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SportOn Video Ringtones
5,000 - 10,000 downloads
- Original. Video + ringtone: videotone
- Huge database (over 6000 videos)
- Ease of use
- Only one promo video (rest are paid)
"Sport videotones"
Reviewed by Emmanuel Lund / Sep 13, 2012
SportOn allows users to set a sport videotone for incoming calls or alerts
We have heard of ringtones, but videotones? Yes, SportOn developers have made this reality: a ringtone with a embedded sport-related HQ video that will be displayed when incoming calls or alerts.
If you like sports and personalizing your Android device, you've got the right place. SportOn has a huge database (over 6K videos) of sport-related videos that can be set as videotones. Videos from NHL©, Red Bull Media House, BWF, NL... as well as the clips of the best athletes from Motocross, Surfing, Skateboarding Skiing, Snowboarding, etc. Short clips, optimized to be displayed while ringing an alert or receiving a call. It's worth visiting its website to see such amount of HQ videotones.
The main catch is that, although the app is free, videotones are all paid (except one promo video for testing). Videos are affordable though. The app is set in a simple, minimalist layout from where you can see new videos uploaded to SportOn database, Top10, search for a videos and access to your videos (from Menu button). Any video can be downloaded to your device or set as standard videotone, personal videotone (by contact), SMS video alert, MMS video alert and alarm videotone.
SportOn has merged videos and customization to offer a resource: videotones. Highly recommendable.
"...highly recommended" - androidzoom.com
"...wonderful personalization app!" - androidapplog.com
Get the visual play along with the excitement of the announcer and the roar of the crowd...every time your phone rings.
Global partners like the NHL©, Red Bull Media House, BWF, NLL - plus the best athletes from Motocross, Surfing, Skateboarding, Skiing, Track & Field, Tennis and many more.
1) Download the App for FREE
2) Search for your favorite sport, team or athlete
3) Select it as a Video Ringtone
Every download comes with a FREE Video Ringtone to test out the app and additional videos can be purchased individually or at 50% off with a monthly subscription.
- See your team's latest goal every time the phone rings or wake up to your favorite play
- 6,000+ videos to choose from
- Set a different one for each of your contacts
- Get the classic moments and the latest highlights
The Internet is only necessary to view/set videos. Once you set a Video Ringtone, the app will only turn on to play the video with every incoming call. The app does not consume any more battery life than as with normal usage and does not need power when idle.
For more information, go to www.sporton.com
Compatible with OS 2.3 and 4.0
Some lists where this application appears: Reviewed by Emmanuel Lund.
Thanks for giving me the good app so that I don't have to find any where video clip to set up as the videotone, this app give what I looking for.thank
All my favorite NHL plays on my phone. Let's go Kings!
Like it...
Nexus S on ICS - works well and a nice change to boring alarms, ringtones and such.
Snygg design
Bra men saknar gratisvideor så man kan testa lite innan man köper något
Thanks for giving me the good app


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Hotel Edelweiss achieves its 3-star rating admirably. Cornavin Railway Station is easily reached from this location. The distance between Geneva Cointrin International Airport and this accommodation is 4.2 km (2.6 miles). Attractions in the vicinity you may want to visit are Scala and Promenade de la Treille. You can get to Mouettes Genevoises or Ile Rousseau on foot quite easily from here. Additionally you can walk to Le Jet d'Eau. If you like beaches, you will be happy to know Bains des Paquis beach is close to this accommodation. One point of interest close by is Monument Brunswick.
Hotel Edelweiss features a restaurant and a bar/lounge amongst its general areas. A baby-sitting service is part of the services here, and so are a concierge service and a dry cleaning/laundry service. Travelling for business is made more convenient by this accommodation, offering a business center. Guests are also at liberty to bring pets to their room. Select one of the 42 rooms for your stay.
The feel of the air is always pleasant in your Hotel Edelweiss room, thanks to good air conditioning. A housekeeping service is a convenient inclusion in each of the rooms here. Beware that you may never want to leave your room: wireless high-speed Internet access (complimentary) is included for your convenience. The rooms that have a bathroom also come with a complimentary toiletries set. This accommodation's rooms are provided with kitchen facilities such as a coffee/tea maker.
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subset: commoncrawl


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ShackCast 21: Gerstmann EditionBecause yesterday's ShackCast 20 was recorded prior to the Jeff Gerstmann firing controversy, we felt we should get back on the mic to discuss it.
Chris Remo, Chris Faylor, and Nick Breckon discuss the facts and rumors regarding the firing from GameSpot/CNET, general trends in game journalism, and the relationship between publishers, ad sales, and editorial. We also take a few questions from readers regarding this specific incident and the larger environment that surrounds it.
Finally, for those bothered by the annoying voice clipping in yesterday's episode, that should be fixed today. Sorry about that!
Don't forget to send in your questions and comments about video games, the Shack, or the ShackCast to firstname.lastname@example.com!
Play or download the podcast now, or browse the episodes through iTunes, RSS, or Digg.
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Sony Ericsson Hazel themes
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Sony Ericsson Hazel offers consumers a green choice without compromising on features or fun. Hazel also give consumers a better voice quality experience, with Noise Shield, Clear Voice and Intelligent Volume Adaptation. Other features include 5MP camera, A-GPS, Bluetooth, and WiFi.
Top, New and Popular Wallpapers for Sony Ericsson Hazel. The collection of Free Wallpapers for Sony Ericsson Hazel right here to be download. We update the collection of Wallpapers daily.
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Why not pay for what you actually use?
Would you order a six-course meal if you planned to eat only the salad and dessert? No. You'd order a la carte.
Apply the same concept to the subscriptions you pay for, suggests Ramit Sethi at I Will Teach You To Be Rich. That includes services like cable, TiVo, cell phones and that underused gym membership. Ramit writes: "In fact, in one remarkable study of three health clubs, two researchers from Stanford and Berkeley showed that gym members overestimate how much they'll use their gym membership by over 70%."
You can pay as you go for workout sessions, TV programs and songs (from iTunes), and other services you now buy in bulk. And may we suggest a prepaid cell phone?
Even small amounts can go a long way.
This post comes from partner blog The Dough Roller.
Generating multiple streams of income can have a major impact on your finances. Even an extra income of $500 each month could go a long way to paying down debt or increasing your investments.
We often hear about the importance of diversifying our investments, but diversifying our income streams is just as important, particularly in difficult economic times. Let me show you just how valuable even an extra $500 per month can be. Then I'll list the factors to consider in deciding how to generate extra income, followed by 10 multiple-income-stream ideas.
Do small steps save enough or should you look for big cuts?
If I had $4 for every day I hadn't had a latte, I'd have a nice nest egg. Because, let's see, that would be 365 days times 30 years of adult life… Wow, $43,800 plus the power of compounding …
Except I don't drink lattes. And giving up a latte every day for a year wouldn't pay even half my property taxes. I'd better look elsewhere for savings.
The "latte factor," popularized by David Bach, author of "The Automatic Millionaire" and other personal finance books, has become a synonym for the small money leaks that could be draining away our cash without us noticing. And it's certainly important to find and plug those small leaks.
But, in some cases, plugging the small leaks and giving up lattes (or soda or bottled water or candy bars) doesn't really make much difference.
Some are annoying, others are downright unappetizing.
We know the tactics restaurants employ to get all you longtime and newbie frugalists to splurge on eating out these days: two entrées plus one appetizer for 20 bucks at the casual chain or great deals like the $1 Junior Whopper.
But what sneaky changes have restaurants made to improve the bottom line?
SmartMoney offers "8 restaurant ploys to watch for" in a lovely slideshow, plus we found more at Slashfood. (We saved the grossest for last.)
We're not on the playground, but others are browbeating us.
This post comes from Trent Hamm at partner blog The Simple Dollar.
When I was in seventh grade, a bunch of 12th-graders grabbed me one day. They tossed me in a trash can, popped a lid on it, and then rolled the can (with me and some trash inside) out into the middle of the school's parking lot. They then administered some kicks to the can and left me there.
I crawled out as they were laughing and high-fiving each other, grinned, shrugged it off, and went about my business. It was the right attitude to take.
A few other seventh-graders provided an enormous reaction to the situation -- telling the principal, throwing fits, challenging the much older kids to fights. Those reactionary kids were subjected to ever-escalating forms of bullying and hazing, while the ones who just shrugged it off were at worst ignored and at best given occasional positive recognition from the much older kids.
Now that we're all adults, we might think that such bullying has been left behind. This is playground fodder, after all. The nonsense and torments of high school are in the past for most of us, right?
The truth is that even as adults, we're subjected to bullying in various, more subtle ways -- and our reactions to that bullying often determine our futures.
Don't believe me? Take these ideas into account.
Customers would prefer that banks deny debit card purchases.
This post comes from James Limbach at partner site ConsumerAffairs.com.
Banks and credit unions collected nearly $24 billion in overdraft fees last year, an increase of 35% from just two years earlier, according to a new study by the Center for Responsible Lending.
The explosion in overdraft charges has drained the wallets of as many as 51 million Americans whose accounts become overdrawn each year. It is particularly harmful to financially vulnerable families already hit hard by the recession.
"Banks and credit unions have become so sophisticated in driving up overdrafts that Americans now pay more in overdraft fees every year than they do for books, cereal, or fresh vegetables," said CRL senior researcher Leslie Parrish. "These billions of dollars drained from consumers each year represent lost opportunities for families to save for a rainy day or buy necessary goods and services that could help spark the economy."
Even Neiman Marcus is touting cheaper gifts.
If we didn't already know it's going to be a lean holiday season, we do now. Not only is the National Retail Federal predicting less spending by consumers, even the Neiman Marcus fantasy catalog is touting more frugal choices this year -- if you consider $75 plaid stockings a bargain.
A survey commissioned by ING DIRECT found that 54 percent of American adults plan to spend $300 or more on holiday gifts, a 10% decrease from what Americans last year said they typically spend.
With shoppers looking to spend less, retailers are pushing less expensive toys for the 2009 holidays. Toys R Us lists the Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster, at $9.99, as one of the top toys of this year, though we would reject it immediately because it makes noise. Wal-Mart is expanding last year's successful "10 for $10" program and offering more than 100 $10 toy items. We like the LEGO Bionicle Legends set. Kmart announced its Fab 15 toy list last week, too, with 15 items selling from $10.99 to $99.99. The company says those items represent the "best long-term play value."
Service also lets friends bail you out 'from the comfort of home.'
Debit cards are increasingly popular, so why shouldn't jail inmates have them. How about a get-out-of-jail prepaid debit card when they're set free?
They can. (Does this strike anyone else as kind of strange/funny?)
Continental Prison Systems Inc., doing business as EZ Card & Kiosk, is installing its booking and release kiosks and debit card services in jails here and there about the country.
Here's what's offered:
- Pay your bail with your own credit or debit card or cash at the self-serve kiosk. Or if it's more than you can handle, your friends and relatives can post bail at the kiosk or via a handy Web site "from the comfort of their own home," the company says. No more early morning trips down to the hoosegow to bail a misbehaving family member out.
Copyright © 2014 Microsoft. All rights reserved.
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CareerCast has released its list of jobs that really aren't as glamorous as they seem.
- Best rates on savings
Find the highest rates on savings accounts, CDs and money market accounts.
- Are you saving enough for retirement?
- Find a great credit card
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- Video: Easy DIY smoked meats at home
A charcuterie master shares his process for cold-smoking meat at home.
- Jetpacks about to go mainstream
- Weird things covered by home insurance
- Bing: 70 percent of adults report 'digital eye strain'


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The Global Volcanism Program has no activity reports for Alcedo.
The Global Volcanism Program has no Weekly Reports available for Alcedo.
Reports are organized chronologically and indexed below by Month/Year (Publication Volume:Number), and include a one-line summary. Click on the index link or scroll down to read the reports.
11/1970 (CSLP 95-70) False activity report caused by a fire
03/1991 (BGVN 16:03) Loud booming sounds with accompanying felt shocks; changes at fumarolic area
04/1991 (BGVN 16:04) Sonic activity and felt earthquakes decline; minor changes to hydrothermal system
03/1995 (BGVN 20:03) Two craters on the SW caldera wall linked to a 1993 eruption
11/1970 (CSLP 95-70) False activity report caused by a fire
Card 1038 (02 November 1970) Bluish smoke emanating from near the rim seen from research vessel
The following is from Forest Nelson. The research vessel "Alpha Hellix" of Scripps Institution in La Jolla, heading south from James Bay to Santa Cruz, sighted quite a bit of smoke emanating near the rim, either inside or outside the rim, of the south wall of the crater Alcedo which is the third volcano from the north--really the third volcano on Isabella--the one with the geyser inside the crater and lots of tortoises around the rim and also in the interior. This is the first time I have heard of or known of any activity in the Alcedo area. At night they were not able to see if there was any flame or glow because of heavy cloud cover over the area. There was no activity on the siesmograph at the station here.
The following report was radioed to Scripps by Captain Haines of the "Alpha Hellix." "At noon on 26 October several persons aboard "Alpha Hellix" sighted what could have been volcanic activity from a crater at Lat 0° 25.5 south Long. 91° 06.5 west on Isla Isabella. Activity was in the form of conspicuous, but not spectacular, smoke. It had a bluish tint. The phenomenon was visible during the daylight hours on the 26th, but could not be observed on the 27th due to cloud cover. The ship departed the Galapagos on the 28th."
Card 1045 (10 November 1970) No seismic or satellite evidence of activity
"Initial inspections of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) world-wide networks show no evidence of seismicity or infrasonic disturbances in the Galapagos around the time of the reported activity in Alcedo. ITOS satellite photos show no sign of a volcanic cloud despite generally clear conditions during this period.
"Under good conditions, normal vapor emission from the Alcedo geyser area has been seen from 40 km away, but the description given by the "Alpha Hellix" suggests above-normal activity."
Card 1051-1052 (17 November 1970) Fire was the source of smoke, not volcanism
The following report was received by radio from Craig MacFarland on 17 November 1970. "The activity is not a volcanic eruption but a large fire of unknown cause. I checked the area carefully, and the fire is still burning. We couldn't go down into it because it was on the inside wall and was simply too steep to even attempt to go down. The ashes from the fire were very deep and it was just plain dangerous. From surveying the fire from above and from many places on the rim far away, we couldn't see anything that looked like fumarole activity or lava or anything of that sort in that area. The location appears to be on the southeast wall of the caldera. As far as I could tell the wildlife population was not affected.
"The burned area was relatively large but small in relation to the whole rim, and occurred only on the inside wall of the rim to about one-half way to the floor. The longest side of it was actually on the rim and I would estimate that it went for 500-600 m along the rim and from there coming in a triangle from the southern and the northern side going toward the floor. I checked the ash only on the rim and it varied from a few centimeters deep to roughly two feet deep in the deepest place.
"The fire destroyed all the vegetation which consisted mostly of shrubs and herbs. The shrubs were a maximum height of 6-7 feet and there was an occasional taller tree. In some areas within the main body of the fire and on the edges, it actually burned everything including the undergrowth.
"In terms of animals that wouldn't be able to get away from the fire quickly, I immediately thought of the tortoises. Their tracks came right up the side of the wall right through the ash and onto the rim where the burning had stopped. I surveyed the area with field glasses from various places and could see no tortoise carcasses. I couldn't see that any other animals were harmed by the fire. I suspect most birds left the area immediately; also the burros. The whole volcano has the largest population of tortoises on the island (estimated to be 3-6 thousand tortoises). The particular area on the rim where the fire started and including all the burned area, was the area of densest tortoise population. At any given time there might be 50-60 tortoises in the total burned area and apparently they had been able to get away before it burned. Their tracks occurred along the crater rim up to where the fire had occurred and on the fifth night of the fire below the rim on the inner wall we could see animals, so they had clearly gotten away from it.
"We were up in the caldera for 4 days. We went up November 11 and came down November 15th. It was burning during the entire time. Occasionally a little smoke would come up above the rim. The day we came down to the beach we continued to see smoke. I suspect that itis still burning."
Information Contacts:
Card 1038 (02 November 1970) Forest Nelson, Santa Cruz, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador; Carl Hubbs, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, La Jolla, California, USA.
Card 1045 (10 November 1970) NOAA; T. Simkin, SI.
Card 1051-1052 (17 November 1970) Craig MacFarland, Academy Bay, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador; Darwin Biological Research Station, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.
03/1991 (BGVN 16:03) Loud booming sounds with accompanying felt shocks; changes at fumarolic area
Loud "booms" (sounds like underground detonations, of varying intensities and seemingly different source directions), first reported by scientists in mid-March, were documented during fieldwork 20-27 March. The loudest, at around 1800 on 21 March, was almost immediately followed by a strongly felt shock (estimated to have 2-3 cm of vertical displacement at one location). Less intense "booms," occasionally followed by felt shocks, were heard at a rate of 2-13/day; variations may reflect location and activity of the observers. One notable "boom" and shock was followed by ground shaking that lasted more than a minute. While inside the caldera, observers reported a fairly constant "very low, barely audible, throbbing rumble" which they compared to the engines of a large ship.
No substantial changes were noted at the fumarole area (in the SW portion of the caldera) since the previous visit in 1986. However, vegetation had receded possibly as much as 20 m from around most fumarole areas. Numerous fresh, hairline fissures, two to several dozen meters long, were visible along the lower border of the fumarole field, coinciding with devegetation. Steam emission from a large vent on the SE caldera wall, a geyser until drying up in 1970, was substantially weaker than in 1986 and the sound had changed from a jet roar to "more of an underground rumble".
The first earthquake (mb 4.9) to be located in Galápagos since [5 July 1990] occurred at [0659] on 3 March. Its hypocenter was [25] km [NW] of Alcedo, but accurate locations are difficult in that region and the threshold for locatable earthquakes normally exceeds M 4.
Information Contacts: T. De Roy and M. Jones, Isla Santa Cruz; NEIC.
04/1991 (BGVN 16:04) Sonic activity and felt earthquakes decline; minor changes to hydrothermal system
Late-April fieldwork revealed continued but diminished sonic activity, no evidence of an eruption, and only minor changes to the volcano's hydrothermal system.
Biologist Milton Friere, working on the island since February, reported that he felt a strong shock, apparently on 9 March at about 1900. Hunters on Santiago Island, 35 km NE of Alcedo, also felt a large earthquake around that time but there is uncertainty about the date and the WWSSN recorded only the 3 March event (16:3). Immediately after the felt earthquake, explosion sounds began to be heard daily at Friere's camp on the caldera's N rim. The initial sounds were the most intense and frequent, then they declined gradually, and by late April were heard only once every few days from the N rim camp. Fewer than 5 earthquakes were felt at the camp until 5 April. Others were documented on 5 April at 1740, 7 April at 1700, and 17 April at 1725. Events of similar intensity may have gone unnoticed during active fieldwork.
While camped on the caldera's S rim during a 23-28 April field survey, Dennis Geist heard eight explosion sounds in 3 days, compared to 2-13 heard daily by Tui DeRoy and Mark Jones in late March (16:3). All were heard in camp, with none noticed during fieldwork. The sounds, consisting of deep rumbling lasting about a second, were likened to thunder generated ~ 10 km away. Although the sounds were clearly directional, each seemed to come from a different direction. None were accompanied by discernible changes in fumarole output, but two were followed 10-15 seconds later by a felt earthquake. The stronger earthquake lasted 5-10 seconds, whereas the weaker one continued for more than 30 seconds after a strong initial jolt.
The seismicity and sonic activity were preceded by the first heavy rains in the Galápagos for several years. Between 26 February and 4 March, 5-10 cm of rain fell daily on Alcedo. Heavy rains also fell on 6, 8, 10, 19, and 30 March, and 10 and 15 April.
Geist noted only subtle changes to the hydrothermal system. Before the 1991 activity, hundreds of fumaroles were distributed around both the southern ring faults and a vent that erupted voluminous rhyolitic pumice and obsidian flows about 90,000 years ago. Fewer than 10 small new fumaroles (identified by remains of recently killed plants) were observed, and no significant increase in total gas output was evident. A large fumarole (called "the Geyser" because it formerly ejected water) may have been somewhat more vigorous than during Geist's previous visits in 1989 and 1983. The vapor plume from this fumarole varied dramatically over periods of hours, and at times there was no visible cloud. No recently formed fissures or fault scarps were observed.
Information Contacts: D. Geist, Univ of Idaho.
03/1995 (BGVN 20:03) Two craters on the SW caldera wall linked to a 1993 eruption
Alcedo . . . had two new craters when visited by Jonathan R. Green during 16-18 February 1994. According to him and Jim Stimac, who saw the craters in February 1995, the craters were located on the S wall of the caldera. At the same two points, Geist and others (1994) had previously mapped sulfur veneer and fumaroles in 1991. The points lie ~1.4 km W of El Geyser, a fumarole that lies within a similar crater and sits farther E along a common fault. . . . Geist confirmed that there were no craters in this vicinity when he made his map, and in addition Green clearly reported that these two craters were new.
Besides the opening of these new craters, Green (1994) described Alcedo activity during November-December 1993, and January 1994. This included local tremor, explosions, noises from one or more subterranean sources, and increased fumarolic activity. The larger crater was associated with adjacent deposits of ash, debris, and mud. The craters were also observed during a July 1994 helicopter flyover. A videotape made during the flyover (archived at Galápagos National Park Headquarters) documented vigorous steam plumes coming from both craters, similar to plumes seen by Green in February 1994. Green, who showed the craters on a sketch in his report, estimated that the larger crater was 75 x 100 m.
Although groups do occasionally visit, Alcedo is uninhabited and no one witnessed the eruption. Green's report stated: "Additional information from other guides places this activity later than mid-November 1993 and prior to the end of December 1993."
Later observations were made when J. Stimac and Fraser Goff sampled fumaroles . . . from 5 to 10 February 1995. At that time the larger new crater issued a vigorous steam plume from a small vent along one side; the smaller crater issued less steam. Stimac estimated that the elliptical larger crater had a diameter of 100-150 m, and a depth of 35-40 m. The smaller crater had a diameter of 10 m and a depth of 3 m.
Layered tephra, up to perhaps 2-m thick, lies at the crater margins and extends for several hundred meters, Stimac reported. Based on the observed deposits, and on crater morphology and location, visiting volcanologists concluded the craters were formed by hydrothermal explosions.
Geist and others (1994) point out that Alcedo is distinct from other Galápagos volcanoes (and many oceanic islands) in that it has erupted rhyolite and not just basalt as seen on all the adjacent islands.
References. Geist, D., Howard, K., Jellinek, A. M., and Rayder, S., 1994, The volcanic history of Volcán Alcedo, Galápagos Archipelago: A case study of rhyolitic oceanic volcanism: Bulletin of Volcanology, v. 56, no. 4, Springer-Verlag, p. 243-260.
Green, J., 1994, Recent activity in Alcedo volcano, Isabela Island: Noticias de Galápagos, no. 54 (H. Snell, editor): The Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galápagos Islands (100 N. Washington St., Suite 311, Falls Church, VA 22046 USA), p. 11-13.
Information Contacts: J. Green, Quito; D. Geist, University of Idaho; J. Stimac and F. Goff, LANL, Los Alamos.
Alcedo is one of the lowest and smallest of six shield volcanoes on Isabela Island. Much of the flanks and summit caldera are vegetated, but young lava flows are prominent on the northern flank near the saddle with Darwin volcano. Alcedo is the only Galápagos volcano known to have erupted rhyolite as well as basalt, producing about 1 cu km of late-Pleistocene rhyolitic tephra and lava flows from several vents late in its history. Recent faulting has produced a moat around part of the 7-8 km caldera floor, which is elongated N-S and appears to be migrating to the south. Fewer circumferential fissures occur on Alcedo than on other western Galápagos volcanoes. An eruption attributed to Alcedo in 1954 (Richards, 1957) is more likely to have been from neighboring Sierra Negra (Simkin 1980, pers. comm.). Photo-geologic mapping of Alcedo by K. A. Howard (pers. comm.) revealed only one flow on October 30, 1960 photographs that does not appear on May 30, 1946 photos. That is near Cartago Bay, low on the SE flank, rather than the 610-m, NE-flank elevation listed for the 1954 eruption. An active hydrothermal system is located within the caldera.
Summary of Holocene eruption dates and Volcanic Explosivity Indices (VEI).
|Start Date
|Stop Date
|Eruption Certainty
|Activity Area or Unit
|1993 Dec 5 ± 20 days
|Historical Observations
|South caldera wall
|[ 1954 Nov 9 ]
|[ Unknown ]
|1953 ± 7 years
|Historical Observations
|SE flank near Cartago Bay
This compilation of synonyms and subsidiary features may not be comprehensive. Features are organized into four major categories: Cones, Craters, Domes, and Thermal Features. Synonyms of features appear indented below the primary name. In some cases additional feature type, elevation, or location details are provided.
|Calderon, Volcan
|Feature Name
|Feature Type
|Cowley Island
|Fissure vent
|Alcedo is one of the lowest and smallest of six shield volcanoes on Isabela Island. Seen here from the coast of Fernandina Island to its west, Alcedo has a broad 7-8 km wide summit caldera. Most of the flanks and summit caldera are vegetated, but young lava flows are prominent on the northern flank near the saddle with Darwin volcano. Alcedo is the only Galápagos volcano known to have erupted rhyolite as well as basalt. Only one eruption is known during historical time. An active hydrothermal system is located within the caldera.
Photo by Lee Siebert, 1978 (Smithsonian Institution).
|This dramatic Space Shuttle photo from a 1988 mission shows five major calderas of the Galápagos Islands. Caldera diameters capping these basasltic shield volcanoes range up to 8 km. At the lower left is Fernandina volcano. At the lower right is mostly vegetated Alcedo volcano on Isabela Island. Above and to the left is Darwin volcano, with the two prominent breached tuff cones, Tagus and Beagle, on its SW flank. Volcán Wolf is at the top of the photo, and Volcán Ecuador with its breached caldera forms the NW tip of Isabela Island.
Shuttle photo by National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA), 1988.
|The large 7-8 km wide summit caldera of Alcedo volcano is seen in this aerial view from the south. Alcedo is one of the lowest and smallest of six shield volcanoes on Isabela Island; Darwin and Wolf volcanoes can be seen in the background. Much of the flanks and summit caldera are vegetated, but young lava flows are prominent on the northern flank near the saddle with Darwin volcano, and an active hydrothermal system lies within the caldera.
Photo by Patricio Ramon, 2005 (Instituto Geofisca, Escuela Politecnica Nacional).
The following references have all been used during the compilation of data for this volcano, it is not a comprehensive bibliography. Discussion of another volcano or eruption (sometimes far from the one that is the subject of the manuscript) may produce a citation that is not at all apparent from the title.
Geist D, Howard K A, Jellinek A M, Rayder S, 1994. The volcanic history of Volcan Alcedo, Galapagos Archipelago: a case study of rhyolitic oceanic volcanism. Bull Volc, 56: 243-260.
Geist D, Howard K A, Larson P, 1994. The generation of oceanic rhyolites by crystal fractionation: the basalt-rhyolite association at Volcan Alceda, Galapagos Archipelago. J Petr, 36: 965-982.
Goff F, McMurtry G M, Counce D, Simac J A, Roldan-Manzo A R, Hilton D R, 2000. Contrasting hydrothermal activity at Sierra Negra and Alcedo volcanoes Galapagos Archipelago, Ecuador. Bull Volc, 62: 34-52.
IAVCEI, 1973-80. Post-Miocene Volcanoes of the World. IAVCEI Data Sheets, Rome: Internatl Assoc Volc Chemistry Earth's Interior..
McBirney A R, Williams H, 1969. Geology and petrology of the Galapagos Islands. Geol Soc Amer Mem, 118: 1-197.
Naumann T, Geist D, 2000. Physical volcanology and structural development of Cerro Azul volcano, Isabela Island, Galapagos: implications for the development of Galapagos-type shield volcanoes.. Bull Volc, 61: 497-514.
Richards A F, 1962. Archipelago de Colon, Isla San Felix and Islas Juan Fernandez. Catalog of Active Volcanoes of the World and Solfatara Fields, Rome: IAVCEI, 14: 1-50.
Simkin T, 1980. . (pers. comm.).


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Early on Sunday, Gaza health official Ashraf al-Kidra said two teenagers were killed and ten people were injured when a building was hit.
Gaza residents reported heavy Israeli raids overnight.
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Air attacks knocked out five electricity transformers, cutting off power to more than 400,000 people in southern Gaza, according to the Gaza electricity distribution company. People switched on backup generators for limited electrical supplies.
Hamas has unveiled an arsenal of more powerful, longer-range rockets this week, and for the first time has struck at Israel's two largest cities, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Both cities, more than 70 kilometers (45 miles) from Gaza, had previously been beyond rocket range.
In a psychological boost for Israel, a new rocket-defense system known as "Iron Dome" knocked down a rocket headed toward Tel Aviv, eliciting cheers from relieved residents huddled in fear after air raid sirens sounded in the city.
Associated Press video showed a plume of smoke following an intercepting missile out of a rocket-defense battery deployed near the city, followed by a burst of light overhead as it struck its target.
Police said a second rocket also targeted Tel Aviv. It was not clear where it landed or whether it was shot down. No injuries were reported. It was the third straight day the city was targeted.
Israel says the Iron Dome system has shot down some 250 of 500 rockets fired toward the country this week, most in southern Israel near Gaza.
Saturday's interception was the first time Iron Dome has been deployed in Tel Aviv. The battery was a new upgraded version that was only activated on Saturday, two months ahead of schedule, the Defense Ministry said.
Israel has vowed to stage a ground invasion, a scenario that would bring the scale of fighting closer to that of a war four years ago. Hamas was badly bruised during that conflict but has since restocked its arsenal with more and better weapons. Five years after seizing control of Gaza, it has also come under pressure from smaller, more militant groups to prove its commitment to fighting Israel as it turns its focus to governing the seaside strip.
Israel's Defense Minister Ehud Barak has authorized the emergency call-up of up to 75,000 reserve troops ahead of a possible ground offensive. Israel has massed thousands of troops and dozens of tanks and armored vehicles along the border in recent days.
Egypt, which is led by Hamas' parent movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, has been spearheading efforts to forge a cease-fire. Morsi has vowed to stand strong with the people of Gaza and this week recalled Cairo's ambassador from Israel to protest the offensive.
Quietly, though, non-Muslim Brotherhood members in Morsi's government are said to be pushing Hamas to end its rocket fire on Israel. Morsi is under pressure not to go too far and risk straining ties with Israel's ally, the United States.
The Hamas website said Saturday that its leader, Khaled Meshaal, met with the head of Egyptian intelligence for two hours Saturday in Cairo, a day after the Egyptian official was in the Gaza Strip trying to work out an end to the escalation in violence.
Hamas has not immediately accepted Egypt's proposal for a cease-fire, but the group's website said it could end its rocket fire if Israel agrees to end "all acts of aggression and assassination" and lift its five-year blockade on Gaza. Egypt will present the Hamas position to Israeli officials.
Israeli officials say they are not interested in a "timeout," and want firm guarantees that the rocket fire, which has paralyzed life in an area home to 1 million Israelis, finally ends. Past cease-fires have been short lived.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he spoke with the leaders of Britain, Poland, Portugal, Bulgaria to press his case. "No government in the world would allow a situation where its population lives under the constant threat of rockets," Netanyahu told them, according to a statement from his office.
The diplomatic activity in Cairo illustrated Hamas' rising influence in a changing Middle East. The Arab Spring has brought Islamists to power and influence across the region, helping Hamas emerge from years of isolation.
Morsi warned that a ground operation by Irael will have "repercussions" across the region. "All must realize the situation is different than before, and the people of the region now are different than before and the leaders are different than before," he said at a joint press conference with Turkey's Islamist prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan, like Morsi, leads an Islamist government that has chilly diplomatic ties with Israel.
On Friday, Morsi sent his prime minister to Gaza on a solidarity mission with Hamas. And on Saturday, Tunisia's Foreign Minister Rafik Abdessalem visited Gaza as well.
Federman reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Karin Laub in Gaza City and Aya Batrawy in Cairo contributed reporting.
Copyright 2014 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Sounds ideal, yet it's true that even in Italy the grass is always greener on the other side, or as they would say: "L'erba del vicino e' sempre piu' verde." After spending a summer in Florida at a tennis school, the rest was history, and several years later, Marco Felicioli moved permanently to Scottsdale, Arizona, where he still lives today with his wife and two children.
With Rome as his true home but happy to be in the States, Marco straddled his affection and, in 1997, Artitalia Group was born and began importing beautiful high-end Italian furniture and art for the trade. His interest in custom furniture and architectural projects has helped make Marco a strong resource for designers and architects.It goes without saying that Marco owes much of his success to the artisans of Italy who have dedicated their craft of creating distinctive furniture through traditional techniques and values.
Although Artitalia Group began its journey with the renowned Vere Antichita line, today, the collections have grown and developed into a myriad of design styles, from traditional, to modern, to sustainable. Then and now, Artitalia Group represents an unprecedented group of Italian artisans and their work.


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Mental health advocates in North Carolina say more law enforcement officers need training on how to deal with people who have mental illness.
Debi DiHoff with the North Carolina Chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI, says just about 22 percent of all law enforcement in North Carolina have training for what's called Crisis Intervention Teams, or C.I.T. The voluntary program gives officers up to 40 hours of training on how to talk with mentally ill subjects and how to de-escalate potentially dangerous situations.
"Our goal is to have a trained C.I.T. officer on every shift in every law enforcement agency in the state and we're not there yet," DiHoff said.
In Durham, Capt. Elijah Bazemore with the Sheriff's Office says, on any given day, 20 percent of detention center inmates have some type of mental illness. That's why he says the training is critical.
"We try to deal with the citizens and make it as less dehumanizing as possible," Capt. Bazemore said, "so the citizen is not embarrassed."
Bazemore and DiHoff say the training should be mandatory across all law enforcement agencies, but they acknowledge it can be time-consuming and costly for some smaller, more rural departments to implement.
Even agencies with C.I.T. trained officers have run into problems with communication.
In Durham, information about the suicidal past of 17-year-old Jesus Huerta, conveyed on a 9-1-1 call, was not shared with the Durham police officer who arrested him on the morning of Nov. 19, 2013. Preliminary reports suggest the arresting officer missed a gun during a search of Huerta. Reports suggest Huerta later shot and killed himself with that gun in the backseat of a patrol car.
In March of 2013, a Wake County Sheriff's Deputy shot and killed 35-year-old Jonathan Cunningham after the mentally ill man stole a patrol car. Cunningham was not handcuffed and had been sitting in the front seat.
"There was a communication made that he had a tendency to grab the steering wheel," DiHoff said, "and that communication failed to be shared with the proper authorities."
Derick is a reporter for WNCN covering crime, education, politics and just about everything in between. He has a knack for adapting to any story and consistently delivers information quickly across multiple platforms. More>>
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Student Services Division
Athletic Scholarships
Recipients are selected by the Athletic Department.
Genevieve Macomber Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship was established to provide disability evaluations necessary for students to receive additional counseling and support services while attending LCC. Recipients are selected by the Office of Disability Support Services. Applications should be obtained from the Office of Disability Support Services or can be downloaded from their website www.lcc.edu/odss.
Phi Theta Kappa Honors Scholarship (Mau Tau Chapter)
Recipient must be a member of the LCC PTK, enroll in a minimum of 6 credits, and maintain a minimum 3.5 GPA.
International Studies
Dr. Tai Sung Kim Scholarship
Frank and Amy Scozzafave Memorial Scholarship
Recipients shall be one of the "Lost Boys of Sudan" or a Somalian refugee.
Megumi Shigematsu Memorial Fund Scholarship
This scholarship is intended for in-district residents involved in international studies and/or travel. Recipients shall enroll for a minimum of 12 credits.
Philip J. Gannon Scholarship
This scholarship was established for the following: students enrolled in the Atlanta University Center Program; International students; and faculty, staff and students wishing to participate in the Japan Adventure Program or other international programs. Recipients must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and carry a minimum of 6 credits.
Ukrainian Home Society Scholarship
Preference will be given to Ukrainian or Eastern European students who are enrolled in at least 12 credits.
William A. and Verna L. Zuhl Scholarship
This scholarship is to benefit international/national students enrolled in International Studies with a preference given to Japanese students. Financial need will be considered.
Financial Aid Office
Gannon Building
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Mr Doogan
Since I didnt see a thread stricly for Impreza's, I came here...I just picked up a 2007 Subaru Impreza SportWagon...its an Automatic Tranny (go ahead, laugh, haha)...Im just trying to find out if there is anything I could do (cold air intake, fuel remapping, etc) that would improve the gas mileage and still keep the car feeling quick. I've looked at the K & N's which promise increased HP and apparently a better MPG - anyone have experience (and real world results) with something like this? Thanks in advance! :D


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By Dawn Krebs
TREASURE COAST -- When the three professors entered the lecture hall at Indian River State College, they thought they were attending a seminar on student success.
But Matthew Brooks, John Carpenter and Tiffany Lewis soon realized that the crowd of college administrators, faculty and students were gathered to celebrate that the three had been awarded endowed teaching chairs from the college's foundation.
The professors were awarded a miniature wooden "chair" for the surprise as a recognition of outstanding teaching and to help them implement training institutes.
The first chair awarded was to Matthew Brooks, a resident of Jensen Beach. His project focuses on using social media to promote student success.
"The overall goal is to find innovative technology to enhance education," said Dr. Edwin Massey, president of IRSC.
Mr. Brooks, an associate professor in the English Communication and Modern Languages department, was awarded the Fine Arts Endowed Teaching Chair.
The next recipient was John Carpenter, who joined IRSC in 2008. His project was to establish an institute focusing on the instructor and their ability to improve critical thinking in students.
"The better you can think critically, the better life you are going to lead," said Dr. Massey.
He received the Gladys Williams Wolf Endowed Teaching Chair in Communications.
The third endowed chair went to Tiffany E. Lewis, an assistant professor in the learning assistance department. She received the J. Douglas Stephens Endowed Teaching Chair.
Ms. Lewis is planning to create a Flipped Resource Center, using a new approach to teaching that presents course content outside of class in a variety of ways, then use class time as a workshop to explore concepts using hands-on activities.
"This has the potential to turn the educational world upside down," Dr. Massey said. "We're excited about this process."
The recipients will receive an annual stipend of $6,000 a year for three consecutive years to implement the training institutes.
"Because quality of instruction is fundamental to IRSC's mission, we feel that it is very important to recognize these outstanding faculty members and reward them with the resources to implement projects that will benefit students and the community," said Dr. Massey.
For more information about supporting an endowed teaching chair, call the IRSC Foundation at (772) 462-4786.
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Big M Transportation / Diesel Express is a freight transportation and logistics company located in Blue Mountain, MS. We are a family owned and operated business with over 260 tractors that specializes in freight transportation in all 48 states. Big M Transportaion / Diesel Express strive to maintain the highest customer satisfaction when it comes to on-time delivery, driver performance, and customer service. Call today for a free rate quote and let us take care of all of your freight transportation needs!
Big M Transportation has won Cooper Tire's "Carrier of the Year" award two years in a row. Cooper Tire & Rubber Company is North America's fourth largest tire manufacturer and eleventh largest in the world, shipping tires to more than 150 countries.
Big M Transportation / Diesel Express utilize the latest technology in the transportation industry. All tractors are equipped with Qualcomm units for tracking and communication purposes which are in turn integrated with the latest McLeod Software for seamless dispatch and load assignments. Our customers also have the ability to access their load information via our web portal.


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My Pet: FREE Tools to Care for Your Pet and Connect with Others
While your veterinarian can guide you with objective information about diseases, and even provide a personal perspective of a disease condition, the final decision about euthanasia rests with you.
Here are some simple and healthy gravy flavor enhancers that you can add to dry dog food.
Regular checkups by your pet's veterinarian are an integral part of maintaining good health and spotting any ailments before they become serious.
Learn tips on how to choose the best fetch toy for your dog.
When owners bring their new puppy to a veterinary practice, one of the first questions is how old he/she is? The answer lies in the mouths of these babes.
Chronic kidney failure is a common problem in all cat breeds. The digestion of food produces waste products, which are carried by blood to the kidneys to be filtered and excreted in the form of urine.
Hand sanitizer has become a staple in homes, cars, handbags, and offices. These alcohol-based solutions are great for keeping germs at bay, but they can also pose a danger to animals that encounter them.
As a veterinarian I hear this question nearly every other day: "Should I get pet insurance for My Cat?" Here's our answer.
Flushable cat litters: which are safe to go down the drain? What flushable cat litter should you use?
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In the garden
Planting perennials
Fall is the time to plant perennials including herbs. Because some favorites like basil and parsley are annuals planted in the spring, it's easy to forget that many herbs can be planted in the fall and enjoyed until Thanksgiving, or if the weather is mild like last year, all winter long. And herbs can always be planted in pots and brought inside.
"Now is a very good time to get perennial herbs in the ground," says Nicole Schermerhorn, co-owner of A Thyme to Plant at Lavender Fields Herb Farm. "It's cool enough that you want to be outside working in your garden, but still warm enough for the herbs."
"Typically we're also getting enough rain at this time of the year," adds Schermerhorn, "and you're home from vacation now so you can take care of your herbs and begin using them."
Hardy perennials to plant now include rosemary, sage, thyme, chives, fennel, mints, and parsley. The fennel and the mint will die back over the winter but come back in the spring.
"Planting now allows the herbs to establish roots over the winter," says Schermerhorn. "They'll flush out new growth in the spring."
Herbs can be planted in dedicated herb gardens, mixed with vegetables, or added to flower beds and borders. Their various textures and colors can be very attractive, and many people enjoy putting fragrant herbs along walks or driveways where they can easily be touched to release their scents. Culinary herbs should be planted near your kitchen so that harvesting them is easy and convenient. You'll use them more often.
In choosing a site, remember that most herbs require full sun, from 4 to 6 hours a day minimum, good drainage, and good air circulation. Good drainage is so important that Schermerhorn recommends planting herbs in raised beds.
"Clay soil," she says, "does not provide good drainage." She recommends a planting medium of one-third organic matter such as compost, one-third topsoil, and one-third builders' sand.
"Make sure it's builders' sand," says Schermerhorn. "It won't compact like play sand so it adds drainage."
Don't mulch herbs. "We put a handful of organic compost around our plants to dress them up and improve the soil," says Schermerhorn.
"Herbs do not like wet feet, and all mulch does in winter is keep their feet wet."
In fact, most herbs are considered drought-tolerant, though some moisture is needed during dry spells to keep the plants growing. In general, annuals require more moisture than perennials.
Herbs also don't require much fertilizer. Over-fertilizing an herb can produce growth that is too rapid, making the plant more susceptible to disease or insect problems and diluting the concentration of essential oils that produce the taste in culinary herbs. Herbs in pots are the exception. They should be lightly fertilized once a month during their growing season.
Using your herbs is important to keeping them healthy. Evergreen herbs can be cut and enjoyed in recipes or vases all winter.
"Herbs are designed to be used," says Schermerhorn. "Cutting them encourages new growth, so keep using your herbs."
Lions Club donates backpacks to elementary school
The Richmond West Breakfast Lions Club (based in western Henrico) recently donated 59 backpacks to the Westover Hills Elementary School on Jahnke Road.
Above, club members display some of the backpacks prior to their distribution. > Read more.
Glen Allen student to perform at Carnegie Hall
Thanks to a first-place win in The American Protege International Vocal Competition 2014, Glen Allen High School student Matija Tomas will travel to New York City to perform at Carnegie Hall in December.
At the first-place winners recital in Weill Hall, Matija will perform Giacomo Puccini's opera aria, "Chi il bel sogna di doretta." She will perform with other vocalists from around the world and have the opportunity to win other awards and scholarships.
Locally, Thomas has performed with Richmond's renowned Glorious Christmas Nights, Christian Youth Theatre, and WEAG's Urban Gospel Youth Choir. > Read more.
Gayton Baptist Church dedicates new outreach center
The John Rolfe YMCA and Gayton Baptist Church have partnered in an effort to bring greater health and wellness opportunities to the community.
Through this partnership, the John Rolfe Y will run Youth Winter Sports programs, including basketball and indoor soccer, in Gayton's newly renovated $5.5 million outreach center that features a new gymnasium, youth and teen space, social space with café, meeting space and full service commercial kitchen. > Read more.
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Weekend Top 10
For our Top 10 calendar events this weekend, click here! > Read more.
Film industry training program planned for this weekend
The Community College Workforce Alliance (CCWA), in partnership with the Virginia Film Office, will offer "Get Your Start in the Film Industry," a two-day seminar designed to prepare workers for film, television and commercial projects in Virginia. The course will be held Oct. 4-5 at the Workforce Development and Conference Center, 1651 Parham Road in Henrico, on the campus of J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College.
The training will be taught by Gary Romolo Fiorelli, an accomplished assistant director for film and television projects, which include the television series Sons of Anarchy and ABC's current drama Mistresses. > Read more.
The Boathouse to open at Short Pump Town Center
The Boathouse restaurant will open at Short Pump Town Center in the spring, its third location in the region.
"People have asked us to come to the West End for years," said owner Kevin Healy. "When the opportunity arose, we knew had to jump on it."
The new restaurant will be located in a 5,800-square-foot space under the Hyatt House Hotel at the town center and will include a large outdoor patio. > Read more.
Coal Pit Learning Center director named 'Richmond History Maker'
Shots from the past
3 Henrico schools receive school security equipment grants
Business in brief
Unexploded Civil War artillery shell discovered at Fort Harrison
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Oct. 2, 2014Click here to read the print edition.
Weekend Top 10
Film industry training program planned for this weekend
The Boathouse to open at Short Pump Town Center
Getting a 'mouf'-ful
Lakeside microbrewery beginning to take shape
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Obituary – Rajalakshmi "Raji" Subbiah
Obituary – Madeline Elizabeth Trimmer Hughes
OBituary – Graham B. Sherrod, Sr.
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Lions Club donates backpacks to elementary school
Glen Allen student to perform at Carnegie Hall
Gayton Baptist Church dedicates new outreach center
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The Henrico that most don't know
The Citizen at 13
Peeling off the labels
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Hermitage to host Monday night football events
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Babe Ruth 13U World Series arrives in Glen Allen
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CalendarThe Shady Grove Coffeehouse at the Unitarian Universalist Community Church, 11105 Cauthorne Rd., continues its 14th season with Jack Williams at 8 p.m. The music of Jack Williams, rooted in… Full text


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Veteran Telugu actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao's 90th birthday celebrations, turned out to be a star-studded event, attended by the likes of Kamal Haasan and Mohanlal.
Many south Indian film biggies like Madhu, Venkatesh, Jaya Prada, Jayasudha, Nandamuri Balakrishna, Krishnam Raju, Dr Rajendra Prasad, Murali Mohan, Sai Kumar, Srikanth, Charmee and Meena among others marked their attendance at the birthday bash.
Looking back at his 70-year-old career comprising a filmography of over 250, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, in an interview with IANS, said two persons deserve to be credited for his success and fame.
"My mother has been my biggest inspiration in life. She encouraged me to pursue theatre at a very young age. My biggest influence has been filmmaker Ghantasala Balaramaiah, who picked me from the Bezawada (Now Vijayawada) railway platform and signed me as a lead for his film 'Sitarama Jananam' in 1944," he said.
Nageswara Rao retired as a lead actor years ago, but he still feels connected to the industry.
"I'm involved in many ways in the industry. I always wanted to give back to the industry and hence set up Annapurna Studios and even a film school recently. I'm facing arc lights for my new film 'Manam' with my son and grandson (Naga Chaitanya); so I was never away from the industry," he added.
Text: IANS, Agencies


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HSBC profit surges 28% in 2011
Improvement was primarily led by strong performance of the commercial and retail banking and wealth management segments.
By Zacks Equity Research
HSBC Holdings (HBC) reported full-year 2011 earnings of 91 cents per share, up from 72 cents in 2010. Profit came in at $16.8 billion, up 28% from $13.2 billion in the year-ago period. Results in 2011 included favorable credit-spread movements of $3.9 billion on the fair value of the company's recognized debt.
The year-over-year improvement was primarily led by strong performance of the commercial and retail banking and wealth management segments. However, performance of two other businesses showed deterioration compared to 2010.
Increased interest income and lower insurance claims were among the positives during the year. However, lower trading and fee income and higher operating expenses were the dampeners.
Additionally, HSBC made significant progress in executing the strategy to reshape itself and improve returns. In 2011, the company announced divestiture or closure of 16 of non-core and under-performing operations across the globe. Also, in 2012 it announced the sale or closure of three of its businesses.
Underlying profit before tax in 2011 was $17.7 billion, declining 11% from $19.8 billion in the prior year. The decrease resulted from higher operating expenses, which were partially offset by improvement in loan impairment charges, strong revenue growth in key regions and other credit risk provisions.
Quarter in detail
Total operating income grew 4% year-over-year to $83.5 billion in 2011. The increase was primarily driven by improved net interest income (up 3%), dividend income (up 33%), net earned insurance premiums (up 16%) and substantially higher income from financial instruments designated at fair value. However, these positives were partially mitigated by reduced fee income and net trading income.
In 2011, total operating expenses were $41.5 billion, up 10% from $37.7 billion in the prior year. The rise was due to higher compensation and benefit costs and general and administrative expenses. The increase was partially offset by $0.9 billion of cost savings in executing restructuring strategy.
The cost efficiency ratio for 2011 deteriorated to 57.5% from 55.2% in the prior year. The ratio was also below the target benchmark range of 48%-52%.
Profitability measures
Profitability ratios showed improvement during the year. Annualized return on equity improved to 10.9% from 9.5% in the prior year, reflecting the favorable movement on the fair value of debt. Moreover, pre-tax return on risk-weighted assets (annualized) increased to 1.9% from 1.7% in 2010.
Capital level
HSBC continued to generate capital from its retained profits during the year. However, reflecting an increase in risk-weighted assets and growth in loan balances, the company's core tier 1 ratio at year's end decreased to 10.1% from 10.5% from a year earlier. Total capital ratio also declined to 14.1% from 15.2% at the end of the prior year.
By business line
Retail banking and wealth management: This segment witnessed year-over-year growth in pre-tax profit primarily due to strong business and revenue growth in the Asia-Pacific and Latin America regions. However, the increase in loan impairment charges associated with the company's run-off consumer finance portfolio in North America negatively impacted the results.
Commercial banking: This segment continued to show improvements. In 2011, pre-tax profit was better than the year-ago period. Despite increasing headwinds in several economies, primarily in Europe, revenue continued to grow buoyed by higher net interest income from customer loan growth and higher lending activities.
Global banking and markets: Pre-tax profit for this segment was lower than 2010. Results were hurt by the challenging trading environment, widening credit spreads and continued uncertainty related to the European debt. However, strong franchises in global banking, foreign exchange and equities improved revenues significantly during the year, particularly in rest of Asia-Pacific and Latin America.
Global private panking: In 2011, pre-tax profit for this segment came in lower than the prior year. Higher operating expenses and increased loan impairment charges were the main reasons behind the fall, partially offset by increase in revenue.
Other: This segment witnessed improved pre-tax profit over the prior-year period primarily due to gains arising from the effect of changes in credit spread on the fair value of the company's long-term debt.
Dividend update
The HSBC board announced fourth interim dividend of 14 cents per share, payable on May 2, 2012 to holders of record as on March 15, 2012.
Our viewpoint
Our primary concern is the harsh impact from the deepening eurozone crisis. Moreover, HSBC is suffering from a weak revenue growth in its mature markets attributable to the ongoing low interest rates and regulatory restrictions in some key Asian markets, sluggish loan growth, insufficient core operating performance and high wage inflation to restrict the company's growth, at least in the near term.
HSBC currently retains a Zacks No. 1 rank. However, the company is poised to benefit from its extensive global network, strong capital position, business re-engineering efforts and strong asset growth.
Further, HSBC's cost containment measures will help it to deal with the economic pressures to a great extent. But we expect high inflation, which translates into a short-term "strong buy" rating. However, the company's closest peer – Barclays Plc. (BCS) retains a Zacks No. 2 rank (a short-term "buy" rating).
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As geopolitical tensions threaten to spin out of control, investors are wondering how best to position their portfolios for the global turmoil.
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Contributors include professional investors and journalists affiliated with MSN Money.
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Dave Hamlow
Dave Hamlow
Introduction to Art, 2 Dimensional Design
I was born in Eagle Bend, Minnesota, and have lived in San Diego, California; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Aix En Province, France. I spent the first 14 years out of undergraduate school working as a manager of the Midwest Warehouse of Lutheran World Relief.
Academic Interests/Specialties
I specialize in mixed media installation and conceptual drawing projects.
- BA in Visual Art from Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter MN (1989)
- MFA in Drawing and Painting from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (2005)
I have received Minnesota Individual Artist Grants in 2001 and 2009. I have shown my work at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, The Minnesota Museum of American Art, and recently at the Kala Art Institute of Art San Francisco and the AIR Gallery in Budapest, Hungary.


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3 Stocks from My December Watch List
Matthew is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
As an investor you know that the stock market can be a bumpy ride. It's tempting to make snap decisions in an effort to keep up. Those quick decisions often lead to mistakes.
Taking a step back and watching as events unfold on the other hand can be a very profitable endeavor. Over the past month I watched a half dozen companies that I'd overlaid options on in my "No Drip, No Mess" Portfolio. Now that those options have expired I have more, um, options that need to be considered.
Pipeline to profits
I wrote December $50 puts on Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE: EPD) that expired worthless. I narrowly missed being assigned shares as the stock finished just $0.18 out of the money. The trade added nearly 5% of options premium to the portfolio from writing this put back in July.
As one of the largest midstream companies in the country, Enterprise is part of the backbone of our domestic energy industry. The company has $8 billion of growth projects in the pipeline to keep our nation's growing supply flowing. These projects deliver excellent value to investors as each delivers additional cash flow that can be distributed. There are no signs that Enterprise will be slowing down any time soon so you can expect a follow-on trade shortly.
The chemical equation of profits
Like Enterprise, I had written a put on Dow Chemical (NYSE: DOW). A month ago it looked likely that I'd be assigned; however, the stock ended $2 above the $30 strike price as its shares rose nearly 11% for the month. Since I initiated the trade, shares are up around 9% so that the 6.5% worth of options income added to the portfolio in those four months isn't bad.
Dow is a perfect complement to the energy investments in your portfolio. With natural gas being one of the company's primary feed stocks, it benefits from the low natural gas prices that have sunk shares of top producer Chesapeake (NYSE: CHK). Dow is investing billions to take advantage of the low energy prices thanks to our abundant supply. Its ability to sop up this extra supply will help Chesapeake and other producers by pumping up demand. We're still several years from demand having too much effect on prices, making Dow a great portfolio addition.
Driving profitable returns
For the second time this year, Ford's (NYSE: F) shares drove higher than my written strike price leaving me with just income to show for my efforts. This second trade on the company added 3.25% worth of options income in just three short months. In the five months since taking Ford out for a spin, the company has added nearly 10% worth of income to the portfolio.
While that income is nice, simply buying shares would have been the optimal outcome. The unencumbered shares that I do still own have risen by more than 27%. Unlike its top rival GM (NYSE: GM), the company has enjoyed an unencumbered balance sheet as it hasn't been weighed down by the overhang of a government bailout.
Even though "Government Motors" is in the final stages of shedding its top shareholder, Ford has been able to concentrate on operations as opposed to government relations. Ford's ability to nimbly operate and streamline its efforts through its "One Ford" model is starting to yield excellent results. While the company's European operations remain weak, its growth in Asia and strength here at home should keep driving shares higher.
Putting it all together
Options are a great way to earn income as shares bounce around on the whims of the market. While my original intention was to use options as a means to share ownership, I can't complain about only earning income. The plan is to keep using options on all three companies to keep the income flowing back into the portfolio.
latimerburned owns shares of Enterprise Products Partners L.P and has a synthetic long on Ford. The Motley Fool owns shares of Ford and has the following options: long JAN 2013 $16.00 calls on Chesapeake Energy, long JAN 2014 $20.00 calls on Chesapeake Energy, long JAN 2014 $30.00 calls on Chesapeake Energy, and short JAN 2014 $15.00 puts on Chesapeake Energy. Motley Fool newsletter services recommend Enterprise Products Partners L.P., Ford, and General Motors Company. 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. Is this post wrong? Click here. Think you can do better? Join us and write your own!


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This story is book 3 in a series. If you have not read A Sister's Love, and A Family's Blessing, message me! You might want to read those first to understand what is happening. A Tribe's Miracle will pick up right where A Family's Blessing stopped. If you have any questions, just ask! I love my readers.
Thanks for Reading.
A Tribe's Miracle
Chapter 1
Emmett's POV
It hit me yesterday that with everything that has happened, Alex and my 2nd anniversary has snuck up on me. We haven't had a date night in forever. Two small kids will do that to you, but I'm about to change that. Alex has dropped hints that she wants this New Kids On the Block/ Backstreet Boys cd, but I think I can do better than that. They are performing in Seattle next weekend, and I think I can get tickets.
It hit me that Jessie is into that boy band stuff also. Collin might like to surprise Jessie with tickets also. If Jessie is there, Alex will have a girl to talk to, and I won't have to hear about how hot some other dude is. I mean, she has me, what more does she need?
"Hey, Collin. If I can get tickets to that New Back Boys concert, or whatever they are called, do you want to take Jessie?" I called Collin.
"Yea. I figure I might have to drop a name or two, but I haven't used the Cullen name for anything recently, so I might as well use it to make my wife happy. If you and Jessie are there, I won't have to listen to Alex gush over these dudes. I'll call and see what I can do. 4 Tickets and two hotel rooms shouldn't be that hard to come by." I said.
I called the ticket office, just to be informed that the show was sold out. I thought for a moment, and then called Alice.
"Pixie, I need your help. What's the name of your entertainment coordinator for Seattle? I need tickets to a concert that's this weekend." I asked.
"For the trillionth time I AM NOT A PIXIE!!!" Alice screamed.
"Whatever just give me the number. There's a concert that Alex will love, and love me for taking her to, but it's sold out. I know your guy can get me tickets." I said.
"Ugh, you procrastinate too much. His name is Craig, and his number is 578*7872. Make sure you tell him that I am your sister, or you will get nowhere. Oh… and you owe me something expensive from Seattle." Alice said.
"Thanks, and I'll buy you something glittery, Pixie." I quickly hung up before she could yell at me again.
I dialed the number and waited for Craig to pick up. "Craig, my sister Alice Hale gave me your number and said you were the guy to help me out. Is there any way you can get me tickets to the New Kids on the Block/Backstreet Boys concert this weekend? I need 4 tickets. I know its sudden notice, but I want to surprise my wife for our anniversary." I held my breath.
"Well, all I have left are the VIP ticket packages. They can be quite pricy, but since Mrs. Hale is your sister, I assume money is no object? Mr…you didn't tell me your name, I'm afraid." Craig said.
"It's Cullen, Emmett Cullen. Money is no problem. If it makes my wife happy, it's worth it. What is a VIP package, and what type of money are we looking at?" I asked.
"Mr. Cullen, the VIP package includes backstage passes, autographed seats, and concert tickets. We are talking $250." Craig explained.
"That's it? That's not expensive." I said.
"Sir, I mean $250 per seat. I'm assuming you want them. I need a credit card number, and there will be a $25 currier fee. This is to deliver the tickets to your house or place of business tomorrow." Craig said.
I gave him the information he wanted, then hung up. Next I had to make hotel reservations.
I called around and found two hotels side by side near the water front. I called and made reservations for Alex and I at Hotel 1000. Thankfully the Alexis Seattle was right next door, just as nice, but about half the price. Collin keeps saying he is going to pay me back, but if he knew that I just paid over $1000 for a hotel room for 2 nights, he would freak.
After I booked the hotels, I called Collin. "Hey, we have tickets for Friday night. I made reservations for Friday and Saturday nights at neighboring hotels. I thought we might want to keep the girls separate after the concert, so we can have some alone time with our wives. They can go shopping Saturday, while we go find something else to do. We will head home about noon Sunday."
"Sounds good. Let me know how much I owe." Collin said.
"We will take care of that later. Do you want to run to the mall later? I mean, I'm gonna finish this surprise out by choosing Alex a concert outfit." I suggested.
We agreed to meet at the mall later, and do a one stop shopping spree. Hopefully my idea of what I want Alex to wear will mesh with what she is willing to wear.
Views: 774
great update! glad she got the nursery done and just in time. can't wait to read your next update:-)
Chapter 22
Rebecca's POV
I've been home for a few days now, but still haven't found a place of my own. Jacob agreed to help me find a house, but I have to tell him the whole story first. It's time to fill him in, I think.
"Hey, sis. I have two and a half hours before I need to pick Zander up from Mommy's Day Off. Are you ready?" Jake was talking as he walked in the door.
"Sit for a minute. Before we go house shopping, I want to tell you the whole story behind why I am here, and how I have Malia." I motioned him in.
"You don't have to tell me anything. I just want you to be happy." Jake said.
"Just let me talk. I want to tell you everything, but if you interrupt, I won't get everything said." I took a breath, and began.
"Malia's birth mom was a young girl I got to know through the clinic at the hospital where I worked. I saw her sitting alone in the cafeteria one day, and started up a conversation with her. We started having lunch or a snack every time Kalian came in for a check-up or sometimes just because she was lonely. I learned that she didn't have any family, and had moved to Hawaii with her boyfriend who was in the Marines. He was deployed right before she realized she was pregnant. We became good friends, and talked about everything in our lives. She knew I was trying to get pregnant and couldn't. I even went to a fertility specialist, just to be told that nothing was wrong with me. The doctors couldn't find any problems…any reason I shouldn't be able to get pregnant. They suggested stress might be causing a fertility loss so I took a few weeks off. When you called about Rachel, I decided to come home for a visit. I packed to fly out, when you called and told me just to wait for the wedding. I left the airport and went home to find another woman in my house. There was no doubt as to the reason she was there. I told my husband to get out of my house, that my lawyer would be starting the divorce paperwork. The man I thought I loved, and thought loved me informed me that divorce wouldn't be necessary because he used a fake name at our wedding. Right after he threw that bombshell at me, my phone rang. The hospital was calling me to tell me that Kalian was in labor. She had listed me as her next of kin, and the delivery was not going well. I told him to be out of my house by the time I returned, or I would have the police remove him."
I took a breath and started again. "Once I got to the hospital, I asked if the father was contacted. Kalian whispered 'KIA' before she lost consciousness. I asked around and realized that the Marine officials had showed up the day before to inform her that he was killed in action. Within 24 hours, this tiny baby lost both parents. Since I was listed as next of kin, I was asked if I would take custody of the child. Without hesitation, I accepted. I decided that Malia needed family, so I put my lawyer in charge of selling my Hawaii property, and moved home."
Jake thought for a moment, then replied. "Okay, that explains everything, but how you are nursing Malia."
"It started as a medical trial that I knew was going on at the hospital. After trying several formulas, and Malia resisting each of them, I went to Dr. Neuwaku about the trial. He set me up on hormone treatments for several days, then an herbal tea. His idea was that if you tricked the body into thinking it was pregnant, you could get it to produce milk. He is right about something, because here I am. Now that I've started, I just have to drink this herbal tea once a day to encourage milk flow." I explained.
"Okay. Let's go find you a house then." Jake stood up and pulled me up off the couch.
OMG! Rebecca's husband is full of crap!!
What he did is just wrong, cheating and using a fake name!!
He was the problem as to why she couldn't get pregnant.
Malia will be loved though :)
great update! can't wait to read your next update!
Chapter 23
Seth's POV
I walk into Hayley's store to find her on a step stool reaching above her head to pull down an item for a customer.
"HAYLEY MCKENNA CLEARWATER! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!?!" I yelled as I pulled her off the stool and placed her feet on the floor.
"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm helping a customer. You coming into the store yelling at me doesn't help a thing." Hayley stood with her hands on her hips.
"You scared me. It's not safe for you to be on the stool reaching like that. If anything happened…" I started to explain.
Hayley stuck her hand up in my face. "Don't. It was safer than you screaming at me. You startled me and could have made me fall. YOU can finish helping the customer, while I go check on our daughter. When you finish with Mr. Smith here, you can straighten the back or leave. I don't want to discuss this now, and if you are smart you will not push the issue."
I stood there watching my wife walk away, wondering what I had done. I heard the customer clear his throat, and ask if there was a problem.
"Sorry. I'm just a little overprotective. We are expecting our first child and the doctor told her to take it easy, and not do any heavy lifting." I explained. "Now, which item was she reaching for?"
"That baby saucer thing right there. I can understand the feeling. I'm trying to buy everything we need for our baby while my wife is at home on bedrest. She gave me a list, but I'm struggling to figure out what she means. The doctor told us that the baby can come anytime now, so I'm trying to get prepared." Mr. Smith replied.
"As long as you have clothes, a car seat, and a place for the baby to sleep, along with diapers and plenty of wipes you will be good. In fact, when I brought my daughter home, all I had was the clothes on her back and a free diaper bag with samples. I was not expecting to become a dad, but when my sister died in childbirth, I took my niece to raise as my own. On the way home from the hospital, I stopped here to buy the rest of the things I needed, met Hayley, and the rest is history. Now 5 months later, we are married and expecting another blessing. As long as you love the baby, things don't really matter…." I paused, then added "but we appreciate your business and will sell you anything you want."
I finished helping Mr. Smith find several things, and checked him out. He promised to return with his wife after the baby was born to pick out more things.
"Hayley…I'm sorry." I kneeled down in front of my angry wife. "It scared me, seeing you up on that ladder. I could see you falling, and me losing you and the baby. I can't lose you. Leala would be lost without her Mommy."
"I know. However, if a customer needs something, I can't tell them sorry, I can't get you that item because I'm pregnant. They would turn around and walk out." Hayley replied softly.
"Maybe we can work out something. We could offer free delivery within so many miles. You have the girls helping some afternoons, the boys would probably come help just so they can be around Lindley and Jenny. If they can't, we can probably get one of the wolves to deliver. I can also rearrange the store so that things aren't up on shelves, but either in the back or down below the displays. You think about hiring a delivery crew, and I'll think about how to make the store work better. But now, we have to go to Mom's for supper. She has invited the whole family over, including Rachel and Rebecca, so I don't think this is optional attendance." I said.
Hayley sat up and looked at me. "We can't go to your moms. I have nothing to wear. I'm in my backup clothes, and even these have spit-up and baby poop on them. Your daughter decided it would be funny to spit up all over me, twice, and then to wait until I took the diaper off to use the bathroom. She has gone through all of her clothes today also."
"Go check upstairs and see if there is anything you can wear. I'll find something for Leala." I suggested.
"Where are you going to find her an outfit? I told you everything I brought for her is dirty." Hayley answered.
"Look around, love. We are in a baby store. There are baby clothes all around us. Now go get changed before you have to go as you are." I shooed her upstairs, and started looking for an outfit. Nothing too fancy, but still cute enough to pass inspection.
"I'm ready, I guess." Hayley came down the stairs. I turned around and looked at her, letting out a wolf whistle.
"My dress shirt has never looked better. Leala, isn't Mommy pretty?" I commented. Hayley had thrown on one of my old dress shirts with a low belt and a pair of leggings.
"This is the only thing I found that fits. Good thing oversized shirts and leggings are still in style." Hayley sighed, looking down at her barely visible baby bump.
"Are we going to tell the family our news tonight or wait a while longer?" I asked.
"If they guess or make a comment, we will tell them, if they don't, we will keep our secret a bit longer." Hayley said.
So I'm hoping that when Seth and Hayley tells their news that everyone else who is pregnant will come clean as well with their news.
Loved it!!
You will find out soon. I have it planned, but this chapter turned out so long, I had to end it before going on to the supper scene.
Chapter 24
Hayley's POV
Once we got to Ms. Sue's for supper, I thought there would be enough people to take the attention off us. There was a house full once you added in Billy's crew. Besides Jake, Nessie, and the 2 kids, we now have Evan, Rachel, Eva Grace, Rebecca and Malia. So around the table were 9 chairs, 5 high chairs, and Billy's wheelchair.
Nessie answered the question about if she was pregnant as soon as they walked in. She had found matching shirts for all 4 of them. Hers and Jake's said "Oops We did it again." Izzy had an onesie that said, "Oops they did it again. I'm going to be a Big Sister" along with a matching hair bow. Zander's shirt was just like Izzy's but said big brother.
Our agreement was to keep our pregnancy a secret if we could, but I think Ms. Sue planned the menu to try to get me to confess. The first thing she brought out was oysters. I pretended to be busy with Leala, and not eat, but the smell was horrible.
"Hayley, Leala will be just fine in that high chair. You don't have to spoil her by holding her. That's our job." Ms. Sue called out.
I reluctantly put her in the high chair and made sure she was secure. Now I don't have an excuse for not eating.
"Is there something wrong, Hayley? I noticed you're not eating the oysters. I bought them fresh today." Mr. Charlie asked.
"No, nothing's wrong. I just really don't like oysters." I replied, trying not to gag. The smell was bad enough, but watching everyone else suck down the slimy meat was worse.
Mr. Billy was next to me, and held one out to me. "Sure you don't want to try it?" I shook my head, and he put it to his mouth and slurped it down.
I quickly put my hand to my mouth, jumped up, and ran from the room. I barely made it to the bathroom before I lost what little I had in my stomach.
Seth came to check on me and I assured him I was fine. "I guess our secret is out now. Go make sure none of those oysters are left anywhere around the table, and I'll come back out."
In a few minutes, once I was sure my stomach was settled, I returned to the table. Seth grabbed my hand and smiled at his family. "Well, I guess our secret is out. We've having a baby!"
Everyone congratulated us and said they had expected it. Thankfully the rest of supper was uneventful, and I didn't have to make any more rush trips out of the room.
I made a comment about being ready for morning sickness to be over, and Ms. Sue informed me that she was sick the whole nine months with Seth. NOT what I wanted to hear.
Yay!! I'm so happy for everyone!!
Can't wait to know what gender the girls are having!!
Cute t-shirts!!
Thanks. I dont even know for sure what each girl is having, and I'm the author!
I found the shirts on cafepress. I was polyvore-ing for another chapter to come, and saw these shirts, and thought they were totally Nessie.
thank you for the update..I love the way the story is progressing....I like c
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A Mid-Cap Chemical stock that Could Close 2012 Strongly
Damon is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
One chemical maker I have been keeping an eye on is Huntsman Corp.(NYSE: HUN), a $4.1 billion market cap company that caters to seemingly every industry from paints to aerospace. HUN's recovery persisted in the September quarter, when it earned $0.70 a share pre-restructuring charges, versus the prior-year's $0.51, despite modestly lower sales. Average selling prices are a key factor in the performance of Huntsman, and that metric surprisingly climbed 3% for its core polyurethane offerings, and 5% for its textile products, in the period. Of course, sluggish demand and pricing pressure in other segments limited results. But, there are positive trends here that may not have been noticed by many.
Indeed, the shares are trading at a P/E multiple below 8. Share earnings this year are likely to approximate $2.30. Concerns may be that the bottom-line rebound has been facilitated largely by the aforementioned restructuring and other cost containment. Moreover, Huntsman is highly leveraged, recently taking on an additional $400 million in long-term debt. Capital expenditures of between $425 million and $450 million are a probable use of cash.
But, the outlook remains bright for 2013, according to management. Profit gains appear on tap for all segments (including Polyurethanes, Advanced Materials, Performance Products, and Textile Effects), with the exception of Pigments, where near-term earnings pressure and inflated commodity costs (due to favorable ore contracts expiring) are apt to put a damper on income. Huntsman does have some advantages in the raw material market, including its foothold in the U.S. Gulf Coast. Overall, a more favorable cost structure is in the cards again in 2013. In a sector marked by relatively consistent sales, thanks to the wide range of customers served, this augurs well for an ongoing upturn. Plus, Huntsman is making strides in European and Asian regions, a likely catalyst next year, disregarding the negative effect of weak Chinese wind energy demand.
In all, Huntsman boasts numerous widely known companies as customers for its polyurethane offerings, including BMW and General Electric. Specific poly product lines include those that are wide margined and higher growth. Interestingly, it is one of only three domestic producers of polyols, as well as its byproduct, MTBE, a low carbon and high octane gasoline additive.
That said, HUN is dwarfed in size in the polyurethane field by conglomerates. These consist of the likes of Germany's BASF and Bayer, along with The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) and LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE: LYB). Dow's polyurethane presence is mostly constrained to the construction market in the form of foams and foam sealants. The more than $30 billion market capitalization entity operates a sizable Coatings and Infrastructure arm, competing with HUN within the construction, adhesives and other sectors. Some of its performance chemicals are also utilized in appliances, where HUN makes its mark. Looking at LYB, the $26 billion behemoth is primarily a petrochemical market participant. Several of its products used in paint processing are likely substitutes for Huntsman's poly offerings. On one hand these giant firms may well not concentrate their efforts on the poly business as substantially as HUN, though they also could have better access to financing that allows them to seize market opportunities.
Elsewhere, Huntsman maintains a solid share of the performance specialty market, with customization allowing for a proprietary product advantage and margins are thus healthy. The profitability of its Pigments business is above company norms. HUN holds a leading market share in titanium dioxide solutions, a type of pigment that causes whiteness, opacity, and brightness. Competition is more fierce in the Advanced Materials operations where domestic and emerging Asian firms are rivals. Finally, the modestly-sized Pigments business is bleeding red ink because of major industry players such as DuPont (NYSE: DD) with greater financial resources and economies of scale. DuPont, is a $39 billion market cap component of the Dow 30 Industrial Average.
In all, a risk-tolerant investor could benefit not only from the capital gains that may well ensue from increased investor attention, but also the payout which currently yields around 2.3%.
dctotal has no positions in the stocks mentioned above. The Motley Fool has no positions in the stocks mentioned above. 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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Caprial And John's Kitchen: Cooking For Family
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The hosts show you how to prepare great recipes with the summer bounty.
Vermont transplant and Guster frontman Ryan Miller seeks out far-fetched friends across the state! Available exclusively online.
Check out winning Vermont entries to the 2014 PBS Kids Writers Contest!
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