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Grant Achatz on Blogging
MenuPages Chicago talks to Alinea chef Grant Achatz about his involvement with the just-launched Atlantic Food Channel:
The blogging has been very self-educational for me. It is rare that chefs take the time to step away from their kitchens (or TV studios) to reflect on the why and what it is that they do. I will produce between 2 and 3 posts per week, in the beginning I will focus on my recent travels to Madrid and Japan and how these trips both informed me of changing times in modern gastronomy.... I think it will be a cool look into what I think is a very transitional time in gastronomy, and how Alinea is reacting to it.

subset: commoncrawl


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1 search result
Principles of Architecture
Principles of Architecture provides an overview to the various fields of architecture, interior design, and construction management. Achieving proficiency in decision making and problem solving is an essential skill for career planning and lifelong learning. Students use self-knowledge,...
- Grade Range: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Postsecondary


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In the summer of 1955, 14-year-old Emmett Till of Chicago was visiting relatives in the Mississippi Delta. He was beaten, shot, and dumped in the river after reports that he had flirted with a white woman in the Delta town of Money. At the teenager's funeral in Chicago, his grieving mother insisted on an open casket so that all could witness the brutality of his murder, saying "Let the world see what I've seen." The publication of a black-and-white photo of Till's mutilated corpse in Jet magazine was a turning point in the American Civil Rights Movement. It was an image that sparked outrage on a national scale, a catalyst for an era of protests, political campaigns, and racial conflict.
The exhibition For All the World to See: Visual Culture and the Struggle for Civil Rights examines the influence of visual culture and images like that of Emmett Till in shaping and transforming the struggle for racial equality by showing the world the realities of segregation and racial violence, inspiring activists, and fostering African American pride and the Black Power movement.
Supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and other sources, For All the World to See was organized by the Center for Art, Design and Visual Culture at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC. Curator Maurice Berger has brought together 250 objects—including photographs, posters, television and radio clips, political buttons, comic books, and toys—that track the development of the civil rights movement from the 1940s to the 1970s. Visitors can see images of Ku Klux Klan meetings and the historic Selma march, watch footage of Jackie Robinson's first major league game, examine early issues of Ebony and Jet, and trace the evolution of the portrayal of African Americans in popular culture from Aunt Jemima advertising paraphernalia to the 1970s television show, Julia.
This traveling exhibit opened in January at the DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago, where it will remain until May 16, 2011. It was previously on display at the International Center of Photography in New York, and then traveled to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, DC (June to November 2011), to the Center for Art, Design and Visual Culture at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (November 2012 to March 2013), and to the Addison Gallery of American Art in Andover, Massachusetts (April to July 2013).
Many of the images from For All the World to See are also viewable through a comprehensive online exhibition.


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#308 looks like an advrider sign....
#330 The sign on the old bridge that says "Public Prohibited - Fish Pier". I can say with some authority, that a fish never walked on that pier
#308 looks like an advrider sign....
#330 The sign on the old bridge that says "Public Prohibited - Fish Pier". I can say with some authority, that a fish never walked on that pier
Last edited by torags; 02-08-2008 at 06:02 PM.
Beemerchef look at the table in front of the Hopi, see the little sheep? Granted I had to look twice but they are there.
How many more times do we see Freckles? Isn't there a pet thread?
The thread is really fun. Whenever I get back to my computer, this is the first thread I go to.
It will last a long time as long as the posters don't get too self indulgent.
Dude you already repeated!
Me? Ooops... Sorry
I'll delete which number
OK, Ok, no more freckle pics!
They must have gotten a deal on those guns, Gail. The ones I posted are just up the road in Bar Harbor and look to be from the same foundry. Now I'm curious and wonder how many more there are in the area. Time to explore some more...
Have you seen the new bridge at Fort Knox? There's an observation deck up there in the far tower. It wasn't open last time I went by there.
Salty Fog Rally 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014 And DRAT! Missed the last one in 2015!
-Tom (KA1TOX)
That's a cool looking bridge Tom. It has the Bunker Hill look of the Zakim Bridge.
My picture is from 2001. I tend to head toward VT more than toward Maine. Maybe this season we'll explore Maine more!
Last edited by tommcgee; 02-11-2008 at 11:29 PM. Reason: added pictures
Salty Fog Rally 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014 And DRAT! Missed the last one in 2015!
-Tom (KA1TOX)
Refer #412
One of the satisfying by products of these threads is when you search for the postable picture, you almost relive the moment (time/place), you took the picture.
The contributers to the thread have a cache of pix and I'll bet most haven't gone back into them, but for this thread.
#412 was in the middle of a Euro solo tour thru Western Italy/Sardinia/Corsica to Venice. I had wanted to have an Afagato in front of the same restaurant on the Plaza San Marco in Venice, that I had on my first Euro bike tour in 1970.
I wanted to visit the quarries in Carrera to see Marble production. I'm in building & I sculpt so my interest was strong. Here I was 4 hours after renting a 1100S in Milan (traveling in my true solo fuggawi fashion) in the middle of the mountain, I heard tinkering. Chiesal on stone, sculpters were working in the area. I got off the bike to head to a tarp they were working under to ask where the plants were. I don't speak any other language than a poor English, but I've learned to point well.
There were 4 or 5 and I approached a young gal chiseling. In my best loud (they understand you better), halting English I asked where the foundries were. In perfect English she said further up the hill. Huh. where are you from, I asked. Pennsylvania she said. Hmmm small world. They were an American group taking sculpting lessons.
Cleveland....what a fascinating river town....lots of industrial stuff, drawbridges, steel mills etc. I had one brief 4 day business trip there in the mid-80s. Spent a whole day wandering the city with my Nikon F2.
Nothing like that up here in the Anchorage area...I miss being able to photograph old buildings, industrial areas, machinery, etc. I cut my teeth taking photographs of the mills, warehouse district, etc in Minneapolis before moving to Alaska 20 years ago.
This was one of my early scans from a 35mm transparency using a now retired Canoscan FS2720 film scanner. Come to think of it, the Nikon F2s are mostly retired now too.
Here's the color version.
Gary Benson
Eagle River, Alaska


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This is the 10th year that Investment Advisor has published our subjective list of the 25 most influential people in and around the advisor universe, following a months-long process in which the editorial staff of the Investment Advisor Group, which includes Investment Advisor and Research magazines and AdvisorOne.com, nominated candidates and eventually came to a consensus.
In the pages that follow on this article, we list the IA 25 for 2012, with profiles of each honoree. See the IA 25 home page for enhanced profiles of this year's honorees for the remainder of April and throughout May and additional reporting on the IA 25 through the 10 years of its existence.
Our profiles begin with Elliot Weissbluth of HighTower Advisors.
Some people ride a wave, and some people create a wave. Elliot Weissbluth of HighTower is a creator and has changed the conversation on and about Wall Street and the role of advisors. His backers at the Chicago-based firm founded five years ago believed in his vision, and the many top wirehouse brokers who have bought into the HighTower approach have validated that vision.
It's a simple approach: Clients can benefit from the intellectual capital of the biggest firms on the Street while being served under a strict fiduciary mantle. Those ex-wirehouse brokers benefit from HighTower's growing scale and ability to force everyone from bond trading desks to RIA custodians to compete for their business. They also benefit from being part of an elite peer group that has input on who else can join the partnership, while retaining the independence to run their own specific practices in their own way.
"The old dialogue," says Weissbluth, "which was 'independent good; Wall Street bad,' was never an intellectually honest discussion. There's tremendous value and innovation on Wall Street."
"The optimal financial services firm leverages the competitive spirit of Wall Street, bringing the cream to the top, and does that inside an independent fiduciary service model, which is optimal to the individual investor."
Weissbluth's role as entrepreneur and growing status as a thought leader qualifies him to lead the 10th annual IA 25 list of the most influential people in and around the advisor industry. (See AdvisorOne.com for extended profiles.)
While the SEC considers whether to extend a fiduciary duty to all advice givers, and the Department of Labor forges ahead on its revised definition of fiduciary, HighTower has moved ahead on its own, wrapping a strict fiduciary standard into a business model that meets client needs while giving top Wall Street brokers an innovative home from which to serve those clients and grow their individual businesses.
Lest you think Weissbluth's words about the Street are all saccharine, he can also be its harshest critic. Yes, he says that the most innovative and interesting thinking comes out of Wall Street, but it's not the firms, it's the ecosystem, he says. "The most competitive, interesting, innovative people are drawn to the Street, because that's where the compensation is." However, Weissbluth says "the problem is that if you land as a client at one of the Wall Street firms, you only get access to that particular firm's good ideas. Those firms are not set up to benefit the clients' interests first, but to benefit the firm." He says, "we recognized that was a growing sentiment eight years ago; we formed HighTower five years ago, because we knew a business could be formed that started with the clients' interests first without sacrificing" the benefits of Wall Street innovation.
Weissbluth argues that the industry must "educate and clarify what a fiduciary duty is and whether [clients are] receiving it; 90% of investors don't understand what a fiduciary duty is, but they think they're getting it from a broker."
Investors are entitled to an advisor who owes them a fiduciary duty, Weissbluth says; an advisor who is duty-bound and legally obligated to put clients' interests first. "Until that happens, there will be a lot of exploitation around the fiduciary issue." Educating investors about such a duty and who has it provides a side benefit to the client. He argues, "It's the greatest opportunity to restore confidence."
And who is his competition? "Large firms with multiple layers of fees and conflicts of interest should be concerned that our model will become the new normal." Those firms that "enrich a firm at the expense of the client; they should feel threatened." —James J. Green
Elliot Weissbluth photographs taken by Tom McKenzie for Investment Advisor.
Amy Webber
Anyone worried about the "next generation" should talk to Amy Webber. The president and COO of Cambridge Investment Research convened the "New Century Council" in 2009 to help identify the next generation of advisors: their wants, needs, how they communicate and what they expect.
"It started with 12 advisors and has now grown to 23," she explains. What she's found is that the younger generation of advisors, while entrepreneurial in their own way, is far more receptive to outsourcing than their older counterparts.
"The older generation thought that being entrepreneurial meant they did it all; for them, it was what being independent really meant," she says. "Not so with younger advisors."
The importance of business continuity will become increasingly important, Webber says.
"Advisors realize they won't live forever," she concludes. "They can take care of their families through insurance and other means. This is really about how to best take care of their clients." —John Sullivan
Charles Biderman
Charles Biderman, president and CEO of investment research firm TrimTabs, started his firm to provide real-time data on the supply and demand of stocks and money available for investment. "Since 80% of stock is owned by institutions, we track money flows in and out of institutions," he says.
One of advisors' biggest challenges over the next 12 to 18 months, he says, is one of odds. "In a world where mathematics say that individuals can't beat the market, how do you invest appropriately for your client?" Biderman asks. "How do you create portfolios for the prospect of inflation and deflation occurring at the same time?"
To try to answer those questions, TrimTabs partnered with AdvisorShares to build an actively managed ETF, TrimTabs Float Shrink (TTFS). "Biderman Market Theory says that in the stock market, as in every market, the house always has the advantage over the players," Biderman says.
"If the house has an advantage, I want to invest with the house. Our success over the years has been due to my ability to relate to what's really going on with simple-to-understand supply and demand concepts." —Danielle Andrus
Chip Roame
The managing partner of research and consulting firm Tiburon Strategic Advisors employs a rapid fire delivery of critical information that industry leaders want; so much so that in addition to purchasing his services, they clamor to attend his twice-annual CEO summits.
Although Tiburon intends to remain a mid-sized, boutique management consulting firm, Roame is looking to the future in how its information is delivered.
"We used to send our reports to clients, but no longer," he explains. "We're building out our research topics and now sending links to our reports. [...] The client will have live access to updates as they occur, some of which are updated daily and others that are updated maybe five or 10 times a year."
Asked about near-term trends that most affect advisors, he doesn't hesitate in naming the issue of breakaway brokers as tops. While the overall number might not be big, the assets they take with them are, and they have an outsized impact on the independent channel due to its smaller size.
"It's the big dogs that get the attention," he adds. "Other wirehouse reps sit and think 'If Mr. Moneybags is doing it, why shouldn't I?'" —JS
Dale Brown
Dale Brown, president and CEO of the Financial Services Institute, is a perennial member of the IA 25. He's led the agency since its inception eight years ago. Over that time, FSI has carved out a place in the industry as a vocal advocate for financial advisors, and Brown has appeared on our list six times.
"In a relatively short period of time," he says, "we've established ourselves as a strong and effective voice for independent financial services firms. We've had a real impact on important issues impacting members, their businesses, their clients."
Brown is optimistic about the industry's future, calling it "stronger than ever in the face of tremendous regulatory burden. Not a single independent financial advisor contributed to the financial crisis, and yet it's shown investors the value of independent financial advice," he says.
The biggest challenge for advisors, Brown says, is the continued uncertainty surrounding regulatory changes. "We support a new uniform fiduciary standard for everyone that's providing retail investment advice, and yet we have no idea exactly what that standard will look like."
"That makes it very hard to run a business." —DA
Mohamed El-Erian
Within the first minute of meeting Mohamed El-Erian, you understand why the company, and the man, is so successful. His charm immediately put our staff at ease, going so far as to joke with our German-born photographer about the pretzels in Munich and proffering a signed copy of his book. We imagine he employs this tactic in everything from meetings before the board to his personal rapport with Michelle Obama.
PIMCO's staff efficiently briefed us on the idiosyncrasies of its CEO beforehand, helping to maximize the time he was able to give. We had the feeling this efficiency runs through the entire company, another reason for its success. Lest you think we were being "handled" (the thought did cross our mind), light security during our preparations let us come and go—and wander—as we pleased.
A cursory Google search immediately explains why El-Erian is so busy. In addition to his own book, he regularly writes for the Huffington Post and the Financial Times, provides commentary for other news outlets, does television appearances, speaking engagements, consultations with politicians and everything else that comes from increasingly sharing a role as the "face" of the company with founder Bill Gross. He is currently a board member of the National Bureau of Economic Research, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Cambridge in America.
Oh, and did we mention he also runs the world's largest bond shop?
In just the past two months, he's made headlines for his comments about QE3 (he said it's likely), his call for no more IMF aid to Europe, his take on the unemployment figures (they're good and getting better) and his defense of Clint Eastwood over the Super Bowl ad controversy. He even managed to include his beloved New York Jets (no one's perfect) in an analogy on the Greek debt crisis.
The New York-born El-Erian lived in Egypt as a child. He holds a master's degree and doctorate in economics from Oxford University and received his undergraduate degree from Cambridge University. He first joined PIMCO in 1999 and was a senior member of PIMCO's portfolio management and investment strategy group. He left for two years to serve as president and CEO of Harvard Management Company, the entity that manages Harvard's endowment and related accounts, at a time when the endowment was arguably at its highest point.
Before coming to PIMCO, El-Erian was a managing director at Salomon Smith Barney/Citigroup in London, and before that he spent 15 years at the International Monetary Fund in Washington.
Despite the fact that PIMCO's signature fund, PIMCO Total Return (PTTRX), blew a call on Treasuries and ended up underperforming 69% of its peers in 2011, it's rebounded nicely, outperforming 79% of its peers in the first quarter and attracting $1.7 billion in new assets.
And people (meaning us) still want to know what PIMCO and El-Erian think, especially when it comes to the three biggest issues facing advisors in the near term (12–18 months).
"Helping clients navigate, to use Chairman Bernanke's phrase, 'an unusually uncertain outlook' for markets and the global economy; second, keeping up with changing correlations among asset classes and their implications for asset allocation and risk management. Lastly, adapting to the changing financial and institutional landscape as new regulations are implemented and companies adjust." —John Sullivan
Mohamed El-Erian photographs taken by Jurgen Reisch for Investment Advisor.
Eric Clarke
"Technology is the great equalizer," Eric Clarke, president of Orion Advisor Services, says. "In our industry, technology has allowed advisors to go out on their own as independent investment advisors and still provide their clients the same level of service that the wirehouses have traditionally provided."
Orion Advisor Services, founded in 1999, currently provides performance reporting on over $70 billion in assets and services over 275 firms.
While technology has certainly made advisors more efficient and more profitable, the most important benefit, according to Clarke, is that it's helped them get closer to their clients. "It allows them to communicate with their clients in a much richer format," he says. "In essence, [technology] has enabled advisors to spend time doing what they do best."
The challenge, however, will be in learning how to put technology to best use. Advisors' biggest challenge is "figuring out their firms' mobile strategy," Clarke says. "How advisors face this challenge today and how they respond to it in the next 12 to 18 months is absolutely critical." —DA
John Bogle
There's something reassuring about John Bogle's passion and the fact that it hasn't waned with age. We began our interview by noting what a sea change has occurred in financial services. Stung by criticism in the wake of the 2008 downturn, companies are beginning to adopt more of a "client first" position. Does he believe this to be true, or will it be "more of the same" from the investment industry?
"It will always be more of the same," Vanguard's founder answers. "Although I agree I'm seeing a little more movement in the direction of serving clients' needs first."
A bigger sea change is more personal to Bogle. The public and the media are finally beginning to "get" the advantages of low-cost indexing over higher-cost active management.
If we could trade for free then investing would become a zero sum game, he says, but we can't so it isn't. The more investors trade, the more investors pay, and then only the traders making the fees win.
"People are getting this, and indexed-type products that feature simplicity will win," he says, before predicting, "This will mark the next couple of years at least." —JS
John Peluso
John Peluso knows Wells Fargo, and he knows the various distribution channels, which makes him especially qualified to lead the firm's independent channel—that's right, a bank with an independent channel.
"The model came from a desire to attract and retain the best financial advisors in the country," the president of Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network says when asked about the network's genesis. "When we started it 11 years ago, we evaluated industry trends, and it was obvious to us that the 'best' often didn't want to work in a company-owned shop. They wanted to be able to choose how to affiliate."
What differentiates the model and the network, Peluso says, is the unique intersection it occupies in the industry.
"Our advisors have all of the resources that Wells Fargo offers behind them," he explains. "They're able to marry that with the ability to own and operate their own business."
Do the straight wirehouse reps the firm employs view the independent channel with suspicion?
"The franchise wins when we compete for the best available advisors," Peluso answers, "but the advisors self-select the channel that is most appropriate for them." —JS
Jon Henschen
Jon Henschen, president of Henschen & Associates, a broker-dealer recruiting firm, likens the torrent of regulatory changes the industry has seen recently to "having a cut on your finger, and they're cutting your arm off to repair it."
While the Dodd-Frank Act's effect was largely felt by wirehouses and big banks, the independent channel hasn't escaped increased bureaucracy that, Henschen says, is "grinding down the business." For example, "the 'know your customer' rule allows broker-dealers to take a risk-based approach to implementing new suitability factors, but it's doubtful that broker-dealers and regulators will see eye to eye on how the changes are to be implemented," he says.
Henschen believes the fiduciary issue will affect wirehouses more than the independent channel, but altogether, it's about surviving regulators. "One of the worst damages of increased regulations is they're driving smaller firms out of business," he says. "The emphasis more and more is on compliance supervision. Big firms can afford to do that. Smaller firms can't afford it as much, especially firms under 100 reps. They hurt the little guy." —DA
Mary Schapiro
On two of the top issues affecting the investment advisory space, Mary Schapiro, chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, is adamant: Brokers should be held to a fiduciary mandate, and a self-regulatory organization to help the agency examine advisors must be explored.
Since Dodd-Frank gave the SEC the authority to write a rule to put brokers under a fiduciary mandate, Schapiro has been waging a battle to ensure such a rule sees the light of day.
But Schapiro told Investment Advisor in an exclusive interview in mid-March that while she's hopeful a proposed fiduciary rule will be unveiled this year, those in the industry shouldn't count on it being one that is identical to the fiduciary rule being crafted by the Department of Labor.
"We have talked a lot with the DOL, and we've tried to coordinate and work with them, but they have to operate under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), which is quite a different statute than the federal securities laws," Schapiro said. In crafting its fiduciary rule, the SEC is looking at "advice about securities to retail customers," she continued, "and so the issues we would be concerned about are somewhat different than those that DOL is concerned about under ERISA."
A uniform fiduciary rule crafted by the agency, however, will be business-model neutral, she said—a term that has had many in the advisory community scratching their heads. But Schapiro explained that in the SEC staff report recommending that brokers adhere to a fiduciary duty that was sent to Congress and was mandated under Section 913 of the Dodd-Frank Act, the SEC staff said "that if the Commission moves forward with the staff's recommendation to create a uniform fiduciary standard for retail customers when recommendations are made about securities that it be 'business neutral' so that we're not favoring a particular model—investment advisor, BD or a particular compensation structure—over another." Still, those in the advisory community argue that exactly how this business-model neutral approach is crafted will be crucial to determining whether the agency actually ends up putting brokers under a fiduciary mandate.
Despite being deluged with Dodd-Frank rulemakings and other priorities such as "a very big enforcement pipeline," oversight of the municipal securities markets and post flash-crash reforms, Schapiro said that she believes crafting a fiduciary duty rule for brokers is a "very important" priority for the agency.
"I don't know where the Commission will be on this" fiduciary rule, Schapiro told Investment Advisor. "I know that my personal view is that investors should not have to figure out based on the title on the business card of the person sitting in front of them what standard of care they are entitled to. The regulatory system should not put them in that position when [the advisor and the BD rep are] engaged in the exact same conduct."
Another priority for the commission, Schapiro said, is ensuring the agency can adequately examine the advisors it oversees. But even after the switching of advisors with between $25 million and $100 million in assets under management to state registration come July, Schapiro said the SEC will "absolutely not" be able to adequately examine advisors.
Despite the fact that 3,000 advisors previously registered with the SEC will be switching, she said, the SEC "will take on hedge funds and other private funds so the assets under management will actually increase and our responsibilities will be greater." Last year, she said, the SEC inspected 8% of advisors, "and one-third of advisors have never been examined by the SEC. My personal view is that's not sufficient; we need a much greater presence."
Said Schapiro, "I think we have to look at the option of an SRO." —Melanie Waddell
Mary Schapiro photographs taken by Drake Sorey for Investment Advisor.
Michael Kitces
One of the original founders of NextGen, 34-year-old Michael Kitces, partner and director of research at Pinnacle Advisory Group in Columbia, Md., and publisher of The Kitces Report and the blog Nerd's Eye View, says that over the next year or so, advisors will continue to struggle with the "really difficult market environment." Kitces says he worries that advisors are in danger of experiencing what he calls the "three strikes and you're out" risk, which is the real possibility that "if clients have to go through a third bear market in just over a decade, advisors are going to start losing clients."
Advisors and their clients "weathered the storm from 2000 to 2002 and then another [bear market] from 2008 to 2009, but there comes a point where clients start to capitulate," Kitces says. —MW
Richard Lampen
A person could be forgiven for not immediately connecting Ladenburg Thalmann to the independent space; the firm's sea change in strategy occurred only a few years ago, after all. Even so, their outsized impact is already being felt.
"We feel very good about our decision in 2007 to focus on the independent broker and advisor spaces," Richard (Dick) Lampen, president and CEO of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services, explains. However, Lampen stresses that the firm is "keeping our foot on the investment side of the business" as well. It's a boost to business when times are good, he notes, but the firm no longer has to "depend on the vagaries of the capital markets."
"The greatest potential for growth in financial services is on the independent side," Lampen adds. —JS
Robert Pozen
As chairman emeritus of MFS Investment Management, Robert Pozen used his bully pulpit to argue for Social Security reform and the protection of Americans' retirement assets. Since stepping down from that role, he relies on his reputation in the retirement industry to champion auto-enrollment and criticize target-date funds.
"I'm for automatic enrollment because it gets people into a retirement program, but I'm not in favor of lifestyle funds," says Pozen in an interview with Investment Advisor after getting tapped for the IA 25 for the second year in a row. "Most people don't understand them and think that they're being effectively guaranteed not to lose money in the last 10 years of their life, which is clearly untrue."
—Joyce Hanson
Tom Nally
Having spent nearly 20 years serving RIAs at TD Ameritrade, Tom Nally is ready to face what may be his greatest challenge—assuming the role of TD Ameritrade Institutional president that his storied successor, Tom Bradley, left behind in February. He and Bradley worked closely together for years, and Nally has been responsible for trading, fixed income, advisor relations, customer service, technology, account services and operations for more than 4,000 independent RIAs who custody assets with TDAI.
"In working with Tom in this organization for a long time, we definitely have a lot of similarities," Nally says. "We both place emphasis on the culture here and building strong teams and making sure that we're always putting the client first." —JH
Allen Stanford and Jon Corzine
Allen Stanford and Jon Corzine: two names that have come to occupy the same sullied space as Bernie Madoff. While the calamities that both Stanford, (far left), and Corzine, (left), oversaw didn't reach quite those staggering proportions, their actions have not only forced regulators to police the financial services industry with more zeal, but has lawmakers scrutinizing regulators' lax oversight of the industry.
Stanford was convicted in early March of running a $7 billion Ponzi scheme. He was found guilty on 13 counts of a 14-count criminal indictment, including fraud, conspiracy and obstructing an SEC investigation. He was found not guilty on one count of wire fraud.
No formal charges have been levied against Corzine, but he's apologized to congressional committees for MF Global's failure and for the nearly $1.2 billion in client funds that went missing. "I simply do not know where the money is," Corzine has told lawmakers. —MW
Phyllis Borzi
The date for unveiling a redraft of the Department of Labor's proposed rule redefining the definition of fiduciary under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act is drawing closer. As it approaches, Phyllis Borzi says DOL will not be granting the brokerage industry's wish of releasing a rule that mirrors the fiduciary rule being crafted by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Borzi, assistant secretary of the DOL's Employee Benefits Security Administration and chief architect of the fiduciary redraft, told Investment Advisor in an exclusive interview in mid-March that while brokerage industry trade groups have been prodding the DOL and SEC to collaborate on their fiduciary rules so that they end up with "one fiduciary standard," having identical rules just isn't possible.
The DOL and SEC follow "two separate statutes that are so very different," Borzi told Investment Advisor. "The securities laws are based on a disclosure model; ERISA is not. Often disclosure is part of what we might require in our prohibited transaction exemptions, but [ERISA] is a flat out prohibition against conflicts of interest," she says, "in part because Congress viewed retirement assets as special from other kind of savings."
Said Borzi: "Even if the SEC and DOL collaborated on the same definition of fiduciary, it wouldn't really get [the brokerage industry] what they want, which is a single set of rules, because even if the same people were defined as fiduciaries, the rules that they would be subject to as fiduciaries in the two different statutory schemes would be so very different."
However, while the two agencies' rules "can't be identical," she says, "they can be consistent and compatible." Borzi adds that the SEC's drafting of a rule to put brokers under a fiduciary mandate and DOL's fiduciary rule do share a "primary commonality," which is "to be clearer as to who is a fiduciary under their respective statutes and what [those fiduciaries'] rights and responsibilities are."
When the EBSA does reissue its proposal, which Borzi has said would come in the first half of this year, it will come in three parts: the regulation itself; the economic analysis (which will include data on individual retirement accounts); and all of EBSA's prohibited transaction amendments to existing exemptions as well as new amendments.
The set of prohibited transaction exemptions will address 12(b)-1 fees, revenue sharing and principal trading. Borzi said the rule will also address rollovers.
While reluctant to specify an exact date on the reproposal's release, Borzi says that EBSA is "working and moving forward and are in pretty good shape with our economic analysis," an area where she says EBSA has been collaborating with SEC economists.
That economic analysis will include data on the costs of applying a fiduciary standard to IRA recommendations, which has been a controversial aspect of the rule. Since EBSA's attempts to secure data from the industry about the impact on IRA investors of conflicts of interest faced by brokers and advisors who advise on IRAs have failed, Borzi said the department is using "a wide variety of data sources" to compile its cost/benefit analysis on IRAs.
Borzi says she remains "puzzled" as to why the industry trade groups failed to provide EBSA with "data at the individual level on IRAs" to help in the department's cost/benefit analysis when it was precisely the information those same trade groups told her EBSA would need.
As for those who worry the rule will be skewed in favor of fee-based advice, Borzi pledges that the rule will "not tilt toward one business model." The rule, she says, "will simply say what we've been saying from the beginning: You need to not give conflicted advice." —Melanie Waddell
Phyllis Borzi photographs taken by David Johnson for Investment Advisor.
Joshua Brown
Joshua Brown, the bomb thrower behind the blog The Reformed Broker, has always had his eye on the financial services industry.
"In the mid to late '90s, everyone was becoming a broker," he recalls. "It was pretty much the only thing that I wanted to do." Now Brown is a blogger, an author and a vice president of investments at Fusion Analytics in New York.
"I was blogging before there were blogs," Brown says of his early days. Every morning, he would clip articles out of newspapers to share with his clients, but as his practice grew, the number of clients—not to mention the "cataclysmic events" of 2008—became too great to keep up that kind of effort, so Brown set up a WordPress account and started blogging.
Advisors were the first to take notice. "They think I was extremely honest and raw at a very difficult time for people who are in the industry," Brown says. The response has been "overwhelmingly positive," he adds. "The things that I'm saying are the things that all brokers and advisors think, but would never say out loud. When they see someone like me that's one of them say it, people freak out." —DA
Jud Bergman
Our June 2011 cover story on Envestnet suggested the company stood squarely at the crossroads of the main issues facing advisors today. As the visionary positioning Envestnet at those crossroads, Jud Bergman is highly qualified to be a member of the 2012 IA 25.
Since then, Bergman and Envestnet have not been complacent. Over the past six months the Chicago-based company has acquired or announced the acquisitions of FundQuest, Tamarac and Prima Capital. In its 2011 Q4 earnings, the company reported a 33% increase in revenue from AUM. That's much greater growth than mere market appreciation, and suggests that Envestnet is broadening its revenue base well beyond its roots.
Envestnet's strategic growth hasn't happened by chance. Adding FundQuest, Tamarac and Prima to the fold were not AUM plays or ways to remove competitors from the field: They were, and likely will be, accretive in the broadest sense. However, in addition to financially accretive acquisitions are ones that Bergman calls "value accretive," in which acquisitions include technology or products that can enhance Envestnet's existing platform. —JG
Jud Bergman photographs taken by Tom McKenzie for Investment Advisor.
Julie Littlechild
The IA 25 is decided each year by the editors of Investment Advisor, and most of the candidates are championed by editors who descry the influence of said candidate from their own perspective. But others are determined by popular acclaim; Julie Littlechild, president and founder of Advisor Impact, is such a member of the 2012 IA 25. Nobody understands better how advisors interact with clients than does Julie Littlechild.
What Littlechild does in her dispassionate researcher's way is to point out that advisors may not actually know their clients as well as they think; that there are, as she says, "perception gaps" between advisors and their clients.
Beyond discerning those gaps, Littlechild is at least as interested in finding out how to close them. What are the drivers of client engagement, she wonders, and by asking the right questions, she can find the answers. By improving client engagement, you'll not only retain that client and get referrals, but you'll be on the path to honing a client list that matches your skills and values.
Julie Littlechild's research is helping to push the practice of financial planning squarely into its future as a profession. —JG
Mario Draghi
Depending on who you talk to, Mario Draghi is either a demon or the savior of Europe.
What seems clear, however, is that Draghi's leadership at the European Central Bank has averted a much more serious disaster on the Continent. Yes, he did it by printing more euros, but can you say "quantitative easing?"
Draghi is an economist and former head of the Italian central bank, but he is also much respected as chairman of the Financial Stability Board.
The ECB improved liquidity by pushing out about 1 trillion euros-worth of three-year loans as part of its Long-Term Refinancing Operations (LTROs), which helped stabilize European banks by allowing them to refinance their debt with cheaper cash. Some of the now stronger European banks have signaled they may repay those ECB loans early, yet another healthy sign of stabilization.
The LTRO scheme showed Draghi's ingenuity and diplomatic expertise, both of which will be necessary as Europe drifts into what now looks like a mild recession followed by recovery, but with a stronger banking sector. That's good for Europe and good for us here in the United States. —JG
Mark Tibergien
Mark Tibergien has been on the IA 25 every year since the list has been published, and his insight and passion hasn't abated over those years. He's as influential as ever in both his leadership at Pershing and in urging advisors to run their practices like businesses.
In addition to Pershing Advisor Solutions' growth among high-end RIAs in the United States, PAS is now a growing presence in the U.K., where changing regulation is helping to create an environment in which independent advisors can thrive.
But perhaps the greatest and most appropriate testament to Tibergien's influence is his impact on the people who work with him now and those who used to work with him.
At Pershing, if you speak to any of the executives who run customer service or practice management or technology, at some point they'll mention Tibergien as the practical visionary behind their striving for success. He likes to say that "culture is what people do when the boss isn't around," and at Pershing those people have internalized the vision, embraced the measurement and are living the culture. That's the definition of influence. —JG
Xi Jinping
Not familiar with Mr. Xi? You will be, for this fall, at the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Xi Jinping is likely to become the new leader of the country with the second largest economy in the world.
While predicting changes in the Chinese leadership can be difficult, we know that the new leadership will be steering a ship of state that has unprecedented economic might and growing military strength.
So who is this man who will be overseeing this economic giant? Xi, 58, is the son of one of Mao's most trusted guerrilla leaders who later was ousted from power. Xi himself was re-educated as a teenager during the Cultural Revolution and later studied both chemical engineering and law. Mostly, though, Xi is a politician with experience running all different levels of government in China, and as the "first among equals" of the nine-member Politburo, his political skills will be put to the test.
By all measures a cautious man, it's likely he will be a pragmatic leader who nevertheless will be tested by China's many internal and external challenges. —JG
Dr. Kent Smetters
A good argument could be made for excluding Wharton professor Kent Smetters from the IA 25. He's responsible for an online service called Veritat Advisors that provides goal-based financial planning to middle-class clients, something that would seem to spell doom for the advisory business.
Veritat offers advice for $40 a month per family after a $250 initial planning fee, and clients themselves input the data while the website creates and manages the plan. But Smetters says advisors are essential to his startup, and he means to help them get more face time with clients.
"A lot of websites have tried to get rid of the advisor, and we know that doesn't work," says the 44-year-old Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University. "Money is a very emotional issue, and that's where you need the human touch."
Veritat's RIA had less than 100 advisors as of early spring, but it keeps bringing on more advisors and targets adding several dozen a month.
"There's a huge blue ocean out there right now in terms of the middle class," Smetters says. "Veritat is honest, it's affordable, it's comprehensive, and it also empowers advisors." —JH
Larry Roth
"We are absolutely committed to redefining what open architecture means," Larry Roth explains in his no-nonsense style. "We've trademarked 'All Ways Open Architecture' and have built a platform that lets advisors grow their businesses in the way that suits them best."
Once written off as just another victim of Wall Street headline risk, the CEO of Advisor Group proved detractors wrong, steering the three BDs for which he's responsible through arguably the toughest business cycle in our nation's history—and that's no hyperbole.
Roth is taking a leadership position not only at his own firm, but in the industry as a whole through his involvement with FSI, where he is the advocacy organization's vice chair in 2012. He wants a seat at the table during the rebuild, an indication that he's focused squarely on the future of the advisor business.
Echoing the enthusiasm he shared with us late last year (see "Retirement Reset," IA, December 2011), Roth concludes, "This is a great time for advisors. I haven't been this excited since 2007. We want advisors to focus on their businesses and focus on their clients and leave the headaches to us." —JS
Larry Roth photographs taken by David Johnson for Investment Advisor.


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Show off your phone in style with a hand-made AAA Curly Hawaiian Koa Protective Phone Case made by Thalia in California.
Bought the Purpleheart and Mother of Pearl Dove phone case for my wife...she absolutely loves it. The wood colouration is fabulous and the Mother of Pearly inlay dove is perfect!
I ordered the Black Ebony with Hawaiian Koa OM inlay for my Galaxy S9...it's beautiful! Not sure how resilient it's going to be though, the Ebony has bulged and developed a crack between the inlay and the camera lens. It still looks great and I'll keep it on the phone for as long as it lasts...
My Thalia story starts with buying a set of Thalia picks. They helped my recently purchased Taylor 714CE sound even better. Then I saw the Santos Rosewood capo in B-Stock. I picked that up along with another set of picks (cross engraved w/ matching tin). Shortly after that, they introduced their line of phone cases and they had Santos Rosewood with Hawaiian Koa inlay engraved that matched my 714. I had to have it. It showed up quickly, looked fantastic, and fit my iPhone perfectly. Fast forward 14 months. After steady use, the rubber bezel became disconnected from the back and the rubber started to stretch. It needed to be replaced. I was looking at the Thalia website with the plan of purchasing another one. I read about their "Lifetime Guarantee" and thought "What would it hurt to inquire about it?". I got in contact with Gareth and he apologized for the adhesive failure and said they would replace it. He simply asked that I send him pictures of the case. I emailed the pictures and sure enough, I got a brand new case in the mail. In this day and age of buyer beware and throw-away mentality, it is so refreshing to see a company produce a quality product and BACK IT UP. Promise made, promise kept. Thanks Gareth and Thalia. You have a customer for life.


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Danny Worth has only been in the Majors for two seasons, but has shown a lot of promise. He's a player to watch in the years to come. Worth–current third baseman for the Detroit Tigers–took the time recently to answer some of my questions:
1.) At what age did you first become interested in baseball?
I started playing at the age of 5. I became interested in becoming pro when I was 12. Baseball was always my first love growing up.
2.) Did you play any other sports growing up?
I played all major sports growing up until I was 14. Played baseball year round from the age of 9-on.
3.) Describe what your Major League debut was like.
My ML debut was everything I expected it to be and more. It was an unreal feeling when my major goal in life was accomplished. I loved it.
4.) What pitch do you find hardest to hit?
The pitch I find hardest to hit would be a couple: backdoor curve from LHP, and a backdoor sinker from a RHP.
5.) How different were the play offs from regular season ball?
The playoff atmosphere was a lot of fun to be apart of. The players keep it the same more or less, but the fans bring a lot more intensity.
6.) Favorite food?
A nice filet mignon, medium rare.
7.) Favorite sport besides baseball?
8.) Favorite T.V. show?
All time- Seinfeld. Right now- Survivor.
9.) Favorite shoe brand?


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The automated information services system with voice recognition capability reduced incoming calls to the Stanislaus County Jail by 80 percent.
In many county jails, deputy sheriffs are tasked with fielding incoming calls from the public with questions about a particular inmate.
That was the case at the jail in Stanislaus County, Calif. Before last year, a deputy sheriff spent countless hours responding to callers asking many of the same kinds of questions: Who is in custody? What are the detainee's charges? What is the bond amount?
Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson said the calls overwhelmed the deputy sheriff to the point that he couldn't do much else other than answer calls, manually searching the jail's computer database for inmate case information.
"I thought, how inefficient this is that I've got a full-time deputy sheriff that's doing nothing but answering the phone," Christianson said.
At the time, roughly 80 percent of calls to the county jail's control center were questions about inmates. To reduce that call flow, the county jail looked to an automated information services (AIS) system with voice recognition capability. The new system was implemented last December.
Now, when callers dial into the jail's phone system, they are prompted to answer a question about the nature of their call. Callers seeking inmate or case information are redirected using voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) technology in the cloud to an AIS platform, hosted by Telerus.
Once redirected, callers simply speak the name of the inmate and the automated system pulls up case information using a continuous data feed from the facility's jail management system, imported into the AIS. Callers then select the information they are seeking about the inmate. Christianson said that in a county jail environment, voice recognition technology provides more streamlined service than dialing in inmate names using a touch-tone process.
Nearly eight months into using the new system, the Stanislaus County jail has reduced incoming call load to the facility's control center by 80 percent, freeing up staff time for deputies to do other work. The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department also provides a website called Who's in Jail? to help individuals access case information on inmates.
"Effectively offloading tasks like these has enabled deputies to better concentrate on their primary duties without the incessant ringing of the phone," said Sgt. Chad Blake, in a statement. "The workplace efficiency gains have been significant."
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Resource-efficient universal machine
With its skeleton-free processing, the TruPunch 3000 saves material. Its well thought-out automation provides you with the highest level of convenience. Due to the electric punching head, you can punch with an average power input of only 5.6 kW.
With its electric punching head and an average power input of 5.6 kW, it is very energy efficient.
Due to the descending die, sheets of up to 0.25 in. can be processed to a high quality with minimal scratching.
The SheetMaster loads and unloads your punching machine and can optionally be equipped with an integrated tool magazine.
The SortMaster Box Linear sorts small parts that fall through the part removal flap into up to four boxes.
At TRUMPF you get top quality punching tools for creating threads or bends in your parts, for example.
Skeleton-free processing saves material and increases process safety.
Electronic component
Produce with flexibility using tools for every application, for example, flanges, cups, roller folding. For this component, the following tools were used: step tool, bracket tool, cup tool rectangular and round, offset roller tool, and pinching roller tool.
With the largest tool range in the world, the machine offers the highest level of processing flexibility. For this workpiece, the following tools were used: roller beading tool, MultiCut tool, cup tool, and roller offsetting tool.
Using the MultiBend tool, you can produce 90° bends in a variety of lengths. For this workpiece, the following tools were used amongst others: MultiBend, extrusion tool, tapping tool, cup tool, and bridge tool.
Embossing of numbers and letters
You can mark parts with flexibility, including the widest range of letters and numbers, using the embossing tool.
TruPunch 3000 medium format
TruPunch 3000 large format
|6500 mm 1
|7200 mm 1
|6203 mm 1
|6992 mm 1
|2252 mm 1
|2252 mm 1
|Maximum stroke rate
|Punching (E = 1 mm)
|1000 1/min
|800 1/min
|2500 1/min
|2500 1/min
|Working range
|Punching mode, X axis
|2500 mm
|3050 mm
|Punching mode, Y axis
|1250 mm
|1525 mm
|Maximum sheet thickness
|6.4 mm
|6.4 mm
|Maximum workpiece weight
|160 kg
|230 kg
|Maximum punching force
|180 kN
|180 kN
|MultiTool tool changing time
|0.3 s
|0.3 s
|Number of tools/clamps
|18 pieces / 2 pieces
|21 pieces / 3 pieces
|Part removal
|Maximum part size, part removal flap, punching
|500 mm x 500 mm
|500 mm x 500 mm
|Maximum part size, fixed chute, punching (with moving table)
|80 mm x 50 mm
|80 mm x 50 mm
|Consumption values
|Average power input of active auto-shutdown
|0.3 kW
|0.3 kW
|Average power input in production
|5.6 kW
|5.6 kW
The technical data of all product versions as a download.
With the TruPunch 3000, you are not only manufacturing in a particularly resource-efficient and flexible way, but also to the highest quality. Innovative functions guarantee the best processing results.
Brush tables are available for gentle material handling.
The descending die enables low-scratch punching and forming processes and prevents the risk of things getting caught.
With the parts conveyor belt, you eject punching parts in a process-reliable way.
TRUMPF is the first manufacturer worldwide to offer punching machines with skeleton-free processing. This innovation saves material and increases process safety.
The core element of the smart functions is to enable the machine to detect problems itself and to sometimes even solve them itself. Before the tool change, smart punch monitoring checks whether a hole was actually punched into the sheet. In this way, the machine detects at an early stage when punches are broken, and can pass this information on to the operator.
The repositioning cylinder securely holds the sheet in place during repositioning.
TruTops Boost
Construct and program your laser, punching, and combination punch laser machines intelligently with TruTops Boost, your all-in-one 3D solution. Numerous automated processes save you time-consuming routine processes and the joint nesting pool saves time and material. You also always have an overview of all manufacturing orders and order-based work.
The extensive range of TruTops software supports you throughout the entire production process. Control your operational workflow in a simple and targeted manner, from managing your customer orders and purchasing processes to delivery of the produced parts. Through the direct coupling with the machine control, you can keep a constant eye on the status of your orders.
With the MultiBend Extended, you can create different bending lengths and heights in just one stroke. As a result, you can bend parts up to 90° and a length of 3.5 in. directly on your machine.
Produce threads on the punching machine using a chipless procedure. Due to the complete processing on one machine, you can reduce your part costs.
You can emboss the entire alphabet, all digits, and many special characters with just one tool.
TRUMPF offers the world's largest range of punching tools on the market. You will find the perfect solution for every punching and forming application.
Numerous automated solutions enable you to use the TruPunch 3000 in multiple-shift operation, as well as during the night and on the weekend.
Loading, unloading, and sorting
The SheetMaster guarantees fast and process-reliable loading, unloading, unstacking, and sorting.
Loading and unloading
The SheetMaster Compact is the space-saving and affordable entry level solution for the automation of your TruPunch 3000. It takes over the loading of sheets as well as the unloading of microjoint sheets and scrap skeletons.
The SortMaster Box Linear guarantees the low-scratch sorting of finished parts in containers which can be moved linearly.
The DisposeMaster ensures convenient scrap handling. It sorts shredded scrap skeletons and punching slugs according to material type.
This product range and information may vary depending on the country. Subject to changes to technology, equipment, price, and range of accessories. Please get in touch with your local contact person to find out whether the product is available in your country.Footnotes
- The dimensions are approximate; the dimensions specified in the installation plan are valid.


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has anybody seen this already?silly me. I mean does this mean something?
Quote from: Dragonite02 on April 27, 2011, 08:02:31 AMhas anybody seen this already?silly me. I mean does this mean something? i fixed it. where or when was this clip taken? insights?
Foliage makes me think RIO.
Who's rewatchimg ep 6??
Thanks Phat!!Who's rewatchimg ep 6??
I got that from episode 9, when they were riding the train and kisha was trying to put her leg on big easy i think.
The general consensus is; Gary already knew the right number and Herb just confirmed it. Gary probably would have shared the number with Jet. The other teams didn't use the U-Turn because they knew multiple teams were behind them. The Trotters used it because they knew the Cowboys had the ability to beat them, they were too close for comfort. The Cowboys were good and yes everyone was aware of it but I don't think anyone, maybe with the exception of KENT and Vxysin, had it out for them.
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Cyberbusting security firm, Kaspersky Lab, has discovered a previously unknown and potent cyberweapon it believes has been pilfering large amounts of data from diplomatic and government agencies in former Soviet republics, Eastern Europe and Central Asia since 2007.
After a remarkable run uncovering shady cyberweapons in the last two years, the recent discovery of 'Red October'(or 'Rocra' for short) looks like another example of 'gotcha' for the Russian firm.
The choice of name (after Tom Clancy's Reagan-era Cold War novel) is a dramatic device that doesn't look entirely out of place when you read Kaspersky's evidence.
First, Red October is modular (30 in total), reasonably complex in design (1,000 files with 115 creation dates in just over 2 years), targets multiple environments (several mobile platforms as well as PCs), and had a command and control network that ran to 60 domains, all elements that strongly point to this being a cyberweapon and not a criminal enterprise.
Although small-scale, it also evaded detection since at least 2007, a run of good luck that means its code wasn't related to commercial malware and which would have seen it picked up by antivirus software long ago.
The biggest giveaway looks like the data it was trying to steal, including a long list of data types but also something called 'Acid Cryptofiler', a secure format Kaspersky said has been used by the EU and NATO since as recently as 2011. When it stole credentials these were re-used in later attacks.
The malware reached its targets using phishing attacks via email, hitting software vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office and Excel.
The 300 or so victims found include a wide list of countries; North America, Europe, but mainly Eastern Europe and former Soviet republics - 35 infections were detected in the Russian Federation alone.
There were signs of haste, or adaptability, depending on how you interpret it. Red October's attackers had re-used exploit code hitting one a software vulnerability using code that had Chinese origins. Given that this was publically known, this might be seen as risking exposure.
That is not old-school NSA; these guys were sometimes in a hurry to get their work done.
Evidence of complexity? Apart from the sheer scale and ambition of this malware, it used some very odd tactics such as having a 'resurrection' mode that allowed the attackers to turn the malware back on using a crafted Adobe or Office document should the original malware be discovered or its exploits patched.
If it barks like a cyberweapon, it's generally a cyberweapon. So who might be behind Red October and with what political motivation?
Kaspersky drops a few hints, starting with the malware's name in its antivirus database, Backdoor.Win32.Sputnik, and perhaps its Red October nickname of course (the metaphor of a rogue Soviet submarine is illuminating). There were also clues that its creators spoke Russian.
That narrows it down to native Russians or, more remotely, Russian-speaking immigrant Jews somewhere like Israel. Whoever built this software wanted to keep long-term tabs on the military-governmental complex in countries once allied to Russia and their often new allies across the globe.
"Once again, it [Red October] raises the question around what else is already out there that we are not aware of," commented Jarno Limnell of Finnish security specialist Stonesoft.
"Red October" is also a good example of how much activity is happening on a daily basis in the cyber world. It is reminiscent of the way spies used to work during the Cold War. Here is a sophisticated attack that has infiltrated security systems without detection, which then sat there silently, working away and sending back all kinds of valuable intelligence to its controllers," he said.
"Cyber has been established as the new battlefield and governments, NGOs and commercial organisations need to recognise that, attacks like "Red October", are becoming the new norm. With regards to cyber-espionage; everybody is doing it. The question is, who is doing it in the best way?"
This is the immense power of cyberweapons, which could also be described as information-gathering systems used for political ends. They can trace the intricate web of relationships and exchanges made between countries that would be impossible using visible evidence alone.
Where the bits and bytes go, so money, goods, services and people and power follow. Where these flows end up, the cyberspooks gravitate towards. They are glamorous for now but also dispassionate.
My enemies' friends are my enemies too. But they are also my economic partners so the world isn't ever as simple as the maxims suggest. Better to watch everyone even if they are staring back just as intently.


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Did you buy a new PC recently? Perhaps you are hopping on the Windows 8 bandwagon and have got yourself a new touchscreen PC? Do you use SkyDrive, and more specifically the SkyDrive (desktop) application? Do you have a PC with sync-ed SkyDrive application and a USB drive? Read on for a tip that may save you time and money.
Ed: I explain the following for a Windows PC, but it should be applicable for Macs as well.
If you use the SkyDrive service and have a lot of data stored there, you will notice it will take a lot of time to complete the initial sync when you install it on a new PC. Not just that, if you have 10-15GB of data stored there like I do, it will also chew up your data quota very quickly which would be a problem on networks with data caps.
I was recently in that position and I did the following to bypass the initial sync. Hope this helps.
Install the SkyDrive desktop app on the new PC: As usual, just go to SkyDrive.com and get the desktop app and installed it. Make a note of the designated SkyDrive folder. This is usually C:\Users\<username>\SkyDrive.
As soon as the installation completes, go to the system tray and exit the SkyDrive app by right-clicking and clicking Exit.
Then, on the other PC/Mac with sync-ed SkyDrive app, insert the USB drive and copy the contents of the entire folder except the ".lock" file to the USB drive.
After the copy task completes, attach the USB drive to the new PC and copy the entire contents from the USB drive to the newly installed SkyDrive folder location.
Once that copy task is done, you can restart SkyDrive app on the new PC by going to Start and entering "SkyDrive". The application will take a few seconds to sync up and will notify you that it is up to date.
That's it. Time as well as precious bandwidth saved.


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History, music, outdoor sports and horseracing!
Winter's wonderful in this eclectic region! From Albany's cobblestone streets to Saratoga's Victorian charm, cities glow with celebrations of art, history, music and fine food. Picturesque villages are surrounded by glistening forests and snow-covered hills. Many lakes, including the Great Sacandaga, offer skating, ice-fishing contests, winter fireworks displays, and other special events throughout the season.
Three ski mountains-Maple Ridge, Royal Mountain and Willard Mountain- boast a variety of trails and terrain parks, from novice to challenging. Cross-country skiers find unique paths, from unspoiled wilderness to a national historical park. Après ski, you can stay at a cozy B&B, historic country inn, or a grand hotel with a soothing spa.
A. Albany
Begin with a tour of the magnificent New York State Capitol, adjacent to the Empire State Plaza. The Plaza houses a world-class modern art collection, 42nd-floor observation deck, the Egg Performing Arts Center, and the NY State Museum, where kids (and you!) can ride a full-size indoor carousel.
This season's entertainment at The Egg runs from The Temptations in December, to Zappa Plays Zappa in February, and the sweet Carolina Chocolate Drops in April.
Shows at the majestic Palace Theatre range from holiday favorites to Disney Live! in March. The resident Albany Symphony is one of the nation's great orchestras.
Nearby, tours and tasting at the Albany Distilling Company reveal the process of creating their 19th- and early 20th-century style rums and whiskeys.
On Sage College's campus, the Opalka Gallery presents works by prominent professional artists, artist talks and performances.
B. Vorheesville
Just west of Albany, the Emma Treadwell Thacher Nature Center was voted #1 of 20 top places to take kids in the Capital District. Hands-on exhibits include a live honeybee observation hive, bird viewing area, fossils and furs. Follow woodland trails for winter hiking, skiing, wildlife watching and ice-fishing at Thompson's Lake.
C. Troy
Head northeast across the Hudson River to this historic city known for its Victorian architecture, antique shops and Tiffany windows. The 1875 Troy Music Hall attracts world-class musicians, from Rosanne Cash, in December, to Hilary Hahn in April.
The menu at Brown's Brewing Company's River Street Taproom compliments the ales and lagers brewed on site. The new Malt Room, a speakeasy-style bar in the basement, serves Brown's beer, scotches, bourbons and a tapas menu of local bread and cheeses and cold plates.
D. East Postenkill
Just east, miles of groomed trails await you at Pineridge Cross Country Ski Area. This wonderland of snow-laden evergreens also has unique skating trails and lighted trails for night-skiing and moonlight snowshoeing.
E. Cherry Plain
Nearby Mattison Hollow, an historic country inn surrounded by thousands of acres of woodlands, is secluded, yet close to cultural and recreational activities.
F. Cambridge
Due north, this quaint village sparkles amid rural winter landscapes and covered bridges. Explore Main Street's shops, galleries, restaurants and Hubbard Hall, a restored 1878 opera house. Acclaimed theater includes the Mo and Shirley Show, in January, and Shakespeare's King Lear in February.
Just outside the village, nuns at New Skete Monasteries sell their famous cheesecakes!
G. Greenwich
Nearby at Willard Mountain, trails range from the Bunny Hop to the challenging Cutoff. The Terrain Park has bumps, jumps, rails and funboxes to hone your freestyle skills. Willard's snowtubing park has its own cozy lodge.
H. Granville
Travel north to the Slate Valley Museum, celebrating the history of quarrying with a mix of paintings, sculpture, photographs and special events. Learn about the immigrants who came to work in the slate quarries through folk art, artifacts and tales that weave together religion, tradition, language and politics.
Nearby you can stay at the 1906 Sheldon Mansion, constructed of rare red slate by a wealthy slate baron. Restored to its original grandeur, the mansion and 10-acre estate offer luxuries of a bygone era, like breakfast in the solarium with sweeping mountain views. It's a short walk to shops, restaurants and museums in the historic village.
I. Great Sacandaga Lake
Head southwest to the 29-mile-long Great Sacandaga Lake. Along with family-friendly ice-fishing contests and winter fireworks shows, there are Snowmobile Fun Runs every Saturday from January to March. The website has details on "Great" events all season.
J. Saratoga Springs
Head east to watch live harness racing from the indoor lounge at Saratoga Casino & Raceway. There's also gaming machines, restaurants, and a nightclub hosting great local party bands and top celebrities.
Cultural treasures in Saratoga Spa State Park include unique museums celebrating automobiles, dance and horseracing.
The winter line-up at the Spa Little Theater runs from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, in December, to Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution in February, and Boeing Boeing in April.
A drive along the stately Avenue of the Pines gives you a glimpse of the tranquil elegance that awaits you at the Gideon Putnam Resort & Spa. Across the lawn, the Roosevelt Baths & Spa offers bubbling mineral baths.
During the holiday season, families cozy-up in festively-decorated vintage cars, aboard the Saratoga & North Creek Railway's Polar Express-which rolls out of Saratoga station bound for the "North Pole!"
K. Schenectady
Complete the itinerary's loop by heading south to Schenectady. Take in a performance at Proctor's Theater, a majestic Vaudeville-era palace that dazzles with its grandness as well as its full schedule. Show include traveling Broadway hits, musicals, pop and classical music, dance and movies.
Just outside the city, Maple Ski Ridge has terrain ideal for family fun and beginners of all ages. Along with great skiing and riding, Maple offers a ski school, rentals and lively events. No snow in your back yard? No worries. Snowmaking is big here.
For more ideas and information, see the Capital-Saratoga Regional Tourism website.


text: Amplified Speaker Packages OEM Speaker Replacement Kits 1989 Buick Century Car Audio Upgrades The 1989 Buick Century is the model name used by Buick for a line of upscale performance cars from 1936 to 1942 and 1954 to 1958, and from 1973 to 2005 for a mid-size car. Here at HifiSoundConnection.com we have a wide selection of 1989 Buick Century Car Audio Upgrades. These Car Audio Upgrades are made from top of the line materials by the most trusted names in the industry. Purchase your 1989 Buick Century here at HiFiSoundConnection.com for big savings and super low prices!


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Research Disclosure establishes an invention as prior art preventing others from patenting the idea
Research Disclosure has been successfully cited in court cases around the world.
Order past editions of the paper journal or a single disclosure.
Research Disclosure launched in 1960 is operated by Questel Ireland Ltd and is the industry standard defensive publication service. Over the last 50 years more than 600 editions of the Research Disclosure journal have been published, containing tens of thousands of technical disclosures from all areas of science and technology.Read more


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Hoping for Storms Tomorrow?
We did hear someone say that downtown was hoping for rain to keep the crowd size down and their prayers appear to be answered - although with Chicago weather, what they predict isn't what you get. Combined with the fact that rain keeps away the families and elderly that were expected to march, all you have left are the hard core types. We'll be keeping our ears to the radio all day.


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NEW YORK (AP) They don't award gold medals a quarter of the way into a race, but NBC is encouraged by how the public has responded so far to the Winter Olympics from South Korea.
NBC Sports Chairman Mark Lazarus said Tuesday that ratings are exceeding the targets NBC gave to its advertisers, enabling the network to sell even more advertising and make more money.
So far NBC says prime-time viewership is down from the Sochi Olympics in 2014 by 6 percent. But considering that most television shows have had an even steeper decline during that time period, those numbers can be seen as a victory.
Lazarus says viewership and digital consumption outside of prime-time in some cases is actually up from Sochi.


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$18.6M Donner Summit PUD wastewater facilities construction project under way
SODA SPRINGS, Calif. and#8212; Construction has begun on the Donner Summit Public Utility District Wastewater Facilities, officials announced Thursday.
The wastewater treatment plant is being significantly upgraded to meet requirements of the revised discharge permit issued by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Valley Region. The new permit, which goes into effect in April 2014, requires a higher level of treatment before effluent discharge into the Yuba River.
The primary changes to the plant include replacing chlorine gas disinfection with UV (ultraviolet) disinfection and tertiary treatment with membrane bioreactors (MBR). The new process will have a substantial positive effect on the environment by eliminating the presence of chlorine by-products. In addition, 10 acres of land will be added to the existing spray irrigation system to allow for effluent discharge in the spring and summer. Fall and winter discharges go to the Yuba River.
Tertiary MBR treatment allows wastewater plants to be configured to maximize nitrate and ammonia removal. During the winter months, new boilers and recirculation pumps will help keep the influent at a constant temperature which supports a healthy population of microbes living in the membrane bioreactors that digest the wastewater. There will also be a 700,000 equalization tank added to existing storage to help manage influent flow into the plant thus keeping it operating at an optimal level.
Details about all treatment options including MBR, increasing the flow equalization storage, dealing with extreme temperature fluctuations, effluent storage options to mitigate biostimulation and irrigation options are some of the many topics covered in the 414-page Facilities Plan.
Syblon Reid Contractors (srco.com) was awarded the $18.6 million construction contract scheduled to be completed at the end of 2014. Funding for the upgrades is provided by the Clean Water Revolving Fund and the USDA.
Visit DSPUD.com to download the facilities plan for free or call the office to order a copy on CD for a nominal fee.
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Colorful Fish
Posted on Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Labels: photographs
Eingestellt von Meeta K. Wolff Posted on Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Labels: photographs
2 comments:
Thank you for visiting What's For Lunch, Honey? and taking time to browse through my recipes, listen to my ramblings and enjoy my photographs. I appreciate all your comments, feedback and input. I will answer your questions to my best knowledge and respond to your comments as soon as possible.
In the meantime I hope you enjoy your stay here and that I was able to make this an experience for your senses.
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Four Kings (premiering tonight at 8:30 p.m. ET), the new NBC sitcom intended to help turn the network's re-engineered Thursday lineup (Will & Grace, Four Kings, My Name is Earl,The Office) into the "must-see TV" night of yore, is a charming anachronism: a well-written, multi-camera couch comedy with setups, punch lines, and a laugh track. Putting on this kind of show, and doing it well, is becoming a quaintly disappearing art form, like origami or scrimshaw. (CBS's underrated How I Met Your Motheris another recent example of the genre.) Tonight's Four Kings pilot was even directed by the Kurosawa of sitcoms, James Burrows, who cut his teeth on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and has since helmed countless episodes of The Bob Newhart Show, Cheers, Frasier, and Will & Grace.
ButFour Kings most closely resembles a more recent sitcom that was also often directed by Burrows: Friends. It's got the post-collegiate straight guys living together in an impossibly swanky Manhattan apartment—though in this case, the guys are without their gal equivalents across the hall. As in Friends, the vast gulf between income and real estate is explained by a plot device called "Grandma."* See, one of the guys' grandmothers (whose voice we overhear in an opening flashback) has just died, leaving her beloved grandson Ben (Josh Cooke) her vast apartment on the Upper West Side. (As a New Yorker just coming off a brutal housing search, I wanted to know more about this apartment: Classic six? Multistory? Doorman building? Unfortunately, the place is filmed in such conventional sitcom style that it could be the set from Roseanne, but with wainscoting.) The boys, best friends since childhood, even have a yuppie cafe that serves as their gathering place, like Friends' annoyingly named Central Perk (weren't they supposed to live in downtown Manhattan?)
We don't learn much about Ben and his roommates in the first few episodes, just enough to establish a rough typology: Ben is a freelance writer who's sensitive enough to get ribbed by his buddies for being too nice to women (though he's psyched to land an assignment at Maxim magazine.) Jason (Todd Grinnell) is a buttoned-up real estate developer who used to be a fat kid and is now obsessed with working out. Bobby (Shane McRae) is an affable stoner type whose greatest ambition is to sneak up on his roommates unawares and punch them in the chest. Seth Green (a familiar cult figure from the Austin Powers movies, Greg the Bunny, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer) plays Barry, a short redhead with an anger problem, sort of a cuter version of Danny Bonaduce.
Maybe my standards have just been systematically lowered by last season's grim crop of TV offerings, but I quite liked Four Kings. It's neither wildly innovative nor sidesplittingly funny, but it has a warm, cozy group vibe and no flagrant casting mishaps (unlike How I Met Your Mother, which boasts great quirky sidekicks but a terminally dull leading man). It also keeps the misogyny down to a gentle simmer, at least after the first episode. In tonight's pilot, Ben's girlfriend is depicted as a selfish shrew for wanting to share his swell new digs, while the guys' desire for the exact same thing is presented as pure, unsullied friendship.
The second episode, in which the newly single boys compete for female attention at a nightclub, allows the women characters to talk back, with a bitchy wit familiar from Will & Grace (created by the same production team, David Kohan and Max Mutchnick, who actually have been friends since boyhood). Will & Grace fans with lazy dispositions will probably leave the remote alone long enough to give Four Kings a chance at survival. Whether that same audience will stick around for the far edgier Earl/Office time bloc is another question.
Correction, Jan. 6, 2006: This story originally and incorrectly implied that Friends offered no explanation for why Monica and friends lived in such a large apartment. In fact, it was Monica and Ross' grandmother's rent-controlled apartment. (Return to the corrected sentence.)


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Tag: crochet skirt
1 Post
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Everyday craft inspirations
Crochet Stories and Yarns
Handmade Knit & Crochet Creations
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My life with crafts, books, cooking and beyond!
"Fun, cute, whimsical and unique fiber arts patterns"
Handmade, Festive Adornments
on love, life, and crochet
Handmade, Festive Adornments
Look Elegant, Feel Elegant
Handmade, Festive Adornments
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My progress in learning about the art of making.
Handmade adorable creations that will (hopefully) take over the world!
Jamaican Author & Entrepreneur
Latinx, DIY, crafts and creative motivation by Kathy Cano-Murillo, The Crafty Chica.
Paradigm Shift, Mindfulness, and Personal Empowerment
Amigurumi designer as hobby
This WordPress.com site is the cat's pajamas
Design for the future
celebrate every tiny victory
Musings of an Australian living, travelling and crafting in Papua New Guinea
A hunting family sharing adventures in homemaking, parenthood, chicken keeping, and life on the Colorado High Plains
Life's too short to give up snacks
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An eclectic mix of things I make and love
my little corner in blogland
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The ski is the only limit, reach for it!!
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I make it. I blog it. You see it.
The things I'm passionate about.
crochet designer and YA author
Bloom where you're planted: crochet every day!
An international collective of felt and fiber artists
knitting, crochet, other string tricks, and forays into other creative endeavors
Crochet. Knit. Geek.
Knitting, crochet, running, and silliness.
Life and Creativity in the South of France
photography, poetry


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Developmental English
What you need to know
All developmental English courses are offered as ENF—also called English Fundamentals—and combine developmental writing and reading.
Here is how it works ...
Course name and structure:
- All courses use the ENF designation. Look for ENF 1, ENF 2 and ENF 3 in the schedule.
- ENF stands for English Fundamentals, which refers to courses that integrate reading and writing skills.
- Course structure:
ENF 1: Preparing for College English I (8 credits)
ENF 2: Preparing for College English II (4 credits)
ENF 3: Preparing for College English III (2 credits)
- If you place into ENF 1, you must co-enroll into SDV 100 (1 credit) for 9 credits total.
- If you place into ENF 3, you must co-enroll into ENG 111 (3 credits) for 5 credits total.
- Placement by the Virginia Placement test determines which ENF course you enroll in.
Quick Path to College-level Courses:
The ENF courses allow for a single semester path to college-level courses.
|If you have succesfully completed
|You are prepared for
|ENG 111* or ENG 115
|ENG 111* or ENG 115
|ENG 112 (if required)
*Faculty placement will determine whether or not you will need to co-enroll in ENF 3 with ENG 111.
Placing into ENF Courses:
The English department recommends that you take the Virginia Placement Test.
However, COMPASS scores taken in the past two years and SAT placements are also accepted. Talk to your advisor for more information on this.
For more information, contact your academic advisor or the Advising Center.


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Fresno State QB Derek Carr, the younger brother of New York Giants QB David Carr, nails a ridiculous shot on his first attempt in the family backyard over the Memorial Day weekend. You have to see it to believe it. The elder Carr filmed the whole thing.
Also, does Giants management (and their insurance company) know their player is climbing around on his roof during the offseason?


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The ideal Live Kit
The devolvement of the Live Custom Drums by Yamaha was done in collaboration with a number of sound engineers as well as endorsers. The result is a drum set which are tailored for performances on stage at live concerts - a dream come true for every sound engineer.
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The shells of the Live Custom Series are 10% thicker than the shells of the Oak Series, giving the Live Custom Drumsets additional power. With help from Yamaha's patented Air Sear System, the shells are perfectly round and tonally balanced delivering the perfect characteristics for Live situations. With relatively thick walls, the shells of the Toms as well as the Snare drum consist of 6 Oak layers and the Bass drum is made up of 8. A 45° bearing edge provides the optimal contact surface for the included Remo heads, while the 2.3mm Dyna Hoops with the sleek Absolute lugs make the tuning of the Live Custom drums especially easy, efficient and reliable.
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I go to Hamptons Gym Corp. in Southampton right by the Hampton Jitney headquarters pretty much every day to workout in an endless effort to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger—wait, strike that, I can't put him up on that pedestal anymore.
Anyway, in my effort to look like He-Man, I go to the gym and do weight training. I have a group of friends there who all end up at the gym around the same time that I do, and we like to talk a little bit about different ideas on how to get bigger.
Of course, steroids are off the table, but other than that, just about every supplement known to man is discussed among this group. One guy recommends using Iso-pure protein while anther recommends Muscle Milk. The debate goes on, and it gets pretty scientific as we all try to outsmart one another with what works and what doesn't. Of course, the biggest guy in the room will never fully reveal what he does to get big and cut—I just can't give away all my secrets. [expand]
Okay, in all seriousness, one of the subjects that came up was a relatively new group of supplements, or at least new to me, which are called pre-workout supplements. These are designed to be taken right before you workout, and the makers claim they will give you energy and focus during your workouts. Terms like "focus," "intensity," "pump" and "charged" are all thrown around on the labels of such products.
One of the guys at the gym highly recommended a product called Jack3d (yes, it is spelled like that) and I thought I'd give it a try. "What's in it?" I asked my gym buddy.
"It's got a bunch of stuff that really helps you focus," he said.
That's a bit of a vague answer, I thought. But I gave it a shot. After all, it's perfectly legal stuff and is sold by the caseloads out of GNCs across the country. It's probably no different than taking a vitamin. More psychological than anything else.
I was wrong.
I'm not kidding, I took this stuff and have never experienced a bigger energy rush in my life, and I'm a pretty serious coffee drinker. I worked out for two straight hours, weight lifting, jumping rope, hitting the punching bag, and the entire time I felt incredibly good and incredibly energized. I didn't feel sore, I felt great. I felt like I wanted to stay at the gym even longer, even after I was finished with a routine. If I stopped hitting the bag, I started doing curls, when I stopped that I moved on to something else. It was crazy. I genuinely could not believe how well this product worked, and I was kind of concerned about my actual health after drinking it.
When I got home, I was still wired and figured I'd start reading a book to try and relax. I couldn't sleep most of the night and it was obvious to me at that point that I had taken too much of this supplement. I went on the Internet and looked up the side effects of Jack3d, and then learned that this stuff can tend to keep you up due to the caffeine content in it as well as other stimulants. The ingredient list includes (Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate, Creatine Monohydrate, Beta Alanine, Caffeine, 1,3-Dimethylamylamine (Geranium [Stem]), Schizandrol A).
I didn't recognize any of these ingredients except caffeine.
I'll be fine, I thought.
Well, about 150 pages of the book The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo later, I was still up and still feeling like I couldn't get to sleep.
Work the next day was not pleasant. But I will say, I got one hell of a workout. [/expand]


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The University of Miami is losing three football scholarships and one basketball scholarship in each of the next three years as part of penalties issued in response to the Nevin Shapiro booster scandal, the NCAA said Tuesday.
The school will be on probation for three years and will face public reprimand and censure, the NCAA said in a 102-page report. The football team will be able to go to a bowl this season, after self-imposing a two-year bowl ban following the 2011 and 2012 seasons.
The sanctions stem from allegations that Miami failed to take action after Shapiro, a major donor to the university's athletics program, showered student-athletes with high-dollar gifts and luxury perks and paid for plane rides and hotel suites for prospective players. He also allegedly gave one student $50,000 to influence him to sign with a sports agency that he was an investor in, the NCAA said.
"The University of Miami lacked institutional control when it did not monitor the activities of a major booster, the men's basketball and football coaching staffs, student-athletes and prospects for a decade, according to findings by the Division I Committee on Infractions," the NCAA said in a statement.
Former men's basketball coach Frank Haith - now at Missouri - will miss the first five games of the Tigers' season and must appear at a rules seminar next year.
Miami will have some recruiting restrictions, as well. The football program has already reduced the number of paid visits and fall evaluations as part of the school's self-imposed sanctions, which included missing three postseason games.
"The University accepts the findings and the additional penalties as detailed in the Committee on Infractions report and will not appeal. The University is grateful to the Committee for a fair and thorough hearing," the school said in a statement Tuesday.
"The Committee on Infractions report closes a challenging chapter in the history of the University of Miami," President Donna Shalala said in a statement. "I am grateful to our coaches, staff, and student-athletes for their dedication to the University and to intercollegiate athletics. I also want to thank Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford for his steadfast support. Finally, I want to apologize to the Hurricane family, as we have asked for your patience, faith, and support during a difficult time. Thank you for standing with us."
Head Football Coach Al Golden, who was hired in December 2010, thanked athletes for standing by the university.
"I want to sincerely thank our student-athletes and their families who, not only stood with the University of Miami during this unprecedented challenge, but subsequently volunteered for the mission. They shouldered the burden, exhibited class and exemplified perseverance for Hurricanes everywhere," Golden said in a statement. "It is with gratitude and humility that I say thank you to our administration, U Family everywhere and the entire South Florida Community for their unyielding support of our young men and program over the last 28 months."
"We will continue to approach our work with a positive attitude as we march towards being the best we can be. I am grateful to our administration and counsel for leading us through this difficult journey and I want to thank everyone who loves this University and who has supported the young men who proudly wear the Miami uniform," Head Basketball Coach Jim Larranaga said. "We are excited about the upcoming season and we are all moving forward."
The NCAA's decision comes 2 and a half years after the investigation of Miami began. It also comes eight months after it said the Hurricanes received their notice of allegations.
During a conference call with reporters Tuesday, Britton Banowsky, chair of the NCAA's Committee on Infractions, said the investigation took a "significant length of time."
"This case is among the most extraordinary in the history of the NCAA and the committee on infractions," Banowsky said.
According to the NCAA, many of the violations went undetected by the university over a 10-year period and centered on Shapiro entertaining prospects and student-athletes at his home, on his yacht and in various restaurants and clubs.
The investigation looked at 18 general allegations of misconduct and 79 issues within those allegations, the NCAA said. The NCAA interviewed 81 individuals as part of the investigation.
About 30 student-athletes were involved with Shapiro, and several football coaches, three men's basketball coaches and two athletic department staff members were also involved in the case, the NCAA said.
Shapiro is a former booster and convicted felon, serving a 20-year sentence for masterminding a $930 million Ponzi scheme.
According to the NCAA, from 2001 through 2008, Shapiro donated and pledged approximately $500,000 to the university's athletics program. He also hosted a fundraising bowling tournament, attended by university officials, which raised $50,000 for the men's basketball program. He was also granted special access to athletics events and had a student lounge named after him, the NCAA said.
"Knowing all of this, the university did very little to control or to monitor the conduct of the booster," the NCAA said.
In addition to the lack of control, Miami also lacked adequate policies and procedures for staff members to report potential violations without fear of consequence and many staffers didn't "have basic knowledge of NCAA recruiting rules or felt comfortable breaking them," the NCAA said.
According to the NCAA, Shapiro housed a student-athlete at his home, gave student-athletes access to his yacht and jet skis, gave cash prizes to student-athletes for fishing competitions, provided for meals and entertainment and gave them cash, clothing and other items.
He also provided hotel rooms and airfare for prospects and gave football stadium suite access, the NCAA said.
According to a Yahoo! Sports report released in 2011, Shapiro also said he supplied athletes with prostitutes, gave bounties for on-field plays, and on one occasion, paid for an abortion for a player.
Shapiro also gave $50,000 to a student-athlete to influence him to sign with a sports agency that Shapiro was an investor in, the NCAA said.
According to the NCAA, two former assistant football coaches gave false or misleading information to Miami and the NCAA enforcement staff during their investigation.
The NCAA also said that when Shapiro began experiencing financial trouble, he requested a large loan from Haith or a return of his $50,000 donation. Haith denied the request but an assistant men's basketball coach agreed to loan Shapiro $7,000, the NCAA said.
Shapiro repaid the loan, but after he was arrested in 2010, he threatened Haith and the assistant coach and demanded more money. The coaches worked together to make sure Shapiro's mother received a $10,000 payment to end the threats, the NCAA said.
Banowsky said investigators corroborated much of the information Shapiro gave them through other means.
"It is very important to note that the committee did not rely solely on the statements of the booster, who is in fact a convicted felon, and provided much of the information while in prison. The vast majority of the statements made by the booster were corroborated by the statements of others and through independent documentation," he said.
The NCAA also noted that information from Shapiro's defense attorney obtained by investigators in a manner inconsistent with NCAA policies and procedures was excluded in the case.
"Our hope is that this frustrating and disappointing chapter for the institution and the NCAA can be one more step closer to being closed and that all those impacted can now move forward," Banowsky said.
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A Calendar of Events letting you know what, where and when is happening throughout the Chopin Year:
- Events: concerts, exhibitions, shows and many others
- Reports
- Interviews
- Kordegarda CHOPIN 2010
Click below to access a list of events submitted to the Calendar of Events by their organisers, who had registered at www.chopin2010.pl. Being registered, they may freely update the information provided and add new events.
Register with us if you organise an event awarded the Chopin2010 Logo and add your event to our Calendar.
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