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What Is a Tube Headphone Amplifier?
A tube headphone amplifier is a specialized audio component that amplifies an audio signal for use with headphones. Most personal electronic devices that support headphones have their own internal electronic amplifiers. Headphone amplifiers are designed to take a line level signal and amplify it, specifically for headphones, instead of standard speakers. A tube headphone amplifier uses vacuum tubes instead of transistors to amplify the signal and is favored by many audiophiles who insist that they deliver superior sound quality and fidelity over solid state amplifiers.
Speakers, whether they are standard speakers or headphone speakers, require a coded audio signal to produce sound. The strength of the signal is the primary factor which affects output volume. An amplifier increases the strength of an audio signal in order to enable increased volume. While many personal and home audio components have internal amplifiers, stand alone amplifiers are very common, although stand alone headphone amplifiers are much less common than amplifiers for standard speakers.
Stand alone amplifiers for standard speakers can produce signals with thousands of watts of power. Headphone amplifiers produce signals with much smaller power ratings, typically less than ten watts, and most produce signals that are significantly weaker, some measured in milliwatts (mW). The goal is to provide an extremely efficient and high quality audio signal, free from distortion and background noise. Headphone amplifiers are designed specifically to be used with high quality headphones as lower quality headphones lack the frequency response to take full advantage of the high fidelity signal.
Modern amplifiers are generally built using solid state construction, which means that they rely on entirely solid electronic components to amplify the audio signal. Tube amplifiers use vacuum tubes, which are glass enclosures, internally evacuated to create a vacuum, that are designed to carry electric current. A tube headphone amplifier is simply a small, low power, very low distortion tube amplifier.
Amplifiers and speakers both have impedance ratings, and amplifiers work best when matched with speakers that have the an identical impedance rating. Impedance is rated in ohms, and the volume and sound quality can be affected by a difference in impedance ratings. For a tube headphone amplifier, this is typically rated in the range of 20 to 50 ohms, although one industry standard suggests an output impedance of 120 ohms for such components. Headphones can have a wide range of impedance ratings. Many audiophiles prefer lower output impedance ratings as they tend to produce less signal distortion when paired with headphones with a higher impedance.


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Shizens Lip Tattoo Review08:53:00
My first post in year 2015! Weee~~~ I know I've been procrastinated for quite some times and I would like to say sorry for being inactive in these few weeks. I spent some weeks with le boyfie that came back from Aussie so yeah, I am using him as an excuse TEEHEE~
Nevertheless, I had a great time with the Butterflies on the Christmas Gathering Party and received decent gifts from Secret Santa too! Whoever you are, thank you for the lovely gift!
This is the first review for the stuffs I've received from the Christmas Gathering Party. There will be more reviews coming up so brace yourself! Embrace the wall of text from me!
Some of you might came to know Shizens when a beautician walks up to you and offer a test on the best selling products. These beauticians will normally stand near to the Shizens counter and holding a lip product with them. You might find them annoying but if you give them a little time to try on Shizens products, you will find some interesting products from Shizens.
Shizens is not a new brand in the Malaysian market. In fact, Shizens can be found in most shopping centres such as Pavilion, Mid Valley, IOI City Mall and etc. It is a skin care and cosmetic brand that offers products with natural ingredients. Besides, Shizens is a local Malaysian brand that gives premium skin care benefits to the consumers.
Let's talk a little on the Lip Tattoo that I've received from the Christmas Gathering .This is one of the best selling products by Shizens and has similar functions as the Lip Painter. Lip Tattoo relieves the formation of fine lines and helps to lighten the dark pigmented lips, turning them into a pair of lips with rosy tone shade. The secret behind of the magic is the ingredients used by the Lip Tattoo. The Lip Tattoo is infused with Vitamin C and collagen production properties which will minimize the fine lines and gives a plumper look on the lips.
The transparent tube has an elegant design with a shiny cover and logo imprinted on it. The white liquid filled up the transparent tube, adding on a classy feel on the packaging. Overall, I like its simple design but not the squarish tube design.
Here is the close-up of the brush. Though the brush do not have a pointy tip like a normal lip brush, it still gives a precise application. The brush glides easily on the lips it is advisable to apply on the lips every morning and after meal to keep the rosy tones on the lips.
The mechanism of Lip Tattoo is simple: Spread the white liquid on the lips and wala! You will have a pair of lip with rosy tones. You can use it as a blush too! Spread two dots of the Lip Tattoo on the cheek and spread the white liquid evenly to get a healthy pink shade on your cheek.
Lip Tattoo is a white liquid that will turn into a rosy pink shade after expose to the air. The time taken to turn the white liquid into pink shade depends on the amount being put on the skin. After spreading off the liquid, a pink shade appears on the hand with slight glossy finish.
Here is an image of before and after applying the Lip Tattoo. The first two images were taken under room lighting without flash while the last image was taken under room lighting with flash.
At the first image, my lips were appeared to be pale and dry. Wrinkles can be seen clearly and the lips definitely need some hint of colors to look healthier.
After applying the Lip Tattoo for about 5 seconds, a hint of pink shade was formed on the lips. The lips also had a glossy finish and the fine lines were decreased gradually. The pink shade on the lips lasted for about 3 hours and a retouch is needed for more consistent rosy shade on the lips. The end result of applying the Lip Tattoo might be different on others as it depends on the original shade of your lips. The redder lips might have redder shade on the lips.
As usual, ending my post with a wefie of me and Tibbers.
Lip Tattoo does its magic by turning my pale lips into rosy tones and gives a shine on the lips, as if my lips are wearing lip gloss. I've been wearing this Lip Tattoo since the first day I have it and I'm loving the natural rosy tone on my lips. It looks natural and I need not to worry if there's any smudge around my lips area.
It is a little pricey as a lip product but if you do not like the greasy feeling and would like to have a healthier look on daily make up, this can be an investment for you as it is long lasting and pigmented as a lip tint.
Shizens Lip Tattoo
Website: http://www.shizens.com/
Facebook: https://fb.com/ShizensMalaysia
Normal Price: RM168
Where to purchase:
Click here for the store locations
2 comments
Nice ohh. Gonna try it ASAP. So pretty after apply it :DReplyDelete
first off, a hearty thanks to you. Your blog is awesome and completely knowledgeable and I completely satisfied with the reading. Keep your work spread till long after. For more Revlon related information visit On Sale Now.Certainly, you are Right!!ReplyDelete

subset: commoncrawl


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The Redwood City branch office of the California Department of Motor Vehicles is much less crowded than the San Jose office. The wait to pay my car registration fees today was about 15 minutes, compared to my usual average of more than two hours in San Jose.
When someone at the DMV makes a mistake and files someone else's "Release of Title" form (as one files when one sells a vehicle) against your vehicle, you will no longer get mailed renewal notices for it. However, apparently you have no way of knowing this, aside from the absence of renewal notices, unless someone at the DMV notices this form in your file and asks you if you have any idea why it's there.
I need to remember that there's good reason to buy auto parts from the dealership rather than from auto parts stores, even though they cost more. Yes, the parts-store spark plug wires that I bought fit, but about half of them are too long.
The spark plugs and plug wires are not, in fact, the reason why my car is not running right and idling poorly, and thus the two hours that I spent today replacing them were not actually useful, and I will still need to take it to a repair shop.
Four years ago, when I was getting the smog-check-before-last for my car, I needed to replace the PCV valve (a small plastic-and-metal bit shaped and sized vaguely like an AA battery with a hose fitting on the side), and in the process of replacing it I dropped the old one beside the engine. I couldn't find it at the time, and thus forgot about it. It turns out that it landed on top of one of the spark plugs, and was still there for me to find today. On the other hand, the oil filler cap, which is screwed in rather tightly, managed to fall off last week and completely disappeared.


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Directorate & Faculty
The MPM Program is headed by three full professors of the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences at the University of Potsdam, who are formally responsible for the content and quality of the program:
Steering Committees
Each Specialization Stream is led by a Steering Committee composed by university Professors who are experts in the respective fields:
Public Policy and Administration (PPA) Steering Committee
Global Public Policy (GPP) Steering Committee
GeoGovernance (GG) Steering Committee
In the MPM Program recognized academics and practice-oriented economists, sociologists, political scientists and experts in public administration and public policy are dedicated to providing a cosmopolitan and stimulating environment for international students.
The program's faculty includes professors from the University of Potsdam and visiting lecturers from other universities and research institutions in Germany and abroad.
A number of other experts, including practitioners from institutions such as the German Local Government Centre for Management Studies (KGst), the World Bank, the German International Cooperation (GIZ) and the International Policy Advising, Cologne, have also taught in the program over the past 19 years.
MPM Lecturers
Prof. Dr. Geert Bouckaert, Catholic University of Leuven
Prof. Dr. Harald Fuhr, University of Potsdam
Anne Hodgson
Dr. Thomas Gebhardt, UP Transfer GmbH
Kerstin Altherr, UP Transfer GmbH
Dr. Thurid Hustedt, Free University Berlin
Prof. Dr. Werner Jann, University of Potsdam
Prof. Dr. Eric Kearney, University of Potsdam
Dr. Kerstin Leitner
Prof. Dr. Andrea Liese, University of Potsdam
Prof. Dr. Alex Murdock, London South Bank University
Prof. Dr. Isabella Proeller, University of Potsdam
Prof. Taylor Schildgen, PhD, University of Potsdam
Dr. Markus Seyfried, University of Potsdam
Prof. Dr. John Siegel, HAW Hamburg / University of Potsdam
Dr. Charlotte Streck, Climate Focus
Dr. Thomas Hickmann, University of Potsdam
Prof. Dr. Kristine Kern, University of Potsdam
Susanne Weber-Mosdorf


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In The Juliet, Lily Joy is the working name of Becky Skinner, a tarot-reading prostitute from the early 1900s who plies her trade in Centenary, a boomtown much like Rhyolite. When Becky kills off her sex worker persona, she rings the final bell on a short but golden era, and Centenary collapses just as Rhyolite did. However, my version is a superstitious take on Rhyolite's socio-economic reality. At the time of Belle's murder, Rhyolite was reeling from a financial crash in 1907 that would soon be followed by poor mine assessments in 1908, causing stocks to plummet and citizens to flee. By 1920 there were virtually no inhabitants left, and most of Rhyolite's structures were picked apart for building materials, leaving the town in ruins that made it appear much more ancient than it actually was.
Today Rhyolite is one of the best preserved of Death Valley's ghost towns, and its remaining broken walls, piles of square stones, and outlines of foundations make it easy to imagine the city as it was in prime, when it was a testament to prosperity and industry, owing to a huge investment in infrastructure by the famed Charles Schwab. In its heyday, the town boasted a rail depot, two banks, a stock exchange, a school, a hospital, and an opera house.
Yet, civility has limits. Rhyolite was not without its murders, suicides, and other violent crimes, especially in its notorious Red Light District. A reminder of that can be found all the way down past the ruins of the jailhouse where there is a single gravesite marked by a white cross with the name Isabella Haskins stenciled on the horizontal bar and Mona Belle on the vertical. The grave is strewn with trinkets from visitors, including booze bottles, high-heeled shoes, toys, beads, fans, and artificial flowers. It's a riveting sight, especially out there in the desert. The only other time I had ever seen so many tributes was at Saint Louis Cemetery in New Orleans as the purported tomb of Marie Laveau.
Who was Mona Belle? Sadly, the 20 year old hardly made a mark on the world during her short life. We do know that she adopted several aliases, married young, and left her husband to run off with a violent gambler named Fred Skinner. They lived in Rhyolite for only a year, and their turbulent relationship ended when he shot her to death during a drink-fueled argument. It was a shocking crime, and Skinner was moved out of town to avoid a lynching. Belle's estranged husband claimed her body and took it back to be buried in Washington State where her parents lived. Blogger Osie Turner put together a great post about Belle's life and death, but if you want a more thoroughly researched account, I strongly recommend Robin Flinchum's excellent book Red Light Women of Death Valley.
The legend of Mona Belle focuses less on her life than on what happened to her after death. Despite the inconvenient detail that Belle's body was claimed by her husband, this particular story persists: as the casket of Mona Belle, AKA Isabella Haskett was being carried to the Rhyolite/Bullfrog cemetery by the grief-stricken men of Rhyolite, the women of Rhyolite stopped the procession and successfully prevented the prostitute's interment with the rest of the Christian community. As an alternative, Belle's loyal customers buried her behind the jailhouse. Alone but honored in a place of ignominy.
So, is the Belle story true?
Then who is buried in her grave?
Probably no one.
Most people agree that both the site and the story were fabrications concocted by a woman who ran a souvenir shop out of the old depot in the 1950s. Post-collapse, Rhyolite became a tourist stop, allowing a steady trickle of entrepreneurs to trade on the more ghostly aspects of the ghost town. And it should come as no surprise that Mona Belle, being Rhyolite's most notorious murder victim, is said to haunt its ruins.
That shopkeeper knew what she was doing. The legend of Belle's funeral procession being turned back is very compelling, offering a twist on the story of Julia Bulette, a beloved Virginia City madam whose funeral procession was attended by thousands. Murdered in 1867, Bulette had become the symbol of prosperous times, and her untimely passing united the community. That Belle's legend ends with a divided community is a troubling correction, but one that resonates, especially with the mystically inclined.
During Death Valley's great wildflower bloom of 2005, retired cowboy actor Rigg Dexon gives a rootless woman a gift that will change her life forever: the deed to The Mystery House, a century old shack long thought to be the hiding place of a legendary emerald known as The Juliet. Willie Judy remembers Dexon from cereal commercials she watched as a kid, but now she'll spend the next seven days searching for the truth about him, the house, and herself, as the history of The Juliet reveals the American Dream's dark side—one that is corrupt, bawdy, and half insane.
February 1908: Centenary, NV
Becky made her list for the week ahead. She was a list-maker now. Traveling up and down the bluff was simple enough, but not with supplies in tow. Before she made the journey to Centenary Mercantile she had to write it all out, and be careful with her numbers. Gone were the days when she could step outside her door and pick up a saddle of rabbit and few turnips to improvise the evening meal.
Becky paused over her work. It was too late to start a garden, wasn't it? In the basin, gunshots echoed, something that didn't happen as often as it used to.
The contest was over, the results announced, and Hogg's Bottle house was now called the Skinner place. Though it was only the middle of the day, long shadows kept the house a little too cold for Becky's taste, but Marcus reminded her how grateful she would be come summer.
She was grateful already, quite glad to be out of common contact with the citizens of Centenary, especially after Marcus's report was made public. The town's collapse, which had begun as soon as the mines showed signs of petering out, suddenly sped up. She watched it change from her vantage point on the bluff. First the clusters of tent homes disappeared, then construction stopped on the school. Some of the burros that patrolled the weeds around their home seemed awfully thin and confused. She assumed their owners had let them go in the hopes that they would join a wild herd.
Then, one night, the electric lights of High Street were not switched on, and they remained unlit from that point onward. Centenary would no longer turn night into day.
Becky put more wood into the stove, but just enough to keep the embers going. Even after unpacking all of their belongings there was still so much to do. The Hogg children had managed to make a young house look old, and one of the first things Becky wanted to do was plaster over the bottles. It made her uneasy, feeling as if she lived in a glass house.
A sharp whistle from below the bluff meant a message had come for Marcus, but Marcus was in town. He still went into the office on a daily basis. Becky went out to the edge to tell the courier just that, but when she looked down there was no one waiting.
"Boy?" she called out. "Are you there?" There was no reply. If the kid was still down there he was probably passed out drunk. A year ago she would have climbed down to his aid, but a year ago he would have delivered his news and received a tip before going off to drown in the beer. Centenary was crumbling around the edges.
Becky returned to the bottle house, pausing on the threshold. She could smell him. The sweat, the filth, the alcohol. Someone was inside her new home, and it wasn't the courier, either.


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Home Authors Posts by Jonathan Randle
Jonathan Randle
The UK (Magic) Taking Over the Worlds by Jonathan Randle
Last year our national team made it's highest finish ever - 8th place. Surely though that isn't good enough for us. This article is directly intended to the UK players travelling to Worlds this year and to the players who aspire to get there next year.
Video Article: UB InfectBlade by Cyrus Bales with Jonathan Randle
For this video I thought that I'd try something slightly different. I took Cyrus Bales' PTQ winning deck...
Video Article: UW Control with Jonathan Randle
There are many different archetypes and different possible builds available to play, but for me UW Control has been the most successful.
Video Article: UB Control with Jonathan Randle
Magic has moved on from the super controlling, threat light decks of the past. Nowadays you need to be fast in your aggression, and be aggressive with your control...
Cawblade Walkthrough Video Article with Jonathan Randle
For my first video for mtgUK I wanted to play a few matches with the dominant deck in Standard - CawBlade.
Hello and welcome to mtgUK!
A Big Thank You! I just wanted to say a big thank you for everyone's contribution this past month. It is great to see such...
Dark Ones by Jonathan Randle
The Fae are back. At Worlds the tables were littered with 5 Colour Control, Jund, Elves and Fae. While I have the greatest of respect for 5CC, I think that Faeries is the best choice for the extended PTQs.
Video Deck Tech: UW Control with Jono & Dave
Hi guys, and welcome to our latest instalment of Video Deck Tech with Jono and Dave. This week we will be looking at the UW Control deck Jonathan Randle's been working on and planning to take to the Worlds.
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Larger tax bills are coming for higher-income Americans, if President Obama has his way.
For individuals making $200,000 and up and couples making $250,000 or more a year, they will see their taxes increase in 2011, unless Congress votes to keep the George W. Bush era cuts in place.
In his budget released Monday, Obama said he wanted to let the Bush cuts sunset at the end of 2010, as they are scheduled to do, in order to help cut the bulging deficit.
This would raise the top two income tax rates from 33 percent to 36 percent and from 35 percent to 39.6 percent. The government would reportedly take in $365 billion over the next decade from those increases.
While there's a lot of uncertainty over Obama's budget in Congress, experts say it's pretty clear that the Bush tax cuts will be ending.
"I don't see the Republicans putting up much of a fight to keep the cuts," says Bridget Crawford, professor of law at Pace University. "Obama will be accused of being a big spender but he's just rolling back what was temporary anyway."
Temporary or not, those getting hit by the taxes are not going to like it much, says Ted Lanzaro, a CPA in Connecticut who runs his own accounting firm.
"It's almost crazy to say that people in the higher income levels can't afford it, but paying more taxes at any level is not fun," says Lanzaro. "People ask 'who am I working for, me or the government?' Besides, living in a big city like New York is not cheap, even at the higher income levels."
How much would the tax increase be? That depends on the paycheck—more income means higher taxes.
For example, a couple filing a joint married return that made $250,000 would pay roughly $60,200 this year in federal taxes. Next year, it would go up to about $61,150. For a couple making $400,000 a year, they would pay roughly $76,000 in taxes in 2010 but pay around $78,800 in 2011—an increase of $1,800.
Besides the tax increase on higher incomes, Obama's budget plan for 2011 calls for:
—A limit on the itemized tax deductions high earners can claim for charitable donations, mortgage interest and state and local taxes. Taxpayers in the highest brackets would only be able to deduct 28 percent of those items, instead of a percentage equal to their top marginal tax rate.
—An increase in the top capital gains tax rate from 15 percent to 20 percent for families making more than $250,000 a year and individuals making more than $200,000.
Taxpayers are already facing a problem this year—the Alternative Minimum Tax, or AMT. Those subject to the tax will fall to $45,000 for couples filing jointly this year and $35,750 for single filers.
Both sides of the political aisle have said they would take up the issue of adjusting the AMT to inflation. However, that has yet to happen
But if the Bush tax cuts end, they might actually help some of those caught in the AMT trap says Lanzaro.
"Depending on where you live, and the higher tax rates go, the less the AMT would effect them," says Lanzaro. "The AMT is triggered most often by higher property and state income taxes, not Federal taxes. It could pretty much just even out."
Lower incomes do see some tax cuts in Obama's budget. His plan would extend the Making Work Pay tax credit — $400 for individuals, $800 for a couple filing jointly — through 2011. And he would extend Bush-era tax cuts for families and individuals making less than $200,000.
But in the end, Obama would increase taxes on some businesses and wealthy individuals by a total of about $1.4 trillion over the next decade, starting in 2011.
For tax payers in the higher income brackets, having a good financial advisor might help deal with the increases.
"Those who can afford to get tax advice are usually able to keep their tax bills lower," says Pace University's Crawford. "But for a lot of people in expensive areas, $250,000 is not living high off the hog. No one likes paying more taxes even with a bigger paycheck."
For those targeted by Obama, it may come down to just accepting the inevitable.
"At the end of the day, the tax increases are coming," says Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's. "People in the higher incomes are just going to have to get used to the idea."


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Add Relativity CEO Ryan Kavanaugh to the chorus of industry heavyweights who owe a debt to Tom Sherak, who died this week. The film business basically shuts down part of today as they gather to pay tribute to the former AMPAS head.
Related: Hollywood Remembers Tom Sherak
An Open Letter from Ryan Kavanaugh, CEO of Relativity:
I first met Tom Sherak when I was a student at UCLA. Tom taught a course called "Distribution 101." I was fortunate enough to not only have him as my teacher, but for him to become my mentor. That first class led to what would become a lifelong friendship and an incredible source of personal encouragement and strength for me. I always knew that no matter what the issue or how seemingly unsurmountable the problem, Tom would be there to guide me. I deeply mourn his loss, but more importantly, celebrate his life.
This is an incredible man. Tom strived to make the world better, and we should honor and remember him for his life changing contributions to industry, medicine and philanthropy.
In an industry where adversity is too often the norm and where new ideas are often fought with vigor, Tom was a consistent voice for positive change. He relished in the success of others — not for personal financial gain but for the love of being a great mentor and friend. Tom's spirit will continue to live on through the many people he guided, helped and loved. His contributions are immeasurable.
I miss him already and will always honor his legacy by always practicing what he brought to a very tough business — take care of others, embrace change, practice random acts of kindness and expect nothing back. Tom taught us to give all we have every day from a place of positive change and be happy for our peers who succeed. More than anything, be there for those who need us in down times, and be there to celebrate successes in good ones. Let's carry on his spirit and legacy and try to make this industry just a bit more forgiving, a bit more supportive and join in celebrating a spirit who will live within us forever.
Ryan Kavanaugh
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Labor Economics
Labor is the activity by workers to produce goods or services. It can be measured by wages, hours or efficiency. This data can be used to predict the optimal work force and wages to maximize productivity. Labor economics is about the demand and supply of labor. Labor is about the work, not the person, that is needed. On the macroeconomic level, it can be used to assess and control unemployment and to evaluate the impact of labor on the country's economy.
Labor economics does not take into account the psychology or sociology of individual employment decisions, such as the emotional aspects of unemployment and the social benefits of an income or preferred type of work. Market analyses tend to overlook unpaid labor such as raising a child or caring for a relative. Some late-twentieth century studies have analyzed the role of nonworking spouses, children and the elderly on decision-making.
Labor wages are compensation for work done per unit of time (usually per hour). In microeconomics, the Marginal Revenue Product (MRP) of the worker is determined by multiplying the Marginal Physical Product (MPP) of the worker (the worker's output) by the cost of the service or end product. If the MRP is larger than a company's Marginal Cost (MC) (the cost of producing the end product or delivering the service), employing the worker will increase the employer's profits. In economic theory, a rational company only employs a worker up to the point where MRP equals MC. Beyond this point, the employee will cost the employer more than that person makes for the company. Employees can increase their employability by increasing their productivity (MPP).
A high MRP will result in a higher wage, because the worker's output is more profitable to the employer. Nonhuman inputs affecting the MRP, such as machinery or computers, are referred to as "capital." Qualifications and training can also influence a higher wage and are sometimes called human capital.
In the realm of macroeconomics, interest rates and foreign exchange rates can affect wages. Inflation may increase net wages but will reduce the purchasing power of that income.
A country's labor force is the number of people of working age (by law) who are either employed, self-employed or actively seeking work, excluding those doing civic service or in the army. The participation rate is defined as the number of individuals in the labor force divided by the total number of civilian adults. The labor market differs from commodity markets, in that the labor pool cannot easily be increased or decreased in the same way that goods can be produced or eliminated.
Unemployment is defined as the labor force minus the number of individuals who are currently employed. Frictional unemployment occurs when workers entering the market have to wait to get new jobs or when there is a delay in moving from one job to the next. Structural unemployment occurs where workers are not qualified for the jobs available or are overqualified. The natural rate of unemployment is the aggregate of frictional and structural unemployment, which excludes the effect of the economic cycle, such as in times of economic growth or recessions. The natural rate of unemployment represents a residual rate that is unlikely to be reduced further.
A worker's choice between income and leisure can be predicted based on that person's budgetary requirements, assuming that the worker makes a rational choice about the utility of work. A graph that illustrates production and leisure can demonstrate that workers will only be prepared to increase their production until they have reached the point where their marginal utility of leisure outweighs their marginal utility of income, i.e., when further work will not improve their leisure time. The model does not take into account the fact that they may be persuaded to take less leisure time if they enjoy the job or persuaded to work less hours by maximum working time legislation or the limited availability of work.
An employer's labor requirements can be predicted using the additional output or physical product that results from an increase in labor, known as the marginal physical product of labor (MPL). Besides recruitment, the MPL can also be increased through incentives for existing workers to produce more, such as a bonus scheme, employee stock options and nonmonetary incentives, such as staff outings or meals. Another approach to maintaining a high MPL is to use temporary or agency workers who do not need to be retained beyond the task for which they are needed. This allows labor supply to be matched more closely to demand but runs the risk of low motivation that may reduce the productivity of the workers, reducing the MPL.


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1997 Geo Metro LSi 1.3 aem sprchrgd from North America
A great car at any experience level (not too hard to work on and you can't beat the initial cost!
Head gasket was changed at 42,000 miles (replaced with steel-reinforced gasket)
Distributor and Coil changed at 60,000 miles.
Brakes changed every two years since purchase (rear brakes are not self-adjusting, so if you use the park brake, especially while moving, they will stick and ware quickly)
Bumpers have both been replaced more than once. It seems as though they are designed poorly or made of cheap materials. They just seem to crack after a while.
Got tired of replacing O.E.M. batteries under high loads (i.e. headlights, windshield wipers, and radio all on at the same time) found that two yellow-jacket deep-cycle battery packs fit perfectly in the rear floorboards (in protective battery boxes, of course) at 40,000 miles.
O.E.M. headlight housings replaced with 2001 model housings (the old ones fogged over and the plastic turned an ugly brown color) at 100,000 miles.
General Comments:
My metro is a 3dr and handles very well, especially after dropping it on stiff springs and 15 by 6.5 inch wheels on p225/35 tires.
Swapping factory plugs and cables with Bosch platinum plus2 plugs and Arrow Spiro-wire ignition cables. I have had no luck finding an upgrade for the distributor cap itself, though.
Wheels are 4 x 4.6 inch lug pattern. They are very hard to find in chrome, and I've only found three companies that make billit aluminum upgrades.
The factory seats are not very comfortable, but what can you expect in a car that retails for under $10,000. Unfortunately, if you're going for weight reduction, you'll be hard-pressed to find a suitable seat with five point harnesses without adding at least five lbs. (yeah, laugh it up... five lbs.,big deal.)
I've dropped over 100 lbs. including rear seats and all internal paneling (useless plastic that covers the framework in the car) along with all of the a/c components and airbags. (they weigh in at almost 15 lbs. together) This along with an Atypical supercharger with a compression ratio of only 1-2.3 changed the quarter-mile times from low 22 sec. runs to 15.5's according to Kansas City International Raceway.
It is very hard to find performance parts to work on these small Suzuki engines without massive amounts of fabrication and a fair amount of compromise.
One great process I've found is cryogenic treatment of internal engine parts. This method does require complete dismantling of the engine, but it makes these "cost effective" parts strong without having to replace them with aftermarket parts that you'll have fun trying to fit right.
Another very simple (but scary) modification involves cutting a hole in the sheet metal hood right in front of the intake. This means that you gut the entire factory cold-air-intake under the right front wheel well, and then spin the cover directly above your air cleaner so that the port points forward. Then you cut a hole between the support joists in the hood directly before the air cleaner. This helps acceleration dramatically, especially off of the line.
Since they don't make a performance or "p" chip for these cars, adjusting the computer settings for air/fuel mix, and rev limit settings must by done by plugging up directly through the port under the driver kick panel. Countless programs are made for this task; find one that fits your PC and your budget.
The plastic capped radiators are worthless, but going much bigger means losing you're a/c (if you have it). Make sure your flow rate isn't going to over cool at high speeds or you'll be putting duct tape & cardboard over it to heat up your car.
Last thing, splurge a little every time you change your oil and filters. Synthetics will not only make your ride last longer, but they will also boost your performance because of their lighter weight (less drag from internal engine components sludging through thick oil). K&N high flow air cleaners are a quick and easy way to get more air into any engine. They're also cleanable and reusable.
You should treat people like you want to be treated, right. Well, maybe more people should treat their cars like they would like to be treated. I think that there would be less scrap in junkyards and more Geo Metro drivers.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 19th February, 2004
14th Apr 2004, 16:16
Where did you find the new rims? What company's do you know of that manufacture them?
2nd Jan 2008, 01:25
Original issuer, American Racing now makes a few different sizes, but I have found that fourteen inch wheels are a better fit because of an annoying grinding in lock to lock steering with fifteen inch wheels.


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PCDJ Red VRM is a professional solution for DJs that are just beginning such a career or for masters that want something to ease up their work. This utility might have a complex interface, but it's worth to learn about each function that is displayed. Moreover, users also have the possibility to manually add their custom buttons and features in order to make it easier to work with the app.
There are a lot of functions available and one can start by designing a media library from which he can quickly play a song or two. This can be achieved with ease as users have the possibility to mix two songs together by syncing their beats and then adding more effects. The effects library is quite large and it contains about anything that one might need. The application can also record audio from multiple sources and one could use it in a studio for different purposes. The utility is also good for those that want to perform a karaoke session and need to remove vocal tracks from a song.


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Sell on-line
Thanks to the flexible tools, the customer doesn't have to go through the whole purchase process again or even log into the service/online store. Following the issue of a purchase document, placing an order or a telephone consultation, the client receives a dedicated link and makes the payment directly. Our offer includes the possibility to initiate payments via different means, for example:
Payments can be made both from a website and a mobile device. Apart from facilitating payments, our solutions also constitute a convenient tool for collecting liabilities. It is possible to configure the system so that when the customer initiates the payment, yet for some reasons doesn't complete it, Przelewy24 automatically send an e-mail or an SMS with the "Pay" button.
We also provide a possibility of generating a separate payment link. In this case, we offer an extremely simple, friendly, convenient and intuitive process for over 200 payment methods. The service can generate specific reports adjusted to our partners' needs.


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It's worth noting just how far Amazon has come since the early days of the Fire line. With the first generation, it was tough to see the tablet as anything more than a content-delivery device designed to keep users locked into the Kindle ecosystem. It was an uninspired bit of hardware that seemingly arrived off the same factory line as the BlackBerry PlayBook. Granted, Amazon's new HDX tablets still aren't the sexiest devices around, but the company's taken great pains to ensure they're some of the best. That means a stellar screen, some zippy internals and a slimmed-down body. Starting at $379 for the 8.9-inch model, the price has come along for the ride as well. It's hardly expensive, but we've long since stopped using the word "budget" to describe it.
Still, Amazon's managed to keep pricing down thanks to its content-centric business model, which assumes you'll continue buying stuff long after you open the box. This comes with some drawbacks, of course -- namely, an ecosystem that's far more closed-off than regular Android would be. But as long as you're stuck with Fire OS, the company's going to do what it can to provide the best experience possible with the addition of some compelling features. Does all that add up to a truly competitive device? Or has Amazon strayed too far from its budget roots?


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About This Center
A year-round natural setting on the shores of the beautiful Shuswap Lake, B.C. - a place of inspiration, gathering, and growth - Sorrento offers a year-round program of workshops, youth leadership training, public lectures and performances as well hosting booked events at our excellent conference, meeting & retreat facilities.
In addition to meeting and seminar rooms, a cappuccino/coffee shop, a book store, and outdoor labyrinth, there is a covered amphitheatre, a private beach on Shuswap Lake, and beautiful trails and gardens.
We are an accessible facility, and child-friendly, also with a summer day camp for kids! - a welcoming setting for all age groups, individuals and families.
The kitchen staff specialize in fine homestyle cooking - sourcing some produce from the Centre's own farm! Sorrento offers affordable cost-effective accommodation from a selection of lodges, apartments, cabanas, and tenting and trailer campsites. About meals here » / accommodations here » / facilities here » / the farm here ».
With all this to offer, Sorrento Centre meets the conference, retreat, family reunion, seminar and meeting needs of businesses, government and social agencies, special interest groups and service clubs, musicians, schools, youth programs and churches.
Arrange a private R&R all on your own? - no problem! About R&R here »
Sorrento is located 70 km east of Kamloops and 32 km west of Salmon Arm, on the Trans-Canada Highway.


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Top Items:
Robert S. Mueller III / Washington Post:
Robert Mueller: Roger Stone remains a convicted felon, and rightly so — Robert S. Mueller III served as special counsel for the Justice Department from 2017 to 2019. — The work of the special counsel's office — its report, indictments, guilty pleas and convictions — should speak for itself.
The Roger Stone Commutation Is Even More Corrupt Than It Seems — President Trump's commutation of the prison sentence of his long-time confidante Roger Stone is wholly unsurprising. Indeed, given Trump's repeated teasing of the matter over the life of the case against Stone …
Discussion: New York Times, New Republic, The Dispatch, The Week and Reason
Charlotte Lawson / The Dispatch: Remembering the Crimes of Roger Stone
Tim O'Donnell / The Week: Why the Biden campaign isn't giving into Democrats' pleas to go full-throttle in Texas, Georgia — yet
Jonathan H. Adler / Reason: President Trump's Use of the Pardon Power
Jeffrey Toobin / New Yorker:
The Roger Stone Case Shows Why Trump Is Worse Than Nixon
The Roger Stone Case Shows Why Trump Is Worse Than Nixon
Discussion: Lawfare, New York Times, Daily Kos and The Week
Ian Reifowitz / Daily Kos: Trump must be impeached and removed for commuting Roger Stone's sentence. Rule of law demands it
USA Today: Resolve after appalling Roger Stone commutation: Don't let Donald Trump break us, America.
Emma Newburger / CNBC:
Attorney General Barr told Trump he shouldn't grant Roger Stone clemency
Attorney General Barr told Trump he shouldn't grant Roger Stone clemency
Discussion: National Review, POLITICUSUSA, The Hill, MSNBC and Common Dreams
Andrew C. McCarthy / National Review: Trump Spares Stone from Imprisonment, Sparking Howls from Amnesiac Democrats
J. Edward Moreno / The Hill: Barr recommended Trump not give Stone clemency: report
MSNBC: Administration official says Justice Department had no involvement with Stone clemency decision
Abby Zimet / Common Dreams: Scuzzy Crook Frees Scuzzy Crook
Marshall Cohen / CNN:
Debunking 12 lies and falsehoods from the White House statement on Roger Stone's commutation
Debunking 12 lies and falsehoods from the White House statement on Roger Stone's commutation
Discussion: Vanity Fair, Mediaite, Washington Post, Bloomberg and American Thinker
Charlotte Klein / Vanity Fair: Mueller Called It: Trump Got The Testimony He Wanted, Then Commutes Stone's Sentence
Caleb Howe / Mediaite: Mitt Romney Blasts Trump Commuting Stone Sentence as 'Unprecedented' and 'Historic Corruption'
Ruth Marcus / Washington Post: Trump's self-serving help for Roger Stone
Jonathan Bernstein / Bloomberg: What Could Be More Impeachable Than Clemency for Roger Stone?
Grant Baker / American Thinker: Justice for Roger Stone
Max Boot / Washington Post:
The worst president ever keeps getting worse
The worst president ever keeps getting worse
Discussion: Raw Story, IJR, Common Dreams, Slate and Reason
Matthew Chapman / Raw Story: Trump has committed at least 11 disgraceful acts just since April: conservative
Meaghan Ellis / IJR: Pelosi and Top Dems Criticize Trump for Commuting Roger Stone's Prison Sentence
Julia Conley / Common Dreams: 'Trump At His Most Corrupt': President Commutes 40-Month Sentence of Longtime Ally Roger Stone
Daniel Politi / Slate: Roger Stone Says Trump "Saved My Life" by Commuting Prison Sentence
C.J. Ciaramella / Reason: Trump Commutes Ally Roger Stone's Prison Sentence
David Frum / The Atlantic:
Stone Walks Free in One of the Greatest Scandals in American History
Stone Walks Free in One of the Greatest Scandals in American History
Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, Mother Jones, Rolling Stone, The Root, Al Jazeera, Mediaite, BuzzFeed News and The Guardian
Ishena Robinson / The Root: Trump Continues Crooked Behavior by Saving Roger Stone From Federal Prison
Josh Feldman / Mediaite: White House Celebrates Roger Stone Commutation: He Was 'A Victim of the Russia Hoax'
Adam Shaw / Fox News:
House Democrats promise investigations, legislation after Trump commutes Roger Stone
House Democrats promise investigations, legislation after Trump commutes Roger Stone
Discussion: Redstate, Associated Press, POLITICUSUSA, New York Post and Politico
Nick Arama / Redstate: First Pelosi Wants to Pervert the Constitution, Now Nadler Thinks He Can Investigate Trump …
Jonathan Lemire / Associated Press: Trump's defiant help for Stone adds to tumult in Washington
Sean Colarossi / POLITICUSUSA: Lindsey Graham Appeared To Be An Accomplice In Trump's Scheme To Let Roger Stone Skate
Carl Campanile / New York Post: Roger Stone says Trump may have saved his life by commuting prison sentence
Veronica Stracqualursi / CNN:
Pelosi blasts Roger Stone commutation as 'an act of staggering corruption' as Trump defends move
Pelosi blasts Roger Stone commutation as 'an act of staggering corruption' as Trump defends move
Discussion: Speaker Nancy Pelosi, NPR and The Gateway Pundit
Colin Dwyer / NPR: 'Unprecedented, Historic Corruption': Romney Joins Critics Of Stone's Commutation
Lee Moran / HuffPost:
Mitt Romney Slams Donald Trump's Commutation For Roger Stone: 'Historic Corruption'
Mitt Romney Slams Donald Trump's Commutation For Roger Stone: 'Historic Corruption'
Discussion: The Guardian, Washington Post and Boston Herald
Andrew Gawthorpe / The Guardian: Roger Stone has escaped punishment for his crimes. Trump is sending a signal
Colbert I. King / Washington Post: It's Roger Stone now. Manafort and Flynn are next.
Lisa Kashinsky / Boston Herald: Romney blasts Trump for commuting Roger Stone's sentence
Gerald Tracy / WOAI:
'I thought this was a hoax': Patient in their 30s dies after attending 'COVID party' — SAN ANTONIO, Texas (WOAI/KABB) - A patient in their 30s died from the coronavirus after attending what is known as a "COVID party," according to health care officials. Chief Medical Officer …
Discussion: Fox News, Raw Story, HillReporter.com, The Sun, Mediaite and New York Post
Robert Gearty / Fox News: Texas hospital says man, 30, died after attending 'COVID party'
Matthew Chapman / Raw Story: 'I think I made a mistake': Patient who thought pandemic was a 'hoax' dies after going to 'COVID party'
Lucy Sherriff / The Sun: Coronavirus conspiracy theorist DIES of virus 'after attending COVID party to catch it and prove it is a hoax'
Tommy Christopher / Mediaite: WATCH: Dr. Says Young Coronavirus Patient's Dying Words Were 'I Thought This Was a Hoax'
Jeremy Kohler / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Portland Place couple who confronted protesters have a long history of not backing down — ST. LOUIS — When Black Lives Matter protesters marched up Kingshighway on June 28 and turned through an iron gate into the magnificent private street of Portland Place, they encountered a couple who have for years …
Discussion: The Hill, Daily Kos and Quiz Category
J. Edward Moreno / The Hill: St. Louis couple who pointed guns at protesters have a history of suing neighbors
Mark Sumner / Daily Kos: Not Shocking News: The couple who waved guns at peaceful protesters are gigantic a-holes
Josh Milton / Quiz Category: In a plot twist nobody saw coming - really, nobody did - the gun-toting St Louis couple are reportedly homophobic
Christine Byers / KSDK-TV:
McCloskeys served with search warrant, police take rifle shown in viral pictures — Sources told 5 On Your Side police seized one of the weapons, the rifle, from the couple and they told police their attorney has the pistol seen in photos. — ST. LOUIS — 5 On Your Side …
Discussion: KMOV-TV, Fox News, The Gateway Pundit, Breitbart, Disrn, The Daily Caller, The Western Journal, Redstate, The Daily Wire, The Hill, Twitchy, Power Line, The Federalist, TheBlaze, Townhall and New York Post
Dom Calicchio / Fox News: Missouri couple who defended home have rifle seized during police search: report
Jim Hoft / The Gateway Pundit: BREAKING: Local St. Charles Gun Store Announces Free AR15 to McCloskeys After Police Confiscate Their Rifle
Disrn: Police execute search warrant, seize rifle from couple who defended their home from BLM protesters
Jake Dima / The Daily Caller: Police Reportedly Seize Rifle From St. Louis Couple Who Warded Off Protesters In Viral Video
Ryan Saavedra / The Daily Wire: BREAKING: Warrant Served On St. Louis Couple Who Defended Private Property, Rifle Confiscated, Report Says
Marty Johnson / The Hill: Authorities execute search warrant on St. Louis couple who pointed guns at protesters
Doug P. / Twitchy: 'Absolute abuse of power': Dana Loesch slams St. Louis officials' 'inexcusable suspension …
Paul Mirengoff / Power Line: Warrant served on the McCloskeys
Chris Enloe / TheBlaze: Warrant served on St. Louis couple who protected property from mob, police confiscate firearms
Matt Vespa / Townhall: St. Louis Couple Who Defended Home From Would-Be Lefty Rioters Have Rifle Seized By Police
Jonathan Lemire / Associated Press:
Trump wears mask in public for first time during pandemic — WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump wore a mask during a visit to a military hospital on Saturday, the first time the president has been seen in public with the type of facial covering recommended by health officials …
Discussion: NBC News, Axios, Raw Story and One America News Network
Dennis Romero / NBC News: Trump wears mask in public setting for the first time
Jacob Knutson / Axios: Trump dons face mask during Walter Reed visit
Bob Brigham / Raw Story: Trump slammed for delay in mask wearing: 'It took 137,000 dead Americans to get him to mask up'
Richard A. Friedman / New York Times: Trump Says He 'Aced' a Cognition Test. What Does That Tell Us?
Ben Brachfeld / BKLYNER:
Your Absentee Vote May Not Count — Thousands of absentee ballots in Brooklyn and across the city are likely to be invalidated by the city's Board of Elections, after many were not marked with a cancellation notice, or postmark, at post offices in the city.
Nathan L. Gonzales / Roll Call:
Rating changes: Democratic control of Senate more likely because of Trump — Alaska, South Carolina seats in play; McSally an underdog — ANALYSIS — After Donald Trump's unexpected victory in 2016, there's a temptation to avoid making political projections. But one election result shouldn't cause us to ignore the data.
USA Today:
'Republicans are really fed up': GOP increasingly splits with Trump as his polls drag
'Republicans are really fed up': GOP increasingly splits with Trump as his polls drag
Discussion: Raw Story and POLITICUSUSA
Frank Bruni / New York Times:
The Republicans Who Want to Destroy Trump — Their party's a lost cause. America isn't. — Should you have any doubt about how passionately George Conway and the other Never Trumpers at the Lincoln Project want to defeat the president, check out their ads.
Discussion: The Moderate Voice
Veronica Stracqualursi / CNN:
New York Times: Internal CDC documents warn full reopening of schools is 'highest risk' for coronavirus spread — (CNN)Internal documents from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that fully reopening K-12 schools and universities would be the "highest risk" …
Discussion: Gothamist, Reason, Chalkbeat and New York Times
Sophia Chang / Gothamist: CDC Head Says School Reopening Guidelines Won't Be Relaxed Despite Pressure From Trump
J.D. Tuccille / Reason: Families Turn to Homeschooling as the Education Establishment Fumbles Its Pandemic Response
Matt Barnum / Chalkbeat: Department of Education-funded report points to safety benefits of partial school reopening …
Ryan Goodman / Just Security:
Top Experts: DOJ's Bureau of Prison Blocking Michael Cohen Book about Trump Violates First Amendment — On Thursday morning, Michael Cohen, the president's former lawyer and fixer, was returned to prison. Many readers like myself may have passed over the headlines of this particular event thinking it was unsurprising.
Discussion: Refinery29
Associated Press:
Coronavirus deaths take a long-expected turn for the worse — NEW YORK (AP) — A long-expected upturn in U.S. coronavirus deaths has begun, driven by fatalities in states in the South and West, according to data on the pandemic. — The number of deaths per day from the virus had been falling for months …
Discussion: Outside the Beltway
Steven L. Taylor / Outside the Beltway: Covid-19 Deaths Rising
Sonny Soleil / WTF Florida?:
Commissioner who Voted Against Masks in Critical Condition with COVID-19 — St. Augustine (WTFF) - St. Johns County Commissioner Paul Waldron caught the coronavirus and went into septic shock after voting against a motion to mandate masks for county employees last week.
Discussion: WJXT-TV and Florida Politics
Steve Patrick / WJXT-TV: St. Johns County commissioner hospitalized with COVID-19
Jonathan Karl / Washington Post:
It's the duty of the White House press secretary to hold briefings. But not like this. — Jonathan Karl, the author of "Front Row at the Trump Show," covers the White House for ABC News and is president of the White House Correspondents' Association. — On the Monday following President …
Wall Street Journal:
Covid-19 Cases Jump in Sun Belt Nursing Homes — Current surge that has mostly infected the young now shows signs of reaching more-vulnerable elderly — Covid-19 infections are accelerating in Sun Belt nursing homes, federal data show, a sign the coronavirus is reaching the most vulnerable people there.
Democrats, it's too soon to cheer Trump's defeat — Opinion by Arick Wierson and Bradley Honan — Arick Wierson, who writes frequently for CNN Opinion, is a six-time Emmy Award-winning television producer and a former senior media adviser to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Discussion: Sputnik News and Instapundit
Ekaterina Blinova. Sputnik / Sputnik News: Fake Polls? Why Biden's 'Nationwide Lead' Over Trump Says Nothing About the Election Outcome
Mark Tapscott / Instapundit: HERE'S WHAT KEEPS TWO DEM STRATEGISTS AWAKE AT NIGHT: Yes …
Indi Samarajiva:
American Passports Are Worthless Now (Map) — America is not united anymore and it's barely a state. They have crashed right through failed state into a plague state, unwelcome across the world. This has been predicted, including here. Now it has come to pass. Just look at the map.
New York Times:
Defying U.S., China and Iran Near Trade and Military Partnership — The investment and security pact would vastly extend China's influence in the Middle East, throwing Iran an economic lifeline and creating new flash points with the United States. — Iran and China have quietly drafted …
Discussion: The American Spectator
Joe Pencak / The American Spectator: More Trouble in the South China Sea
Andrew Feinberg / The Independent:
White House insiders are worried that 'unhinged conspiracy theorists' are being given more and more powerful roles at the Pentagon — 'It's like these individuals are living in a complete alternate reality,' one source told me, adding that the idea of such people still serving in government was 'terrifying'
Joshua Holland / Raw Story: The GOP is a suicide cult
Josh Blackman / Reason:
Why do law professors do what they do? — Law professors have almost complete autonomy over how they spend their time. There are a few exceptions. Administrations set class schedules. Faculties dole out committee work. Etc. But for the most part, professors can unilaterally set the direction of their careers.
Martyn Mclaughlin / Scotsman:
Revealed: Trump plans to build new 'world class coastal retreat' in Scotland — The Trump Organisation is planning a major expansion of its flagship international property, targeting retirees and wealthy golf enthusiasts with a new "world class coastal retreat" which would see hundreds of private houses …
Army's 'Captain America' who served nearly 12 combat tours dies by suicide after moving to DC — Master Sgt. Andrew "Andy" Christian Marckesano — The enemy could never break him, but what this decorated Green Beret eventually found was that his enemy was within.


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If you live in the southwest, have you noticed the big roasters outside your grocery stores? And the giddy, salivating people who can't wait to get their hands on their fresh roasted box of steamy, smoky green chilies?
Here's what's going on – It's Hatch Chili Season!
This is an annual tradition unique to the Southwest. Extremely popular, particularly in New Mexico and Texas and I'm thrilled that we enjoy it in Nevada, too!
What the heck is a Hatch?
Hatch chilies are slender, green chili peppers that look like an Anaheim chili that's been to Weight Watchers. Named after the town of Hatch, New Mexico, the only region where they're grown.
Chili-heads get excited about "the season" because these chilies are only available for a few weeks from August to early September.
If you don't live in an area that has the Hatch chili magically appear in August you can have them shipped to your house from these good folks – 2 Lb. Premium Roasted Hatch Green Chile, Medium Flavor
Hatch chilies are the perfect chili-loving balance of flavor and heat. They taste very harsh raw so they are nearly always roasted. Flame roasting creates caramelization of sugars, which adds a tantalizing smoky flavor to the chili. That's why people are doing the happy dance in front of the grocery mart.
Hatch chilies come in three levels of heat; mild, medium and hot. The hot is really hot! I suggest choosing mild because it just works in so many recipes.
You got a box, now what do you do?
Rule number one – Respect the pepper! Capsicum is an irritant to skin and eyes. You must take precautions. Before you touch the peppers – remove your contact lenses, wear gloves and a long-sleeved shirt. Have a sink of warm soapy water ready to wash everything that comes in contact with the peppers. Don't touch your face, eyes or anything delicate (ahem) with your peppery gloves. You'll live to regret it and never forget it.
If you bought a whole box at the grocery store, they will usually roast the peppers for free. Then you take it home, hot and toasty, wrapped in a plastic bag. This is perfect because the trapped steam will help the pepper skin separate from the pepper flesh.
If you buy less than a box, or you choose to roast them yourself, here are the easy instructions.
You can either fire up your BBQ or heat your oven to 425°F. Place your peppers in a single layer either on the grill or on a baking sheet. Cook the peppers until all the skin is darkened and blistered. This will depend on the size of the peppers and the heat of your BBQ. The last time I roasted Hatch chilies, it took 18 minutes in my oven, flipping them over half way through.
As soon as you have blistered, darkened peppers; place them in a paper or plastic bag to trap the heat and steam. Let them sit until they cool.
Once the peppers have cooled, the blistered skin will easily pull off the chili with an occasional help from a rinse in water. After you've peeled the skin from the pepper, open the pepper and scrape the seeds out with a spoon. Discard the seeds.
Now the peppers are ready to be enjoyed but a box is a whole lot of peppers. Thankfully they freeze beautifully.
To keep the best flavor freeze them as soon as possible after roasting. Ideally within a couple of hours.
You can freeze whole peppers without peeling them but I recommend preparing them so they're recipe ready. To avoid your peppers turning into mush they must freeze quickly as slow freezing causes ice crystals.
Place them in shallow layers and freeze. Place cup measures of frozen peppers in zippered freezer bags, squeeze the air out and seal. Freeze flat and stack to save space. Peppers can be stored safely in the freezer for 12-18 months.
What can you do with hatch chilies? In Southwest cuisine green chili is so popular you find it in practically everything, even desserts.
Here are two recipes you'll love:
Lasagna with a twist? Diva's Meatless Mexican Lasagna
Hatch Chili and Tomato Casserole
You can make salsa, put them in cheeseburgers, pizza, burritos, soups, stews, casseroles, egg dishes, baked into bread, the list goes on and on.
If you enjoy the flavor of chilies, then your favorite part of the season will be eating them with everything.
Down the hatch! I couldn't resist.
You may also like – Cheese Enchiladas with Homemade Red Sauce Dried Beans are Power Packed for Pennies


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CPIA Designation
Invest in your future and demonstrate your commitment to professionalism in insurance sales and marketing. This first-of-its kind, hands-on training will help empower you to efficiently create and distribute an effective insurance program.Learn More
CPIA Certification
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Make yourself irreplaceable. A variety of advanced courses not only satisfy your biennial CPIA update requirement, but also strengthen your ability to be an effective risk adviser for your clients.Learn More
The American Insurance Marketing and Sales Society (AIMS) is the only organization dedicated exclusively to marketing and sales education for the insurance industry.
Member Benefits
Your membership in the AIMS Society gives you access to ongoing education and the latest information for insurance marketers, sales representatives, and sales force managers. Join forces with a nationwide network of producers who are focused on increasing personal and agency production.Read More
"If you haven't yet begun working toward your CPIA Designation, I highly recommend you look into it. The classes and instructors are both inspiring and insightful."
Sonia Borges, Sales Executive, FBinsure, Attleboro, Massachusetts
"I appreciate the teaching methods. Having the class so involved helps everyone. I also enjoyed hearing what others do and how they handle different situations. Thank you for everything. You are a great teacher. GREAT JOB!"
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"Thank you also for all your knowledge and input yesterday. Three of the most enjoyable, informative and motivating classes I've ever attended."
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"Another wonderful day of learning more about the industry and having fun doing it."
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This sculptural, modern three-light pendant is made from black finish aluminum with a gleaming chrome finish center sphere.
Additional Info:
Twirled leafy accents of black finish aluminum are suspended at a distance away from a central metal sphere in this vibrant, sculptural, modern pendant light. The stem and sphere are finished in chrome, which reflect the bright light from its three bulbs and create beautiful highlights on the dimensional leaves. Part of the Belair collection from Artcraft.


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Blue LED Inventor Shuji Nakamura on Rewarding Innovators in Japan
October 21, 2004
Shuji Nakamura, Professor of Engineering, University of California at Santa Barbara
Jun Makihara, Chairman, Neoteny Co., Ltd.
Dr. Shuji Nakamura, creator of the blue laser diode and the blue, green and white light-emitting diodes (LED), explained why he finds the U.S. more conducive to innovation and Japan more conducive to manufacturing. Dr. Nakamura also discussed his lawsuit against his employer, Nichia Corporation, for patent infringement on blue LED technology culminating in a whopping $190 million award. Blue LED is the light that powers the ubiquitous white-flashing pedestrian sign at pedestrian crosswalks.
Dr. Nakamura observed that Japanese company researchers owe a deep, deep loyalty to the master, comparable to a samurai's loyalty to his lord in Japan's Edo period. That loyalty is a hidden strength of Japanese manufacturers, who are able to produce strong teams as a result of the cooperation they are able to elicit, he noted. By contrast, he finds Americans lack the team discipline for which Japan is noted and on which manufacturing relies. You tell Americans to come on time but they won't, he said with a smile.
In his new tenured position at the University of California at Santa Barbara, Dr. Nakamura also finds the heterogeneity of his American students really surprising in contrast to the relative homogeneity of Japanese students. The explanation lies in how Japanese and Americans are socialized, he said. "We're taught that silence is golden. You're taught to assert yourself." The U.S. emphasis on individualism is more conducive to invention than to teamwork, and it is also more conducive to innovation, he asserted.
By contrast, the self-perpetuating nature of Japan's social system that makes change difficult also makes innovation difficult, Dr. Nakamura reasoned. Japan wants to figure out how to produce inventions, but also keep the status quo, and given this reluctance, we won't excel in this department. He sees evidence of American flexibility in the U.S. legal system, and considers the outcome of his patent litigation as the exception that proves the rule.
"How did I come to America?" Dr. Nakamura said he began attending international symposia when he turned 40 and discovered an appetite for the challenge of adapting to new environments. Along the way, he also began questioning the superiority of the Japanese system when people pointed out how little money he was making in relation to the value he was creating. Every time I went to these scholarly meetings, my associates would say, "Dump those guys, come over and join me." I'd say, "No, I was a loyal Japanese salaryman" and they'd say, "My God, you're a slave: Slave-Nakamura."
How did you select blue LED as your research topic--because it had never been exploited or because you had an intuition?
Dr. Nakamura said the project of synthesizing commercial grade blue LED was assigned to him. We were all going after the blue--it was the holy grail. That was because with blue, you could have all the primary colors and thereby the entire palette. He also noted how, at the time his research began, some large Japanese corporations were spending ¥10 billion a year. He was working at a small company without a research budget, but his firm at the time was really serious about results, so he poured his heart into it. At some point, the firm tried to get him to move on to other projects, but he would not budge. After working single-mindedly and incessantly for 10 years, he decided to consider himself as having left the company. I went to the founder, saying I want to do the research, and he said go ahead and do it, and he gave me the wherewithal to do the research. I did it out of desperation, and it's just lucky that I got paid, he recounted.
Have you discovered a difference between filing a patent in a U.S. research institution and filing in a Japanese company?
I was working in the countryside in Japan--we're talking hick--and the idea was don't file for a patent, you'll disclose know-how, Dr. Nakamura recounted. He was most interested in publishing papers, which his firm strongly discouraged. He published them anyway; then he figured that filing a patent might mollify his employer. He did so against the warnings of his section manager. I told a new grunt that my section manager had hired that they were filing a patent. The grunt said, "We'll get yelled at." I said, "No, we're going to file it."
Dr. Nakamura also commented that ownership under Japan's revised patent law is ambiguous. By contrast, he found the arrangements in the U.S. to be clear: At the outset you sign a contract and it's 50-50 at universities, he commented.
Some would argue that American society has higher productivity for R&D; but it depends on the industry, and the difference between the commercialization of research and development, which is more unbundled in the U.S. It tends to be used by a variety of different areas. In Japan, the output is made by the company.
I don't think I said one environment was better than the other, but I was trying to say in Japan we are strong in manufacturing while in the U.S. the forte is invention. You cited areas where Japan is really good, and these require teamwork. My familiarity is with students primarily, and I can tell you, teamwork is not their strong suit, Dr. Nakamura responded.
You said change does not happen in Japan. Change may be perceived differently for Anglo-Saxon and Chinese cultures, rather than in Scandinavia or Japan, where change is more gradual.
Dr. Nakamura conceded that some change is occurring in Japan, gradually, but said the question is the speed of that change. "Things are occurring all around us. Are we responding quickly? In some cases, faster change is called for."
You filed your patents without authorization. You did not have specific orders to engage in some of the research that you conducted. Are you aware that if you did that in an American company, you'd probably get fired?
"You're absolutely right. American society is a contract and a litigation society. I would have been fired right away. But I was in a company in the boondocks. We are not a litigious society in Japan, and I managed to stay on," he reminisced.
You talk about education as a kind of brain-washing but you are, yourself, Japanese. How did you manage not to be brain-washed?
Dr. Nakamura conceded that he was pretty much brainwashed until about age 40, when he discovered blue LED. Up to that point, everything had been for the company, he said. Coinciding with his success, he began attending international conferences. That is when everything changed for him, and it is why he now recommends spending three to five years outside one's own country for a change of perspective, not only to Japanese in Japan, but to everyone. "Go to North Korea, he declared. "They think it's the most peaceful in the world and the science is the best in the world. It applies to Americans, too. They have a tendency to think of America as the best. We all do that."
--Ann Rutledge


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I recently found myself on the quiet side of the glass partition from the McDonald's Playland at the new Ella location, in what I like to call the Old-Timers section, the place in just about every small-town McDonald's where retirees congregate.
Oak Forest is like a small town, just outside the Loop. I'd rather not call guys Old-Timers, but the man at the next table was dressed in a jumpsuit and a trucker hat, and started talking to me of old times. He'd just moved out of his house, which might explain the Humble Oil receipt he produced, from his Chevy pickup's first tank of gas, way back when.
"The price of a tank was the same as a gallon of gas today," he showed me. As I sidled toward the relative comfort of a roomful of screaming kids, O-T mentioned that original McDonald's adult meals are now Happy Meals. He didn't have a receipt for that, so I Googled it later.
McOld-School He was correct. The original cheeseburger had 1.6 ounces of beef (a tenth-pounder!), the French fry bag looked like today's small size, and the Coke was actually smaller--7 ounces, compared to today's 12 ounces of Happy Meal Coke. There were no Big Macs (which now seem small) or Angus burgers on the menu.
Days later, I ordered a Happy Meal, at 5 p.m. The cheeseburger had that same familiar taste, with mushy-mealy beef, pickles, mustard, ketchup, and onions. McDonald's has changed something lately with the fries, because they're delicious again, instead of tasting like warmed-up leftover fries. The 12-ounce cup was not enough Dr Pepper.
Not Happy Two hours later I was hungry, so I drank water, snatched a remainder Halloween Kit Kat, and rode it out. Why is the adult meal of the past insufficient today? The calorie math provides one of the clues. Men need 12 times their body weight in calories, and women 11 times that, just to maintain. To lose weight, neither sex can go below 10 times weight in calories per day, or our hunger response goes on blast.
At 190 pounds x 10, I need 1,900 calories to lose weight. The Happy Meal had 640 calories, which, at three meals per day, is the precise amount of food to steadily lose weight, without turning into a voracious Pig Shark.
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The other clue for my hunger was the bun, made from modern wheat, which is completely different from the wheat used in an original McDonald's cheeseburger.
I've seen adults eating Happy Meals before. They didn't look poor or particularly odd or childish. Now I know why.
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This was the date of the inauguration of Brother Raphael Wilson, C.S.C., as the sixteenth president of the University of Portland. He had served as professor of biology prior to becoming president. In 1982 he left the University and in 1996 was ordained a priest for the diocese of Scranton in Pennsylvania.
The presidential inauguration of Brother Raphael Wilson, C.S.C., marks several "firsts" in University of Portland's history. It is the first time (a) that a president has been selected by a Board of Regents and (b) that a Holy Cross brother has been named president of University of Portland.
It also marks the first time the University, founded in 1901, will be able to present to its president (and succeeding presidents) with an official chain of office.
(by Ann M. Rischiotto, The Beacon, March 8, 1979, p. 9)


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Spending Bill Tests Obama's Credibility
But his credibility on the issue is at risk if he goes ahead with plans to sign the $410 billion spending bill now making its way to final passage in Congress.
The measure is rife with earmarks – special spending provisions attached by members of Congress, usually to benefit a home district project. There are 8,570 earmarks on this bill that if enacted will cost taxpayers $7.7 billion.
The White House says the legislation is leftover from last year and that President Obama will work to reduce future wasteful spending.
In other words, the White House says the president will really get tough on spending right after he looks the other way and green lights $410 billion in spending for the current fiscal year.
"We'll change the rules going forward," says spokesman Robert Gibbs.
Earlier today, President Obama announced a new push to eliminate cost overruns and other wasteful spending in federal contracting. He said he wants to "enhance accountability and avoid leaving our children a mountain of debt."
Actually, the mountain taking shape on his watch will give Everest a run for the money.
The budget plan the president issued last week shows the National Debt climbing to record heights of $16.2-trillion by the end of his four-year term. That amounts to an increase of $5.6-trillion on his watch – more than the $4.9 trillion run up by President Bush.
And when it comes to changing congressional rules on earmarks, Mr. Obama is being told to butt out – by none other than a top Democrat.
"I don't think the White House has the ability to tell us what to do," said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, telling reporters, "I hope you all got that down."
"I saw those remarks," said Gibbs, who then reiterated the president's commitment to work with Congress to reduce wasteful spending.
Just none contained in the earmarks of the spending bill headed his way.


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Goodling is a worm and a lawbreaker who turned on little girl charm in front of the cameras to escape getting in trouble. She's just the sort of two-faced person I would expect to go from Regent to the White House. She's opportunistic, dishonest, and not that bright. The fact that she isn't being nailed to the wall is a travesty, because it shows how far blonde hair and a girly performance can go in this day and age of television politics.
She admitted to being venal and sexist and she's getting a pass because she has a vagina and is presentable.


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Fine Art
A large collection of Fran's images are available for purchase as art for your home or office. See the growing collection at her online Art Gallery. If you don't find what you're looking for feel free to contact Fran directly. The collection grows much faster than it can be posted.
Fran's Art Gallery
2014 Journey in Focus Calendar
Back by popular demand! Fran has created another beautiful wall calendar made up of some of her favorite images from across the country. The 2014 Wall Calendar is a collection of images from her second year of solo travel throughout the US… and Canada as well!
This is a must have for all who have traveled along with her virtually, and a great gift idea as well!
First run calendar orders will receive a discount of 10% while supplies last, which is reflected in the first ordering set below. Calendars will ship immediately to the address indicated with your order. There are quantity discounts on the button below. (For a larger quantity or different payment option, please contact Fran directly through the contact button on the home page.)
Pricing after December 31, 2014
|Choose quantity (s/h included)
|1-4 Calendars $21.00 USD5 Calendars $96.00 USD10 Calendars $180.00 USD20 Calendars $320.00 USD
The Dogs of Central Park
Meet the four-legged friends who frolic, walk, and romp in New York City's biggest playground. Fran captures these playful creatures throughout the seasons in their furry splendor as they delight in the natural wonders of New York's biggest green lawn. There's snow-loving Lenny, an elderly Golden Retriever who was born in Austria and has traveled the world with his owners, an opera singer and his wife. Charley is a Standard Poodle and a certified "Delta Dog," doing volunteer therapy at Mt. Sinai Hospital. And there's Daisy—a mixed breed with piercing blue eyes who hails from the Bronx and to whom Roberta Flack once stopped and sang "Daisy Daisy"—exudes cool as she relaxes on a bench. Calmly mugging for the camera, displaying panache and flair as they pose in front of Bethesda Fountain or Belvedere Castle, these urban sophisticates are all adorable prancers who make it clear that New York City is their turf. Whimsical, humorous, and genuinely endearing, The Dogs of Central Park is a unique love letter to dogs and to New York, and is a wonderful souvenir for tourists and dog lovers alike.
Part of the proceeds from each book purchased directly through Fran are donated to animal rescue organizations. Bulk orders may choose which rescue group they would like the donation to benefit.
A Personal Renaissance-Limited Edition
Since the day she first picked up a camera Fran has had a passion for capturing the beauty of this world in her images. She has always been drawn to the light, captivated by how it touches… whether delicately or dramatically… everything around us, creating dimension, enhancing texture, and bringing color to life. Blessed with a vision, her art brings the world to us as evocative studies of light and shadow.
As a means of staying true to her art, Fran nurtures her passion with a periodic "journey of discovery" to a place she's never been to before. In the fall of 2006 her journey took her to Italy, an amazingly beautiful place… as you'll discover within the pages of this book. Each book in this limited edition is signed and numbered.


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French wheel and apparel maker Mavic is celebrating 125 years in the bike business with a suite of limited edition products to commemorate the historic milestone.
Now available for 2014 in limited quantities, the Ksyrium 125 wheel-tire system ($1850) features a new ISM 4D machining process to reduce weight at the rim. The new process is claimed to allow a deeper, more rounded rim shape for better aerodynamics without added weight.
The Ksyrium 125 rims are finished with Mavic's Exalith 2 treatment for improved braking performance and long-wearing brake track. Zicral spokes FORE drilling, plus new Yksion GripLink and PowerLink clincher tires complete this wheel-tire system, which weighs 1920 grams for the pair with tires (1370 grams). The Ksyrium 125 will be available at Mavic dealers in late May.
The new jersey and bibs get special accents.
Mavic's limited edition HC 125 bib short ($150) arrives in late June and features a new Ergo 3D Pro insert and supportive material in the leg panels. The matching HC 125 jersey ($125) of will also be available starting in late.
Mavic also recently hosted a series of special events in France. Special guests in attendance included Mavic riders from the past and present. Stephen Roche emceed the evening, and he was joined by Sean Kelly, Tony Rominger, Laurent Jalabert, Bernard Thevenet, Johan Van Summeren, and Christophe Riblon. Also present were track riders Florian Rousseau, Mickael Hubner, and Jens Fiedler, as well as Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme.
Following the museum visit, guests rode from Lyon to Mavic's historic rim factory in Saint Trivier sur Moignans. In operation since 1966, this facility was center of Mavic's operations until the late 1990's. Even today, 90 percent of Mavic rims are made at this location. Finally, guests toured the Annecy Design Center, Mavic's home in the Haute Savoie since 1999.
After the company was born in 1889, followed by the creation of the trade name and logo in 1923, Mavic has been responsible for many milestones in cycling. In 1934, Mavic made cycling's first aluminum rims. Starting in 1973, Mavic introduced neutral support to the pro peloton.
The company made a complete parts kit in 1979, and followed it with the world's first electronic shifting in 1992. In 1994, Mavic was the first to approach wheels as a global system by creating the Cosmic wheel, and later building the Helium and Crossmax in 1996. Next came the Ksyrium in 1999, and 10 years later, the wheel-tire system approach was conceived in 2010 with the Ksyrium K10, as Mavic began to integrate tires into wheel design.


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Dr. Ingram joined Marvel Cosmetic Surgery as a fellow in cosmetic surgery in May, 2017 and as a partner in May, 2018. Dr. Ingram is a graduate of Yale University, where he received a degree in Mathematics and Philosophy, summa cum laude. While at Yale, he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, was a National Merit Scholar, and a William Randolph Hearst Foundation Scholar. Dr. Ingram began his medical career at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, where he was a Southwestern Medical Foundation Scholar throughout medical school. He was one of three students in the country who "matched" straight into Plastic Surgery directly out of medical school and completed his Plastic Surgery residency at UT Southwestern, currently the number one ranked program in the United States.
Dr. Ingram continued his studies at the clinic of Ivo Pitanguy, the father of modern cosmetic surgery, in Rio de Janeiro prior to studying craniofacial surgery at the University of Paris, France. He first moved to Nashville to complete a fellowship in cosmetic surgery and breast reconstruction under Patrick Maxwell at Baptist Hospital, completed a fellowship in facial plastic surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center, and first attained board certification in plastic surgery in 1999.
Dr. Ingram's love for cosmetic surgery was shaped by his broad experience early in his career. He developed an appreciation for the importance not only of restoring normal form and function through reconstructive procedures, but also of enhancing every person's innate beauty through cosmetic surgery. Dr. Ingram primarily focuses on cosmetic and plastic surgery of the face and body, especially surgery of the breast and body contouring.


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Chicago (PRWEB) February 28, 2014
The Illinois Institute of Technology Stuart School of Business team was selected as the winner of the CFA Institute Research Challenge, hosted by CFA Society Chicago on Feb. 7. The Illinois Institute of Technology team had the highest overall score, defeating teams from Benedictine University, DePaul University, Loyola University Chicago, Northern Illinois University, Northwestern University, Saint Xavier University, and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
The Illinois Institute of Technology Stuart School of Business team will advance and compete in the CFA Institute Americas regional competition March 18-19 in Denver. The winner of the regional competition will then vie for the global title April 26 in Singapore.
IIT team members, Nan Bai, Yuming Hou, Yi Lu, Ying (Winny) Wang and Yi Zhang, worked with IIT faculty advisor Michael Rybak, CFA, and industry mentor Edward Trafford on their winning project.
Eight teams were judged on a written equity research report, and the field was narrowed to five teams based on their scores. These final five teams gave an oral presentation that summarized their research and recommendation of Littelfuse, Inc. (NASDAQ: LFUS), the global leader in circuit protection and an emerging player in power control and sensing technologies.
A CFA charterholder and CFA Chicago member mentored each participating team, and all participants were introduced and held to the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct. The teams' research and conclusions were based on interactions with senior executives at Littelfuse, Inc., investment thesis and risks analysis, financial modeling, valuation, comparable benchmarking and scenario creation.
The IIT team winners and the first, second and third place teams received various prizes sponsored by CFA Chicago.
This year's local challenge was hosted by CFA Society Chicago, http://www.CFAChicago.org.
CFA Institute Research Challenge
Additional information on http://www.researchchallenge.org and http://www.CFAChicago.org/ResearchChallenge
CFA Society Chicago
CFA Society Chicago, http://www.CFAChicago.org, aims to lead the investment profession by promoting the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence; to shape an investment industry that serves the greater good; and to serve as the premier local resource for Chartered Financial Analyst designees, candidates, other investment professionals and our communities. Founded in 1925, CFA Society Chicago has more than 4,200 members and is the world's oldest investment analysts' society.
CFA Institute
CFA Institute is the global association of investment professionals that sets the standard for professional excellence and credentials. The organization is a champion for ethical behavior in investment markets and a respected source of knowledge in the global financial community. The end goal: to create an environment where investors' interests come first, markets function at their best, and economies grow. CFA Institute has more than 113,000 members in 140 countries and territories, including 102,000 CFA charterholders, and 137 member societies. For more information, visit http://www.cfainstitute.org. (Bloomberg users can find CFA Institute at 497458Z.)


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Jesus told a parable about a son who went away and spent his inheritance. That's where the name comes from. But the parable is really about the father, first and foremost. And it's a parable that tells us about the creator of the universe.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download


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IW Sticker Pack
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Lituya Bay to Haines A ski-Mountaineering and packraft traverse in Southeast Alaska. Written by: Dulkara [...]
Our Temper Assist Valve minimizes air loss while inflating and improves your ability to increase the air pressure in your packraft. It is not a true one-way valve that other inflatables may have, which requires a pump to engage the spring and allow air to pass through. The valve is a complement to our lightweight inflation bag and to the air capacity of your lungs.
How the valve works:
For more information, check out our How To Inflate Your Packraft video on our Product Manuals page.
Your sit length, not your height, determines your boat size. Follow these steps to determine your sit length:
Our recommended size is based on your sit length and the boat's fit profile. If your sit length is in between our recommended sizes, we recommend the following:
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