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It was a lucky turn of events that led Beth Lamberson into the world of freelancing when, after leaving her job in Flagstaff, Ariz. to move back to Durango, two local organizations sought her grant-writing and public-relations skills. But she had to make a solid sacrifice, selling her beloved 1959 Chevrolet Apache pickup, to jump full bore into a freelance career.
More than a year later, the decision is paying off well.
While going out on her own may seem like a risky move in a weak economy, Lamberson joins a growing contingent of Americans who are venturing out solo as independent contractors, consultants and freelancers.
The number of workers self-employed in their own not-incorporated business increased by about 12 percent from 2007 to 2011, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, while the number of nonemployer businesses that are owned and operated by only one person grew by 34 percent from 2000 to 2010.
About 2,500 people in La Plata County are self-employed, according to research done by Jasper Welch and Nancy Wharton, co-founders of Durango Space, a co-working facility on Main Avenue.
Many freelancers say they chose freelancing for the benefits of increased flexibility and freedom to create their own career. But for other people, independent contracting is a necessary path to create or keep a job at companies that cant afford to hire full-time staff in tight budgetary times. During the recession and in these first years of recovery, companies are more inclined to hire employees as part-time or contract workers, said Rich Wobbekind, executive director of the Business Research Division and senior associate dean at the University of Colorados Leeds School of Business.
It has become fairly common for companies that downsized in the recession to continue to use some former employees on a contract basis, Wobbekind said. The arrangement allows companies to avoid the longer-term commitment of adding full-time employees to their rosters and to avoid paying benefits and payroll taxes, he said.
The trend has taken hold in the virtual world as well, with online hiring and freelancing increasing more than 200 percent since 2009 according to Elance, an online employment marketplace.
And the same phenomenon is happening in the nonprofit world, said Lamberson, who works primarily for nonprofits in her grant-writing, public relations and event-management business. With tighter budgets, those organizations are having to make due with leaner staffs and are turning to freelancers for more tasks, she said.
Also, with charitable giving down in recent years, nonprofits have faced growing competition for ever-scarcer grant money. That means theyre turning to people like herself who specialize in grant writing to amp up the quality of their grant applications, Lamberson said.
I really hit the sweet spot with the recession, she said.
Malia Durbano, whose freelance services include copy editing, writing marketing materials and creating blog posts, also saw potential to create her own career during the weak economy rather than looking for work at an existing business.
Especially in Durango, there are not that many real jobs, said Durbano, who started freelancing in 2010, a year after moving to Durango.
Many of Durangos small businesses dont have enough work to warrant a full-time person, and thats where she sees a growing opportunity for her business, Durbano said.
But the growth in independent contracting also means more people face the financial implications of being their own boss.Self-employment puts much more burden on the individual to cover the costs of health care, Social Security and retirement savings, Wobbekind said. Individuals have to pay the entire chunk of their Social Security and employment-insurance taxes and must purchase their own health insurance.
Lamberson said she has no health insurance and the freelancing gigs have made it tough to save for retirement. But thats a price shes willing to pay for now, she said.
In another arena, the growth in self-employed workers has presented an opportunity for businesses to cater to the industry.
Durango Space is one such business that saw promise in the growing number of lone eagles in the area, Welch said.
One-half to two-thirds of Durango Spaces users are independent contractors, consultants or freelancers, he said.
Durango Space is just one of hundreds of co-working spaces sprouting up across the country that satisfy a demand for new types of working environments, a demand spurred in part by millions of freelance professionals, according to Im Outta Here, a book about co-working.
People dont realize the world of work is being totally reshaped, Welch said.


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The United States on Monday took steps targeting Iran's central bank and its energy sector, acting just days after the United Nations' nuclear watchdog expressed "deep concern" about the military applications it has detected in Iran's nuclear program.
The Obama administration announced it was naming Iran's central bank a "primary money laundering concern" amid mounting international pressure against Iran.
Also Monday, Britain announced it was cutting all British ties with Iranian banks, including the central bank, while Canada announced similar action. And French President Nicolas Sarkozy sent a letter to Western leaders, including President Obama, recommending an immediate freeze on the assets of Iran's central bank.
Mr. Obama said in a statement that Iran was causing its own isolation by pursuing its current path, and he hinted that more pressure is on tap unless Tehran backs off its course.
"Iran has chosen the path of international isolation," Obama said. "As long as Iran continues down this dangerous path, the US will continue to find ways, both in concert with our partners and through our own actions, to isolate and increase the pressure upon the Iranian regime."
The US action taken Monday does not formally sanction Iran's central bank, also called Bank Markazi, but the "money laundering" designation is expected to entail serious impact on its operations.
Similar steps taken in the past against North Korean and Lebanese banks caused other countries and international businesses to sever ties, and US officials are clearly hoping for a similar impact in the case of Iran.
The US also announced sanctions on a list of companies it says are involved in supporting Iran's nuclear program, and new measures targeting Iran's production and sales of petrochemicals and oil exports.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called the measures "a significant ratcheting up of pressure on Iran."
The administration's action, announced jointly by Secretary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, comes as Congress moves forward on its own measures aimed at Iran's central bank.
US officials said the decision to name Iran's central bank for money laundering, while stopping short of sanctioning the bank directly, was part of an effort to allow foreign governments and companies still doing business with Iran to prepare now for more draconian measures expected in coming weeks.
Officals say the money laundering designation was justified by the central bank's involvement in transactions in support of terrorism, and for its continuing work on behalf of other Iranian banks that have been sanctioned by the US and others for financing aspects of Iran's nuclear program.
Some members of Congress expressed support for the administration's actions, while characterizing them as only a first step toward sanctioning Iran's central bank.
"The sanctions announced today reflect a deepening consensus and resolve – among Republicans and Democrats in Washington, and among the US and its allies around the world – that it is time to target the Central Bank of Iran," Sen. Joe Lieberman (I) of Connecticut said in a statement following the administration's announcement.
Calling Monday's action "an important step toward this goal," Senator Lieberman said it should be "only the first step," and he added that "much more needs to be done, and quickly."
Lieberman noted the seriousness of sanctioning Iran's central bank, but he suggested it might be one of the last steps for avoiding military action against Iran's nuclear facilities.
"Targeting the Central Bank of Iran is one of the last arrows in the sanctions quiver before military action must be considered," Lieberman said. "Today's announcement indicates that the arrow [targeting the central bank] should soon be loosed."
The administration concurs that Monday's actions may be a first step down the road to formally sanctioning Iran's central bank, but officials insist that much remains for the US and its partners to undertake in the way of pressuring Iran before military action is considered.

subset: commoncrawl


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Animals Dot to Dot Puzzle
Description: Connect the dots in order to reveal the animal.
Instructions: Start at the number 1 and draw a line to the number that comes next. Connect all the dots in order. When you get to the last number, draw a line to connect it back to the number 1 to reveal the hidden picture.
Category: Math Games
Note: This game was built with HTML5. It runs on Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari or Internet Explorer 9 or higher. It is also optimized for iOS devices, including iPad, iPod, and iPhone.
Common Core State Standards: CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.CC.A.1 - Count to 100 by ones and by tens.
Game Spotlight
Play games, win ourWorld money, and get clothing and accessories to create your own style.


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According to Management Today, new GSK chief exec Andrew Witty has proposed that "instead of the existing seven large global centres, GSK's hunt for new drugs should be tackled by many more, much smaller teams – a maximum of 80 scientists per group, in fact".
The rationale is apparently that:
"The new model is based on the assumption that smaller, more dispersed teams will naturally tend to pursue a broader portfolio of products. Each of them may be rather less lucrative than one of the old blockbusters – which are anyway getting much harder to find – but the damage caused by one of them failing will also be a lot less traumatic. Less of a roller-coaster, more of a gentle drive in the country."
That makes sense, although I think there's something about the smaller number too.
When I was an HR Director at Ernst & Young, we started to organise our audit teams into groups ('stables') of 50-80 too, in order to improve collaboration within teams. A group of 80 would include up to 10 managers and we felt that this was about the maximum number of people who could work well together, and through them, bring the full group of about 80 people together into a cohesive team.
Dunbar's analysis may suggest we can network effectively with a slightly higher number of people that this, but I think for real, effective focus and team working, 80's about right.


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3 stars (out of 4)
This still-green quartet was just a small-town northern Alabama bar band a year ago. Now Alabama Shakes is one of the most talked-about new rock acts thanks in part to some good fortune (an early anointing by Drive By Truckers' Patterson Hood) and a whole lot of show-and-prove on stage.
The buzz centers on the dynamic presence and towering voice of singer-guitarist Brittany Howard. On the band's full-length debut, she's as good as advertised, singing with an unhinged gusto, threatening to lose her composure -- if not her mind -- any minute, as she leaps into boy-girl narratives with evangelical zeal. She often sounds like she's having a conversation with a close friend or God, or just telling herself not to give up. "Didn't think I'd make it to 22 years old," the now-23-year-old Howard sings on "Hold On."
The songwriting and arranging are steeped in values drawn from '60s and '70s music, when rock bands channeled soul and R&B. Think of the Rolling Stones visiting Muscle Shoals, Ala., in the early '70s to work with the studio musicians who backed up Aretha Franklin and the Staple Singers -- that seems to be the sweet spot for the Shakes, all of whom are in their early to mid-twenties. The gospel plea "On Your Way," the call-and-response vocals in the rousing "I Found You," the rave-up finish to "Be Mine" – these songs pack a wallop because the band knows how to lay back and leave some space in the arrangements, rather than playing all out, all the time.
The rough-hewn production wouldn't pass muster on a major-label budget: amplifiers audibly hum, voices crack with emotion, a few bum notes crop up here and there. But this band is terrific all the same, changing speeds, rising and falling to keep up with Howard. "You Ain't Alone" is all about those dynamics, Howard pushing higher to an ecstatic warble and then falling to a whisper, the band shading her every step.
And yet for all that, fans of the band may quibble. There are even better versions of "You Ain't Alone" on-line from the band's justifiably lauded concerts. The Shakes are novices in the recording studio, and they sound almost reserved here compared to their live performances. So "Boys & Girls" isn't the best way to experience Alabama Shakes. But it's a heck of an introduction.


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One of the most ancient protection stones, turquoise is a sacred stone associated with "sky" energy, because of its color. It also brings sky energy to earth.
Prized in oriental as well as Native American culture, it is known as a multipurpose stone, excellent for promoting a sense of self-awareness and the ability to communicate honestly and from the heart. The stone encourages creative thinking, as many do, but turquoise has the power to help channel that creative energy in a productive and useful way.
Turquoise is considered a lucky stone, and facilitates the attraction of abundance and prosperity. It has a balancing and grounding influence. Properties include mental relaxation, stress reduction, confidence, attunement and physical well-being.
The blue-green turquoise is a stone sacred to many tribes around the world. Use it when you feel the need to call on your Spirit Guides because this is an important time in your life or a crossroad. It is helpful to restore communication with your higher self and stimulates your development on the spiritual level. If this is true for you now, it is time to take action to restore your faith. Life often appears meaningless when our faith in the unseen forces that surround and sustain us is weak.
Not only can it help us not to be distracted by our sorrows, turquoise can help restore our sense of humor so we can enjoy life's gifts as well as its challenges, for we cannot have one without the other. Miracles can be seen everyday. Turquoise is a favorite stone among New Age healers who believe it has the power to energize the body and spirit, and balance right brain/left brain disparity.
Turquoise's message: True communication is about more than words and turquoise can help achieve this. Carrying a piece of turquoise will help keep you centered, and wearing it improves all the senses, including the sixth sense.
Amy Zerner is the Hamptons' number one fashion blogger and designer.


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Two weeks ago...
Poor poor poor third child. Due to the fact that he had a horrible head cold, as did his brothers, his original party got cancelled and postponed.
But that doesn't explain why I'm just getting around to blogging about it.
That would be because of the CAKE.
On Maxwell's second birthday, he got an awesome Santa cake.
On Sam's second birthday, he got an awesome puppy cake.
But Gabe, Gabe got a box cake in a 9x13. With store bought frosting. It was so pathetic Doug didn't even take a picture of it. *sigh*
I'll make it up to him next year. I swear on this blog I'll make it up to him next year.
But the poor kid still deserves some recognition, so once again, this stinkin' blog post will have to do:
Some of Gabey's Favorites
Color: The only color he can say is "PoPo" (purple) but still, I'm going to guess red. Or green. GREEN! Final answer.
Food: Bananas. Hands down. He'll eat 5 a day if I let him. In fact, he usually has two with his breakfast.
Parent: "MommyMommyMommyMommyMommyMommyMommyMommyMommy". I judge that shearly by the fact that he says my name more than any other word. All day, every day.
Sibling: I'm going to have to go with "Ahss" (Max) since he still refuses to try saying the name "Sam".
Animal: "GahGee" (Doggy.) What do you suppose the odds are of this kid having a few speech mis-articulations like his big brothers?
Items: Binky and Blanket aka DeeDee and Dee (Dee, by-the-way, is also Drink.)
Book: "Things That Go" by Usbourne
Activities: Jumping on the trampoline with his brothers, wrestling and reading with Daddy, playing at the sink with the water running, tubby time, standing at my feet whining to be picked up.
We sure love you Gabey Baby!
Thanks for being such an adorable kid!
P.S. I'll really really really really miss you while I'm in Hawaii...


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Westdyke is a township in the State of Alderney. It is located in northern Alderney, bordered by Flathead Rd in the South (Leftwood), and the West River to the east (Northwood in Algonquin, Liberty City).
Westdyke is a large and sparse suburban township in Alderney and also Alderney's wealthiest township. North Westdyke is made up of large homes and mansions in a quiet suburbia, home to some of Alderney & Liberty's elite such as Jimmy Pegorino, Don of Alderney's Pegorino Family, the celebutante socialite Cloe Parker and Bryce Dawkins, and the Deputy Mayor of Liberty City. South Westdyke is more dense with population and services and close to where it starts to merge with Leftwood. Along the north and east coastlines of Westdyke makes up the Alderney Beach, which is a mix of beaches and cliffs.
Being a largely affluent, suburban community: Westdyke appears to contain elements of Secaucus and Weehawken, New Jersey, as well as other towns from Bergen County and the Jersey Shore. The cliffs that separate the abandoned mansion as well as the streets between it and the Hickey Bridge from the West River are likely influenced by the Palisades cliffs.
The list of streets that runs through Westdyke are:
- Beaverhead Ave
- Big Horn Drive
- Carinoo Ave
- Flathead Road
- Lehmi St
- Percell Road
- Ortiz Road
- Owl Creek Ave
- Scaramento Ave
- Tenmile Street
Points of Interest
- Alderney Casino
- Bucky Sligo's House
- Bryce Dawkins' Mansion
- Jimmy Pegorino's House
- Old Mansion
- Parker Mansion
- The Von Crastenburg Mansion
- Westdyke Beach
Notable residents
- Bryce Dawkins
- Cloe Parker
- Angie Pegorino
- James Pegorino (formerly)
- Kenny Petrovic
- Jill Von Crastenburg
- Bucky Sligo (formerly)
Stevie's Car Thefts
In the side mission 'Stevie's Car Thefts', a gold Turismo can be found parked next to a posh house on Owl Creek Ave, the poshest road in Westdyke. When the player breaks into it, a alarm will sound, and there are usually cops patrolling the area. So as it is a supercar, try and lose them on the way back to the garage in Bohan.
- A rare Sultan RS can be found behind the garage of an abandoned mansion just off Beaverhead Ave by following an off-road path near the Burger Shot. There is also a helicopter landing pad in the backyard of one of the mansions, where a Maverick sometimes spawns on Owl Creek Ave.
- Some of the houses along Big Horn Drive & Owl Creek Ave, were featured on CNT's hit reality show, I'm Rich.
- Despite its name, most of Westdyke Memorial Hospital is actually located within the Leftwood borders in West Leftwood.
- At the RON gas station, a glitched vehicle always has its hazard lights on.
- Its name is a possible reference to the term "dyke", which is slang for a lesbian.
- In some missions, such as "Truck Hustle", the subtitles write Westdyke as two words.


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|Read the full 2013 Statistical Yearbook.
At home cinema admissions reached 172.5 million in 2012, their third highest level for the last 40 years, with over-45s the largest proportion of British cinema audiences for the first time. UK box office receipts totalled £1.1 billion – the highest on record.
The BFI reports that UK talent and films won 23 major awards during the year, and UK creativity fostered economic success, captivated audiences and helped export UK culture around the world: British films are now in first and second place of the most successful film franchises of all time, with Harry Potter taking over $7.7 billion worldwide and Bond currently at over $6.1 billion; two thirds of the top 200 films released worldwide since 2001 feature UK actors in lead or prominent roles; and 31 films based on stories and characters created by UK writers in the top 200 global box office successes of 2001-2012, together earning more than $22 billion (£14 billion).
The Yearbook also highlights significant changes in the way audiences enjoy films, with changing demographics of cinema audiences, challenges in the distribution sector, shifting patterns of film consumption away from physical video (DVD, Blu-ray), and rapid growth in the VoD market, worth £243 million in 2012, having far-reaching implications for the entire film value chain.
Compiled by the BFI's Research and Statistics Unit, the Statistical Yearbook presents the most comprehensive picture of film in the UK and the performance of British films abroad during 2012. Now in its 11th year, the Yearbook is a valuable evidence base for industry and policy-makers.
Amanda Nevill, Chief Executive of the BFI, said:
Three very British superheroes – Bond, Boyle and Bean – helped fly the flag for UK film during the Olympic opening ceremony and our suave British spy led something of an invasion into global cinemas in 2012. UK films captivated audiences and 007 spearheaded another strong year for UK film internationally, which collectively pulled in $5.3 billion and helped export British culture and creativity around the world in 2012. Our Yearbook shows film's continued importance to the UK economy overall, with a record turnover of £7.7 billion and trade surplus of £1 billion in 2011.
It's encouraging that UK audiences of all ages embraced the cinema experience and it's very exciting that we may be heading towards a tipping point in audience use of Video on Demand services. But we can't fully explore this growing new market without the numbers so we need providers of Video on Demand services to release robust data to help us better understand and analyse the emerging VoD market for the benefit of the entire UK film industry.
UK box office – a record breaking year and shifting audiences
Despite stiff competition from the spectacular London Olympic and Paralympic games, Diamond Jubilee celebrations and Euro 2012 football championship, cinema proved its resilience in 2012: Skyfall took £103 million at the UK box office to become the highest earning film of all time, overall admissions were up 0.5% to 172.5 million, the third highest figure of the past 40 years, and box office receipts rose 6% to £1.1 billion – the highest on record.
There were 647 films released during the year – more than 12 per week and 89 more than in 2011 – and action was the UK's favourite genre, taking 28% of the box office and pushing usual favourite comedy into second place. The Dark Knight Rises (£56.3 million), The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (£52.2 million) and Marvel Avengers Assemble (£51.9 million) were the year's highest earners after Skyfall, and despite a fiercely competitive marketplace, UK films fared well, taking 32% of the total UK and Republic of Ireland box office, with the top 20 together grossing £348 million.
The highest grossing UK independent films were The Woman in Black and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, taking more than £20 million each, with the top 20 independent UK films of 2012 clocking up a combined gross of £98.5 million and UK independents overall taking 9% of the total box office, their second highest market share on record.
Stories from UK writers proved a real draw to audiences – though only 5% of films released during the year were adapted from UK story material, they accounted for 23% of the total box office. These films were based on characters first written in 1937 (The Hobbit), 1958 (Bond) and 1983 (Woman in Black), a clear reminder of the enduring economic value of British cultural excellence.
For the first time ever, at 36% of the total, over-45s were the largest proportion of the UK cinema audience, up from 28% in 2011 – a trend fuelled by an increasing number of films tailored for and marketed to older audiences, with three of the most popular films for the over-45s in 2012 being Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Anna Karenina. At the same time there appears to be a decline in younger audiences at the cinema, with the 15-24 age group decreasing from 31% in 2011 to 25% of the total in 2012, but more data and research is needed in this area to better understand shifting patterns of film consumption across all platforms.
Despite record box office takings, there are continued challenges for distributors of independent and specialised films in the UK. The top 100 films earned 92% of the total gross, leaving the remaining 547 films competing for box office revenues of £93 million, less than the gross earned by Skyfall. Continued public investment is critical to help distributors mitigate commercial risk and ensure a diverse range of films is available to UK audiences – the BFI has committed through its Film Forever plan to supporting such distributors through its £4m Distribution Fund, and to developing audiences for specialised film through its £22m Audience Fund.
Film viewing on smaller screens – TV leads, DVD declines, VoD emerges
Most films are seen on television and in 2012 viewers had a choice of over 7,400 film titles across all channels, with a cumulative film audience of just under 3.9 billion – over 22 times the number of cinema admissions. The top film on terrestrial television was Shrek Forever After on BBC One on Christmas Day, with 5.4 million viewers.
While cinema admissions and box office takings increased in 2012, revenue from the sales of feature films on video (DVD, Blu-ray), though still significant, fell during the year to £968 million – their lowest level since 2001 and down from over £1.1 billion in 2011. Video rentals of films were also down, from 86 million in 2011 to 78 million in 2012, with the value of the rental market for film falling from £246 million in 2011 to £229 million in 2012.
The VoD market may be growing into the gap left by video. The total VoD market for film was estimated to be worth £243 million in 2012, a 50% increase on the previous year, with audiences increasingly streaming films online using subscription services such as LOVEFiLM Instant and Netflix, leading to a 123% increase in online film revenues (worth an estimated £122 million) during the year.
With broadband speeds increasing, smartphone and tablet ownership on the rise and internet-enabled television sets becoming more commonplace, the BFI expects further shifts in the consumption of filmed entertainment over the coming years. As VoD develops and matures it is more important than ever for robust data to be made available to the film industry, to help widen understanding of this exciting growth area, particularly for independent and specialised film.
UK talent and films internationally
The UK retained its reputation as a home to world-class creative talent, with a strong global performance for UK films and talent in 2012. In a record year for the global box office, which took $34.7 billion overall, UK films earned $5.3 billion, a 15.3% market share which, though down slightly on 2011's record-breaking 17.2%, is still the third highest on record.
UK films and talent in front of and behind the camera won 23 major film awards in 2012, including four Oscars and 12 BAFTAs. In 2013, six Oscars and 13 BAFTAs went to UK winners, including Daniel Day-Lewis who won the Leading Actor award at both ceremonies for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln and made history as the first man ever to win three best actor Oscars, and UK independent film Searching for Sugar Man was also a double winner, picking up the Documentary Feature award at both ceremonies.
50 years of Bond
The year marked the 50th anniversary of the UK's most enduring cinematic icon, James Bond, and the year saw the series go from strength to strength as Skyfall become the first Bond film to gross over $1 billion at the worldwide box office.
To date the hugely popular series has grossed over $6 billion worldwide, becoming the second highest grossing franchise of all time (behind fellow British series, Harry Potter), and has sold over 39 million DVD and Blu-ray discs in the UK (including individual components of box sets). Since the BFI began tracking in 1997, the Bond films have been viewed over 1 billion times on UK television. The films have helped shine a spotlight on the UK's infrastructure, with Pinewood Studios known the world over as the home of James Bond, and helped develop skills and opportunities for British film crews. Following his starring role alongside Her Majesty The Queen in the Olympics opening ceremony and with the films more popular than ever, Britain's enigmatic spy remains firmly at the forefront of UK film.
The UK film economy
The UK film industry continues to be a valuable and growing sector of the British economy, with a turnover in 2011 of £7.7 billion – its highest ever total – and a direct contribution to Gross Domestic Product of £3.8 billion, two and a half times its 1995 contribution in real terms. The industry exported £1.7 billion worth of services in 2011, made up of £1,199 million in royalties and £540 million in film production services, and exports in 2011 were 121% higher than 1995. The UK film trade surplus in 2011 was £1 billion.
Film continued to be a significant employer with 70,000 people working in the film and video industries in 2012, of whom 46,000 worked in production, and with over 5,000 film production companies and over 2,200 post-production companies registered in the UK in 2012.
UK film production
There were 249 feature films produced wholly or in part in the UK during the year, down from 331 in 2011, with the total value of production spend in the UK over £929 million, down 27% from 2011's £1.2 billion. The year saw the UK spend from domestic UK films and UK co-productions rise, despite the fact fewer films were made, and a decrease in the spend of inward investment films. Films produced during the year included The Fast and the Furious 6, I Give It a Year, The World's End, Jack Ryan, Spike Island, Maleficent, Diana, Filth and Rush.
Inward investment films, which bring international investment by using UK facilities, services and crew contributed £630 million (68%) in 2012, down 38% from 2011's exceptional and record-breaking figure of just over £1 billion, while 40 co-productions (down from 47 in 2011) contributed £74 million, up from almost £63 million in 2011. The spend of domestic features hit a three-year high of £226 million, up nearly 16% from £195 million in 2011, helped by films including Ralph Fiennes' The Invisible Woman, Michael Winterbottom's The Look of Love and Tom Hooper's Les Misérables, though 64% of domestic films in 2012 were made with budgets of less than £500,000 – with these 'micro-budget' films often forming an important stepping stone in the career development of new film talent.


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Two Wednesday ago I got a call from Kinley's daycare saying I need to come get her because she has vomited I thought...oh great we got the stomach bug that's going around. She only threw up 2 more times but she had a slight fever that would not break; she was not sleeping or eating. On Friday morning she woke up saying... Mommy my ear hurts. She has NEVER said that so I knew she probably had an ear infection. So we got in early Friday morning to see our doctor and sure enough it was an ear infection but
only in the right ear.
We started some antibiotics and she was better by Saturday morning!!! She was back to he old Spunky self and finally ate after 4 days!!!
Monday night MC started throwing up; at first it was just every couple of hours but at 11pm it was every 30 mins. I mean 11, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 1:00 ...you get the point.... all the way till 3am. She slept from 3-4 then was back up throwing up till 5am; then Kinley woke at 6am and I thought I was about to LOSE my mind. It has been YEARS since I've only gotten 2 hours of total sleep. My mom was a saint and kept her Tuesday so I could work. She texted me and said she has stopped throwing up at noon and kept down 2 meals. So..........
I picked her up that afternoon and took her to her dental cleaning and she was tired but felt fine! I thought it had pasted...........that's what I get for thinking! She woke at 10 that night and vomited every hour all night long. But this time the diarrhea had kicked in FULL FORCE!!!!
She had to get a lot of fluid and she kept looking at the bag saying... how much longer till I go home and i would say when that is empty and she said that's gonna be forever!She was NPO for the first hour then they advanced her to a clear liquid diet. She kept down some sprite, water, and some ice chips.
MC's pic of Ms Debbie and Papaw
We have now made it 5 days now with no illness in this house and we are just about caught up on our sleep; THANK THE LORD!!!!!!!!!


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H620R - 2-Way Globe Valve, DN 20
£181.60 £151.33
H620N - 2-way globe valve, PN16 flange, DN 20, kvs 6,3 Housing and seat gray cast iron GG25
• Valve disk stainless steel
• Stem/bypass-seat stainless steel
• Seal EPDM O-ring
• Temperature of medium max. 120°C
• Characteristic A-AB equal percentage
• Leakage rate A-AB max. 0.05% of kvs
- Mode of operation The globe valve is operated by an NV or AV series linear actuator. The linear actuators are controlled by a standard modulating or 3-point control system and move the cone of the valve, the throttling device, to the opening position dictated by the control signal.
- Flow characteristic An equal-percentage flow characteristic is produced by profiling the valve cone.
- Manual operation On the NV or AV linear actuator, the valve stem can be actuated manually using a hexagonal key.


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ROCHESTER — The following items are based on 702 entries on the Rochester Police Log from Sept. 26 to 30:
Thursday, Sept. 26
3:41 a.m. — A deer becomes venison on Exit 13 of the turnpike.
7:47 a.m. — Thomas Brady, 57, of 105 Whitehouse Road, Lot 65, is charged with violation of a protective order.
9:26 a.m. — At the station, a worker reports that his boss smashed his windshield and a headlight.
11:01 a.m. — Susan Marie Ruger, 48, of 16 Red Squirrel Lane. Chester, is charged with simple assault.
11:15 a.m. — Brian Bentley, 49, of 182 Milton Road, Apt, 20, is arrested on a bench warrant.
11:21 a.m. — Police make a welfare check to Adrien Circle after their Project Good Morning fails to contact an elderly resident. She is fine ... her phone is just not working.
12:05 p.m. — At Radio Shack a man grabs an Xbox off the shelf and dashes away.
1:00 p.m. — A panhandler is a Common sight.
2:34 p.m. — Three boys try to steal a bike locked to a pole on Signal Street.
3:53 p.m. — A man snatches a purse from a lady at Bea's Jewelry. A customer tackles him and gets it back.
5:05 p.m. — John William Sullivan, 31, of 21 Calef Highway, Room 105, is charged with willful concealment at Kohl's; Nichole M. Sullivan, 34, of the same address, is charged with willful concealment and criminal contempt.
6:41 p.m. — Ten people fight on Ela Court. One is a batman.
7:06 p.m. — Nina R. Batista, 19, of 18 Congress St., is charged with criminal trespass.
7:42 p.m. — A Congress Street resident waxes angry and mentions gunplay after "little punks threatened him."
9:35 p.m. — A laptop is missing after a burglary on Rochester Hill Road.
10:22 p.m. — Brent Robert Berube, 28, of 20 Columbus Ave., Room 306, is charged with driving without giving proof and driving after suspension.
11:12 p.m. — A Stillwater Circle resident interrupts two teens trying to break into his vehicle.
11:39 p.m. — The day closes as it opens, with a deer-to-venison conversion on Farmington Road.
Friday, Sept. 27
1:36 a.m. — Edward Forest Goodbrand, 43, of 18A Oak St., is charged with driving after suspension after a traffic stop on Gonic Road.
7:25 a.m. — High school band students, collecting money yesterday, may have been stuck with a dud bill.
9:41 a.m. — A River Street resident let a homeless couple into his home last night. The pregnant lady started drinking, so he asked them to leave. They stole an Xbox.
10:06 a.m. — Spenser Rose English, 21, of 7 Glen St., is charged with willful concealment at Walmart.
10:11 a.m. — A purse is found near Bourque's Flooring and reunited with its owner.
10:42 a.m. — At the Washington Street Shell, four gentlemen surround a Dodge pickup and yell at a lady. They manage to retrieve an Xbox that was concealed on her person. A fifth gentleman takes off into the woods.
11:07 a.m. — Tri City Towing finds a wallet in the parking lot and holds it for an officer to pick up.
12:23 p.m. — It is reported that a check for $825 has been fraudulently cashed at HRCU.
12:51 p.m. — A confrontational panhandler bugs customers at Rochester Crossing.
2:49 p.m. — A bike has lazed around on a Chamberlain Street lawn for a couple of days.
4:04 p.m. — A fight brews on Warren Street. "People are yelling about drugs and pregnant people."
4:37 p.m. — A toter is taken on Hynes Court.
5:52 p.m. — Cristy M. Miller, 28, of 17 Norway Plains Road, Apt. 39, is charged with misuse or failure to display plates, unregistered vehicle, traffic control devices, and false inspection or registration sticker.
6:44 p.m. — A woman who left her purse in a Market Basket shopping cart reports it is gone.
7:07 p.m. — Dustin A. King, 23, of 6 Henrietta St., is charged with simple assault and negligent driving.
11:11 p.m. — Music is blasted on Winter Street.
11:57 p.m. — A man handles a baby skunk and goes to Frisbie with a bite. The animal appears healthy.
Saturday, Sept. 28
12:59 a.m. — Three males and a female argue on Congress Street.
1:13 a.m. — Luke P. Marshall, 25, of 19 Woodside Lane, Apt. 1, is charged with driving under the influence and three counts of simple assault.
1:26 a.m. — There is a fierce argument in a Washington Street apartment about a drink being poured out of the window. A noise warning is dished out.
1:27 a.m. — Jeffrey Brian Silva, 58, of 38 Church St., Lincoln, is charged with DWI.
2:20 a.m. — Loud music on Rochester Hill Road is reclassified as the braying laughter of a female. She gets a warning.
8:26 a.m. — A stereo has been stolen from an unlocked car on Davis Boulevard.
9:35 a.m. — On Portland Street a woman paid a man to do some plumbing, but rather rash, advanced him cash. The plumbing? He ain't coming.
10:02 a.m. — Police escort a large motorcycle run from the Legion out to Route 11.
11:24 a.m. — Near the courthouse an octet chases one kid. One pursuer has a baseball bat.
2:19 p.m. — Randy T. Chandler, 48, of 11 Barker Court, Apt. 3, is charged with drug possession and arrested on a warrant.
4:49 p.m. — Music blares from an Amazon Park lot.
5:30 p.m. — On Pine Street a woman's door is punched and smashed, reportedly by her son's ex-girlfriend.
5:54 p.m. — Mark Allen Gray, 29, of 14 Country Ridge Estate, is charged with willful concealment at Kmart.
7:06 p.m. — On the Common two men sit beneath a tree where it's unlit. Do they crochet? Do they knit? No, they chug beers before they split.
7:20 p.m. — A hit-and-run has occurred in the Home Depot parking lot.
8:57 p.m. — On Pine Street a man says a young woman was staying with him, but left. His wallet with $480 in it seems to have left, too.
9:06 p.m. — A big drinking party apparently rages on River Street.
Sunday, Sept. 29
12:09 a.m. — A woman reports that she was almost raped outside the mall yesterday evening.
1:08 a.m. — Loud music is played on Cold Spring Circle.
8:04 a.m. — Mailboxes have been much mangled on Lowell Street.
11:47 a.m. — Two young cyclists near the Square get helmet warnings.
12:53 p.m. — On Knight Street two folks argue for reasons yet unknown, the incident is moving though, for suitcases are thrown.
1:06 p.m. — Two young men slug it out on Hemlock Street. They are shirtless. Yup.
1:34 p.m. — John Titus, 24, of 29 Civic St., Farmington, is charged with willful concealment.
1:37 p.m. — Ann Marie Bernard, 53, of 8B Church St., is charged with DWI.
3:29 p.m. — A woman is threatened with being thrown off her McDuffee Brook Place porch.
3:45 p.m. — Meds are stolen from an Amazon Park home while a lady is in church.
4:45 p.m. — Eric Shaw, 27, of 17B Patriots Way, is charged with disorderly conduct and contempt.
6:45 p.m. — A laptop and webcam have been stolen from a Portland Street resident.
11:55 p.m. — A Congress Street drum thumper is keeping people awake.
Monday, Sept. 30
1:05 a.m. — A bleeding man tries to climb in a River Street window, while hollering, "Mary, Mary, I don't know where I am." He is conveyed to Frisbie.
2:41 a.m. — A Highland Street resident says his dead landlord's mother and boyfriend are banging on the barn doors and making threats.
8:13 a.m. — Copper has been stolen in a Walnut Street burglary.
8:51 a.m. — A toter is missing from a Lambert Court property.
10:22 a.m. — A Stephens Drive man reports being a victim of theft.
11:10 a.m. — A passport is found near the Post Office and returned to its owner.
11:44 a.m. — John M. Boston, 53, of 28 Academy St., Apt. 4, is charged with willful concealment.
11:44 a.m. — A wallet is found by an honest Cocheco Avenue citizen. It contains $665 in cash and a check for $693. The owner picks it up from police.
11:52 a.m. — Two weeks ago, a Holly Park Lane man says, tools worth $2,500 were stolen.
12:12 p.m. — A letter mailed from the jail to the district court, contains threats against two judges.
2:03 p.m. — Eli M. Moryoussef, 36, of 13R, Dennett Road, Kittery, Maine, is charged with drug possession.
3:31 p.m. — A man buys $30 worth of food at the Dynasty, leaves his wallet, and fails to return.
3:33 p.m. — At Cumby's on Highland Street a customer prepays for gas. Another motorist pumps it into their vehicle and drives off.
3:40 p.m. — A toter has been taken from Lambert Court.
4:49 p.m. — A kindly officer places a board inside a dumpster to allow a raccoon to get out.
5:25 p.m. — A Rochester Hill Road resident is getting harassing texts from an unknown person.
7:27 p.m. — Vanessa Lee Bentley, 34, of 10 D'Amours Ave., is charged with willful concealment.
8:56 p.m. — A blue bike has been abandoned in a Cross Road ditch for two weeks. No wonder it's blue.
9:19 p.m. — A man is issued with a no trespass order on Lowell Street after a woman calls police.


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So, I, Um, Don't Know How to Say This…But I'm Leaving You
Uh oh. You already know something's up because I'm not writing in the third person, huh? But I assure you, it's not you (and it's not we), it's me. Exactly two years ago today, Steve and I took the UnBeige reins, and as you may know, two years is practically a lifetime in blog-years. I decided that this was as good a time as any to make a change, a decision that was only slightly influenced by the fact that this is the very same night that Lost returns to television (8/7pm Central).
Over the last two years my life has changed in ways that I can't begin to explain in what I hope will be a short and sweet post. I've traveled all over the country, met my heroes, and hopefully, introduced you to a few worthy people and causes along the way. When I started at UnBeige I was terrified by this big scary design world that, frankly, I didn't know nearly enough about. Now I look over there at that blogroll and I see a list of my dearest friends.
Thanks to the dearest of all those new friends, Steve Delahoyde, and that's saying a lot since we have still never met in person. Steve is such an effortlessly funny human being–he is the only person in the world I can count on for a solid laugh at 7am–and I will miss being his partner in crime. But I would never have felt comfortable leaving if it wasn't for one Stephanie Murg, who has leapt into this role with grace and wit. Thanks to my wonderful boyfriend Keith Scharwath, who provided me with so much support, advice and good tips that thanking him every time would have made it seem like he was writing this blog instead. Thank you to Jen Bekman and Eva Hagberg, who left gigantic, like, size 12EEE shoes to fill. Huge thanks to both Bryn Mooth and Taffy Brodesser-Akner, who recommended me for the gig in the first place. And to Laurel Touby, who has always been a big inspiration to me, but especially when she sold mediabistro.com for $23 million freaking dollars.
Finally, thank you to everyone out there who read this over the years, all 15 of you, even though four of you are my immediate family members and read this blog even though you have no idea what I'm talking about. I have absolutely no clue what I'm doing next (although I'm fairly certain you won't find me anywhere near a computer for the next week or two), but you can always find out what I'm up to at my personal blog, Gelatobaby. And if you want to be kept abreast of my situation, just drop me a line at getthescoop AT gelatobaby.com. I'm sure we'll meet again.
Love, Alissa


text:
This fan-made Battlefield 3 movie is impressive in that they've got some realistic-looking gear and capture the little nuances of the game perfectly.
As a movie, though, it's a little boring.
Nevermind! Because it's so intent on mimicking the nature of the game, it plays out like, well, you're playing the game, HUD prompts and everything, so it's not too much of a stretch to hope that whenever Battlefield 4 rolls around, it might look a little something like this.
At least, the PC version might.


text:
To join the discussion about God's Favorite Place on Earth, or to buy a copy, go here.
Frank Viola, who blogs at Rediscovering the Supremacy of Jesus Christ, is offering 25 free books or audios to those who buy his newest book, God's Favorite Place on Earth, in the next week. To learn more, go here.
That offer makes a good book a good deal, as well.
God's Favorite Place on Earth is a combination first person fictionalization/meditation/teaching on the Gospel stories surrounding the family of Martha, Mary and Lazarus. This family lived in the little town of Bethany, and Gospel accounts make it clear that their friendship with Jesus was both personal and on-going.
These people knew Jesus in the intimate way that friends know one another. They also recognized Him as more than just another rabbi. They got Him at a time when His own disciples were often confused the things He did and said.
This is the same Lazarus who died and was dead four days when Jesus stood at his grave and, with the words Lazarus come forth! raised him from the dead.
First, Jesus meant it when He said that being his disciple means taking up our crosses and following after Him. The message in Viola's fine book is three-fold.
Second, God's ways are not our ways. He doesn't work according to our time-table or our human goals. He has His own plan and our part in it is to follow Him and do what He tells us to do.
Third, (and most important) Christian life is Christ-centered living. It is not about our missions or our apostolates. It is not a function of how many hours we spend at church or how we vote. Following Christ means following Christ and Him crucified.
Frank Viola has written a fine book that gave me meat for thought about my own Christian walk and the ways in which I put things ahead of Him in my life. It was a convicting and uplifting read, both at once.
I heartily recommend it.


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MELBOURNE: The southern regions of Australia have experienced such windy conditions this week that wind generated over half of South Australia's power.
According to data from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), wind energy accounted for 85.5% of demand on Monday – a new record – 57.9% on Tuesday and 55% on Wednesday.
Russell Marsh, Policy Director, Clean Energy Council announced the figures. He commented: "South Australia has proven once again that wind energy can generate real power – and lots of it."
"All this wind is putting South Australia well ahead of the curve on Australia's 20% Renewable Energy Target, and helping to provide farmers and local businesses in regional areas with extra income. It also means the state's residents collectively have a lower carbon price bill, while getting fully compensated by the Federal Government under the scheme."
The capacity surge supports AEMO data showing emissions from South Australia's electricity sector have dropped every year since 2005-06, and reduced by more than 27% over the last five years.
As well as continuing to slash the state's emissions, wind energy also provides lower cost energy for Australians and is helping form a solid platform for energy security into the future.
Caroline Bayliss, Australia Director, The Climate Group says: "This impressive result reflects the leadership of South Australia under former Premier Mike Rann and the current Government, led by Premier Jay Weatherill. South Australia has actively opened the state's doors to wind power development by providing regulatory certainty and enabling planning frameworks and taxation incentives for wind investors".
"South Australia now produces more electricity from wind than from coal – around a quarter of the state's generation, putting it in a world leadership position that is on par with Denmark."
South Australia's positive approach is not just limited to wind either, as the state also boasts the highest per capita uptake of solar power in Australia. In June 2011, South Australia reached the 20% Renewable Energy Target, three years ahead of the state's own deadline and nine years ahead of the national timeline; and not to rest on its laurels, South Australia then increased its Renewable Energy Target to 33% by 2020.
Image by Matt Phipps


text:
Shoaib Ahmed
Professional Services Practice Manager at Eagle Technology Group in Wellington, Prince2, MSP, MoP Practitioner, P3M expert, cricket fanatic, squash pretender, pursing an Executive MBA.
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|Statement by Ambassador Wang Min at UNICEF Executive Board Second Regular Session 2013
Mr. President,
The Chinese delegation wishes to thank Mr. Lake, Executive Director of UNICEF, for his statement and introduction to the Strategic Plan for 2014-2017 and would like to make the following observations:
First, the Chinese Delegation appreciates the open, transparent and inclusive approach taken by UNICEF in formulating the 2014-2017 Strategic Plan. Thanks to the continuous efforts made by UNICEF during the last 18 months, the indicators and focus areas of the Strategic Plan have been further fine-tuned, and its goals, results and programs have become more relevant and measurable. The Chinese delegation believes that the new Strategic Plan should not only help UNICEF carry out its general mandate for advancing the rights and development of children around the globe, but also channel its resources in a more targeted fashion to help those children and countries most in need.
As the Strategic Plan for 2014-2017 will coincide with a crucial time when member States are striving to attain the MDGs at the last stage and formulate the post-2015 development goals, it will have a far-reaching impact on the work of UNICEF and its regional and country teams. We hope that UNICEF, in implementing the new Strategic Plan, will always maintain its focus on the promotion of the achievement of relevant MDGs and other internationally agreed development goals. It is our hope that UNIECF will also concern itself with the needs of the most vulnerable children in the developing countries while increasing its support for the LDCs and African countries. As it translates the Strategic Plan to country programs, UNICEF, we hope, will attach great importance to strengthening the capacity of program countries to achieve and sustain development, and respect the principle of national ownership and leadership of the program countries; we would also like to see continued improvement in its own organizational effectiveness and efficiency and in its capacity to provide better technical guidance and strategic support to program countries so as to effectively help them to achieve priority development goals and results.
The Chinese delegation welcomes the inclusion of the integrated budget for 2014-2017 as an integral component of the Strategic Plan, which tries to improve the focus on the results outlined in the Strategic Plan and achieve consistency and coherence in cost classification, absorption and recovery with UNDP, UNFPA and UN Women. China appreciates UNICEF's decision to increase the allocation of minimum regular resource to any single country program from the minimum of $750,000 to $850,000 and its plan to gradually increase its program expenditure and investment in program results in 2014-2017. Since the growth of financial resources and the core resources, in particular, will provide a powerful guarantee for UNICEF's effective and timely response to the needs of the program countries, the Chinese delegation calls on member States to continue to maintain or increase their contributions, especially their contributions to the core resources so that the 2014-2017 Strategic Plan can be carried out smoothly. We also hope that UNICEF will continue to strengthen its accountability and transparency as it implements the Strategic Plan, further quantify and clarify its results and contributions and keep member States abreast of the progress it has made in a timely manner.
Thank you, Mr. President.


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Search Finding Aids
Main Content
Miscellaneous 20th Century Community Health photographs
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the University of Pennsylvania. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Summary Information
- Repository:
- University of Pennsylvania: Barbara Bates Center for the Study of The History of Nursing
- Title:
- Miscellaneous 20th Century Community Health photographs
- Date [bulk]:
- 1912-1953
- Date [inclusive]:
- 1903-1980
- Call Number:
- Extent:
- 0.25 Linear feet
- Language:
- English
- Abstract:
- This photographic collection, likely assembled from previously published sources, shows the activities of various visiting nurse associations around the United States in the first half of the twentieth century. It also contains other images related to public health, along with a series of Korean War photographs.
Cite as:Miscellaneous 20th Century Community Health photographs, Barbara Bates Center for The Study of The History of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania
- Finding Aid's Permanent URL:
- http://hdl.library.upenn.edu/1017/d/ead/upenn_bates_PUNMC213
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of 85 black and white photographic prints. They were assembled and printed by Diane Hamilton circa 1985. Most of the photographs were originally taken between around 1912 to 1953. The bulk of the undated photographs probably date to the 1920s-1940s. Most of the photographs depict the activities of visiting nurses, including patient care, transportation, office buildings, equipment and supplies, public health outreach initiatives, and other related images. Many of the visiting nurses shown here worked for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, Welfare Division. There is also one series depicting military medical care, primarily during the Korean War.
Administrative Information
Publication Information
Finding Aid Author
Finding aid prepared by Bethany Myers
Access Restrictions
This collection is unrestricted.
Use Restrictions
Photographs are not original, copyright restrictions may apply. Please contact the Center with requests for copying and for authorization to publish, quote or reproduce the material.
Immediate Source of Acquisition note
Gift of Diane Hamilton, 2010.
Controlled Access Headings
Corporate Name(s)
- Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.
- Visiting Nurse Association (Cleveland, Ohio).
- Visiting Nurse Association of Chicago.
- Visiting Nurse Service (Henry Street Settlement (New York, N.Y.)).
- Visiting Nurse Service of New York.
- Visiting Nurse Society of Philadelphia.
- Photographs
- Public health nursing
Personal Name(s)
- Hamilton, Diane
- Community health nursing
- Korean War, 1950-1953--Medical care.
- Nursing--History.
- Visiting nurses
General note
Though the prints date from the mid 1980s, the original dates of the photograph, when known, are listed here. Captions written on the image are given in quotation marks. Photo numbers ending in the letter a indicate a duplicate print of the preceding number.


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A Champion Rises
DescriptionYou have earned my respect and the respect of your peers. You defeated all who challenged you and mastered the ways of tournament combat. I have no doubt that you are ready to face down the champions of other cities for the glory of the Forsaken!
Justicar Mariel Trueheart has asked to speak with you, <name>, and to formally enter you in the champions' grand melee.
I welcome you as a champion of the tournament, <name>. As a champion, you will be able to compete for the grand championship of the tournament. You may also choose to become a valiant with another Horde city's delegation and in time, a champion for that city as well.
All champions must have the assistance of a squire, <name>, and you are no exception. Allow me to appoint one of ours to accompany you in battle. He will proudly carry the banner of any city that has named you a champion.
All champions must have the assistance of a squire, <name>, and you are no exception. Allow me to appoint one of ours to accompany you in battle. He will proudly carry the banner of any city that has named you a champion.
RewardsYou will receive:
|Argent Gruntling
|Champion's Seal
GainsUpon completion of this quest you will gain:
- 350 reputation with Argent Crusade
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Simply type the URL of the video in the form below.
The Wowhead Client is a little application we use to keep our database up to date, and to provide you with some nifty extra functionality on the website!
It serves 2 main purposes:
- It maintains a WoW addon called the Wowhead Looter, which collects data as you play the game!
- It uploads the collected data to Wowhead in order to keep the database up-to-date!
You can also use it to keep track of your completed quests, recipes, mounts, companion pets, and titles!
So, what are you waiting for? Download the client and get started.


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National Security
Our Constitution, laws, and values are the foundation of our strength and security. Yet, after the attacks of September 11, 2001, our government engaged in systematic policies of torture, targeted killing, indefinite detention, mass surveillance, and religious discrimination. It violated the law, eroded many of our most cherished values, and made us less free and less safe.
Some of these policies, such as torture and extraordinary rendition, are no longer officially condoned. But most other policies—indefinite detention, targeted killing, trial by military commissions, warrantless surveillance, and racial, religious, and other forms of profiling—remain core elements of U.S. national security strategy today.
Through litigation and advocacy strategies, the National Security Project responds to specific government measures and also strives to educate the public and shape the law so that the courts, Congress, and citizenry can serve as an enduring check against abuse. We work to ensure that the U.S. government renounces policies and practices that disregard due process, enshrine discrimination, and turn everyone into a suspect. We also seek accountability and redress for the victims of abuses perpetrated in the name of our national security. These are the ways to rebuild American moral authority and credibility both at home and abroad.
Search National Security
What You Need To Know
- 30+More than 30 prisoners in Guantánamo have never been charged with a crime.
- 0The U.S. government has prosecuted 0 people behind its torture program.
- One millionThe federal government's master watchlist includes approximately one million people.
Current Issues
No president should have the power to declare the entire globe a war zone, seize and detain civilians anywhere in the world, and hold them indefinitely without charge or trial. But the presidencies of Bush, Obama, and Trump have done just that, defining their powers too broadly and claiming the authority to arrest and detain without charge or trial prisoners captured far from any battlefield.
The Guantánamo military commission proceedings have been marred by legal and ethical problems from day one. The ACLU has been present as an independent observer at nearly every commission hearing since 2004 and documented the ways in which the proceedings are unfair, unconstitutional, and plagued by excessive secrecy.
Our government's embrace of torture shattered lives, shredded our nation's reputation in the world, and compromised our national security. Not a single torture victim has had their day in an American court, and our nation has not held to account any of the officials who authorized the use of torture or oversaw its implementation. This failure to engage in a formal legal reckoning has contaminated our legal system.
The U.S. targeted killing program operates without meaningful oversight outside the executive branch, and essential details about the program still remain secret, including what criteria the government uses to put people on CIA and military kill lists as well as how much evidence is required before it does so.
Much of our government's business is conducted in secret. There are a multitude of secret agencies, secret committees of Congress, a secret court, and even secret laws. This sprawling—and growing—secret establishment presents an active threat to individual liberty and undermines the very notion of government of, by, and for the people.
Numerous government agencies—including the National Security Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, and state and local law enforcement agencies—intrude upon the private communications of innocent citizens, amass vast databases of who we call and when, and catalog "suspicious activities" based on the vaguest standards.
Using race, the color of someone's skin, religion, or ethnicity as a basis for suspicion or investigation is unconstitutional and unfair. It harms our national security by wasting scarce government resources and eroding minority communities' trust in government. It is a practice that should be left in the history books, where it belongs.
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I really like Fractal Siberia.As to the photo in question. Very nice. I wish you could see the wall more clearly (at all) in that first horizontal run. Your eye kind of has to guess where it is going there.I'm thinking this prints great. Just how much detail is in that image? 8000x5500? Good lord.[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=63027\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Nicely done, Bernard! Have you considered converting to B&W? There's not much colour in the shot to begin with... I could imagine it printed on an old-fashioned, high-contrast B&W paper. It might create a little more separation with the mountains in the background as well.Anyway, thanks for sharing!Mike.[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=63040\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Funny that you sold you 617, I have just purchased a 617 roll film back for my 4*5 camera.


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Raptor Oval Magnum Step Bars 0707-0228
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Bold, beefy, and brawny - that's the look of Raptor Oval Magnum Step Bars. They're built from huge 4" or 5" oval tube to add tough style to your truck or SUV. The added width even gives you a bigger step for plenty of footing getting in and out of your ride.
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There are no reviews for this application.
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So I just mirrored 9 gigs of poly wav files (6 - 8 channel BWFs) from my Deva in 192k. I'm not running PTHD at home, so I can't run PT in 192k at home.
I can run Logic at home at 192k, but for some reason Logic doesn't like my poly wavs. I've had this problem before, but I've never had to deal with it at 192k. Logic is interpreting my files as surround files, so it brings all the channels into 1 track and assigns them to a surround panner. Then it won't let me break them each out to separate channels.
Any ideas? Anyone run into this problem in Logic? How did you rectify it?


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Prestige Co‑Axial 36.8 mm
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The OMEGA De Ville Prestige collection has attracted a large and loyal following with its classic, elegant design.
These timepieces are characterised by pure styling with luxury finishes, and exude a timeless design. This model features an impressive two-zone silver dial with Roman numerals at the 3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock positions.
The striking dial, with its date window at the 3 o'clock position, is protected by a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. The bezel is mounted on a 36.8 mm stainless steel case, and is presented on a stainless steel bracelet. At the heart of this timepiece is the Co-Axial calibre 2500.
5-Year Warranty
All OMEGA watches are delivered with a 5-year warranty that covers the repair of any material or manufacturing defects. Please refer to the operating instructions for specific information about the warranty conditions and restrictions.
Label given to a watch which has undergone precision tests and received a certificate from an official body (COSC).
The day of the month, displayed in a window on a watch dial typically at the 3 o'clock or 6 o'clock position.
Technical Data
- Between lugs: 19 mm
- Bracelet: steel
- Case: Steel
- Case diameter: 36.8 mm
- Dial colour: Silver
- Crystal: Domed, scratch‑resistant sapphire crystal with anti‑reflective treatment inside
- Water resistance: 3 bar (30 metres / 100 feet)
A new look for your watch
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Variations of Prestige Co‑Axial 36.8 mm
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D'style has a comprehensive custom lighting program that includes Guestroom Lighting in quantities of 25 pieces and above. The company's customizing capabilities include flexibility in shades, finishes and materials. From Contemporary to Traditional, our capabilities and extensive knowledge have made us a proven and reliable lighting resource (or partner for your lighting needs).
Images on this website MAY NOT represent exact colors.


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Minutes from LAX
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Count on convenience and value at our Super 8 Los Angeles hotel. Our hotel, located just a mile from Los Angeles International Airport in California, puts the excitement of the City of Angels at your door. Enjoy spending all day discovering Southern California attractions.


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Los Alamos National Laboratory physicist John Sarrao is being honored by the U.S. Department of Energy with the 2013 Ernest O. Lawrence Award in Condensed Matter and Materials Sciences.
"John Sarrao's exciting advances in actinide studies exemplify the quality of research performed at Los Alamos National Laboratory," said Los Alamos National Laboratory Director Charlie McMillan.
"Actinides, including plutonium, are among the most complex elements and involved in the most complex compounds known to man. Their understanding is fundamental to the Los Alamos core weapons mission and a major challenge in the worldwide condensed-matter and materials communities. John's contributions have fundamentally advanced our understanding in BOTH of these areas," he said.
"I'm excited and humbled to receive the Lawrence Award. This is recognition of the work of many folks at Los Alamos as well as a broader set of colleagues and collaborators, and not just my own efforts," said Sarrao.
The award consists of a gold medal bearing the likeness of E. O. Lawrence, a citation signed by Secretary of Energy Moniz, and an honorarium of $20,000.
The citation reads: "For the discovery and study of new materials, especially those based on plutonium, advancing understanding of unconventional magnetic and superconducting states in strongly correlated f-electron condensed matter systems."
Sarrao has been the associate director for Theory, Simulation, and Computation at Los Alamos since March of 2013. He leads the Laboratory's efforts in applying science-based prediction to existing and emerging national security missions. Previously, Sarrao was the program director for the Laboratory's Office of Science Programs and for the proposed MaRIE (Matter-Radiation Interactions in Extremes) facility designed to provide transformational materials solutions for national security challenges.
Sarrao received his Ph.D. in physics from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1993 for research performed at Los Alamos, and his primary research interest is in the synthesis and characterization of correlated electron systems, especially actinide materials. Sarrao was the 2004 winner of the Los Alamos Fellows Prize for Research, in part for his discovery of the first plutonium superconductor and he is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the American Physical Society (APS), and Los Alamos National Laboratory.
The E.O. Lawrence award was established in 1959. The Lawrence awards honor U.S. scientists and engineers at mid-career for exceptional contributions in research and development supporting the Department of Energy and its missions. The award is given for outstanding contributions of exceptionally creative or innovative character. Such achievements (i) must demonstrate significant innovation and discovery; (ii) must be identifiable as transformative; and (iii) must hold prominent scientific or technical leadership.
Awardees were chosen in a three-step process: 1) for each award category, a peer review panel assessed the qualifications and merit of all eligible nominees; 2) based on the assessment criteria, the Lawrence Award Program Manager performed an analysis of the peer review findings and made a recommendation, and 3) Energy Secretary Moniz approved the recommendation.
About Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory, a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security, is operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC, a team composed of Bechtel National, the University of California, The Babcock & Wilcox Company, and URS Corporation for the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.
Los Alamos enhances national security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health, and global security concerns.


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Tilt control and bankroll management guidance for everyone else.
Use this control to limit the display of threads to those newer than the specified time frame.
Allows you to choose the data by which the thread list will be sorted.
Order threads in...
Note: when sorting by date, 'descending order' will show the newest results first.
Forum Rules


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Mergers and acquisitions slowed down in the third quarter after increasing since the last quarter of 2011, Pershing Advisor Solutions announced Nov. 9. There were just seven acquisitions for firms with at least $50 million in assets under management or $500,000 in annual revenue, down from eight in the second quarter. While the number of transactions fell by just one, total assets of target firms were $6 billion, down from $24 billion in the second quarter. The third quarter was the slowest so far in 2012, according to Pershing.
Although assets were down significantly, Pershing noted that of the seven transactions that targeted retail-focused RIA firms, three were for firms with more than $1 billion in assets. That brought the median AUM for target firms to $574 million, up from $521 million in the second quarter.
One of those $1-billion-plus firms was The Milestone Group with over $1.3 billion in assets. Denver-based Milestone, which targets clients with at least $2 million in assets, according to the firm's website, was acquired by BOK Financial Corp. BOK announced the acquisition in August. After the acquisition, BOK will manage nearly $50 billion.
Rampart Investment Management, which is based in Boston, was acquired by Virtus Investment Partners in September and has over $1.4 billion in assets. The acquisition is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter, Virtus announced Sept. 4. With the acquisition of Rampart, Virtus will have about $40 billion in AUM.
Of the seven transactions made in the third quarter, two were from "serial buyers," or firms that have made three or more transactions in the last four years. United Capital acquired Sanders Financial Management, a Norcross, Ga.-based firm with $222 million in AUM. Mariner Wealth Advisors took a majority interest in the wealth management division of Orizon Investment Counsel, based in Omaha, Neb.
Independent RIAs acquired two firms as well, and two of the transactions were from broker-dealers or accounting firms. The seventh transaction was by a bank or trust.


text: search Search keywords City, state, zip code Find a job Please select an auto suggested location. Sort By Relevance Date within 25 miles Category Customer Service Call Center & Customer Service 4 Customer Service 4 Office, Clerical & Administrative 1 Information Technology 1 Creative & Marketing 1 Warehouse 1 State Florida Florida 4 City Fort Myers Ashland 1 Boston 1 Bradenton 1 Cambridge 7 Cape Coral 1 Charlton 1 Clearwater 1 Clermont 1 Coral Springs 1 Doral 1 Dunedin 1 Fort Myers 4 Framingham 6 Gainesville 1 Glendale 2 Hialeah 1 Jacksonville 4 Lutz 1 Malborough 1 Marlborough 2 Melbourne 1 Miami 1 Miramar 2 Natick 1 North Andover 1 Northampton 1 Norton 1 Orlando 1 Palmer 1 Phoenix 6 Pinellas Park 1 Queen Creek 2 Scottsdale 1 St Petersburg 1 Swansea 1 Tampa 2 Tempe 2 Tewksbury 1 The Villages 1 Uxbridge 1 Waltham 2 Contract Type Contract/Temporary Contract/Temp to Hire 1 Contract/Temporary 4 Category: customer-service State: florida City: fort-myers Contract Type: Contract/Temporary Reset Searching for Fort Myers Florida Customer Service jobs? We currently have 4 jobs available. Create a job alert Related Searches For - Tap here to refine jobs Show more Show 10 20 30 Results Per page Customer Service Representatives Fort Myers, Florida Contract/Temporary $12.00/Hour Partnerships between Adecco and Chico's FAS Inc. always give great benefits! While working as a Customer Service Representative for Adecco at Chico's FAS Inc., you will earn $12/hr. and receive a weekly or daily pay check. Take advantage of our... See job description Customer Care Representatives Fort Myers, Florida Contract/Temporary $12.50/Hour Adecco Staffing is assisting a local client in recruiting for Inbound Call Center Representative jobs in Fort Myers, Florida. This is a 6 to 7 week project and will be remote once training is complete. Customer Care Representative jobs require... See job description Customer Service Representative Fort Myers, Florida Contract/Temporary $15.00/Hour Adecco Staffing is assisting a local client in their search for experienced Customer Service Representative. The position is a temp to hire position for the right candidate. Key Responsibilities As a critical and meaningful role within... See job description Customer Service Representatives Fort Myers, Florida Contract/Temporary $12.00/Hour Adecco Staffing is assisting Chico's FAS Inc. with their Remote Call Center Representative positions in Fort Myers, Florida. This position does not include a relocation package and will require you to work on site in Fort Myers. These positions are... See job description Clear your search criteria to see more results or browse the job categories we service. Send Us Your Resume and we will closely review your information. If we find an opportunity that matches your skills and career goals, we'll reach out to you to get to know you even better. Want new jobs? We'll email you. Name your job alert First name Last name Email How often would you like to see new jobs? Job Alert Duration Get the career advice you need when you need it. Sign up for our Career Advisor newsletter. Send me job alerts! By signing up. you are agreeing to the Terms of Use. Apply.JobAlertsTermsLabel Apply.TermsAndConditionsCheckBoxError Exit without saving × Awesome! Your job alert is saved. You'll see new jobs in your inbox soon. Good luck with your job search!


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Rose+Krieger manufactures an extensive line of machine tool components for assembly, automation, and production environments. ClampWorks offers aluminum and steel tubing with die-cast aluminum clamps for quick-and-easy positioning and repositioning. FrameWorks is a high-quality, easy-to-assemble extruded aluminum construction system ideal for any application. LinearWorks is a complete line of linear motion units for a wide-range of applications, from screw-driven actuators to timing belt linear units. LiftWorks offers a series of unique electronic lifting devices and electric cylinders. StairWorks consists of an easy-to-assemble system of tubing and joint clamps for constructing stairs, railings, and working platforms.
MotionUSA 1205 Chesapeake Ave, Columbus, Ohio, 43212
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Website's: www.motionusa.com, www.motionusaparts.com


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HootSuite Email Fail Brings Up Privacy Concerns
Several HootSuite users are reporting privacy concerns due to a technical issue which caused users to receive dozens of email reminders. The messages warned them that their 60-day trial of the HootSuite Pro Twitter management software was ending, but also included the names and email addresses of other users in the Hootsuite database.
The Next Web reports some users received more than 1,000 emails about the topic, and many of the users who are getting the email spam were not even signed up for HootSuite's Pro trial.
Many took to Twitter to voice concerns:
@hootsuite sent 250 emails re trial expiry with c.1000 email addresses visible.You are out of control
— Roger Stone (@rogerstone26) November 10, 2012
Add 17 more emails from @hootsuite.No way in hell I'll every pay you to use your product.And thanks for showing me everyone email addy.
— Charlie Waffles (@cwaffles) November 10, 2012
Hootsuite later released an apology and said the issue occurred because of the company's integration of Seesmic accounts (which Hootsuite acquired earlier in the year). Hootsuite assured users that all other data was safe and said the best way to deal with the error was to destroy any emails they received.
"Privacy is a paramount concern for HootSuite and this is in no way a reflection of the respect we have for our users and their privacy," HootSuite CEO Ryan Holmes wrote in the company's blog and in an email.
Update: Here's the complete text of the email statement sent to Mashable and others by HootSuite CEO Ryan Holmes:
Today, November 10th at approximately 4 AM PST, HootSuite experienced a technical issue related to our integration of Seesmic accounts with our existing HootSuite user accounts. The failing system resulted in email notifications intended for our new Seesmic users being sent out repeatedly and in some cases user email addresses were exposed in the message headers. The issue has since been contained but will likely continue to cause concern over the next few days as people who were away from their computers and email continue to discover the issue. The incident occurred to under 4000 emails.
At this time, we are requesting that recipients destroy the messages in order to help us contain the issue. Privacy is a paramount concern for HootSuite and this is in no way a reflection of the respect we have for our users and their privacy. For our customers and people who receive our regular marketing or product notifications, please be assured that your data is safe and is not directly connected to this failed system in any way. The HootSuite team and I, are extremely sorry that this took place and that we were not able to contain the issue sooner.
For users who were affected, please stay tuned for a product credit as a further sign of our utmost respect and desire to make things right.
Ryan Holmes, HootSuite CEO
Did you get an email blast from Hootsuite? Share in the comments below.


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MFC-9970CDW High Speed 2-Sided All-in-one Colour Printer
This impressive machine is packed with features to help your office run more effectively and efficiently, whatever its size. To help you save time it has a 50-sheet document feeder and optional 800-sheet paper capacity, as well as fast printing, scanning and faxing. It'll save you money, with 2-sided printing (as well as copying, scanning and faxing too) and restricted access options. It's also easy to set up and use with secure wireless networking and a large LCD touch screen. All in all, it'll prove invaluable to your business.


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Friday, April 15, 2011
20 comments:
- kara jayne said...
well...i have to tell you that rubbing shoulders with you has made me a better person. they are so blessed to have you.
- April 15, 2011 at 11:37 PM
- Lauren in GA said...
Gabi, I loved reading all about the things swirling around in your head.
I smiled at your saying how you are enjoying your kids. I realized the other day how much easier and more delightful my Brian is now that he is seven. I love how you described your kids and how their personalities are fully formed. I agree...it is great having coversations with my older kids.
I love the way you write. There is a poetry to it, there really is.
Oh, my gracious. I would be charmed by Sam giving thanks in Spanish, too. Darling.
- April 16, 2011 at 3:19 AM
- Rochelleht said...
LOVE the update. I've been thinking about you a lot lately and wondering how the new calling is going. So glad you are doing well. Now, I'll go check out Marta's trip. :-)
- April 16, 2011 at 5:49 AM
- Christie said...
Please let this be the first in a regular series of posts! I love reading about your life. I miss you! And I am extremely jealous of all the Gabi fun time they will all have at your place. So much fun!
- April 16, 2011 at 6:08 AM
- Lindsey said...
I totally laughed out loud at your statement about the BABY! Hilarious. Heidi has already told me that she has learned so much from you, and that your meetings are full of the spirit. You.are.great.
- April 16, 2011 at 7:14 AM
- Just us Nelsons said...
Gabi I miss you so much. I love reading about your kiddos and your amazing attitude on life. It always cheers me up. You are such an amazing person. Love ya.
- April 16, 2011 at 7:17 AM
- marta said...
loved the quick catch-up post. can't wait to hear how all that girlie goodness is next week. enjoy it!!
- April 16, 2011 at 11:12 AM
- mama jo said...
glad to see you are coming back to the blogging world...that new calling can be the best and the worst of times...so, good luck, kisses and hugs...you'll need them soon...
- April 16, 2011 at 2:06 PM
- Jenibelle said...
Gabi, first of all, thank you for the beautiful note, I needed it terribly.
Second, the Lord absolutely knew who would be amazing as an RS Pres. And he was smart enough to wait til your children are at the perfect ages! What a spectacular woman you are! You are truly someone I respect, look up to and admire greatly.
PS. If Brad ever makes a trip this direction...hop aboard!!
- April 16, 2011 at 4:18 PM
- Jeanelle said...
I feel the same way as you about new/big callings. The first day is fun because you're famous and you get hugs/love/sympathy but then you're totally on your own, left to fend for yourself in the vast wilderness.
I'm wishing I was in your ward!!!
- April 19, 2011 at 10:46 AM
- brooke said...
I loved this post too. I miss you when we don't hear what is going on in your life!
- April 20, 2011 at 11:16 PM
- Read Superbs said...
The post is so enlightening on the valuable tremendous collection. People will get information and entertainment through your web.Hope you will keep posting th good stuff.
- September 15, 2011 at 3:39 PM
- Credit Forex Markets said...
What an inspiration! Thank you for your story. Love love love your work
- September 15, 2011 at 3:40 PM
- Fashion For Physic said...
I know what you mean about venting on the blog first; sometimes I do the same thing- talk about something on the blog. I'm always impressed by the way you resolve things.
- September 15, 2011 at 3:42 PM
- Google Adsense Account said...
The post is so informative on the worthwhile awesome collection, hope you will keep posting good material.
- September 15, 2011 at 3:43 PM
- Cooking Perfect said...
I have wanted to comment a few times, on things that i can either relate to, or really move me, but i do not know how to comment. i see that other people have...
- September 15, 2011 at 3:46 PM
- Lesa said...
Please blog again!!!!!
- November 8, 2011 at 3:18 PM
- tina g said...
Hi Gabi, saw your blog saved in my faves so i thought i would see if you were still writing. So good to see your family and how you are all doing so well. We do miss you here in Yardley!! xxoo Tina
- December 7, 2011 at 8:10 AM
- Tawnie said...
Use to follow and still check in once in a while. I hope I'm not missing a new blog you may have started. Are you just on hiatus? Miss you!!
- August 7, 2012 at 10:53 AM
- Dalene said...
Gabi, I realize you wrote this post months ago... but the part about you missing the East made me sad and I just want you to know the East misses you, too! I didn't know you well, but I loved Brad and serving with him in the Stake was awesome. He was so kind to me. AND when I found out you were related to THE Halversons, I knew I loved you. Also, once I realized we had possibly crossed path at Abington RM, I felt instantly connected to you. Hope you are all well.
- October 9, 2012 at 11:26 AM


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By Michael Kitchen, MarketWatch
LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) — Chinese trade data out Wednesday printed much stronger than expected, with a sharp gain for exports, but markets largely ignored the result, with some analysts expressing skepticism over the numbers' accuracy.
China's exports rose 10.6% in January compared to a year earlier, accelerating from a 4.3% advance the previous month, according to reported customs data.
The gain far exceeded forecasts for a 2% rise from a Reuters survey and for a 0.1% gain in a Wall Street Journal poll of economists.
Imports increased by 10%, picking up their pace from an 8.3% December advance and beating estimates for a 3% rise in both the Reuters and Wall Street Journal surveys.
Mapping Alibaba's gains from AutoNavi
Alibaba targets China's growing mobile users, with its offer to buy the 72% stake it doesn't already own in online map company AutoNavi.
The resulting trade surplus totaled $31.86 billion. The Wall Street Journal had tipped a $27.1 billion surplus, widening from December's $25.6 billion.
Despite the strong showing for China's trade account, Chinese stock markets showed little immediate reaction to the data, which have been plagued by distortions and economists' doubts in the past.
RBS chief China economist Louis Kuijs said his team had expected the results to be skewed to the downside, given the difference in the dates for the Lunar New Year this year versus in 2013, and due to the fact that last January's data were distorted upward by reportedly rampant false invoicing.
But with the data instead surprising to the upside, Kuijs wrote that "we are … left with a nagging feeling that perhaps issues such as over-invoicing have risen sharply in intensity early this year."
Australia and New Zealand Bank's China economist Zhou Hao also expressed doubts. "We think there were still many speculative trade activities disguised as exports, even though the government has taken measures" to stamp out the practice, Zhou was quoted as saying by CNBC's Deirdre Wang Morris.
Previous distortions in China's trade data have been variously attributed to poor data-gathering, exporters logging fake orders to help their tax bill, and capital inflows being disguised as exports.
Problems with invoicing in particular prompted customs officials to launch a crackdown on the practice last year, resulting in unexpectedly weak export numbers in May.
On the other hand, some economists accepted Wednesday's data at face value, with TD Securities economist Annette Beacher saying the weak link in the data chain was actually China's Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) tracking the manufacturing sector.
"The strong exports performance in the month was in sharp contrast to the weak exports PMI subcomponent, which had sunk to 49.3 in January, adding weight to our ongoing skepticism that these monthly PMIs actually add any value when it comes to predicting real activity," she wrote in a note following the data.
"Exports to China's major trading partners surged across the board, with exports to Europe overtaking the U.S. for the first time in two years," Beacher said. "The stronger yuan over the past year or so doesn't appear to be impacting trade flows."
Likewise, Dow Jones Newswires quoted Mizuho economist Shen Jianguang as saying a 20% drop in shipments to Hong Kong suggested little sign of over-invoicing in January.
"Exports and consumption could be the bright spots for the Chinese economy this year," the news service quoted Shen as saying.
Markets unimpressed
Despite the stronger-than-expected result, Chinese stocks showed little enthusiasm, at least at first.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index /zigman2/quotes/210598030/delayed HK:HSI +0.75% remained unchanged from its 0.6% gain before the data release, though it extended the advance to a 0.9% rise later in the morning.
The Shanghai Composite /zigman2/quotes/210598127/delayed CN:SHCOMP -0.09% fell further after the numbers came out, trading down 0.3%, compared to a 0.2% loss earlier. But it too moved off those lows, trading flat some 90 minutes after the trade figures.
The Australian dollar /zigman2/quotes/210560947/realtime/sampled AUDUSD 0.0000% saw quick reaction, however, climbing to 90.55 U.S. cents from 90.39 U.S. cents. The currency is often sensitive to data from China, which is the top export market for Australia.
More MarketWatch news:
Asia Markets live blog: China trade stats surprise to upside
Hulbert: Scary 1929 market chart gains traction


text:
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Coachella Valley Chapter of the Community Associations Institute (CAI-CV)
CAI-CV is the leading source of education, advocacy and professional credentialing for common interest developments (CIDs) in the Coachella Valley. CAI-CV is one of 64 CAI chapters in the U.S. and abroad with more than 40,000 members worldwide. CIDs are the fastest growing form of housing in the world today. Through CIDs, homeowners can share common areas such as pools, roads, recreational facilities and other resources. CIDs are typically organized and managed as homeowner associations (HOAs). CAI members include homeowners, homeowner associations, HOA board members, community managers, community management companies, and business partners and experts who provide services to CIDs.
The Coachella Valley chapter of CAI has more than 900 members and affiliates, representing hundreds of local communities. CAI welcomes members and potential members to browse our website and to contact the CAI-CV office at (760) 341-0559 for more information.
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