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www.iki.fi/sol/ - it's permanent.
We've been playing a variant of a simple card game called "hunger" with Niklas. It has zero player agency, but it's a thing to play and it teaches numbers and comparing them.
The basic rules (that we've used) to play it are as follows:
Deal the whole deck more or less evenly to all of the players (three, in this case).
Each turn, every player plays the top card of their deck. The one with the highest value card (suit is ignored) gets the cards and puts them to the bottom of their deck.
If two or more players play the same value card, those players play another card until one has higher value card than the others. If a player runs out of cards during this process, they can pull a random card from another player.
Once one player runs out of cards, the game ends. The one with the thickest deck wins. We made this rule because playing this game one-on-one takes FOREVER.
So anyway, I decided to crunch some numbers, and made a monte carlo simulator for the game and ran 10 million games.
Aggregate results from a ten million random games:
|Turns per game (12-821)
|2-way collisions per game
|3-way collisions per game
|Card pulls per game
The shortest game played in this set is 12 turns! This is possible because 2-way and 3-way collisions are included within the turn. It's theoretically possible (but rather unlikely) to have a 1-turn game.
Having aces (the highest value card) in your deck at start is a deciding factor on how well you'll do, as we see from the stats. If you start with N aces, you'll:
You can still win when starting with 0 aces, by running out of cards in a 2-way or 3-way collision, and being lucky enough to pull an ace from someone else.
Not winning with four aces is easier, since it's possible that the other surviving player has a thicker deck than you have (even though that's not likely). Losing when starting from four aces is still theoretically possible if someone pulls one of your aces after running out of cards in a 2- or 3-way collision, but this is so unlikely that it doesn't even show in the results.
We had some stuff fried due to thunderstorm, including bluray player, game console and my wife's PC. We spent a whole day, a lot of money and favors from very good friends to get stuff back together, mostly.. I'm still a bit unsure whether our video projector got damaged or if the game console is broken, but we'll see.
Anyway, fixing wife's computer required a new motherboard, which is a move win7 doesn't like. The system tries to load drivers meant for the old motherboard and bluescreens, and then goes through a lenghty automated repair cycle that doesn't work.
I got it finally fixed by googling around and finding this resource, which describes a mystical spell you have to give to the command prompt to get things working. Kinda like with linux, actually..
Anyway, here's how I went with it:
Step one: try to boot, fail, try to boot, go to the automated repair thing, cancel, pick advanced repair options (or some such), pick command prompt.
Step two: insert the new motherboard's driver CD in the drive. If you don't have a drive, copy the contents to a USB stick on some other computer. If that doesn't have a CD drive either, download the drivers off the net. Just make sure the driver media is somehow plugged to the computer.
Step three: all of the drive letters are jumbled. You need to find the drive letter of your windows installation AND the drive letter of your driver media (the CD or USB stick).
Step four: Cast this spell:
dism /image:c:\ /add-driver /Driver:X:\ /recurse
..except that you need to replace c:\ with the drive letter of your windows installation, and X:\ with the drive letter of your driver media (CD or USB stick).
The command will go through the driver media and install all of the drivers to your windows installation; in my case that was over 450 different drivers. That takes a while.
Step five: reboot. This will also take a while.
Step six: wait for windows to rediscover all the devices in your system. This, again, will take a while.
Step seven: uninstall any applications related to your old motherboard (like cpu temperature displays or whatnot) that just throw errors if you try to run them.
Oh, and as a word of warning, I take no responsibility of any damage caused by following the above. I don't know what the heck the command actually does. It worked for me, though.
I have a slight problem with my audio gear. Namely, latency. Playing midi stuff through windows' normal audio interface introduces a huge latency. Using asio4all, I can get the latency down to below 10ms, but then I can't hear the system sounds, and getting asio4all going can be tricky when you're running a hundred apps and any of them might have audio open..
So I went and bought a cheap USB audio dongle, which I can use as a dedicated asio4all device. Which works quite fine, except that I have to move my headphones from one jack to the other, and I still can't hear system sounds.
The proper solution to this would be to buy a usb mixer (which will also work as a USB audio device), but those easily cost more than 200 eur which I don't have to spend. So I figured I might go with a low-end solution:
Googling around I found a bunch of schematics for simple DIY passive mixers. The values for the resistors vary a lot from one schematic to another, so I took a wild guess and went with 2kOhm resistors. The sleeves should be connected to ground, so I just tied them all together.
The result works. I do have to pump up the system volume a bit due to the additional resistance, but considering that I earlier had the volume at something like 2%, this isn't much of a problem. (I am happy, however, that I didn't go with 10kOhm resistors =)
The audio quality is probably also completely out the window, but I couldn't hear much of a difference. Your mileage may vary and all that.
Oh, the reason why those resistors are a good idea is that this way the different audio outputs don't talk (much) with each other, so frying electronics is less likely.
Since Google seems to be filtering all the crazy bits out of the recent search terms, I haven't had that to remind me to post here.
Anyway, to the subject at hand.
As I was working through my backlog of games on steam, I found myself weary at watching yet another intro animation that describes how the world is going to be destroyed by one evil force or another and only you can save the world by collecting an oddly specific number of magic thingamabobs from around the world, while everybody else (most of whom are more experienced than you) seem to be otherwise occupied.
Another thing that really tires me are shopping lists. I went through a bunch of games I had not finished at one point and realized most of them I stopped playing when I hit a "shopping list".
With a shopping list I mean that at some point of your quest someone tells you that in order to progress, you need to do a, b, c and d, or possibly to collect a, b, c and d, or, let's say, seven magic thingamabobs.
I understand where these kinds of quests come from. They give the illusion of non-linearity to the player, or possibly just encourage the player to explore the world a bit in the order the player wants. But the prime problem is the same as with the world-saving master quest.
All of these are relatively easy to fix.
First, I don't think it's always necessary to save the world. If you've played Full Throttle, for instance, the stakes are much lower, and by making them more personal, they have much more impact than your generic world-saving.
Infinity is boring. It doesn't matter if you're about to be crushed by an infinitely large boot or a half-ton one, but the half-ton one you can understand, and it feels much more threatening.
The second and third points can be solved by making the player feel like he's not the only one doing something, and also not necessarily giving the player the most important task. The Half-Life series actually does this at points.
Let's say a voodoo medicine is needed to cure the teacher of the village. Others go and find the exotic and dangerous ingredients while you're tasked to get water (and a bucket to carry the water in, and so on and so forth). While doing that, you also bring wet towels to ease the teacher's pain and discuss various matters with him.
By making the stakes more manageable, they become more personal and have stronger emotional impact. By giving the player a less-central role, the tasks again become more personal. While not the most important, the others' efforts would be wasted. And while not being alone, the player gets a feeling he's really helping, doing something he can understand.
Okay, it's been a new year for a while. Time to update the site..
First, here's the traditional new year's demo for the two of you who hasn't seen it yet..
I also started writing more "making of" articles, you can find those under the new Breakdowns category.
I cleaned up and published my TextGL code, which I used in "Litterae Finis".
And now, for no reason whatsoever, let's look at a game design.
There's a co-operative children's board game I've played recently. The premise is that there's four fruit trees. Every turn, players roll a die; if sides 1-4 come up, the player picks a fruit from the tree related to that side. If side 5 comes up, the enemy in this game, the bird, takes a step forward. The final side of the die lets the player choose which tree to pick a fruit from.
Oh, and if a tree is already empty, you don't do anything.
If the bird takes five steps, it gets to the garden and eats the rest of the fruit. If the players manage to pick all of the fruit before this happens, they win.
So I thought to myself, how much agency do the players actually have, and what's the probability that the players win..
So instead of working out the math, I wrote a small simulator for the game and ran a million randomized games to see what the result is.
The only place where the players actually make any decisions is when the final side of the die comes up, i.e, which tree to pick from. If you always pick from the tree with the least fruit, the likelihood of rolling empty trees gets higher, and thus the likelihood that you roll a bird comes up more. On the other hand, if you always pick from the tree with the most fruit, the reverse is true.
Now, if you do the good choice always, your chances of winning are about 63.1%, and if you do the bad choice, you end up winning 55.5% of the time. Totally random picks win at around 59.7% of the time.
Since it's a kid's game, it makes sense that the game is rigged to make the players win most of the time, but not so much that the bird doesn't have a chance at all. You also can affect how the game goes, but only slightly.
For the heck of it, I also ran some tests to see how the number of steps the bird has to make affects the results, and I'm pretty sure the game designers did the same, as the five steps is such a clear sweet spot.
So there.
As for new year's resolutions, I think I'll keep the trio I've used for some years now; let's see which ones I manage to upkeep this time..
There are of course other things I'd love to do, like code a zillion different projects and finish one of my indie game projects and get it out there and make SoLoud much better and.. .. but those will happen if they will, and since I really WANT to get those done, they have higher probability of happening than, say, getting in shape.
And no, round is no shape for a human to be.
Older news have been archived here.


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These boys smart trousers from the Demo kids clothing collection are a great option for a special occasion or polished weekend attire. Whether he needs a smart boys suit or is looking to don a dapper hipster look, these stylish pants are the perfect pick.
The Demo brand is synonymous with fashionable clothing that hones in on an urban style with a retro edge and these boys smart pleat front trousers are a great pick for trendy teens and budding little hipsters that need to be suited-up for a party or formal occasion. The Demo brand is synonymous with fashionable clothing that hones in on an urban style with a hipster, retro edge.
If he likes to stand out from the crowd with cool style then he could don these smart trousers with a jersey polo shirt, plimsolls and a blazer. For a smart boys suit, you can team these trousers with the matching blazer jacket (item 39K7Q).
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In keeping with the traditional method, we add a small amount of red wine (Pinot Noir) prior to tirage to create the distinctive salmon color with copper hues. The wine's aroma is rich yet elegant with strawberry and red currant fruit layered over notes of nutmeg and cocoa. A bold, yet refined palate structure characterizes this wine with subtle but persistent flavors of raspberry and French toast. The wine finishes with excellent length and richness that will stand up to a variety of foods.
As the first American sparking wine venture by a French Champagne house (Moet & Chandon), Domaine Chandon has been a leader in sparkling wine production since 1973. Bringing hundreds of years of winemaking tradition and experience to the Napa Valley, Chandon's principal achievement has been to craft a range of sparkling wines that reflect California's vibrant regional character,...Read More About Domaine Chandon
California has nearly 100 American Viticulture Areas (AVAs) and accounts for almost 90% of wine production in the United States. In our section of Other California, we include wines from smaller AVAs as well as wines from the California AVA. Here are a few smaller AVAs you may see on the label:
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I didn't feel that PFC Manning should be detained more than 90 days in the brig.Daniel Choike, former commander of Marine Corps Base Quantico • Testifying on recommendations he made to the Pentagon regarding the long-term detention of Pfc. Bradley Manning during a pre-trial hearing today. The hearing in Fort Meade, Maryland is scheduled to last until Sunday, and Manning's legal team hopes to convince the judge that the young soldier was subjected to illegal pre-trial punishment. If they are able to do so, Manning's charges and sentence could be reduced or dismissed entirely. source
November 28, 2012 // 17:09 // 1 year ago


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Tech & Geek
Posts categorized "TV & Movies"
Syfy is making 12 Monkeys into a TV Showby Parker
The show is being written by the guys who wrote Terra Nova and Nikita. It's set to start filming in November and is said to be hea...Read More »
'Thor: The Dark World' Featuretteby Greg Belfrage
Here's a new featurette that gives a quick glimpse into "Thor: The Dark World". Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston return to their...Read More »
Ben Affleck is Batmanby Parker
Warner Brothers has announced that Ben Affleck will be playing Batman in the sequel to Man of Steel. It's slated to release someti...Read More »
Emperor Palpatine with the Voice of The Joker!by Nick Steele
Ask yourself one question. What if Emperor Palpatine was voiced by Mark Hamill's Joker? Nerds sit around their D&D tables and ch...Read More »
Star Trek Into Darkness digital download availableby Greg Belfrage
If you can't wait for the Blu-ray combo pack, "Star Trek Into Darkness" is available today for digital download through iTunes. Th...Read More »
Darth Vader In Star Wars VII??by Joe
Every Star Wars junkie knows that Darth Vader was killed off in Episode 6 of the series but it's possible that the actor who played ...Read More »
2 Women Recreate Chicken Fight from Family Guyby Nick Steele
Still one of my favorite moments from Family Guy is the chicken fights. I'm not sure why I laugh as hard as I do when I see them but...Read More »
Google Maps features Doctor Who's Tardisby Greg Belfrage
Somebody at Google has a sense of humor. Google Maps Street View is giving fans of "Doctor Who" a glimpse inside the Tardis. The Ta...Read More »


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Lucas formerly served as the Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Support Services at San Diego State University. His responsibilities were oversight of all athletics student service areas for nearly 550 student-athletes including academic advising, admissions, NCAA eligibility processes, housing and food services, student rights and responsibilities, student-athlete wellness, and life skills/student-athlete affairs. Having begun his career in athletics as a football student-athlete at both the community college (Los Medanos) and Division III levels, he is passionate in his support for student-athletes.
Lucas's career in athletics commenced as an Instructional Assistant/Assistant to the Athletic Director at Los Medanos from 1996–1998; he later served as Assistant to the Sports Information Director at University of Redlands while working on his Bachelor's degree. After earning his M.A. from U.C. Berkeley in 2002 he accepted a position with Los Medanos as their Assistant Football Coach and Part-time Physical Education Instructor; in spring 2003 he moved to Diablo Valley College (still within the Contra Costa Community College District) to serve as their Assistant Football Coach and Part-time Physical Education Instructor, a position he held until 2008. During the period from 2001–2008 Lucas also held a full-time position at the Cesar Chavez Student Center at U.C. Berkeley, serving as Advising Coordinator for student-athlete counseling. In 2008 Moosman was offered and accepted a position at the University of Utah Athletics Division as their Assistant Athletic director for Academic Services, a position he held until July 2012. While at the University of Utah, Lucas served as a member of the Senior Administrative Staff for Athletics and on the Athletics Strategic Planning Commission, assisting with development of their 3–5 year strategic plan for transition into the Pac-12 Conference. During his tenure with the University of Utah the Athletics department achieved several department records, including highest student-athlete GPA in spring 2012 (3.139), Fall 2011 (3.072) and Fall 2010 (3.069), highest team GPA for eleven sports, including football, an 83% graduation success rate (2012-13), and the Pac-12 Conference's third highest departmental Academic Progress Rate (APR) for 2010, 2011, and 2012.
At San Diego State Lucas assisted with the overall management of the university's Athletics department. He established a "customer service culture" within Student Support Services, earning the trust of coaches and staff by creating a collaborative approach to supporting student-athletes. During his tenure his accomplishments include partnering with Counseling and Psychological Services on a $10,000 grant from MillerCoors to establish an Alcohol and Other Drugs Prevention Program for student-athletes, creating and directing the Student-Athlete Wellness Team, and helping Athletics achieve departmental records for the highest GPA (Fall 2012, Spring 2013, and Fall 2013) and single and multi-year APR record (2012-13).
"You will find that no one is more committed to the development of each student-athlete, the improvement of their campus experience, and integration of athletics within the campus community as a whole. I am committed to fostering an exceptional student-athlete experience and firmly believe in a college environment where students can excel in their academic and athletic pursuits."
Lucas, his wife, Molly, and their daughter, Emilee, are excited about moving to northern California and joining Sierra College's Wolverines. We're very excited to welcome him to our Sierra family.
Sierra College teams and athletes have, in the new century, enjoyed unequaled success on the playing field and in the classroom. Our 17 intercollegiate programs – from baseball to water polo, from basketball to wrestling – don't just play, they play for championships!
In 2003-2004, Sierra College won the inaugural NATYCAA Cup for national athletic excellence and has been in the top schools ever since. Go Wolverines!
2013, Spring, Student Athletes receiving scholarships
Lucas was formerly the Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Support Services at San Diego State University. His responsibilities there... More


text: The WOW Factor: 25 years in the making David Walker, Prehistoric Princess, 2007, USA. Photograph by Daniel Allen.World of WearableArt™When: 24 Aug 2013 – 2 Nov 2014Where: Eyelights Gallery, Level 4Cost: Free entryType: Arts The World of WearableArt™ has enchanted thousands of spectators for the past 25 years. It has launched and enriched the careers of numerous designers, nationally and internationally.The WOW Factor unlocks some of the magic of WOW®, on stage and behind the scenes. It showcases more than 25 garments from 25 years of the WearableArt Awards™, and features design sketches, drawings, and models relating to the 2012 show.Events at The WOW FactorVisit The WOW Factor online store for an exciting range of exhibition-related merchandise.


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FTC: 1 in 5 people have credit report errors
A new federal study shows that credit reports -- so important in our financial lives -- are far from infallible. Here's how to fix the mistakes.
This report comes from Gerri Detweiler at partner site Credit.com.
The information in your credit reports is what's used to create your credit scores, so you don't want to let mistakes on your credit reports potentially throw your credit scores out of whack.
A Federal Trade Commission study released today shows that one in five consumers have errors on their credit reports and 5% of consumers have errors serious enough that they could result in less-favorable loan terms.
"These are eye-opening numbers for American consumers," said Howard Shelanski, director of the FTC's Bureau of Economics, in a statement. "The results of this first-of-its-kind study make it clear that consumers should check their credit reports regularly. If they don't, they are potentially putting their pocketbooks at risk."
Here's how to dispute credit report mistakes, step by step:
Step One
Order current copies of your credit reports. Make sure you have fairly current copies (ideally, less than 60 days old) of your credit reports from all three major credit reporting agencies -- Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Since the agencies don't share information with one another, you can't assume that the same mistakes -- or lack of them -- appear on all your reports.
Step Two
Dispute the mistake. Sounds straightforward, right? But you have a couple of choices to make here. The first is whether to dispute the item with the credit reporting agency (or agencies) whose report shows the error, or with the company that is furnishing that information to the CRA (the "furnisher").
Dispute the mistake with each of the credit reporting agencies that are reporting the inaccurate information if:
- It's something not supplied by a furnisher that you can contact. For example, a wrong address or incorrect public record information such as a judgment would require you to work with the CRA.
- The information reported doesn't belong to you.
Dispute the mistake with the furnisher if:
- You have documentation that will show the furnisher that they are making a mistake in how they report the information to the credit reporting agencies -- for example, copies of correspondence documenting a billing error.
- You've already disputed the item with the CRA and it has confirmed the information is "correct" and you want to go to the source.
Note, though, that you always must dispute the item with the credit reporting agencies that are reporting it before you can sue for credit damage. For that reason, some consumer law attorneys recommend sending a dispute to the CRAs and filing a copy of that dispute with the furnisher.
Your second choice is whether to dispute the item online or by mail. Filing online is fast and easy, and you don't have to spring for a stamp, but you'll want to make the extra effort to mail your complaint if:
- It doesn't fall neatly into one of the CRA's dispute categories. If you dispute it online, you'll likely have to choose a reason for the dispute from a menu that gives you a few standard choices. If you need to provide a more detailed explanation, a letter may be your best bet.
- You're giving up your rights online. Before you dispute a credit report mistake online, read the website terms and conditions to make sure you aren't agreeing to mandatory binding arbitration, which means you forfeit your right to have your day in court if it is not resolved.
- You have proof of your side of the story. If you have documentation that the information is wrong, you'll want to include it in your written dispute.
- This is your second attempt to get it right. If you received a response from the credit reporting agency that says the data is correct but you know it's not, you may want to follow up with a letter.
Always send written disputes by certified mail, return receipt requested, and keep a copy for your records. You may even want to get your letter notarized if you want the CRA's attention.
Here are the addresses and links necessary to file a dispute with the major credit bureaus:
P.O. Box 740256
Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
Dispute online
P.O. Box 9556
Allen, TX 75013
Dispute online
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19022
Dispute online
Step Three
Wait for a response. The CRA or furnisher has 30 days to get back to you with a response. If the information is corrected or deleted, skip to Step Six. If not, go to the next step.
Step Four
Escalate your dispute. If you are told the information is correct but you know it's wrong, you'll need to escalate your dispute. Send a letter to the CRA and/or furnisher stating why you believe the conclusion is wrong, and send copies to the Better Business Bureau, your state attorney general and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Send copies of your dispute to those agencies.
Step Five
Talk with a consumer law attorney. If your attempts to fix the problem don't work, then you may want to talk with a consumer law attorney with experience in consumer credit disputes. The website of the National Association of Consumer Advocates is a good place to start.
Step Six
Keep records of your dispute. Put all your records of your dispute (copies of your credit reports, letters of correspondence, printed copies of emails or online responses, etc.) into a file and put it in a place where you can get to it if the same data appears on your file again.
Step Seven
Monitor your credit reports. At a minimum, order your credit reports from AnnualCreditReport.com, and use a credit monitoring tool (Credit.com's Credit Report Card is free and is a good way to keep tabs on things). If you monitor your credit reports and scores closely, you'll be alerted quickly to any problems. Credit reporting agencies are not supposed to reinsert items that were deleted as the result of a dispute without notifying you first, but it can happen.
More on Credit.com and MSN Money:
- Can you really get your credit score for free?
- How to spot fraud on your credit reports
- 8 rules to writing a credit report dispute letter
- 4 tips for fixing an awful credit score
- 10 standout cities for credit scores
- The perils of ignoring credit reports
The credit reporting agencies only give information that in turn has been given to them.
When a debtor lets them know there is disputes, the reporting company must only say the information is correct and does not need give proof. The Attorney General for your state followed by court action ( if needed ) is the best way to go.
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Q&A: I want to know how often I will need a Rhogam shot since my blood type is Rh negative.
I have had two miscarriages since April of last year. After my last D&C I found out that my blood type is Rh Negative. I received a Rhogam shot in August, and saw a gynecologist in October.
I was wondering how often I will need this shot during pregnancy? I plan to wait a few months before trying again so my body can heal.
Rhogam is given to Rh-negative women who miscarry to protect them from making antibodies to Rh-positive blood (the baby you miscarried may have had Rh-positive blood). This precaution is used in case the next baby conceived is Rh-positive.
You will only need the Rhogam shot again if you deliver an Rh-positive baby (to protect future pregnancies) or in the unfortunate event that you miscarry again. I hope this helps you.
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We learned a few things yesterday with President Obama's announcement that he wants to extend the current individual income tax rates for one more year, but only for those making less than $250,000 a year:
The basic campaign messages of each side so far amount to:
Romney: Obama has failed!
Obama: Never mind that; Romney is an evil, rich capitalist!
Of the two, Romney's message has the better chance of resonating with American voters. But he must pair it with a vision of what success would look like and how he would lead us there. Obama is giving him yet another opportunity to do that. He has to start acting on those opportunities.
– By Kyle Wingfield
July 10th, 2012
6:10 pm
Compromise? Like Obozo's threat to veto a Bush-tax-cut-extending bill that doesn't raise taxes on the productive?
July 10th, 2012
6:19 pm
The cram it down their throat Democrats compromise?
Tomorrow folks, I'm out of here for now
July 10th, 2012
6:22 pm
Obozo: "My way or the highway".
Nice compromise.
July 10th, 2012
6:26 pm
@LBB…"The productive class (loosely defined as the top 20%) are paying their way and most of yours."
See that's the problem LBB, we have destroyed the livelihood of those between 20% and 80%. For our society to be productive that's the issue that must be fixed.
July 10th, 2012
6:26 pm
I've been noticing this the last couple of weeks. If you click "Show All", it of course, shows all the posts. However, if you refresh and the post total has required a new page, it goes back to the page setup and you have to click "Show All" again, to go back to all the posts.
I don't think it did that until recently. Anybody else noticed this?
July 10th, 2012
6:30 pm
Because every serious candidate, including Obama, since George Romney has released 10 years of returns. Plus I want to know just how one legally builds a IRA worth over $100+ million…given contribution limits and all.
BTW if Romney had maxed out both his and the company's legal contributions since 1974 and sustained a 10% return (which would have been remarkable) the account would be worth about $12 million.
July 10th, 2012
6:44 pm
JDW – I think it's likely that Romney had to put some of his carried interests in the IRA at little or no value. That's probably the only way to explain these extraordinary returns, especially including the bear market of 07-09.
If that is the case, it will show that the low 15% tax rate on carried interests was too high for Romney. His solution was to put quasi-investments in the IRA, so he could defer taxes indefinitely.
It appears likely that he will be the poster boy for tax avoidance in the US.
July 10th, 2012
6:49 pm
July 10th, 2012
6:26 pm
@LBB…"The productive class (loosely defined as the top 20%) are paying their way and most of yours."
See that's the problem LBB, we have destroyed the livelihood of those between 20% and 80%. For our society to be productive that's the issue that must be fixed.
We have destroyed the livelihood of people making between $23,000 to $60,000 (roughly 20 to 80%) per year? May I ask how?
It seems to me that the real problem that no one wants to talk about is that we have too many households with only one parent. 2 parents making minimum wage almost falls into the top 50% of wage earners ($30, 157 per year). How long will both parents only make $7.25 per hour?
I submit that we do not have a wage problem in this country but instead we have a social problem.
July 10th, 2012
6:53 pm
Kyle Wingfield @ 5:52 pm
I do not speak for progressives, but I do not mind answering your question. But first, your argument is based on ignoring the reality – while the US has a very progressive tax system, it also has one of the highest income inequalities among the developed nations. The progressiveness of the tax is to overcome some of this inequality, but does not do it effectively.
So to answer your question, in my view the tax progressivity should be such that the changes in the income of the various groups with time were about the same. This clearly has not been the case for some time.
July 10th, 2012
6:55 pm
July 10th, 2012
6:30 pm
"Because every serious candidate, including Obama, since George Romney has released 10 years of returns."
Is it also true that every serious candidate released their college and even HS grades and papers written? Are you calling for Obama to do the same?
July 10th, 2012
6:57 pm
July 10th, 2012
6:53 pm
"it also has one of the highest income inequalities among the developed nations. "
Proof please?
July 10th, 2012
7:00 pm
JDW: I want to know just how one legally builds a IRA worth over $100+ million
I want to know why you think it's any of your business.
Just as an aside, my IRA is worth a lot more than what I contributed to it.
July 10th, 2012
7:03 pm
JDW, if you knew as much about Romney's personal finances as you've displayed regarding political issues . . .
. . . you'd be wrong about even more things than you already are.
You're kinda like a Peeping Tom, always wanting to look into somebody's windows, and hoping you'll catch them doing something wrong.
Bottom-line, Romney and his finances have been vetted by people much, much smarter than you, and if I were Romney, I wouldn't give you your cheap thrill.
July 10th, 2012
7:03 pm
Well, Kyle must have done the right thing. Looks like every liberal in town is here preaching the good news of Obama and the bad news for the rest of us. And all the middle of the roaders being very careful not to step over any political line, have any religion, or possess riches. What a way to go!
But the good news is (trumpet blast) BRUNO is with us again. There's a doctor in the house!!! And he carries a sharp scalpel!
So adieu adieu adieu……I asked a question this morning that no one answers. How did Obama get so rich in a hurry? JDW promptly rattled off about Romney's riches! OH well…doesn't matter. After the next election and exit from Washington, he can write another book. I'm sure it will be "How I saved America!"
I'll say one thing for the president. He has a great imagination! Better than Alice in Wonderland.
July 10th, 2012
7:18 pm
"Maybe everybody is wrong. But I know there is God. I know that Jesus walked the Earth."
No, you don't…..you "believe" there is a god and that Jesus walked the earth……there is a difference in "knowing" and "believing"…….hence the reason the naysayers are in the same boat…….
July 10th, 2012
7:18 pm
Interview with a liberal:
"So, what do you think about Obama's worsening unemployment numbers?"
"But, but, but. . . Romney hasn't released his taxes!"
Is there any cuts in spending you'd like to see Obama make?"
"But, but, but . . . Romney is a MORMON!"
Tell us how you'd like to see Obama address our deficit."
" But, but, but . . . Romney is a BULLY! And RAISE TAXES on the rich like Romney!"
July 10th, 2012
7:19 pm
As I mentioned in an earlier post, you could always take away the personal exemption and standard deduction from the millions that earn minimum wage, such as college-age people and social security recipients trying to make ends meet by picking up a minimum wage job, if that makes you feel better. Squeeze a little more than just payroll taxes from them so that progressive tax code is less of a burden for the wealthiest that you seem to idolize.
July 10th, 2012
7:21 pm
"Considering that they have 80% of the wealth, sounds like a pretty good deal for them…"
80% of what wealth?? There you go again…..80% of what happened to be in this country at that given point in time.
Don't make the mistake of thinking we are living in a closed system……money moves in and out by the second…….it is a false pretense to say those that have 80 took it from those that have the 20, when it very well could be coming from Uganda…..while the money from the 20 could very well be going to some guy in Indonesia………..
July 10th, 2012
7:24 pm
td @6:57 pm: "Proof please?"
Can't you find it by yourself?
July 10th, 2012
7:27 pm
"so he could defer taxes indefinitely."
I do believe "defer" is the operative word……..which is what we all do in our 401k's and pensions…..defer until we start taking it out. Why should Romney have to be any different?
July 10th, 2012
7:30 pm
I don't know if we're safely "off-topic" yet, but I did want to address Dusty's post from a few days ago:
And where is Bruno? I read that physicists are sure they have discovered the "God particle". They said that the Higgs boson might be it or something!! This is the kind of thing that Bruno loves. Not me. I'm sorta the "What in the world is that?" Bruno knows!!
For starters, Dusty, the person who proposed the existence of the Higgs Boson, Peter Higgs, was opposed to naming it "God's Particle" for two reasons. (1) It greatly overstates the importance of the particle in terms of leading to a proverbial "Theory of Everything" and (2) Although he is an atheist himself, Mr. Higgs didn't want to offend anyone who had strong religious beliefs. The name "God's Particle" came from the title of a 1993 book on particle physics, "The God Particle: If the Universe Is the Answer, What Is the Question?" by physicist Leon Lederman and science writer Dick Teresi. Obviously they understood that a controversial title sells more books than a dull title.
As for the importance of the alleged discovery of the Higgs Boson, I'm not really certain. Particle Physics is a very strange field of endeavor, in which human constructs are so intertwined with actual experimental results, it's very hard to separate fact from fiction. For example, various properties are assigned to quarks, such as "isospin, strangeness and charm". Whether these represent actual physical properties of sub-atomic particles or whether they are simply mathematical constructs designed to make the theories match the experimental results is hard to say. Central to the Higgs Boson proposal is the existence of a "Higgs Field" which has non-zero values even in a vacuum and is reminiscent of the famously discarded "ether field" which was proposed many years ago to be the medium of proposition for electro-magnetic radiation. The fact is that quarks have never been directly observed, and likely never will be due to their micro-micro-microscopic size. In fact, not even electrons have ever been directly observed, though we like to think that we know a lot about them.
The bottom line is that there are "charged particles" in our Universe of different polarity (positive and negative). How and why this is so will forever remain a mystery, no matter how sophisticated our experiments and mathematical descriptions become. It is once again the unbridgeable divide between Absolute Truth and our meager, man-made descriptions of the Absolute Truth. Wise people understand that critical difference.
If Erwin's Cat checks in later, maybe he can shed a little more light on the topic for us.
July 10th, 2012
7:35 pm
Mitt Romney's gonna speak at the NAACP tomorrow. Now THAT takes courage. Newt did it.
Given the high unemployment among blacks, Obama's dream (act) AND opposition to same-sex marriage within the black community, he may gain some converts. Free men (and women) if they so will.
Kyle @ 5:27
July 10th, 2012
8:25 pm
Brad Pitt's gets death threats for penning anti-Obama letter to the editor
By Hollie McKay
Published July 10, 2012
That's real nice, Democrats. At least you're consistent–consistently filled with hate for real Americans.
July 10th, 2012
8:29 pm
Hope this is all about civil discourse and not civil suits………….
Everyone knows how certain people can be these days, especially on blogs
July 10th, 2012
8:30 pm
"You're kinda like a Peeping Tom, always wanting to look into somebody's windows, and hoping you'll catch them doing something wrong."
Sounds like the social conservative movement to some degree
July 10th, 2012
8:46 pm
"it also has one of the highest income inequalities among the developed nations. "
td: Proof please?
This is widely known and basic stuff that you should know.
The burgeoning American plutocracy has very few peers.
Yep thanks to the forty year destruction of the middle class we are WELL on a way to a nation of haves and have nots…
The U.S., in purple with a Gini coefficient of 0.450, ranks near the extreme end of the inequality scale. Looking for the other countries marked in purple gives you a quick sense of countries with comparable income inequality, and it's an unflattering list: Cameroon, Madagascar, Rwanda, Uganda, Ecuador. A number are currently embroiled in or just emerging from deeply destabilizing conflicts, some of them linked to income inequality: Mexico, Côte d'Ivoire, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Serbia.
Perhaps most damning is China, significantly more equal than the U.S. with a Gini coefficient of 0.415, where the severe income gap has been a source of worsening political instability for almost 20 years. Leagues ahead of the U.S. on income inequality is India, Gini coefficient 0.368, where outrage over corruption and income inequality recently inspired a protest movement that shook the world's largest democracy.
July 10th, 2012
8:51 pm
New sheriiff in town said no cheating gop.
No poll tax cons.
July 10th, 2012
9:29 pm
Looking at "pre-tax" dollars to total taxes paid, hides the disproportionate amount of tax benefits the top 1% reaps because the tax code is specifically written to their great advantage (ask Jack Abramoff how it was done). Gross income, before deductions would have been more revealing, and provide a truer income to tax ratio.
July 10th, 2012
9:34 pm
Who died and made you Judge of Kyle's blog, Tiberius? Pompous much?
The only thing Romney had done by very smart people is have his books cooked and hidden and they've attempted to craft a message for him that will appeal to the lowest common denominator (you). If Romney wants to win, he will have to neutralize at least two things. 1. His financial records. He is going to get reamed on that unless he does. 2. Lack of compassion and lack of character. He is a human waffle in a stuffed suit with a overpriced haircut. Most folks see right through him on the right and left. He appears to have no fixed position, to be moved by popular opinion of a perceived "base.". No true fundamentals that have stood throughout his career other than a lust for money and power.
Who has vetted his finances and how have they done so when it's supposedly sealed away and is now part of a "blind" trust that even you say he has no idea where it's at? None of those things can be true at the same time.
For me, I am smart enough to get into Tech but wise enough not to go there. Sure, there are people much smarter than me. However, you aren't one of them. Being smart and having common sense don't necessarily go together, as your posts today have proven. You can have the smarts to memorize as many facts and statistics as you wish but without wisdom and common sense to apply that knowledge you sound like a bitter herb. Sort of Newt like if you will. Also, you don't have to be smart to be wealthy, look at the Bush boys and Donald Trump.
Are you ready to admit that Willard claimed to march with his dad and MLK? Detroit Free Press 1978
Happy reading pal.
July 10th, 2012
10:31 pm
Pretty good analysis although your conservative point of view distorts your view somewhat. Obama is not a John Kerry or Mike Dukakis nor are his key advisors. My own view is he is connecting a lot better than Romney. But who knows–maybe my view is distorted because of what I perceive as the pandering and intellectual emptiness of Romney's campaign.
July 10th, 2012
10:54 pm
@LBB…"I want to know why you think it's any of your business."
Mathematically impossible returns in the IRA of a Presidential Candidate are everyone's business.
July 11th, 2012
12:39 am
Narcissist Obama has his own little county he is ruling in his own mind. His handlers can't even handle him. Tax and spend, tax and spend.
July 11th, 2012
7:03 am
[...] the discussion about President Obama's desire to raise taxes on "the rich" — i.e., families earning more than $250,000 a year [...]
July 11th, 2012
7:53 am
JDW, go ahead and give us the details on President Romney's IRA.
Didn't think so.
Like Obozo, all you have is hatred of the productive class, deflection, and envy.
July 17th, 2012
1:32 pm
[...] Senate leader Harry Reid: "More than 99 percent of business would qualify for this extravagant tax break even if they don't create a single new job or raise wages for one single new employee. In fact, fabulously rich so-called `small-business owners' like Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton could qualify for these wasteful giveaways even though three-quarters of Americans oppose tax breaks for the wealthiest few – nearly half the benefits of this $46 billion proposal would go to millionaires and billionaires." So there is no misunderstanding, this is not a tax break, it is continuing the tax rates as they have been for the past 7 years, which are too high right now. If these tax rates are raised, that will allow the government to run for an additional 8 days every year. [...]


text:
More hedge funds shut down
07 Dec 2012 Updated at 11:00 GMT
At least six hedge-fund firms announced plans to close in November and two more joined the list this week, underscoring the shakeout hitting the industry from uncertain markets, tighter regulation and what some fund managers say are investors with ever-shorter time horizons.
Take a Financial News trial today:
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Burned banks unlikely to embrace mortgage fix
Smarting from record-breaking mortgage settlements, banks are unlikely to go along with a US Government plan to expand low-income mortgage credit
From The Wall Street Journal


text:
The South: Places to Explore
Ilha de Santa Catarina
Its nickname is "Magic Island," which is an appropriate moniker for this island with breathtaking shoreline, easy-to-reach beaches—some with warm waters—and seemingly endless vacation activities. Every summer (December–March), thousands of Argentines arrive here, adding to the constant influx of Brazilians, making this one of the country's top tourist destinations. The island's northern praias (beaches) are considered the best—because of their warm waters—and are therefore the busiest. Impressive seascapes dominate the Atlantic beaches, and southern beaches have fewer sun worshippers and a more laid-back atmosphere. Scuba diving, surfing, sailing, and parasailing are among the many water sports. You can also go for nature walks along trails with the ocean as backdrop.
The city of Florianópolis played an important part in the history of the island of Santa Catarina. Settled by colonists from the Azore Islands, it was the southernmost post of the Portuguese empire for some time, and it was the site of several skirmishes with the Spanish before the border disputes were settled. You might be lured by the beaches—which rank among the most beautiful in Brazil—but downtown Florianópolis also has worthwhile attractions.
Note that Brazilians tend to refer to all of Santa Catarina island as "Florianópolis," and all the beaches and forts on the island are under the city's jurisdiction.
Ilha de Santa Catarina at a Glance
- Mercado Público
- Museu Histórico de Santa Catarina
- Praia da Joaquina
- Praia da Lagoinha do Leste
- Praia do Canasvieiras


text:
2brokegirls lbd
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Kat Dennings wears a @DKNY Resort #LBD to a press conference for #2BrokeGirls! Looking sweet Kat.
Oh, how I love her
Hahahahahahahaha, now that's funny :D @marium94
Really strange :D I love her so much! @marium94
Very nice.=)
Where is this show
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Natural England is a leading member of the forum, which includes over 150 conservation organisations, agencies, horticultural organisations and media with an interest in wildlife gardening. Individual gardeners are welcome to join too.
The forum's objectives are to:
Cultivate a responsible attitude to the natural environment among gardeners and the garden industry.
Gather evidence about the benefits to people and biodiversity of wildlife gardening.
Pass on information helping people make well-informed choices about their gardening activities.
Help link people and nature through gardens, to encourage a deeper appreciation of biodiversity and sustainability.
The Forum Manifesto: (2.1mb) sets out the main issues for wildlife gardening we are tackling. Organisations joining are asked to sign up to the manifesto.
We have produced Bringing your Garden to Life: (5.35mb) which sets out ten simple gardening practices to make your garden alive with wildlife.
Members of the forum have worked to produce The Big Wildlife Garden, a fantastic resource for everything you need to know about wildlife gardening and join friends doing it too.
You could help in one of the forum's working groups. These include research needs, developers and planning, human health and wellbeing, and training and education. The Plants for Bugs Project at RHS Wisley, is a forum research project looking at the importance of native and non-native garden plants for supporting biodiversity.
We hold conferences and produces newsletters about new findings, case studies and member's work and events. Visit the how to join page if you would like to be a forum member as an individual or as an organisation. There is no charge to be a member.
List of organisations represented on the Wildlife Gardening Forum: (76kb)


text:
Software Map
Tag cloud | Project Tree | Project List
Project tree
Now limiting view to projects in the following categories:
Operating System :: OS Independent [Remove This Filter]
License :: OSI Approved :: GNU General Public License (GPL) [Remove This Filter]
Environment :: Web Environment [Remove This Filter]
Natural Language > English
Browse By:
6 projects in result set.
|0. PHP Pg Edit - Instant table editor in PHP.
Some features : record addition, change, view, copy and removal
- table paging, sorting and filtering
- lookups into other tables (1:M bindings)
- output design by CSS
- logging user actions, multilanguage support
Registered: 2006-11-25 23:58
|1. Calpp - The purpose of Calpp is to provide for computer aided legal procedures and proceedings.
|Activity Percentile: 0.00
Activity Ranking: 0.00
Registered: 2006-11-21 06:00
|2. Nairo Game Management System - NairoGMS, http://www.nairo.eu, is a game management system that run on apache+php4+PostgreSQL.
|Activity Percentile: 0.00
Activity Ranking: 0.00
Registered: 2006-11-10 10:03
|3. agileBase - agileBase is an industrial strength platform for business apps.
Rapidly develop data entry, reporting and analysis apps on PostgreSQL.
Website http://www.agilebase.co.uk
Source code http://github.com/okohll/agileBase
Blog http://blog.agilebase.co.uk
Registered: 2010-03-11 11:20
|4. SaiSEWAK - SaiSEWAK is a ambitious project for computerizing the records of sewa dal attending sewa at Puttaparhi A.P India.
|Activity Percentile: 0.00
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Registered: 2004-05-09 19:12
|5. phpPgAdmin - phpPgAdmin is a fully functional web-based administration utility for a PostgreSQL database server. It handles all the basic and advanced functionality of PostgreSQL in a user-friendly fashion.
Registered: 2004-05-09 08:15


text:
High detailed and textured Nice HL15 light from Harco Loor fabric. Scene contain textures, V-Ray and MentalRay Arch&Design materials.
- High quality polygonal model – 1:1 scaled, 100% from the original object. - Modeled from blueprints (or photos from catalog). - Mesh is optimized. - Colours – easy modified. - Model is unwrapped and textured. - All parts has real names for easy navigation in scene. - Just put model in your scene and render. - Arch&Design shader for MentalRay setup in 3DS Max 2009.
The purchase of this file includes the object only and NOT the entire scene. I have shown the object in a scene to show only the usage of the file with lighting and render setup. If you have any questions before purchasing feel free to contact me through 3docean. Thank you!
I hope you like it! Please check out my other models – click on my user name to see full list of models.


text:
Billionaire Ken Fisher Initiated New Positions in These Stocks
Gayatri is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
Fisher Investments is a Woodside, California based investment advisory and hedge fund management firm founded by billionaire Ken Fisher. The firm recently filed its 13F form for the quarter ended September 30. The following is a list of its top three new buys from the last quarter:
Here's a look at these stocks in detail.
Petroleo Brasileiro Petrobras SA
Petrobras is trading at a forward PE of 7.05. Its expected EPS for the current year is $2.09 and next year is $2.95. The company's topline is expected to decline 1.80% in the current year and grow 3% next year. Petrobas is well poised to deliver one of the highest production growth rates among the major oil companies over the next decade. The company has untapped oil reserves in excess of 16 billion barrels. Petrobas' development and monetization of this resource base would be an important aspect of the company's investment story going forward. The company plans to divest ~$14.8 billion in the next few years which includes monetization of some of its Gulf of Mexico assets. Some of the other important projects to watch out are its development of existing resources in the Campos basin and development of pre-salt discoveries in Santos basin. Given the stock's current low valuation and the company's long term growth prospects I rate the stock as a buy.
Comcast Corporation
Comcast is trading at a forward PE of 16.12. Its expected EPS for the current year is $1.96 and next year is $2.24. The company is expected to post top line growth of % in the current year and % next year. Comcast's scale and diversification makes it one of the best bet in cable space. The company has FCF yield of ~9% and dividend yield of 1.80%. Although the company is trading at a forward PE of 16.12x, I don't believe it is high given the company's ~15% expected EPs growth rate. The company should benefit from its acquisition of NBC Universal and increasing demand for faster consumer broadband connection. In addition, the company has reached stable capex levels in dollar terms, which means any increasing cash flow from business growth will be returned to shareholders in form of dividends and buybacks. The company reported strong earnings last quarter exceeding analyst estimates and I expect the trend to continue. The company is likely to continue gaining market share in residential and commercial phone/data service market for next several years. Given its impressive earnings growth prospects, I rate Comcast's stock a buy.
Vodafone Group Plc
Vodafone is trading at a forward PE of 10.25. Its expected EPS for the current year is $2.52 and next year is $2.59. The company's top line is expected to decline 3.40% in the current year and grow 2.40% next year. Vodafone has FCF yield of ~10% and dividend yield of ~7.50% making it and excellent capital return story. In addition, the company's 45% stake in Verizon Wireless gives it an exposure to secular growth US wireless market. Verizon Wireless now accounts for ~34% of group's revenues and ~55% of its EPS. Although, the company's European business is declining, I believe its Verizon Wireless exposure will more than offset it. Any stabilization in European business or potential increase in Verizon Wireless' dividend will act as a positive catalyst for the stock.
To sum up, Petrobas is a good long term bet given its resource potential. Comcast, on the other hand, appears attractive because of its market share gains and earnings potential. Although, Vodafone's fundamentals are not going great, I like the company for 45% stake it holds in Verizon Wireless.
GayatriSharma has no positions in the stocks mentioned above. The Motley Fool owns shares of Microsoft. Motley Fool newsletter services recommend Microsoft, Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. (ADR), Vodafone Group Plc (ADR), and Vodafone Group Plc (ADR). Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.If you have questions about this post or the Fool's blog network, click here for information.


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Goldy Bear and the Three Locks
Published on Monday, June 18, 2012 - 4:17pm
Kids of all ages are invited to join us on Thursday, June 21 at 4:30 p.m. for a presentation of the puppet show, "Goldy Bear and the Three Locks."
Goldy is a baby-sitting bear, who is hired to take care of a family of boxes. Each box contains a special surprise, but he has to find a way to unlock each box to unveil the mystery!
This show is presented by Blue Sky Puppets, and is part of our summer reading program, Dream Big, Read.


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Traffic was impeded on the north-bound lanes of the Liberty Bypass because of a wreck. It is near the Jefferson Street Exit, headed toward the mall.
Traffic was flowing again about 11:20AM. Still, drivers should avoid this area, and stay off the roads unless travel is necessary. The Bypass has seen several wrecks Wednesday.
Both the Georgia State Patrol and the Albany Police Department are asking everyone to stay off the roads unless they absolutely must drive. The GSP says the bridges are not safe to cross at normal speed. They say drivers need to slow down to 25 MPH.
Law enforcement is watching for people driving too fast across the bridges.
The roads, especially bridges, have ice on them in spots, and that makes traction disappear, and vehicles can't stop, or in some cases, even turn.
Today's high temp will barely reach high enough to melt ice, so the problem will persist.
The Georgia Department of Transportation reports that crews in southwest Georgia responded to 30 incidents of ice on bridges and seven reports of ice on the roadway between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. Wednesday.
Bridges and roadways that required treatment with a salt/rock mixture follow by county:
Baker County
Berrien County
Coffee County
Colquitt County
Crisp County
Irwin County
Mitchell County
Thomas County
Tift County
Turner County
Copyright 2014 WALB. All rights reserved.
P.O. Box 3130
Albany, GA 31706
(229) 446-1010
FCC Public File
(229) 446-4005
EEO Report
Closed Captioning


text:
On September 17, IcyWakes Surf Shop and SouthTown Riders present "Wake the Lake" 2011 at Vinnie's Raw Bar on Lake Norman. Lake Norman's premier annual wakeboard and wakeskate competition, is switching things up this year and going back to "for locals by locals."
All monies collected through sponsorships and/or registration fees will go back into making this event successful. The competition will bring approximately 60 riders and over 1,500 spectators from all around NC and surrounding states to vie for trophies, prizes and cash. Riders practice the whole season just to be ready for Wake the Lake, but attracting some of the best local riders is only part of the reason for this tournament's success. Add to the mix a great venue (Vinnie's Raw Bar and Grill), committed riders, crowd participation, and an organized contest and you get the greatest annual wakeboard and wakeskate event ever! Be sure not to miss!
- Where: Vinnie's Raw Bar on LKN, Mooresville, NC
- When: September 17th, 2011
- 1 day competition
- Spectators can watch the competition from land or water
- Admission is Free for spectators
- Rider Registration: $45
- Pre-register atwww.icywakessurfshop.com andwww.southtownriders.com
- All riders receive a free official "Wake the Lake" event tee with registration
- Family Friendly
- Giveaways
- Riders of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to come out and compete, we are all about just having fun
- 6 Competitive Divisions (Grom, Wakeskate, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Open)
Need Additional information?
IcyWakes Surf Shop / www.icywakessurfshop.com / 704-895-7873
Southtown Riders / www.southtownriders.com / 704-837-0950
And, for the uninitiated:
Wakeboarding is a surface water sport which involves riding a wakeboard over the surface of a body of water. It was developed from a combination of water skiing, snow-boarding and surfing techniques. The rider is usually towed behind a motorboat, typically at speeds of 17-24 miles per hour, depending on the water conditions, board size, rider's weight, type of tricks, and rider's comfort speed.
Using edging techniques, the rider can move outside of the wake or cut rapidly in toward the wake. Jumps are performed by hitting the wake and launching into the air. This can also be done by hitting a kicker (a jump). There is also the slider (a rail bar) in which a rider approaches and rides along keeping his balance. Once a rider improves in the sport, he or she can progress to tricks high in the air. As the rope tightens, the rider gains speed and momentum toward the wake. When the rider goes airborne, the tightened rope launches him. While in the air the rider attempts to do tricks. Tricks vary from beginner to intermediate.
Wake-skating is a relatively new concept to the world of water sports. It is similar to both water skiing and wake boarding. One of the biggest differences is that wake skating boards have no bindings to hold feet to the board. People with experience wake boarding or water skiing may be able to adapt their skills to wake skating. Experienced wake skaters can perform many of the same tricks as skateboarders.


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Collection Rochambeau Map CollectionShow Featured Items
Plan de la ville de Quebec.
Scale ca. 1:7,000. Oriented with north to the right. Relief shown by hachures. Shows fortifications. Indexed for points of interest. LC Maps of North America, 1750-1789, 595 Available also through the Library ...
- Contributor: Le Rouge, Georges Louis
- Original Format: Maps
- Date: 1755


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The Republican members of the Gang of Ocho are divided over whether or not former-Gov. Jeb Bush's call for immigration reform without a path to citizenship undermined their efforts to pass a bill with Senate Democrats.
"I just think this proposal caught me off guard, and it undercuts what we're trying to do," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told The Huffington Post. "A bill without a pathway to citizenship wouldn't go anywhere in the Senate," The Huffington Post reported.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., disagrees. "I think we're still in the same place in terms of not wanting there to be a special advantage for people who have broken the law," Rubio said of Bush's new immigration stance. "What I understand he's outlined … is kind of something I thought about for a long time and ultimately concluded that it probably isn't good for the country to have millions of people here who are permanently barred [from] even applying for citizenship. … It's been a disaster for Europe," Rubio told Politico.
But the United States already has 12 million legal permanent residents, many of whom say it is too difficult to become citizens. According to a Pew Hispanic Center survey of Hispanic legal permanent residents, "asked in an open-ended question why they hadn't naturalized, 26% identified personal barriers such as a lack of English proficiency, and an additional 18% identified administrative barriers, such as the financial cost of naturalization."
The problem with Europe's immigration system is not the presence of legal permanent residents unable to become citizens. It's that most European countries deny birthright citizenship to the children of legal permanent residents. This is a key wedge that prevents immigrant communities from assimilating in Europe. It is no coincidence that ending birthright citizenship is one of the solutions Graham has promoted in the past to make a U.S. guest worker program workable. It is a terrible idea.


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Tier one capital ratio
A tier one capital ratio is a measure of financial health of bank.
Discuss this article on the Tier One Capital Board.
Expanded Definition
Tier one capital is a bank's core capital and includes only equity capital and disclosed reserves. The ratio is calculated by dividing Tier one capital by a bank's total risk-weighted assets. Banks are required by law to maintain a tier one capital ratio above 4% in the United States, Anything above 13% is considered very conservative. As of October, 2008 the median tier one capital ratio for banks is about 10.5%.
Use to Investors
In this modern day and age of accounting, investors are are best served to be suspicious of any results banks post. In the past a high tier capital ratio was to be taken as a sign of conservative but sound banking. However in practice most banks only carry high ratios when they have gotten in financial trouble. Banks will boast that they have a high tier one capital ration in an attempt to calm fears. In the modern age where level 3 assets and many hidden off balance sheet assets, tier one capital's importance to the actual health of the bank and its ability to sustain losses is debatable. Some investors instead now consider banks raising tier one capital ratio to be a bearish sign of a bank's future prospects. A low tier one capital ratio should be considered a sign that a bank may cut its dividend, if it has one.
2008 Bailout Implications
The 9 banks that received equity injections from the Treasury under the TARP as a consequence saw their tier one capital ratios rise enormously (some in excess of 15%). The government's hope is that this will encourage the banks to lend once more, unfreezing the credit market. This is ongoing as of this writing.
Related Terms
- Capital adequacy ratio
- Tier one capital
- Tier two capital
- Tier three capital
- Risk-weighted assets
- Basel I
- Basel II
Related Fool Articles
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This user guidance is written for ONS's personal well-being experimental dataset. A dataset was released in February 2012 based on six months survey information and further datasets are released annually from July 2012 based on twelve months survey information.
The guide includes some background about ONS's Annual Population Survey (APS), how to use the weights and details the variables available for analysis.
Interviews are carried out between April and March the following year as part of the APS. The APS is a combined survey of households in the United Kingdom.
Its purpose is to provide information on key social and socio-economic variables between the ten-yearly censuses. Other key topics in the survey include education, housing, employment, health and ethnicity.


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Growing Success Deadfast Sulphur Candle is a fumigator and disinfectant for greenhouses. Simply light the wick in a sealed greenhouse and the candle will destroy pathogens left by plants, pests and fungal spores. Can be used all year round, but ideal for use either at the end, or start of the growing season to prepare the greenhouse before replanting.
*Free delivery over £50 refers to home delivery orders placed on diy.com only. Charges refer to the value of goods being delivered and excludes delivery from stores or services. Excludes bulk delivery.
B&Q accepts the above cards and also offers a range of in-store financial services. Learn more
Buy online, return in store. Terms and conditions apply
Have a question or a problem, chat to our support team now.contact B&Q
© B&Q 2014 - Terms & Conditions


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|Total (w/tax)
|Total (w/tax)
Book Description:
This 48th edition features 13,000+ listings covering North America, South America, Europe & SE Asia. European cities now include Paris, London, Dublin, Berlin, Amsterdam, Vienna, Rome, Prague, and Barcelona, Madrid, and Sitges, Spain. In South America: Buenos Aires, Argentina; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and Santiago, Chile. In SE Asia: Bangkok and Tokyo, and Sydney, Australia. Quick facts on everything the gay traveler on the go needs. Over 13,000 listings of gay-friendly hotels, B&Bs, bars, nightclubs, bookstores, cafes, restaurants, gyms, men's clubs. saunas & much more. Every single listing verified annually, many within weeks of publication! The International Calendar of Events features Circuit Parties, Gay Pride Celebrations, Gay Film Festivals, Leather, Fetish & Bear Events. The Tour and Travel Sections details gay Cruises, Tours & Vacations, including Cruises & Luxury Tours, Outdoor Adventures, Retreats & Conferences
Tags: Gay-Lesbian, Nonfiction,


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3/4 length dress
$ 3,790.00
Runway look 20. Sure to be one of the favorite looks of the collection, this sky blue cocktail dress in mixed fabrics plays edgy transparencies against a refined and elegant silhouette. Sheer chiffon covers the top part of the dress, fitting snugly over the arms and bodice and contrasting with the matt opacity of the pencil-slim skirt . The fabric is gathered in a band that crosses over the breasts and twists below the throat. A similarly gathered swath of chiffon forms a tall waistband, creating a truly feminine look. A row of fabric covered buttons runs the length of the back to a center slit. The skirt is lined. 27RH46-27654-158
Made in Italy
69% Silk, 26% Virgin Wool, 5% Elastane
69% Silk, 26% Virgin Wool, 5% Elastane
This item is sold out
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NBC has agreed to pay Conan O'Brien $30 million to leave the 11:35 spot. Read more on Conan's big payout below!
NBC's deal with Conan could be signed as early as Friday, giving O'Brien $30 million to leave.
The bigwigs at NBC were involved in all-night negotiations to come to the deal for Conan O'Brien.
NBC will pay Conan O'Brien $30 million to vacate the "Tonight Show". There was a dispute as to whether O'Brien's contract guaranteed him a "Tonight Show" airing at "11:35 pm." But NBC and Conan's team both maintain their positions but apparently have come to a compromise.
There are rumors that Fox wants to offer a deal to Conan O'Brien for a late night talk show.
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images: wenn.com
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Tobyhanna Chalet Rentals(5)
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Recent Tobyhanna Reviews
great vacation home!
We just came back from a great fourth of July weekend getaway with four couples and a baby. The house was impeccably clean and comfortable for all of us. The stove was a little slow and it took awhile for hot water to replenish in the showers, but other than those minor inconveniences it was a home we would recommend to anyone looking for a relaxing place to stay! We went to a local place for ziplining and a challenge course, and visited a lake for canoeing. The outlet mall is very closeby as well. Thanks Maggie and Jabbar for providing us a great home for our vacation!
Good place for family get together
We did our family get together here during past week where folks came from all over US. House is very close to Ski slopes and had some nice options for indoor like pool table and TV. Also enjoyed the fire pit at night. Has lot of space for a big family like ours.
Great Family Rental
Cute house - the loft is HUGE! It is only 3 houses down from the main community center which has an outdoor pool, playground and small beach area to swim in. The kitchen and bathrooms are stuck in the 1950's but they are clean and they work. There is no air conditioning in the 2 downstairs bedrooms but we didn't really need it. We were there at the end of July and it never got really hot. The house is centrally located. It's about 10 minutes away from the intersection of routes 611, 196 and 940 which has lots of shopping centers, supermarkets (Mr. Z's is great!) fast food places, etc. The hot tub is great and the kids had fun going out on the canoe and fishing right off the dock. We had a family of deer visit us almost every day and the ducks came right over to us every time we went out on the dock. All in all, I would recommend this house.


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A woman scorned is getting her revenge with a billboard in North Carolina.
The billboard reads:
"Michael, GPS Tracker - $250, Nikon camera with zoom lens - $1600, Catching my husband and buying this billboard with our investment account - Priceless. Tell Jessica you're moving in!" - Jennifer
The billboard company would not reveal if Michael and Jennifer really exist.
UPDATE: Is wife's 'billboard revenge' a marketing ploy?
HOT TOPIC QUESTION: What do you think? Post your comments on our FOX 5 Atlanta Facebook page, or tweet us @GoodDayAtlanta.
KSAZ-TV & KUTP511 W. Adams St.Phoenix, AZ 85003Phone: (602) 257-1234Fax: (602) 262-0177


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Equality & Diversity
Immigration Awareness
2 hours
This short course is for staff who would like to gain some background information about the immigration rules and how they affect international students' choices and progression through their studies.
They will cover the conditions attached to students' visas and the responsibilities placed on the University to monitor students' compliance.
7 May 2014
Roath Room, 11th Floor, 30 - 36 Newport Road
09:30 - 11:30


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Hair Plus Shampoo and Conditioner
Shampoo: Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocoamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamide DEA, Carboxymethyl Chitin, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Egg Shell Extract, Alcohol, Camphor, Pyridoxin HCl, Parfum, Propylene Glycol, 5-Bromo-5-Nitro-1,3-Dioxane, Methylparaben, Citric Acid, CI 42090.
Conditioner: Aqua, Paraffinum Liquidum, Ceterayl Alcohol, Tallow Alcohol, Cetareth-20, Carboxymethyl Chitin, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, EGG Shell Extract, Lecithin, Alcohol, Camphor, Pyridoxin HCl, Cetearylkonium Bromide, Benzalkonium Bromide, Ceteareth-12, Parfum, Methylparaben, Citric Acid.
Please choose a shampoo or conditioner above. These products have a unique formula that helps accelerate hair growth and promotes longer, healthier, thicker, and bouncier hair, while making hair more manageable.
Clinical tests show Hair Plus increase hair growth up to 123% in 28 days. The shampoo supplies proteins to protect the hair shaft, strengthens, prevents dryness and breakage, improves gloss, texture, manageability, adds body. The conditioner is specially formulated to supplement the shampoo - they must be used together for optimal results. The active amino acids derived from enzyme hydrolysis and vitamin B-6 stimulate more rapid hair growth.
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Shampoo: Apply to wet hair, gently massage the scalp with your fingers. Leave to act for three to four minutes. Rinse with warm water.
Conditioner: After shampooing, apply a dose of balm onto wet hair and gentle massage with your fingers. Leave to act for a few minutes, then rinse.
Folica stands behind the authenticity of everything we sell. Since 1998, Folica has made it our mission to provide you with an outstanding selection of hair and beauty products at highly competitive prices.
Most Helpful Reviews
I am a black woman with loose curly hair. It definitely makes my hair grow much faster than normal, which is why I have returned to purchase it again. Itook a break from it for 6 mths because I didn… Read More
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Ask & Answer
I just bought this, and now im half excited and half scared.
I already don't have a lot of hair, so i just hope to God i won't loose any, but i sure do i hope i gain some. my hair is very, very slow on growth.
i've colored it so many times.
Honestly, i guess im just wanting you all to wish me luck! :( Read More
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this product is NOT the real deal. everyone who said it dried out their hair and made it fall out more is absolutely right. i used it for 2 months every other day like it said to... in that 2 months, my hair grew an AMAZING 1/2 inch, just like it did before i used verseo. i have really thick hair anyways so it wasnt a big deal to lose lots of hair in the shower at first. now that i stopped using it, i noticed that the sides of my head have thinner patches and it looks so stupid when i put my hai… Read More
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Shen Min Advanced Formula for Women
Shen Min (meaning "Life/Vitality" in Chinese) is a 100% natural hair nutrient derived from the eastern wild rose, also known as He Shou Wu. It is best known for its ability to stimulate hair growth and restore graying hair to its original color.
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New Search »
Policy Date: 10/28/2008
Policy Number: 20085
Opposition to Prophylactic Removal of Third Molars (Wisdom Teeth)Excessive health care in the United States has been documented by numerous studies. It results in waste of limited funds and harm to millions of people, not excluding death, because even the safest treatment is not without risk.1 The obvious solution, when effectively applied, is "evidence-based practice," which minimizes unnecessary procedures and reduces costs. The public is already aware that some surgical procedures, such as tonsillectomy, are no longer routinely performed in the absence of infection to prevent future infection. Yet, there are procedures such as the prophylactic removal of third molars that result in injury to tens of thousands of people at a cost of billions of dollars, about which the public is ill informed and thus subject to the risks of unnecessary surgery.2 Accordingly, the American Public Health Association (APHA) calls for dental care, like all aspects of health care, to be evidence based. APHA encourages the collection, review, dissemination and policy applications of knowledge supporting or negating the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of specific forms of dental care . . .. Encourages dental professionals, consumers, private and public health care financing agencies, and state licensing authorities to adopt an evidence-based approach to dental services, in order to rationally control costs, help assure quality and favorable outcomes and extend more affordable dental care to a wider public . . ..3 All health-related organizations should promote evidence-based practice and discourage treatment that is of questionable value and that has the potential to cause significant injury to the public. No one questions the removal of third molars, or any other tooth, where there is evidence of pathological changes such as infections, nonrestorable carious lesions, cysts, tumors, and damage to adjacent teeth. But the contention by many dentists, including oral surgeons, that retaining third molars, whether or not impacted, will likely lead to sufficient harm does not justify removing all third molars. The main arguments for prophylactic removal of third molars are as follows: eruption is unpredictable; adjacent teeth could be damaged; the teeth may harbor pathogenic bacteria that may cause periodontal disease and may contribute to low infant birthweight and other diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and stroke; eruption may cause crowded or crooked teeth; and they are easier to extract and cause less morbidity when extracted in adolescence.4–6 None of these contentions is sufficient to support prophylactic extraction of third molars. Unpredictability of eruption is not valid because most wisdom teeth erupt, and only a small percentage of those that remain unerupted or partially erupted cause problems that warrant extraction. All periodontically diseased teeth harbor pathogenic bacteria and require treatment by general dentists, dental hygienists, and periodontists, whose goal is to retain, not extract, them. Presence of third molars in conjunction with systemic diseases represents association, not causation. Because the rationale to remove all third molars to reduce morbidity or prevent cysts and crowding of anterior teeth does not meet the evidence-based test, the current emphasis on third molars as a potential cause of periodontal disease and other debilitating or life-threatening conditions warrants more detailed analysis. Since the 1990s, the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons has been a major sponsor of research exploring periodontal disease in third molars.7 The few studies of long-term retention of impacted teeth have shown little risk of harm. In one large study, in which 3702 "neglected" impactions (96% third molars) were retained for an average of 27 years, only 0.81% showed dentigerous cystic changes. Further, any type of pathological change can be expected eventually in approximately 12% of an impacted third-molar population and 1.8% of the general population, including those with impacted teeth. Accordingly, the authors questioned routine removal of impacted third molars.8 A similar panoramic radiograph study of 1418 women found 16% had "moderate" pathological conditions, consisting "in most cases of a slightly widened follicle or resorption of the crown. A new examination 12 years later revealed unchanged conditions in 85% of the cases."9 The 12% incidence of pathology referred to previously does not include pericoronitis or inflammation and infection of the gum tissue around a tooth as it erupts, which is distinguishable from normal "teething." Estimates range from 6% to 10%. Adding an average of 8% raises the potential for third-molar pathology to 20%. Also, it has been reported that as many as one third of the population may experience some discomfort at one time or another associated with wisdom teeth; thus, there is likely need for, at most, one third of the extractions currently being done.10 Third-molar surgery is not without risk of injury. The most common injury is temporary and permanent paresthesia, which has been documented by numerous studies. Incidence of permanent paresthesia of the mandibular nerve varies from a low of 0.33% to a high of 1%.11,12 There is also injury to the temporomandibular joints (TMD/TMJ), which has been reported at 1.2% for patients aged 15 to 20 years.13 The nearly 6000 oral and maxillofacial surgeons account for 94% of the 10 million third-molar extractions in the United States annually, averaging 52.7 cases a month.14,15 Thus, an estimated 3.8 million people experience 5 million mandibular third-molar extractions each year. As a consequence, as many as 17,000 to 50,000 people have some degree of permanent mandibular nerve paresthesia and tens of thousands experience TMD/TMJ injuries, an unknown number of which also become permanent. Furthermore, patients experience an average of 2.7 days, more than 10 million days in aggregate, of discomfort and disability―pain, swelling, bruising, and malaise―and absence from school and loss of work and income after uncomplicated third-molar extractions. Other risks include inadvertent fractures of the jaws, damage to the maxillary sinus, damage to adjacent teeth, and occasional deaths attributed to general anesthesia.16,17 In a literature review of 40 studies involving third-molar extractions, the authors concluded that, "In the absence of good evidence to support prophylactic removal, there appears to be little justification for the removal of pathology-free impacted third-molars."18 A similar Cochrane Review on interventions for treating asymptomatic impacted wisdom teeth advised that watchful monitoring may be a more appropriate strategy. "Prudent decision-making, with adherence to specified indicators for removal, may reduce the number of surgical procedures by 60 percent or more."19 A further review of the literature on third-molar extraction by an oral pathologist concluded, third molars without associated pathology or developmental conditions are sacrificed, usually in adolescents and young adults, like no other human tissue, in the name of preventive dental care . . . in more than 98 percent of cases, there is no apparent benefit to prophylactic third-molar extraction in adolescents. The concept that all third molars (functional or nonfunctional) should be extracted prophylactically should be abandoned."20 Consequently, the National Health Service in Great Britain adopted the policy that, "The practice of prophylactic removal of pathology-free impacted third molars should be discontinued . . .. There is no reliable evidence to support a health benefit to patients from the prophylactic removal of pathology-free teeth."21 In the United States, millions of mostly young people continue to have prophylactic extraction of their wisdom teeth in the belief that it is necessary. This practice is not evidence based and needs to be discouraged by providing the public with information essential to making an informed decision. The 2000 US Surgeon General's report, Oral Health in America, and Healthy People 2010 emphasize the role of public health and health care providers, educators, and researchers in improving the public's health literacy.22, 23 The American Dental Association defines oral health literacy as "the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate oral health decisions."24 Improvement in health literacy requires more than exposure to information, much of which can appear to the public as confusing if not contradictory; it also requires provision of "clear, understandable science-based health information to the American people," including health care providers.25 It requires assistance in interpretation by public health organizations, educational institutions, and agencies with no financial or personal interests one way or the other. Accordingly, the American Public Health Association—1. Recommends that public education about the removal of third molars (wisdom teeth), like the removal of any teeth, should be based on evidence of diagnosed pathology or demonstrable need; 2. Opposes prophylactic removal of third molars, which subjects individuals and society to unnecessary costs, avoidable morbidity, and the risks of permanent injury; 3. Recommends that the Agency for Healthcare Research Quality and the National Institutes of Health, agencies of the US Department of Health and Human Services, and other independent researchers call for convening an expert panel that considers evidence-based research on the effectiveness and appropriateness of prophylactic removal of third molars and generates a consensus statement; 4. Recommends that oral health researchers and funding agencies include in their research agendas support for the application of evidence-based dental practice, to include issues such as the prophylactic extraction of third molars and how to most effectively translate evidence-based science into the practice of dentistry;5. Urges all public health agencies and dental professional organizations to disseminate information explaining why prophylactic removal of third molars is not recommended, in keeping with their dedication to improving the health literacy of the public and its consequent ability to make informed health care decisions. References1. Brownlee S. Overtreated: Why Too Much Medicine Is Making Us Sicker and Poorer. New York, NY: Bloomsbury; 2007. 2. Friedman JW. The prophylactic extraction of third molars: a public health hazard. Am J Public Health. 2007; 97:1554–1559. 3. American Public Health Association. APHA policy statement 97-06. Evidence-based dental care. Washington, DC: American Public Health Association; 1997. Available at: http://www.apha.org/advocacy/policy/policysearch/default.htm?id=140. Accessed November 187, 2008.4. White paper on third molar data. Rosemont, Ill: American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons; 2007. Available at: www.aaoms.org/docs/third_molar_white_paper.pdf. Accessed January 25, 2008.5. Wisdom teeth [pamphlet]. Rosemont, Ill: American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons; 2005.6. Third molars: diffusing an oral time bomb―AAOMS 3rd Molar Clinical Trials. Press conference. Rosemont, Ill: American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons; 2005.7. Wisdom teeth [pamphlet]. Rosemont, Ill: American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons; 2005.8. Stanley HR, Alattar M, Colett WK, Stringfellow HR Jr, Spiegel EH. Pathological sequelae of "neglected" impacted third molars. J Oral Pathol. 1988;17:113–117. 9. Ahlqwist M, Gröndahl HG. Prevalence of impacted teeth and associated pathology in middle-aged and older Swedish women. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 1991;19(2):116–119.10. Friedman JW. The prophylactic extraction of third molars: a public health hazard. Am J Public Health. 2007; 97:1554–1559. 11. Valmaseda-Castellon E, Berini-Aytes L, Gay-Escoda C. Inferior alveolar nerve damage after lower third molar surgical extraction: a prospective study of 1117 surgical extractions. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2001;92:377–383. 12. Wisdom teeth [pamphlet]. Rosemont, Ill: American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons; 2005.13. Huang GJ, Rue TC. Third-molar extraction as a risk factor for temporomandibular disorder. J Am Dent Assoc. 2006;137:1547–1554.14. Moore PA, Nahouraii HS, Zovko JG, Wisniewski SR. Dental therapeutic practice patterns in the US. I. Anesthesia and sedation. Gen Dent. 2006;54:92–98. 15. 2005–06 Survey of Dental Services Rendered. Chicago, Ill: American Dental Association Survey Center; 2007.16. Tulloch JFC, Antczak-Bouckoms AA, Ung N. Evaluation of the costs and relative effectiveness of alternative strategies for the removal of mandibular third molars. Int J Technol Assess Health Care. 1990;6:505–515.17. D'eramo EM, Bookless SJ, Howard JB. Adverse events with outpatient anesthesia in Massachusetts. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2003;61:793–800.18. Song F, Landes DP, Glenny AM, Sheldon TA. Prophylactic removal of impacted third molars: an assessment of published reviews. Br Dent J. 1997; 182:339–346. 19. Mettes TG, Nienhuijs ME, van der Sanden WJ, Verdonschot EH, Plasschaert AJ. Interventions for treating asymptomatic impacted wisdom teeth in adolescents and adults (Review). Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2005 Apr 18(2):CD003879. 20. Daley TD. Third molar prophylactic extraction: a review and analysis of the literature. Gen Dent. 1996;44:310–320. 21. National Institute for Clinical Excellence. Guidance on the extraction of wisdom teeth. London, UK: National Institute for Clinical Excellence; 2000. Available at: www/nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/wisdomteethguidance.pdf. Accessed November 18, 2008.22. US Department of Health and Human Services. Oral health in America: a report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, Md: US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, 2000. 23. Healthy People 2010: Understanding and Improving Health. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services; 2000. Also available at: http://web.health.gov/healthypeople/document/. Accessed January 25, 2008. 24. Crozier S. Surveys, symposium target oral health literacy. ADA News. Nov 8, 2007. Available at: www.ada.org/prof/resources/pubs/adanews/adanewsarticle.asp?articleid=2767. Accessed December 5, 2007 25. Proceedings of the Surgeon General's Workshop on Improving Health Literacy. September 7, 2006. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md. Available at: www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/healthliteracy/toc.htm.
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