning they paid twice for part), then embarrassment turns into rage. Especially if they can’t sell their house to escape the burden. Before long they may start wanting to run for City Council to force the absorption of the MMUD by the City AND to absorb the outstanding debt at the time. It HAS happened across the state. If they see that the City is part of the agreement and had plans to incorporate the MMUD, then why not now?

What About The Debt?

Now we are getting to the guts of the matter. The tiny little MMUD has been authorized to issue, $288,290,000 in bonds supported only by the property owners of MMUD. They have issued only $13,800,000 to date in two issues. However, they are ramping up in that $8,070,000 was dated September 1, 2015 with a secondary issue of $5,730,000 dated February 1, 2016. The race is to sell debt as fast as possible to reimburse the developer when there is value on the ground to carry the debt service.

For a perspective, the entire outstanding debt for all of Collin County is $379,084,150! For all of the City of McKinney, the outstanding tax related debt is $307,790,000!

Do you see my concern?

Can the City of McKinney control the issuance of more debt until they have confirmations there is not going to be a negative impact on the City, legal, public relations or other? The answer is yes and no.

By contract, the City has placed a cap of $120,000,000 of debt issuance on MMUD unless they approve to raise the level.

So, Lewis, why don’t you shut up and wait until a problem crops up? First, I’m not geared that way. My entire career has been about worrying over things that could blow up. But the real reason is that I was waiting for the audited financial statements for the MMUD for their fiscal year ending March 31, 2016.

Then something happened on the way to the wait station.

The McKinney City Council shows a workshop agenda for tomorrow night and a Council meeting agenda item on Tuesday night to amend the 2012 agreement. McKinney does a horrible job of providing background before a meeting as I complained about in my last blog. First, they claim the amendment resolution preamble is in the best interest to the City. Quite noble, but they don’t explain the benefit. In fact, there is no staff paper, no real back story, no staff recommendation.

What the amendment does say, to me, is that MMUD is being given permission to raise the debt issuance limit to $262,800,000!

Why in the world if there is already a $120,000,000 cap with only $13,800,000 issued would MMUD need to lift the cap right now?

And nobody seems concerned that all debt issuance and taxes entity have a bearing on each other. A $million of debt uses everybody’s debt capacity. A penny tax increase is a penny of taxing capacity the resident can afford.

Conclusion & Recommendation.

I am concerned how we allowed a MUD to get created in McKinney in the first place. Yet bigger, since we are only about 50% built-out and tens of thousands of acres left to be developed, how are we going to say no to the next Houston-style method of incentivizing a developer? In fact, why are we incentivizing residential development at all? In addition to allowing the MUD financing vehicle, the City is granting a sales tax split to MMUD!

I am requesting of the City Council that this agreement amendment be postponed until the middle of July when the audited financial statements should be finished as well as the certified tax roll be delivered.

More importantly, I suggest the City Council require a five-year plan be provided to the City Council when additional bonds are issued and made a requirement for City approval to go forward with future bonds. The financial plans should show the lot and construction pipeline as MMUD already discloses now to bond holders in their official bond issuance statement. The plan should also show the tax value assumptions, the debt issuance/debt service assumptions as well as the tax rate component forecast for the next five years. It is with 100% certainty that MMUD has this information.

In fact, the bond rating agencies would be insisting to see this information. Except there is one problem: these bonds are not rated nor or they guaranteed by a bond insurer. And there is a reason for their absence. Only very sophisticated buyers would be interested in these bonds. And there is a premium they earn for the risk. Take a poll of the interest rates on these and other MUD bonds compared to typical tax supported bonds.

At this point, I am not suggesting that toothpaste can be put back into the tube. However, the MMUD board meetings should be held in McKinney and the City needs to be involved in monitoring. The MMUD now shows bookkeepers, financial advisors, bond attorneys and auditors all being from Houston. They are very smart people with absolute perfect knowledge of how MUDs work. I have to wonder if the City of McKinney asked their own financial advisors and bond attorneys the pros and cons of allowing a MUD to be created in the ETJ? Who did the due diligence on this proposition from the beginning and since the inception?

Ironically, they show Chandler Merritt, Public Works Director of the City of McKinney, as a finance-connected official according to the Municipal Advisory Council. Go figure!

Lastly, it should be noted that 29.1% of the $13,800,000 in bond currently outstanding went toward soft costs (legal fees, financial fees, capitalized interest and other non-construction costs). There is an entire cottage/mansion industry in Houston related to MUDs. We really need to think long and hard about the potential for MUDs to proliferate in North Texas.

Nobody thinks through how these animals end, but there are many stories of ugly exits as they take on a life of their own and want to be absorbed when it is in the best interest of the MUD. But my overriding concern is that a council known for making decisions without full public disclosure really needs to monitor the MMUD and any MUD in the ETJ. LFM

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The goal of my work in production has been to create immersive, multimedia performances. My own creative practice includes storytelling, curating, podcasting and visual art. I have worked with spoken word artists, storytellers, musicians, sound technicians, installation and digital artists.

producing: electric circuitsElectric Circuits Festival of Electronic Music and Digital Art

2016 to present :: I am part of a collective called Electric Circuits, based in Kingston, Ontario. Each year we put on a multimedia festival of electronic and digital art. Artists from Montreal, Toronto, Kingston and Ottawa collaborate to create immersive, multivalent performances of sound and images. We are funded each year to varying degrees by the Ontario Arts Council, the Canada Council for the Arts, the City of Kingston Arts Fund, Tourism Kingston, and several other sponsorship organizations. Please visit for details.

producing: garrulaGarrula: A Storytelling Event and Live Podcast Recording

2015 to 2016 :: I developed and co-created an event with Kim Renders (Chipped Off Performance Collective) called Garrula (Latin for talkative). We ran a biweekly storytelling drop-in skills development session, and chose the best storytellers to perform at the bi-monthly Garrula event. The event was recorded by Matt Rogalsky (Memory Device Recording Studio) and a well-curated event became a well-produced podcast. Please visit for details.

producing: makers guideThe Makers Guide To Kingston: Podcasts

In 2017 I was contracted to write and record several short podcasts about life in Kingston, Ontario. This was part of a beautiful project designed and developed by Vincent Perez (Everlovin’ Press). The podcasts are available on  the website.

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You may prefer to go through to our Eating Out page which has a complete range of places you can go from the most economical to the most lavish.  Please CLICK HERE!

You will also find Take Aways and Pubs in this section. Enjoy!

Local Restaurants & Places to Eat around Clandown

Simply Thai

42 High St, Midsomer Norton, Radstock BA3 2DL, UK – 01761 418556

Stayed at a local hotel, popped here as it was walking distance, wasnt especially expecting much, but was very pleasantly surprised. Food was absolutely delicious. Takeaway phone didn't stop ringing all night either, clearly popular with the locals. Would definitely reccomend giving it a go.

Amazing food every time! I order Thai as a treat often, would always use simply Thai as it's fresh and tastes amazing. Lovely friendly service, decent price. Can't fault it.

5 The St, Radstock BA3 3PZ, UK – 01761 568283

Amazing food, Pizza is obviously the best. Always great service, lovely atmosphere, very clean, perfect for any size party.

Great day watching stock car racing. Could do with a few more signs to show the way to the race course.

A K Pizza

Holly Court, High St, Midsomer Norton, Radstock BA3 2DB, UK – 01761 411114

So good i had to convert to Catholicism and go to confession. Something so good can't be legal. I just... I cant even.... the pizza is to die f...

Fantastic pizza AND pasta.. Truly the best in the area.

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Service Center

Measure G Projects

SC web edited.jpg

Location & Hours

Service Center

170 W. San Jose Avenue

Claremont, California 91711

Phone and Fax

Phone: (909) 398-0609 x71002

Fax: (909) 624-0857

Office Hours

Monday - Friday

7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Rick Cota, Executive Director

Phone: (909) 398-0609 x71001

Terryl Noreen, Senior Coordinator,

Facilities and Custodial Operations

Phone: (909) 398-0609 x71005

Donna Totten, Director's Secretary

Phone: (909) 398-0609 x71002

Rick Cota.jpg  Welcome to the Service Center

The mission of the Service Center is to improve student achievement by supporting teaching and learning in the classroom.  Our goal is to strive for 100% of our facilities to be safe, clean, and appropriate to support learning.   This is accomplished by providing quality services, effective and efficient use of resources, and a clean, safe and healthy environment that enhances the student's ability to learn.

The Service Center is comprised of the Maintenance Department, Grounds Department, and Custodial Services.  The technicians and staff serve the needs of all twelve District schools, the Central Kitchen, and the Richard S. Kirkendall Education Center.

The Maintenance staff handles issues related to plumbing, electrical, doors, locks, alarms, bells, and general classroom repair.  There are seven technicians on the Maintenance Staff with more than 58 years of experience with the District.

A Grounds crew also operates out of the Service Center.  They not only handle the weeding, trimming, landscaping, and irrigation of all sites, but they also manage the preparation of fields and tracks for sports activities at all grade levels.  The seven Grounds team members have more than 66 years of expertise with CUSD.

In addition to Grounds and Maintenance, the Service Center manages the 29 site custodians.  Custodial work is coordinated by the Service Center ensuring that schools are consistently clean and ready for students each day.

The Service Center is located on the same property as the Richard S. Kirkendall Education Center at 170 W. San Jose Avenue in Claremont.  By having both the Education Center and the Service Center at the same location operations are streamlined resulting in improved efficiency.

Rick Cota

Executive Director, Service Center

Facilities Use

To request the use of a school facility or athletic field, print out the Facilities Use Form and turn it into the desired school site.  Usage fees may apply.

Facilities Use Form.pdf

Pesticide Usage

Contractor Pre-Qualification

As of January 1, 2014, to comply with California Assembly Bill AB 1565, Claremont Unified School District requires General Contractors and Subcontractors to be pre-qualified on all Bond Construction Contracts.  Claremont School District also requires pre-qualification on all CUPCCAA Construction Contracts.

To become pre-qualified, applications must be submitted to  PQBids is an easy to use web-based application that streamlines the new Department of Industrial Relations pre-qualification process.  Please follow the simple instructions below:

1.  Click here to sign-up online as an AB 1565 and a CUPCCAA contractor.

2. Enter the require information.

3. Submit your pre-qualification applications.

4. PQBids will contact you if more information is necessary to complete the process.

5.  You will be notified of your approval via email.

If you have questions regarding this process, please contact our Purchasing Coordinator at 909 398-0637 or Rick Cota, Executive Director, Facilities at 909 398-0673.  You may also contact PQBids with technical support questions at or 888-218-4173.

General Information


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Milford Home Sales – For August 2017

Milford Home Sales Update | August, 2017 | Milford School District

Milford Homes For Sale

milford home sales update

This month’s Milford Home Sales is yet another award winner!  It tied for first in one category and came in a close second in another.

The category where Milford tied with another Clermont County school district for the strongest number is known as the absorption rate.  That is the indication which looks at the total number of sales and determines how long it would take to sell the available homes.  When the number is below 5, it is a seller’s market and the strength of the seller’s market is determined by how far below 5 the number is.   Milford’s 3.2 which is a mild to moderate seller’s market.

Milford is also enjoying its shortest time on market of the calendar year.  The average time a home is taking to be under contract is only 23 days!  Throughout the calendar year, time on market has been low for the school district.

When those numbers are combined with the year high average sale price of $242,944, beating last month’s $228,951, and the sale price to list price being at another high for the year of 98.42%, it paints a rather strong picture.   Setting higher numbers for the year is shared with other Clermont County school districts.  It does raise a little bit of the caution that the price jumped as much as it did.  When prices jump too fast, it sometimes can signal a “market adjustment” is on the horizon.  Right now, it appears that is not something to be overly concerned about unless prices continue to jump.

To see the reports for the other school districts, Click Here. Check out the graph below to see it for yourself.  If it is marketed correctly, your home should sell quickly.

If your home didn’t sell, let us know.  We specialize in selling homes other agents couldn’t.  Either call or text 513-201-7890 or Click Here.  We’d love to show you why we a top agent in Milford and Miami Township.

If you’d like to create your own specialized home search, Click Here!

Milford School District Market Update (Each month is the previous 6 months totals & averages)

 Active ListingsPending ListingsSold ListingsAvg List PriceAvg Sold Price% of List
To Sale Price
Absorption Rate
> 6 = Buyer's Market
< 5 = Seller's Market
Avg Days
On Market
January, 20177569284$311,690$225,16497.71%3.028
February, 201772110256$322,054$220,53797.27%4.329
March, 201773100257$313,552$212,24597.56%428
April, 201773113255$337,389$218,19497.76%4.428
May, 2017107117273$334,048$218,14898%4.9228
June, 201710195314$331,422$222,55898.26%3.7525
July, 201710797339$323,223$228,95198.33%3.623
August, 20179379324$317,147$242,94498.42%3.223
September, 20178884327$327,060$245,23898.29%3.222
October, 2017
November, 20176555350$311,357$235,97897.93%2.124
December, 20176434309$315,098$230,38697.80%226

Review Date
Reviewed Item
Milford Home Sales Update
Author Rating


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Devil Horns and Duck Curves: Renewables Reshaping Grid in California, Elsewhere

May 14, 2018

The Duck curve about to get Duckier.

California just mandated that nearly all new homes have solar, starting in less than two years. Now, it’s going to have to figure out what to do with all of that extra energy.

Already, the state is flooded with so much solar power during the day that it has to turn off some of its sun-fueled plants at times and often needs to ship excess green energy to neighboring states. The phenomenon has produced what state grid operators have been calling the duck curve — that’s when net power demand craters during daylight hours and then ramps up after sunset and natural-gas generators fire up to meet customer demand.

It’s an unintended consequence of the Golden State’s effort to slash greenhouse gas emissions and get half of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, and has vexed the state’s grid operators. California’s top utility regulator warned last week of a looming energy crisis if the region doesn’t start planning for a future with more people either generating their own power or getting it from suppliers besides the big utilities.

“As the amount of renewables on the system grows, grid operators need increased visibility into behind-the-meter resources,” said Steven Greenlee, a spokesman for California Independent System Operator Corp., which runs the state’s power grid. Grid operators will need more visibility into how these home systems are working, he said.

To put it another way, “it has the potential to make the duck curve duckier,” said Ethan Zindler, a Washington-based analyst for Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

Business Green:

Germany’s renewables sector produced more than 100 per cent of the nation’s electricity demand yesterday, pushing wholesale power prices into negative, the latest government data shows.

The surge in clean energy generation on May Day in Germany produced around 50GWh of renewable power, including around 27GWh from wind energy and 20GWh from solar, according to the federal government’s live energy market data.

The achievement was partly a result of favourable weather conditions and lower demand due to May Day being a public holiday in Germany.

Fossil fuel generation, meanwhile, dropped below 1.5GW of generation, pushing wholesale electricity market prices down to almost -€36/MWh, with the surplus power exported to neighbouring countries.

As a result, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria and Switzerland also enjoyed negative power prices yesterday, according to analysts.

Europe’s power traders have a colorful name for the way the rise of solar power is distorting the electricity industry: devil horns.

That’s the shape formed by intraday power prices that increasingly having to adapt to greater flows from solar farms in the middle of the day. As photovoltaics feed more supplies to the grid, power prices crash and then rise as the sun sets, leaving a distinctive formation in charts like the one below.

More than an amusing oddity, the dramatic swings indicate the scale of the challenge grid managers are facing in smoothing out supplies from plants that only generate when the sun shines or the wind blows. The pattern is becoming increasingly familiar across Europe, especially in Germany, where it translates as “Doppel Knick.”

As solar capacity has surged more than ten-fold in the past decade in Germany, it’s leaving utility executives wondering if they should switch off coal and natural gas plants for a few hours when the photovoltaic facilities deliver their peak yield.

“Thermal plants are struggling a lot with having to ramp up and down fast when they are needed,” said Hanns Koenig, a project leader at Aurora Energy Research Ltd., which is based in Oxford, England, and advises utilities, investors and governments. “To ramp up quickly uses extra fuel and may not be economical so currently a lot of plants run through solar’s production peak.”

As much as 38 percent of Germany’s power came from wind and solar farms last year. That’s making it difficult to estimate how much supply will feed into the grid at certain times of day as some of it will also feed local distribution networks. It’s a dramatic change from a decade ago when the deep price dip occurred in the middle of the night as reactors were humming even as demand was low.

Storage and charging of electric vehicles will eventually help to even out the sharp within-day price swings, but short-term it will continue to have a negative effect on operations, said Magnus Hall, chief executive officer at Vattenfall AB, the Swedish utility. The company on Thursday reported fewer running hours from its German coal and gas plants in the first quarter, even as cold weather increased demand.

“We are building a system that in the long term have the capability to even out prices,” Hall said by phone. “In the short-term perspective it has this effect that is hard to quantify, but it is a negative effect.”

The impact on the grid from renewables is now so great that supply at times exceeds demand and pushes power prices below zero. The trend has also undercut the economics of replacing some of the oldest traditional plants, with some forms of renewables mature enough to compete in the market without subsidy.

In the past year alone, solar developers in Spain and offshore windfarms in Germany and the Netherlands won tenders for plants without guarantees for higher-than-market power prices.

Even the U.K., with its rainy image, is expanding solar and the technology can now meet as much as 39 percent of peak summer demand.

That’s so much that National Grid Plc is preparing measures to avoid overloading of the network. The grid manager may need to curtail renewable energy production and also ask coal, gas and nuclear plants to rein in output during certain hours.

11 Responses to “Devil Horns and Duck Curves: Renewables Reshaping Grid in California, Elsewhere”

  1. dumboldguy Says:

    Use the excess electricity to generate heat Store the heat in molten salt during the day. Use it to make steam to turn generators at night. No natural gas needed. Seems simple enough. (?)

    • rhymeswithgoalie Says:

      “Use the excess electricity to generate heat Store the heat in molten salt during the day.”

      A curve like that gives market impetus to have *someone* pull the cheap electricity off the grid and store it for later. The cheaper it gets, the less efficiency you need to make money off of it, but eventually market gamesmanship should move to more efficient tricks to make money off this resource.

    • J4Zonian Says:

      ““it has the potential to make the duck curve duckier,” ”

      Anyone who knows anything about ducks would know to say just the opposite.

    • J4Zonian Says:

      Batteries. Seems simpler.

      Deep offshore wind turbines with capacity factors up to 65% and still growing seem pretty simple. Ready for production within 2 years; blade testing this summer for turbines more than 5 times more powerful than anything in operation today seem pretty simple. (Well, not so simple, but worth putting the money in to make them operational in the next 3 years. The Off-Manhattan Project)

      Passive and active solar houses with built-in storage, annual cycle energy systems, clothesline paradox energies that remove demand from the grid entirely seem pretty simple. Been doing them since before the rise of Ur.

      The rest of it is not a problem with renewable technology or batteries; it’s a problem with an economic system that says it’s worse to give away power to those who need it and worse to build batteries and retrofit buildings before it “makes economic sense” than it is to sit and watch television until civilization violently and chaotically collapses around us. The economic system has to go anyway, why not let this little challenge take out its part of it and replace it with one that views survival and the public good as paramount?

      That’s not a real question, the answer is obvious. There are a few people with poor self esteem who are addicted to the current economic system to give them constant jolts of money-shaped shots of it. Like all addictions, diminishing marginal returns makes them seek ever-larger shots, the end of which with heroin is a single death, the end of which with economics is countless decillions of deaths. We need to treat the addiction while engaging in whatever harm reduction is called for, while we build batteries as fast as Musk’s and the Chinese and whatever other factories we can build can churn them out, and PAY ABSOLUTELY NO ATTENTION WHATEVER TO THE PRICE!

      How insane do you have to be to prioritize making rich people richer over the survival of tigers and edelweiss?

  2. Sir Charles Says:

    Electricity to hydrogen could be part of the solution. AFAIK efficiency is only at some 60%.

    => Swedish steel boss: ‘Our pilot plant will only emit water vapour’

    A new pilot facility under construction in northern Sweden will produce steel using hydrogen from renewable electricity. The only emissions will be water vapour, explains the CEO of Hybrit, the company behind the process, which seeks to revolutionise steelmaking.

  3. Gingerbaker Says:

    Interesting discussion about hydrogen in the comments here:

    the tl;dr :

    * electrolysis getting more efficient, cost of electrolysers falling like solar panels

    * There is another tech even more efficient – solar thermal cracking. Excess RE -> produces heat -> makes hydrogen plus heat and/or methanol using CO2

    * hydrogen is by no means “dead”, in fact, will likely be seeing a big resurgence because of its ability to store excess RE, its ease of use, transport as methanol, its ability to be burned as carbon-neutral heat (heating as still a big problem for those of us who live where there is winter), and its potential to be used to combine with CO2 scrubbed from the air.

    * Remember, these bits of “info” are comments on a blog.

  4. Solar energy and wind energy are not alternatives for a coal or gas generated power station. They are just suplementary.

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ClubAZ News

Trick or Treat Lottery Draw

Who will win our spooktacular prizes?

It's close to midnight, something evil's lurking from the dark…
Under the moonlight, you see a sight that almost stops your heart… £5,000 cash!!!

You’ll definitely be screaming if you win our spooktacular ClubAZ Lottery draw this October! Not only do we have a fang-tastic jackpot prize up for grabs, but another frighteningly fabulous fifty prizes of £100 to give away! Don’t be afraid, there’s still time to join!

You can download a membership form by CLICKING HERE, or why not pop to see the team at one of our roadshows. Come along on the following dates and say hello, we promise we won’t bite!

Wednesday 19 September
Block 11 - MY AP Roadshow, Alderley Park

Thursday 20 September
Mill Court, Macclesfield (outside the shop)
Block 23, Alderley Park

Wednesday 26 September
Block 51 - MY AP Roadshow, Alderley Park

Thursday 27 September
Middlewood Court, Macclesfield

Wednesday 3 October
Speakers Corner in Radnor, Alderley Park

Wednesday 17 October
Middlewood Court, Macclesfield


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Chris Froome is not a Russian

WADA will not appeal the decision of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) not to assert an Adverse Analytical Finding(AAF) in the case of Chris Froome. WADA reviewed the explanations of Chris Froome, supported by expert opinions, consulted with internal and independent external experts and came to the conclusion that the concentration of Salbutamol found in the urine sample of Chris Froome was within the permissible maximum dose.

ASO, the Tour de France organiser, referred some days ago to article 28 of the Tour the France rules, which gives the organiser the opportunity to ban a team or any of its members whose presence would be such as to damage the image or reputation of ASO or the event. ASO announced that it intended to use article 28 of its rules to ban Chris Froome and to avoid the situation of the Giro. Froome participated in the Giro when there was still uncertainty with regard to an AAF because of the Salbutamol findings. The same would have harmed the image and reputation of the Tour de France.

Now that WADA and UCI have closed the proceedings against Froome in his favor, ASO has announced to allow Froome to participate in the Tour the France 2018.

In the matters of 28 Russian Athletes that participated in Sochi Olympic Games, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned the bans that were imposed by the IOC following an investigation into alleged systematic doping at the Sochi Games (CAS decision of 1 February 2018). IOC nevertheless decided after the CAS Award not to invite the subject Athletes.

IOC based its decision on Article 44 par. 3 of the Olympic Charter, which stipulates:

"Any entry is subject to acceptance by the IOC, which may, at its discretion, refuse any entry, without indication of grounds. Nobody is entitled as of right to participate in the Olympic Games".

This article 44 of the Olympic Charter is an open standard that needs to be considered on a case by case basis. CAS, when requested to decide in the matter that was initiated by the Russian Athletes, considered:

"That the individual Applicants failed to meet the criteria [to provide evidence of a "clean" history] suggests that there was some evidence that there were suspicions they were implicated in, or protected by, the Russian doping scheme notwithstanding the CAS decisions of 1 February 2018. [in which CAS decided that there was not sufficient evidence to upheld the sanctions imposed by IOC]"

CAS came therefore to the conclusion:

"It may be that non-sanctioned individual athletes, including the Applicants, are prevented from participating in the Olympic Games simply because they are citizens of a country that has been found to have engaged in a systemic manipulation of the anti-doping rules. However, in light of the IOC's overall objective to balance the interests of clean athletes and the fight against doping against the interests of individual Russian athletes, the Panel concludes that any unfairness was a consequential effect of the suspension of the ROC and that the process was neither discriminatory nor unfair (see also CAS 2015/A/4319)."

The cases of Froome on the one hand and the aforementioned Russian athletes on the other are of course not similar. Froome does not have a doping history, neither has his team Sky, even when you consider the doping rumours around team Sky.

The reason I make nevertheless the comparison between the two matters is because of the possibility ASO created as did IOC to ban athletes when at its discretion it considers presence of the athlete "would be such as to damage the image or reputation of ASO or the event." CAS has accepted in the matters of the Russian athletes that there are circumstances that justify the non eligibility of athletes even without an AAF in place.

ASO made use of its discretionary power when it banned Astana and Contador in 2008 from participating in the Tour de France. ASO decided at the time that given "the damage caused by this team to the Tour de France and cycling in general, as much in 2006 as 2007" it had to prevent Astana from competing in any of their races. "The Astana team in effect last year betrayed the confidence of organisers who even then invited them on trust of an overhaul presented by their leaders," ASO said in a statement.

In the matter of Astana, ASO clearly made use of its power under article 28 of the Tour the France rules to protect the image and reputation of ASO (and cycling in general). This decision of ASO under the "Astana circumstances" is in compliance with the CAS ruling in the request for eligibility of Russian Athletes.

As mentioned before article 44 of the Olympic Charter as well as article 28 of the Tour de France rules are open standards to be considered in each individual case. In the matter of Froome ASO does not impose article 28 as it did in the Astana matter. There are good arguments for this decision, taking into account as well Human Right-principles such as the right of Athletes to a fair process.

However, one can expect that with Froome participating in the Tour de France the image and reputation of the Tour de France and cycling in general are harmed anyway. We have been confronted with rumours and speculations around Froome and Sky during the Giro (and with regard to Sky -Wiggins- before as well) and this will come back and discussed in depth in live broadcasting, highlights and commentaries during the Tour de France. The fact that nor WADA nor UCI has been transparent with regard to the findings of their experts does not help to protect the reputation and image of the Tour either. But that in itself may not play a (decisive) role in ASO's decision whether or not to allow Froom to participate. Apparently and rightfully, ASO did not give priority to this sentiment of the outside world in this matter, but it will have to do so at some point of time in order to protect the credibility of cycling.

De foto van Dolf Segaar
Dolf Segaar


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July 5, 2018 / 5:42 PM / 2 months ago

US STOCKS-Wall St rises as trade fears ease; Fed minutes awaited

* U.S. tariffs on China set to take effect on Friday 0401 GMT

* Fed minutes due at 2 p.m. ET

* U.S. private payrolls for June miss expectations

* Indexes up: Dow 0.74 pct, S&P 0.76 pct, Nasdaq 0.95 pct (Updates to early afternoon)

By Sruthi Shankar

July 5 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose broadly on Thursday as the United States dialed back its stance on tariffs on European cars while moving to impose duties on Chinese goods worth $34 billion.

Tariffs continued to dictate trading activity but investors also awaited the U.S. Federal Reserve's minutes from its June 12-13 policy meeting, where it raised interest rates for the second time this year and signaled that more are likely.

Shares of big U.S. automakers General Motors and Ford rose but technology stocks led the gains, with chipmakers Qualcomm, Micron and Qorvo rising the most in tech indexes.

Part of those gains were driven by Micron, which forecast only a small hit from a temporary ban on some chip sales in China, also lifting the S&P technology index and the Philadelphia Semiconductor index.

The Trump administration's tariffs on $34 billion worth of Chinese imports are due to go into effect at 0401 GMT on Friday and Beijing said it would respond immediately and in equal measure on U.S. goods ranging from cars to soybeans.

There was no evidence of any last-minute negotiations between U.S. and Chinese officials, business sources in Washington and Beijing said.

"You have mixed messages about tariffs coming out of Washington," said Michael James, managing director of equity trading at Wedbush Securities in Los Angeles.

"It's creating a lot of uncertainty about the direction of the true intentions of the White House."

Trade tensions between the two economies have roiled financial markets since early March, reducing the S&P 500's gain to just about 2 percent this year.

"I think that (tariffs) has the possibility to take away the stimulus of the tax bill passed late last year," said Mark Travis, chief executive officer of Intrepid Capital Funds in Jacksonville Beach, Florida.

At 13:06 ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 179.32 points, or 0.74 percent, at 24,354.14, the S&P 500 was up 20.55 points, or 0.76 percent, at 2,733.77 and the Nasdaq Composite was up 71.07 points, or 0.95 percent, at 7,573.74.

U.S. markets were closed on Wednesday for the Fourth of July holiday, and Travis said the low volumes could make the markets more volatile.

The ADP National Employment Report showed private employers added 177,000 jobs in June, below Reuters' consensus of an increase of 190,000. That comes ahead of the more comprehensive non-farm payroll report on Friday.

Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 2.18-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and by a 2.07-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq.

The S&P index recorded three new 52-week highs and three new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 63 new highs and 27 new lows.

Reporting by Sruthi Shankar in Bengaluru; editing by Arun Koyyur and Saumyadeb Chakrabarty

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Category: Photography

Stairway at the Louvre Museum.
Twisted sassafras tree trunks in a forest.

Sassafras trees

Sassafras tree trunks, Bluff Point State Park. I've always been fascinated by the strange, twisted forms of sassafras groves.

Common Tern chicks and an egg in a nest on the beach.

Birth of a Common Tern

A sequence (on Flickr) of photos of a Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) hatching from its egg. Shot in 1981 when I was a volunteer on a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service tern banding project on Falkner Island, off Guilford, Connecticut, U.S.A.

Disruptive camouflage

When you look at a Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) in isolation it looks boldly-striped—the antithesis of what you'd expect from an animal trying to blend into its background. But in natural settings the black-and-white stripes work very effectively to break up the silhouette of the bird, making it surprisingly hard to spot against the background. At Hammonsasset ...

Photo of a Great Blue Heron.

Great Blue Heron

“Your sigh, I am told, is like the sound of rain driven against tower bells. You smell like wild ginger. When you lift your foot from the river, water doesn't run off it to spoil the transparent surface of the shallows. The water hesitates to offend you.” —Barry Lopez, The Search for the Heron, River ...

Little Blue Heron walking across tall reeds in a marsh.

Long toes

Now you know why their toes are so long. Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea), Green Cay Wetlands, Boynton Beach, Florida.

Swing band "SwingInParis," performing on the Pont Saint-Louis, Paris

The City of Light

Swing band, Pont Saint-Louis, Paris. The band pictured here is wonderful: SwingInParis. More Paris pictures from last year's visit.

Photo of a young humpback whale feeding at the surface, surrounded by gulls.

Big gulp

A year-old Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) feeds on schools of Atlantic Herring (Clupae harengus) and Sand Lance (Ammodytes americanus) on Stellwagen Bank, just north of Race Point on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The birds are Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) of various ages.


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Marketing/Business Intern

Business Name:
Marin Bee Company LLC
Type of Position:
Part-Time Internship
Grade Level:
All University students
San Francisco
Days/Hours per Week:
Part Time, variable hours depending on number of credits
Pay Range:

Duration of Position:

Spring, Summer and/or Fall Semester 2017

Position Description:

Marin Bee Company is looking for a responsible, creative, energetic individual to assist with marketing, analytics, and expansion research for our budding company. We produce high-quality, natural skin care products with honey and beeswax as base ingredients, and supports the SF-based nonprofit Planet Bee Foundation. The ideal candidate is passionate about marketing, has good organization skills, and works well in a collaborative environment. Interns will be working with our marketing specialist and CEO each week, as well as be in the office with Planet Bee staff.

SFSU receive undergraduate credit per semester in the Business Department.

Position Responsibilities:
  • Report weekly analytics, including marketing ROI, email, social media, and website traffic.
  • Events marketing and scheduling
  • Working with and expanding the company’s spreadsheet system
  • Researching boutiques, bloggers, marketing software, etc. to help the company grow.
  • Opportunity to volunteer with Planet Bee and attend their events.
Required Qualifications:
  • Energetic and enjoys working collaboratively with a team.
  • Self-motivated, independent worker.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills.
  • Skilled in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint, good Internet skills. Adobe Photoshop/Photo editing skills desired.
  • Related background in business and marketing.
  • Proficient in social media.
  • Willing to work some weekends/off hours for events or workshops.
How to Apply:

Contact: CEO Debra Tomaszewski at

Application Deadline:


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Cobham Conservation and Heritage Trust

Selection of Cobham Heritage NewslettersNewsletter Archive

We send out our Newsletter to all our members four times a year but on occasion we just don't have sufficient room to include all the articles we would like to, or we have to shorten them. Click on the Newsletter Extras menu to see these additional or extended articles.

Newsletter Archive

The Newsletter Archive contains electronic copies of all past newsletters which were published more than 6-9 months ago. These can be viewed on screen. Click on the Newsletter Archive menu to view the newsletters currently available.

Newsletters are published in:

  • February
  • May
  • August
  • November

Become a Volunteer with Cobham Heritage

The Cobham Conservation and Heritage Trust is a local charity which relies on vounteers to help run the Trust, promote local history and conservation issues and organise fund raising events such as our annual Cobham Heritage Day. If you think you might like to join us, visit our Volunteer Vacancies page to find out which roles you might like to get involved with. We always try to make it fun.

Queens Award for Voluntary Service

Riverhill Greenflag Award

Green Flag Award

Open Spaces Award

Open Spaces Award


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The Fat Kahuna in Cocoa Beach #MuralMonday

Fat Kahuna Cocoa Beach Sea Turtle Mural

I am pretty sure if you live in Cocoa Beach or have visited our great little city the last few years, you probably hit the beach at the end of Minutemen Causeway to visit either Coconuts or the Beach Shack. As you were leaving the beach, you had to have seen this fantastic Turtle mural that is on the east side of the Fat Kahuna Restaurant that was painted by Mike McCloskey. If you don’t know, Mike is also known as the Artist by the Sea and he has been creating murals on storefronts and car dealerships throughout Brevard County and the state. He also has a studio in Indialantic at 130 5th Ave, Indialantic, FL 32903. You can read more about Mike, the Fat Kahuna mural, and other artists/murals in this Florida Today article

Ok, I know you have seen the mural, but have you tried the restaurant? The Fat Kahuna is owned by Dewey & Kat Siljestrom and is an amazing Hawaiian themed restaurant. Dewey started out as a local, growing up in Cocoa Beach, who always dreamed of living in Hawaii. He made that dream come true and also traveled the world looking for that perfect wave. On this journey, he visited some remote locations always taking notes and asking questions about the ingredients and techniques used by the locals. This experience can be found in the food at the Fat Kahuna’s where the menu has some exciting and unique dishes. See for yourself by at least checking out the menu, better yet; stop in and enjoy a great meal steps from the ocean. The Fat Kahuna is located at 8 Minutemen Causeway Cocoa Beach, Florida 32931.

Fat Kahuna Cocoa Beach Turtle Mural close up

Do you have a favorite mural in Cocoa Beach I need to check out and feature here on #MuralMonday? I would love to hear from you!

Last weeks #MuralMonday

About the author:

Eric Larkin is a Broker Associate with REMAX Solutions. He lives, works, and plays in the Cocoa Beach area. Eric has been helping buyers and sellers with their real estate needs since becoming a real estate agent in 2003. His focus is always about helping, answering your questions, and doing everything possible to make certain you have a smooth transaction from beginning to end.

What questions do you have about buying or selling a home? CLICK HERE to ask

Search for properties

Cocoa Beach Cape Canaveral Merritt Island Satellite Beach Indialantic

Melbourne Beach Melbourne Rockledge Palm Bay

Social Media

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Hello Everyone

I am trying to connect to two webservice one using SSL handshake and another one simple IP binding. The issue is when we start tomcat and try to connect these API, if I search SSL handshaking site first then IP binding site, then both API works we get response from both ends but if i first search webservice with IP binding then SSL handshake then i am not able to connect to ssl handshake site and get connection error stating " fatal alert: bad_certificate"
Anyone facing similar issue please help

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Thanks for your gift certificate purchase!

Feel free to bookmark this page to print your certificate at a later date if needed.

Certificates are valid for two years from the purchase date.

Certificates are not valid for Private Tours or Special Events

Click to view the tour waiver.

More helpful information for gift certificates:

Please consider sharing the information below with the gift recipient or print out if you are giving the certificate as a gift.

You can call or e-mail to redeem a certificate but the easiest way is to use our online system (Buy Tickets) using the gift certificate code (this applies to all certificates purchased November 16th 2015 and after).

Our Saturday tours often sell out several weeks in advance so if you are planning on using a certificate, plan ahead, we will do our best to accommodate our guests.

If you need to reschedule your tour date please let us know as soon as possible. We are unable to refund within 48 hours of the tour start time.

We operate our tours year round. Pitchers and Pizza (4 great pizza spots paired with samples of Ohio beer) runs every other Sunday.

Our Walking Tour of the Brewery District runs from April to November every on Saturdays.

We post and update our schedules quarterly and add new specialty tours by the season.

Please let us know if guests have any dietary restrictions or special needs.

Please let me know if you have any questions or if I can assist you further.


text:
Steroid Injection or Pill?

The benefit of a steroid injection is that it is a potent anti-inflammatory administered directly into the painful area. Absorption is very slow, so side effects are rare. However, the injections are fairly painful. The oral form of steroids are not painful, but they have more side effects and do not work directly on the painful area. Steroid injections are much safer, more effective, but more painful.


text:
Doctor Strange #383

Writer: Donny Cates Artist: Gabriel Hernandez Walta Publisher: Marvel Comics Release Date: December 20, 2017 Cover Price: $3.99 Critic Reviews: 8 User Reviews: 37
8.8Critic Rating
9.0User Rating

Loki: Sorcerer Supreme Part 3
•  Doctor Strange isn't getting anywhere taking Loki on by himself, so he's changing the venue.
•  The former Sorcerer Supreme goes to Asgard for help, and they aren't exactly welcoming.
•  But don't worry, Strange didn't come alone...
Rated T+

  • 9.2
    Comic Crusaders - Kevin Given Dec 26, 2017

    Stephen Strange has to deal with the unfairness of his predicament. Why did the Vishanti make him do battle with the other mystics if they already knew they were going to replace him? This only adds insult to injury. Is there a motivation to their decision? Are they just upset with Strange for some unknown reason that they aren't sharing? And why give the title to someone who shows no interest in obtaining it? So many questions are raised with this issue. One of the best Dr. Strange story arcs in a long time. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    Bleeding Cool - Joshua Davison Dec 23, 2017

    Doctor Strange #383 is a compelling and interesting continuation to the Loki: Sorcerer Supreme story. It takes some interesting turns, and we get to see Stephen Strange take some ever-more irresponsible risks. It is a great read with solid artwork, and I definitely recommend it. Give it a read. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    Comic Watch - Steve Batley Dec 29, 2017

    The image of Strange giving up the body of Bats as an offering to the World Tree is tragic and somehow apt given it was Loki who caused the death in the first place. Strange may well have taken the bull by the horns here as he grapples with magic he has barely reckoned with and I wonder if the solution is worse than the problem. Magic this big must surely come at a we have already been warned. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    Monkeys Fighting Robots - Brandon J. Griffin Dec 23, 2017

    Cates, Walta, and Bellaire are a dynamite creative trio operating on a different wavelength than the rest of us. Gorgeous art, great dialogue, and a script full of magical twists and turns makes this a must-read for every Marvel fan. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    The Super Powered Fancast - Deron Generally Dec 20, 2017

    Stephen's desperation is on task to both destroy him and everything he's fighting for and it is amazing to see what's unfolding. Read Full Review

  • 8.8
    IGN - Jesse Schedeen Dec 21, 2017

    This series is frequently blurring the line between telling a Doctor Strange story and a Thor story, and that's not even factoring in the unexpected return of the Sentry. Yet somehow that odd intersection of characters and franchises works better than it has any right to. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Comics: The Gathering - Michael D Dec 20, 2017

    The rest of the issue involves Stephen taking a big risk and gaining some serious power. There will definitely be a showdown between Stephen and Loki very soon and it will definitely be exciting. Also worth mentioning is the fact that Bats gets to be a good boy one more time. Overall, the creative team keeps this a high quality title. It’s a lot of fun with plenty of both heart and kick ass moments. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Newsarama - David Pepose Dec 26, 2017

    While Cates has dug into some bonkers corners of the Marvel Universe, Doctor Strange #383 isn't as off-the-wall as you might expect - but it's still a solid entry in the latest trials and tribulations of the Sorcerer Supreme. Read Full Review

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Category:Howard Webb

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Howard Webb
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English professional football referee
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Knights Round the Deal Table

Knight CF advises on two acquisitions

Channel M&A specialist firm, Knight Corporate Finance continues to play a key role in the consolidation of the telecoms industry as it announces acquisitions by Opal and Daisy. Speaking about Opal’s acquisition of The Airtime Group, Paul Lawton, CEO of Opal said: “Knight introduced TAG to us and, with their understanding of the business, they helped ensure that it was fully integrated into our organisation within a week of completion, which was the key to a successful acquisition.

This experience was brought to bear again when Knight CF assisted Daisy plc in its strategic partnership agreement with Telstra International EMEA, that included the transfer of a number of voice contracts for Telstra International EMEA’s Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) in the UK, over to Daisy. Matthew Riley, CEO of Daisy said “Knight’s knowledge and experience helped to ensure that the deal completed smoothly and we were ready and prepared to provide a seamless handover to our new partners.” Knight Corporate Finance Director Paul Billingham said “It’s been a busy six months for us since we formed, and the interesting aspect has been the range of transactions that we have been involved in. In the current economic climate there are a number of distressed opportunities, but these have been almost exclusively larger businesses that carry a high corporate overhead. We have found that mid-sized resellers are better managed, are maintaining growth and continue to attract high valuations. “Market consolidation and strategic transactions continue and we look forward to announcing more deals over the course of the year.”

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Police Launch Siemens Fraud Probe

Police have raided offices of German engineering firm Siemens, investigating allegations of embezzlement and corruption. About 30 business premises and private homes were searched as part of the investigation.

German media reported that the probe was triggered by claims that certain Siemens staff had paid bribes to win some contracts. Siemens said it was co-operating with the investigation.

The firm’s headquarters in Munich was among the buildings searched.

“Certain Siemens employees have engaged in fraud,” the Associated Press news agency reported Andreas Schwab, a Siemens spokesman, as saying. “We are co-operating fully with the investigation.”

It is not yet known whether any senior executives were targeted into Wednesday’s operation.

More than 200 officers, prosecutors and tax inspectors were involved in the raids.

“There is a suspicion that individual staff have embezzled money,” Anton Winkler, a Munich prosecutor, said.

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AnsweredAssumed Answered

It's possible to Integrate CA PAM and CA SDM without CA EEM?

Question asked by Lumir_Botur on Dec 7, 2017
Latest reply on Dec 7, 2017 by MWNiebuhr

Hi all,

it's possible to integrate CA SDM and CA PAM without CA EEM? We have CA SDM and we would like to start using CA PAM. But, we don't want to use CA EEM for authentication our users (we will use our AD). It is possible scenario or we need CA EEM?
We know, that CA EEM is necessery for CA PAM. So we'll just install it and that's all. We have integrated CA SDM and CABI without CA EEM and it works fine.


text:
5 Replies Latest reply on Dec 27, 2016 4:03 PM by Intel Corporation

    Using Processing with Edison

      I would like to use Processing 3.0 (processing.org) with the Edison. How would I do this?

      -     create processing sketches on Windows 10 and export the application to the Edison

      -     install Processing on the Edison . . . . Browser needed for download?

      Also, I read somewhere that a browser is installed on the Edison version of Linux . . . how is this started?

      Thanks in advance for your replies,


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AnsweredAssumed Answered

Collapsed subprocess - can Activiti have subprocess template in separate files?

Question asked by sidzej on Jun 22, 2018

Activiti Version: 5.20.0

Is it somehow possible to have something like this in bpmn file (simplified and wrong syntax to only show desired behavior)?

<subprocess bpmnDefinitionFile="bpmn-diagram-id">

NO ELEMENTS IN THIS FILE, ALL IN bpmn-diagram-id.bpmn

The goal is to just have bpmn parts in separate files, not to call CallActiviti element. Are there any options for cutting one bpmn into multiple smaller elements?


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Painful baby movements

Colostrum Harvesting

Last edited 03/04/2018

I am 28weeks pregnant with my second baby. My first ended up in an emcs and even though my baby was in NICU for 5days on a glucose drip I successfully expressed, then fed him until he was 20months old.
This time, I will be having another c section but this time planned. What can anyone tell me about colostrum harvesting? Is it worth doing before a c section?

Halfway ThereTerrific 2sFirst ClimbFirst Ultrasound/HeartbeatBig Fat Positive

Comments (2)

Posted 05/04/2018

Hi. I collected colostrum during both my pregnancies. I was advised to only do it after 37 weeks due to risk of inducing labour, however this is slightly antiquated advice as lots of people I know breastfed through second pregnancy (my lo stopped at 16w) without causing issues and can’t see why/how harvesting would be any different. I hand expressed directly into purple oral syringes (ask midwife for them as paid 50p each from pharmacy), one drip at a time! I had no risk factors but was determined on my birth plans to only use formula as a last resort. I did it purely in case of emergency and can’t see why it would help give you peace of mind too. Good luck xx

BubbaC1 · Original Poster
Posted 05/04/2018
Thank your for your reply response. I think it's a good idea for a back up as I found out last time 'you never know!'.

I have an appointment with the midwife this morning so I will ask her about it

Halfway ThereTerrific 2sFirst ClimbFirst Ultrasound/HeartbeatBig Fat Positive

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Baby gender guess

Am I overreacting?

Posted 12/04/2018

Our lb is 3 weeks now and I think he is perfect on every way. My partner does comment on how handsome he is but today he was looking at a photo of our boy with 4 of his cousins and he commented that my 5 year old niece looked like the best looking child and that he'd be interested to see who would be better looking out of our boy and my brother's 1yr old boy when they're older. I have got really upset... I don't understand how as his father he can even think that let alone say it? Am I wrong to be so upset?

Comments (1)

Posted 12/04/2018

Seems like a really shallow comment from your OH. I wouldn't be impressed either X

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Your baby's getting better at spotting very small objects and tracking moving things. At this point, he may be able to recognise an object after seeing only part of it, like his favourite toy peeking out from under the couch. Read More

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masking API | dissociate a masking algorithm from a column

  • 1
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  • Question
  • Updated 3 months ago
  • Answered

hi guys,

I would like to know if there's a way to "cancel" or dissociate a masking algorithm from a table column.

as you know, through the masking API it is possible to create a columnMetadata, hence, associate an algorithm to a column in order to mask it. However, sometimes we need to cancel this operation (an update from the project spec..).. unfortunately the API doesn't provide any DELETE method for columnMetadata..

using the maskin API (columnMetadata) I tried an update (PUT) with several values  :

- { "algorithmName" : null , "domainName" : null }

- { "algorithmName" : "" , "domainName" : "" }

- { "algorithmName" : "-", "domainName" : "-" } (since "-" is the default value in import files.. )

but nothing works..

of course it's always possible to cancel this masking throught the interface, but it's not a reliable solution considering the high number of updates we are facing.

if anyone can help us we would appreciate it.

thanks a lot,

best regards,

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Posted 3 months ago

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MichaelT, Official Rep

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Hi Omar,
Had a quick chat with the Masking team here and the suggestion is to not include the algorithmName or domainName in the request:
  "columnMetadataId": 5,
  "columnName": "col_name",
  "tableMetadataId": 1,
  "dataType": "VARCHAR2",
  "columnLength": 50,
  "isMasked": false,
  "isProfilerWritable": true,
  "isPrimaryKey": false,
  "isIndex": false,
  "isForeignKey": false,
  "notes": ""
Hope that helps.

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Thanks Michael. this worked perfectly. Actually :
"isMasked": false enough.

best regards,


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AnsweredAssumed Answered

How long it takes for renew Organization ArcGIS Online subscription?

Question asked by odimm_admin on Mar 28, 2018
Latest reply on Mar 30, 2018 by odimm_admin

Our organization pay almost 40 days ago for #ArcGIS Online, we still do not have access to our account. And of course after 30 days our account was #suspended and we don't have access to our data, we can not manage the processes of the organization placed on AGOL.


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Need to select multiple (non-consecutive) years

Question asked by jhed on Apr 1, 2010
Latest reply on Apr 2, 2010 by jhed

Need to select multiple (non-consecutive) years

Hi!  I'm still kinda new to these forums, and all the help is greatly appreciated.

I am using FileMaker Pro 10.0v3

on a

MacBook Pro running OS X 10.4.11

I am creating an alumni/development database solution for a somewhat out-of-the-ordinary educational program.  I am trying to solve a problem I'm having with my YearsAtt field (Years Attended).  Our students come and go with some frequency: here one year, gone the next, back a year after that, for example, so I would like to be able to store their attendance data in such a way that I can have non-consecutive years (i.e. 2000, 2003, 2004) stored in the alumni record.  This needs to remain searchable in such a way that if I want to find all the alumni who were attending in, say, 2003, or even in 2001 & 2003, I can do so.

The way I have this set up currently is as a drop-down list.  It appears like I can make multiple selections, but once I leave the field and return to it, it does not appear that te multiple selections have saved.

I can't really use checkboxes for these, since the list of years would be quite unwieldy layout-wise.  As it is, I'm using a custom value list with each year from 2000-2020 listed, and the "Edit..." value list option checked so if I discover a student who attended prior to 2000 (or if by some amazing chance, the solution I'm building is still in use beyond 2020) the additional years can be added.

I can't really think of a better way to do this, but my experience is somewhat limited.  I've only just begun using FileMaker 10, and the last time I used FileMaker much at all was in 2002, I believe (no idea what version I was using then).  If I had to briefly describe my level of experience, I would say I'm maybe a notch or two above a complete novice.

Is there any way to do this, or am I just going around in circles for no reason?


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AnsweredAssumed Answered

Open find window from external application

Question asked by KoenWuyts on Jun 19, 2015
Latest reply on Jun 19, 2015 by philmodjunk

Open find window from external application

i have a question where i can't find an answer for yet.

I have an older CRM packet (not filemaker) where i can press a button on the customer tab and then it starts a URL / Program with some parameters. (contact name, ...)

I also have a new Filemaker program also with the same contact info, so the idea is when i click the button on my old CRM program, it will open the search form in my Filemaker (that is already open) with the data provided true the parametets and starts the search for the same contact.

Is this posible?

BTW i want to use filemaker webdirect, if this is not possible for the webdirect we will use the Pro.


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AnsweredAssumed Answered

password removal/retrieval

Question asked by sscannell on Jul 10, 2009
Latest reply on Jul 10, 2009 by philmodjunk

password removal/retrieval

I have just unfortuneately purchased filemaker pro 10 and went to update my old database that had been created in Filemake 5. I can not open them without a password and since it was about 8 year ago.

I tried to use the last password we used to open the database with filemaker 5 but that does not seem to work.

Any ideas.


text:
AnsweredAssumed Answered

Huge oversight on FM12 tab panel implementation

Question asked by content on Apr 19, 2012
Latest reply on Jul 16, 2012 by Dillik

Huge oversight on FM12 tab panel implementation

FileMaker Pro

FileMaker 12

Operating system version

Windows 7

Description of the issue

Today we discovered that in FM12 an empty overlay tab panel blocks tooltips from triggering on underlying display fields — as well as blocks us from using all the new button/field mouseover effects.

We rely heavily on overlay panels for special entry and to display user help.  They are used on over half of our layouts and greatly enhance the user experience.  We see no reason FMI couldn't have provided the same "see through" effect that has existed since FM8.  It is obviously an oversight, but this one is a showstopper for us.  Until it's fixed, we're stuck with FM11.

Solution alternatives:

Any overlay panel that is empty should be disregarded by the tooltip and hover processing.

Or, if FMI wants a specific indicator, the Object Visibility attribute (Sliding and Visibility) can be used.

Steps to reproduce the problem

Build a 2-tab panel where the first tab doesn't contain any display elements and has Fill Color set to NONE.  Put something on the 2nd tab (a graphic or block of text that can be displayed in an overlay fashion whenever the 2nd tab is clicked).

Place this panel over the top of the normal parts of a layout ... a portal, for example.

Expected result

In FM11, the tab panel #1 covers the underlying fields, but does not affect them in any way.  It is invisible.  Tooltips work.  Everything works and has worked for 5 years.

Actual result

In FM12, the invisible tab panel (#1) blocks the display of tooltips for underlying fields.  Plus, the mouse hover over those fields is not detected and, therefore, none of the new mouseover effects are available.

The underlying fields are clickable, as they have always been.  Only the hover actions are disabled.

There is no workaround.  We have tried dozens of combinations.  Our project is dead in the water.  We are reverting to FM11.


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Digesting Mobile World Congress 2014: Six Key Themes and Two Future Scenarios

Entrance.jpgA record breaking eighty-five thousand people attended this year’s Mobile World Congress in February in Barcelona Spain.   Many of us who were there are still digesting the cornucopia of booths, seminars, parties, and the one too many tapas and Rioja we all had.

See the action with the video version of this blog.

MWC Video.jpg

1.       Face time with Facebook

One of the most talked about keynotes was Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg who took the stage and justified the $19B WhatsApp purchase.  Meanwhile also at the show, WhatsApp announced a voice service on top of their popular messaging.   Zuckerberg also touted a free internet for developing nations initiative which caused much lively debate.  Shortly after the show, Facebook announced the purchase of drone company Titan Aerospace for $60B to support just such an initiative.

2.       Wearable tech yes… fashionable?

As is usual, mobile devices were the most visible Glasses.jpgnew announcements at the show.   Wearable tech adorned many booths, although less of the Google garb then we might have expected.  In general few people were seen actually wearing the tech.  Companies still have their work cut out for them in making their wearables something people want to show off.   Nonetheless Samsung’s curved OLED watch shone brightly and surprised with a Tizen Operating system.   While companies both big:   Huawei, Sony, Motorola, and small:  GoPro,  Fitbit, and Byonym went wearable.

On the Smartphone side, Samsung Galaxy 5 was the most hotly anticipated launch.   However many reviewers and the GSMA preferred others.   HTC One rang up “Best Smartphone” and, impressively the Xperia Z2 shoots 4K video.   I liked the LG flex’s ability to make like Gumby while still featuring a great display. Nokia surprised with the X low end Android phone announcements:  a new tone for Nokia in the run up to their Microsoft acquisition.  HP announced new business tablets and showed off our  Slate 6 phone tablet now available worldwide.   On the Slate 6 CNET said “The overall fit and finish is excellent given the price range, and with dual SIM support it would be easy to see this new line building a fan base.”

3.       Network Function Virtualization made real

As has been the case recently, network infrastructure announcements were less visible at the show.  However, the major equipment providers and infrastructure vendors did make a series of announcements.   Multiple companies launched Network Function Virtualization initiatives.  If you haven’t heard of NFV, I recommend you check out the latest White paper from ETSI on the subject.  This new approach to telecom infrastructure has the potential to revolutionize the network with huge Capex and Opex savings as well as dramatically improving innovation potential in Communications Service Providers.

HP announced the HP OpenNFV program at MWCOpenNFV.jpg which included a new organization in HP, architecture and set of newly launched products, plus a partner and lab program.   It featured seven of the nine ETSI defined NFV use cases in live demos on its booth.    LightReading summarized the HP announcement concluding that HP’s breadth and partner program are key NFV differentiators.

4.       Headline “No News on 5G”

In the network core, vendors traded opposing 5G views, meaning no consistent definition exists yet, however many approaches to improving 4G and WiFi were demonstrated.   LTE Advanced featured in many vendors and some service providers’ show participation.  LTE-A’s main attractions are support for highly variable network topologies including Pico and Femtocells, and aggregation of multiple carriers (frequency bands) to provide much higher potential bandwidth.

5.       Driving the Connected City

GSMA’s connected city program drove a number of IMG_0184.JPG“car-as-mobile-device” launches, including Ford’s high profile launch of the new Ford Focus.    This was quite a coup (not a “Coupe”) for Mobile World as the Geneva Motor Show follows only one week later.  HP’s own Jeff Edlund, with Telsta’s Hugh Bradlow, spoke on Smart Cities and how they can be achieved today.

In some of the smaller booths some Brewbot.jpgcool, if not necessarily ready for primetime, innovations could be found.  I particularly liked the “Brewbot” smartphone-controlled personal brewery and “Joseph” the ceramic Bluetooth speaker which can also be a planter or aperitif dish.

6.       Whither the Smartphone OS?

I dutifully made the rounds to catch up on the Smartphone Operating System trends.    I was disappointed to see that Firefox and Ubuntu, as well as Tizen, all big features of last year’s show, still cannot show significant market penetration.  This is a testament to the ongoing strength of OS market leaders Android and IOS.

One day, in the not too distant future…

As always, the GSMA sets out to showcase the technologies, products and services that are shaping the future of the mobile industry at Mobile World Congress.   In closing this report, I leave you with the following scenarios gestated during a sleep deprived and cramped flight home:

In scenario one, Facebook provides free internet to the unconnected masses via drones while Google launches balloons that carry Wi-Fi to places still unconnected.    These brands become bigger than any telecom brand to communications customers in the developing world.

Scenario two hits a bit closer to home and plays out in real time:

Glance at smart watch – beer time.   Tap to connect to Brewbot and verify via smartphone that beer is proper temperature.   Command connected car to retrieve beer and deliver to friend’s house, where chips and dip are waiting in the Bluetooth speakers playing Smartphone DJ mixed music….

Oh and don’t forget the Tapas by app.

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Nice summary.  Let those google ballons transport the beer right here.

But you missed all the phones in the fish tanks...

What was that about?

Not sure Hugo, maybe some of the new waterproof Xperia's?

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Dem Governor Supports Illegal Act

PUBLISHED: 8:01 PM 12 Feb 2018

Democratic Governor Expresses Doubts Over GOP District Map

The Democrats are accused of gerrymandering the state.

The Democratic governor now holds the ultimate power to determine how much gerrymandering is too much.

Republican leaders rushed to get a new gerrymandering proposal submitted on Friday. The congressional districts of Pennsylvania were ordered by the state’s supreme court to be redrawn.

Resting on the decision of the Democratic governor, the future of Congress could be at stake.

Governor Wolf has until February 15 to decide if he is willing to accept the new plan. He has questioned whether the proposal will be enough.

The January ruling declared the 2011 congressional map was far too extreme in the gerrymandering. Voting along party lines, the Supreme court of Pennsylvania decided the map lines were bordering illegal.

The Republican-led state Congress was given only three weeks to create a proposal that would continue to deliver a Republican advantage and better represent the people. Submitting the new plan at the last minute, Democratic opponents have teased that it will not pass legal muster.

Pulling out every trick in the book, Democrats in multiple states have filed litigation in an attempt to redistrict their regions.

Hoping to win political advantage, Democrats are complaining the current maps are designed to oppress registered Democrats in various counties. The tensions have gotten so high, the Supreme Court of the United States is waiting to hear a couple cases on gerrymandering.

Pennsylvania’s state constitution does not clearly define restrictions on gerrymandering. The determination of the document’s legal strength is determined primarily by the political leaning of the commission overseeing the proposal.

 The 18 congressional districts of Pennsylvania will be updated. The key battleground state helped win the election for President Trump and could shape the outcome of the 2018 midterm congressional elections.

Earlier in the week, legislators tried to file an emergency appeal to Supreme Court of the United States. The appeal was denied leaving only a few days for the proposal to be presented to the governor.

State Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati and state House Speaker Mike Turzai came together in a joint statement to announce their agreement. Reaching a compromise and winning the support of the leadership, the proposal is one that was determined to meet the high court standards.

Designed with the constitution in mind, the proposal meets all the requirements demanded by the Supreme Court. Opponents have observed that it does fail one specification.

Without the approval of the legislative body, the proposal may be rejected by the state court. Due to the incredible timeline set, a vote in both branches could not be held.

Spokespeople for the new map assure that many issues have been addressed. Congressional lines dividing cities have been removed and greater continuity for the citizen is expressed.

Many independent and Democratic organizations have come forward offering their expertise on the map. Hoping to advise the governor, many groups are alleging the proposal was not the work of bipartisan efforts.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has offered to redistrict the map themselves if the new proposal does not meet their standards. With a majority, the five Democratic justices would be able to overpower the two Republican judges.

It has yet to be seen if some of the more outrageous districts have been reshaped. Until Republicans no longer control 13 of the 18 districts in Pennsylvania, the radical left will not be happy.

A nationwide gain of 24 seats will allow the Democratic party to win control of the House of Representatives. The general election, held in November, is going to be highly publicized as liberals band together to resist the president.

With no platform or economic policy to stand behind, the Democratic party is resorting to judicial overreach in order to win elections. After the president offered citizenship to 1.8 million Dreamers, many illegal immigrants are wondering if they should vote Republican in the fall.

Providing more money for many citizens with his tax cuts, President Trump feels he will be winning the vote of the American workers who will be seeing more money their pockets.

Receiving pay bonuses, or seeing a rise in wages, many people have seen an immediate effect of the tax reform. After filing for taxes this year, people will see an average increase of $2,000 being returned.

Taxes next year will have an even greater amount money being returned to the people as the full impact of the president’s policies is enacted. The president will continue to make America great, and drive the polls for the 2018 elections.


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Tag Archives: defective work

Ohio Court of Appeals Rules That Architect’s Authority Does Not Extend to Advancing Payments to Subcontractors, and Architect’s Liability Does Not Extend to Guaranteeing Subcontractors’ Work

Manley Architecture Grp., LLC, v. Santanello, 2018 Ohio App. LEXIS 2372 (June 7, 2018) Dr. Steven A. Santanello (“Santanello”) contracted with Manley Architecture Group, LLC (“MAG”) to design and manage the construction of a large home, riding barn, pond, tennis … Continue reading

Posted in Architect Liability, Uncategorized | Tagged , , ,

Connecticut Appellate Court Holds That Owner’s Loss in Arbitration to General Contractor on Claims of Defective Work Operates as Res Judicata to Bar Owner’s Claim Against Subcontractors Who Were Not Parties to the Arbitration

Girolametti v. Michael Horton Assoc., 2017 Conn. App. Lexis 228 (June 6, 2017) A General Contractor brought claims for unpaid added work, via mandatory arbitration, against a building owner who asserted defective work claims in response.  The Owner abandoned the … Continue reading

Posted in Arbitration, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , ,

Ninth Circuit Holds That Despite ‘Known Damage’ Exclusion Insurer Had Duty Under Oregon Law to Indemnify and Defend Contractor When Property Damage Resulted From Contractor’s Negligent Repair of a Prior Negligent Act

Alkemade v. Quanta Indem. Co., 2017 U.S. App. LEXIS 6896 (9th Cir. Apr. 20, 2017)  In 1994, Adrianus and Rachelle Alkemade (the “Alkemades”) bought a house from Meltebeke Built Paradise Homes (“Meltebeke”). The home was built on expanding soils, causing … Continue reading

Posted in Insurance, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , ,

Montana Supreme Court Rules That Statute of Repose Is an Absolute Bar to Claims and Cannot be Tolled for Any Reason, Including Concealment

Hill County High School District No. A v. Dick Anderson Construction, Inc., 2017 Mont. LEXIS 38 (Mt. Feb 7, 2017) This action arose out of the design and construction of a new roof for a high school in Hill County, … Continue reading

Posted in statute of repose, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , ,

Virginia Supreme Court Holds That Subcontractors Did Not Waive Statute of Limitations, With The Result That The General Contractor Was Liable To Owner For Defective Work But With No Recourse Against Subcontractors Who Performed The Work

Hensel Phelps Constr. Co. v. Thompson Masonry Contractor, Inc., et. al., No. 151780, 2016 Va. LEXIS 166 (Va. Nov. 3, 2016) The dispute arose from the construction of a student health and fitness center at Virginia Tech. The prime contractor, … Continue reading

Posted in Flow Down, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , ,


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News Corp. Exec Threatens To Pull FOX From Airwaves Rather Than Let Aereo “Steal” Its Signal

Aereo uses an array of tiny, dedicated antennae to stream over-the-air TV feeds to online subscribers.

Aereo uses an array of tiny, dedicated antennae to stream over-the-air TV feeds to online subscribers.

We’ve told you before about the lawsuits filed against Aereo, the startup service that charges customers a monthly fee to stream broadcast networks over the Internet. Now comes news that TV execs are genuinely considering making their broadcasts unavailable to the antenna-using public rather in an effort to stop Aereo and others from selling their signals.

First came the Reuters interview with Garth Ancier, who has been in charge of programming at NBC, the WB, and FOX. He claims that the networks are seriously considering the possibility of pulling the plug on their over-the-air signals if the networks’ lawsuits against Aereo fail.

“They won’t have a choice,” Ancier tells Reuters. “When someone attacks your business, sometimes you do something radical.”

At issue is whether or not Aereo is illegally retransmitting network signals. The broadcasters claim it is, but Aereo believes it is getting around retransmission concerns by having an array of tiny antennae, each of which is dedicated to a specific customer. Thus, the company asserts, it’s doing nothing more than connecting a customer to an antenna to access TV; no different than having an antenna on your roof. Obviously, the networks disagree and say that Aereo is acting like a cable or satellite provider, which would usually mean it would pay for the right to retransmit the network feeds.

The issue is still being litigated, with a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruling that Aereo be allowed to continue operating while the suit is pending.

Now News Corp.’s Chief Operating Officer says his company could pull its broadcast network, FOX, from the free airwaves if the Aereo suit fails.

“This is not an ideal path we look to pursue, but we can’t sit idly by and let an entity steal our signal,” the News Corp. COO told a broadcasting convention in Las Vegas yesterday. “If we can’t do a fair deal, we could take the whole network to a subscription model.”

News Corp. later clarified the COO’s statement, saying that any change from over-the-air to pay-TV would occur “in collaboration with both our content partners and affiliates.”

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