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Debate has earnestly started in Kenya concerning the way the country will use its oil resources, now in preliminary well drilling in the Turkana region, one of the most inhospitable regions in the country.
It isn't without comparison to how the finding of the Kilwa (Mnazi Bay and Songosongo) gas helped to change the southern parts of the country from sleepy conservative villages, often mired in mutual fear of witchcraft, to busy towns with numerous guest-houses, a vibrant flesh trade and frenetic land purchases. Unbeknowst to all, the land is being given to the Israelites, or perhaps the Europeans....
The focus of the debate – though commercial production of the oil finds, according to President Mwai Kibaki, could take up to three years – is what will happen to the economy when oil comes ashore, as its huge export earnings stand to appreciate the shilling and bring down other sectors.
Economists talk of an oil curse – which is inaccurate and would rather be linked to the 'Dutch disease,' as, in the latter case, is a problem of allocation of capital and comparative pricing comes up in an economy owing to the impact of a natural resource bonanza on a country's currency. Nigeria suffered both – curse and disease.
Speaking of an oil curse and a Dutch disease at the same thing could be faulty, and it was clear that the Kenyan commentators were rushing to talk of a curse whereas everything they put on the plate amounts to a disease. The difference is that with a curse, the country starts to behave irrationally because of major natural resources find, where loyalties shift from an existing political system to insurgency, as those living around the natural resource want to control it. Various sections of the population, or armed sections of the state, could also stage revolts if they think their chunk in a resource bonanza is too little.
In the case of Tanzania the prospects of an oil find on the coastline, especially when that find extends to Zanzibar's territorial waters already threatens the solidity of the Union even before oil is actually confirmed to exist, or trial wells are sunk. The reason is insufficient national cohesion, since the 1964 union was based on kindred populist policies on both parts – in particular after 1967 – and never really permitted interactive engagement of populations, for instance, via purchases of land in a market context. As a result Zanzibar was lately debating a bill to disallow Mainlanders in tourist guide trade in the Isles.
Threats of an oil curse in the case of Kenya appear to be minimal, though it is hard to tell if there is sufficient armour against such potential, since Kenyans have fought pitched battles on who bought land and what rights do they have in the localities where they bought land.
As if it is a rewinding of the 1952-56 Mau Mau conflict, youths are organizing in the Rift Valley to drive out central province settlers, mainly Kikuyu, who purchased land there – in like manner as the Kikuyus battled (randomly killed) European settlers who had taken over land in the central highlands. But analysts and theologians don't get the link.
For one thing, land purchases arising from developing oil aren't too extensive as the land in the northern area, the migratory cattle keepers of Turkana, Samburu and others aren't overly tied to the land.
At the same time, sparse populations and, by implication, low prices of land compared to other parts of the country, favour local participation in purchasing land, as Tullow Oil (the main drilling firm) can enter into land ownership links with local purchasers, even among its own managers. No land contests arise.
In Tanzania no such links came up with regard to the gold mining areas in Shinyanga and Mara regions, as the land was never bought in the first place, and instead people were cleared – often at short notice – for an allocated investor to come in. The result is poor development of linkages between the gold mining and local economies, save at the level of procurement of routine supplies; even then excessive amounts of food and supplies are regularly flown in from South Africa, reflecting a culture of maximizing costs in order to diminish taxable profit levels. It results from not investing locally, by not owning the land.
Since Tanzanian economists have never talked about a Dutch disease in the way the economy has fared after gold was discovered, and all the dispute surrounding the mining mirrors a natural resource curse, to what extent is Tanzania having either of the two syndromes, or both?
Put differently, how far has the shilling appreciated and the pursuit of gold eclipsed other sectors of the economy, apart from a possible rise in the instability of institutions owing to battling over the control of natural resources? In a way the evidence is marginal portions of both 'syndromes that the economy did not change much and instability was low.
One area where Tanzania and Kenya become less prone to the Dutch disease relates to the size of the economy vis-a-viz oil resources, or gold in the case of Tanzania. That is why economists were lately sizing up the extent of the Dutch disease in the Botswana economy owing to diamond mining, where it was seen to be real – given the fact that Botswana is closer to Zanzibar in its population than can remotely be compared to Tanzania or Kenya. It has 1.7m people; diamonds often earned well over 80 per cent of the foreign exchange.
This aspect would make Tanzania and Kenya similar to Nigeria in having a large population and thus a greater ability to withstand the natural resource curse, except that institutions were already unstable in Nigeria, and oil discovery ignited fire in a dry bush.
Nigeria is largely comparable to Zanzibar, whose cohesion as a country is limited, again because it had a similar political background as Nigeria or, for that matter, Uganda. The Sultan of Sokoto was a privileged traditional ruler. As in Uganda, the first item on the post-independence government list was to depose him from that pedestal and it never ended well.
Whereas the Dutch disease and natural resource curse look unavoidable for Zanzibar once there is a big oil find, the Kenyan case can be compared to gold in Tanzania, as a significant but not overwhelming resource input that places the currency above its means.
Veteran permanent secretary and ex-LART chief Dr Jonas Kipokola, defending mining policy initiatives of the mid 1990s which brought in Barrick Gold and others, pointed out that Tanzania imports twice what it exports in value, and all of that is due to the flow of foreign direct investment. In large measure, a natural resource curse effect has dwindled because of extensive privatizations to start with, rendering policy making varied, not gold-focused, dizzy.
That is precisely where Kenya has a better chance in making use of oil findings than Tanzania with gold, the key link being in likely sourcing of plenty of capital either in the exploration and drilling stage, or in putting up the necessary infrastructure and procurement of materials for oil pumping.
With a more localized source of capital, procurement and management, plenty of the proceeds and profits will be pumped back into the economy by way of purchasing properties where Tanzania could obtain a chunk of the capital manna if, by that time, the EA Common Market would be in existence in substance. We are yet to accept it.


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"Some Like It Hot" Smoked Salmon Salad
April 9, 2014
It was one of those days when a quiet Shabbos lunch for four turned into a lebedike Shabbos lunch for...
Shabbat, the word that conjures up deliciously prepared Friday night dinners and Shabbat lunches with family and friends. Shabbat is an island of tranquility, an anchor, amidst the racing, rushing waters of our hectic lives. Delicious meals, with traditional food set the stage for precious focused time on other people who are dear to you. Browse our thousands of scrumptious and simple Shabbat recipes for great ideas!

subset: commoncrawl


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October 21, 2009
Lee Gordon
Christian Jones may have the lineage at Florida State, but that doesn't mean he's a lock to play for the Garnet and Gold. What was once thought of as a sure bet for the 'Noles is now anyone's guess as the Rivals100 linebacker has opened things up to nine different teams including FSU, Florida, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Southern California, and Oklahoma just to name a few."They (FSU) are in the mix. There are no leaders," said Jones. "I'll probably wait until signing day." ...More... To continue reading this article you must be a member. Sign Up Now!
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Arguably the most popular tool in cycling.
When making adjustments to your bike, the three most common hex sizes are 4, 5, and 6mm. Park Tool, being the savvy purveyor of bicycle repair equipment that it is, developed what's quite possibly the most iconic shop tool ever -- the 3-Way Hex Wrench.
Known internally at Park Tool as the AWS-1, and to mechanics worldwide as a 'Y-wrench,' this three-way has 4, 5, and 6mm hex wrenches. Each are bonded to a sturdy plastic center handle in order to ensure a firm grip. And by having three sizes instantly available, you'll spend less time fumbling around, and more time fixing things.
Tech Specs
View more Wrenches
Reviews & Community
John Bamford
Balled end tool works well
Balled ends are great when you can't hit the nail perfectly on the head, classic park tool quality works well!
- Familiarity:I've put it through the wringer
I got this and tossed it into my bucket of cleaning and maintenance supplies. It does what it is suppose to and has taken a beating but still going strong. Very happy and would buy again!
Andy H.
My Daily Driver...
- Familiarity:I've put it through the wringer
Great tool for daily bike maintenance. Features a great #4 hex, an even better #5, and the best #6 hex on the market. For all your metric adjustments this fits the bill.
Garrett C.
No other bike tool than park tool
- Familiarity:I've put it through the wringer
I have been using park tool for a while now, and nothing has failed, all of there tool are built to last and work great!
Should Have Bought It Years Ago
- Familiarity:I've used it several times
I wish I could get back all the lost time searching for hex keys in the garage. This has the 3 most used hex sizes, feels great in the hands and allows better leverage to easily torque those bolts!
Peter Hamm
Excellent Y tool.
This is nice, and worth the price! A standard.
Kevin K
Not the 3 Way you are thinking
- Familiarity:I've put it through the wringer
As a home mechanic, I got by just fine using a multitool for pretty much all my repairs as I had basically everything I needed all in one tool. While it worked well, fiddling between different sizes got old and I realized there was a better way. This is that better way. Not only do you have the most commonly used sizes all on one simple tool, you can apply torque much better for them. This tool is definitely something that is a staple to have in your toolbox for wrenching.
Andrew T
#1 tool for bike repairs
- Familiarity:I've put it through the wringer
Out on the road, a multitool is king, but in a shop, the 3 way hex wrench is king. There are very few bolts that you'll frequently adjust that will not fit one of these 3 heads. The nice wide grip gives you enough torque to loosen even the toughest bolt. I would recommend using a torque wrench to tighten all of the bolts, but a 4,5,6 3 way is great to have.


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Josh Stumpenhorst '03 gets to go to NASA Space Camp in Huntsville, Ala. He'll also get to meet President Obama and the first lady at a White House dinner in the spring. He may even be invited to throw out the first pitch at a Cubs game.
Those are some of the perks that come with being named the Illinois Teacher of the Year for 2011-2012. The Illinois State Board of Education announced the award Oct. 22 during the Those Who Excel banquet in Normal.


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"A landscape might be denuded,
a human settlement abandoned or lost, but always,
just beneath the ground lies history of preposterous grandeur. . .
They are everywhere, these individuals of undaunted
humankind, irrepressibly optimistic and proud."
– The Carpet Wars, Christopher Kremmer
Yet even at their most turbulent, the Afghans have tended to impress
travellers with their dignity and hospitality as much as their fierce independence.
– William Dalrymple, author of Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan 1839–42
God must have loved Afghans because he made them so beautiful.
– Unknown
Peshawar, Pakistan Afghan refugee
In Afghanistan, you don't understand yourself solely as an individual.
You understand yourself as a son, a brother, a cousin to somebody, an uncle to somebody.
You are part of something bigger than yourself.
– Khaled Hosseini
A French man who worked for the ICRC had been to inspect one of Kabul's
prisons to check on the conditions of the prisoners.
After their names had all been verified, he noticed a door which had remained unopened for the inspection.
The prison guard had been reluctant to open it;
behind it was just an old man in solitary confinement, he had said.
But it was the man's job to count the prisoners, and he insisted on being shown inside.
When the door was open, he caught sight of a half-naked old man in the freezing and windowless cell.
The old man had tottered to his feet, lifted the scrap of cloth on which he sat,
brushed the dust from it and stepped back, smiling, to offer the space to his guest.
– Jason Elliott, An Unexpected Light
Beetles & Huxley Gallery
London, UK
12 May through 7 June 2014


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Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - Led by a career-high 24 points from Scott
Suggs, the Washington Huskies defeated the Seattle Redhawks, 87-74, in a
crosstown rivalry game at KeyArena.
All five starters scored in double-figures for Washington (5-4), which has won
three of its last four contests. Aziz N'Diaye (14 points, 11 rebounds) and
Desmond Simmons (13 points, 12 rebounds) each tallied double-doubles, while
Abdul Gaddy added 11 points and five assists. C.J. Wilcox rounded out the
visitors' balanced attack with 12 points.
For Seattle (3-4), Chad Rasmussen made 5-of-8 from three-point range en route
to 19 points. Clarence Trent added 12 points for the Redhawks.
Washington got out to a commanding 49-27 lead at halftime behind a lofty 64.3
percent field goal shooting effort in the first half.
Seattle cut into the deficit after intermission by outscoring the Huskies
47-38 in the final 20 minutes, but it never got to within single-digits of the
Washington had an effective night at the foul line, draining 21-of-27 from the
stripe. The Redhawks were not nearly as efficient at the line, making just 14-
of-27 attempts.
The Sports Network


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The Migration Collection provides an overview of the many and diverse people who have migrated to Victoria since the 1830s, their motivations for coming, the material they brought with them, items accumulated on the journey, and the objects they made and acquired after settling here.
This material is varied and includes personal effects, domestic and work-related items, clothing and other textiles, luggage, shipboard souvenirs, photographs, art and craft works, and personal and immigration documents. The growing collection of documents relating to Australian immigration policy and promotion, and the processes by which people are selected, managed and organised, provides a critical bridge between the personal narratives and the narratives of nations - Australia's and others. Local community activity relating to migration is also represented, including cultural organisations formed to maintain cultural traditions; government and community support and administrative groups, such as the Good Neighbour Council; and protest and political movements, for and against immigration, multiculturalism and diversity.Scope of existing collection
The collection consists of around 6,000 items relating to individuals, families, communities and organisations. Acquisition is primarily by donation. Objects include personal items, artworks, work-related items, luggage, costumes, textiles, domestic equipment, documents and ephemera. Almost 60 per cent of the collection consists of 12 sub-collections of 50 items or more.
There are also many objects in other History and Technology collections, notably the Numismatics and Transport collections, which have direct relevance to the Migration Collection. The collection also includes a modest oral history collection relating to individual and family migration stories, as well as discreet oral history projects such as the Immigration and Artistic Practice Collection, the South Melbourne Tramworkers project, Melbourne Migrant Women Textile Workers, and Australian and Migrant-born Female Glory Box Experiences.
Significant items:
More Information
Anti-Nazi Protests, Anti-Racism, Apartheid, Apprenticeships, Arranged Marriages, Artworks, Assimilation, Asylum Seekers, Australian Citizenship Act, Ceremonial Costumes, Citizenship, Convicts, Cultural Identity, Cultural Maintenance, Cultural Traditions, Detention Centres, Diaries, Discrimination, Displaced Persons, Dowries, Education, Ethnic Groups, Glory Boxes, Gold Rushes, Government Policies, Great Depression, 1929-1939, Handcrafts, Immigrant Shipping, Immigrant Voyages, Immigration, Immigration & Ethnic Affairs, Immigration Debates, Immigration Policies, Immigration Selection, Immigration Voyages, Indigenous Activism, Internment Camps, Language Teaching, Mandatory Detention of Immigrants, Marriage Customs & Rites, Migrant Camps, Migrant Hostels, Migrant Reception Centres, Migrants, Migration & Settlement, Multiculturalism, Narcotic Drug Usage, National Costumes, National Identity, Nationalism, Performing Arts, Political Prisoners, Post War Migration, Prison Camps, Prisoners of War, Protectionism, Proxy Brides, Proxy Weddings, Racial Discrimination Act, Racism, Refugees, Return Migration, Rituals & Beliefs, Scouting Movement, Ship Memorabilia, Shipboard Travel, Shipping, Shipping Lines, Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Scheme, Station Pier, Ten Pound Tourists, Trade Unions, Traditional Costumes, Traditonal Customes, Vaccination, Visual Arts, War Brides, White Australia Policy, Working Life, World War I, 1914-1918, World War II, 1939-1945, Xenophobia, Albanian Immigration, Argentinian Immigration, Assisted Immigration, Austrian Immigration, Baltic Immigration, Belgian Immigration, British Immigration, Bulgarian Immigration, Cambodian Immigration, Chilean Immigration, Chinese Immigration, Croatian Immigration, Czechoslovakian Immigration, Danish Immigration, Dutch Immigration, English Immigration, Estonian Immigration, German Immigration, Greek Immigration, Hungarian Immigration, Irish Immigration, Italian Immigration, Japanese Immigration, Jewish Immigration, Kurdish Immigration, Laotian Immigration, Latvian Immigration, Lebanese Immigration, Lithuanian Immigration, Macedonian Immigration, Maltese Immigration, Muslim Immigration, Phillipine Immigration, Polish Immigration, Romanian Immigration, Scottish Immigration, Slovenian Immigration, South African Immigration, Swiss Immigration, Transylvanian Immigration, Turkish Immigration, Ukrainian Immigration, Vietnamese Immigration
Article types


text: Generations of gardeners have relied on the classic technique of dehydrating to preserve the fresh flavors of the season's harvest. Whether you grow your own produce or purchase it from the farmer's market, our dehydrator makes it easy to dry your favorite fruits, vegetables and herbs. It makes great jerky, too.


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this wiki
The Benefactor Stretch E is a limousine version of the Second Generation Schafter, available exclusively in The Ballad of Gay Tony.
The Stretch E is nothing more than a regular TBoGT rendition Schafter with an extended wheelbase. While sharing the same name as the Stretch, the Stretch E is clearly less luxurious, as it lacks any additions aside two more seats in the rear compartment. It also lacks lights on the sides of the doors. The body-style is based on a 2010 Mercedes E-class W212 Limousine. The Stretch E does not have the engine sound that the Schafter has but a sound that may derive from the Primo as it sounds like a V6, not a V12 as the Schafter has.
Being shorter than the Stretch, the Stretch E has slightly better performance, being capable of tighter cornering and better acceleration. Its top speed is 301 km/h (187 mph).
The Ballad of Gay Tony
The Stretch E is used as the escape vehicle in the mission Frosting on the Cake and is the only time when one can acquire the vehicle. Like the the vast majority of road vehicles, Stretch Es only spawn in traffic when the player is driving another Stretch E. But some might appear after playing/Replaying Frosting on the Cake for some limited time, even if you abandon the car for the mission.
- Despite featuring the updated body shape of TBoGT's Schafter, the Stretch E has the same wheel design as GTA IV's older Schafter.
- The vehicle's name is an obvious play on the term "stretchy" due to the fact it is a longer version of a normal length car.
- The car's name may also be a reference to the car's design, looking somewhat like a limousine version of a Mercedes E class.
- The Stretch E in Frosting on the Cake is lustered which is unique for this car.
- Strangely, after repeating (or failing) this mission many times via Luis' Phone, the Stretch E may appear in a series of unique paint-jobs, such as metallic blue/teal, metallic olive, light metallic brown or dark brown or dark metallic gold. These paint-jobs are not found in the streets or via respraying. However, the blue/teal paint-job can be found on modified Serranos when the player resprays the car many times, sometimes when Henrique delivers a Serrano to the player, or randomly on the streets if the player is already driving one.
- Oddly, the Stretch E has a top speed that is 42mph greater than that of the Schafter which it is based on.


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12-year-old Alex Tome spent the day working on his dirt bike since he wasn't allowed in the classroom.
He says he and a few other 7th graders at Falcon Middle School were suspended after buying these straws filled with "Happy Crack"... which is made up of orange or watermelon Kool Aid powder and sugar.
He says they paid 25 cents a straw, buying the concoction from a new student who was fundraising... trying to make money for the Kony 2012 movement... a project aimed at stopping the Ugandan warlord, Joseph Kony.
Alex says, "I made a mistake of buying something, but at the same time I also knew what it was. I've even researched it. They're trying to make a good cause, but it turned out to be bad."
Alex's mother took him to the doctor for a urine test to make sure what was in his system wouldn't hurt him.
She says her calls to the principal went unanswered, so she made a Call for Action.
She wanted something in writing about Alex's suspension since the policy is mentioned in the district handbook.
Mary Beth says, "That's why I went through the book. No paperwork. I want something in writing. I want something in writing."
Falcon School District 49 tells me the reason the Tomes didn't get a written notice is because Alex's suspension was supposed to be served at school. The only one to receive a tougher, out of school suspension was the 7th grader who was selling the powder.
The district says the students were punished because their behavior was disruptive. Other students reportedly were upset and told teachers, they were afraid the straws really did contain crack.
After our calls, the district sent this letter home with students, explaining what happened and how they handled it.
The Tomes say they've learned a lot from this incident and Alex won't be buying anymore homemade fun powders, no matter how worthy the cause.
KKTV firmly believes in freedom of speech for all and we are happy to provide this forum for the community to share opinions and facts. We ask that commenters keep it clean, keep it truthful, stay on topic and be responsible. Comments left here do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of KKTV 11 News.
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It is no secret that I have been a fan of the Organizher products at Target. You've seen me post about them in our family command center and I shared some new Organizher products here.
Well, today the lovely people at Organizher have sent me the new Organizher all-in-one memo book to review.
And…I got one for you too! At the end of this post you can enter to win your very own Organizher all-in-one memo book! YAY!
I just started using this Organizher all-in-one memo book and it is fantastic! Perfect timing too, because it's just in time for the kids going back to school! That is busy-crazy time in my house! There are tons of planners and trackers out there, but I need something that multi-functions. This is a godsend! It has an area for meal planning, tracking monthly expenses, a calendar for family scheduling, and a place with folders and blank lists for organization. Perfect for the busy mom on-the-go!
I am a meal planner, and this is great because it is divided up weekly and that is how I like to shop and plan. I can plan my meals in the meals section and then make my grocery list and store my coupons in the organization section.
In the scheduling section is a weekly calendar to keep track of all your family member's schedules. The expenses section tracks all your monthly expenses.
This is exactly what I needed for the start of the school year. Everything in one place, just like I like it!
Now is your chance to win an Organizher all-in-one memo book!
Enter Here:
To get the latest on Organizher products check out the Organizher website and the Organizher facebook page. Organizher products are on sale now exclusively at Target.
This is a product review for Organizher. All opinions are 100% mine.
Happy Organizing!!
P.S. I just wanted to share that my new friend Rhoda from Southern Hospitality is sharing our home today for her Feature Friday series!! I got to meet Rhoda last week at the Haven Conference and she is just as sweet, beautiful, and gracious as you would think she is from reading her blog. She is an amazing DIY/design blogger, but I'm sure most of you already know that 😉 Go on over to Southern Hospitality and see all of Rhoda's great projects and say hello for me! xoxo


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Legend of Grimrock
Legend of Grimrock - Beta Trailer
The game features survival, combat, magic, puzzles and role-playing elements. The player is a prisoner sentenced to death and exiled to the secluded Mount Grimrock for vile crimes he may or may not have committed. Unbeknownst to his captivators, the mountain is riddled with ancient tunnels and dungeons. The player's mission is to form a team and escape by descending through the mountain, level by level. During the journey the player encounters mysterious puzzles, deadly traps, ancient tombs and horrible monsters left behind by crumbled civilizations long perished now.


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Korea, 8th edition (Country Travel Guide) By Simon Richmond, Yu-Mei Balasingamchow, Cesar G. Soriano, Rob Whyte
2010 | 432 Pages | ISBN: 1741048311 | EPUB + MOBI | 114 MB
Experience the best of Korea with Lonely Planet. Our 8th edition will have you checking out the chic boutiques and bars of Seoul, watching the spectacular Mass , dining on Busan seafood, hiking to volcanic craters and recuperating from it all on the island paradise of Jeju-do.
Lonely Planet guides are written by experts who get to the heart of every destination they visit.


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Frankie is only 15 days old, so she's lucky to have great friends like Clawdeen and Draculaura to show her the ways of Monster High. Become her with our fantastic Monster High Frankie Stein Deluxe Costume for Kids. The wig, tights, and dress come included with this purchase. When all of the items are worn, your arms, chest, and legs will look like they're the same pale blue color of Frankie's skin. Designs that resemble stitches adorn the fabrics that cover these areas to help bring this character look together. The dress is designed as a blue plaid one shoulder outfit with pick ups. Your transformation will be complete when you wear the side pony gray wig that features black streaks. Frankie is the sweet and na
Our Price: $14.99
Our Price: $4.99
Our Price: $2.97


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Founder Insight gives you feedback from the startup trenches.
Failure sucks. But fortunately, this dark ominous cloud often has a silver lining. Its what we call learning from our failures - picking ourselves up out of the ashes, reflecting on what went wrong, and finally moving on.
In this post, Brajeshwar Oinam explains why Levoma, a new take on Online Dating, went under after two years in operation.
"About Levoma
Levoma is a Mobile Video Dating Site and App powered by Facebook Credentials. Levoma started in January 2011 and it was finally put to rest in December, 2012. In its 2 years tenure, we worked on the technology, ventured into the business opportunity of Mobile dating but somehow came short on various fronts.
Levoma was part of Founder Institute in 2010–2011 Winter Silicon Valley Chapter and we were among the final 12 graduating companies out of its initial cohort of 50+ startups.
We decided to shut down Levoma after thorough discussion with Mentors, Friends, Family and Partners, and we were acquired by Kamelot Kapital Pte Ltd.
Here are 3 main reasons why Levoma was put to rest;
1. Domain Expertise
I'm good with User Interface & Experience Design and can work with a tech-team to make things happen. That is my strong point. I have read a lot and kept my eyes and ears on Online Dating for quite a while but was neither a power user (I'm happily married!) nor have I worked with anything related to the sector.
Further, I did not do sufficient market research and had a male-centric view for what might work. It turns out the real problem to solve was (obvious in hindsight) - build a site women want to use first, and men will come anyway.
Unfortunately, my co-founder's experiences with online dating were similar to mine. He is good with Business Development but had no 'hands-on' experience with our market.
2. Product
We believed there was an opportunity in Online Dating. By combining mobile and real-time video experience, we aimed to solve the waiting and matching problem faced by many sites. We proposed users sign up with their interests and social graph. Then when they login, we would quickly match them with available singles for a quick 'video' speed-date, making interaction instantaneous, fun, and on-the-go.
While we could not launch on a large scale, our pilots showed that people are not as keen to simultaneously go live on a video date as they are with asynchronous old-school online dating.
3. Technology
We have high speed 3G, 4G everywhere these days but it is still not enough for video of reliable quality for real-time communication. All the related technologies have to work and play together across device standards and networks to work flawlessly. Most of the solutions we build were hacks upon hacks of the available platforms and protocols. As of today, this is a hard problem to solve. Efforts by giants such as FaceTime (Apple), Skype (Microsoft) are underway.
Parting Thoughts:
What would I do differently next time?
While focussing on a bigger goal, I would test and experiment small modules quickly. I will not go out building a mammoth product before trying to figure out who my customers are.
Here are few suggestions for founders, especially those just starting off;
- Create a bulleted list (at-least 5 items) to define and pin-point who your customer is, and focus on it. Keep refining it.
- Numbers are great, but focus on what you are good at and what you love to do. Don't always go after big numbers.
- Validate and test your ideas early. Talk to people, mentors and advisors. Be honest."
Like this article?


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5 Things to Watch in Next Week's Market News
There's no such thing as a summertime lull when earnings season is upon us. Even if you don't feel like alerting the "sell in May and go away" camp of investors, there are plenty of headlines to be written about. Here are five things that will shape the way the market acts in the week ahead.


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Hey guys, me again. It's mostly just a rehash of a grimcount file, but I just got a 2nd copy of Vol Agni and wanted to see if I could find a way to get him to work.
1 Princess of the Key/Emana
2 Ice Sorceress
3 Rasam
4 Solar Prince / Verlaat
5 Ocean Wyvern
1 Catherina
1 Mermaid Observer
3 Mirelia
3 Ascarat
2 Vol Agni
3 Hirume
1 Firespawn Merman
1 Pixy Aquamancer
2 tidal wave
2 Return
1 Wrath of the Sea Lord
1 Forbidden book
1 Oversoul
1 Meaning of Failure
1 Rampant Growth
1 Falkow Pike
Still early stages of testing, I've tried ryu instead of Ascarat, but I'm not sure I preferred that way. The difficulty is progressing to Gowen 4 to get Agni on the field,
I think at this stage it's just a gimick file, I haven't had much luck with it, but I do like the concept and want to see it work. Anyone got any ideas on how to get the flow working more smoothly?


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Be careful with your argument here, in 91/92 Halifax averaged just over 7,000 and a couple of other seasons around the same time of over 6,000. Against the poor draw teams they could manage 5k, which is pretty reasonable.
Problem was the crowds were success based, success goes, crowds go, crowds go, money goes, club dive bombs.
You have to think about what track record a club has in recent history, I know we are talking 20 years ago but it shows that over time (important phrase) Halifax could show a good return. It certainly wouldn't happen overnight, too many of those 5,000 are probably dead as the average age of an RL supporter 20 years ago was bordering on pensioner..
I am of course indebted to your kind reply.
I plead guilty to being a tad careless with my post.
However I like the idea Halifax when playing well could only manage 5,000 when they didn't have the honour of a lot of away fans coming from just oop t' road.
Bit like London who equally could manage 5,000 when they were playing well but were however playing well 200 miles from M62 Land and away fans.
I do remember when Halifax were playing poorly in SL they averaged 2,977 with the advantage of many away fans a car ride away.
So maybe there's nothing in it crowds wise.
That leaves the RFL deciding which club can bring on the most professionals to expand the player pool.
No contest.....


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'''''The Twilight Saga: New Moon, commonly referred to as New Moon, is a 2009 American romantic fantasy film based on Stephenie Meyer's 2006 novel New Moon. It is the second film in The Twilight Saga film series and is the sequel to 2008's Twilight. Summit Entertainment greenlit the sequel in late November 2008, following the early success of Twilight.[2] Directed by Chris Weitz, the film stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner,[3] reprising their roles as Bella Swan, Edward Cullen, and Jacob Black, respectively. Melissa Rosenberg, who handed in a draft of the film script during the opening weekend of Twilight, returned as screenwriter for New Moon as well.[4]
Filming began in Vancouver in late March 2009,[5][6][7] and in Montepulciano, Italy in late May 2009.[8][9] The film was released on November 20, 2009 in most countries, and set domestic box office records as the biggest midnight screening, grossing $26.3 million, which was superseded by its sequel, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. This led to the highest single day, domestic gross on an opening day, with $72.7 million,[10] until it was beaten in 2011 by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, which made $91.1 million, by nearly $20 million.[11] Furthermore, New Moon opened with the third highest domestic opening weekend since 2002 grossing a total of $142,839,137.[10] The film also became the highest grossing film released by Summit Entertainment, and was the widest independent release, playing in over 4,100 theaters in its theatrical run, until it was surpassed by The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.[12]
''New Moon was released on DVD and Blu-ray on March 20, 2010 through midnight release parties.[13] As of July 2012, $184,916,451 in North American DVD sales, selling more than 8,835,501 units,[14] 4 million of which were sold within its first weekend, beating Twilight's 3.8 million units sold in its first two days.[15] The film was well received by fans,[16] but critical reception was not favorableNew Moon: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion is a book by Mark Cotta Vaz that features exclusive images and information about the making of the film New Moon.
|Published novels
|Twilight • New Moon • Eclipse • Breaking Dawn
|Companion novels
|The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner • Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined
|Unpublished items
|Midnight Sun • Forever Dawn
|Graphic novels
|Twilight: The Graphic Novel • New Moon: The Graphic Novel
|Illustrated guides
|The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide
|Movie companions
|Twilight: Director's Notebook • Twilight: The Complete Illustrated Movie Companion • New Moon: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion • The Twilight Saga: Eclipse: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion • The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion


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I might spend a bit more time on the buncles, but tadaaa:
And here's the flavor text:
"Guards approaching... Activating Box System."
As the seasons turned to fall, a certain Magic Doll -Covert- decided to take a stroll through the forest. Following a worn out trail, she was confronted by a huge black castle patrolled by many carbuncles. With her heart grim, she crept towards the castle gate and the horrifying truth...


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June 7, 2011
Jerry Kerr
Duck Sports Authority
Nike's Football Training Camp was held in Eugene yesterday and featured talent from not only the Pacific Northwest and California, but also from Canada and states such as Alabama. Nike spared no expense in putting on their annual camp, which lured some impressive players who would showcase their skills inside of Autzen Stadium and the Moshofsky Center. Ducks Sports Authority was on hand to watch these athletes improve their skills for the upcoming season. Lake Oswego's own Alex Matthews took home MVP honors for the quarterback group. Matthews is a 6'3" 205lb dual-threat quarterback, who reports a 4.75 40-yard dash, will be the full-time starter for Lake Oswego this upcoming season. While he is without offers, Matthews has had verbal contact from Colorado. Former Colorado head coach Dan Hawkins was on hand to lead the quarterback group and gave tons of one on one instruction throughout the day. Wide receiver Maleaque Washington was extremely impressive; he stood out in individual drills and was also a threat during 1-on-1s and team drills. Washington, a 6'1" 192lb wide receiver from Eaglecrest High school in Colorado, had an injury shortened junior season due to a concussion but looks poised for a breakout senior campaign. When healthy, Washington flashed glimpses of dominance including a game where he caught 3 passes for 180 yards and 3 touchdowns. Washington ran very crisp routes; he utilized double moves often and found the end zone with ease. The Eaglecrest standout claims offers from UNC and Arizona but is garnering interest from the likes of LSU, TCU, Cal and Washington. ...More... To continue reading this article you must be a member. Sign Up Now!
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Facility > Map
Map (Lexington VA Medical Center)
1101 Veterans Drive, Lexington, KY 40502-2236
Yahoo! has discontinued support for their mapping API.
Please try one of these mapping services*:
Google, Bing, MapQuest
* External Link Disclaimer:
By clicking on the link marked with asterisk (*), you will leave the Department of Veterans Affairs Website. VA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of the linked website.


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After a year of upheaval that resulted in the resignation of its executive director, the Maine State Housing Authority says it's now providing more low-income housing at lower costs. In fact, the authority's board says the agency has been able to significantly reduce the cost of developing or rehabilitating affordable housing in Maine and provide dozens more units than it did last year. A.J. Higgins reports.
Under a revamped bidding process developed by the Maine State Housing Authority, quality work and adherence to state building codes are still top priorities, but developers can also get an edge in the competition for tax credits by pricing their projects competitively.
MSHA Executive Director John Gallagher says that if the project costs exceed the submitted bid, developers, and not the taxpayers, will now pick up the tab.
"They know in no uncertain terms that if they run into cost overruns, it's going to come out of their pocket, which is very similar to the private development world," Gallagher says.
Gallagher says as compared to last year, the agency has been able to reduce the price of affordable housing projects by 36 percent, and create 148 more housing units. Some so-called green incentives, says Gallagher, are receiving a lower priority under the revised system.
Instead, developers pick up extra points for meeting quality construction goals if their bid comes in lower than a targeted amount set by the agency. And Gallagher believes that many of those extra costs are simply a function of design.
"I've actually participated in the past, and as much respect as I have for architects, they do like to put their stamp on a building, and sometimes you wind up with some very beautiful, ornamental things hanging off your building that sooner or later you're going to have to either replace or maintain or whatever, so as a developer and an operator I would try to discourage those things," Gallagher says.
Peter Anastos, chair of of the MaineHousing Board, says it's often the little details incorporated into a major development that can contribute to added costs.
"The cost-competitive developer would have light posts, say, at $6,000, where the higher-priced one might have them at $30,000," Anastos says. "And when you don't have any penalty for putting in a fancy - or the choice by the architect that, say, he might want to put in - that's the sort of thing that happens," Anastos said.
Outgoing State Treasurer Bruce Poliquin pushed hard for lower development costs at MSHA when he assumed his place on the board two years ago. The new board put pressure on former Executive Director Dale McCormick, who resigned in March. Poliquin says the Maine State Housing Authority has proven that it's now an example of good government.
"I look at good government as being, 'How do you help the most number of people and use the least amount of taxpayer dollars?" Poliquin says. "And this is a great example of it. This is a terrific Christmas story, and I want to congratulate everybody that's been involved."
The MSHA board says that the six affordable housing projects will receive a share of nearly $3 million in federal low-income housing tax credits, which help leverage approximately $25 million in private investment into Maine. The projects are in Lewiston, South Portland, Portland, Saco and Biddeford.


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Fordham's Year in Review
Contact: Tom Stoelker
(212) 636-7576
Each year
Inside Fordham
produces hundreds of articles, tweets, and Facebook posts for the University. The most popular tend to be photos and videos of the Rose Hill campus. But last year's top post combined breaking news with campus nostalgia when the University Church bell rang for the election of Pope Francis. That simple iPhone video shot by John Gownley got thousands of hits, making it the most popular post of the year.
#1 University Church Bell Rings for New Pope
After the election, Father McShane appeared on CNN with Christiane Amanpour. He also appeared on
Charlie Rose
more recently
after the pope's groundbreaking interview in
Not surprisingly, the bell video was followed in popularity by classic seasonal photos of the Rose Hill campus. Shots of Lincoln Center's new law school on social media nearly edged out the Bronx campus. And if all the posts about the Rams' winning season were combined they would've defiantly edged out the bell.
So, here's the breakdown of rest of the rest of the year's top news and popular content based on a non-analytic method using tweets, re-tweets, likes, and plain old editorial prerogative...
#2 Seasonal Photos of Rose Hill
Rose Hill in the spring, summer, fall, and winter consistently reap the lion's share of attention on Facebook and Instagram.
#3 Rams Football Winning Season and Homecoming
For the first time in the University's history, the men's football team finished the regular season 11-1. Posts about the winning team invariably
brought in cheers from Ram fans
, old and new.
alone drew quite a bit of attention, with much of the fun compiled on
#4 FBI, CIA, and NSA Heads Convene at Fordham
With the nation's attention focused on issues of cybersecurity and privacy, Gen. Keith Alexander, commander of U.S. Cyber Command and director of National Security Agency, joined John Brennan, FCRH '77, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and Robert Mueller, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
to discuss the topic for the first time in public
#5 The New Law School Building
Designed by the world-renowned architectural firm of Pei, Cobb, Freed, the Law School's new building is quite the sight when viewed from Lincoln Center. With the scaffolding down, the buzz isn't just coming from the University community. Opera and ballet audiences can be seen pointing and admiring from theater balconies during intermission as well.
#6 Commencement
Commencement is a huge draw online. This year, as always, it was streamed live, but it was also tweeted, facebooked, vined, and
. The commencement address was delivered by journalist
Richard Engel who didn't mince words
when it came to advising students on making hard choices.
#7 Philosopher Earns Fordham's Largest Humanities Grant
Stephen R. Grimm, Ph.D., associate professor of philosophy, received a
$3.56 million
grant from the John Templeton Foundation
to develop a better understanding of human understanding itsel
f. Grimm's award was the largest that Fordham University ever received in the humanities. It will fund an interdisciplinary initiative, "Varieties of Understanding: New Perspectives from Psychology, Philosophy, and Theology." Starting July 1, 2013, the three-year endeavor began to sponsor research, in these three fields, into the various ways in which human beings understand the world.
#8 St. Francis Prep Student Chooses Fordham Over Ivy League
Sal Cocchiaro graduated as valedictorian of St. Francis Prep with a 100.7 average and won $480,000 worth of scholarships from seven Ivy League-caliber colleges. But he chose a full four-year ride at Fordham University. His choice of Jesuit over Ivy landed him a
New York Daily News profile
and became one of the year's most popular stories on social media.
Jubilee 2013 Attendence
Turnout for
this year's Jubilee
was an all-time high, with nearly 2,000 Fordham family descending on the campus for programming that encompassed deans' lectures, museum tours, a Yankees game, class luncheons, frisbee, cocktail parties, the Jubilee Picnic, a gala dinner with dancing, and the occasional jaunt to Pugsley's, the beloved pizza joint near campus.
#10. Students Help with Recovery from Hurricane Sandy
All spring long, Fordham students and other members of the University
consistently volunteered every Saturday
to help rebuild the devastated community of Breezy Point following Hurricane Sandy.
#11 "Hail Men of Fordham" Changes to "Hail Rams of Fordham"
With the century-old lyrics of the Rams fight song changed by Father McShane at the
President's Club Christmas Reception
, the debate continues as to whether the ewes can rejoice. Many have noted on Facebook and Twitter that a ram is a male sheep. It was an issue that Father McShane tackled head on, noting that ewes sounded too much like "youse," as in "youse guys"—which sounded too much like Brooklyn for a Bronx-based team.
#12. First Archbishop Demetrios Chair in Orthodox Theology and Culture
Fordham University and members of the Orthodox Christian community
celebrated a milestone on Nov. 18
with the installation of Aristotle Papanikolaou, Ph.D., as Fordham's first Archbishop Demetrios Chair in Orthodox Theology and Culture.
#13. University Church Makes Cover of American Organist
What is it about the University Church that merits two mentions on one list? There's something about this place that elicits a visceral response from Fordhamites, and sometimes humorous ones too. After this cover shot of the University Organ was posted onto Facebook, "Rameses Ram" cheekily posted, "Of course my subscription [to American Organist] just ran out. Typical." To which Fordham University Libraries promptly responded, "Problem solved: Go to
to access the library's online subscription to The American Organist, available to the Fordham community."
Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition to approximately 14,700 students in its four undergraduate colleges and its six graduate and professional schools. It has residential campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan, a campus in Westchester, the Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, N.Y., and the London Centre at Heythrop College, University of London, in the United Kingdom.
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4-H Interest Survey
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John Deere ClassicSat, July 13, 2013 - 7:00 AMTPC at Deere Run in Silvis, IL
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A man who cut himself and tried to sign papers in blood because he was frustrated with MPI has been ordered to do community service work.
"I'm not a mental health specialist. It just seems a little odd," Judge Krystyna Tarwid commented as she sentenced Gary Philip Quinn in Brandon court this week.
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This is a test.
This is a test.
May God bless all of you.
Submitted by Michael Krieger of Liberty Blitzkrieg blog,
We are number 1 right? USA! USA! No one can beat our wealth creation machine, our economic dynamism, our level playing field and our bastions of higher education. We have a middle class that is the envy of the world, right?
Well, like so much of the American dream we have been force fed for a generation or more, this perception is not based in reality whatsoever. Sure it may have been the case for a couple of decades immediately after World War 2. Before the military-industrial-Wall Street complex fully took over the political process, but it certainly isnt true any longer. Myths die hard and this one is particularly pernicious because it prevents people from changing things. As James Baldwin said:
Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.
From the Huffington Post:
America is the richest country on Earth. We have the most millionaires, the most billionaires and our wealthiest citizens have garnered more of the planets riches than any other group in the world. We even have hedge fund managers who make in one hour as much as the average family makes in 21 years!
This opulence is supposed to trickle down to the rest of us, improving the lives of everyday Americans. At least thats what free-market cheerleaders repeatedly promise us.
We've known for years that Americans tend to be overweight and sedentary, and that our health care system, despite being the priciest in the world, produces some less-than-plum results. Health nerds who closely follow the news may even have known that we live shorter lives than people in other rich nations, and that infants in the U.S. die from various causes at far higher rates.
But a fresh report, out Wednesday, tapped vast stores of data to compare the health of affluent nations and delivered a worrisome new message: Americans' health is even worse than we thought, ranking below 16 other developed nations
If it were a country, New Orleans (with a rate 62.1 gun murders per 100,000 people) would rank second in the world.
Detroit's gun-homicide rate (35.9) is just a bit less than El Salvador (39.9).
Baltimore's rate (29.7) is not too far off that of Guatemala (34.8).
Gun murder in Newark (25.4) and Miami (23.7) is comparable to Colombia (27.1).
Washington D.C. (19) has a higher rate of gun homicide than Brazil (18.1).
Atlanta's rate (17.2) is about the same as South Africa (17).
Cleveland (17.4) has a higher rate than the Dominican Republic (16.3).
Gun murder in Buffalo (16.5) is similar to Panama (16.2).
Houston's rate (12.9) is slightly higher than Ecuador's (12.7).
Gun homicide in Chicago (11.6) is similar to Guyana (11.5).
Phoenix's rate (10.6) is slightly higher than Mexico (10).
Los Angeles (9.2) is comparable to the Philippines (8.9).
Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2013/02/u-s-citie...oorICzbDqPm.99
U.S. Suicide Statistics (2001)
Emergency Room Visits
Emergency room visits for self-inflicted injury: 400,000
All suicides
Number of deaths: 30,622
Deaths per 100,000 population: 10.8
Firearm Suicides
Number of deaths: 16,869
Deaths per 100,000 population: 5.9
Suffocation Suicides
Number of deaths: 6,198
Deaths per 100,000 population: 2.2
Poisoning Suicides
Number of deaths: 5,191
Deaths per 100,000 population: 1.8
One-quarter of all Americans met the criteria for having a mental illness within the past year, and fully a quarter of those had a "serious" disorder that significantly disrupted their ability to function day to day, according to the largest and most detailed survey of the nation's mental health, published yesterday.
Although parallel studies in 27 other countries are not yet complete, the new numbers suggest that the United States is poised to rank No. 1 globally for mental illness, researchers said.
"We lead the world in a lot of good things, but we're also leaders in this one particular domain that we'd rather not be," said Ronald Kessler, the Harvard professor of health care policy who led the effort, called the National Comorbidity Survey Replication.
The exhaustive government-sponsored effort, based on in-depth interviews with more than 9,000 randomly selected Americans, finds that the prevalence of U.S. mental illness has remained roughly flat in the past decade -- a possible glimmer of hope given that previous decades had suggested the rates were gradually rising.
But the rest of the news from the survey -- which did not include some of the most serious disorders, such as schizophrenia, for which patients are often institutionalized -- is mostly discouraging.
Less than half of those in need get treated. Those who seek treatment typically do so after a decade or more of delays, during which time they are likely to develop additional problems. And the treatment they receive is usually inadequate.
Younger sufferers are especially overlooked, the survey found, even though mental illness is very much a disease of youth. Half of those who will ever be diagnosed with a mental disorder show signs of the disease by age 14, and three-quarters by age 24. But few get help.
Many factors contribute to these failings, the reports conclude, including inattention to early warning signs, inadequate health insurance and the lingering stigma that surrounds mental illness.
May God bless all of you.


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Our Performance Rating is based on total return to investors over the last three years, including share price appreciation and distributions to shareholders. This total return is stated net of the expenses and fees charged by the fund. This is then weighted to give longer term performance a slightly greater emphasis. Thus, two funds may have provided identical returns to their shareholders in the last 12 months, but the one with the better performance over the last three years will receive a higher performance rating.
Performance Rank is divided into five categories: Well Above Average, Above Average, Average, Below Average & Well Below Average.
|Well Above Average
GRES's YTD return of 12.52% is well above average in comparison to the closed-end funds rated by TheStreet Ratings.
|1 Year
|Below Average
GRES's 1 Year return of -7.01% is below average in comparison to the closed-end funds rated by TheStreet Ratings.
|3 Year Return
|Below Average
GRES's 3 Year return of -5.48% is below average in comparison to the closed-end funds rated by TheStreet Ratings.
|5 Year Return
|Well Below Average
GRES's 5 Year return of -5.49% is well below average in comparison to the closed-end funds rated by TheStreet Ratings.
Our Risk Rating is based on the level of volatility in the fund's monthly returns. Like performance, risk is also measured over a three year period using several statistical measures – standard deviation, semi-deviation and a drawdown factor – as barometers of volatility. Funds with more volatility relative to other funds are considered riskier, and thus receive a lower risk rating. By contrast, funds with more stable returns are considered less risky and receive a higher risk rating. The maximum risk rating is B+ since all stock-based investments involve at least some degree of risk.
Risk (Volatility) is divided into five categories: Highest Volatility, Above Average Volatility, Average Volatility, Below Average Volatility & Lowest Volatility.
|3 Year Standard Deviation
|Below Average Volatility
GRES's 3 Year Standard Deviation of 15.29% is below average in comparison to the entire closed-end fund universe rated by TheStreet Ratings. A high standard deviation indicates a high degree of volatility in the past.
|3 Year Semi-Deviation
|Below Average Volatility
GRES's 3 Year Semi-Deviation of 3.28% is below average in comparison to the entire closed-end fund universe rated by TheStreet Ratings. Semi-deviations only consider values that fall below the risk free rate of return used by the TheStreet Ratings model.
|Draw Down
|Average Volatility
GRES's Draw Down of -30.74% is considered average. Draw Down represents the greatest % decline from one period's high to a subsequent period's low.
|New York Life Investment Management
|Greg Barrato
|Start Date:
|51 Madison Avenue
New YorkNY10010
|(800) 848-3863
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U.S. News & World Report announces 2016 Best High Schools rankings
U.S. News & World Report today announced the 2016 Best High Schools rankings, highlighting top-performing public schools on a state and national level. U.S. News collaborated with RTI International to research and produce the rankings.Read more


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Quench your thirst in this handy 34 oz travel mug from Ron Jon's! Mug features a handle and a snap on lid to ensure that you do not spill anything on yourself.
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'Homeland' Season 3: Watch Sunday Night's Premiere, "Tin Man Is Down," Right Now!
The internet and the world at large may have been somewhat preoccupied with a little ol' AMC series finale (10.3 million viewers, bitch!), but thankfully Showtime is a good sport with its 'Homeland' season 3 and 'Masters of Sex' premieres. While the latter had earlier made its way online, the entirety of 'Homeland' season 3 premiere "Tin Man Is Down" has found its way on demand for those in need of a post-'Breaking Bad' high.


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We're coming to the close of Meteorological Summer 2013, which is comprised of June, July and August. Considering how hot it can get in the DC Metro area, we've actually had a pretty tepid summer! During those three months of Meteorological Summer, we only had 22 days with temperatures above 90. By amazing contrast, in 2012, we had 48 days of 90+ temperatures during those three months! We had as many days above 90 in July of last year as we have had in this entire summer period. Possibly even more shocking- we have had ZERO triple-digit days in Washington this year. Last year, we had eight. Eight sweltering days!
Of course, last year was an especially hot summer here in the DC Metro (the third-hottest on record), so the comparison looks especially stark. But if we give our data a bigger sample size- for instance, the current climate record used in our record-keeping- we can clearly see that we're still well below normal. In a typical summer, we have 36 days of 90+ temperatures in DC. So this year's 22 is well short of a normal, hot summer in Washington! So, if it hasn't been hot here in the DC area, where IS the summer heat? As it turns out, it's been mostly in the West.
I'll use Boise, Idaho as an example. Central Idaho has a much drier climate than we have here, so the summers generally have warm afternoons and cool, comfortable nights. This summer, however, has been scorching hot in Boise. This summer has featured 14 days with temperatures above 100. July was the hottest month, with 10 days of 100+ temperatures and, unbelievably, only one day with a high temperature below 90! In Salt Lake City, the heat has been even more intense, with 20 days since June 1st when the temperature topped 100. The city recorded its hottest July ever this year, with records dating back to 1874!
The reason for the heat in the West, and the relatively cool summer here in DC, are very much related. For nearly the entire summer, a huge ridge has been sitting over the western half of the country. The ridge allows heat to surge in from the south at the atmosphere's upper levels. In the lower levels, this warm airflow also has plenty of moisture in it, but the mountainous terrain in Arizona, Nevada and southern California wrings out the moisture before it can traverse the mountains and reach Utah and Idaho. As the ridge pushed northward toward the Canadian border, it forced a compensating trough into the eastern half of the USA, like the one in this picture:
The ridge is outlined in red, but it's clearly visible even without the extra detail. This bubble of hot air remained almost stationary for most of the summer, which not only kept our temperatures down, but in addition, we had to deal with more cloud cover and more frequent rain this summer than what we typically see (about 5.5" above normal since June 1st).
Thankfully, just in time for the end of summer, the pattern is changing. That massive ridge in the west is starting to flatten a bit and move east, toward the DC Metro area.
In this graphic above, you can clearly see how the ridge is no longer over Boise and Salt Lake City (BOI and SLC), but it's creeping toward Washington (DCA)! What does that mean for us? Well, if the ridge continues to progress toward DC, our weather will be warmer and drier. The upcoming Labor Day weekend will feel very much like summer, and the summery temperatures will probably stick around for most of September. And, since the ridge has thousands of miles of continental mass to traverse before reaching our area, the air should be pretty dry, too. A potential spoiler could be in the form of a tropical storm, and since we're entering the peak of the hurricane season, this is a possibility. But, if this ridge stays somewhat intact, we should expect some pretty pleasant weather this fall!


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It's a dance party for the little ones! (for ages 2 and under)
Join us for songs and music that will get you moving! Listening to rhymes and rhythms help young children with language learning and early literacy skills. Come experience the fun! (This event will be held in the meeting room of the Suwanee library branch)


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Make history a lot more enjoyable when you dress up in some of our historical costumes . Whether it is for an educational purpose, or just a Halloween costume, these historical looks are sure to be an amazing addition to your day. Travel back as early as the 1700's with these looks that represent the founders and citizens of the good old USA. Throughout history, this country has been involved in several military conflicts and revolutions such as the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. One saw the entire country come together, and the other saw the country begin to fall apart. Now you can feel like you're in either with some of these outfits that look like uniforms from the classic time period.
There are even tons of great historical figures that have changed the way this country has been ran. Becoming one of these figures will make you feel as powerful as the men who changed the world had back then. These men, such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Ben Franklin, and more, have completely changed the way this country is ran and are thus honored in not only the history books, but nationwide. Now you can reenact their deeds to America in these historic outfits.


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Colorful, free, and full of love! The 60s were a remarkable time that will never be forgotten. Now you can wear a dress inspired by this unforgettable period in American history. The Plus Size Adult Groovy Chic Costume comes with a dress and headband. The dress is designed with a low cute neckline that is trimmed with white material and designed with gold decorations over the v-portion. The bodice is designed with a vibrant psychedelic pattern, bell sleeves, and an attached white belt with pockets. This outfit is finished off with a matching headband that will truly make your look like a mod 60s girl. You can pair this costume with go-go boots and sparking jewelry to hit the style home. So become a 60s beauty this Halloween with the Plus Size Adult Groovy Chic Costume.
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Areaware Bottle Opener
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Pass the lager. New York-based Areaware designed this smart, simple magnetic bottle opener. Made from sustainably harvested new growth beech wood, it has one magnet to catch the bottle cap and a second to attach the opener to the fridge.
Designed by Brandon Ravenhill.
Sustainably-harvested beech wood and magnetic metal.
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Wipe clean.


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June 29, 2012
Justin Rowland
Boston College fans had to painfully endure some high-profile decommitments at the end of the last recruiting cycle. Even now the Eagles' top-rated commitment considers himself soft. ...More... To continue reading this article you must be a member. Sign Up Now!
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The Power of Independent Thinking
The Roots of Government Failure: An Interview
Recorded: Wednesday, November 30, 2011
William Shughart interviews Economist Randy T. Simmons, author of Beyond Politics: The Roots of Government Failure.
Experts: William F. Shughart II, Randy T SimmonsType: Independent Institute TVIssues: Democracy, Economic History and Development (U.S.), Public Choice Theory
What President Obama Should Learn from His Predecessors
Recorded: Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Amid the current economic and financial crises, President Obama may do well to remember the men who have come before him.
Experts: Ivan Eland, Andrew R. RuttenType: Independent Institute EventIssues: Civil Liberties/ Human Rights, Constitutional Law, Culture/ Society, Defense and Foreign Policy, Economic History and Development (U.S.), Economic Policy, Freedom, Government Power, History (U.S), Nationalism, Political Ideology and Philosophy, Politics, Race Issues, Terrorism and National Crises


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The Streetfighter is a type of motorcycle in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories.
The Streetfighter is very easy to handle, thus it is a great beginner bike, due to its good speed and handling. The Streetfighter used at the beginning of the game, when Jerry Martinez tells Victor Vance to go to the airport , where a person is waiting for him.
The bike can be seen driving around Vice City and can also be found at Fort Baxter Air Base (until the base cannot be accessed after Victor is dishonorably discharged from the army in "Conduct Unbecoming").
- Beside Martinez's barracks, with an army green color (not available after "Conduct Unbecoming").
- Lying beside a house south of the Cholo's wrecked warehouse in Little Haiti.
- On the west wall near King Knuts in Downtown.
- In Little Havana, near the Libre Havana Logo and just parked in Carioca.
- Next to a cafe at the north of Ocean Beach.
- Parked near the steps at Brodie's Hotel.
- The name of this bike is a reference to the streetfighter style of motorcycle common in urban areas. A streetfighter is a sportbike stripped of its fairings, often with an aftermarket headlight. They are commonly used for stunting and are an example of a naked bike.
- In the PSP version of the game, the pitch sound of the Streetfighter is lower than the PS2 version. It is very noticeable.
- It's the first vehicles available to the player to drive in GTA Vice City Stories.
- Chronologically this is the first vehicle driven in the 3D Universe.
- It looks very similar to another motorcycle from the HD Universe the Vader.
- This is the only motorcycle not to appear in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.


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You're one step closer to paradise...
By: Kim Steutermann Rogers
At 7:30 one March morning, the sun glinted off the ocean like a field of diamonds. Three minutes outside the Lahaina Harbor off Maui, Captain Karl of Maui Adventure Cruises nosed the boat northwest. He had already spotted our first humpback whales of the morning. Thar she blows.
From a couple miles away, we could see the action. A competitive group of male whales vied for one female's attention. The guys tail slapped. They pec slapped. And they threw their peduncles* every which way. This was serious business.
Another captain with us, Gary, said that scientists feel these explosive behaviors—some ending in bloody wounds—represent a form of communication. Like these 45-foot, 45-ton behemoths are saying, "Don't cut in on me, buster, I was here first." Or, "She's mine, matie." And, "Back off, dude, I am bigger than you are."
Male Humpback Whales Migrate to Hawaii to Breed
When humpback whales migrate 3,500 miles from their feeding grounds of Alaska to Hawaii each year, the males do so to mate. The need to breed is so strong, they face up to four months without food to do so. As the season winds down, Captain Gary quipped, "It's like the big stomach says, 'I am hungry,' and the Little Man says, 'But I have need to breed.'" Eventually, one of two things happens: Hunger wins out, or all the females leave. Either way, the males turn north.
In February, according to Gary, in order for Maui Adventure Cruises to traverse across the Au'au Channel to Lana'i for their dolphin snorkel cruises, they have to dodge groups of whales to get there. That's the reason I hesitated before signing up for a whalewatching tour. A month-and-a-half earlier, I participated in the necropsy of a humpback whale calf. A mere four weeks old, this 17-foot calf washed ashore on a west side Kaua'i beach. We performed the necropsy carefully, as there had been reports of a whale and boat collision a few days before.
This time of year, though, the number of whales in Hawaii decreases by about one-third, per Gary, and that eased my fears of harming one of these endangered cetaceans. Since there are fewer females, though, the fighting for who earns the rights to continue their gene pool gets ferocious. "Much more goes on below water than above," said Karl, who volunteers his captain's duties to a research boat one day a week. Like one whale t-boning another in the genital regions.
Humpback Females Calve in Hawaiian Waters
Silly me. I knew very little about the mating behavior—and violence—practiced by whales in Hawaii. My thoughts veered more toward the birthing rather than the breeding. I found facts like these fascinating: 1) the humpback whale calf measure 15 feet in length when it is born, and during a few short months, it grows to 30 feet by the time it departs for Alaska; 2) the calf consumes on average 100 gallons of milk per day and gains on average 100 pounds of weight per day; and 3) mom loses one-third her body weight between the time she leaves her feeding grounds in Alaska and when she returns some five months later. But my focus on the mom and calf might be easily explained. I am female.
Humpback whales are not sexually active until they are 12 or 13. That doesn't mean they're not interested, though. Males start fighting with other males when they are half that age. Until then, "It's like a sex education class," said Gary. And teen dating.
Captain Karl turned out boat around when three other whalewatching vessels approached, and we started jockeying for position. If we weren't careful, we'd be head butting and tail slapping each other for a view of the action. Plus, we'd found ourselves sideways to the waves jumbled up by the tradewinds whipping around the island. The boat rocked. "Let's find some whales in calm water," said Karl.
Male Humpback Whale Competition Continues Under Water
And we did. We spent most of the next—and last—hour of our whalewatching tour observing five adult whales—we never did spot a calf in this group. They behaved much more civil. Maybe they were older. Maybe all the action was going on underwater. At times, we spotted "footprints" on the water—calm areas created by tail flicks, pec slaps and other movement just below the water. One male kept lunging above with his head above water and taking big gulps of water. Karl said the water would inflate his pleats and make him look bigger to the other males.
We also followed the direction of the whales below the surface of the water by scanning the horizon for moving blocks of turquoise color. Once, deep below us, a whale swam under our boat. All I could make of it, though, was the discoloration of the water column.
A depth gauge revealed the water inside the triangle of Maui, Lanai and Molokini is shallower on average than anywhere else around the Hawaiian Islands. I could see clear to the bottom, some 120 feet down. The water shimmered an inviting cobalt blue. No microorganisms floated in the water giving it such excellent visibility. It looked pretty to me, but it also explains why humpback whales only migrate to Hawaii, rather than move permanently.
The mid-Pacific Ocean is nutrient poor. Its warm waters do not produce the zooplankton that whales like to eat. While humpbacks—with scientific names of Megaptera novaeangliae, which means "Big wings of New England"—lose weight because they do not eat while they are here, they also drop about 2,000 pounds of barnacles. Barnacles, like zooplankton, cannot survive in the mid-Pacific waters. That means a visit to Hawaii is like going to the spa for a micro-derm abrasion treatment.
Humpback Whale Song: Woos or Warnings?
Gary and Karl dropped a hydrophone in the water, hoping to hear some singing. In the breeding grounds of Hawaii, male whales tilt their heads down in the water, spread their long pectoral fins and emit a sequence of groans, snores, sighs and chirps over and over. Throughout the season, the song grows and evolves and can be heard as far away as 100 miles. Next season, the males create a new song. Scientists don't really know why the big guys sing, but because the songs are belted out exclusively in the mating grounds by only the males, scientists expect the obvious: Singing and mating go together. But whether the whales are wooing their lovers like Frank Sinatra or are beating their chests to claim king of the jungle status, we don't know.
We listened as the hydrophone picked up some faint strains of song. Someone was floating in an inverted cross position somewhere, but it wasn't the whales 100 yards away. They may have been lunging and head-butting, but they weren't singing. At least, then.
I arrived on Maui wondering whether I could enjoy the amazing wonder of whales without having to step foot on a boat—without having to disturb their world, without risking injury to them by a boat strike. I departed Maui feeling two things: 1) No land-based whalewatching I have ever experienced compares to that from a boat; and 2) Maui truly is no ka oi when it comes to whales. Still, I wonder whether there shouldn't be some limitation on how many boats can ply the whale's world during peak season and in population-dense areas.
According to Captain Karl, the caudal peduncle—the area behind the whale's dorsal fin—is the strongest muscle in the animal kingdom.
Find inspiration for your journeys to Outrigger's exotic locations.
Read our travel blog.


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Big blue hasn't really been seen since set 2. It made a tiny resurgence with a failed attempt by gonfreeces31 to make it popular again (getting in the top 5 rp if I recall correctly) in set 8, but since then, including with the introduction of galderia, big and mid blue has not been seen as an op file. But this is completely wrong. As gon has shown, big blue was able to consistently pump out wins against the mid gowen meta of the time and many other rush files.
Like with other falkow, there is an inherent weakness to big files, which is in it of itself a really bad design element, but this is not an excuse for this file or any other file to be extremely polarized against rush or mid files. Testing matches have shown that with two competent players, big blue beats meta mid refess with etoile to guard against field wipes and catira to remove, making big blue the only big to be able to boast being able to do that. In case anyone was wondering how that was possible, field wipes were done until last copy etoile died. The fact that against a competent player, no big currently should have the chance to even come close to winning against the longevity of mid refess (not by control but by pushing out field wipes) speaks volumes about the whole file as a whole.
Let's look at what exactly timestop and rasam does. Timestop is a grim that engages almost every unit but rasam for two turns, the exceptions being mostly falkow (of course). This is incredibly good. Not only do you have guaranteed setup against everything but open skills, which are expensive (the only cheap ones to counter rasam are storm sorc and tidal bounds open, both again in falkow), it also stalls two turn granting you a net 1 sp at the end, and a net 4 sp for the opponent which he could only spend on more units which will get hit by the field wipe or grims, of which there are a limited amount. The greatest sp sink rush files have in the form of action skills are denied because timestop engages them. Now imagine if other field wipers such as millia had a 3 sp grim that engaged everyone but her for 2 turns, stopping start skills and fast agi fast attack units. I bet they would see a lot more use. Rasam does 40 aoe damage to all engaged units for 1 sp. With timestop, which you want to use to both stall for more sp and prevent other units from acting, for 1 sp, rasam can hit 40 aoe damage to all units, or for 2 sp and 2 turns of action, hit 80 aoe damage cumulative. Then after 3 timestops are used, rasam's secondary skill can lock your crippled file if there are any units or lp left. The most obvious comparison that can be made is to prenerf ruuca. 1 ruuca and 1 timestop solo'd any rush file at the time. I have a distinct memory of having a field full of level 7 undeads with enormous attack and agi buffs, all copies in file, against an empty field, lost to ruuca + timestop endgame (fire dragon, fire dragon, ice dragon, ice dragon, fire dragon) because I did not pack an assassin in any of my 3 remaining soul skills. Well, rasam timestop is not much different from that. The amount of times that you can field wipe is limited, but I claim that 3 (3 fire dragons and 3 copies) is enough to give you a win vs any rush file. Like fire dragon, timestop+rasam's skill does not even cost enough sp to prevent consecutive uses (or limited uses, as anyone who has used afel who is less stable and not as powerful due to agi manipulation, faster units, start skills, and salamanders will tell you). The only difference between the two strategies is that now you have to pack 3 timestops instead of 1. 2 fileslots is not much of a nerf there testing team.
Let's look at what galderia+lightning wyvern actually does. Out of the two, galderia is definitely the offender (it is not clear in rasam timestop which one is the overpowered one). Galderia has a 1 sp open which is an area of effect corruption. NO OTHER UNIT in the history of alteil has been able to do that. The only other cards that come close, both of them overpowered, are game over and burning sun. But looking at their costs, it is very clear which one wins. Galderia mass corruption open (corruption is single target and a 3 sp grim, come on testing team!) gives the falkow player a win where the falkow player should not have a win. If I am playing big red or big lawtia and I let true god church snowball their sp out of control to 150+ hp, should I get a win? Hell no. They, through building up a field over multiple turns using mutiple different units that complement each other, achieved their win condition. But a single galderia open and lightning wyvern skill kills the whole field for 2 sp. Anyone think that's fair? Although this strategy requires more banked sp and does not prevent start skills from killing lightning wyvern, it guarantees field wipe if lightning's skill goes off. Galderia also has a secondary skill that for 1 sp gives you both field advantage (which is more important than sp advantage), clearing field and giving you 2 card advantage. That's huge! No other unit or grim in the game trades 1 sp for 2 cards. This skill of course goes with the strategy of decking your opponent's card file.
The existence of control cards in mid/big blue further complicates things. Not fielding against big blue is a huge mistake, and fielding is also a huge mistake. If you don't field and just iczer, the opponent can just drop vonderam and instant field lock you. In order to come out even against a giant squid trading unit for unit, you need around 3 level 3s on the field. In order to have an advantage, you need 4 level 3s. This is of course, even if you are sacrificing 4 level 3s to later rasam timestop spam or such in order to have an advantage against giant squid, the opponent is still essentially stalling (squid averaging 2 turn survival against 4 level 3s), leaving you with a glut of sp that you can either use to pump out that 5th unit so that there is one more unit to be killed with rasam or just leave it to sit there wasted. Squid/vonderam prevents you from dumping your sp on iczer attacks, forces you to field for later wipes, and stalls the game.
If anyone is wondering why exactly there has been a lot of augments and big red (and also big refess) in folrart lately, perhaps it is to counter falkow. Perhaps falkow is still the big A strategy that is not only dominant, but also restrictive upon the all the timmy cards from being played, driving timmy players into spike players. Perhaps augments and 3x overdose is the B strategy which isn't as strong but counters strategy A, that people hate enough to all move to strategy B. Of course there exists a strategy C (mid refess) that is good against strategy B (augments) but dies to strategy A (falkow). I'm using augments and mid refess because anyone who received free set 11 has those cards. The fact that people would rather play strategy B (not strategy C which should be better in a strategy B dominant folrart arena) says something about the hatred felt to strategy A. In a successful game, a dominant strategy A can be achieved without the frustrations felt at not being able to do anything against it. Anyone who has played a non-aggressive character-based fun file has faced volfied and been locked out the entire match, unable to do anything. Stop playing characters I guess. Elite fencer? Start playing agi 3 I guess. Ex Mermaid? Start playing units with cheap good skills only I guess. Timestop+Rasam and Galderia+Lightning? I guess just quit this game altogether.
If we really want to drive this game forward, we need to push out more rares like prenerf 5* dilate which although was powerful, could be outrushed and killed with some strategic modification, modification which by the way is good and necessary for the development of the players. Don't push out things like ruuca which in essence guarantees a win against a certain type of file just by being in the file; player only needs to learn to drop the units in order and then spam the same actions over and over again for an easy win condition and lockdown condition.
Now before gon posts here, I will enforce some sort of rule to be civil here. If you make a post, every paragraph needs to begin with:
"I agree with this point" or
"I disagree with this point"
Mid and Big Blue's ability to deck a rush file a lot better than file destruction make them op. There are no strategic modifications you can make to rush files to stand a chance against them. The two biggest offenders are rasam+timestop and galderia.