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When leaders announced plans earlier this year for a big-box shopping center beside the Maine Turnpike in Lewiston, Mayor Lionel Guay added a warning.
People had better shop at the new stores, or future development would freeze up, he said.
Lewiston's image as a destination needs constant polishing, he said.
His brother, Auburn Mayor Normand Guay, is optimistic about the cities' future.
"There are still ghosts to fight, though," said the Auburn mayor.
Even as people inside and outside the cities talk about Lewiston-Auburn's improved image, some will always see it in its worst light, Normand Guay said.
For example, Darren Fishell, a freshman at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, adopted a negative view of the cities after less than a year in Maine.
A southern California native, he dated a woman at Bates College who told him to be careful of the city's crime-ridden downtown.
Arriving in Lewiston on a bus at night, he had a scare of his own.
Wearing a backpack as he walked to the Bates campus, the 18-year-old student thought about all he had heard as he passed a downtown bar.
"Inside, someone yelled, There he is! Get him!" Fishell said.
Nobody followed.
"I guess they were joking, but I was by myself," he said. "I was freaked out."
Fishell was among 21 people randomly interviewed in South Portland and Brunswick about Lewiston-Auburn's image.
Of those, five had a negative opinion of the city. Two had never been here. The other 14 thought the cities had improved.
Several mentioned new development, the cleaner downtowns and the perception that the Twin Cities are a growing, vibrant community.
Robert Gould, 55, of Gorham routinely drives through the area, sometimes catching lunch at a local restaurant. He particularly likes the way the city has embraced its Franco-American heritage.
Norman Moreau of Cumberland, a retired jewelry store owner, has been reading the newspaper and watching the TV ads, he said. He has also visited over the years, ever since the cities' mills were employing thousands.
"It has changed quite a bit," Moreau said. "It's coming back."
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text: Show Hide image Culture 14 February 2013 Reviewed: Engineers of Victory by Paul Kennedy Boffins at war. Sign-up Engineers of Victory: the Problem Solvers Who Turned the Tide in the Second World War Paul Kennedy Allen Lane, 464pp, £25 Seventy years ago, in January 1943, Winston Churchill and the then president of the United States, Franklin D Roosevelt, plus their chiefs of staff, were closeted together for ten days in a hotel in Casablanca, reviewing the Allies' war aims and the strategy necessary to achieve them. The conference – and the declaration that emanated from it, calling, at Roosevelt's insistence, for the "unconditional surrender" of the Axis powers – came at a time when such an outcome seemed a prospect that was far distant, if attainable at all. The period from 1942-43 was the lowest point of the war for the Allies. The terrible attrition of the "battle of the Atlantic" intensified in the months after the Casablanca conference. In March 1943 alone, German U-boats sank 108 Allied convoys bringing much needed food, fuel, materiel and men across the Atlantic – an unsustainable rate of losses that negated Britain's historic advantage as an island power and threatened to starve its war industries and people of essential supplies. Yet if control of the sea seemed a chimera, control of the air over western Europe, which would enable Britain to serve as a launch pad for the invasion of Europe and as a base to take the bombing campaign deep into the heart of the Third Reich, was equally elusive. Without it, all hopes of mounting the "second front" that Stalin was urging to relieve the staggering losses Russia was suffering in the east would be in vain. Resources were also needed for a fightback in the Pacific and the Far East, where Japan had more or less wiped out Britain's colonial empire (though Churchill's insistence on a "Europe first" agenda was ratified at Casa - blanca, despite the grumblings of the US navy top brass). Yet, 18 months later, most of these aims had been realised (unconditional surrender excepted). Paul Kennedy's new book joins those such as Richard Overy's Why the Allies Won (1995) in trying to explain how this happened. He does so by concentrating not on grand strategy and the manoeuvres of military commanders but on the practical solutions of war carried out by those he calls "middlemen", engineers in the widest sense of the word, who worked to solve problems by expert reasoning, bold experimentation and the very occasional eureka moment. For example, success in the war at sea against Admiral Dönitz's ferocious submarine "wolf packs" became a reality through a combination of escort ships that were equipped to detect and kill while accompanying the convoys all the way across the Atlantic and the increased range of planes that allowed the Allies to close the "air gap". Round-the-clock bombardment gave German industry little respite and fatally weakened the country's infrastructure but this would not have been possible without the development of long-range fighter support. The Allies did not win the war simply by gradually developing more powerful and effective war machines to pit against the enemy (nor, in Kennedy's view, by superior intelligence gathering) but by the intelligent application of these and other resources. This was facilitated by Churchill's ability to pick the right men for the job and what Kennedy calls a "culture of encouragement" that nourished the boffins' work. Engineers of Victory is not based on new discoveries in forgotten archives; rather, it is a careful stitching together of already known elements, a demonstration that it was their interconnectedness and interdependence that made Allied victory possible. The decisive combination of new technologies included: dramatic refinements in radar; deadly "hedgehog" grenades; offshore Mulberry floating harbours; the Merlin engines that transformed the performance of the P-51 Mustang fighter plane; Leigh lights that dazzled surfacing U-boats; Major General Percy Hobart's various "funnies" – converted tanks deployed to clear the Normandy beaches of mines. It was advances such as these, coupled with a greater understanding of the vital contribution of logistics and supply lines, plus the imagination, practical abilities and dogged hard work of the "problem solvers", that eventually coalesced to achieve an Allied victory. What also contributed were the overstretch and miscalculations of the Germans and Japanese, on the one hand, and civilian morale, on the other. Before the Blitz in 1940-41, there was concern that the British people would not be able to "take it" when faced with nightly attrition by the Luftwaffe and that the war would be lost on the home front as disastrously as it could be on the battlefield, at sea or in the air. This did not happen – for a fully rounded explanation of "why the Allies won", perhaps that also needs to be taken into account. Juliet Gardiner's most recent books are "The Thirties: an Intimate History" and "The Blitz: the British Under Attack" (HarperPress, £12.99 and £8.99 respectively) Subscribe For more great writing from our award-winning journalists subscribe for just £1 per month! This article first appeared in the 11 February 2013 issue of the New Statesman, Assange Alone SUBSCRIBE More


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We already know that the next mothership game and bearer of the 20th anniversary release title in the series is Tales of Zestiria for the PS3, also we know that localization for North/South America and Europe has been announced. This past days has seen the release of a myriad of new details about the game, including three magazine articles (Dengeki PlayStation, Jump Magazine and Famitsu) and some other details over at the TalesChannel+ and the official Tales of Facebook page so check them out.
Note: a (?) sign after a place or character name means the romanization is still not official. Update: Name of places are now official updated the article to reflect that, also the official site of the game is now open with more information and screenshots of the game. go ahead and give it a check
The game has a total of 4 character designers, all familiar names in the series: Kousuke Fujishima, Mutsumi Inomata, Daigo Okumura and Minoru Iwamoto (that last one may not so familiar but he was the one who designed characters for the Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology games)
The Music will be in charge of two familiar faces: Motoi Sakuraba and Go Shiina
The animation will be once again in charge of ufotable
General Aspects of the game:
The continent of Greenwood, where the story unfolds, is a land in dispute for supremacy between the Kingdom of Highland and the Empire of Lowlance. In a land where despite various religious beliefs exist, there is one thing in common among all of them: The believe in those that are called the 天族 (tezoku, Divine People/Family). The reason for this, despite no one actually seeing one of those beings, is that every now and then, people who can communicate and appeal to them appear. This people who can borrow and manifest the powers of the Divine are called 導師 (doushi, Priests/Monks). This people are considered as saviors with the power of god.
A long time has passed and somewhere deep within a forest no one can enter called the Forest of the Divine lies something made to resemble an utopia where Humans and the Divine People can live together, and there's and "impurity" that has been spreading all around the world, except for that place.
Here is where main character Slay(?) has been raised, isolated from the outside world therefore growing into a a pure-hearted young man. The reason of him being forbidden to leave the village is because outside the village, there exists monsters born of impurity who are known as 憑魔 (Hyoma, Devil Possessions/ Haunting Demons) who may target and attack him because of his high level of Spirit Power. The villagers always warn Slay(?) about the terrors the Hyoma may bring, and so he has never disobeyed the rule of him not being allowed to leave the village.
Here's the trailer shown at the original reveal of the game, which was also shown in this year Jump Festa
In the trailer we can hear a narration that pretty much tell us the introduction of the game that we were shown during the countdown
General Details About the World :
Buildings shown in an orange color were once "Streets of Scholarship," and the large tree in the plaza is a sacred one. However, rumors are spreading of ghosts who appear in the streets.
The ruins on the hillside were made in the distant past, and apparently they are from religious origin
Rare plants and animals can be seen in the wetland area, and what was once a bridge and a wooden road has been left to rot.
In the continent of Greenwood, there are big marshes and volcanoes, as well. The current civilization has over 1,000 years of history, but ruins from an even older era area everywhere.
The Kingdom of Highland is a country with large areas of mountains and plateaus. It held a culture that respected faith and form, but now people's lives have diversified and tradition has faded. The government is separated from the hand of royalty and nobles, and a bureaucratic organization is being molded.
The Empire of Lowlance rules over the biggest area of land on the continent. Fertile plains occupy most of the country, and is the foundation of a military force. The scale of the capital city and culture is the greatest, but the disparity between areas is large. The emperor used to have absolute power, but now the Church of Lowlance, with its old traditions, is increasing its influence.
Slay(?) [スレイ] (voiced by Ryouhei Kimura, designed by Kousuke Fujishima): 175 centimeters tall. His weapon is a one-handed ceremonial sword. Taking advantage of a book called 天遺見聞録 ( teni kenbun roku, Divine Records or Record of Heavenly Bequeathments), he has an interest in the ancient ruins. His current dream is to study and pursue events of the ancient times. Kind and relaxed, he honestly expresses his emotions. He has an overly optimistic side as well, but his pure and positive character fascinates those around him. He believes that the tale written in his book that says "Humans used to communicate with The Divine and could even live with them" is not just a legend, but could have been real, so he frequents the ruins expecting to discover something about that. As for what he can do, he was able to read the Record and explore the ancient ruins nearby, but in the middle of his exploration, the ruins collapse and he becomes trapped in the lowest level, and while trying to find a way out he discovers a unconscious girl. Here are some designs by ufotable
Alicia(?) [アリーシャ] (voiced by Ai Kayano designed by Daigo Okumura) - 161 centimeters tall. She's the girl Slay finds unconscious in the ruins. She got caught up in the collapse, and all her belongings are missing so he tries to help her put . Her weapon is a long spear. A princess at the lowest level of the heirs to the throne of Highland, she has a bright and feminine character by nature, but as a matter of course is treated as a mere knight and speaks in a strict masculine way. Her mother's social position is low and she is treated poorly as royalty, and her company is disliked by the cabinet ministers. From her native kindness, she tries to do something about a world that cannot stop disasters and wars. But these actions are difficult from her position in the kingdom. She was in the ruins searching for answers about the various disasters that are occurring around the world. Here are some designs by ufotable
Interview with Hideo Baba
- This time, the game delves into the "abundance of the heart," but from the approach of Tales the keyword that is drawn is "Zest" (passion, zeal).
- At a glance, Slay may not look like the zealous type, but his actions and way of life hide a zeal that accumulates in his heart.
- The Tales series has focused on themes of justice and faith until now, but Zestiria furthermore draws the rooted 'zeal' from the front.
- Up until now, the fields were basically running along a highway, but Zestiria is not like this.
- A camera for a pleasant searching system is being prepared.
- Alicia is actually of low ranking despite being a princess because her mother was of low social rank to begin with. This is why she prefers living as just a mere knight.
- Slay's way of looking at things and positive personality and Alicia's always serious personality definitely clashes, but as the story progresses we'll also get to see an unexpected side of both of them.
- Thought the battles pretty much have the standard sword and magic basis, they say the best experience of it will entirely change. Aside from the evolution of the Linear Motion Battle System, there will be a big surprise regarding the battle system. Also it is describes as something along the lines of Tales of Graces.
- A focus on dragons is a first for the series, but as seen in the logo it is closely related to the story, and also if they're friend or foe is something we will be find out in time.
- Game development so far: Scenario and character designs all done. System and graphics work still in progress. Voice acting for the main scenario is almost done.
- The manufacturing process of games and anime is going to become tough, but he's hoping to keep up a befitting fighting spirit.
- As we turn toward the release date, they plan doing events and releases of more information.
So there you have it, after what was practically a double countdown teaser site, we get to see a whole lot of new details about Tales of Zestiria.
Bonus: The poll voting for the next official Tales of Character Popularity Ranking is now open. You can go here and vote for your favorite character at Tales Channel +, (account required, but they're free). After your vote you will get 2 wallpapers (they come in 4 different sizes each) one featuring Yuri, Asbel and Leon, and the other featuring Milla, Kohaku/Amber and Cheria. BTW since they have been promoted to the hall of fame, you can no longer vote for Yuri Lowell or Leon Magnus. Also the next Tales of Festival will be held on May 31, and we may get to see a whole lot more of information.
Sources: AbyssalChronicles, Gematsu, Famitsu, koi-nya, hokanko


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VANCOUVER - A woman who wanted to know the identity of her sperm-donor father is taking her case to Canada's top court after the B.C. Court of Appeal threw out an earlier decision that sided with her.
Olivia Pratten wanted offspring like herself to be treated the same as people who are adopted and argued that the B.C. government should change its laws accordingly.
But the appeal court ruled Tuesday there is no legal right for offspring to know their past and providing such information would amount to state intrusion into many people's lives.
"It's very disappointing," Pratten said of the appeal court ruling.
"All we were asking for is the same benefits of adopted people. They've basically said, `No, you can't have that.' And they've basically said that it's OK for the government to discriminate. It's failing to protect the health and safety of donor-conceived people, that's what this court has done. We'll be appealing it to the Supreme Court of Canada."
The appeal court concluded that contrary to Pratten's argument, it is not her constitutional right to know her biological past.
"There are many non-donor offspring who do not know their family history or the identity of their biological father because of decisions taken by others, or because of the circumstances of their conception," Justice David Frankel said in the written ruling on behalf of the three judges.
"However desirable it may be that persons have access to information about their biological origins, Ms. Pratten has not established that such access has been recognized as so `fundamental' that it is entitled to independent constitutionally protected status under the Charter," the ruling said.
In May 2011, a B.C. Supreme Court judge agreed with Pratten, giving the province 15 months to amend its Adoption Act, saying people who are deprived of their genetic backgrounds suffer psychological harm.
Judge Elaine Adair also ordered a permanent injunction against the destruction of donor records, which can be disposed of in six years, but the B.C. government appealed the ruling.
In February, a lawyer for the Attorney General's Ministry told the appeal court that adoption laws don't apply to people who were born using donated sperm or eggs if they want to learn the identity of a biological parent.
Some information collected about biological parents by adoption agencies and the government can be accessed when those children turn 19, unless the parents don't want it disclosed.
Pratten, who now lives in Toronto, was born in Nanaimo, B.C., in 1982 using sperm from an anonymous donor, and her parents knew the donor's identity would be shielded.
She spent a decade trying to learn her biological father's identity, but her parents' Vancouver fertility specialist destroyed the records in keeping with rules of the B.C. College of Physicians and Surgeons, which was also named Pratten's lawsuit.
Dr. George Korn, who retired in 2004, gave her contradictory information, first saying the donor was six feet tall and had brown eyes and later said he was 5 feet 10 inches tall and had green eyes.
Pratten, who started court proceedings in 2008, said she was told by the B.C. College of Physicians and Surgeons in 2004 that the sperm donor's records could have been shredded or incinerated and she therefore couldn't get any information about him.
"Not only me but other people have contacted them over the years," she said. "Everyone's just turned around and said it's not our problem, it's not our jurisdiction and that was one of the big issues of the case.
"I'm saying publicly that they're useless," she said of the college.
"I don't want them to protect these files because they've failed at doing it and they need to be held in Vital Statistics or somewhere else, which is why we wanted to be included in the adoption legislation because that's the legal framework to provide protection of files."
The B.C. College of Physicians and Surgeons did not return calls for an interview.
Also on HuffPost


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This week on Jalopnik, Aaron Foley ran a rant on 'emotional design' aptly titled, "Hey Designers, What the Fuck Does 'Emotional' Mean?"
What does 'emotional' mean? How about the fact that it's the sole reason that design exists as a career in the first place? How about the fact that without it, we'd be stuck with roads overflowing with precision-engineered piles of boring?
We wouldn't have anything worthy of idolization on a poster on a kid's wall. We never would have enjoyed years of ranting about how Pontiac turned what could have been really cool and innovative into the vomit-inducing man-bear-pig that is the Aztec.
So, what does 'emotional' really mean? Well, Jalops - we've got your answer right here.
Image courtesy Toyota.


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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Just two months ago, the San Francisco 49ers grabbed control of the NFC West from the Arizona Cardinals behind Alex Smith's near perfect performance on a Monday night in the desert.
Oh, how much has changed since.
The slow and steady Smith has been replaced by Colin Kaepernick, a high-risk, high-reward quarterback who coach Jim Harbaugh is counting on to lead the suddenly fragile 49ers (10-4-1) deep into the playoffs. The Cardinals (5-10) are on their fourth starting quarterback in Brian Hoyer and have lost 10 of 11 games to put coach Ken Whisenhunt's job in jeopardy.
One team is headed to the postseason, the other for a head start on the NFL draft. The only question left is where each will be seeded for their final destinations.
San Francisco can clinch its second straight division title and keep its shot at a first-round bye alive in Sunday's regular-season finale against Arizona at Candlestick Park. The once promising Cardinals are 60 minutes away beginning another offseason of upheaval.
``Sometimes in a game like this, anything goes,'' Harbaugh said. ``Their mindset will be to win the game. So you have to be ready. You have to be alert for just about anything.''
At the very least, last week should've reminded the 49ers of that much.
San Francisco's 42-13 shellacking in Seattle handed Harbaugh the worst loss of his NFL coaching career. It showed how flimsy the 49ers and their second-ranked defense can be without Justin Smith, the versatile lineman whose streak of 185 games ended because of a partially torn left triceps. Smith is not expected to play against Arizona and his status for the playoffs remains murky.
Harbaugh has shown the ability to rebound his team quickly. The 49ers are 7-0 after a loss or tie in his tenure, and he'll need to rally his players again at the most important time.
The 49ers can still secure the No. 2 playoff seed - and the first-round bye that comes with it - with a win coupled with a Green Bay loss at Minnesota. If they lose and Seattle (10-5) wins at home against St. Louis, the Seahawks will steal the NFC West and send San Francisco on the road for the first round.
``It's for the NFC West,'' 49ers running back Frank Gore said. ``That was our goal coming into this season - to win the NFC West. We get a chance to do that this Sunday. That's what we want. We're upset about last week. We've got to win.''
Last week alone should provide an attitude strong enough to keep San Francisco sharp.
Hoyer is making his first NFL start, less than three weeks after the Cardinals claimed him off waivers from Pittsburgh. The former Michigan State quarterback spent three seasons as a backup to Tom Brady in New England, was out of a job for most of the year and then relieved Ryan Lindley in Arizona's 28-13 loss to Chicago last week. Hoyer has appeared in 14 NFL games, including 13 with the Patriots. He completed 11 of 19 passes for 105 yards with one interception against the Bears while operating an offense that ranks last in the league.
``It's a crazy business, but to me it's the best job in the world,'' Hoyer said.
Quarterback will be near the top of Arizona's to-do list when the season is over, although just who will be in charge of that decision is uncertain.
Cardinals President Michael Bidwill said he will assess the situation after the final game to determine if Whisenhunt comes back for the last year of his contract. General manager Rod Graves also might be gone. If Whisenhunt stays, some of his assistants almost certainly won't.
``It's been tough,'' Whisenhunt said. ``This business is about winning games. And when you don't do that, it makes everything more difficult.''
Arizona started the season with four straight wins and still had a chance to pull even with San Francisco after dropping three straight in October. Then the 49ers routed the Cardinals 24-3 on Oct. 29, a game Smith completed 18 of 19 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns. He also had a 157.1 rating in a performance that earned NFC offensive player of the week honors.
Smith suffered a concussion the next game against St. Louis, Kaepernick took over and had his own Monday night breakout in a home win against Chicago. Kaepernick, a second-round pick out of Nevada last year with a strong arm and fast feet, is 4-2 as a starter.
The sometimes spectacular, sometimes shaky quarterback will lead an offense that has been depleted by season-ending injuries to wide receivers Mario Manningham and Kyle Williams. Tight end Vernon Davis also must clear the league's NFL concussion protocol after getting knocked off his feet by Seattle's Kam Chancellor last week.
The absence of so many key targets will put even more pressure on Kaepernick in a quarterback debate that continues to rage on - maybe this week more than most.
``I just think that Alex worked for seven years to get to the position he was in,'' said Cardinals guard Adam Snyder, who spent seven years playing alongside Smith in San Francisco. ``He was 19-5 (the past two seasons) and had the best QB rating in the league and was doing his job to win games, you know?
``I don't know. It was surprising to me. But, hey, they get paid to make those decisions, and that's the decision they went with.''
Online:http://pro32.ap.org/poll andhttp://twitter.com/AP-NFL


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The Simon Marketing Association (SMA) Microsoft Case Challenge was a great success. Ten teams competed in the first round and presented to a panel of Simon faculty. Five teams made it to the final round, presenting to Microsoft representatives including Eric Hall, MBA Class of 1987, and Phillip Clark, MBA Class of 2008. The winning team members received a Microsoft Xbox, and runners-up won a wireless foldable keyboard. SMA leaders received positive feedback from the participating teams and the Microsoft group. The Association plans to make this case competition an annual event.
The Goodyear Innovation Challenge is a business design and innovation competition sponsored by Goodyear in collaboration with the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. Masters-level students from across the United States are invited to unleash their creativity while addressing real-world business challenges.


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|Artist: J_Mac09
|Date Added: October 24, 2010
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|Tags: how to draw digimon characters
Description: Hey there all my fellow Dragoarters :D. Today I am here to bring you a special tutorial. "What is it JMac?" Well today I am going to show you how to draw Kazemon step by step. Well just who is Kazemon you're wondering. Well my young naiive friends, for those who do know, I salute thee *salutes*, and for those who don't, Kazemon is a Legendary Warrior Digimon from the good old anime series Digimon Frontier. I just recently got back into watching the series when all of the sudden the episode hit when Zoe got here Spirit (Kazemon). Her awesome powers are of the Wind and just being frank here, Kazemon is just dang cute! Lol. Well during the season, Zoe had her spirit stolen by Grumblemon, later returned by JP after him and the guys beat down Grumblemon. Later Zoe/Kazemon makes an arch rival known as Ranamon. I won't spoil anything cuz I really can't yet XD cept that Zoe gets her beast spirit. I might draw Ranamon another day but for now let's get drawing.


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Получить стоимость
- Производитель: Ligne Roset
- Страна: Франция
- Стиль: Современный
ОписаниеLa secrète is at once highly poetic and very functional, offering the possibility of storing, concealing even, one's objects in various recesses. Small in size, this piece is nonetheless possessed of a strong presence thanks to its remarkable design and allure.
The structure and interior fittings are made from walnut veneered MDF; the base is in solid walnut. Brilliant-chromed crosspieces and balance rail. There is a strut-mounted flap lid and a shutter on the top, which may be used as a writing surface while closed, plus a sliding document tray to the right and a space for 'bits and pieces' to the left. Designed to accommodate a laptop up to 17.3'' in size, the cable for which can be concealed in a box with an up-and-over door located to the left-hand rear of the closed section.


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20 Million Affected in Pakistan Flood: ICNA Appeals
JAMAICA, New York (August 3, 2010) – In a press release issued today, the Islamic Circle of North America called upon the community to donate to flood victims in Pakistan.
Thousands are feared dead and millions affected or displaced following torrential rain and flooding in Pakistan last week, in what is considered the country's worst downpour in the last 80 years. Monsoon rains washed away streets, crops and even entire villages in the northwest region of the country on Thursday.
Roads and bridges have been destroyed, significantly limiting access to affected areas. Reports indicate that cholera and diarrhea are spreading across the region, and thousands are in need of medical attention.
With the month of Ramadan quickly approaching, hundreds of thousands will find themselves without food, shelter or even clean water. Helping Hand for Relief and Development is responding with immediate emergency relief. Please visit helpinghandonline.org and donate generously to Pakistan Flood Relief 2010.
The Islamic Circle of North America is a leading American Muslim organization dedicated to the betterment of society through the application of Islamic values. Since 1968, ICNA has worked to build relations between communities by devoting itself to education, outreach, social services and relief efforts.
Islamic Circle of North America
Office: (718) 658-1199


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- Emerging Markets Daily
How to Trade Russia's Corporate Governance Problems
- Order Reprints
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Knowing, I assume, that investors would probably be reluctant to take advice on Russia's corporate governance from a Russian bank, Sberbank'sAndy Smith and team have come up with a novel solution--they quantified it. They categorized 160 Russian corporate events during the past ten years into 12 groups and looked at how companies and sectors performed following them.
Their conclusion probably won't surprise anyone: "Simply put, attractive valuations and superior growth characteristics of specific equities matter less when there is no trust and where fear of the unpredictable overshadows rational decision making," they write.
Treatment of minority shareholders was by far the most important, they say. Stocks dropped 24% in one month, 40% in six months and 50% in 12 months following when they treat minority investors badly.
Also of worry: Equal Enforcement of its laws. "The independence and consistency of Russia's legal
system is also an area where Russia seems to fall short – a thorny problem indeed," they write.
The analysts do, however, offer some advice for navigating Russia's corporate governance conundrum. They recommend looking for stocks with three characteristics: Cheap valuations, a history of mistreating shareholders and management that appears committed to doing a better job.
They offer some companies that they believe fit the bill. They include oil company Transneft, Norilsk Nickel (NILSY), Rostelecom (ROSYY), Bank of St. Petersburg and real-estate companies AFI Development (AFRB.L) and PIK Group (PIK.L).
The Market Vectors Russia ETF (RSX) has gained 0.1% today to $27.20, while the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index ETF (EEM) has risen 1% to $39.67.


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Object of the game: To build up four columns in suit ending in the King card. With Flower Garden Solitaire only one card can be moved at a time. This version of solitaire relies heavily on skill.
When you first begin Flower Garden Solitaire your screen may look like this:
There are a few other versions that may look different but the game is still played the same.
First you will need to find and retrieve all of your Aces. As some of the Aces are behind some of the other cards they may be hard to get to since you can only move one card at a time. When you move a suit you do not need to worry about the colors, regardless of suit a card can be placed on any suited card. You may not move a whole column at any time throughout this game, regardless of if you have it built in the correct order.
The game is called Flower Garden because the cards are meant to look like a bouquet. Once you have your Aces in the foundations you can start to build the rest of your suited cards. Only the top card in the columns can be moved so patience is needed when you play this game. You can also pull suits from the column of cards underneath the foundations.
Continue to move the suits up in to the columns, double clicking on the card will send the suit you choose up to one of the columns. Once a foundation has been cleared you can move an available King card. Once you move a King to an empty column you can then build that foundation and also move cards up to the columns in order to win your game.


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By Tessa Raebeck
While most visitors to Montauk's beaches come only in the summer months, at least one group prefers to spend the off-season basking in the sun. Harbor seals, once hunted as bounty and nearly depleted in the Northeast, are now abundant on the East End each winter.
Most of the seals in local waters are harbor seals, but grey, hooded, ringed and harp seals have also been spotted. The East Hampton Trails Preservation Society hopes to see at least one type of seal this Saturday, at a guided two and a half mile hike that weaves through a wooded trail along the bluffs in Montauk and ends, ideally, with a display of seals sunning themselves by the shore.
Several Northeast states enacted seal bounty programs in the late 1800s, and substantial catching and hunting contributed to a severe depletion of the seal population in local waters. A bounty program in Massachusetts existed until 1962.
Ten years later in 1972, the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act largely prohibited the "take" of marine mammals in U.S. waters or by U.S. citizens anywhere.
The seal population began to recover following its passage, according to Gordon Waring, who leads the seal program at NOAA's (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
The number of seals on the Long Island shore has continued to rise.
Dr. Arthur Kopelman, field biologist and president of the Coastal Research and Education Society of Long Island (CRESLI), has tracked changes in seal species, abundance and distribution in the Long Island Sound since 1995.
"What I've seen is a dramatic increase in population of harbor seals," Kopelman said last week.
Harbor seals, Dr. Kopelman said, come down to New York from areas further North and usually stay from September to May, with the population generally peaking in late March in Westhampton Beach, his current area of research.
They have a cute, dog-like appearance and when flared, their nostrils resemble a cartoon heart. About six feet long, harbor seals are various shades of blue-gray, white or brown and covered in speckled spots.
If you've seen a seal on the East End, chances are it was a harbor seal.
They represent 95 percent of local seals. Dr. Kopelman counted 55 seals in Westhampton just last week, the vast majority of which were harbor seals.
Montauk has more grey seals than Westhampton, the population ecologist said, although the majority are still harbor seals. He has seen the rocks in Montauk filled with hundreds of barking seals in the past.
If harbor seals look like dogs, grey seals look like horses. Grey seals, larger and more aggressive with long faces and large snouts, account for four percent of the local seal population.
Adult males can weigh as much as 700 pounds; double the size of adult male harbor seals.
Dr. Kopelman said according to anecdotal evidence, the grey seal population in local waters is increasing. Typically classified as seasonal visitors like harbor seals, it appears grey seals – like many before them – have become attached to the area and are staying on the East End year round.
"In fact," Dr. Kopelman said, "there are some folks who seem to indicate that there's a year round presence of grey seals out here. Although, again, that's somewhat anecdotal – but probably correct."
The Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation has rescued and rehabilitated many newborn seals recently, but it is not officially confirmed the pups were born in the area.
According to Dr. Kopelman, female harbor seals are often pregnant while here but typically head back North before giving birth to their pups, which can swim minutes after being born. It is "likely," however, that grey seals are giving birth locally.
The remaining one percent of local seals – harp, hooded and ringed seals – come from as far north as the Arctic.
"They are less frequently encountered," said Dr. Kopelman, "but they are encountered."
The Seal Haul Out Hike will take place on Saturday, December 28 at 10 a.m. at Camp Hero Road in Montauk. For more information, contact Eva Moore at the East Hampton Trails Preservation Society at (631) 238-5134 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Tuesday, August 09, 2011
Are top musicians sharing the financial pain?
Everyone in classical music is talking about funding cuts. But no one is talking about how dwindling budgets continue to be top-sliced by the fees charged by high profile musicians. In my recent post I used an estimate of Gustavo Dudamel's fee for a BBC Prom taken from an identified and reliable source. But it remains an estimate because the musicians, agents and concert promoters involved keep such information a closely guarded secret; even when , as is the case with the BBC Proms, they are paid from public funds. But now a concert promoter who has suffered savage funding cuts and considers some of the current fees "outrageous", has supplied details of what top musicians charge. And, more importantly, has agreed I can publish them anonymously.
So here are the fees and associated on-costs. They are as requested by the artist's management for a single concert appearance unless otherwise stated. It should be emphasised this is simply available information and these musicians have not been identified as demanding higher than average fees. It is also worth remembering that fees charged to the most prestigious venues may be higher. Convert currencies here.
Hélène Grimaud - 16,000 euros
Kronos Quartet - 23,000 US dollars
Philip Glass - 36,000 US dollars plus transatlantic flights for solo piano concert
Patricia Kopatchinskaja - 10,000 euros
Dawn Upshaw for pair of concerts - 57,000 US dollars plus additional presentation costs.
Twelve cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic - 24,000 euros plus flights for twelve people plus twelve 'Mr Cello' seats.
The Sixteen - 14,000 pounds sterling euros plus 24 flights (includes one instrument), local transport, hire of chamber organ and one night's hotel for 23 people.
Steve Reich - 18,000 US dollars to attend a series of concerts but not perform, performance fee additional. Also requires business class transatlantic flights.
My source also points out that some other leading musicians are far more accommodating in their demands, but it is not possible to identify them without compromising anonymity. I am also told that Gidon Kremer, who has recently criticised "distorted values" declined to discuss appearing for reasons the promoter believes may include the relative lack of prestige of the venue.
Those fees confirm that the estimate of £20,000 for a Gustavo Dudamel concert is credible and maybe even low. So are top musicians sharing the current financial pain? It is a not a simple question to answer and we must beware of jumping to conclusions. Artists perform a limited number of concerts every year, and unpaid practice and travelling time must be taken into account, as well as the cost of pension and other provisions. The fee charged by The Sixteen for instance is not immoderate when shared between twenty-three singers, and, of course, the performers have to travel and sleep.
But then this path does again highlight the role of the middle feeders in the classical music food chain. For one of the single artist projects the two management agencies involved would receive a combined commission of an estimated 10,000 US dollars without having to do one minute's practice or leave their offices. Then there is the contentious issue of the disparity between the earnings of the celebrities and those of rank and file musicians, contemporary composers and others lower down the food chain.
Yes, governments and arts organisations must take their share of the blame for funding cuts. But is it surprising that classical music is not first favourite with funding bodies when a pianist can earn the price of a new family car for a single evening's work? There may not be a conclusive case that top musicians are failing to share the current financial pain. But with the level of funding cuts in the public domain, why, when public money is involved, are top musicians' fees not similarly disclosed?
* My thanks go to anon for courageously making this article possible. If other concert promoters feel moved to share artist's fees with Overgrown Path readers please forward them to me by email and they will be published on the same anonymous basis.
* More on the role of agents here.
Also on Facebook and Twitter. Report broken links, missing images and errors to - overgrownpath at hotmail dot co dot uk Version 1.1 14/08 with changes to Gidon Kremer section - see comment.
14 comments:
- Pierre-Arnaud Dablemont said...
But the funny thing is promoters certainly consider these fees outrageous, but they don't seem interested by lower-fee artists as they are not as media-friendly.
A few months ago, I developed an initiative to help presenters suffering from cuts : I still have a couple of these already funded recitals in stock. I really believed in this offer, but it seems that promoters don't like it. I don't know why.
- 2:38 pm
- Pliable said...
Pierre-Arnaud, you make a very good point, thank you.
In fact the promoter that supplied the fees information made a very similar point to me "The more times promoters pay these fees, the more they will be demanded".
I did not include the comment in my post and now wish I had done so.
- 3:49 pm
- Pliable said...
A freelance player has sent details of their fee for a recent out of London orchestral concert for sharing anonymously -
Performance fee: £94.50
Travel: £63.36
Porterage: £10.20
Total: £168.06
- 4:54 pm
- David said...
Taking into account 'pension' is a bit complicated, no? In general composers work until they can no longer. The main reason for this is generally death. This isn't the case for performers, who need better physical health to continue to perform.
Not all too important, just a note. I'm not advocating that these very successful composers forgo their own deserved money to afford the best healthcare and retirement.
What is clear is to me is that younger composers, myself included, are constantly trying to find ways to make ends meet. This may always be how it has been. I'm told this. But the way my generation seems to be making ends meet is not through composing, its through grant-writing and other non-composing activities. To think that a composer would demand to just show up and comment on their piece and be paid all this cash is, well, a dated model. I see it as unsustainable, and its difficult to justify it continuing as things change so much in other sectors.
- 6:02 pm
- Pliable said...
Via Twitter:
I disagree with this! These people are at the top because they've worked for it. Nobody is being forced to hire them. http://bit.ly/nzLs5K
@ccampb85 Casandra Campbell
- 7:03 pm
- Pliable said...
James Weeks, founder of Exaudi, has left the following comment:
With regard to the post about monster concert fees (which especially in the case of many top conductors I think is absolutely worthy of exposure - it's a disgrace how much more they get than the orchestral musicians), I would say that the odd one out is The Sixteen. £14,000 looks to me like an absolutely fair figure for that number of people, whether or not this includes Harry Christophers (maybe it doesn't), each of whom has to paid for every prior rehearsal plus concert day fee plus per diems, with admin (office, staff, business overheads) and agents' fees and rehearsal venue hire costs on top - all in all, a bargain for a world-famous ensemble, I'd say!
Are they on the list to provide a contrast with the others? I notice you say this is not a name-and-shame list specifically.
- 8:29 pm
- Pliable said...
Thanks for that James. The Sixteen are on the list simply because their fee was one of those provided, and not specifically to provide a contrast with the others.
But as you quite rightly say and as I pointed out in the post their fee is not immoderate when shared between twenty-three singers.
And as you also quite rightly say this is not a not a name-and-shame list. It is purely a tool to raise the profile of a subject which the mainstream media are terrified to touch because of the power of the musician/agent/promoter cartel.
- 8:38 pm
- Pliable said...
Good to see someone in America at last sticking their neck over the parapet - composer James Primosch writes on his website:
"Surely I am naive about this, but I was astounded by the fees that Glass and Reich are said to command in this post. Ned Rorem used to be considered outrageous for insisting on a small fee to attend performances of his music, but this is quite a different matter.
George Rochberg used to tell us that, "If money corrupts, you [composers] are incorruptible." I am not saying Glass and Reich are corrupt! Nor am I saying that their fees are undeserved. But there does seem to be less of a distance between them and $$ than is the case for many composers, including some pretty famous ones."
Their is also coverage on the Musical America website, but as I am not a subscriber I cannot read it -
- 4:43 pm
- Pliable said...
Here is the Musical America article courtesy of a reader -
Of Big Name Soloists and Big Bucks Fees
By Bob Shingleton
On An Overgrown Path
August 10, 2011
As opera companies and orchestras cut back, lay-off staff, negotiate for lower rates with their unions and otherwise tighten their collective belts, one wonders whether they are still paying exorbitant fees for soloists and whether the Big Names are still getting now what they were, say, five years ago. It's a closely guarded secret writes Bob Shingleton in his blog "An Overgrown Path."
"No one is talking about how dwindling budgets continue to be top-sliced by the fees charged by high profile musicians," he writes, adding that Dudamel's fee for a recent BBC Prom was £20,000.
Shingleton prints a list of fees supplied by an (anonymous) concert presenter. Among the more alarming are those of Philip Glass -- $36,000 plus expenses -- and Dawn Upshaw -- $57,000 for a pair of concerts.
Note that the word "alarming" is Musical America's, not mine.
- 5:07 pm
- RWAM said...
The key phrase is "as requested by the artist's management for a single concert appearance" since what is asked and what is gotten may be two entirely different things! Presenters routinely negotiate lower fees than those "officially" stated ones. Plus many engagements may be part of a multiple booking or tour where fees are lower overall. But in any case, the high fees received by the few high profile artists is extraordinarily frustrating to the rest of the high-quality musicians available.
Jeff Dimmerman,
New York, NY
- 8:50 pm
- Daina Svabe said...
Hello ! I have been reading this blog for a number of years, and thanks for sharing the interview with Latvian composer Eriks Esenvalds ! Unfortunately, on this occasion - I consider your comment regarding Mr. Gidons Kremers inappropriate, because you do not provide any evidence. If you are not willing to disclose your "source", you have no right to tarnish the reputation of one of the world's greatest musicians.
P.S. In order to save your time by Googling me, I'll just say directly that - yes, I'm from Latvia ! But it doesn't even matter.
- 6:05 pm
- Pliable said...
Daina, thank you for that and I am sorry that you find my use of an anonymous source inappropriate.
There was a lot of agonising before I published the story, and its anonymous format would not in normal circumstances be my preferred approach. But the fees charged by celebrity performers are controlled by a cartel of musicians, agents and concert promoters who, for reasons of self-interest, keep such information a closely guarded secret. Anyone who makes fees information available will not be popular, to put it mildly, with the cartel, and is likely to find future business negotiations "difficult".
My information came from a trusted source that has made a valuable contribution to classical music, and neither of us wanted to jeopardise the continuation of that contribution. That is the unavoidable reason why an anonymous format was used.
The worldwide interest in this article has shown that the subject of musicians fees has been off limits for too long. It is unfortunate that some feathers have been ruffled in the process of bringing this important topic to a wide audience. But it is a price I will accept if it contributes to greater future transparency.
- 2:42 pm
- Pliable said...
I have received another email from Daina Svabe and have also received copy correspondence from my source regarding Gidon Kremer's appearance at the promoter's venue.
Having seen the correspondence I am satisfied that no realistic attempt was made by Kremer or his management to negotiate an appearance. But I also acknowledge that the wording in my original article was less than felicitous.
Accordingly I have re-worded that section and noted the amendment as a version change.
- 2:50 pm
- Pliable said...
Jeff Dimmernan makes a fair point above about fees being negotiable, and for this reason I was careful to use the wording "as requested" in the article.
But my source does point out that there are also fees on the list which are non-negotiable.
Respect goes to Jeff for being the only agent willing to enter the debate.
- 2:50 pm


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The tech behind the Pennsylvania school laptop spying case
This provides some new details to the story from last week on how the Lower Merion School District/Harriton High School used compulsory school laptops to monitor students at home. Some network admin named Mike Perbix is the evil fucktard responsible for maintaining the school district sanctioned installation of LANRev/Absolute Manage, a very comprehensive (but insecurely built) software package used for monitoring the school provided Macbooks.
The story was uncovered after a student was suspended for "using drugs" at home, based on a photo taken with the laptop's built in webcam. The student was eating candy.


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It happens every July: Club Nintendo announces its loyalty gifts for members who reached gold or platinum status in the past year, and everyone craps all over them. Well, if you don't want another poster or desk calendar (and I quite enjoy mine, thank you very much) now you may pick a free game from the Wii Virtual Console or the 3DS eShop.
There still are physical-item gifts for those who like getting something in the mail. Those who earned 600 or more coins (these are awarded for registering devices and games, answering surveys and such) between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012, may choose choose a set of three posters featuring art from Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and Kid Icarus: Uprising. Or they can get a set of Mario-themed playing cards. (Both are pictured above).
Just have Gold-level elite status? Well, you can have another goddamn calendar. (Platinum members may also pick the calendar if they want.) If none of that appeals to you, all Platinum and Gold members may choose one free download from the following games: Super Mario Kart and The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask from the Wii Virtual Console, Metroid II: Return of Samus from the 3DS Virtual Console or Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! from DSiWare.
More details at the link below.
Check out this year's Elite Status gifts [Club Nintendo]


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Here's an opportunity for you and your colleagues to get the student perspective on the importance of peer-to-peer interactions in science research. The free webinar will take place at 5 p.m. PDT Tuesday, Nov. 1.
In this talk, Shiv Gaglani will describe the importance of peer-to-peer interactions to science education and research participation. A former participant of high school science competitions, such as the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, Shiv has since devoted much of his time to developing and sharing tools to help younger students get involved and take advantage of the immense opportunities available to them. One such tool is the book Success with Science: The Winners' Guide to High School Research (www.successwithscience.org), which Shiv co-authored with his peers at Harvard -- all of whom also participated in and excelled at high school science competitions. November, 1 5pm pacific.
Register at http://engageteachers.adobeconnect.com/success_with_science/event/event_info.html.
Theme by Danetsoft and Danang Probo Sayekti inspired by Maksimer


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Good Bread: Dean & DeLuca
Stories about the loaves we love.
If you want to judge the state of bread in New York, a good place to start is the bread counter at Dean & DeLuca's main store at Broadway and Prince Street. Here you find a wide selection of great loaves both haute and earthy, from the latest Manhattan artisan sensation to old school breads from the farthest reaches of the outer boroughs.
For the last nine months, this counter has also featured a pyramid display of loaves made at Dean & DeLuca's new in-house bakery. They're different from the rest of the city breads, a little more refined looking and featuring unusual flavor combinations like rye and candied lemon rind or pumpkin with pumpkin seeds. Bite into one and you'll realize that here's a new baking talent who has the skills and creativity to push this town's bread to a new level.
Louis Volle, Dean & DeLuca's head baker, was born in New York but learned his bread-making technique in Paris. After a brief stint at the Cordon Bleu school, he went to work at Fauchon, the famed Parisian tea, pastry, and gourmet food emporium. Louis rose through the ranks and in 1999 was given the job of restarting the bread program at the Paris store. After working at Fauchon's Casablanca shop, he returned to New York to bake at Per Se before coming to Dean & DeLuca last year. Louis's goal is to produce high quality, hand-shaped breads that are as delivered as fresh as possible to the customer. Right now, his loaves are delivered three times a day to Dean & DeLuca's markets and cafes to insure that customers will always be buying bread at its peak.
A good portion of Dean & DeLuca's house breads are sandwich rolls that are filled for the lunch crowd in the cafes. But we're going to focus on Louis's excellent loaves, which are divided between standard breads available year-round and his more creative seasonal offerings. A good place to start is with his pain au levain, a big miche weighing more than four pounds that shows his skill at balancing flavor and texture. From initial mixing to baking, this loaf takes more than three days to make. Its dark, slightly caramelized crust mellows a day or two after baking and contrasts well with the medium-dense crumb with its nice sour tang.
For a more refined sour flavor, go with the sourdough batard. This beautiful loaf has a tight, crackling crust sealing in a surprisingly fluffy crumb. The bread gets its flavor from a touch of rye flour and natural starter made from grape culture that contributes a slight fruitiness. It's crying out for some funky French cheese to compliment the touch of sour.
This column generally steers away from white Pullman loaves, but Dean & DeLuca's pain de mie is anything but humdrum. Visually, it's a beautiful golden-brown bread with a line of diagonal score marks down the back. Cut into it and you immediately smell the secret ingredient: butter. Its crust manages to be soft and crunchy at the same time, while the crumb is so soft and, yes, buttery, that it just manages to hold up under a bread knife. Louis suggests using it for sandwiches and French toast, but to me it's so good that I'll just it eat plain.
What separates Dean & DeLuca from its competitors at the top of the city's bread scene is its commitment to inventive seasonal loaves. More like a chef than a baker, Louis loves to play with flavors and ingredients. Right now, we're at the tail end of his midwinter offerings, including a heart-shaped, extra-rich brioche loaf called a gâche vendéenne made with eggs, cream, butter, and a dash of orange blossom water. Another striking bread is his dense but soft rye loaf with score marks down the back that make it resemble the fossil of some ancient sea creature. The sweetness of the rye flour is set off with shreds of candied lemon peel, the floral notes giving us a hint of spring during these dreary winter days.
Finally, you should grab a loaf of his olive and almond bread before it disappears. This is a sourdough batard, slightly softer than his standard sourdough, make with picholine olives, Marcona almonds, orange zest, and a bit of rosemary. Taste it, and you can almost imagine the Mediterranean breeze wafting through the trees of Provence. I'm torn between letting it go and looking forward to his next seasonal breads, which are going to include a Greek-style sweet Easter bread and, in the summer, a blue corn sourdough. Change is good.
Dean & DeLuca
560 Broadway, New York NY 10012 (map)
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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The Amazon Climate & Weather
Manaus, and the surrounding Amazon, has a tropical monsoon climate with rainfall all year, but has a distinct rainy season nonetheless. Technically, the dry season is limited to the month of August, but notably less rain falls in the city between June and November. Temperatures are hot year-round, with very little seasonal variation, and the humidity is reliably high. Temperatures average between 73°F (23°C) and 95°F (35°C) all year.
Become our The Amazon Travel Expert
We are looking for contributors for our The Amazon travel guide. If you are a local, a regular traveller to The Amazon or a travel professional with time to contribute and answer occasional forum questions, please contact us.


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NEW UNUSED BAYLINER 175 LAST yEARS MODEl CLEARANCE PRICE ONE ONLY CALL STAN NOW - Click here to reveal phone number - /p>
This is the boat that has outsold every other sterndrive bowrider…and with good reason. Not only is it the most affordable in its class, but it adds large, accessible storage, awesome performance and timeless styling to the bargain. Plus, its spacious floorpan design increases cockpit space so you have more room to enjoy your day on the water.
Key Features:
• Optional Flight Series Package includes wakeboard tower, integrated Bimini top, swim platform extension and stainless steel accents throughout the boat.
• Port back-to-back seating folds into sun lounge.
• Redesigned helm includes two cup holders and no-glare gauges.
• New motor box doubles as a table.


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Dead Fred asks:Are you a Desperate Genealogist?
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Date: 1901-1920
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Comments: John Henry Kisting (Nee: ) | WI or IL | 1901-1920 | Comments: The male is my grandfather John Henry Kisting, the female is unknown--initials L.B.A. She wrote him a good-bye poem June 28, 1914. He wrote on the Y.M.C.A. envelope containing the poem and a lock of her hair: "Farewell my little Indiana girl." He was born and raised in Wisconsin but served in WWI in the Great Lakes. He was 20 years old in 1914. Would love to identify the female! It looks like a wedding photo but to the best of my knowledge they never married.
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Structure 2013 by GigaOM
Wednesday, June 19, 2013 at 7:00 AM - Thursday, June 20, 2013 at 7:00 PM (PDT)
Structure 2013 online registration is now closed.
If you'd still like to attend and missed registering, you may register onsite at the Mission Bay Conference Center at UCSF.
Need help with registration?
Please call +1 (415) 758-1503 9am - 5pm PST or email firstname.lastname@example.com for questions regarding:
For further contact details, please see email list below.
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This past week saw the launch of Jake and Crew LLC's The Original Loom Boom, which is designed to display, organize, and share loom bracelet creations. Invented by a five-year-old who wanted to show off his loom bracelet collection in a neat, portable way, the product is being retailed exclusively by Toys "R" Us through the end of this year.
Available in five color combinations at Toys "R" Us stores across the U.S. and at toysrus.com, the Original Loom Boom features a brightly-colored tube that can hold up to 40 rubber band loom bracelets. Once detached from the base, loomers have easy access to bracelets at the bottom, so they can show off their handiwork as well as trade and share bracelets. The base also contains ample storage for extra loom bands.
Currently, loom band bracelets are enjoying a high level of popularity in the U.S.


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Didn't rally like the GBA, dunno if it was my machine or the game I had (Castlevania) but it was too dark.
Loved the SNES, still get it out occasionally. I prefer to use the Emulators though as the rarer games are just a download away.
Love Chrono Trigger and Lufia II.


text:
When the Raspberry Pi project was unveiled more than a year ago, two models were promised: one costing $25 and a more powerful one for $35. Ultimately, only the $35 device went on sale, to extreme popularity, with possibly a million sold.
But for those of you who felt $35 was just too expensive for a computer, that $25 "Model A" is finally available. It's now on sale in Europe, and the company will "lift this restriction very soon so the rest of the world can order too," Raspberry Pi spokeswoman Liz Upton wrote today.
Model A has one USB port instead of two. It also lacks an Ethernet port and comes with 256MB RAM, as opposed to the 512MB of RAM the latest version of Model B ships with. Without Ethernet, users needing Internet access have to use the USB port for a Wi-Fi adapter. Thus, if you need Internet and an extra USB port for a keyboard or other peripheral, a USB splitter would be necessary (which may require a powered USB hub).
Model A does have key advantages in power consumption, however, meaning the lower price alone isn't its only draw. Robotics projects might be a good fit for the cheaper model.
"The Model A is a stripped-down version of the Model B Raspberry Pi, with no Ethernet, one USB port, and 256MB RAM," Upton wrote. "Stripping down the Model A means it has two important differences from the Model B: we can make it $10 cheaper, at $25; and it consumes roughly a third of the power of the Model B, which is of key importance to those of you wanting to run projects from a battery or solar power: robots, sensor platforms in remote locations, Wi-Fi repeaters attached to the local bus stop, and so forth. We're working on software to get the power consumption even lower. And we've seen how well XBMC works on the early 256MB Model Bs we sold last year; it'll work just as well if you want to make a $25 media centre out of your Model A."
It doesn't sound like there will be a huge delay before Model A is available in the US and other non-European countries. Upton wrote that "paperwork" is the main reason for the holdup.
Upton concluded by saying, "We are very, very pleased to finally be able to offer you a computer for $25. It's what we said we'd do all along, and we can't wait to see what you do with it."


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Miniart 1:35 - Champagne and Cognac Bottles with Crates - Plastic model kit #35575
This is an unassembled plastic model kit containing parts for the assembly of champagne and cognac bottles and crates.
The kit contains 276 parts.
Box: 260mm x 162mm x 35mm
Master Box 1:35 - Soviet Tank Crew 1943 - 1945 #3568
Tank divisions were an essential part of Soviet war machine. The Soviet tank commanders were the highest scoring tank aces among the Allies.
The kit contains parts for assembly of five figures.
Master box 1:35 - German Motorcycle Repair Crew # 3560
The 'Kradschützen Truppen' or Motorcycle Troops were an important part of the German Army. Motorcyclists performed duties as couriers, members of anti-tank teams and rifle troops.
The kit depicts one of the repair teams working on servicing a motorcycle.
The box contains 4 figures, a BMW R75 motorcycle and sidecar combination, a table, a tire pump, decals and weapons.
Master box 1:32 - Pilots of Luftwaffe, WWII Era - Plastic Figures Model Kit #3202
The Luftwaffe was officially created in 1935, but had existed in the shadows of Germany since the end of WWI. Air superiority was critical to all sides in all theatres during the war and the battles that raged in the skies over Europe were deadly and terrible.
The kit represents two German pilots and a crewman, preparing for their sorties.
The box contains parts for assembly of three figures.
Black Dog Models 1:35 British Sniper WWI N°1 Resin Figure #F35216
This kit features one resin 1:35 scale model British soldier holding a 1914 Enfield rifle and a dummy 'Tommy' (these were often made from papier-mâché. The Germans employed snipers first in WWI, often sniper kills were believed to be accidental stray shots until scopes were discovered on the battlefield. A notable figure on the British side was Major Hesketh Hesketh-Prichard, he noticed that some British units were losing up to 5 men a day to enemy sniper fire. He took action at first by using his own money to buy in rifle optics to conduct tests and went on to set up the First Army School of Sniping, Observation, and Scouting in France.
Kit contains 1x figure. Requires some assembly.


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Welch Allyn 11.1 V Lithium-Ion Battery Pack (9-Cell) for Connex Spot Accessory Power Management Stand, Connex Vital Signs Monitor and CP150 Electrocardiograph. Note: This battery currently can not ship via air shipment methods.
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Athletic Rosters of Tufts University for the year 1938Kenny, Maura
Sauer, Anne
Crowley, Zachary E.
Athletic Rosters of Tufts University for the year 1938
The Athletics Rosters of Tufts University is the result of a project to collect and record the participants in organized athletics at Tufts University. The names contained in these rosters were compiled from the records of the Department of Physical Education/Athletics and particularly the Athletic Association Meeting Minutes and team files, as well as publications such as student newspapers, the ... read more
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An Official Maine Chiots
Lucy, the resident chiots and the namesake of the blog, became an official Mainer on Monday night. She ran the gauntlet of the porcupine and came out the other side plastered with quills. Of course it happened right as we were getting ready for bed.
Mr Chiots and I worked quickly, pulling them out with pliers. Luckily, her front left quarter panel received the brunt of it and she only had 3 in her face and 4 in her paw. She stayed fairly calm through the extraction process, which took about 5-10 minutes. I don't know if it helped, but we read on-line to snip the ends off the quills and pour some vinegar on them. It seemed to work, although I'm pretty sure the quick extraction was of most benefit.
We had avoided an encounter with the baby porcupine that was lurking around when we first arrived. We are now thinking that perhaps we should have let her learn her lesson with the little one instead of the HUGE one.
She was back to normal the next morning, hopefully a little wiser. All in all, this wasn't as bad as her encounter with a skunk, which lingered on for almost a year. Poor Lucy is having to learn a lot of new lessons in her old age.
Do you have porcupines in you area?Filed under Around the Garden | Comments (37)
37 Comments to "An Official Maine Chiots"
Poor thing! Thankfully, we do not have porcupines in our area.
to dkswife's comment
Oh yes. Our porcupine is named Quilly by my 9 year old daughter. Quilly does enjoy watching us when we are outside in the evening. I believe that the porcupine lives in the culvert in the front yard by the driveway. We don't have dogs so no worries there and the kids know enough to stay far away. I would just wish that Quilly would stop using my driveway as a toilet.
to Adelina Anderson's comment
Poor Lucy! Several years ago my nephews were home briefly while their parents were out. One of the dogs connected with a porcupine. My husband and I went over to remove quills. I learned from my husband that if you snip off the end it will deflate the quill and make it easier to pull out. He had most of the quills in his muzzle ~ nasty stuff!
to Eliza J's comment
Wow, poor doggie! I've never seen up close pictures of porcupine quills before. Here in N. Florida we definitely don't have the threat of porcupines–but we do worry a lot about the coral snakes that lurk under leaf litter. Our dogs seem to have no snake sense at all…
to Ivy Mae's comment
Poor Lucy, she does look like a sad pin cushion!
Thankfully we have no porcupines in the UK. Phew.
The only spikey critter is the hedgehog, but luckily it doesnt do anything as devious as your porcupine with its quills…worst thing with a hedgehog is they are flea ridden!
When threatened it rolls up into a ball, sadly they do this on the road too resulting in a lot of hog roadkill :(
to Mich's comment
When I seen the picture I know instantly what happened so yes, we have porcupines. At least once a year I or my brother would have to help dad pull them out of at least one of our yearling calves noses. Any new dog we got had to have at least one run in with a porcupine (and skunk) and once I remember helping pull some out of the nose of one of our horses. Out of all of those the one I remember the most was the horse, I think that was because it was the one that was the hardest. Lightning was a sweetheart but a little to curious for her own good, and if I remember correctly she was also the horse that figured out how to open the gate.
Anyways I'm glad she's doing OK and I'm sure that will be the last time she messes with them.
to Teresa Anderson's comment
Oh no!!! Poor Lucy :((( While a sad occasion, I found myself very interested to see the process, thanks for the excellent photos.
No porcupines in Texas (thank goodness).
to Jaye's comment
Our dog Sandy had a number of encounters with porkies here, and she won't stay still while we pull out the quills so we had a couple of late night emergency visits to the vets office. You were lucky with Lucy.
Our barn was full of porcupines living in the area under the floorboards. In one place we could lift up a floorboard and watch a whole porcupine family down there! Our barn had been abandoned for years and many critters had made their home in it. We finally had five porcupines live trapped and moved. Now we still have an occasional one moving through but they haven't stayed more than a few days. Knock on wood!
to Joan's comment
Ack! I opened your blog and it took my breath away! Poor Lucy! Glad she's feeling better. What a hard lesson to learn. I guess she'll be leaving those critters alone from now on.
to Rhonda's comment
Wow, that's something I've never seen before. Poor Lucy! That looks awful. Glad there aren't any lingering effects. What an image – I was shocked when I saw that first picture with all the quills sticking out of her.
to Jessica's comment
Oh poor Lucy! Hopefully that will be one lesson that she won't have to repeat!
to Stone soup's comment
From experience working as a vet tech, and an ICU pet nurse, your attention to pulling out the quills before they started working themselves into the skin and body was what saved Lucy from a nasty surgery. The quills have very tiny barbs that are pointed inward, and as the victim moves around, the barbs move deeper into the body. I have seen in surgeries, quills into the lungs and other vital organs. Some have died.
Stellar work, Susy. Just watch the spots for infections, redness, pus-like blisters, fever.
We have these critters here, and they can be quite ill tempered. I hit one one time on the highway, and I ended up with a flat tire!
Have a wonderful Maine week.
to Denimflyz's comment
I agree porcupines have pretty nasty quills, our dogs used to get hit every once in a while. The only thing I would say is watch closely for infection and that you got them all, I give my dog a Echinacea goldenseal blend for dogs whenever it seems like she is under the weather, it may be helpful in this to prevent infection. Just curious what do you feed your Chiots Run animals?
to amber jackson's comment
Even though you'll always be "from away", you've made a monumental step towards becoming real Mainers. You've dequilled your dog rather than going to the Emergency Clinic in Brewer. Snipping the quills does nothing to help get them out. Fast pulling before the barbs swell is the best answer. And if you didn't know, getting quilled just before bedtime is almost a given.
to jennifer fisk's comment
Poor Lucy. Our Rascal got hit earlier this year. She didn't have as many, but they were all in her mouth. We pulled a lot of the quills (wish I'd known about snipping them), but we ended up having to take her to the emergency vet to finish. Why does it always happen right before bed?
to Sherri's comment
Holy Smokes! Shocking photo of Lucy. I'm surprised you managed to get the quills removed so quickly!
to Glenda's comment
Wow, poor Lucy. I am sorry to find out that she had to learn it hard way. I just hope she is a good learner. Because our dogs weren't good learner at all. Encounter with porcupines and skunks in our back yard seems to be annual ritual for them, it seems. All and all, they have been skunked 3 times, and porcupined twice in last 7 years since we moved to Maine. One encounter with a baby porcupine was especially bad, that most of quills ended up inside of mouth. The poor dogs could not even close the mouth and yelping in excruciating pain. We had to take them to emergency vet visit at 4 am. They both had to be general anesthetized to remove the quills inside and out. At $2/a quill the vet charged for this procedure, for over hundred of quills in each dog, you do the math. Yes, it was quite damage. Best difference against skunk and porcupine are not to let dogs out when it's dark outside. Both animals are nocturnal, so the chance of encounter is much less during day time.
to Rocky's comment
Woops. I meant to write "the best defense against skunk and porcupine" not "best difference". :(
to Rocky's comment
YIKES!!! Poor Dear! The photos are so shocking….and I live on a farm…….but fortunately one without porcupines!
to amy's comment
I'm happy that there weren't many in her muzzle/paws – that must have been painful!
It's weird to say too, but that photo of Lucy does look sort of charming… I was taken back first at how calm she looked in her situation. She's quite a tough noble lady… ♥
Along with that, I am happy that I have a fully fenced in back yard; but if my dogs got out my only real worry is traffic. My poor Cecil already got hit by a car while he was still a baby… [a big baby, but a baby nonetheless.]
I still fear the day my pups get skunked. I don't find the odor of skunk musk to be offensive, but my dearest who has had many dogs get skunked warns me of how terrible it truly is. /shudders
to Donna B.'s comment
I have never seen a pp in WV but in PA we had tons of them and our dogs got into them over and over…you may not have seen the last quill in your dog…sorry!
to Warren's comment
Oh boy, can we relate! Our dog has had THREE encounters with porcupines and all 3 times needed veterinary care to remove them… HUNDREDS in his mouth (under his tongue, between his teeth, in his nostrils, etc). Unfortunately, our dog is a total ninny and was so combative we could not remove them even with the help of 4 grown men to hold him down. He fought like his life was on the line and it was too dangerous for the people involved as we were all worried about getting bit.
to Sherri's comment
I worked for a veterinarian for 25 years and I am Very sorry to tell you that most dogs don't learn any lessons by this experience. I don't have
any idea how many times our own three dogs had encounters. Most we
could take care of ourselves but a few times (often enough that they would just jump in the open car door and at the clinic, practically jump
up on the table, lol) we did have to take them to the clinic for some anesthesia. I hope Chiots is smarter than most in my experience…for some it almost seems to be an "I'll get YOU this time" thing.
to Lynn's comment
I've had one that actually did learn. She was a certified SAR dog so did her recall refind on every porcupine she found be it dead or alive but only allowed quilling one time.
to jennifer fisk's comment
Poor baby! What a horrible experience. We've never seen a porcupine around here (Upstate SC), but I'm sure my girls would find it if they were around. They are just too darn curious to leave alone something so interesting! And we're also lucky that they haven't encountered a skunk. We definitely have skunks. Hope sweet Lucy stays far, far away from Mr./ Ms. Porcupine.
to Julie's comment
Poor puppers! Glad you were able to get the quills out quickly. We have porcupines around here, but we've only seen them from a distance.
to Wendy's comment
Also, it doesn't hurt to have some Acepromazine on hand to dose the quilled canine. Lala land is a good thing when it comes to quill removal.
to jennifer fisk's comment
Oh no!! Poor Lucy!
This summer, while hanging out at my in-law's farm, I noticed their Australian Shepherd was limping a little bit. I got her to lay down so I could check out her paw and saw a few quills. Upon inspection, her whole chest, neck, and left shoulder were all covered with deeply imbedded quills. I think she found a dead porc and decided she needed to splash on some Eau Du Dead Porc perfume and rolled in it. They didn't seem to bother her, but heaven knows she would have been in bad shape if they had gone unfound for too much longer!
to Carrie's comment
Poor woocy I Miss her soooo Much ….. How you all doing ??
to Hannah's comment


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The Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory - American Museum of Natural History ICP-MS Lab is located at Columbia University's Lamont Campus in Palisades NY. The lab supports one MC-ICPMS, 2 quadropole ICPMS, and a brand new laser ablation system. We perform both isotopic and concentration analyses. Please visit our website for more information.
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ESSAYS ON PRICING AND CONTRACTING by Vlad Radoias A Dissertation Presented to the FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Ful llment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (Economics) May 2013 Copyright 2013 Vlad Radoias
Object Description
|Essays on pricing and contracting
|Radoias, Vlad
|Author email
|Doctor of Philosophy
|Document type
|Degree program
|College of Letters, Arts And Sciences
|Date defended/completed
|Date submitted
|Date approved
|Restricted until
|Date published
|Advisor (committee chair)
|Wilkie, Simon J.
|Advisor (committee member)
Tan, Guofu
Magill, Michael
Dukes, Anthony
|This dissertation is concerned with studying certain pricing and contracting issues that are motivated by real problems. The second chapter is focused on determining why persistent excess demand is pervasive on certain markets. The focus is on the markets for popular concert tickets which present a number of viable theoretical issues to consider and also allow us to assemble a unique data set of prices from both primary and secondary markets that we can use to test the alternative theories. We find that secondary markets emerge not because promoters fail to price or price discriminate optimally, but because they have strong incentives to either underprice or artificially maintain shortages on the market. These incentives are provided by their desire to share risk with speculators when demand is uncertain, by the presence of complementary products, and by social influence. ❧ Continuing to study the effects of social influence, the third chapter builds a theoretical model of price discrimination under social influence. We show that when consumers are uninformed about a product they can be persuaded through social influence to update their preferences. Under these conditions social influence reduces the profitability and incidence of price discrimination. We show that sellers that are more sensitive to social influence price discriminate less and offer less product variety. We also show that rationing occurs mainly at the low end and it can be severe. All these results are consistent with the empirical evidence from the entertainment industry and also with other observations from certain fashion and cult product industries. ❧ The fourth chapter considers a long studied pricing problem in both the Industrial Organization and International Trade literature. We try to shed light on why the law of one price does not always hold. The focus is on the automotive industry inside the European Union. We show that prices for identical models failed to converged in spite of the elimination of virtually all trade barriers and the adoption of the common currency. We argue that the exclusive dealership system allows for successful market segmentation and price discrimination based on purchasing power. We also point to pricing patterns that are consistent with collusive agreements among the three major manufacturing groups in Italy, France, and Germany. ❧ The final chapter of this thesis analyzes the efficiency implications of different sets of legal rules in contract litigation. When contracts are affected by asymmetric information, litigation often occurs. The legal rules under which the contracts are being written affect the incentives of both contracting parties and therefore the prices and efficiency of these contracts. We show that a non interference rule that allows the parties to settle the dispute on their own is more preferable to a strict liability rule that forces the contractor to fulfill his obligations regardless of the cost, and also to a rule that allows the private information to be made public and awards damages based on this information.
|price discrimination; social influence; excess demand
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|University of Southern California dissertations and theses
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|University of Southern California
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|Los Angeles, California
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|Radoias, Vlad
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|ESSAYS ON PRICING AND CONTRACTING by Vlad Radoias A Dissertation Presented to the FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Ful llment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (Economics) May 2013 Copyright 2013 Vlad Radoias


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text: Extreme Racers - Version 1.1 If you want to play free games, you may understandably be concerned when it comes to downloading the games you want off the Internet. Many sites promising free games often try to install adware or worse on your computer. Others only offer limited trial or demo versions which is most frustrating for users who expect that they are downloading something different. Not Free Games Download, however. Here you will only find completely full version and free casual games all of which are 100% safe to download and install. Also, the games do not attempt to install any annoying adware and there is no advertising in any of the games. Free Games Download provides something for everyone and there are many games in this constantly growing collection, all conveniently sorted into categories. If you enjoy racing games, for example, you'll find many great options such as Extreme Racers. Extreme Racers boasts many fun cars and tracks and some challenging racing matches which, when completed, allow you to unlock new cars, tracks and miscellaneous power-ups. Learn more at


text:
Potential Loss of Device Functionality
Amplia, Claria, Compia, and Viva CRT-D, and Evera and Visia ICD
Original Date of Communication:
January 2018
View specific models that this applies to
A subset of 48 Medtronic Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Defibrillators (CRT-Ds) and Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICDs) underwent a specific sequence of manufacturing processes that could result in an unexpected loss of device functionality, including high-voltage therapy. You may use the "Search for Information by Serial Number" tool on home page of this web site to determine if a specific device is affected. No other Medtronic devices are included in this advisory.
These 48 devices were sent through a manufacturing sequence that introduced the potential for internal arcing during highvoltage charging, leading to the immediate and permanent loss of device functionality. Through 12 January 2018, Medtronic has confirmed one (1) implanted device failure resulting in loss of high-voltage therapy related to this issue, where the patient was rescued with external defibrillation.
Due to the nature of this issue, it is not possible to identify which of these 48 devices may fail or when they may fail. Further, we cannot predict how many high-voltage charges can occur prior to a potential failure. Based on testing of a limited number of available devices that underwent this manufacturing sequence, this failure was observed during high-voltage cycle testing to battery depletion in 23% of these devices, with failure observed within the first two (2) high-voltage charges in 7.7% of the tested devices. Successful delivery of previous high-voltage therapy does not guarantee future performance.
Patient Management Recommendations
We realize that each patient requires unique clinical considerations. In consultation with Medtronic's Independent Physician Quality Panel (IPQP), Medtronic provides the following recommendation:
- Prophylactic device replacement should be strongly considered for patients who have been implanted with one of the devices in the affected subset.
Within the 48 devices, there has been 1 confirmed failure (2.1%) through April 22,2020. An estimated 3 devices remain active.
Initial Affected Population
Number of Confirmed Advisory Related Events
Estimated Remaining Active Population
Current Malfunction Rate (confirmed malfunctions over total population)
48 Worldwide (all USA)
2.1% Worldwide
Specific Models This Applies To
Methods for Estimating
Contact Us
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