text:
Lorraine and Leah are starting their first year of...
One Direction Lyrics~COMPLETE!! ('till the next album anyway :)462147
- by Dwoirzie xxoxo :D
- Rating:
- Published: 26 Jan 2014
- Updated: 20 Feb 2014
- Status: In Progress
All Your One Direction Lyrics and links to their videos In One Place!!! NO COPYRIGHT INTENDED.
24/05/14= is going to be the best day of my life! <3
24/05/14= is going to be the best day of my life! <3
Join MovellasFind out what all the buzz is about. Join now to start sharing your creativity and passion
Loading ...

subset: commoncrawl


text:
ajljr11 wrote:A memorable dining out experience, where the food, service and ambience came together to make things extra romantic ?
andshewas wrote:Another vote here for North Pond.
It seems to me that it's the kind of place that even when it's 'swamped' it doesn't feel like it.
and it's romantic. and the food is wonderful.
Snark wrote:Fox and Obel has an actually good Valentines Day deal - surprise, surpise!
2 Prosciutto wrapped filets
Strawberry finishing balsamic glaze
2 Australian lobster tails
Garlic Herb Butter
1 Bottle Heron Pinot Noir
3 large Chocolate dipped strawberries
$99.00 - not bad!
ajljr11 wrote:I've read quite a few mixed reviews about the food and service, so anyone want to offer some good or bad choices?
G Wiv wrote:Cookie Morowitz with bacon and mushroom heart shaped pizza, a delicious combination I had not previously tried.
iblock9 wrote:I know it is a little too late for this year, but for future reference Barnabys Pizza in Northbrook also serves heart shaped pizza on Valentine's Day.
G Wiv wrote:Marie's Pizza on Lawrence turned out to be the perfect low key Valentine's Day celebration. Heart Shaped pizzas
Cathy2 wrote:
We drove up Green Bay Road to stop in at Homer's Ice Cream, where Al Capone liked his ice cream treats. We knew we wanted to sample their Prairie Berrie ice cream, which had won some professional Chef award. I saw an article with Carlos and Debbie Nieto touting the apple cinnamon ice cream. We ordered a double scoop cup with one of each flavor to share. While my friend was reluctant to try the cinnamon apple expecting no apple and too much cinnamon. All negative expectations were wrong, there was chunks of apple, some crunchy cinnamonny things and an overall light cinnamon flavor. We ended up liking the cinnamon apple ice cream more than the Prairie Berrie award winning ice cream.
Cathy2 wrote:In my own cockeyed way, I had a very nice Valentine's Day.


text:
Insurance and monogenic diabetes
We learnt in Week 1 that family history is a major risk factor for developing diabetes. But once a genetic diagnosis of monogenic diabetes has been made, unaffected family members can decide whether to have a predictive genetic test to get a very accurate estimate of their own risk of developing diabetes. If they have not inherited the familial mutation then their risk of diabetes reduces to that of the population. Inheritance of a HNF1A or HNF4A mutation predicts a high risk of developing MODY and regular blood glucose monitoring is advised. But could this knowledge also have implications for obtaining life insurance or a mortgage?
In the UK, the answer is no. The existing voluntary agreement (or 'moratorium') between the Government and the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has been extended again until November 2019 and ensures fair rights of access to insurance for individuals who choose to undertake predictive tests. Since the number of policies affected is predicted to be low, this allows customers who have had adverse predictive genetic tests to obtain significant level of cover while protecting other customers from increased premiums resulting from high claims and supports the principle that insurers should not treat customers who have had adverse predictive genetic test less favourably than those who have chosen not to be tested at all.
For patients with mild fasting hyperglycaemia caused by a heterozygous GCK mutation, a genetic diagnosis can be beneficial for insurance purposes as well as allowing them to stop unnecessary treatment. The life insurance premiums for an individual previously misdiagnosed as having type 1 or type 2 diabetes, would have been weighted according to that diagnosis. Mutations in the GCK gene result in a very unusual form of hyperglycaemia in that the fasting blood glucose is raised mildly from birth and remains persistently raised throughout life. In contrast to type 1 or type 2 diabetes, there is no deterioration other than that seen in fasting glucose in the non-diabetic population. In addition the blood glucose is regulated at this higher level such that when patients ingest food they typically, as non-diabetic subjects do, bring their blood glucose back to normal levels. Fasting blood glucose is normally in the range of 5.5-8.5mmol/l and HbA1c is typically at or just above the upper limit of normal (40-60mmol/mol or 5.8-7.6%). Unlike in type 2 diabetes there is no increase in triglycerides or reduction in HDL cholesterol and no associated increased risk of hypertension. Patients with type 1 or 2 diabetes have an increased risk of both microvascular and macrovascular disease (stroke and heart disease), but in a study of 99 patients with GCK mutations we found no more significant microvascular or macrovascular disease than in unaffected family members of a similar age.
So the key point when considering insurance/mortgage risk weighting is that the mortality and morbidity risks associated with a GCK MODY mutation are considerably less than for a person diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes at the same age. It is completely inappropriate for the insurance weighting to be the same as for the common forms of diabetes and this case has been argued successfully for many patients.
Find out more about the UK insurance moratorium on the Association of British Insurers (ABI) website.
You can also read the JAMA article that describes a study demonstrating the evidence of reduced morbidity/mortality in GCK MODY vs type 1 or 2 diabetes:
- Prevalence of Vascular Complications Among Patients With Glucokinase Mutations and Prolonged, Mild Hyperglycemia, Steele et al, JAMA 2014.
© University of Exeter


text:
2006 Dodge Ram 3500 - Mega Slab
A Dodge That Dodge Never Built
At first sight, John Cranford's '06 Dodge Ram 3500 Mega Cab longbed dualie looks like a factory-fresh truck with a hammered stance. If that's what you saw when you checked it out, you'd be partly correct. It is a hammered Mega Cab longbed dualie, but what you may not know is, Dodge never made one. Figuring that a Mega Cab standard bed was plenty big enough, Dodge never added the longbed as an option, and for you Mopar fans out there, you know that the factory Mega Cab dualie bed looks like a design afterthought. Attractive it is not. Chicken House Chop Shop set out to add two feet to John's '06 Dodge Ram 3500 and then make it low enough to turn the most die-hard custom truck enthusiast's head at shows.
To tuck the desired 24-inch Alcoa wheels, the Chicken House Chop Shop, located in Nacogdoches, Texas, started by removing the front suspension and shortening the control arms 4 inches. Then they welded the upper and lower control arms higher on the frame, added 'bag cups to the lower arms for the Slam Specialties 'bags, and modified the front sway bar. A new tranny crossmember was also fabricated between the framerails and helps clear the slammed stance. Behind the cab, 24 inches of frame was added, the rearend was narrowed 10 total inches and moved back 18 inches, and a traditional four-link with Watt's link welded together to support it. Airlift airbags allow the longbed to hover over the asphalt and a wild bridge with a 5/8-inch-thick state of Texas plate serves as a 5th-wheel gooseneck. A low-profile toolbox/fuel tank combo was installed to provide hours of continuous driving and the factory sending unit was retained to keep the check engine light off. The aforementioned 24-inch Alcoa wheels are wrapped in 275/30R24 Sunny tires and the lugnut spikes add some real attitude to the beast.
Body mods on the Ram are simple, including shaving the cab lights, adding a billet grille, and bolting on the dualie longbed. The factory charcoal paint color was not an option on the Ram dualie, but Edward Martinez made sure the Dodge now looks its best in the hue. Under the hood, the 5.9L Cummins was left alone, with the exception of a new 4-inch exhaust. John's Dodge dualie is an understated custom truck with factory good looks and the get-in-and-drive functionality that all of us want in our rides. We look forward to future trucks rolling out of the Chicken House Chop Shop.


text:
Dio can you hear me?
Welcome to the PRO ZONE
It came from the baaasssseeementttt!
Ode to RIFFS
Legen (wait for it) dary!
Take your chances with Gus.
Uhhh, honey?
Lorna? Sure!
Permutation loop Permutation loop Permutation
Come hang out in these
May the 8 be with
Really A-lust(rium)-ing to hear more
Don't be stupid-er, get a
A "Real" cool BTS look
Don't cry now
Get that moon OUTTA HERE
Take A Leap!
Hoarders: Metal Edition
The tones of the 'Peth.
I like my coffee like
Anything this iconic can never
An hour-long conversation with the
On this edition of Ask a
Take a walk (ing bassline).
The age old question has
Connect the dots to epic
Can't afford a giant ceiling-mounted
Bachelor life is the natural
Do you agree?
He may have discovered the
Prevention is the only effective
Time to take your 7-string
bUt DoEs It DjEnT
Tips and tricks from the
We talked to the man
As part of Overdrive week
We got advice from a
Is it Star Trek or
What's Glenn hiding? #GateGate
There are many scales on
MY EARS (in a good
Add more power to your
There's a better way!
The truth REVEALED
Special guest Glenn Fricker of
The many faces of Trey
You'll be Myles ahead of everyone else with this series
"Modal who-what?" Now you can stop being that guy.
Major Songs in a Stevie T
Improve your knowledge of seconds, in seconds!
Sylosis A La Modes.
Learn a riff AND get your music theory fix.


text:
Recently, we've been promoting the idea of S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathmatics) to our girls, so when an opportunity came up to do another review of the Liberty Science Center's new exhibits, we were thrilled!
They have a new Bob the Builder exhibit!
And they have a new NFL Training Camp interactive exhibit, as well as Gridiron Glory: The Best of the Pro Football Hall of Fame!
First, we made a bee-line for the Bob the Builder exhibit, and were very happy to see some of our favorite friends waiting to greet us at the entrance!
We were amazed by just how many features and interactive activities there were for the kids! This exhibit blew our minds!
The girls loved helping Wendy with her flower and veggie gardens!
They proudly demonstrated the solar-power feature on Wendy's camper.
They joined up with other kids to keep the 'water' flowing!
Halle got right to work on that pesky plumbing problem Bob's been having!
We built a rock wall!
And the girls loved getting up close and personal with their favorite construction vehicles!
We easily spent a couple hours here, as there were many, many activities here, before almost literally dragging the girls away for a potty break!
(I strongly recommend that you experience this exhibit as soon as the museum opens. It's very popular, and with so many children around, a lot of the smaller pieces of equipment get scattered. But at the start of the day, everything is all organized and in its proper place. It's also easier to keep track of your kids when it's not so crowded, it's also a little quieter.)
Then I thought we could chill out for awhile and watch as Daddy explored the NFL exhibit. Boy, was I surprised at how much fun EVERYONE in my family had with the Training Camp! Of course my husband had a ball, but the girls were insatiable and tried each feature again and again and again and….well, you get the picture!
And the LSC staff on hand were very kind and helpful!
Then we took a stroll thru Gridiron Glory: The Best of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and even that was pretty amazing!
After that, we went for lunch in the LSC's cafe – the food is so good there! (and very reasonably priced)
To give my husband a bit of daddy-time to explore the museum on his own, We took the kids to the I Explore exhibit which is just across the hall from the cafe on the 2nd floor. My girls loved visiting this favorite from a previous trip!
They spent nearly an hour just with the 'sand' (rice) box, and made some new friends!
And as we were about to go, we found that LSC had set up some more NFL-themed games for the kids to play in the lobby!
So while the kids were occupied with that, I took a quick look thru the LSC gift shop!
We had a great time here, and I am personally very grateful to the Liberty Science Center for making S.T.E.M. fun for my girls!
And now you and your family can have the chance to win some free passes to LSC and see the new exhibits! Just enter this giveaway!
Bob the Builder exhibit runs until April 27, 2014
Gridiron Glory: The Best of the Pro Football Hall of Fame runs until March 2, 2014
Here's some more info on the Bob the Builder exhibit
Here's some more info on the NFL Training Camp & Gridiron Glory: The Best of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
*This review was facilitated with complimentary passes provided by Liberty Science Center. The opinions expressed herein are my own.


text:
Communicable Disease Program
The goal of the Communicable Disease Program is to monitor communicable diseases, decrease those diseases and report as required to the California Department of Public Health. Communicable diseases include, but are not limited to: tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS, Hantavirus, hepatitis, foodborne diseases, childhood infections (such as measles, polio, chickenpox, mumps). For further information, please contact the Mono County Health Department in Mammoth Lakes at (760) 924-1830 or in Bridgeport (760) 932-5580.


text:
List all words ending with N
Points ASC
Points DESC
7666 words found.
Show results per page
List all words ending with n sorted by length or by how common the words are.
List all words that start with Q, adjectives that start with Q or find all 5 letter words starting with Q
List all words by word length, browse all words in the list, explore all combinations of letters or find all Adjectives with starting the letter
Words with all letters different - Letter pairs and double letters - Hook Word Lists


text:
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair
Texas Consumer Protection Inspections for the Right Price! Performed By a Professional Master Inspector®
Avoid becoming a Screwed Consumer © 2019
What you don't know can harm you, your loved ones & your bottom line!
Thoroughly inspecting beyond the human eye...
You deserve the serious
fact finding inspection only I can provide...
If you are purchasing or selling a property on your own or you were smart enough to hire the right Realtor to assist with selling or finding the "perfect property". Why not assure the integrity of the entire property, components
and your final decisions by hiring ADAIR INSPECTION.
Investigative Inspections plus Factual Property Reports equal Informed Investment Decisions
Commercial-Residential-Industrial-Infrared Thermography (IRT) EVALUATIONS-INSPECTIONS-CONSULTATIONS and more Call BARRY @ 972.487.5634 to schedule your Appointment
Highrise Drain
* Call for your quote.
Click to find out how others have saved many thousands of dollars.
Ask yourself this: With over 300 inspector choices in the DFW market, "Why does the owner of a prominent real estate office, 45 miles away, hire me to pre-inspect the houses he lists and those of his three grown children?" and
"Why does J. Gregory Homes hire me to pre-inspect their brand new homes for Quality Assurance?"
What do you really know about the property you are buying?
Will a Professional Master Inspector® Texas professionally licensed tradesman with over 40 years of hands-on experience
I offer you this and it costs no more when compared to unobserved deficiencies, repairable or overlooked negotiable items! Lowball Price Shopping your inspection is
Considering the bigger picture. No inspector can promise a property to be in perfect condition. My promise to you "I will do my very best to factually inform and educate you about your property. I'll thoroughly investigate while others just look around." And if I can't find repairs or defects equal to or greater than my fee, "You don't have to pay for your inspection!" Not a single client has been able to obtain a free inspection, yet, Est. 1998.
I have dedicated myself to my clients in all phases of the commercial, residential and pool-spa construction industry since 1965 so in 1998 Property and Real Estate Inspection became the natural career progression for my experience and expertise.
Credentials, Certifications, and Associations
- TREC Professional Licence Inspector # 4563
- Exterior Design Institute EDI EIFS MA-TX #39 (Specialized Inspection)
- One of a very few Certified EIFS Third Party Inspector and Moisture Analyst in Texas
- Texas Infrared Certified Level I Thermography (Specialized Inspection)
- National Association of Commercial Building Inspectors and Thermographers™ Member ID: 0710-00018-TX
- NSPF CPI™ #75-221486 National Swimming Pool Foundation (Specialized Inspection)
- NSPF CPO® #75-221486 National Swimming Pool Foundation (Specialized Inspection)
- Moisture Intrusion Investigation (Specialized Inspection)
- Wells & Septic Systems (Require specialized inspection NOT OFFERED by ADAIR INSPECTION)
- Continuing Education Far Exceeds the annual
requirements Takinga Rational, Educated Approach to the Inspection Process and the Science of Building in the 21st century
"There are no problems, only opportunities to find solutions"
Pre-Listing (Seller's) Inspections
This type of inspection is usually performed by a seller before a property is listed or announced for sale. The property owner will perform a Seller's Inspection to determine what damage or other problems exist with a property in order to determine factors such as fair market value, discount values, or any pre-listing expenditure necessary to increase the value and desirability of the property.
Pre-Purchase (Buyer's) Inspections
This type of inspection is usually performed after a property has been put on the market by a seller but before a potential buyer has taken possession of the property prior to the closing contract. The buyer will usually sign a contingency agreement with the seller prior to ordering this type of inspection. If a property fails to meet the buyer's expectations as a result of the inspection, then the sale may fall through. In many cases, a Buyer's Inspection will help both the buyer and the seller to identify
Warranty Inspections
This type of inspection is performed prior to the expiration of your home warranty. It is used to take advantage of the features and benefits of your home warranty to assure that necessary repairs guaranteed under your warranty are executed should a damage or problems be discovered.
New Construction (Builder) Inspections
This type of inspection is usually performed immediately after your new home has been built and is considered "ready" for occupancy by the builder and appropriate legal authorities (such as a zoning or code inspector) but before your closing date.
Periodic Maintenance Inspections
This type of inspection is performed every two years to assure the health of your family and the safety of your real estate investment. Periodic Maintenance Inspections are necessary to assure the integrity of your structure in-between storms and droughts, to identify possible indoor pollutants (such as radon, CO, CO2, mold), to check the building's integrity that may
Pre, Phase and Post Renovation Inspections
This type of inspection is performed prior to engaging in any renovations of a property. These inspections help you to assess potential problems that may affect the cost or difficulty of the renovation and adds the assurance of quality control as the work progresses.
Investigative Inspections
This type of inspection is most-often used when a homeowner feels that a problem may exist. For example, you may want to engage in an Investigative Inspection after unusually severe weather, if you experience and odd smell in your home that cannot be identified, or if you notice unusual pest and insect activity. In many cases, Investigative Inspections can help homeowners to catch problems before they become an expensive or irreversible liability.
- In the property inspection business, there's this little homily, which has been around for a long time. From a real estate agent's point of view, there are three types of inspectors:
- The inspectors they recommend when they're acting as the seller's agent. These are the undereducated, cheap and compliant inspectors. They comprise 100 percent of the 95 percent who ignore their customers'
interests,and live or die by their ability to help agents sell houses.
- The inspectors they recommend when they're acting as the buyer's agent. Truth be told, they're pretty much the same as the 95 percent described above.
- The inspectors they recommend to their relatives. They likely comprise less than 5 percent of the property inspectors in any given area. These are the inspectors you want. They're the ones agents never recommend, except when a friend or relative is buying a property, or they're buying a property themselves.
- When it comes to property-buying time, you want the property inspector that all the builders—and almost all of the real estate agents—hate. He'll be the most expensive guy in town—and worth every penny. I'm a 5 percenter and work only for my clientele's best interest.
Service Area
I Inspect Texas for the right price and All of These Cities!
Abilene - Addison - Alba - Allen - Alma - Anna - Aransas Pass - Argyle - Arlington - Arp - Athens - Aubrey - Austin - Azle - Bedford - Benbrook - Bonham - Bowie - Bridgeport - Bullard - Burleson - Canton - Carrollton - Cedar Hill - Celina - Cleburne - Cockrell Hill - Colleyville - Comanche - Combine - Commerce - Coppell - Corinth - Corsicana - Crandall - Crowley - Dallas - Daingerfield - Dalworthington Gardens - Dawson - Decatur - Denison - Denton - DeSoto - Duncanville - Eagle Lake - Eagle Mountain - East Tawakoni - Edmon, OK - Ennis - Euless - Everman - Fairfield - Fairview - Farmers Branch - Farmersville - Fate - Fayetteville - Ferris - Flower Mound - Forney - Fort Worth - Friona - Frisco - Gainesville - Garden Ridge - Garland - Glenn Heights - Glen Rose - Granbury - Grand Prairie - Grapevine - Greenville - Gun Barrel City - Gunter - Heartland - Heath - Hemphill - Hickory Creek - Highland Park - Highland Village - Hurst - Hutchins - Irving - Josephine - Justin - Kaufman - Keene - Keller- Kenedy - Kennedale - Kilgore - Killeen - Knox City - Krugerville - Krum - Lake Bridgeport - Lake Dallas - Lakewood Village - Lake Worth - Lancaster - Lantana - Lavon - Lewisville - Little Elm - Live Oak - Log Cabin - Lone Grove, OK - Lone Oak - Lubbock - Lucas - Mabank - McKinney - Malakoff - Mansfield - Maypearl - Melissa - Mesquite - Mexia - Midlothian - Millsap - Mineola - Mount Pleasant - Murphy - Navarro - Nevada - North Richland Hills - Omaha - Palmer - Pantego - Paris - Parker - Pilot Point - Plano - Poetry - Point - Ponder - Port Aransas - Pottsboro - Prosper - Quinlan - Quitman - Red Oak - Richardson - Richland Hills - Roanoke - Rockport - Rockwall - Rowlett - Royse City - Runaway Bay - Sachse - Saginaw - Sanger - Seagoville - Seven Points - Shady Shores - Sherman - South Fork Estates - Southlake - Sterlington, LA - Strawn - Sulfur Springs - Sunnyvale -Terrell - Texhoma - The Colony - Tioga - Tool - Trinidad - Trophy Club - Tyler - University Park - Valley View - Van Alstyne - Venus - Waco - Watauga - Waxahachie - Weatherford - Weslaco - West Tawakoni - Whitesboro - White Settlement - Whitney - Willow Park - Wills Point- Windom- Wolfe City - Wylie
Serving These Counties:
Collin, Cooke, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Fannin, Grayson, Henderson, Hill, Hunt, Hutchinson, Johnson, Karnes, Kaufman, Navarro, Rockwall, Tarrant, Van Zandt
If your city is not listed, don't worry I'll find it and add it to my Service Area.
TREC Consumer Protection Notice


text:
The cracked ice edges reflect the light and your engraving will dazzle. Available in 2 sizes and includes a polished base.
Below are the available bulk discount rates for each individual item when you purchase a certain amount
Personalize our gifts with our No Limit Guarantee! Our gifts are 100% customizable. We don't have any character or line limits and no strict image requirements. I will work with you to design your item you request it. My only limit is the size of the piece and if my machines will be able to do it. I can resize most text and images to fit on the pieces instead placing limitations on personalization.
This product hasn't received any reviews yet. Be the first to review this product!


text:
"Excellent service.Thanks"
"You seem well on top of it and will keep your site handy"
"Service from Tim was excellent. Very helpful and great to deal with! Very impressed."
"Prompt feedback and expert advice was the key!"
"Daniel replied within in minute sto my query with really good advice."
"I find you staff very helpfull (can do)"
"Brilliant service. 3 hr turnaround"
"This service has been great, website was fantastic."
"Keep going the way you are. Great customer service. I will definitely be recommending Instrument Choice to my friends. Thank You."
"SO IMPRESSED with your customer service! The phone answered straight away, the gentleman on the phone was extremely friendly and knew about the products. (pH testing equipment). Thanks for making this easy."
"Keep up the good work and great customer service"
"Really efficient experience"
"Delivery was so quick I swear you sent it before I ordered it. Thanks"
"The service that you provide to me was soooooooooooo easy, i did not tear my hair trying to purchase your produts."
"Tim was extremely competent, knowledgeable and a pleasure to deal with."
"Very pleased with this purchase"
"Easy to use. Quick transaction. The way it should be."
"Great service by your helpful staff who know their product!"
"One of the best online shopping experiences I have ever had. Not just web site ease of use, but also being kept informed along every step of the way so as to manage plans and expectations. Great site!"
"Thanks for providing such a smooth, painless service."
"The man on the phone was 100% great to work with - polite, helpful, fast... and there was no long waiting for the phone to answer. I got through to a human being immediately! I have only had this one interaction with your company, but it was perfect."
"Awesome service. Couldn't have asked for more prompt response to all my questions. Fantastic company. Excellent service. Perfect parts. Thankyou"
"Good service is always rewarded with a sale."
"As good a company as I have ever dealt with in terms of customer service, range of products and when there was a problem it was dealt with promptly and professionally."
"Incorrect item initially supplied, but rectified quickly & pre-paid return satchel supplied with correct items."
"Very happy with service. I rang and spoke to Daniel who was most helpful and recommended the PH tester I bought as opposed to another I was considering. Overall a pleasurable experience and the ongoing support is invaluable too."
"Keep up the excellent service"
"Great shopping experience. Like the products and customer service"
"Great help when asked. Very friendly and we had a good laugh. Great company and Aussie owned and operated."
"Keep doing what you are doing! Very impressed with the service I was given and especially the advice."
"Great service"
"Service exceptional, very helpful and efficient"
"Keep up the good service."
"Excellent product. Many thanks."
"It was a good experience from initial enquiry to product calibration and delivery - thank you"
"Will buy again when the need arises"
"Excellent Service,& Product range"
"Unbelievable service - thank you! Received in 2 days from ordering and we are over in Perth! Merry Christmas to you all"
"Keep doing what you are doing, very impressed with your service. Will be looking to do further business with you."
"Excellent service - THANK YOU!"
"Impressed with the followup of emails, deliveries"
"Best service ever....24 hours from order to delivery....perfect!"
"Excellent customer service from Tim which made it very easy to do business with you. Thanks."
"Your fast efficient service i found pleasing. Loved the lollies that came in the parcel"
"Thanks a lot. Great efficient service."
"Excellent company to deal with makes my job a lot easier. Love the lollies too :)"
"First order, so far very good."
"Very impressed with the ease of use of your online store, free express post, arrived in Tas the next day, excellent!! Thanks."
"Great service, good website and product range, quick delivery of a great item."
"Thanks for the prompt service"
"Keep up the good work! Your sales staff were excellent and friendly and the time to get through on the phone was about 15 seconds!"
"Fast, simple and easy to do business with"
"Nice to have well spoken and friendly people on the end of a phone call"
"Your customer service is excellent. thank you"
"Terrific service. Many thanks."
"Great phone service makes you stand out among the crowd. Together with good equipment range and good prices, really there's no competition as far as I can tell!"
"Yes, keep up the good work!!"
"Just great service ,friendly ,I was kept informed, great way to do business"
"Great range of interesting instruments"
"We were impressed with the prompt service and delivery of our order"
"Would like to commend Daniel for his continued helpful and professional service."
"Sales consultants were extremely helpful"
"Very good customer service. Pleased with the response."
"Your service was awesome and very much appreciated!!"
"Thanks for your quick delivery."
"Rapid response, great phone/online service. Many thanks."


text:
Large choice of styles, sizes and colors for men and for women.
100% preshrunk cotton.
Sport Grey, Athletic Heather are 90% cotton, 10% polyester.
Machine wash cold with like colors, dry low heat.
Lightweight, Classic fit, Double-needle sleeve and bottom hem.
Unisex sizing; consult size chart for details, Roomy Unisex Fit.
Double needle stitching; Pouch pocket, Air jet yarn creates a smooth, low-pill surface.
Decoration type: Digital Print or Screen Print (based on design & quantity).
We're goin' to Bendigo Fun is 100% custom t shirt. Please check your size. Any question please contact us. We're goin' to Bendigo Fun - Gildan Long Sleeve Shirt
Returns Policy
Our policy lasts 30 days. If 30 days have gone by since your purchase, unfortunately we can't offer you a refund or exchange.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging.
Because we deal in Custom work several types of goods are exempt from being returned.
Apparel Items that have been used/washed any item not in its original condition, is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to our error.
Any item that is returned more than 30 days after delivery
What to do if this happens:
Please use the contact form or send us an email.
Reference your order/invoice number.
Tell us what is wrong.
If possible, take a photo of the issue (we may request this later).
We will respond within 1-2 business days.
Additional returnable items:
Gift cards, Promotion code.
To complete your return, we require a receipt or proof of purchase.
Please do not send your purchase back to the manufacturer.
If you still aren't convinced, let's figure out how to get something that will make your heart sing.
The Return Guidelines.
For returns, we will process a refund for the original price of the shirt, not the shipping costs we paid to get it to you, as quickly as possible. Refunds typically take 1-3 business days to process once we have issued them. Once we receive your exchange in the mail, we'll get the replacement out to you as soon as possible.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging.
To complete your return, we require a receipt or proof of purchase.
Please do not send your purchase back to the manufacturer.
Original condition is consider as any merchandise that is unworn, not-used, and has not been washed and/or put in a dryer for any reason. The item(s) must also not in smell strongly of smoke and/or body odors of any type, are not covered in pet and/or human hair, and are not stained or damaged in any other way. All original sewn in or hang tags must still be intact.
Refunds (if applicable)
Once your return is received and inspected, we will send you an email to notify you that we have received your returned item. We will also notify you of the approval or rejection of your refund.
If you are approved, then your refund will be processed, and a credit will automatically be applied to your credit card or original method of payment, within a certain amount of days.
Can the refund be sent to a different card or account?
As the refund is a reversal of your payment, we can only send it back the same way it was received. Reversing a payment in this way is the fastest and most secure way to get your funds back to you.
How long will the refund take?
It depends on the bank or card issuer. Some banks/card issuers finalize refunds within a couple of business days, while others may wait until the end of the statement month to process refunds. If the refund seems to be taking more than one week, you can contact your bank or card issuer to ask about their usual time frames. If you've done all of this and you still have not received your refund yet, please contact us at
Turtles Style
11923 NE Sumner St
Portland, Oregon, 97220, USA
Tel: 503-836-1087
Email: email@example.com
What if that account and/or card has been cancelled?
You will need to contact your bank to alert them that you were expecting a refund to this account or card and make alternative arrangements with them.
Sale items (if applicable)
Only regular priced items may be refunded, unfortunately sale items cannot be refunded.
Size and Style Exchanges
We want you to love what you bought. So if you aren't completely happy with your purchase, we can consider for situations where:
- You ordered wrong garment style, color, or size which you want.
- You ordered wrong case or skin style which you want.
Just send us an email at firstname.lastname@example.com with order number, and new product style and/or size ready. If we agree to replace items, we'll get back to you shortly with a confirmation email. Please send your items to address:
Turtles Style (TS Return Center)
1202 Heires Ave
PO Box 1177
Carroll, IA 51401, USA
Tel: 503-836-1087
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
You will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non-refundable. If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.
Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you, may vary.
If you are shipping an item over $69.99, you should consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don't guarantee that we will receive your returned item.
Please make sure exactly your size. Any question please contact us at email@example.com
The typical production time for most custom printed products is 5-7 days.(Exception: Handmade products)
Turtles Style warrants that it will ship orders within two weeks after orders are placed.
Normally, goods are shipped within 5-7 days and typical delivery times are 3-5 days,(Exception: Handmade products)
but in certain circumstances shipment and delivery can take up to three weeks.
When shipping within the contiguous U.S., your order will arrive within these delivery estimates based on your location and selected shipping speed.
Destination Country
Standard Shipping (business days)
Handmade Shipping (business days)
One-Day Shipping (business days)
Contiguous U.S.
3 to 5
18 - 25
Not Available
|7 to 14
Note: In many areas Saturday and Sunday delivery may be available. If weekend delivery is available to your destination, it will be specified on the product page and/or during checkout. Delivery estimates for uncounted Prime Two-Day shipments to destinations that don't have weekend delivery are based on two business day transit times, not including Saturday or Sunday.
How much is shipping?
Once you've clicked through to Checkout, you can enter your delivery address and choose a shipping method. Shipping costs are then calculated and tacked on to your subtotal at the bottom of the page.
Can I track my order?
We rely on a global network of shipping partners (UPS, FedEx, DHL) as well as local postal services (USPS) to get your order to your doorstep as soon as possible. For this reason, tracking is not always available.
If your order is being sent by a traceable service, these details will be included on the shipping email we send you.
Do you deliver to APO, FPO and DPO addresses?
Yes; however, due to the nature of these services, it may take more than 45 business days to receive your order. If possible, we recommend using a civilian address.
Where does my order ship from?
Our printing partners each manufacture specific products and service particular parts of the world. We ensure your goodies will be printed in the most convenient location for your delivery address, ensuring fast and affordable shipping services!


text:
I'd like to expand on that idea with Defensible Network Architecture 2.0. I believe these themes would be suitable for a strategic, multi-year program at any organization that commits itself to better security. You may notice the contrast with the Self-Defeating Network and the similarities to my Security Operations Fundamentals. I roughly order the elements in a series from least likely to encounter resistance from stakeholders to most likely to encounter resistance from stakeholders.
A Defensible Network Architecture is an information architecture that is:
- Monitored. The easiest and cheapest way to begin developing DNA on an existing enterprise is to deploy Network Security Monitoring sensors capturing session data (at an absolute minimum), full content data (if you can get it), and statistical data. If you can access other data sources, like firewall/router/IPS/DNS/proxy/whatever logs, begin working that angle too. Save the tougher data types (those that require reconfiguring assets and buying mammoth databases) until much later. This needs to be a quick win with the data in the hands of a small, centralized group. You should always start by monitoring first, as Bruce Schneier proclaimed so well in 2001.
- Inventoried. This means knowing what you host on your network. If you've started monitoring you can acquire a lot of this information passively. This is new to DNA 2.0 because I assumed it would be already done previously. Fat chance!
- Controlled. Now that you know how your network is operating and what is on it, you can start implementing network-based controls. Take this anyway you wish -- ingress filtering, egress filtering, network admission control, network access control, proxy connections, and so on. The idea is you transition from an "anything goes" network to one where the activity is authorized in advance, if possible. This step marks the first time where stakeholders might start complaining.
- Claimed. Now you are really going to reach out and touch a stakeholder. Claimed means identifying asset owners and developing policies, procedures, and plans for the operation of that asset. Feel free to swap this item with the previous. In my experience it is usually easier to start introducing control before making people take ownership of systems. This step is a prerequisite for performing incident response. We can detect intrusions in the first step. We can only work with an asset owner to respond when we know who owns the asset and how we can contain and recover it.
- Minimized. This step is the first to directly impact the configuration and posture of assets. Here we work with stakeholders to reduce the attack surface of their network devices. You can apply this idea to clients, servers, applications, network links, and so on. By reducing attack surface area you improve your ability to perform all of the other steps, but you can't really implement minimization until you know who owns what.
- Assessed. This is a vulnerability assessment process to identify weaknesses in assets. You could easily place this step before minimization. Some might argue that it pays to begin with an assessment, but the first question is going to be: "What do we assess?" I think it might be easier to start disabling unnecessary services first, but you may not know what's running on the machines without assessing them. Also consider performing an adversary simulation to test your overall security operations. Assessment is the step where you decide if what you've done so far is making any difference.
- Current. Current means keeping your assets configured and patched such that they can resist known attacks by addressing known vulnerabilities. It's easy to disable functionality no one needs. However, upgrades can sometimes break applications. That's why this step is last. It's the final piece in DNA 2.0.
So, there's DNA 2.0 -- MICCMAC (pronounced "mick-mack"). You may notice the Federal government is adopting parts of this approach, as mentioned in my post Feds Plan to Reduce, then Monitor. I prefer to at least get some monitoring going first, since even incomplete instrumentation tells you what is happening. Minimization based on opinion instead of fact is likely to be ugly.
Did I miss anything?


text:
Drum Motor DM 0080
Practice-oriented, scalable and thought out in detail: The new drum motor DM 0080 makes it easy to build a completely individual conveyor system and is dimensioned for the higher requirements for permissible belt tension from industry and belt manufacturers.
With a broader speed spectrum, the DM 0080 covers all possible applications. The clever plug-and-play connection significantly simplifies the installation. Each motor is approved, tested, and modularized so that it can be produced and delivered around the world in the shortest amount of time.
The modular design of the DM 0080 allows a free combination of individual module groups, such as shaft, end cover, shell, steel or technopolymer gear, asynchronous or synchronous motor winding, to perfectly meet the requirements of an application. In addition, various options, such as encoder, brake, backstop, rubber laggings, etc., as well as different accessories are available.
With the platform concept of the DM 0080, it is possible to cover all internal logistics applications in the food processing sector, as well as in industry, distribution and airports.


text:
I'm not about to give up meat, yet, more and more I'm thinking mushrooms. In light of media attention regarding health and the negatives of eating meat – the numerous variety of mushrooms with their earthy flavors and unusual textures from robust, steaklike portobello (really overgrown creminis), the delicate and whimsically shaped oyster mushrooms, the exotic chanterelles, the domestic whites and the very flavorful and popular shiitakes, are all delicious alternatives to meat.
The other night I sautéed thin slices of shiitake mushrooms with garlic and parsley to serve as a side vegetable; quick, easy, toothsome and delicious! Not liking to waste anything, I made a broth of the mushroom stems with a bit of chopped shallot, black peppercorns and a bay leaf to add to the sautéed mushrooms. You could simply use store bought low-sodium broth. Marinate and weight down thinly sliced Portobello mushroom caps in olive oil until tender and juicy. Then serve them with arugula and shaved Parmesan for a wonderfully satisfying salad course. A favorite pasta dish is freshly prepared fettucine with shiitake mushrooms in a creamy sauce.
Mushrooms, nutritious and an excellent source of fiber and the B vitamin niacin may not make the meal, but it is wise to explore the variety of textures they offer along with their depth of flavor. Shiitake mushrooms have been known to dramatically lower cholesterol.
If you are tempted to forage for wild mushrooms, go out with an expert, unless you want to play Russian roulette.
Quick, easy, delicious!
Serves 3 to 4
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 – 1/3 cup low sodium vegetable broth or half and half
3 to 4 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley
1. Remove mushrooms stems and discard or reserve for stock. Place mushroom caps in a colander and rinse quickly under cold running water. Dry very well with paper towels and thinly slice caps. Set aside.
2. In a 10 to 12-inch sturdy non-stick skillet heat the oil and butter over medium heat. When butter melts and foam subsides add the mushrooms; and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until barely tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add broth and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes longer to reduce liquid by half. Toss with chopped parsley. Serve hot.
The name carpaccio refers to ingredients sliced paper-thin. At Carpaccio restaurant in Bal Harbour, Florida, large Portobello mushrooms are thinly sliced lengthwise and marinated to a silky consistency to serve in a salad. Please note the mushrooms are marinated for 3 days.
Serves 4
3 large Portobello mushrooms
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 bunch arugula, washed and spin-dried
Reggiano Parmigiano sliced thin
2 lemons cut into wedges
1. Cut mushroom stems level with the base and peel top of mushroom cap by lifting the edges and pulling off with fingertips. Place mushrooms in a large colander and rinse quickly under cool water. Transfer to paper towels and pat dry.
2. With a sharp knife cut mushrooms across the width into paper-thin slices as best you can to achieve at least 3 slices crosswise. Layer slices with olive oil, salt and pepper between layers in a non-reactive pan such as Pyrex. Cover with plastic wrap and weight the slices down with a heavy object, such as a filled coffee can, and refrigerate for a minimum of 3 days.
3. Arrange room temperature mushroom slices on a platter over arugula greens and pour the olive oil over. Top with thin slices of Reggiano Parmigiano and a squeeze of lemon.
Serves 4 to 5
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2-3 shallots, finely chopped
1/2 pound shitake mushrooms, stems removed, rinsed clean and thinly sliced
1 cup cream or 1/2 cup cream and 1/2 cup low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley plus extra for garnish
For the pasta
1 pound fresh or "fresh store-bought" fettucine
Kosher salt for the cooking water
1. In a skillet, heat oil and butter and when butter melts add the shallots. Sauté over medium heat for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until opaque. Add mushrooms, toss to coat and sauté about 3 minutes longer tossing occasionally. Add cream, or cream and broth mixture and let reduce about one third to thicken slightly. Season mushrooms to taste with salt and several grinds of fresh pepper. Add parsley and stir to mix. Taste to adjust seasoning if necessary. Keep warm over low heat.
2. Meanwhile, fill a 5 to 6-quart pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil. Put in the pasta all at once. Stir the pasta with a large wooden spoon or pasta fork to separate strands and return to the boil. If the pasta is very fresh it will cook in about 30 seconds. If it is dry (even if pasta is homemade and has been stored for more than a few weeks) it will take up to 3 to 5 minutes to cook. Add a few tablespoonfuls of pasta cooking water to the sauce then drain pasta in a colander. Just before pasta is drained, place several spoonfuls of the warm sauce on a heated serving platter. Transfer pasta to warm serving platter.
3. Pour mushroom sauce over the pasta and toss gently to mix. Sprinkle with additional parsley and serve.


text:
Police check cars to make sure kids properly restrained
Hamilton police educate parents instead of issuing fines
As parents dropped their children off Wednesday at the Grant Early Learning Center in Hamilton, they were the ones getting educated.
Police stopped each parent pulling into the school to make sure children were properly strapped into their car seats.
Parents also were given letters, written in English and Spanish, outlining the Ohio law on child safety seats.
Under the law, children must remain in booster seats until they're 8 years old and 4 feet 9 inches tall. Children under 4 years old and 40 pounds are required to sit in a car seat. If a child is younger than 1 year old or less than 20 pounds, the child's safety seat must fact the rear.
"By coming out here and educating the people, we feel better about being community involved," said Sgt. Ed Buns, of Hamilton police. "Instead of taking their money and issuing fines, we can protect our children. The citations cost more than the seats will, so we figured we'd be better to warn everybody first."
Police said about 40 percent of children at the school were not properly restrained.
Parents like Stephanie Byrd thought the checks were a good idea.
"I think its very good because a friend of mine just got in a wreck and her child was not in a seat and got thrown to the front," Byrd said.
Hamilton police would eventually like to start a voucher program to help families who can't afford the proper seating.


text:
- Tech Trader Daily
BBRY: BB10 Production Cut, Says Jefferies; Couple Difficult Options, Says Nomura
- Order Reprints
- Print Article
Shares of BlackBerry (BBRY) today closed up 13 cents, or 1.4%, at $9.37, amidst a couple mixed views from the Street.
Jefferies & Co.'s Peter Misek, who has a Buy rating on the shares, and an $18 price target, wrote this morning that his "checks" suggest to him the company has cut its build plans for its existing BB10-based smartphones, the Z10 and the Q10, to one million units per month from a prior two million units per month, as a consequence of "poor May Q sell-through," referring to BlackBerry's report June 28th of results that missed Street expectations.
He's not surprised with the cut, though he is "still surprised that BBRY raised build plans at the end of May despite the worsening sell-through in the back of the month."
"The cut from 2M+/month to 1M/month aligns with our 2.5M and 3.0M BB10 estimates for FQ2 (Aug) and FQ3 (Nov)," writes Misek, who has a $2.55 billion estimate for revenue for the August quarter, below Street consensus of $3.1 billion, and a $2.55 billion estimate for Q3, below consensus of $3.078 billion.
A corporate refresh could help things, with the BlackBerry Enterprise Service (BES) corporate software and handsets holding the prop sects of boosting results:
Despite share loss and BYOD, we think there is pent up enterprise demand for the BB10 handsets with the improved web browsing experience as the main attraction. With the launch of the simplified BES10.1, the BYOD MDM solution, and the Q10/ Q5 we think enterprises will shift from trials to broader roll-outs in H2. The swing factor is that BBRY's initial poor showing with BB10 could cause some enterprise customers to fear for the longevity of the BBRY platform and delay or skip refreshing their BBRY handsets.
In a different vein, Stuart Jeffrey of Nomura Equity Research, who has a Hold rating on the stock, and a $10 price target, was on CNBC's "Fast Money: Halftime Report" with Scott Wapner fielding questions prompted by a report Friday by The Wall Street Journal's Will Connors saying some carriers and retailers in the U.S. have cut the price of the Z10 to as little as $49 with a two-year contract.
Said Jeffrey, the price cuts in the market seem unusual, and he sees a couple of options, both tough, for the company going forward:
The company has said that such things are part of normal lifecyle management of preparing for new devices that will be coming out. We do believe there is this new A10 device coming this fall. However, having price cuts this early before a new product is actually announced seems unusually early to us. It seems hard not to conclude there is excess inventory. The problem for BlackBerry include their not having enough apps, and missing some of the key apps. They've really got two choices. They can keep iterating, trying to improve their ecosystem, trying to improve the devices, and try to close the gap with Google's (GOOG) Android and [Apple's] iPhone. That will be challenging given that they have far more limited resources compared to those two. The other possibility is to promote this secure workspace they are offering to allow their apps to work on Android and iPhone, and go down the route of being more of a services company rather than a hardware company. We're a little bit cautious about that dynamic, because half their revenue in hardware is coming from places such as the Middle East and Africa. As Android penetrates those markets, we think the hardware business goes away for BlackBerry there, and those are not the kinds of markets that are most likely to take up BlackBerry's services offers. So they're really dependent upon Europe and North America. The other question is, we don't know if they can make their services work properly on the iPhone. And they face competition for mobile device management from the likes of Good Technology and Mobile Iron.
Regarding a buyout, Jeffrey remarked that in his experience, hardware companies tend to get bought out at 0.25 times to 0.5 trailing sales, and right now the stock is trading at about 0.45 times, so he believes there is the possibility for further downside.


text:
Please turn your phone to portrait mode
Sign in to add bookmark
Please enter a valid Email id
Quantity entered should satisfy the min-mult rule
Quantity entered should satisfy the quotation min-mult rule
Please enter valid number
Please enter a valid price
You will still need to submit the quote in order to receive a response.
Review your quotes details by clicking the green button below or continueshopping and return to the open quote when ready.
+86-755-2184 5922 / +852-3129 9798


text:
About This Wife Sharing Story:
Armani and Desi are a sexy younger couple with a dirty little fantasy. You see, Desi has always wanted to watch his sexy blonde wife with a well hung black man. I guess you could say he is a total cuckhold and he loves it when his wife moans and talks nasty to him. We introduced Armani to DT, also known as "Deep Threat". He is a very experienced black stud that loves pleasing women to the fullest. Armani made her hubby wear a ball gag with a collar and leash while she got pleasured by DT's big dick. You are going to love watching this slutty little blonde wife getting nasty.....
U.S.C 2257 Compliance Statement Record-Keeping Requirements


text:
He can no doubt become a solid, high-end center/forward in the NHL.
Kadri is not a big centre, and I recognize that he needs to create space for himself out there to survive and thrive. I like tough, physical play, but I'd also like to see him stay in the "tough but clean" category of player.


text:
"Perfection": The synopsis for this issue has not yet been written.
Doctor Fate (Volume 2) #35 is an issue of the series Doctor Fate (Volume 2) with a cover date of December, 1991.
Appearing in "Perfection"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Other Characters:
Synopsis for "Perfection"
- Synopsis not yet written.
- No special notes.
- No trivia.
See Also
Recommended Reading
Links and References
Summary Needed
This page is missing characters!
This page is missing one or more character, location or item appearances. If you find any characters that appear in this issue, episode, movie, game or book but are not included on the page, please add them to the Appearances list of the template.


text: Back Causes of Skin Cancer Although there are other contributing factors, exposure to sunlight and its ultraviolet (UV)radiation is the major cause of skin cancer. Listed in the directory below, you will find additional information regarding the causes of skin cancer, for which we have provided a brief overview. Ultraviolet Radiation UV Exposure Categories Effects of UV Exposure Other Causes and Risk Factors


text:
KINGSTON, Jamaica - Hundreds of tourists have joined Rastafarian priests and reggae musicians at Bob Marley's old house in Jamaica to mark the 68th anniversary of the late reggae icon's birth.
Since his death from cancer in 1981, Marley has become more than just Jamaica's most famous musical export. Marley's message of unity and respect remains a beacon of hope in this Caribbean nation struggling with joblessness and violence.
On Wednesday, some of Marley's relatives and old friends danced and chanted to the pounding of drums in the yard of his Kingston home, which is now a museum.
Culture Minister Lisa Hanna said his lyrics still call for Jamaicans to create a "more wholesome, caring, peaceful and progressive society."
Marley's popularity remains strong across the globe, and his music continues to sell steadily.


text:
Tarot Card Meanings
The Tower
You are the one to serve as a catalyst for change.
The Devil
The Star
Watch Now: The Tower Video
Learn the meaning of The Tower Tarot card in under a minute!
General Meaning
In practically all renditions of the Tower card, disaster is striking or has just struck. The demons of madness and despair are released from ancient hiding places, and nature conspires with human failings to destabilize a society. The upheaval is collective and impersonal. Let us remember these images were created for the educated nobles and clergy -- reminding them that they have the most to lose if the hierarchy is toppled.
Lightning is a fitting karmic payback for the guilt of those whose fortunes come from the exploitation or abuse of others. A modern subtitle might be "revolution," indicating that through drastic social change, oppressed people can find renewed hope of better times. The Tower experience comes like a flash of lightning to topple the hierarchy of the old order, after which everyone can have a fresh start on a more equal footing.
In the Reversed Position
The Tower card reversed suggests that the drama is over. All the leaning towers have fallen. Leave behind the issues and emotions that caused this to happen.
Ask yourself what you can do now that the options of your past are closed. As you pick yourself up and begin again, you will find renewed energy for your next significant endeavor.
In the Advice Positon
With the Tower card, think of yourself as an agent of transformation. This self-sacrificing role is likely to create stressful situations. Your vision shows you that a radical change has already been unleashed by forces much larger than mere mortals, and therefore you are no longer resisting.
Now you may be at the forefront, acknowledging and accepting the bracing presence of the future bursting in on the present. Try to mediate the harsher parts of the changes as they unfold, so the most vulnerable are the most cushioned. Acknowledge yourself, as well as the others in your life, who are offering their resources to usher in a better future.
A powerful message is waiting for you! Get your Reconciliation Tarot Reading NOW...
Browse Tarot Decks
Salvador Dali
View Any Card in Salvador Dali Deck:
WANDSAce of Wands
Two of Wands
Three of Wands
Four of Wands
Five of Wands
Six of Wands
Seven of Wands
Eight of Wands
Nine of Wands
Ten of Wands
Page of Wands
Knight of Wands
Queen of Wands
King of Wands
CUPSAce of Cups
Two of Cups
Three of Cups
Four of Cups
Five of Cups
Six of Cups
Seven of Cups
Eight of Cups
Nine of Cups
Ten of Cups
Page of Cups
Knight of Cups
Queen of Cups
King of Cups
SWORDSAce of Swords
Two of Swords
Three of Swords
Four of Swords
Five of Swords
Six of Swords
Seven of Swords
Eight of Swords
Nine of Swords
Ten of Swords
Page of Swords
Knight of Swords
Queen of Swords
King of Swords
COINSAce of Coins
Two of Coins
Three of Coins
Four of Coins
Five of Coins
Six of Coins
Seven of Coins
Eight of Coins
Nine of Coins
Ten of Coins
Page of Coins
Knight of Coins
Queen of Coins
King of Coins


text:
So do your zazen at home!
So do your zazen at home!
Posted by Brad Warner at 9:27 PM 8 comments Links to this post
I put three more videos up on YouTube yesterday for those of you who like that sort of thing.
This is from the band I was in when I first moved to Japan in 1993-94. "Like A Virgin" was one of our most fun songs to play. I brought the song to the group and made up the arrangement. It's not really complex. But it was a challenge to turn a disco number into something that could be played on acoustic guitars. The theme of My Niece's Foot was to be an unplugged rock band and not in any way a folk group even though we didn't have electric instruments or drums. The group was (from left to right on this video) me on bass, Emily Iarocci (vocals), Sam Flemming (guitar), Nick Wilding (guitar, violin). I don't think Sam and Nick ever really liked the banter Emily and I did on stage that much. Originally it had been their band and Emily and I joined and sorta changed things. They got used to it.
From our reunion show in Monterey, California in 1997, this is one of Sam Flemming's songs and I think it's really good and extremely commercial. If Pearl Jam or someone like that had done this song it'd have been all over Top 40 radio. If some guy on American Idol or one of those things did it now it would be a huge smash. Anyone who wants to cover it, write me and I'll give you Sam's contact info. Maybe he'll cut me in on the royalties when it's a number one.
Here is another Dimentia 13 song from the Friday Club in Chicago in 1988. Oh the hair! Oh the boots! This is from the second Dimentia 13 LP, "Mirror Mind". At the time I thought this was a hit single. Maybe it would have been in 1966 with somebody else singing. But it was 22 years too late and several semitones too off-key. That's my real hair, but I didn't normally douse it with that much cheap hairspray.
Posted by Brad Warner at 12:52 PM 12 comments Links to this post
I'm here in Gulf Shores, Alabama with my nice niece Skylar (age 12) who has asked me to let her post a special message from her on this blog. So here's SKYLAR!!! (check out Skylar's Blog too!)
hey people,
its me Skylar im BACK! you probablly remember my interview in 2007. well its almost 2009 now and so we should have a hilarious new video up soon. ok so i went to Kentwood Louisiana because im A HUGE Britney Spears fan. and i got her autograph how cool is that! anyway i hope all of you are having a fun fall break and send me a lot of fan mail because i want to be a moviestar tell everyone you know about me HA HA! you can e-mail me by sending an email to brad and he will forward it to me. but if your going to be mean i dont want to hear from you. also if you've seen or heard Britney's new song womanizer you know its the best song in history. if you havent yet LOOK IT UP! (unless your mindless)
Skylar (i like bananas)
Posted by Brad Warner at 8:58 AM 54 comments Links to this post
I got a new article up on Suicide Girls.
I'm out in Gulf Shores, Alabam-y now visiting with my dad and my sister and her family. I saw a church out here with a sign out front that said, "Aren't you glad your mother was pro-life?" I guess they don't get too many morose people passing by who feel otherwise. You don't see slogans like that in front of churches in Los Angeles.
And in case the Suicide Girls piece isn't exciting enough for you on a Monday morning, here is a piece of avant garde music I made when I was about 16 or 17. It's called:
It actually had a bunch of different titles over the years. Originally this was just a fairly non-descript recording of a pretty lame pop song I made up. I used to overdub by recording my guitar with an el cheap-o cassette deck then moving the recorded cassette into another el cheap-o cassette deck. Then I'd play back the stuff I'd recorded while simultaneously playing something else and recording the results with the first cassette deck.
Anyway this was originally one of those. But the tape got eaten by the machine. After I carefully removed the masses of chewed up tape from the machine and stuffed them back into the cassette I played it back. The tape had gotten turned around backwards and sounded very cool. So I took that tape and recorded it onto my dad's open reel recorder, which had this button that said "sound on sound." If you pushed that button while you were recording you got this weird echo on everything. I don't know if that's what the button was supposed to do. But that's what it did.
So I did that and then I sped up the tape. The results are what you hear on the MP3 I linked to. This is all that remains of what used to be about 20 minutes of this stuff. At one point I dubbed the most interesting bits onto a tape for some friends. I found that tape about a month ago. The original is long since lost, alas. I know you'd have wanted to hear all twenty minutes!
Posted by Brad Warner at 8:08 AM 90 comments Links to this post
I keep forgetting to post this.
Peter Rocca kindly posted all the talks I gave at the recent Dogen Sangha retreat on his blog, The Stupid Way. He's a fellow dharma heir of Gudo Nishijima and his blog is really good.
Now back to whatever you were doing...
Posted by Brad Warner at 11:53 AM 13 comments Links to this post
I tried to show this video to the folks that came to the Hill Street Center last weekend. But it didn't work.
This promo concentrates on the sexual stuff. But there's a whole lot more than that going on. And, really, the sex stuff is not even the most interesting or scary aspect as far as I'm concerned. You can find the entire program at the following links:
Part 1
Part 2
I doubt these links will be there for long since I don't think National Geographic authorized them.
The matter of what is and what is not a cult is something that has bugged me for a very long time and will probably continue to bug me for the rest of my life. It's a very key matter to me because of how close I came to joining a very dangerous cult when I was a young spiritual seeker. I've recounted that story so many times regular readers can probably regurgitate it on cue. I even referenced it in the post just below this one. The full story is in my first book Hardcore Zen (follow the link to your left to check it out).
My friend Nina showed me this program a few days ago and my immediate response was to want to burn my kesa and transmission papers, cancel all further classes at Hill Street Center and renounce my status as a monk. I later decided that would be a bit too drastic. But for a good few hours I was thinking hard about it. Especially since people are starting to ask me about doing precepts ceremonies, in which I'm supposed to give them new fake "spiritual names" just like Michael Travesser did with his culties. This kind of thing fills me with a lot of worry.
When I look at a show like this I don't think, "Gosh, look at those weirdos over there. I'm sure glad I'm not like those people!" or even, "Look at that scumbag cult leader. Jeepers, I'm sure glad I'm not like that!" No. I look at these people and I can only see myself on both sides of the equation. It's important, I think, never to see yourself as above or immune to this kind of behavior.
One real important point that often gets lost in examinations of cult behavior is the responsibility of the members of the cult. It's very easy to point fingers at the leader and say he's a sleezebag. But this stuff doesn't just flow in one direction. In order for a cult leader to have power, someone's got to give it to him. It's amazing how willing people are to give up their own power. I've even had people try to give up their power to me -- of all people. Could you find anyone more likely to abuse such power? A good Buddhist teacher will always hand your power right back to you. If you find one who accepts your power, please run away as fast as you can.
Having said that, I have to also say that there are situations where a certain degree of reasonable exchange of power needs to take place. If you live in a monastery or any other form of communal living situation, for example, you need to defer a bit of power to the group and its leadership in order to have things run smoothly. You have to take your shoes off before you step into the zendo, no matter how much you love your brand new Docs. You gotta turn clockwise on your cushion even if you feel deep down in your heart that you just have to turn counter-clockwise.
Everybody talks about the so-called militarism of Japanese Zen. And a bit (not a lot) of that does exist. But because this charge has been leveled so often it's become a cliche, there's a tendency for some people to see everything that happens at a Japanese style Zen monastery or temple as an example of militarism. "Oh my God! They all eat at the same time! So does the army! It's MILITARISM!!" Personally I've never encountered anything I'd call militarism from my teachers or indeed from any teacher or temple I've visited.
At any rate, cults usually work things out so you give up a certain degree of reasonable power at first and only later on are you asked to surrender things that are unreasonable. Clearly giving your wife or daughter to "consummate" with a cult leader who claims to be the Son of God is completely unreasonable, as is being the one who willingly "consummates" with the leader. But we can surmise that this is not how things began. It took a long process to get there.
I can even imagine how it worked from leader Michael Travesser's side. Through a process of skillfully manipulating his thoughts he's convinced himself that he is the Son of God. Yet he finds he wants to get it on with the wives of certain of his parishioners as well as their daughters. This is normal for any human male. I will vouch for that! But the Son of God is not any human male. The Son of God would never have such thoughts, since the Son of God's thoughts are all pure. So Michael has a dilemma. He needs to justify how he can have these thoughts and yet still be the Son of God. If he can't he's got to admit he's not the Son of God. There's a lot riding on this. So he manipulates his thought process again to create a justification for his lust that allows it to be pure. Then he needs to get support for his ideas from the people around him, since their support would legitimize his thinking. He uses the same justifications with them as he has used successfully with himself and voila!
What makes this even worse is that because he believes he's the Son of God and not an ordinary man, he feels he cannot just fantasize about his conquests like a normal guy who lusts after women he shouldn't touch might. He has given his thoughts tremendous power. He feels that he must act upon them. These thoughts aren't just ordinary thoughts. They are the thoughts of the Son of God.
ANYWAY. It's difficult to say exactly where things cross the line from activities and attitudes that constitute legitimate and reasonable giving up of power into the land of cult-like behavior. The whole notion of surrender is highly questionable, I think. I hear that word thrown around in spiritual groups all the time and it always gives me the shivers. As they said in Galaxy Quest, "Never give up! Never surrender!"
Watching this stuff serves to remind me that we can justify absolutely anything with thought. There are no limits. It is vital to understand this. You, and I do mean you, can make anything at all sound reasonable if you twist your brain in just the right way. And yet all of us have a much deeper sense of what is and is not right behavior. This sense is not a matter of thought at all.
This is the sense that will tell you whether what you're dealing with is a cult or not. It's true that all of our major religions, including Buddhism, could have been defined as cults in their early days. It's also true that there are cults based around all of the legitimate religions. Much of any religion's history from its beginnings as a cult to its emergence as a legitimate religion is a process of stripping away its cult-like qualities.
Whatever. I don't have the final answer on this. It's just something I thought was important to share. I'd like to believe Buddhism is immune to cult-dom. But I've seen enough to prove conclusively that it's not. Or maybe I should put that another way. It's possible for a cult to use the phraseology of Buddhism and to call itself "Buddhist." But culty "Buddhism" is not Buddhism at all.
Posted by Brad Warner at 10:06 PM 39 comments Links to this post
Here's a funny skit by the Upright Citizen's Brigade:
The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that playing the role of the uber enlightened spiritual master is mentally and physically devastating to the people who attempt it. I've retold the story a few hundred times about the serene and tranquil spiritual master I met in my teens who turned out to have been an accessory to murder, very probably at the exact time as I was sitting starry eyed at his feet imbibing what I thought were mystic truths imparted by one who seemed clearly to have transcended the agitated and restless state of ordinary people.
The other day my publishers told me that a lawyer representing "concerned people in the Buddhist community" called them threatening legal action should my upcoming book say anything unflattering about his clients — all serene and blissful Spiritual Masters, I have to assume. His clients needn't have worried their perpetually undisturbed little minds. No Zen Masters were harmed in the making of my new book. None expect me, of course. I come off like a complete and total prick (in more ways than one -- you'll see!). Maybe I should sue!
Such nice people, these spiritual masters. So unruffled by life's troubles.
It's like these guys have to be just as nasty behind the scenes as they are bland and unperturbed in the public eye. It happens so often it's scary. Balance, it seems, will be established of its own accord no matter how we try to tip things in the direction we'd like them to go.
It's too late for these guys and probably their legal counsel too. But maybe the rest of us can learn something. Zen practice is not about trying to re-make yourself in your own image of an enlightened saint. That image is born out of your unenlightened confusion. How could it be worth achieving? No, Zen practice is about seeing yourself for what you really are and working with that. Even Jesus himself wasn't all that "Christ-like" when you met him in person. Not that I ever met him, of course, or imagine I ever will. It's just that "Christ-like-ness" is an image that has no basis in reality.
Our problem isn't that we're so unlike our image of the saints we wish we could be. Our problem is that we make the fact that we're so unlike our images into a problem.
Posted by Brad Warner at 7:29 PM 104 comments Links to this post


text:
Welcome to the Organic Baobab Fruit information site. The Baobab fruit is a superfruit that comes from Africa…I know, right about now your finger is on the X button about to close this blog. You have heard it all before, some magically superfruit from Africa that cures all evils. But wait, don't close us yet, Baobab fruit is actually different…
Baobab Fruit, The Superfruit That Is Super In Other Ways
Yes, Organic Baobab Fruit is packed with nutrients. Here is the quick rundown -
- Contains six times as much vitamin C as oranges
- Contains twice as much calcium as milk
- Baobab Fruit is packed with B vitamins
- Excellent source of magnesium, iron, phosphorous, and antioxidants
So, yes, Baobab fruit has a great nutritional profile. However, what really makes Baobab super if the social good it is doing in Africa. Organic Baobab fruit has become an economic boom for growers in Africa (learn more here). A number of social programs have been created that give back to the women in Africa who are doing the growing.
The Baobab Tree or The Tree of Life
Baobab fruit grows on the Baobab tree…well, that certainly seems obvious. Okay, if you want to get technical about it, the scientific name of the tree is Adansonia Digitata. I know, I can't pronounce that either, so I go with some common names for the tree, like The Tree of Life, The Upside Down Tree or the Monkey Bread Tree.
It is important to understand that Baobab is not some flash in the pan superfruit of the month. In fact, most Baobab trees are 200-500 years old. This is one of the reasons the trees are called the Tree of Life - they have been growing in Africa forever.
Much More to Come on Organic Baobab Fruit
We are still doing our research and getting some great videos of the Baobab fruit. Please check back soon for more information.


text:
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Chances are, if you cringe when the alarm clock goes off in the morning, or if you sleep in extra late on the weekends when you don't have to be up, you are not a morning person.
Don't hit that snooze alarm again. You could be sleeping in on the secret to success. New research promises some eye-opening results that might just get you out of bed a little earlier.
With apologies to the night owls, the early risers have them beat in health and success.
The research from the University of Education in Germany concludes that the happier, healthier, more successful, and more accomplished people all start their day early.
Experts tell Forbes there are a few things that morning people do to set themselves up right for all their success. Some of those things include:
- exercise
- spending time in the morning laying out their schedule with specific goals for the day
- eating a healthy breakfast,
- maintain their mental health by focusing on positive thinking
- tackling parts of their to-do list early in the day, crossing the big tasks off the list first.
But before everyone gets too down on night owls, experts tell Inc. Magazine that there are some benefits to staying up late. Night owls are apparently more creative and extroverted.
It's true that our genetics determine if we are a morning or night person. But the good news is, if you want to become a morning person, the professor who conducted this research says, you can gradually change to become one.


text:
2 Inch Wide Pink and Brown Argyle Collar for dogs fits like a regular collar but the webbing is 2 inches wide. Makes a fashion statement where your pup stands out, so make a statement just as special as your pet.
Made of 100% vibrant color-fast polyester with durable plastic buckles, plastic slip locks, and a metal D-ring. Backed by the Yellow Dog Design Inc 100% Guarantee. If your collar has any issues with fraying, breaking, tearing, even chewing - Yellow Dog will replace it!
Made to order in North Carolina! Please allow a few days for your item(s) to be hand-crafted by the Yellow Dog artisans.
Small: 2 inch width, 10-14 inch neck
New Items
You may also like..
8225 Fairgrove Church RdBrown Summit NC 27214(919) 892-8994
Not logged in


text:
The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards (CFP Board) announced Thursday that it had elected three new directors to the Board of Directors at its Fall 2012 meeting: Blaine F. Aikin, president and CEO of fi360; Arthur Laby, professor at law at Rutgers School of Law; and Thomas Nelson, adjunct professor at Georgetown University's McDonough Business School.
"These three individuals bring unique talents, experiences and perspectives to CFP Board. We are thrilled that they are joining us," said Nancy Kistner, chair of CFP Board of Directors, who recently replaced Alan Goldfarb. "We look forward to working with them as they help to strengthen the CFP certification and advance the organization's mission of benefiting the public."
Effective Jan. 1, the Board says it will have 14 voting members and one non-voting member, Kevin Keller, CFP Board's CEO.
About the new Directors:
Blaine Aikin (left), CFP is the President and CEO of fi360. Aikin brings to the Board of Directors a rich history of experience in the financial services industry. Known for his expertise in the area of fiduciary responsibility, Aikin was previously the Chief Knowledge Officer and Director of Training at fi360, where he developed the AIFA program. Before coming to fi360 served in leading roles in financial services firms. In addition to his CFP certification, Aikin also holds the AIFA and the CFA designations. He received his B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Allegheny College and his M.S. in Public Management and Policy from Carnegie-Mellon University.
Arthur B. Laby is a professor of law at Rutgers School of Law–Camden and former Assistant General Counsel of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. An expert on securities law and its effect on the economy, Laby has published widely on financial services regulation. Prior to coming to Rutgers, Laby spent nearly ten years at the SEC, most recently in the general counsel's office where he advised the commissioners, general counsel and the operating divisions on legal and policy issues. Laby is a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and a magna cum laude graduate of Boston University School of Law.
Thomas Nelson is the president of the national anti-hunger group Share Our Strength and an adjunct professor at Georgetown University's McDonough Business School. Previously, Nelson was the Chief Operating Officer at AARP where he had direct oversight of AARP's core organizational activities and oversaw an $800 million budget. Prior to becoming the COO, Nelson served AARP in a variety of roles helping to build AARP into the nation's leading advocate for senior citizens. He received his Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Southern California, an M.A. in sociology from Columbia University and a B.A. in sociology from Union College.


text:
Life with Budde's Office Supply
Budde's Office Supply supports the largest and fastest growing segment of the document management market - small and medium businesses - as well as larger commercial and public sector enterprises. When you make the decision to join our team you will have the support and stature of the Xerox name, plus the freedom, flexibility, and benefits of our company as an independent dealer. Over the years, this formula has helped many individuals similar to you realize their full earning potential.
We are a company with deep connections to our community. As a member of our team, you will receive world-class training and gain access to Xerox's innovative product and solutions portfolio in a leading-edge work environment. An environment that will support your career growth, individuality and sense of initiative.
Our Products and Innovations
Not only will you be selling leading edge technology to help businesses enable digital transformation in the office with solutions that address security, mobile printing, cloud and productivity, many driven by apps, you will also get the support you need to hit the ground running.
With over 300 agencies across the United States, we're committed to supporting your Xerox Agent journey. Join our team and drive sales by innovating how businesses communicate, connect and work.Send Us Your Resume


text:
SecExMail Secure Email 1.51
This e-mail encryption software uses RSA public key encryption and the Twofish block cipher.
It features PGP-style e-mail keys, but without the dependence on e-mail- software-specific plug-ins. Encryption keys are exchanged automatically.
The software runs unobtrusively as a relay agent in the system tray on your desktop and actively filters messages between your e-mail client and your mail server, encrypting and decrypting mail to and from known users in real-time.
The program is certified to operate with all SMTP POP3 e-mail clients, including Microsoft Outlook, Netscape Mail, IncrediMail, Pegasus, The BAT, Eudora and Calypso.
The program protects against cryptanalysis at the protocol level -- e-mail subject lines are encrypted. All attachments to secure messages are autoencrypted, including file names and MIME-type information. It is built on the Open SSL secure socket layer library.


text:
Bank of America-Merrill Lynch reported profits of $2.5 billion for second-quarter 2012, or 19 cents a share, beating analysts' estimates of 14 cents. A year ago, the bank showed a net loss of $8.8 billion, or 90 cents a share, largely due to mortgage-related losses.
Revenues were up 66%, to $21.97 billion, compared with a year ago. "In a challenging global economy, we still see opportunities to do more with our customers and clients," said CEO Brian Moynihan in a statement.
The Global Wealth and Investment Management unit, which includes Merrill Lynch and Merrill Edge advisors, posted higher year-on-year profits, with reported Q2 net income of $543 million versus $513 million a year ago, up 5.5%. However, profits were lower than in Q1, when GWIM reported net income of $547 million.
The total number of financial advisors rose to 17,534 from 17,512 in the prior quarter and 16,433 a year ago. Average trailing 12-month production, or fees and commissions, in the quarter per advisor was $915,000, up from $905,000 in Q1 but down from $965,000 a year ago.
Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley reported a 50% drop in profits, which totaled $563 million, compared with results of $1.19 billion a year ago. Earnings per share came to 28 cents for income from continuing operations versus last year's loss of 36 cents a share. The loss included a negative adjustment of about $1.7 billion, or $1.02 per diluted share, related to the conversion of preferred stock held by Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group into common stock.
The wirehouse also reported net revenues of $7 billion for the quarter compared with $9.2 billion a year ago. "Although global economic uncertainty remains a headwind, we are proactively positioning the firm for success," said Chairman and CEO James Gorman in a statement. "In Global Wealth Management, we increased our pre-tax margin to 12% in an environment marked by investor caution, and we integrated substantially all of our technology systems, which should bring additional value to our clients."
The number of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney (MSSB) advisors in the Global Wealth Management Unit dropped 2% from last quarter and 6% from last year to 16,934, while total assets under management stood at $1.71 trillion, 2% lower from the previous quarter but 1% higher than a year ago. MSSB counted 17,193 advisors in the previous quarter and 17,987 advisors a year ago.
These global reps produced average trailing-12-month fees and commissions of $775,000, 2% higher than last year's revenues of $762,000. They managed average client assets of $101 million, unchanged from last quarter but 7% higher than last year's figure of $94,000.
Morgan Stanley's Global Wealth Management Group, which includes the MSSB joint venture, reported net revenue of $3.3 billion vs. $3.4 billion in the prior quarter and a year ago. Pre-tax profits were $393 million, up from $387 million in Q1 and $317 million last year. Its pre-tax profit margin of 12% topped that of the prior quarter, 11%, and last year's tally, 9%.
"The pretax profit margin, which is the number that analysts really look at in the Global Wealth Management unit, rose from 11% to 12% in the second quarter," said Shannon Stemm, a finance sector analyst at Edward Jones, in an interview. "So despite the fact that the unit saw a revenue decline, they were able to manage expenses. They failed to achieve the mid-teens-and-above target that they've been after for a number of years. But now that the Smith Barney integration really is behind them, they should be able to make some headway on further improving the profitability in that segment. We would anticipate that the 12% margin does go up from here."
Despite a year-over-year decline of 1,053 reps, company officials say they continue to attract new advisors to MSSB. Advisors who recently joined MSSB include Brent Henry, Dustin Colebank and Mike Hudson, who came to MSSB in Arkansas from Merrill Lynch with about $2.35 million in combined production and $230 million in prior assets.
According in industry experts and other sources, about two weeks after its released earnings, Morgan Stanley appears to be mulling the closure of some wealth-management complexes, trimming support staff and boosting production levels at some branches, though the firm declined to comment on news reports about these developments.
"What is surprising to me is that they have picked this time to cut staff, which risks hurting service levels by putting more decisions into the hands of fewer people," said Danny Sarch of Leitner Sarch Consultants. "I question the timing of this, especially since the advisor population is already stressed because of technology challenges. They risk hurting the service level at the worst possible time."
Morgan Stanley, which owns 51% of the MSSB joint venture, also is working to purchase an additional 14% of this business from Citigroup. The hotly disputed value of MSSB is being appraised by Perella Weinberg Partners.
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo reported that its Q2 profits rose to about $4.6 billion from roughly $4.0 billion a year ago and $4.3 billion in Q1. Earnings stood at $0.82 per share, a penny higher than analysts' expectations. Revenues were $21.3 billion, up from $20.4 billion last year but down from $21.6 billion in the prior quarter.
The Wells' business segment covering wealth, brokerage and retirement, profits rose to $343 million, beating results of $337 million a year ago and $296 million in the prior quarter. Wealth management reported client assets of $197 billion, down $8 billion, or 4%, from a year ago.
The wealth, brokerage and retirement unit included 15,170 financial advisors as of June 30, an increase over the 15,134 financial advisors reported as of March 31. This figure includes 10,913 advisors in the traditional brokerage channel, lower than the 10,987 reported in the previous quarter.
UBS said its second-quarter net income fell to 425 million Swiss Francs, or 0.11 Swiss francs per share, from 1.02 billion Swiss francs, or 0.26 Swiss francs per share a year ago. This represents a decline to about $435.5 million from $1.04 billion, missing analysts' expectations.
The firm's investment bank had a pre-tax loss of 130 million Swiss francs (or $133 million) in the second quarter due to "challenging market conditions," as well as a loss of 349 million Swiss francs (about $358 million) related to Facebook's initial public offering.
Its Wealth Management-Americas unit, though, had a pre-tax profit of $211 million in the quarter ended June 30. This represents a 28% jump over last year's results of $165 million and a 1% gain from the earlier period, when pre-tax income was $209 million. Total revenue for the unit was $1.59 billion. This is a 1% increase from the earlier period and a 5% improvement from the year-ago quarter.
"Our strong capital, liquidity and funding positions, as well as our transparency and consistency in communicating these strengths, clearly speak in favor of UBS and reassure our clients in an otherwise adverse environment," said Group CEO Sergio Ermotti in a press release. "Clients recognize this and continue to entrust us with their assets."
UBS' operations in the Americas, led by Bob McCann, now include 7,021 financial advisors. That's a jump of six FAs from the previous quarter and gain of 159 from the year-ago period.
Net new money in the second quarter was $3.8 billion, excluding dividends and interest, and $9 billion including them. This puts the inflows slightly below those of the first quarter but narrowly ahead of last year's tally.
Per advisor, net new money was $541,000 in the quarter, excluding dividends and interest, and nearly $1.3 million per rep if these financial measures are included. Total invested assets were $797 billion, down from $807 billion in the first quarter but up from $774 billion in the year-ago period. This Q2 drop, UBS says, was "primarily due to a decline in market performance."
Invested assets per advisor were $114 million, and annualized revenue per advisor of $905,000 represented a jump of 1% from $897,000 in the first quarter and 3% from last year.


text:
If you read judicial opinions in serious crime cases, which always seem to describe every gruesome and salacious detail, you will almost surely reach two conclusions. First, no "normal" person could ever commit many of the horrific acts described in those cases. Second, everyone involved would be so much better off if we could have somehow anticipated and prevented those crimes from occurring in the first place.
The perpetrators themselves might be leading normal lives if their violent tendencies were identified and treated before they committed their crimes. Even more importantly, the innocent victims, as well as their loved ones, would of course greatly benefit from not having been murdered or assaulted.
The idea that we could prevent crime by identifying and treating minors predisposed to violent behavior has long been contemplated and debated. Leon Kass, who would later chair President Bush's Bioethics Commission, wrote in Science in 1971 that while he served in the federal government in the 1960s a proposal was "tendered and supported high in government" that called for the psychological testing of all 6-year-olds in the nation to detect "future criminals and misfits." The proposal was rejected because the then-available tests of future criminal behavior lacked sufficient predictive accuracy.
But in the future, asked Kass, "will such a proposal be rejected if reliable tests become available?"
We are now reaching a critical juncture where scientific developments in both genetics and neuroscience may soon be able to identify children with a greatly increased risk of engaging in future violent activity. In the genetics field, mutations in the MAOA gene, in combination with an abusive upbringing in the early years of life, substantially increase the risk of future antisocial and violent conduct. In the original study by Avshalom Caspi and colleagues, 85 percent of males who had the mutated form of the MAOA gene, combined with severe mistreatment in the early years of life, engaged in some form of antisocial behavior, whereas fewer than 20 percent of children with the normal MAOA allele and the same abusive environment engaged in such behavior. This type of study with the MAOA gene has been repeated many times now, with most of the follow-up studies replicating the original findings.
To date, the genetic risk associated with MAOA mutations has been used in the legal system primarily as mitigating evidence (with only limited success to date) to reduce the sentence of a criminal with the genetic predisposition. Obviously, in these cases, the crime has already been committed.
But perhaps we could look for that genetic marker before any crime is committed - and there are other red flags we can look for as well. For instance, Adrian Raine of the University of Pennsylvania found that a brain abnormality (called cavum septum pellucidum) detected in the fetus was associated with subsequent antisocial behaviors. Another study found that poor fear conditioning (which is the anxiety most of us learn to feel when we do something antisocial) at age 3, indicative of amygdala dysfunction, predisposes individuals to crime at age 23. Yet another study used functional MRI to identify brain patterns correlated with increased impulsivity in incarcerated juveniles. This is just a small sampling of a growing body of experimental findings linking neurological traits with criminal propensity in children.
Such tests are never likely to be deterministic or completely accurate. They will identify only increased probabilities of violent behaviors, not certainties. But before we get much further down this road, we need to start thinking about whether and how we want to use this capability to identify at-risk children.
There are many obvious detriments and risks in trying to identify such children. First, the data we have are based primarily on group averages, and when applied to individuals, they will result in both false positives and false negatives. Second, there is a long history of eugenic and racist attempts to use biological characteristics to discriminate, creating understandable concerns about going down that road again. Third, tagging a child as a potential future criminal will have many kinds of detrimental psychological impacts for that child and those who interact with him. Fourth, there will undoubtedly be privacy and confidentiality concerns and breaches regarding individuals' test results.
Perhaps the most critical question is, what do we do with such children when we identify them?
Given the serious risks and consequences associated with trying to detect at-risk children through their genetics and/or neuroscience, it seems that such efforts would only make sense, if at all, if there were effective strategies to treat such children to prevent their violent futures. Happily, there are some early indications that this may be feasible.
For example, one study found that enriching the environment of at-risk children aged 3-5 years with better nutrition, more physical exercise and intellectual stimulation reduced criminal offenses at age 23 by 34 percent. A growing body of studies is showing that social, behavioral, nutritional or pharmaceutical interventions can reduce the antisocial or violent behavior of at-risk youths.
As potential treatments and other strategies are identified, however, we will need concerted research programs to test those ideas on children identified to be at risk for future violence. Such studies will have to be designed and implemented carefully to avoid or minimize stigmatization and privacy pitfalls.
Moreover, the children included in these studies shouldn't be identified by mass screenings at school, but by aberrant behavior, followed by genetic or neurologic testing.
Critics of such biology-based preventive approaches emphasize that the environment also plays a critical role in ultimate behavior. But that is the point. By favorably altering the environment of biologically predisposed children, we may be able to avoid the horrific outcomes that would otherwise result.
This article arises from Future Tense, a partnership of Slate, the New America Foundation and Arizona State University that explores emerging technologies and their implications for public policy and for society.