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The 2012 Countdown continues at number 6 and with heat:
6. This year was a scorcher. In fact, 2012 will be the hottest ever for the contiguous United States, breaking the record set in 1998, and doing so by about 0.7 degrees Fahrenheit. That's smashing the record, like hitting 90 home runs in a season.
The heat impacted energy markets, especially the natural gas market, by destroying substantial heating demand. About 51% of US homes heat with natural gas and the record warmth cut gas throughput significantly in the space heating market.
Scientists also increasingly state that the climate has changed already--temperatures and seas are up and rising--and so weather events are changing too. Events predicted by climate models like super droughts and storms dotted 2012, bringing human misery and more than a hundred billion dollars of economic damage.
The record heat and storms of 2012 also shifted moderately public opinion about global warming and the need to address it smartly. The shift was biggest among the 33% of the public that is generally skeptical about science. The combination of this shifting public opinion and President Obama's re-election means that the climate change issue is rising once more.
5. Once the leading climate skeptic and a highly credentialed physicist, Professor Richard Muller and the Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature project conducted a massive study of the world's temperatures records. The results surprised Muller and converted him. Muller concluded that the world warmed 2.5 degrees Celsius over the last 250 years and that "essentially all" of the added heat was due to human activity. The work of Muller and his team enjoyed diverse funding, including from the Koch brothers, who have provided massive funding for climate denial activity.
The BEST study and Professor Muller's acceptance of climate science's basic findings about humans causing rising temperatures destroyed the last vestige of non-crank support for climate denial. And so it is the 5th most important energy fact of 2012.
The BEST study plays a similar role to the MIT methane study. Each study crushes false science claims made by ideologues of either the left or right. The battle between ideologues and science will continue in 2013 but hope springs eternal that reason will prevail.
4. Competition between coal and gas for electricity generation market share reached the most intense level ever in 2012. As a result of increasing use of gas to make electricity, the market share of coal has declined from 48% in 2008 to 43% in 2011 and likely 37% in 2012. Natural gas will capture approximately 30% of electric generation market share this year, sharply up from 12% in 1990 and 16% in 2000.
What about renewable energy's electricity generation market share in 2012? It actually declined a bit, as a result of a large drop in large hydro production from 2011.
Next year will likely see an increase from 2012 levels of both renewable energy's and coal's market share. The huge 2012 wind build (12,000 megawatts) will operate for a full year in 2013, and wind alone will near 5% of America's electricity production. In 2013, Coal will benefit from higher natural gas prices and so may approach the 40% market share level. In turn, natural gas next year will see a lower market share--possibly 27%.
31 Aralık 2012 Pazartesi
Counting Down Top 12 Energy Facts of 2012: 3, 2 & 1
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On the last day of this year, the Top 3 Energy Facts of 2012, one of America's most important and best energy years in decades, are:
3. The low, low price of natural gas and the positive impacts that bargain-priced gas had on our economy and environment is the number 3 energy fact of the year. The natural gas spot price is likely to average $2.73 for a thousand cubic feet in 2012, down from over $8 for the whole year of 2008 and a high of $13 in July, 2008. Simply astonishing.
The low natural gas price caused a substantial shift from coal-fired generation to natural gas power plants this year and slashed carbon emissions and toxic air pollution. It boggles the mind why anyone who wants to reduce carbon emissions right now would oppose shale gas production. Nothing has cut US emissions more than low natural gas prices made possible by the shale gas boom.
And the US has lead the world in cutting carbon emissions since 2006. Indeed, in Europe and Asia, where there is still no shale gas production, natural gas prices are 3 to 5 times US levels, and coal consumption and carbon emissions are soaring.
The rest of the world so far has said no to shale gas and keeps saying yes to more and more coal. In fact, as the war against shale gas continues, the IEA now projects that coal will soon surge pass oil as the world's leading source of energy.
Back in America, by cutting consumer costs for heating and for electricity by about $1,000, and by generating tens of thousands of new jobs from New York to California, low natural gas prices helped to keep America out of recession in the spring of 2012, as our economy slowed down considerably as a result of high oil prices and fear created by the Euro crisis.
One thing that low natural gas prices did not do is hurt new wind or solar construction. The wind and solar industries had record years for building new generation in 2012.
Another thing that the low natural gas prices did not do is cause substantial use of natural gas in transportation. The glacial switch to gas for transportation continued in 2012, even using gas to run vehicles cost consistently $1.50 per gallon less than gasoline.
America remains addicted to more expensive, often foreign, and dirtier oil. The market is broken and needs smart policies to accelerate greatly the shift to cleaner, cheaper, domestic fuels for transportation. That is an important lesson of 2012.
2. The re-election of President Obama ranks as the number 2 energy fact of 2012. President Obama and Governor Romney offered starkly different energy paths for the country, and energy was a prominent part of the Presidential campaign. In a real way, embraced by President Obama and assailed by Romney, clean energy and green jobs were on the ballot. Their energy differences, however, were broad and specific, including climate change, renewable energy, energy efficiency, government policies to use more natural gas, and the role of the government in energy markets.
Romney opposed the Natural Gas Act (the Pickens Plan), criticized federal rules for gas production like the EPA's 2012 gas drilling air rule, and opposed extending the wind production tax credit. Romney attacked solar, wind and "green jobs" in multiple ways, while supporting current tax breaks for oil and gas production, and promising to repeal the historic Obama auto fuel efficiency standards and repeal the EPA's Air Toxic rule that benefits gas, nuclear, renewable energy, and modern coal plants but requires old coal plants to clean up or close. In his GOP nomination acceptance speech, Romney also used the fact of rising sea levels to mock President Obama's concern about climate change, pandered to climate deniers, and made clear that climate change was not at all on his agenda.
By contrast, President Obama ran on an energy platform that differs from Governor Romney on everyone of the foregoing issues. So what does the President's victory mean for energy in the next four years?
First, renewable energy will be supported by the federal government. That matters a great deal. Clean energy and green jobs were on the Presidential ballot in 2012 and they won.
Second, climate change will be a significant issue that will be addressed in a number of ways. Climate science was on the Presidential ballot, and it won.
Third, energy efficiency in autos, buildings, appliances, motors, generation will be a focus for policy-makers and markets. President Obama's policies are powerfully shaping energy consumption and the demand side of US energy markets. Energy efficiency was on the Presidential ballot, and it won.
Fourth, the federal government will play a major role in regulating the environmental impacts of energy production. Described recklessly by some as a "rogue" agency, the EPA and federal regulation of the environment was on the Presidential ballot, and it won.
Fifth, the domestic oil and gas boom, that began in 2008 and that gained strength in the President's first term, will grow bigger in the President's second term. Oil imports will continue to decline as a result of more domestic production, rising fuel efficiency, and growing adoption of oil substitutes like biofuels, electricity, and natural gas.
Sixth, rising natural gas usage may be boosted by full adoption of the Natural Gas Act and the EPA Air Toxic rule.
1. Our top energy fact of 2012 is a an American triumph!
This year saw another stunning drop in US energy related carbon pollution, with emissions on track to fall nearly 4% from 2011 levels, down about 200 million tons this year, and nearly 12% lower than 2005 levels. The United States committed at the Copenhagen Conference to cut carbon emissions by 17% from 2005 levels and is well ahead of schedule. www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/monthly/pdf/sec12_3.pdf. Indeed, no country in the world comes close to matching the US in reducing carbon emissions during the last 6 years.
America's carbon triumph stands on three legs: renewable energy, energy efficiency, and natural gas. All three have boomed since 2008, and all three have displaced significant amounts of coal and oil that are much more carbon intensive.
Though more renewable energy has played a substantial role in cutting US emissions from 2005 levels, renewable energy power production did not reduce carbon emissions in 2012, since total renewable energy production will be lower in 2012 than in 2011, as a result of a big drop in hydro production this year. Even as biofuels, wind and solar boom and bulk up, hydro remains the dominant renewable energy source in the US.
With total renewable production down this year, the nearly 4% drop in carbon emissions in 2012 is a result primarily of natural gas reducing the use of coal to make electricity and rising energy efficiency. Low-priced natural gas in 2012 cut the electricity generation market share of coal from 43% in 2011 to about 37% this year.
It must be said that, had every state with shale gas resources followed New York's moratorium example, coal would not have seen much decline from its 2011 level, or even its 48% market share in 2008, and US carbon emissions would have been much higher in 2012. The shale gas revolution and bargain-priced gas, that surging shale gas production created, have been essential to slashing US carbon emissions.
Combining with natural gas to lower emissions was also energy efficiency in 2012. For example, every new vehicle bought in 2012 was about 20% more fuel efficient than the one it replaced, and 2012 saw auto sales climb back over the 14 million mark for the first time since the near depression of 2008-2009.
Though some suggest otherwise, America's sharply reduced carbon emissions are not the product of a smaller economy. The US GDP has been growing every quarter since July 1, 2009, and the US economy in 2012 will be bigger than it was in 2007 or 2005. The economy is bigger but has cut its carbon emissions by about 12%.
The US economy more and more is running on cleaner energy--renewable energy and natural gas--and rising energy efficiency performance. Indeed, in 2012, carbon emissions fell nearly 4%, and the unemployment rate fell significantly as well, reaching 7.7% in November, the lowest level in 4 years.
That is a true American triumph and the Top Energy Fact of 2012!
3. The low, low price of natural gas and the positive impacts that bargain-priced gas had on our economy and environment is the number 3 energy fact of the year. The natural gas spot price is likely to average $2.73 for a thousand cubic feet in 2012, down from over $8 for the whole year of 2008 and a high of $13 in July, 2008. Simply astonishing.
The low natural gas price caused a substantial shift from coal-fired generation to natural gas power plants this year and slashed carbon emissions and toxic air pollution. It boggles the mind why anyone who wants to reduce carbon emissions right now would oppose shale gas production. Nothing has cut US emissions more than low natural gas prices made possible by the shale gas boom.
And the US has lead the world in cutting carbon emissions since 2006. Indeed, in Europe and Asia, where there is still no shale gas production, natural gas prices are 3 to 5 times US levels, and coal consumption and carbon emissions are soaring.
The rest of the world so far has said no to shale gas and keeps saying yes to more and more coal. In fact, as the war against shale gas continues, the IEA now projects that coal will soon surge pass oil as the world's leading source of energy.
Back in America, by cutting consumer costs for heating and for electricity by about $1,000, and by generating tens of thousands of new jobs from New York to California, low natural gas prices helped to keep America out of recession in the spring of 2012, as our economy slowed down considerably as a result of high oil prices and fear created by the Euro crisis.
One thing that low natural gas prices did not do is hurt new wind or solar construction. The wind and solar industries had record years for building new generation in 2012.
Another thing that the low natural gas prices did not do is cause substantial use of natural gas in transportation. The glacial switch to gas for transportation continued in 2012, even using gas to run vehicles cost consistently $1.50 per gallon less than gasoline.
America remains addicted to more expensive, often foreign, and dirtier oil. The market is broken and needs smart policies to accelerate greatly the shift to cleaner, cheaper, domestic fuels for transportation. That is an important lesson of 2012.
2. The re-election of President Obama ranks as the number 2 energy fact of 2012. President Obama and Governor Romney offered starkly different energy paths for the country, and energy was a prominent part of the Presidential campaign. In a real way, embraced by President Obama and assailed by Romney, clean energy and green jobs were on the ballot. Their energy differences, however, were broad and specific, including climate change, renewable energy, energy efficiency, government policies to use more natural gas, and the role of the government in energy markets.
Romney opposed the Natural Gas Act (the Pickens Plan), criticized federal rules for gas production like the EPA's 2012 gas drilling air rule, and opposed extending the wind production tax credit. Romney attacked solar, wind and "green jobs" in multiple ways, while supporting current tax breaks for oil and gas production, and promising to repeal the historic Obama auto fuel efficiency standards and repeal the EPA's Air Toxic rule that benefits gas, nuclear, renewable energy, and modern coal plants but requires old coal plants to clean up or close. In his GOP nomination acceptance speech, Romney also used the fact of rising sea levels to mock President Obama's concern about climate change, pandered to climate deniers, and made clear that climate change was not at all on his agenda.
By contrast, President Obama ran on an energy platform that differs from Governor Romney on everyone of the foregoing issues. So what does the President's victory mean for energy in the next four years?
First, renewable energy will be supported by the federal government. That matters a great deal. Clean energy and green jobs were on the Presidential ballot in 2012 and they won.
Second, climate change will be a significant issue that will be addressed in a number of ways. Climate science was on the Presidential ballot, and it won.
Third, energy efficiency in autos, buildings, appliances, motors, generation will be a focus for policy-makers and markets. President Obama's policies are powerfully shaping energy consumption and the demand side of US energy markets. Energy efficiency was on the Presidential ballot, and it won.
Fourth, the federal government will play a major role in regulating the environmental impacts of energy production. Described recklessly by some as a "rogue" agency, the EPA and federal regulation of the environment was on the Presidential ballot, and it won.
Fifth, the domestic oil and gas boom, that began in 2008 and that gained strength in the President's first term, will grow bigger in the President's second term. Oil imports will continue to decline as a result of more domestic production, rising fuel efficiency, and growing adoption of oil substitutes like biofuels, electricity, and natural gas.
Sixth, rising natural gas usage may be boosted by full adoption of the Natural Gas Act and the EPA Air Toxic rule.
1. Our top energy fact of 2012 is a an American triumph!
This year saw another stunning drop in US energy related carbon pollution, with emissions on track to fall nearly 4% from 2011 levels, down about 200 million tons this year, and nearly 12% lower than 2005 levels. The United States committed at the Copenhagen Conference to cut carbon emissions by 17% from 2005 levels and is well ahead of schedule. www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/monthly/pdf/sec12_3.pdf. Indeed, no country in the world comes close to matching the US in reducing carbon emissions during the last 6 years.
America's carbon triumph stands on three legs: renewable energy, energy efficiency, and natural gas. All three have boomed since 2008, and all three have displaced significant amounts of coal and oil that are much more carbon intensive.
Though more renewable energy has played a substantial role in cutting US emissions from 2005 levels, renewable energy power production did not reduce carbon emissions in 2012, since total renewable energy production will be lower in 2012 than in 2011, as a result of a big drop in hydro production this year. Even as biofuels, wind and solar boom and bulk up, hydro remains the dominant renewable energy source in the US.
With total renewable production down this year, the nearly 4% drop in carbon emissions in 2012 is a result primarily of natural gas reducing the use of coal to make electricity and rising energy efficiency. Low-priced natural gas in 2012 cut the electricity generation market share of coal from 43% in 2011 to about 37% this year.
It must be said that, had every state with shale gas resources followed New York's moratorium example, coal would not have seen much decline from its 2011 level, or even its 48% market share in 2008, and US carbon emissions would have been much higher in 2012. The shale gas revolution and bargain-priced gas, that surging shale gas production created, have been essential to slashing US carbon emissions.
Combining with natural gas to lower emissions was also energy efficiency in 2012. For example, every new vehicle bought in 2012 was about 20% more fuel efficient than the one it replaced, and 2012 saw auto sales climb back over the 14 million mark for the first time since the near depression of 2008-2009.
Though some suggest otherwise, America's sharply reduced carbon emissions are not the product of a smaller economy. The US GDP has been growing every quarter since July 1, 2009, and the US economy in 2012 will be bigger than it was in 2007 or 2005. The economy is bigger but has cut its carbon emissions by about 12%.
The US economy more and more is running on cleaner energy--renewable energy and natural gas--and rising energy efficiency performance. Indeed, in 2012, carbon emissions fell nearly 4%, and the unemployment rate fell significantly as well, reaching 7.7% in November, the lowest level in 4 years.
That is a true American triumph and the Top Energy Fact of 2012!
Joe Paterno's New Ranking - All-Time Wins
To contact us Click HERE
Having had 111 wins wiped out by the NCAA (all wins from 1998 through 2011 vacated by NCAA on July 23, 2012), the new rankings for the all-time winningest coaches in NCAA Division I college football history look like this:
Having had 111 wins wiped out by the NCAA (all wins from 1998 through 2011 vacated by NCAA on July 23, 2012), the new rankings for the all-time winningest coaches in NCAA Division I college football history look like this: |
| The New Leader - Bobby Bowden 377 |
 |
| JoePa Never Could Beat Bear Bryant - 323 |
 |
| Pop Warner (not Curt) - 319 |
 |
| Amos Alonzo Stagg - 314 |
 |
| On the Day He Set the New Record with Win 409 - Now at 298 |
Adam Lanza's Motive? Mother In Process of Having Him Committed
To contact us Click HERE
Adam Lanza Reportedly Enraged That Mother Was Seeking to Have Him Committed
Late last week, I read that the police had a strong idea as to the motive behind the insane and heartbreaking Sandy Hook shootings committed by Adam Lanza. Today, via the HuffPost, that possible motive was disclosed:
"From what I'vebeen told, Adam was aware of her petitioning the court for conservatorship and(her) plans to have him committed," said Joshua Flashman, 25, who grew upnot far from where the shooting took place. "Adam was apparently very upsetabout this. He thought she just wanted to send him away. From what Iunderstand, he was really, really angry. I think this could have been it, whatset him off."
The HuffPost article contained some other interesting information I had not heard before:
"Nancy Lanza reportedly volunteered with kindergartners at the school for several years. Flashman said that Adam "believed she cared more for the children than she did for him." On the day of the massacre, Nancy was Adam's first victim. Flashman told Fox News that Nancy was also good friends with the school's principal and psychologist, both of whom were killed during the incident.
Lanza had also reportedly cut off communication with his father, Peter, in 2010."
I have a few thoughts on this.
One, this motive "makes sense", and that helps me because I need to make sense out of this insanity.
Two, Nancy Lanza should have taken all of her guns out of the house if she knew her son was very angry about the possibility of being committed. It should not have been beyond the pale of her reasoning to expect that her son might respond violently, if to no one else other than herself, if he was indeed very angry about her plans. The fact that she apparently believed he was mentally ill to such an extent that she was willing to give up her custodial role, one that she by all accounts took very seriously, only buttresses my belief in this regard.
Reportedly, Adam Lanza had never been violent, despite his problems, so doesn't it make sense that he was demonstrating some significant change of behavior that caused her to seek his commitment? And, doesn't it make sense that maybe, given his habit of locking himself in a windowless room in the basement of their home playing "Call of Duty" from morning to night, that the change she saw that caused her to seek his commitment was a shift towards violent tendencies? If so, and Nancy Lanza saw the anger of her her theretofore placid son further escalate once he learned that she was seeking to have him committed, should she not have removed her guns from their household? Isn't that what you would do? Don't you think this idea crossed her mind, and maybe more than once? Did Nancy Lanza's apparent "survivalist" agenda subsume any instinct she had to remove her guns from the house? Can such "fanaticism" ever be a good and rationale thing?
Finally, the murderer had spoken to neither his Father nor his Brother since 2010. For a boy to be estranged from his Father and older Brother suggests the boy may have a very deep problem, particularly where, as here, they appear to be "normal" while he was clearly not. Meanwhile, his Mother taught this obviously troubled boy/man how to master firearms. Say what you want, but had she, say, taught him how to master fishing, cooking, flying RC airplanes or to drive a race car, maybe this tragedy would have been avoided.
John A. Gallagher isan employment lawyer who represents employees in Pennsylvania.ClickHere if you have questions about any aspect of employment law, fromwrongful termination, to wage and overtime claims, to discrimination and retaliationlaws, to Family and Medical Leave…
ClickHere if you have questions about any aspect of PennsylvaniaUnemployment Law, from willful misconduct, to voluntary quit, to RefereeHearings, to severance issues…
Thanks for checking in with us.
Adam Lanza Reportedly Enraged That Mother Was Seeking to Have Him Committed
 |
| Nancy Lanza |
 |
| Adam Lanza |
The HuffPost article contained some other interesting information I had not heard before:
"Nancy Lanza reportedly volunteered with kindergartners at the school for several years. Flashman said that Adam "believed she cared more for the children than she did for him." On the day of the massacre, Nancy was Adam's first victim. Flashman told Fox News that Nancy was also good friends with the school's principal and psychologist, both of whom were killed during the incident.
Lanza had also reportedly cut off communication with his father, Peter, in 2010."
I have a few thoughts on this.
One, this motive "makes sense", and that helps me because I need to make sense out of this insanity.
Two, Nancy Lanza should have taken all of her guns out of the house if she knew her son was very angry about the possibility of being committed. It should not have been beyond the pale of her reasoning to expect that her son might respond violently, if to no one else other than herself, if he was indeed very angry about her plans. The fact that she apparently believed he was mentally ill to such an extent that she was willing to give up her custodial role, one that she by all accounts took very seriously, only buttresses my belief in this regard.
Reportedly, Adam Lanza had never been violent, despite his problems, so doesn't it make sense that he was demonstrating some significant change of behavior that caused her to seek his commitment? And, doesn't it make sense that maybe, given his habit of locking himself in a windowless room in the basement of their home playing "Call of Duty" from morning to night, that the change she saw that caused her to seek his commitment was a shift towards violent tendencies? If so, and Nancy Lanza saw the anger of her her theretofore placid son further escalate once he learned that she was seeking to have him committed, should she not have removed her guns from their household? Isn't that what you would do? Don't you think this idea crossed her mind, and maybe more than once? Did Nancy Lanza's apparent "survivalist" agenda subsume any instinct she had to remove her guns from the house? Can such "fanaticism" ever be a good and rationale thing?
 |
| What Happened to This Child... |
Finally, the murderer had spoken to neither his Father nor his Brother since 2010. For a boy to be estranged from his Father and older Brother suggests the boy may have a very deep problem, particularly where, as here, they appear to be "normal" while he was clearly not. Meanwhile, his Mother taught this obviously troubled boy/man how to master firearms. Say what you want, but had she, say, taught him how to master fishing, cooking, flying RC airplanes or to drive a race car, maybe this tragedy would have been avoided.
John A. Gallagher isan employment lawyer who represents employees in Pennsylvania.ClickHere if you have questions about any aspect of employment law, fromwrongful termination, to wage and overtime claims, to discrimination and retaliationlaws, to Family and Medical Leave…
ClickHere if you have questions about any aspect of PennsylvaniaUnemployment Law, from willful misconduct, to voluntary quit, to RefereeHearings, to severance issues…
Thanks for checking in with us.
Time Running Out for Federal Extension of Unemployment Benefits
To contact us Click HERE
As reported in the attached article from Huffington Post, Congress is not scheduled to meet again until this Sunday, December 30. Unfortunately, by then federally subsidized long-term unemployment insurance will have lapsed - the extension period expires at Midnight on Saturday December 29.
It's a darn shame that Congress has not made this a more primary issue. To just let the extension lapse, without debate, discussion or public comment, is simply wrong.
Maybe a "miracle" will happen, but it is not looking good for the approximately 2 million people currently receiving these benefits. Moreover, there are millions more nearing the end of their state benefit period of 26 weeks who were, I am sure, hoping (and planning, most likely) that extended benefits would be there for them so that they would have at least another 6 months to find a job.
As reported in the attached article from Huffington Post, Congress is not scheduled to meet again until this Sunday, December 30. Unfortunately, by then federally subsidized long-term unemployment insurance will have lapsed - the extension period expires at Midnight on Saturday December 29.  |
| Things not looking up.... |
 |
| Not Right |
27 Aralık 2012 Perşembe
Joe Paterno's New Ranking - All-Time Wins
To contact us Click HERE
Having had 111 wins wiped out by the NCAA (all wins from 1998 through 2011 vacated by NCAA on July 23, 2012), the new rankings for the all-time winningest coaches in NCAA Division I college football history look like this:
Having had 111 wins wiped out by the NCAA (all wins from 1998 through 2011 vacated by NCAA on July 23, 2012), the new rankings for the all-time winningest coaches in NCAA Division I college football history look like this: |
| The New Leader - Bobby Bowden 377 |
|
| JoePa Never Could Beat Bear Bryant - 323 |
|
| Pop Warner (not Curt) - 319 |
|
| Amos Alonzo Stagg - 314 |
|
| On the Day He Set the New Record with Win 409 - Now at 298 |
Adam Lanza's Motive? Mother In Process of Having Him Committed
To contact us Click HERE
Adam Lanza Reportedly Enraged That Mother Was Seeking to Have Him Committed
Late last week, I read that the police had a strong idea as to the motive behind the insane and heartbreaking Sandy Hook shootings committed by Adam Lanza. Today, via the HuffPost, that possible motive was disclosed:
"From what I'vebeen told, Adam was aware of her petitioning the court for conservatorship and(her) plans to have him committed," said Joshua Flashman, 25, who grew upnot far from where the shooting took place. "Adam was apparently very upsetabout this. He thought she just wanted to send him away. From what Iunderstand, he was really, really angry. I think this could have been it, whatset him off."
The HuffPost article contained some other interesting information I had not heard before:
"Nancy Lanza reportedly volunteered with kindergartners at the school for several years. Flashman said that Adam "believed she cared more for the children than she did for him." On the day of the massacre, Nancy was Adam's first victim. Flashman told Fox News that Nancy was also good friends with the school's principal and psychologist, both of whom were killed during the incident.
Lanza had also reportedly cut off communication with his father, Peter, in 2010."
I have a few thoughts on this.
One, this motive "makes sense", and that helps me because I need to make sense out of this insanity.
Two, Nancy Lanza should have taken all of her guns out of the house if she knew her son was very angry about the possibility of being committed. It should not have been beyond the pale of her reasoning to expect that her son might respond violently, if to no one else other than herself, if he was indeed very angry about her plans. The fact that she apparently believed he was mentally ill to such an extent that she was willing to give up her custodial role, one that she by all accounts took very seriously, only buttresses my belief in this regard.
Reportedly, Adam Lanza had never been violent, despite his problems, so doesn't it make sense that he was demonstrating some significant change of behavior that caused her to seek his commitment? And, doesn't it make sense that maybe, given his habit of locking himself in a windowless room in the basement of their home playing "Call of Duty" from morning to night, that the change she saw that caused her to seek his commitment was a shift towards violent tendencies? If so, and Nancy Lanza saw the anger of her her theretofore placid son further escalate once he learned that she was seeking to have him committed, should she not have removed her guns from their household? Isn't that what you would do? Don't you think this idea crossed her mind, and maybe more than once? Did Nancy Lanza's apparent "survivalist" agenda subsume any instinct she had to remove her guns from the house? Can such "fanaticism" ever be a good and rationale thing?
Finally, the murderer had spoken to neither his Father nor his Brother since 2010. For a boy to be estranged from his Father and older Brother suggests the boy may have a very deep problem, particularly where, as here, they appear to be "normal" while he was clearly not. Meanwhile, his Mother taught this obviously troubled boy/man how to master firearms. Say what you want, but had she, say, taught him how to master fishing, cooking, flying RC airplanes or to drive a race car, maybe this tragedy would have been avoided.
John A. Gallagher isan employment lawyer who represents employees in Pennsylvania.ClickHere if you have questions about any aspect of employment law, fromwrongful termination, to wage and overtime claims, to discrimination and retaliationlaws, to Family and Medical Leave…
ClickHere if you have questions about any aspect of PennsylvaniaUnemployment Law, from willful misconduct, to voluntary quit, to RefereeHearings, to severance issues…
Thanks for checking in with us.
Adam Lanza Reportedly Enraged That Mother Was Seeking to Have Him Committed
|
| Nancy Lanza |
|
| Adam Lanza |
The HuffPost article contained some other interesting information I had not heard before:
"Nancy Lanza reportedly volunteered with kindergartners at the school for several years. Flashman said that Adam "believed she cared more for the children than she did for him." On the day of the massacre, Nancy was Adam's first victim. Flashman told Fox News that Nancy was also good friends with the school's principal and psychologist, both of whom were killed during the incident.
Lanza had also reportedly cut off communication with his father, Peter, in 2010."
I have a few thoughts on this.
One, this motive "makes sense", and that helps me because I need to make sense out of this insanity.
Two, Nancy Lanza should have taken all of her guns out of the house if she knew her son was very angry about the possibility of being committed. It should not have been beyond the pale of her reasoning to expect that her son might respond violently, if to no one else other than herself, if he was indeed very angry about her plans. The fact that she apparently believed he was mentally ill to such an extent that she was willing to give up her custodial role, one that she by all accounts took very seriously, only buttresses my belief in this regard.
Reportedly, Adam Lanza had never been violent, despite his problems, so doesn't it make sense that he was demonstrating some significant change of behavior that caused her to seek his commitment? And, doesn't it make sense that maybe, given his habit of locking himself in a windowless room in the basement of their home playing "Call of Duty" from morning to night, that the change she saw that caused her to seek his commitment was a shift towards violent tendencies? If so, and Nancy Lanza saw the anger of her her theretofore placid son further escalate once he learned that she was seeking to have him committed, should she not have removed her guns from their household? Isn't that what you would do? Don't you think this idea crossed her mind, and maybe more than once? Did Nancy Lanza's apparent "survivalist" agenda subsume any instinct she had to remove her guns from the house? Can such "fanaticism" ever be a good and rationale thing?
|
| What Happened to This Child... |
Finally, the murderer had spoken to neither his Father nor his Brother since 2010. For a boy to be estranged from his Father and older Brother suggests the boy may have a very deep problem, particularly where, as here, they appear to be "normal" while he was clearly not. Meanwhile, his Mother taught this obviously troubled boy/man how to master firearms. Say what you want, but had she, say, taught him how to master fishing, cooking, flying RC airplanes or to drive a race car, maybe this tragedy would have been avoided.
John A. Gallagher isan employment lawyer who represents employees in Pennsylvania.ClickHere if you have questions about any aspect of employment law, fromwrongful termination, to wage and overtime claims, to discrimination and retaliationlaws, to Family and Medical Leave…
ClickHere if you have questions about any aspect of PennsylvaniaUnemployment Law, from willful misconduct, to voluntary quit, to RefereeHearings, to severance issues…
Thanks for checking in with us.
Federal Unemployment Extension Benefits Set to Expire December 29, 1012, Unless....
To contact us Click HERE
WILL I STILL BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS IN 2013?
No, not unless something is done, and done quickly. Federalunemployment insurance, which kicks in for workers when their state benefitsare exhausted after six months, is scheduled to expire on Dec. 29. The NationalEmployment Law Project, a worker advocacy group, estimates more than 2 millionAmericans will immediately stop receiving the benefits unless Congress acts.
Ouch!
Not only with the expiration of benefits result in immediate loss of benefits to the estimated 2 million folks referenced by NELP, but millions more who are currently on unemployment and counting on an extension when their state benefits expire will be facing even more significant economic trauma in 2013.
The Republicans are trying to leverage their tax plan against the President's belief that
extended unemployment benefits are required irrespective of the outcome of the tax increase debate
.
It will be interesting - let's call it a morbid curiosity - to see how this turns out.
Stay tuned, and Happy Holidays to All.
John A. Gallagher isan employment lawyer who represents employees in Pennsylvania.
ClickHere if you have questions about any aspect of employment law, fromwrongful termination, to wage and overtime claims, to discrimination and retaliationlaws, to Family and Medical Leave…
ClickHere if you have questions about any aspect of PennsylvaniaUnemployment Law, from willful misconduct, to voluntary quit, to RefereeHearings, to severance issues…
Thanks for checking in with us.
WILL I STILL BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS IN 2013? |
| Can He Get Benefits Extended? |
Ouch!
 |
| House Speaker John A. Boehner |
The Republicans are trying to leverage their tax plan against the President's belief that
extended unemployment benefits are required irrespective of the outcome of the tax increase debate
.
It will be interesting - let's call it a morbid curiosity - to see how this turns out.
Stay tuned, and Happy Holidays to All.
John A. Gallagher isan employment lawyer who represents employees in Pennsylvania.
ClickHere if you have questions about any aspect of employment law, fromwrongful termination, to wage and overtime claims, to discrimination and retaliationlaws, to Family and Medical Leave…
ClickHere if you have questions about any aspect of PennsylvaniaUnemployment Law, from willful misconduct, to voluntary quit, to RefereeHearings, to severance issues…
Thanks for checking in with us.
CORRECTION: Mayans NEVER Predicted World Would End Today
To contact us Click HERE
Click on this 2 minute Video, and you will see an expert on Mayan culture, Tulane Professor/Archeologist Marcello Canuto, explain that the Mayans never predicted that December 21, 2012 was the World's expiration date.
While it IS true that thousands of years ago the Mayans specifically identified today's date on at least two known artifacts (which is freakky, under any circumstances), Professor Canuto states that all the Mayans were predicting was that the World would be in existence today! Ohhhhhh!
Great, so now I do have to do my Christmas shopping. Super. Probably have to shovel 2 feet of snow this winter, too....
John A. Gallagher isan employment lawyer who represents employees in Pennsylvania.
ClickHere if you have questions about any aspect of employment law, fromwrongful termination, to wage and overtime claims, to discrimination and retaliationlaws, to Family and Medical Leave…
ClickHere if you have questions about any aspect of PennsylvaniaUnemployment Law, from willful misconduct, to voluntary quit, to RefereeHearings, to severance issues…
Thanks for checking in with us.
Click on this 2 minute Video, and you will see an expert on Mayan culture, Tulane Professor/Archeologist Marcello Canuto, explain that the Mayans never predicted that December 21, 2012 was the World's expiration date. |
| Oh...its not "will end" - its "will exist".... |
Great, so now I do have to do my Christmas shopping. Super. Probably have to shovel 2 feet of snow this winter, too....
John A. Gallagher isan employment lawyer who represents employees in Pennsylvania.
ClickHere if you have questions about any aspect of employment law, fromwrongful termination, to wage and overtime claims, to discrimination and retaliationlaws, to Family and Medical Leave…
ClickHere if you have questions about any aspect of PennsylvaniaUnemployment Law, from willful misconduct, to voluntary quit, to RefereeHearings, to severance issues…
Thanks for checking in with us.
Video: What is Willful Misconduct Under Pennsylvania Unemployment Law?
To contact us Click HERE
John A. Gallagher isan employment lawyer who represents employees in Pennsylvania.
ClickHere if you have questions about any aspect of employment law, fromwrongful termination, to wage and overtime claims, to discrimination and retaliationlaws, to Family and Medical Leave…
ClickHere if you have questions about any aspect of PennsylvaniaUnemployment Law, from willful misconduct, to voluntary quit, to RefereeHearings, to severance issues…
Thanks for checking in with us.
John A. Gallagher isan employment lawyer who represents employees in Pennsylvania.
ClickHere if you have questions about any aspect of employment law, fromwrongful termination, to wage and overtime claims, to discrimination and retaliationlaws, to Family and Medical Leave…
ClickHere if you have questions about any aspect of PennsylvaniaUnemployment Law, from willful misconduct, to voluntary quit, to RefereeHearings, to severance issues…
Thanks for checking in with us.
20 Aralık 2012 Perşembe
Joe Paterno's New Ranking - All-Time Wins
To contact us Click HERE
Having had 111 wins wiped out by the NCAA (all wins from 1998 through 2011 vacated by NCAA on July 23, 2012), the new rankings for the all-time winningest coaches in NCAA Division I college football history look like this:
Having had 111 wins wiped out by the NCAA (all wins from 1998 through 2011 vacated by NCAA on July 23, 2012), the new rankings for the all-time winningest coaches in NCAA Division I college football history look like this: |
| The New Leader - Bobby Bowden 377 |
|
| JoePa Never Could Beat Bear Bryant - 323 |
|
| Pop Warner (not Curt) - 319 |
|
| Amos Alonzo Stagg - 314 |
|
| On the Day He Set the New Record with Win 409 - Now at 298 |
Is Your Boss a Bad Person - or Just a Bad Boss?
To contact us Click HERE
What Can an "Employee at Will" Working in Pennsylvania do to Cope With and Fix a Sour Relationship With the Boss?
If you are an Employee at Will in Pennsylvania, you basically have no protection from being mistreated by your boss, or from being fired, if the reason for the boss's action is just plain old fashioned favoritism (of another employee) or dislike (of you).
I see so many clients who are in the unfortunate position of being "on the outs" with their boss, and at a loss on what to do about it. So, when I read this article by Alan Henry on LifeHacker.com, regarding how to cope with job-related stress, I was curious about any additional perspectives on how one should/could deal with this type of problem.
I really like what they have to say, so I have posted it and hope that you find it helpful and informative too.
A brief synopsis of Mr. Henry's advice:
1. Determine if the boss is a jerk, or just a bad manager.
2. Determine if you are or may be the problem or part of the problem;
3. Do not expect "respect" from your boss; otherwise, you will often be disappointed, which in turn often will lead to additional problems.
4. Examine and implement "coping mechanisms."
5. Undertake tactics designed to bring you and your boss "closer together" (this often requires a little "humble pie." However, keep in mind that your "principles" do not pay the rent.)
6. Mr. Henry suggests that, "if all else fails, quit." On this score I disagree. Never quit until you have a new job. If you quit because the boss is a jerk, you will almost assuredly NOT get Pennsylvania Unemployment Benefits.
John A. Gallagher, Esquire, Philadelphia Area Employment Lawyer
What Can an "Employee at Will" Working in Pennsylvania do to Cope With and Fix a Sour Relationship With the Boss?If you are an Employee at Will in Pennsylvania, you basically have no protection from being mistreated by your boss, or from being fired, if the reason for the boss's action is just plain old fashioned favoritism (of another employee) or dislike (of you).
I see so many clients who are in the unfortunate position of being "on the outs" with their boss, and at a loss on what to do about it. So, when I read this article by Alan Henry on LifeHacker.com, regarding how to cope with job-related stress, I was curious about any additional perspectives on how one should/could deal with this type of problem.
I really like what they have to say, so I have posted it and hope that you find it helpful and informative too.
A brief synopsis of Mr. Henry's advice:
1. Determine if the boss is a jerk, or just a bad manager.
2. Determine if you are or may be the problem or part of the problem;
3. Do not expect "respect" from your boss; otherwise, you will often be disappointed, which in turn often will lead to additional problems.
4. Examine and implement "coping mechanisms."
5. Undertake tactics designed to bring you and your boss "closer together" (this often requires a little "humble pie." However, keep in mind that your "principles" do not pay the rent.)
6. Mr. Henry suggests that, "if all else fails, quit." On this score I disagree. Never quit until you have a new job. If you quit because the boss is a jerk, you will almost assuredly NOT get Pennsylvania Unemployment Benefits.
John A. Gallagher, Esquire, Philadelphia Area Employment Lawyer
How to Spot a Bad Boss During an Interview
To contact us Click HERE
So, you are looking to escape an untenable job because your boss there has made your life hell, and your efforts to fix the problem have failed. You are interviewing for a new job, and your mindset is that just about anything is better than what you are currently dealing with. But, be careful: Sometimes the Devil You Know is better than the Devil You Don't!
In this article by Stephanie Christensen, published at Forbes.com, provides some insight on how you can spot a "bad boss," before you have even started working for him/her.
A synopsis of Ms. Christensen's tips are as follows:
1. Pronoun usage. See how the interviewer uses "we", "I" and "you" during the interview. This will help tell you if the boss is a "blameshifter."
2. If you feel the interviewer is probing too deeply into your personal life, be careful. That is really neither necessary or appropriate during an interview.
3. If the interviewer routinely interrupts your session to check e-mail, answer the phone, send a text, be wary.
4. If the answers to your pointed questions are vague or non-responsive, you may be dealing with an evasive person.
In the end, be careful not to "rush into the arms" of a "rebound lover" if your Spider-Sense tingles during the interview. Just as one cannot change one's spouse, one cannot change one's boss.
So, you are looking to escape an untenable job because your boss there has made your life hell, and your efforts to fix the problem have failed. You are interviewing for a new job, and your mindset is that just about anything is better than what you are currently dealing with. But, be careful: Sometimes the Devil You Know is better than the Devil You Don't!In this article by Stephanie Christensen, published at Forbes.com, provides some insight on how you can spot a "bad boss," before you have even started working for him/her.
A synopsis of Ms. Christensen's tips are as follows:
1. Pronoun usage. See how the interviewer uses "we", "I" and "you" during the interview. This will help tell you if the boss is a "blameshifter."
2. If you feel the interviewer is probing too deeply into your personal life, be careful. That is really neither necessary or appropriate during an interview.
3. If the interviewer routinely interrupts your session to check e-mail, answer the phone, send a text, be wary.
4. If the answers to your pointed questions are vague or non-responsive, you may be dealing with an evasive person.
In the end, be careful not to "rush into the arms" of a "rebound lover" if your Spider-Sense tingles during the interview. Just as one cannot change one's spouse, one cannot change one's boss.
Best Companies to Work For - 2012
To contact us Click HERE
Click Here to see Fortune's entire list.
Here is Fortune's Top 50:
COMPANY 2012 JOB GROWTH # OF EMPLOYEES
Click Here to see Fortune's entire list. Here is Fortune's Top 50:
COMPANY 2012 JOB GROWTH # OF EMPLOYEES
| 1 | 33% | 18,500 | |
| 2 | Boston Consulting Group | 10% | 1,958 |
| 3 | SAS Institute | 8% | 6,046 |
| 4 | Wegmans Food Markets | 5% | 41,717 |
| 5 | Edward Jones | 1% | 36,937 |
| 6 | NetApp | 30% | 6,887 |
| 7 | Camden Property Trust | -2% | 1,678 |
| 8 | Recreational Equipment (REI) | 12% | 10,466 |
| 9 | CHG Healthcare Services | 17% | 1,312 |
| 10 | Quicken Loans | 20% | 3,808 |
| 11 | Zappos.com | 70% | 3,003 |
| 12 | Mercedes-Benz USA | 2% | 1,680 |
| 13 | DPR Construction | 18% | 1,265 |
| 14 | DreamWorks Animation | 8% | 2,151 |
| 15 | NuStar Energy | 6% | 1,512 |
| 16 | Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants | 4% | 6,996 |
| 17 | JM Family Enterprises | -1% | 3,685 |
| 18 | Chesapeake Energy | 23% | 10,502 |
| 19 | Intuit | 9% | 7,102 |
| 20 | USAA | 7% | 23,211 |
| 21 | Robert W. Baird | 5% | 2,509 |
| 22 | The Container Store | 11% | 3,495 |
| 23 | Qualcomm | 6% | 13,353 |
| 24 | Alston & Bird | 3% | 1,645 |
| 25 | Ultimate Software | 15% | 1,209 |
| 26 | Burns & McDonnell | 5% | 3,165 |
| 27 | Salesforce.com | 39% | 3,802 |
| 28 | Devon Energy | -6% | 3,286 |
| 29 | PCL Construction | -5% | 1,262 |
| 30 | Bingham McCutchen | -7% | 1,489 |
| 31 | Scottrade | 9% | 3,139 |
| 32 | Whole Foods Market | 6% | 60,213 |
| 33 | Goldman Sachs | N.A. | N.A. |
| 34 | Nugget Market | 8% | 1,135 |
| 35 | Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Co. | 3% | 1,311 |
| 36 | Southern Ohio Medical Center | 18% | 2,276 |
| 37 | Plante Moran | 1% | 1,476 |
| 38 | W. L. Gore & Associates | 2% | 5,852 |
| 39 | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital | 1% | 3,580 |
| 40 | SVB Financial Group | 9% | 1,349 |
| 41 | Adobe | 11% | 5,296 |
| 42 | Baptist Health South Florida | 10% | 13,302 |
| 43 | Novo Nordisk | N.A. | 3,961 |
| 44 | Balfour Beatty Construction | -2% | 2,041 |
| 45 | National Instruments | 7% | 2,708 |
| 46 | Intel | 4% | 44,209 |
| 47 | American Fidelity Assurance | 0% | 1,490 |
| 48 | PricewaterhouseCoopers | 9% | 30,569 |
| 49 | Children's Healthcare of Atlanta | -1% | 6,616 |
| 50 | World Wide Technology | 23% | 1,470 |
Adam Lanza's Motive? Mother In Process of Having Him Committed
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Adam Lanza Reportedly Enraged That Mother Was Seeking to Have Him Committed
Late last week, I read that the police had a strong idea as to the motive behind the insane and heartbreaking Sandy Hook shootings committed by Adam Lanza. Today, via the HuffPost, that possible motive was disclosed:
"From what I'vebeen told, Adam was aware of her petitioning the court for conservatorship and(her) plans to have him committed," said Joshua Flashman, 25, who grew upnot far from where the shooting took place. "Adam was apparently very upsetabout this. He thought she just wanted to send him away. From what Iunderstand, he was really, really angry. I think this could have been it, whatset him off."
The HuffPost article contained some other interesting information I had not heard before:
"Nancy Lanza reportedly volunteered with kindergartners at the school for several years. Flashman said that Adam "believed she cared more for the children than she did for him." On the day of the massacre, Nancy was Adam's first victim. Flashman told Fox News that Nancy was also good friends with the school's principal and psychologist, both of whom were killed during the incident.
Lanza had also reportedly cut off communication with his father, Peter, in 2010."
I have a few thoughts on this.
One, this motive "makes sense", and that helps me because I need to make sense out of this insanity.
Two, Nancy Lanza should have taken all of her guns out of the house if she knew her son was very angry about the possibility of being committed. It should not have been beyond the pale of her reasoning to expect that her son might respond violently, if to no one else other than herself, if he was indeed very angry about her plans. The fact that she apparently believed he was mentally ill to such an extent that she was willing to give up her custodial role, one that she by all accounts took very seriously, only buttresses my belief in this regard.
Reportedly, Adam Lanza had never been violent, despite his problems, so doesn't it make sense that he was demonstrating some significant change of behavior that caused her to seek his commitment? And, doesn't it make sense that maybe, given his habit of locking himself in a windowless room in the basement of their home playing "Call of Duty" from morning to night, that the change she saw that caused her to seek his commitment was a shift towards violent tendencies? If so, and Nancy Lanza saw the anger of her her theretofore placid son further escalate once he learned that she was seeking to have him committed, should she not have removed her guns from their household? Isn't that what you would do? Don't you think this idea crossed her mind, and maybe more than once? Did Nancy Lanza's apparent "survivalist" agenda subsume any instinct she had to remove her guns from the house? Can such "fanaticism" ever be a good and rationale thing?
Finally, the murderer had spoken to neither his Father nor his Brother since 2010. For a boy to be estranged from his Father and older Brother suggests the boy may have a very deep problem, particularly where, as here, they appear to be "normal" while he was clearly not. Meanwhile, his Mother taught this obviously troubled boy/man how to master firearms. Say what you want, but had she, say, taught him how to master fishing, cooking, flying RC airplanes or to drive a race car, maybe this tragedy would have been avoided.
Adam Lanza Reportedly Enraged That Mother Was Seeking to Have Him Committed
|
| Nancy Lanza |
|
| Adam Lanza |
The HuffPost article contained some other interesting information I had not heard before:
"Nancy Lanza reportedly volunteered with kindergartners at the school for several years. Flashman said that Adam "believed she cared more for the children than she did for him." On the day of the massacre, Nancy was Adam's first victim. Flashman told Fox News that Nancy was also good friends with the school's principal and psychologist, both of whom were killed during the incident.
Lanza had also reportedly cut off communication with his father, Peter, in 2010."
I have a few thoughts on this.
One, this motive "makes sense", and that helps me because I need to make sense out of this insanity.
Two, Nancy Lanza should have taken all of her guns out of the house if she knew her son was very angry about the possibility of being committed. It should not have been beyond the pale of her reasoning to expect that her son might respond violently, if to no one else other than herself, if he was indeed very angry about her plans. The fact that she apparently believed he was mentally ill to such an extent that she was willing to give up her custodial role, one that she by all accounts took very seriously, only buttresses my belief in this regard.
Reportedly, Adam Lanza had never been violent, despite his problems, so doesn't it make sense that he was demonstrating some significant change of behavior that caused her to seek his commitment? And, doesn't it make sense that maybe, given his habit of locking himself in a windowless room in the basement of their home playing "Call of Duty" from morning to night, that the change she saw that caused her to seek his commitment was a shift towards violent tendencies? If so, and Nancy Lanza saw the anger of her her theretofore placid son further escalate once he learned that she was seeking to have him committed, should she not have removed her guns from their household? Isn't that what you would do? Don't you think this idea crossed her mind, and maybe more than once? Did Nancy Lanza's apparent "survivalist" agenda subsume any instinct she had to remove her guns from the house? Can such "fanaticism" ever be a good and rationale thing?
|
| What Happened to This Child... |
Finally, the murderer had spoken to neither his Father nor his Brother since 2010. For a boy to be estranged from his Father and older Brother suggests the boy may have a very deep problem, particularly where, as here, they appear to be "normal" while he was clearly not. Meanwhile, his Mother taught this obviously troubled boy/man how to master firearms. Say what you want, but had she, say, taught him how to master fishing, cooking, flying RC airplanes or to drive a race car, maybe this tragedy would have been avoided.
16 Aralık 2012 Pazar
Stunning Fact: Solar Industry Building The Equivalent Of 1 Nuclear Plant Per Year
To contact us Click HERE
If the US nuclear industry was building 1 nuclear plant per year, rest assured that there would be endless, breathless stories about the renaissance of nuclear power. Indeed, a nuclear industry building one new plant per year would be reborn.
The US solar industry is now building every year an amount of generating capacity--3,200 to 4,000 megawatts--that will generate an amount of electricity approximately equivalent to a nuclear plant like Three Mile Island (the unit that is still operating).
To put it simply, the solar industry is building the equivalent of 1 new nuclear plant per year. Despite this incredible success, taking place exactly when the media has been full of Solyndra and other negative solar stories, the media will take its sweet time to shed the negative narrative about solar and catch up to the real solar story.
In fact, the solar industry may well be installing an amount of capacity each year equal to two nuclear plants, before the media and anti-solar politicians come to grips with the sweeping change solar is already unleashing.
The US solar industry is now building every year an amount of generating capacity--3,200 to 4,000 megawatts--that will generate an amount of electricity approximately equivalent to a nuclear plant like Three Mile Island (the unit that is still operating).
To put it simply, the solar industry is building the equivalent of 1 new nuclear plant per year. Despite this incredible success, taking place exactly when the media has been full of Solyndra and other negative solar stories, the media will take its sweet time to shed the negative narrative about solar and catch up to the real solar story.
In fact, the solar industry may well be installing an amount of capacity each year equal to two nuclear plants, before the media and anti-solar politicians come to grips with the sweeping change solar is already unleashing.
Wind Industry Proposes Phase Out Of Wind PTC
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It's not every day an industry proposes ending its tax advantages. But that's what the wind industry is doing.
Signaling both the maturity of the wind industry and the challenging fiscal circumstances of the country,
the American Wind Energy Association endorses a 6-year phase out of the wind production tax credit.
nawindpower.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.10817#.UMqp80sx_To.
Under AWEA's plan, the PTC would remain the same in 2013, then decline by 10% per year, until it reaches 60% of the current PTC in year 5 and 6, and then expire after year 6.
One wonders whether wind's example will be followed by every other energy industry. Actually, I don't wonder about that for more than a split second.
Signaling both the maturity of the wind industry and the challenging fiscal circumstances of the country,
the American Wind Energy Association endorses a 6-year phase out of the wind production tax credit.
nawindpower.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.10817#.UMqp80sx_To.
Under AWEA's plan, the PTC would remain the same in 2013, then decline by 10% per year, until it reaches 60% of the current PTC in year 5 and 6, and then expire after year 6.
One wonders whether wind's example will be followed by every other energy industry. Actually, I don't wonder about that for more than a split second.
Franklin & Marshall Women's Lacrosse Coaches' Press Release re: Hazing Incident
To contact us Click HERE
Lauren Paul Fired; Caitlin Powderly and Lidia Sanza Placed on Indefinite Leave in F & M Lacrosse Scandal
John A. Gallagher, Esquire has been retained to represent these coaches. Here is a Press Release on behalf of the coaches:
Neither F &M woman’s lacrosse Head Coach Lauren Paul, nor her Assistant Coaches, Caitlin Powderly and Lidia Sanza, had knowledge of or involvement in the March 11, 2011 incident giving rise to their present circumstances, and do not condone hazing in any form. If they had known that hazing occurred in March 2011, if it occurred, they would have taken corrective action.
The facts of this matter are important for the public to understand.
In early February 2012, Coach Paul made cuts from her team in the ordinary course. Soon after, the parents of one of the cut players registered a complaint about a student-led event in March 2011, eleven months prior. This incident, about which no details have been released to Ms. Paul or her assistants, has since been categorized as “hazing.” It is unknown whether the parents in question made any sort of threats to the college.
After hearing of the March 2011 event in mid-February 2012, the administration took virtually no steps to investigate same until April 6th, 2012. It is unknown what action the complaining parents, or their lawyer, took during this period of inactivity.
F&M thereafter began an “investigation” wherein the student-athletes were instructed not to speak with their parents, and told they did not need to seek representation of any kind. This investigation was procedurally flawed in many significant respects.
Although F & M fired Ms. Paul, placed her assistants on leave of absence (a particularly curious decision where Ms. Sanza is concerned, since she wasn’t even coaching F & M in March 2011) and suspended 11 student athletes from the team on April 17, the investigation was on that date still ongoing.
It appears that F & M elected to release news of these sanctions to the public on April 18, 2012. It is unknown if this release was made solely at the election of F & M, or to satisfy the demands of third-parties. The initial press releases were accompanied by statements from F & M that sought to blame Ms. Paul, and her assistants, for the March 2011 events.
The college acknowledged in writing that, as of Friday, April 20, 2012, the investigation was still ongoing. Why F & M chose to fire Ms. Paul, and to zealously publish the news of such firing, while its investigation was still ongoing, is a matter that only F & M and its lawyers can answer.
Earlier this week, and having completed its investigation, F & M decided to invite the 11 suspended players back on to the team. None of the suspended players were suspended or expelled from the college. Interestingly, the suspended players have rejected the college’s invitation to rejoin the team.
Ms. Paul understands that F & M takes its Student Code of Conduct very seriously, and that it enforces same vigorously when students have engaged in violations that threaten the mental or physical safety of its students. The decision to reinstate the suspended players, coupled with the absence of any meaningful student discipline being pursued or carried out, particularly when viewed through the prism of F & M’s stated principles where student well-being is concerned, clearly suggest that whatever occurred in March 2011 did not constitute “hazing.”
Ms. Paul's goal moving forward is to have a fulfilling and rewarding career. Ms. Powderly and Ms. Sanza share that ideal. While the coaches believe the actions taken against them were rash and wholly unwarranted, they understand that F & M, having published the reports concerning same, is unlikely to change its mind at this time. Consequently, they are presently considering their vocational and legal options.
Join the Petition Seeking Reinstatement of Coach Lauren Paul
There is a strong grass roots campaign advocating the rescission of the termination of Ms. Paul, and her reinstatement as F & M Head Coach. Please Click Here to sign a Petition supporting this important cause in the name of what is just and right.
Footnote: The remaining members of the F & M lacrosse team elected on Friday April 27 not to play in the Centennial Conference tournament, thereby foregoing a near surefire NCAAA tournament bid for the 10th ranked Diplomats. These student athletes are a credit to themselves, their parents and families, and to Coach Paul and her staff.
Lauren Paul Fired; Caitlin Powderly and Lidia Sanza Placed on Indefinite Leave in F & M Lacrosse ScandalJohn A. Gallagher, Esquire has been retained to represent these coaches. Here is a Press Release on behalf of the coaches:Neither F &M woman’s lacrosse Head Coach Lauren Paul, nor her Assistant Coaches, Caitlin Powderly and Lidia Sanza, had knowledge of or involvement in the March 11, 2011 incident giving rise to their present circumstances, and do not condone hazing in any form. If they had known that hazing occurred in March 2011, if it occurred, they would have taken corrective action.
The facts of this matter are important for the public to understand.
In early February 2012, Coach Paul made cuts from her team in the ordinary course. Soon after, the parents of one of the cut players registered a complaint about a student-led event in March 2011, eleven months prior. This incident, about which no details have been released to Ms. Paul or her assistants, has since been categorized as “hazing.” It is unknown whether the parents in question made any sort of threats to the college.
After hearing of the March 2011 event in mid-February 2012, the administration took virtually no steps to investigate same until April 6th, 2012. It is unknown what action the complaining parents, or their lawyer, took during this period of inactivity.
F&M thereafter began an “investigation” wherein the student-athletes were instructed not to speak with their parents, and told they did not need to seek representation of any kind. This investigation was procedurally flawed in many significant respects.
Although F & M fired Ms. Paul, placed her assistants on leave of absence (a particularly curious decision where Ms. Sanza is concerned, since she wasn’t even coaching F & M in March 2011) and suspended 11 student athletes from the team on April 17, the investigation was on that date still ongoing.
It appears that F & M elected to release news of these sanctions to the public on April 18, 2012. It is unknown if this release was made solely at the election of F & M, or to satisfy the demands of third-parties. The initial press releases were accompanied by statements from F & M that sought to blame Ms. Paul, and her assistants, for the March 2011 events.
The college acknowledged in writing that, as of Friday, April 20, 2012, the investigation was still ongoing. Why F & M chose to fire Ms. Paul, and to zealously publish the news of such firing, while its investigation was still ongoing, is a matter that only F & M and its lawyers can answer.
Earlier this week, and having completed its investigation, F & M decided to invite the 11 suspended players back on to the team. None of the suspended players were suspended or expelled from the college. Interestingly, the suspended players have rejected the college’s invitation to rejoin the team.
Ms. Paul understands that F & M takes its Student Code of Conduct very seriously, and that it enforces same vigorously when students have engaged in violations that threaten the mental or physical safety of its students. The decision to reinstate the suspended players, coupled with the absence of any meaningful student discipline being pursued or carried out, particularly when viewed through the prism of F & M’s stated principles where student well-being is concerned, clearly suggest that whatever occurred in March 2011 did not constitute “hazing.”
Ms. Paul's goal moving forward is to have a fulfilling and rewarding career. Ms. Powderly and Ms. Sanza share that ideal. While the coaches believe the actions taken against them were rash and wholly unwarranted, they understand that F & M, having published the reports concerning same, is unlikely to change its mind at this time. Consequently, they are presently considering their vocational and legal options.
Joe Paterno Used E-Mail - Sandi Segursky's E-Mail
To contact us Click HERE
Recently, the attorney for the Paterno family said that Joe Paterno never used e-mail. But, he did.
A recent report indicates that, while dealing with a 2007 controversey involving player misconduct, Mr. Paterno utilized the e-mail account of his assistant, Sandi Segursky.
This new additional information that shows just how crafty PSU officials were - and how little they can be trusted. More sophisticated than you would imagine, in fact.
For example, the 2001 e-mail exchanges between PSU President Gram Spanier, Athletic Director Tim Curly and Vice President Schultz, wherein they discuss what to do about Monster Sandusky after he was seen molesting a boty in the shower by then grad assistant Mike McQueary are notable because: 1) they never used Sandusky's name (calling him "the subject" or "the person"; 2) they never used the name of Sandusky's charity, the Second Mile; and, 3) they never used the word children (calling them "guests").
They also reported intially that the shower incident took place in March 2002. It wasn't until Louis Freeh stepped in that it was recently revealed that the incident took place in February 2001.
They clearly engaged in all of these tactics to avoid detection but, in the end, Louis Freeh was smarter than they were.
Recently, the attorney for the Paterno family said that Joe Paterno never used e-mail. But, he did.A recent report indicates that, while dealing with a 2007 controversey involving player misconduct, Mr. Paterno utilized the e-mail account of his assistant, Sandi Segursky.
This new additional information that shows just how crafty PSU officials were - and how little they can be trusted. More sophisticated than you would imagine, in fact.
For example, the 2001 e-mail exchanges between PSU President Gram Spanier, Athletic Director Tim Curly and Vice President Schultz, wherein they discuss what to do about Monster Sandusky after he was seen molesting a boty in the shower by then grad assistant Mike McQueary are notable because: 1) they never used Sandusky's name (calling him "the subject" or "the person"; 2) they never used the name of Sandusky's charity, the Second Mile; and, 3) they never used the word children (calling them "guests").
They also reported intially that the shower incident took place in March 2002. It wasn't until Louis Freeh stepped in that it was recently revealed that the incident took place in February 2001.
They clearly engaged in all of these tactics to avoid detection but, in the end, Louis Freeh was smarter than they were.
Joe Paterno's New Ranking - All-Time Wins
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Having had 111 wins wiped out by the NCAA (all wins from 1998 through 2011 vacated by NCAA on July 23, 2012), the new rankings for the all-time winningest coaches in NCAA Division I college football history look like this:
Having had 111 wins wiped out by the NCAA (all wins from 1998 through 2011 vacated by NCAA on July 23, 2012), the new rankings for the all-time winningest coaches in NCAA Division I college football history look like this: |
| The New Leader - Bobby Bowden 377 |
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| JoePa Never Could Beat Bear Bryant - 323 |
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| Pop Warner (not Curt) - 319 |
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| Amos Alonzo Stagg - 314 |
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| On the Day He Set the New Record with Win 409 - Now at 298 |
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