Sport Savings

KUCHING: Traders are being told to separate Golden Churn Creamery Butter from other halal dairy and cold storage products, and place them in the non-halal zone with immediate effect.

Failing to do so will see a whopping fine amounting to RM100,000 or three years of imprisonment under the Trade Description Act, said Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry state director Wan Ahmad Uzir Wan Sulaiman.

He said his enforcement officers would be carrying out checks on all supermarkets and shops statewide to ensure that this would be done accordingly.

?Golden Churn Creamery Butter needs to be placed with other non-halal products in supermarkets and shops and traders need to clearly inform consumers that the product is not halal. This is regardless of whether the butter comes from a different batch of stock and not from the ones tested to contain pig DNA.

?Since there are doubts on the halal status of the product, it?s best to generalise all are not halal even if some stock from a different batch was certified halal. This is to reduce confusion among consumers,? he told reporters here yesterday.

Ahmad said the Golden Churn Creamery Butter supplier had been instructed to make special stickers to cover the halal logo printed on the product?s packaging.

?We?re very glad that the supplier is very cooperative,? he said.

He added that there was no need to dispose of the product as it could still be sold to non-Muslim consumers.

Ahmad said since Thursday the department had formed four teams to carry out checks on Sarawak layered-cake or kek lapis manufacturers? premises to ensure they were well informed of the butter?s status.

To date, they had visited six premises and more would be inspected in the coming days throughout the state, he said.

?All four kek lapis manufacturers and bakeries inspected on Thursday namely Mira Cake House, Dayang Salhah Enterprise, Afifi Kek Lapis Sarawak and Norjas Bakery showed that they never used Golden Churn Creamery Butter,? he said.

He said his men also carried out checks at Di Wannie Cake and Rabiah Amit Enterprise here yesterday.

?Di Wannie Cake which used the brand previously has carried out samak to purify its kitchen appliances and premise.

?Rabiah Amit also used the brand at her old factory in Jalan Astana which was burnt down about two years ago but not anymore at her new factory in Demak Laut,? he explained.

Related Story:
Golden Churn butter sample taken from supermart
Impact will be known after Raya

Tags: Shops by Admin
Comments Off

That long-dormant question arose anew Wednesday, a day after Yahoo Sports reported that Nevin Shapiro, a convicted Ponzi schemer and ex-Miami booster, said he showered Hurricanes players with money, gifts and sex parties for eight years.

In unofficial NCAA terms, the death penalty means closing a program for a season or more. It typically requires a second major violation within five years but can be imposed with no prior sanctions in particularly egregious cases.

• STORY: Canes football coach Golden stays positive
• BLOG: Tell us – Is any college program clean?
• PHOTOS: Players implicated by Miami booster

Repeat offender Southern Methodist Universitys program was shut down for two seasons in the 1980s, the only death-penalty case in major college football history. But the sensational nature of the allegations at Miami some of the most shocking in the sports long history of malfeasance has led to rampant speculation it could happen to the Hurricanes.

The scandal comes at a time when the NCAA is vowing to take a harder line on rules violators. Connecticut, the reigning mens basketball champion, recently was sanctioned for recruiting violations. Auburn, the current football titlist, is under NCAA investigation.

Just a week ago, NCAA President Mark Emmert and more than 50 university presidents promised reforms while meeting in Indianapolis.

We have to get after it, and we have to get after it quickly, Emmert told USA TODAY on Wednesday. Its a shame to have this kind of an exclamation point put on the declarative sentences that we were issuing. But boy, (the Miami allegations) sure did it.

Anyone who looks at the situation is going to conclude that things arent working, that there are fundamental problems that have to get fixed.

Could that be done, at least in part, by dusting off the death penalty?

Tags: Sports by Admin
Comments Off

The Smoking Gun reports that Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakleysent detectives to home of a blogger to have him remove naked photo of the 20-month-old son of Tom Brady.

The AGs office released a statement saying that David Portney of Bar Stool Sports voluntarily chose to take down the post.

The photo was of Bradys wife Gisele Bundchen and the couples son walking on a beach in Costa Rica.

The two detectives told Portney they had received complaints about the post but didnt say how many or who was complaining. They also didnt say whether any criminal offense had been committed.

Portney told NewsCenter 5 that he was conflicted about taking down the photo and item that made mention of the childs body parts.

I was torn, to be totally honest, because I kind of felt like, in a way, I was selling out by taking it down. But I wasnt ready to fight that fight, said Portney who felt he was with his rights to do it and I dont really think people should be taking the moral high ground against me. That just because you think its wrong, I think Im within my rights.

Tags: Sports by Admin
Comments Off

Los Angeles police saturated the increasingly popular Art Walk downtown Thursday evening as thousands of people descended on the area.

The increased police presence came after a 2-month-old boy was killed at an event in July when his stroller was struck by a car that accidentally jumped a curb near Spring and 4th streets.

The officers — patrolling on horses, motorcycles, bicycles and Segways — were on hand to help deal with the massive crowds expected at the event, the Los Angeles Police Department said.

We have absolutely dedicated more resources, LAPD Officer Sara Faden said. We want to ensure the safety of that community.

For the first time, food trucks and other street vendors were banned from setting up along the events core. The decree, according to the citys new Art Walk task force, is intended to keep lines of customers waiting for their food orders from blocking sidewalks, and to encourage art walkers to explore the perimeter.

On Thursday evening, more than a dozen food trucks, along with portable bathrooms and tables, were set up in a parking lot on Main Street next to the former St. Vibianas Cathedral. The lot was packed with people who ate, mingled and waited in line at their favorite food trucks.

RELATED:

Petition launched to close streets at Art Walk

Art Walk official responds to Thursday nights accident

Food trucks expelled from downtown LAs monthly Art Walk

– Robert J. Lopez

twitter.com/LAJourno

Photo: LAPD mounted unit officers keep an eye on crowds and traffic at the corner of 4th and Spring streets during Art Walk. Credit: Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times

Tags: Art by Admin
Comments Off

Being a public servant sometimes requires difficult and complicated decisions. So I would like to share with you my thinking on the issue of the Congestion Relief Fee. I can tell you it would be easy to say NO at this point, but in six months when we are all sitting in gridlock with no bus options and thousands of more cars in front of us, would we be happy that I took the easy vote. 

#13;

Here is the background of many weeks of thinking and reading and studying. I do not take my job lightly that you have given me and spent most of my vacation working on this issue. 

#13;

Situation

#13;

Metro is funded by sales tax revenues mostly. In 2010 the revenue to pay for bus service was down $149 million as projected and $72.8 million below the 2008 level of funding. The difficult economic times affect so many aspects of life. So Metro has made $400 million in cuts over the last two years. For each of the last four years they have increased the fare box share of the ride so that the riders have had their fare increase by $500. This has increased the fare box recovery of riders paying directly for their rides to nearly 30 percent from 18 percent earlier (the policy target was 25 percent, so riders now pay more than the original target).

#13;

We have used reserves, stopped Cost of Living Increases, and worked very closely with the employees to find efficiencies and improve routes. But the gap between available and needed funds to run the bus system is still huge. To cover the gap would have required a 17 percent cut across the board in service. 

#13;

In our area the funding gap would have been 43,000 hours of service and in Bellevue 86,000 hours. So the Eastside would have had a decrease of over 120,000 hours. We are seeing overall a 5 percent increase in ridership countywide and an 11 percent increase in the Hwy. 520 corridor. 

#13;

Car Tab Source from Olympia

#13;

SB 5457 and HB 1536 companion bills  

#13;

The car tab source is not a source that would be my preference. Nor is it my preference to raise taxes. However, there are times when you have to make very difficult choices – some harder than others. This one is most difficult because we are in hard economic times and because of the car tabs are so unpopular. So let me tell you the rest of the story as Paul Harvey use to say. 

#13;

The car tab revenue source was the only source the Legislature gave the county to use to help keep the buses running. Three counties went in to Olympia to get help with their transportation system. The Senate Transportation Committee reviewed all the reductions and changes all three counties had made. Only King County came out as having made enough improvements and changes to be given this temporary (two year) funding source because the experts there felt that the next set of cuts would be too devastating to the transportation system. So we were stuck with that being the funding source. 

#13;

 Senate bill SB 5457 said that the council should try to find a solution to this problem collaboratively with six votes. That made it possible that no one group could dominate but it had to be an open fair process. Then SB 5457 said if they could not come up with a plan, then it was to go to a vote of the people. It is a temporary fee for two years. It also says that after June 30, 2014 that if the fee is to continue it MUST go to a vote of the people. So increasing car tabs is not to go against the will of the people,” but to respond to the new law passed in Olympia. 

#13;

This bill was supported in Olympia by Rep. Goodman, Rep. Springer, Rep. Judy Clibborn who is State Transportation Chair and many others and was passed into law (It is only three pages long so easy to read and the link is above.)

#13;

Then raising taxes during a recession is not a favored idea. However, the alternative has to be evaluated too. The alternative of 17 percent less buses and the greatest reduction being on the Eastside as we have less density than most of the rest of the county was not a good idea either.

#13;

Transit Committee

#13;

The transit committee made up of about 26 citizens from across the county came up with a number of plans to improve Metro and to make it more efficient. That committee set the standard of productivity as one of the main goals. The less densely populated an area is the more difficulty you have meeting that target. 

#13;

So the Eastside would be the hardest hit in reductions. So we looked at another goal of regional equity to see how we could use that goal. They developed a plan called alternative sources which is now called right sizing.”

#13;

Right sizing establishes the right size bus, van, etc. to meet the needs of that community so they would not have empty large buses going through their community but right sized vehicles saving money to keep the bus hours of service to citizens. The productivity goal was being highly focused on in the earlier proposal.

#13;

Economic Situation

#13;

As the economy continues to falter many of our citizens are feeling the pinch of making ends meet. So, one way to reduce costs is to take the bus. In fact if you go 20 miles from the eastside by bus it costs you $1,296 a year, if you were to take that same ride by car it costs $5,100 per year. So there is a possibility of this being a way to save money. 

#13;

Upcoming Changes

#13;

The states chief economist Arun Raha was quoted in The Seattle Times on Aug. 12, 2011 as saying, The past two weeks have drastically changed the outlook for the US economy. When we see a downward change like this, we see an upward change in ridership. In addition, in October when the state tolling begins on Hwy 520 we expect another increase in bus ridership. So the economy and tolling will both be pushing ridership up, and at the same time the economy will be pushing the dollars for bus hours dramatically down. That is a perfect storm of bad news.  

#13;

So in the situation with lots of bad news what do we do? 

#13;

We could continue to make the cuts that were proposed reducing about 120,000 hours of buses on the eastside. That would push all those riders back into their cars. Ninety five percent of bus riders own a car. So they have the cars to contribute to increased congestion. That would mean that there would be a situation like when a large event at the UW attracted 15,000 more cars and set up gridlock for hours. That would be what was projected for us on a regular basis. 

#13;

At that point, with all of us in gridlock, cars idling costing more gas money and time, and people who need buses not having a way to get to work or home would be screaming why didnt their elected officials fix the problem. The projected costs for increased gas consumption were above the $20 fee proposed. It was a no win situation. 

#13;

Easier to say NO

#13;

Yes, I can guarantee and my staff can tell you that it would be much easier to say NO to a new fee. But that is not looking ahead to what is before us and be proactive that the people need to get to work and home and to activities without gridlock. Transit riders need to be able to have their buses and drivers need to have roads that are free of gridlock. That can only happen if we can provide the most cost effective transit system to make both bus riders and car drivers have available service. 

#13;

Either way people will be angry. They dont want a fee increase and they dont want gridlock. But one is going to happen. So which in the long run is best for the citizens, the economy and the environment? 

#13;

The gridlock will cost more in gas consumption than $20 and more time in commuting and being away from family and leisure activities. 

#13;

So some of us got to work to see what we could do to comply with the SB 5457 law. 

#13;

– This opinion piece was written by Kathy Lambert, who represents Sammamish on the King County Council.

Tags: Leisure Activities by Admin
Comments Off

Digest of sports enterprise stories for the weekend of Aug. 13-14. For questions, please call Patrick Horne at (212) 621-1630. For repeats, call the service desk at (800) 838-4616.

THE NFL:

FBN–PACKERS REPEAT

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Recent NFL history has shown that Super Bowl champions face a tough road in trying to repeat. Thats just fine with the Green Bay Packers, who insist they arent trying to repeat anything. Beyond last weeks stop at the White House, the Packers have talked very little about last years title in training camp and say theyre ready to win again this year with some new faces. A handful of last years injured starters are back to strengthen the team — including running back Ryan Grant, who is competing with James Starks for playing time. The Packers also must replace defensive end Cullen Jenkins and left guard Daryn Colledge, but have a couple of candidates at each position, a testament to general manager Ted Thompsons long-term vision of building a perennial contender through the draft. By Chris Jenkins.

AP Photos.

FBN–QBS LEGACY

Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady had already won Super Bowls and set the standard for the quarterbacks of their generation when last season ended and labor strife ensued. The lockout gave them a chance to work together for the future of their sport and cement their legacy as leaders both on and off the field. By Brett Martel.

AP Photos.

FBN–SECOND CHANCES

NEW YORK – Plaxico Burress spent 20 months in prison dreaming of a second chance at life and football. Reggie Bush heard all the fans who labeled him a bust. Same thing with Vince Young, who wasnt sure if his future included the NFL. Shawne Merriman and Bob Sanders were once-dominant defensive stars who have been plagued by injuries. Theyre just some of the games biggest names trying to revive their careers and redeem themselves on the field this season. By Dennis Waszak Jr.

AP Photos.

FBN–ELWAYS NEW ENDEAVOR

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – John Elway led the Denver Broncos to the top with his powerful right arm and now hes trying to do it again with his brain. The Hall of Fame quarterback got tired of living on his legacy, so after a decade of sharpening his business acumen and people skills in auto sales and steakhouses, hes back at the helm of the storied but staggered franchise, aiming to restore respectability to an organization that has one playoff win since he hoisted his second straight Super Bowl trophy. By AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton.

AP Photos.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL `11:

FBC–EYES ON TEXAS

Once again, the eyes of college football are on Texas. Only this time, its not because of an All-American quarterback like Vince Young or Colt McCoy leading another Mack Brown team with national title hopes. Instead, its to see if the Longhorns can rebound from their first losing season under Brown – and whether the schools brash new television partnership will not only make Texas richer but also more powerful than ever. By Jim Vertuno.

AP Photos.

FBC–IRON BOWL-STATE OF HATE

It didnt start with the trees. The maddening, thrilling, all-consuming Alabama-Auburn rivalry polarized an entire state long before an overzealous Crimson Tide fan allegedly dealt the latest low blow by poisoning the Toomers Corner oaks. Its the greatest rivalry in college football, Auburn fan and graduate Robert Payne said, but its gotten too much. The first point might be debatable – just do so carefully within state lines – but the second? Well, a rivalry that always borders on being out of control has gotten downright nasty. By John Zenor.

AP Photos

FBC–FLOYDS GIFTS

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Michael Floyds gifts are a strong set of hands and a sturdy body that allows him to separate from defenders and catch footballs thrown his way. Hes pulled down more touchdown passes than any player in Notre Dame history and decided to stay in school rather than go to the NFL. But Floyds record-setting career will be remembered for something else – three alcohol-related brushes with the law in two years – and how he got to come back for a senior season after coach Brian Kelly determined hed made necessary lifestyle changes. That decision by Kelly opens up the question: Did Floyd get a second chance because hes such a good player or because he earned it? By Rick Gano.

AP Photos.

FBC–STOPPING FAST

STILLWATER, Okla. – Oregons no-huddle offense got to be such a runaway train last season that opponents resorted to falling down on the tracks to find a way to slow it down. Made famous in YouTube clips, the Ducks opponents were accused of faking injuries just to buy a little time to get their defense in order. Up-tempo attacks such as the ones Oregon and Auburn both used in last seasons BCS title game are becoming the norm in the college game, leaving defenses to speed up, too, or get left behind. By Jeff Latzke.

AP Photos.

VOLLEYBALL:

VOL–MAN ON A MISSION

NETANYA, Israel – Hall of Fame volleyball coach Arie Selinger is back in Israel on a mission. After a 40-year international career, hes fulfilling a vow to build a top-notch, well-organized volleyball program in the chaotic country he fled to after the Holocaust. Under his tutelage, Israels women have qualified for next months European Volleyball Championship and have their sights on future Olympics. By Aron Heller.

AP Photos.

—

ALSO:

- BC-BBO–This Date in Baseball.

- BC-AP Sportlight.

Tags: Sports by Admin
Comments Off

CAMDEN — Former Philadelphia Police Commissioner John Timoney began meeting this week with Camden officials and police leaders to develop plans for a countywide police force.

But Timoney — who spoke to reporters about his role for the first time Tuesday — appeared to be far less convinced of cost savings in a countywide force than local officials have been.

I would stay away from that, he said of guaranteeing savings to towns that join a combined force.

County officials have trumpeted cost savings as a selling point for a countywide force since the idea was announced in January, just days before Camden sharply reduced its city department with layoffs.

Timoney said savings will depend on optimal levels of police staffing for a particular town, which still needs to be determined.

Maybe it costs more, he said.

County officials announced they had hired the former New York City and Miami police chief as a consultant earlier this month. The move came after Camden City Council members introduced a Memorandum of Understanding among the city, county and state for a county force to take over policing in the troubled city. The entities have until Sept. 30 to show state officials their plans for the force.

Timoney, who was hired on a per-diem basis, is working with officials here through Friday and will return as needed. He said the initial focus would be to develop plans for Camden to become a metro division of a county force, with other municipalities eventually following suit. Camden has been the only municipality to publicly express interest in the proposal.

The goal here is to create a county police department that is sustainable going forward, Timoney said.

He added he will act as a technical expert as plans are developed and stressed he wasnt brought in as a union buster or to rubber-stamp a plan already in place.

Nothing could be farther from the truth, he said.

After Tuesdays press conference, Camden County Freeholder-Director Louis Cappelli Jr. pledged if the county takes over policing in Camden, it will be able to put twice as many officers on the street.

Tags: Savings by Admin
Comments Off

Most of our lives are divided by sleep and work, with the latter taking precedence over our days. Many feel that the day to day drudgery adds more stress than dollars, and try to alleviate the bad feelings with various leisure activities for medical benefits.

Tags: Leisure Activities by Admin
Comments Off

A Frugal Back-to-School Strategy

Parents will spend more than $600 to get one child ready for school this year, according to the National Retail Federations annual survey.

Laura Rowley, finance columnist at Yahoo, says some parents can do it for half that by sticking to a back-to-school savings strategy and being proactive with sales and wardrobe recycling.

Bankrate asked professionals from around the country to weigh in on how best to achieve back-to-school savings this buying season. This is what they said.

Take Inventory

Choose a day before you begin to shop and go through your kids clothes to see what you can salvage from last year, says Nina Restieri, founder of momAgenda.com and an organizational expert in Greenwich, Conn.

First, prepare an inventory sheet by dividing a sheet of paper into four columns with the childs name, the article of clothing, the quantity you have and how many you need to buy.

Then, remove everything from your childs closet and drawers, have him try on each piece of clothing and whatever fits goes on your inventory sheet.

Restieri suggests having trash bags handy for items that need to be discarded and for clothing you can donate to charity. That way, youre cleaning out closets while creating some real back-to-school savings.

With school supplies, lunch boxes and backpacks, I suggest starting fresh each year, says Restieri. For us, the backpacks and lunch boxes in our house barely last one school year.

And remember, school supplies usually change each year according to the grade and teacher preferences.

Set a Budget and Stick to It

Consider which items are non-negotiable like the class list of required supplies, says Kim Danger, frugal author andcreator of mommysavers.com. Clothing, shoes, lunch boxes and backpacks allow for greater flexibility.

Past spending is a good starting point to this years back-to-school savings. Look at last years credit card statements and check registers to get an idea of what you spent on back-to-school shopping last season.

By seeing what you spent in the past, you can challenge yourself to find better bargains this year, says Danger. The exact budget will vary from family to family. You just need to spend within your means.

A good way to make sure you stay within your budget is to use the envelope system and put the cash youve allotted for each child into separate envelopes. Danger says cash easy to understand. Even younger kids get it that once the cash is gone, no more money can be spent.

Danger suggests using this opportunity to teach older kids how to budget by giving them a set clothing allowance so they can benefit from their own back-to-school savings.

Make a List

Rowley recommends using your clothing inventory as a start to back-to-school savings by creating a shopping list from it of what you need to buy.

For clothing, focus on five to seven well-made, easy-care basic items and change the look by mixing in a few less expensive pieces, she says.

A wardrobe for a girl might include two pairs of jeans, a pair of khakis or black pants, two shirts, a sweater, and a skirt or a dress in a basic color. Mix in low-cost, colorful T-shirts, tank tops to wear under the shirts, scarves, tights and belts, Rowley says.

Kids usually dont outgrow the accessories, she says. Also, look for summer pieces — maybe a short-sleeved dress that can stretch into next season by adding leggings and a sweater.

Use your list as a checklist while shopping. You dont want to wander into a department store without a back-to-school saving strategy and watch your child fall in love with a $60 T-shirt, Rowley says.

Buy in Quantities

Buying in bulk can be a fantastic money move and a time-saving godsend, says Kristen Hagopian, author of Brilliant Frugal Living.

Certain school supplies get burned through at a ridiculous rate over the course of the school year, says Hagopian. Depending on your childs age and class description, he will use lots of pens, pencils, paper, notebooks, printer paper, computer disks, markers and paints. While the additional outlay of cash now might not seem like back-to-school savings, youll have cheaper supplies on hand for several months if you buy in quantity.

No more rushed dashes to the store for another pack of paper. Youll save money on gas and youll save the hassle, says Hagopian.

Buying in quantities at your local warehouse store and sharing the bounty plus the cost with friends also helps the budget. Pasta, meat, ready-made foods, desserts and produce can be found in large quantities at Costco and Sams Club, and can easily be distributed to a group of friends who can share the cost of school lunches, Hagopian says.

Tap the Web

Use comparison-shopping engines to find the best bargains online, suggests Michael Rowland, Internet marketing manager at Solid Cactus, a company in Shavertown, Pa., that helps small businesses sell online.

Online retailers are going to be aggressive in their efforts to win your business. So one of the best ways a savvy shopper can capitalize on the best deals is to use (comparison-shopping engines), says Rowland.

Each engine is different — from the products they show to how they sort the products. Some are better for apparel while others have the best buy in electronics. Rowland says to get the best use of a shopping site, be specific in your search.

Make your buying decision based on price, rating and shipping costs, says Rowland. Always look for free shipping.

Rowland suggests starting with these sites: Pricegrabber.com, Shopping.com, Nextag.com, Google.com and Amazon.com.

If you follow the brands you use and the stores you regularly shop on Facebook and Twitter, youll also attain back-to-school savings. Sign up for mailing lists for these brands and stores, and youll often get instant savings of coupons, Rowland says.

Host a Clothing Swap

Another way to achieve back-to-school savings is by holding a party to exchange kids clothing. Decide who to invite based on the ages, sizes and gender of their children, says Leah Ingram, author of Suddenly Frugal and the blog suddenlyfrugal.com.

If you have six friends who have children who are similar in age, you can hold a small party. But, you may want to expand it to 12 or 15 guests.

Ingram recommends leaving the children at home. That way, saving on back-to-school items can be a fun, social time for adults. Even if 60% of what you take home doesnt fit, youre still getting the clothes for free, says Ingram.

Remind your guests that the clothing needs to be clean, stain-free and with no rips or tears. Ask yourself, Is this something Id buy at a resale store. Ingram suggests you set a minimum number of items that each guest must bring with them, like 10.

Its like currency. You bring in 10 pieces of clothing and you should be able to leave with 10 different items, Ingram says.

Tags: Savings by Admin
Comments Off

donnell collins/For the Beacon News Jim Barbagallo and his son Shawn give a raku demonstration pottery during the fifth annual Art In Your Eye Festival in Batavia Saturday afternoon.

Tags: Art by Admin
Comments Off